h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

please read this
F16547?thread=166423

thank you

WOW - greetings,
pheloxi

WOW - Wish Only Well

Yes, I had read it since it's one of my daughter's threads......

I realize that in your country, the cross after a person's name means something else entirely, but it does not mean the same thing here, and apparently does not mean the same thing in the UK, where most of the researchers are located. This is a cultrually diverse site. There are many things on h2g2 that if I were to complain about them because they mean something entirely different here, or they offended my sense of decency, I'd be extremely busy writing complaining posts or yikes-ing things, because my standards of acceptability and decency are apparently very different from those in the UK, and the rules of acceptability on this site. However, I do overlook it because it is a different culture from the one I live in. And being one who is from a culture that is in a minority here, I do accept a lot of things as simply part of that different culture.

You should also know that of course Lady Scott is not my real name.... not even the Scott part is part of my real name. So the idea that it would signify that I had died is negated.

The reason I put the cross there is not to identify myself as a christian to others (although others may see it that way,and others may have but it after their name for that reason), but for the same reason that I wear a cross necklace - to remind me of the price that was paid for me, and Who it is that I live for, and to remind me that in all that I do, it is not just for me that I do it, but for the one who died in my place on that cross. That applies to what I post on h2g2, also.

I have no intention of removing it from my name. Switching it to a fish, even though it was in the early history of the church used as a code to identify other christians, it does not remind me as vividly of my faith as the cross does. If you find it so terribly offensive that it pains you to read anything I've posted, and you can not accept it as a cultural difference, then i can simply unsubscribe from every thread we are on together.

The posting I made about The Cross to Amy and you are not done overnight it has been bothering me since I noticed it. before I wrote Amy it took me 2 months. I am now one year a H2G2 researcher and I have good reason to ask you politely one more time.

I know about symbols and their meanings I do research before I talk to anyone about it. One thing I am disapointed in is that you both do not want acknowlegde that there is difference between writing a symbol and wearing a symbol. writing a symbol for everyone see is very powerfull and can get start memories flowing out someones mind.

we are community it means that reconise that if use certain symbols they might interpretated differently by people, because we life in different countries. I know I should, but it very hard for me if I am everyday to be reminded by death. I have already to cope with too much and I do not want cope with death everyday my my father sudden death in 1995 is doing that already.

because of this I nearly gave up H2G2, but I have too much fun. I will not let one who does not consider some one feelings be in the way. I have been very diplomatic about it and did not let my angered feelings get on top, because I respect your Christianity.

WOW-greetings,
pheloxi

WOW - Wish Only Well

If this site were based in your country, perhaps it would have been so obvious from the beginning that it was offensive in your country that I would never have put it there in the first place. However, it is not, and as they say, when in rome... This is a BBC site, I am not violating the house rules in any way or someone would have yikes-ed my very name long ago, along with the names of many others whose names evoke culturally sensitive issues in other countries.

I am very sorry it reminds you only of death. In a way it does have to do with death - the death of my savior on that cross. But because the cross is empty, it reminds me that Jesus conquered death, is alive and will return someday. For those who believe, it symbolizes death to the old way of life without Christ and it offers the ultimate hope of salvation when we leave this earth. Yes, I am sensitive to cultural differences, but at this point, removing the cross from my name would be the same for me as denying my Lord, which I will not do. For you it is only an issue of a worn symbol as opposed to a written symbol, and what that symbol evokes in your culture. For those of us who use it in our names, it is a reminder of hope. We use it all kinds of places, such as on our bibles, hymnals and as grave markers or on grave markers. You would likely find yourself deeply offended by our bibles and hymnals because most of them display a written cross on the cover, and sometimes in the text or in pictures. Even when written on a grave marker, it does not symbolize death, only that the person who died was a christian. It is not associated simply with death in most of the world, and certainly not in the UK/US where the vast majority of researchers are located.

As I offered before, if you would like I will simply un-subscribe to the conversations we are both on, and you will not be bothered with the cross in my name any longer because you will not be seeing it any more, since it seems that you are unable to accept it as a different cultural view. Please let me know which conversations those are, if that is what you wish - I might miss some.

the internet is global you can not always see only local rules,
because that is narrow minded.

you can not deny that we are global communitty.

I was raised to be Christian, but lost my Christian believe, because of all the wars fought in name of a Believe. I believe in goodness of person.

I never asked to remove it. I asked to consider it. I hope that you think it.
please do not unsubscribe any forums we both on. I am an adult. I can cope with it!

my opinion is that your nickname should be free of possible hurtfull symbols, because you have enough personal space to make it clear.

Very sorry to hear that you have lost your faith simply because of the hypocricy of others in conducting wars in the name of their beliefs. Hypocricy has been around since the beginning of the church - Judas was one of Jesus' disciples, even handled the money bag for the group, and yet we see that not only did he steal from the money bag, he thought so little of his master that he betrayed him to death. Peter, who had been eating with the gentiles suddenly was given to a fit of hypocricy when some Jewish believers criticized him for that. Then there was the case of Ananias and Sapphira, who committed the hypocricy of lying to the holy spirit- and the whole church. However, I have found that a faith dependent upon a personal relationship with God through Jesus is quite independent of other's hypocricy.

Yes, this is a global community, and we *all* have to take into consideration what the customs are in other countries. That means that not only do I have to consider the customs of other countries, particularly the one in which this site is based, but those in other countries need to consider the customs in the country in which this site is based. And yet, there are plenty of things on this site that I find offensive to my beliefs, and yes even hurtful, but I would never ask them to consider changing something that has already been established, because those things are based on their customs, not on mine.

I have already explained why I intend to keep the cross in my name, it would not be the same at all to simply state that I am a christian on my space. That cross needs to be there in front of me every time I post, to keep *me* in remembrance of what I am and whose I am.

you do not understand my position at all.

I quote you:
"Very sorry to hear that you have lost your faith simply because of the hypocricy of others in conducting wars in the name of their beliefs"

the word "simply" is very hurtfull. If read all I have written here you can see that I think very long before I write something. it even keeps me awake at night.

I want share something about my believe, philosophy and thoughts:

"People should think more with the heart and soul than with the mind, beause being person of heart and soul might have a passion for beauty, goodness, love, peace and understanding. A person who thinks too much with the mind might fight for power and war".

"We must all become a being of heart and soul by start thinking beautiful and good, because they will win the hearts and souls of the world".

"The world would be a much simpler place if everyone had only one belief. They should believe in the beauty and the goodness of themselves".

"A person who willing to learn about the world may be find a way to peace".

"you do not have to like everybody, but do not jugde them respect their human rights".

I respect you and your believes. I also know Christianity says about not hurting some one. you disregard another human being feelings. It makes me think more that I did well leaving Christianity as my believe.

it is getting harder for me to keep the anger in me.

you have absolute no idea how much you hurt me and that you keep me awake at night.....

I want apolise for my behavior.

I talked about with some one who knows a bit more about the Americans side of things. the person lived for more 3 yrs in the States. he reminded me about your the First Amendment to the Constitution. freedom of speach and defend yourself.

one thought:
sadly that people can still hurt people with such law, because they use it in such extreme way eventho it violates their Christian believes by ignoring 2 important Christain rules: "you will not kill" and "you love your neighbour as you love yourself".

with respect
pheloxi

Apology accepted, of course!



I must also apologize for using the word "simply" back there. When you gave only one reason for having rejected christianity, I assumed that was your only reason, which was obviously wrong. Please forgive me.

I certainly never meant to hurt anyone by using the universally accpeted symbol of christianity in my nickname, and I was only trying to explain as clearly as possible why it must stay. Since I would consider removing it at this late date to be the same as denying Jesus, perhaps the following verses will help explain that more clearly:

Mark 8:34-38 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

I do not expect you to apply these verses to yourself since you are not a christian, but I do apply them to myself since I am a christian. Therefore, if i were to remove the cross from my name, it would be the same as being ashamed of Jesus, something which I shall not do. Had it not already been an established part of my nickname (for quite some time I might add) before you ever said anything, it might be different.

Unfortunately, since it bothers you so much to see it there, I see no solution to the dillema other than to remove myself from any conversations which we share. I have already done this. If you remove my name from your united friends space, you will then no longer be bothered with it. I'm sorry that I see no other solution to the problem, given your feelings about the cross, and my beliefs about leaving it there.

Nevertheless, I do wish you only well.

please do not remove from any comman forums, because I apricate what you are always saying you make good contribution, when I see you writing ...

but this seems to be the only way, since it will continue to hurt you if I do post to those theads..... and I really don't want to hurt you, I seem to have done that already.

I can not change your way so I will get less sensitive about it.
I talked about with some who understand they USA ways of thinking.

I do not want talk about anymore, because I might say something that will hurt.

remember!
Christian faith are not only faiths here.
we have life together with different ways of life.