Posts by steeleagle2

Brian Mendoza95 won't step up; if he wanted to, he would have spoken up by now.

I am opening this position up to anyone—except rowdyhawk10—to act as the caretaker for this Dervish Lodge. Since I am stepping down from this role and washing my hands of all responsibility, I’m looking for a volunteer. Does anyone want in? The only condition is that the Lodge can only remain open if someone takes charge.

Brian Mendoza95 said:I find myself standing firmly against the closing of the Dervish Lodge.
I truly believe this virtual space serves as a profound example of a great struggle, given how many hurdles we have collectively cleared just to reach this point.

Fitna exists everywhere throughout the world; this particular chaos isn't something exclusive to this Dervish Lodge...

One might even interpret these circumstances as a form of retreat...
In any event, if this closure is truly meant to be, perhaps one of the Muslims here could perform Istikhara and then share the guidance received afterward.
Sufism follows the path of the companions, and the companions prayed Istikhara regarding all matters of significance.

If my opinion carries any weight, I would suggest that one of these three individuals perform Istikhara, as I hold them in the highest regard.
I am calling upon steeleagle2, wearyhawk222, or northernrider9 to pray (any one of them) and then convey to us what becomes clear through their prayer!
That is how we shall proceed, God willing!

Peace Peace!

Peace be upon you.

Are you stepping up to take responsibility for the Dervish Lodge and acting as its servant?

Fine, let someone pray. But how will they notify us? Perhaps they can send word through a human... Or better yet, let FMN ask c&b to find Zakariya, then report it all to Gary Morales so he can pray. Then Gary Morales, along with rapidmaker6, can interpret the results for us. Once rowdyhawk10 has shaken things up, we can decide how to proceed.☕

wiredcyclist72 said:Peace be upon you

What exactly do people mean by "style"?
I've been keeping an eye on this—honestly, I follow this regularly—but can someone explain why some z
are calling for the Dervish Lodge to be shut down?

I always thought once the Dervish Lodge opens its doors, the keys are thrown away!
Peace, peace, peace... because nobody is to blame here...

Peace be upon you.

The "style" is that there is no style. Personally, I wanted it closed.

Edit: Don't get me wrong, I just meant that I wanted to see—and show everyone—what happens when someone asks for their own thread to be closed, versus how it looks when they close it themselves. The Mejdan was "Insan's" thread, whereas this one is "mine." For the Mejdan, nothing was even up for debate.

rowdyhawk10 said:There are a few key points regarding the issue at hand. First off, we respect the original poster's desire to close this thread. However, we also have to consider—and I think you all should too—that every sub-forum, every thread, and every single post is the property of the Muslim.com domain , where a team of about 50 professional moderators manages the discussions, while registered members participate voluntarily whenever they feel like it (or choose not to). Essentially, the forum operates on a voluntary basis.

Secondly, regarding us moderators and our policy for managing the Religion sub-forum—(this goes out to steeleagle2, northernrider9, and anyone else using this as an argument)—everyone is already aware of this thread, as well as others, it isn't the place to debate this. That discussion belongs in the Messages, Desires, Comments sub-forum. I say this as someone who has been on this forum for nearly ten years and understands how things work here. So, if anyone wants to start a discussion about the conduct of our moderation team, please feel free to do so over in that section. In fact, it’s actually encouraged; power without criticism eventually leads to unethical or even aggressive behavior. If we handle things peacefully through civil discourse, logic, and honest human conversation, everything can be resolved. Therefore, please head over to the PZK sub-forum! That entire section exists specifically for these matters, and because of that, we won't tolerate further critiques of moderator actions here, and such posts will be deleted moving forward.

Lastly, just generally for everyone... this thread will either be closed or remain open. Whether the starter's word should be final, or whether everyone who has carried this thread through the months and years—as well as the moderation team—should have a say, is now the real question. As you know, several very active members of the Dervish Lodge have already expressed their opposition to closing the topic. On the other hand, steeleagle2 essentially issued an ultimatum, coming out of nowhere... or rather, dropping a bombshell without any consultation with the moderators, notifying us that we would be expected to close the thread. So, once again, we find ourselves somewhat caught off guard by this little "revolution."

So, brother steeleagle2 and everyone else... we are currently weighing which solution is best, so please bear with us! We will make a decision very soon, perhaps even tonight or tomorrow. At the moment, I am leaning toward keeping the Dervish Lodge open (I'll explain my reasoning later), and posts starting from this one and everything related to it might be moved to this sub-forum, so that everything can be examined calmly and from multiple angles there.

To address a few individuals specifically... Gary Morales3, we seriously ask you not to escalate this crisis! We won't tolerate that. Gary Morales3, please, let's have some peace right now. northernrider9, please don't try to force a solution. As a member, he has stated his opinion three times (here, here, and here), which is more than enough. We won't tolerate further insistence, regardless of our good intentions. steeleagle2, please calm down and trust in our competence and good intentions. We want what is best and most useful. We thank boldgull19 for her selfless help and advice; we believe we will reach a decision she is happy with. Donna Cook48 has voiced her opinion, thank you, Donna Cook48. Thanks also to rapidmaker6, Flow, the guys, Justin Mitchell (a note to him: please refrain from lobbying for banned users; their case is now out of our hands and rests with the administration), as well as Jeffrey Fox84, Brenda Cook4, Rachel Sanders2... We expect to hear from other active participants of the Dervish Lodge as well. Peace Peace to all. 🙂

Honestly, what is there even to say to you? Look, I’ll put this in terms you might actually grasp—THIS IS MY THREAD. It doesn't belong to you, nor does it belong to any other member here. I have poured years of my life into this, and with the help of a select few valuable members, I have brought giants of men to this forum, serving them tea all these years just so they would share their profound wisdom. Have you ever brought anyone worth their salt to the Dervish Lodge? Go ahead, name just one handle, you who are stuck in a phase of weighing options.

boldgull19 said:@rowdyhawk10, hasn't it always been fine to just close the thread if the OP asked for it?

True, but that used to be a matter of principle. Back then, moderators closed threads as a way to show respect to the person who started them, especially since there wasn't actually a rule in the Forum guidelines allowing it. Nowadays, though, it’s all about calculation. That sense of honor has either vanished or become incredibly rare...

Gary Morales3 said:I read your posts and I have to laugh. The moment the Truth finally comes to light, there is an immediate demand to shut things down, and suddenly darkness erupts here. Why don't you ask yourselves why non-Muslims mock Muslims in other threads, even though you know yourselves that all this writing lacks practical application? This practice is nothing more than dead ink on paper. While my own "fame" hit me, it simultaneously clouded clear minds with the darkness they were hiding within themselves. Take the discussion on Tawhid, for example; I was listening to it long before most of you even stepped foot in a Dervish Lodge, though some here still doubt me. It is easy to talk, but one must demonstrate through action. Many here claim to love God, yet problems flee from them like wolves fleeing from fire. They should ask themselves how deep that love truly runs, for the Messenger said that those who love God should expect trials—that is the clearest sign of an Ashik. One man once told me that the journey of Suluk is impossible for the poor because they cannot give charity. When I shared this with my teacher, he grew angry and told me to just leave that fool alone. Someone might argue he meant it metaphorically, but he meant it literally.
Everything must be subject to criticism, including the Dervish Lodge and Sufism itself. You cannot simply carry the name of Sufism and refuse to do the work. Some here dare to say they don't need formal prayers because they follow the Haqiqa, but that logic only works on the ignorant. Both the Messenger, the companions, and the entire Ulema performed night and morning prayers, and they reached much higher stations than these so-called "seekers of truth." The Messenger performed the night prayer so frequently that his feet swelled, leading Ace to ask him: "Why do you strive so hard when God has already forgiven your past and future sins?" To which he replied: "Should I not be a grateful servant?!" This is just regarding worship; let us not even get into helping others or sacrificing one's life to pull someone else out of the mud. It was well said by rapidmaker6 that many today want one foot leading toward God and the other toward Satan. The Truth hurts, but it must eventually come to light. In my city, the extremists are respected only because most of them actually help others and live by their word, whereas Sufis are despised because they know nothing else besides sitting in the mosque cafe after the morning prayer to drink coffee and lecture for an hour, only to mock whoever crosses their path. Just four days ago, a man—who has nothing to do with faith—told me how he argued with another person over the extremists, specifically because of their sincerity. Therefore, instead of trying to shut down the Dervish Lodge to hide from the Truth, devote yourselves to good deeds. Then, write about the experiences of those deeds in prose and poetry. If you do that, there will be no criticism, and perhaps the Bank will finally start respecting you.

If I were to try and counter that right now, I'd practically have to spin myself in circles, but I won't bother.

rowdyhawk10, just shut this thread down already.............................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. ..........,...

rowdyhawk10 said:

• Please bear with us for a little while longer. Consultations are currently underway.
  
  We are striving to develop the best possible solution and ensure we act appropriately. In the meantime, please feel free to share your thoughts—whether you agree or disagree—regarding the recent proposal from the Dervish, for which we are grateful. We especially welcome input from those who have been actively contributing to the Tekiju all this time. Peace be upon you.

Peace.

Look, rowdyhawk10, there’s no need for all the philosophy here. The situation on the forum is pretty bad right now, and it’s going to take some time to fix. Until then, the Dervish Lodge stays locked up. It used to be closed off before, so why all the sudden commotion now?

Peace be upon you.

'The darkness within the religion has become more powerful than the light of the Tiki, and slowly but surely, it has been choking it out, with no sign of recovery for quite some time now. In these circumstances, it would be better if it were shut down entirely, given that its original purpose was to spread the light.' Every human soul can see this; there is no need for self-deception, and certainly no need to be pathetic.

Furthermore, the Tiki is joining the sophisticated boycott of this religious sub-forum under its current moderator structure, since you have stripped away all our other options. Fix the state of the religion and resign from your moderator positions. Refresh the forum with new leadership, and perhaps the light will return to the religion.

Let us also remember all the forum 'in memoriam' posts—those who became victims of this sub-forum's politics.

To put it plainly, if anyone isn't catching on: the Tiki is stuck in a massive off-topic spiral, and I am requesting that it be closed.

Harold Taylor6 said:I haven't run into any issues with packs so far.
I made a custom pack, tried running it without any extra tweaks, and got the exact same result. I even tried using the codecs from BS Player, but still nothing changed.
Everything runs perfectly on Windows XP.

K-Lite is only really worth using if you're still running Windows XP. For anyone on Windows Vista or 7, you're better off looking elsewhere. Hey. And here's the extra file for x64. Click..
Everything originates from this site.If you're looking to get your video playback sorted out, check this link: http://shark007.net/win7codecs.html

Just a heads-up. Go ahead and uninstall all your current codecs first. Once you've rebooted, install the x86 version (using that first link), then add the x64 plugin, and voilà—you're all set.🙂

One more thing. You should first try playing various video formats to narrow this down. For instance, test out an .avi file, then maybe a .wmv if you have one, along with some DivX or MKV files. If the issue persists across all of them, then we’re likely looking at your graphics card settings. Regardless, I’d recommend installing these codecs; they're excellent. Everything runs flawlessly on my end except for one specific codec, but that's getting into much more "professional" territory, and I don't want to bore you with the details.

I find myself missing Parsifal.

Look, if you only knew the absolute gauntlet I’ve run with them, yet here I am—standing my ground regardless of who likes it or who doesn't. But the bottom line is this: if writing is what brings you genuine joy, there isn't a better place to be (and honestly, this community is our sanctuary), unless you happen to be fluent in another language, in which case you might find a better fit on international forums. Personally, I think you're great and I'd love to see you stick around.🙂

Hehehe, rowdyhawk10 rules😁

P.S. In case anyone is wondering how this all happened so suddenly... Well, we tried to elevate the forum to a higher standard, but nobody seemed to care. Honestly, I've stopped caring too.

The Spirituality subforum needs to return to its religious roots, where it actually belongs. A significant number of users have stopped posting here for that exact reason. When you combine this with the fact that the moderators' criteria for what qualifies as "spirituality" seem based entirely on their own personal interpretations—which, by the way, they’ve never managed to clearly define—it leads to one inevitable conclusion: there is a calculated effort to diminish the influence of religion across the entire site. That’s pure politics. If that's the case, just move the whole subforum over to General Discussion.

For instance, look at the most popular thread in the Spirituality section, "TEKI on the forum." This was a unique, deep dive into spirituality itself, spanning over 200 pages and racking up roughly 140,000 views. It was shut down and moved to the Religion section simply because the moderators decided it didn't fit the current definition of "spirituality." Essentially, the staff doesn't care about driving traffic or engagement. Fine. If that's the goal, just start a private club instead.

Sean Cruz said:Greetings to you as well.

My first question was aimed at this: if ordinary people can feel God's message in their souls (regardless of language comprehension), why did you say that God grants interpretation only through certain "elites"? Some individuals have certainly reached higher spiritual levels than the average person, but that doesn't mean everyone else only understands God's message if these spiritual leaders explain it to them.

And what would I write if I wrote about Rumi? 🙈 I'm currently reading Rumi, so I drifted toward him. I was actually thinking of Hallaj. I want to believe that Hallaj met the end described in Karahasanov's novel "Eastern Diwan." Could you clarify this part: that true insights of that magnitude remain hidden. They are kept away simply because such views aren't "heavenly" enough and they don't offer any constructive progress to Islamic thought within the realm of religious law.

When I mentioned blasphemy, I was referring to laypeople who don't understand Sufi symbolism—to them, most of these poems sound sacrilegious. Meanwhile, believers can always fall back on that verse stating that Allah did not teach the Prophet poetry, nor is it appropriate for him.

You're spot on about Ibn Arabi—I struggled to connect with his writings when I first picked them up a few years back. My soul just craves that sense of flight.😉

Greetings.

The Quran consists of seven distinct levels. The first level is purely linguistic; it’s accessible to everyone. The second level is reserved for the chosen few. As for the third level and beyond, they reach such heights that discussing them is practically pointless—most modern-day Islam is built entirely upon that first layer, and even steeleagle2 only truly grasps the second. Let me give you an example...

Bismillah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

When you translate that, what you get is—In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

That’s just a translation. The core interpretation is that our actions should be performed solely in the name of God and for no one else—because God is the Merciful Compassionate.

The next level would be: In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. The interpretation here is that the individual isn't actually separate from God; rather, one performs all actions through the name of Allah—it simply isn't possible otherwise. In this state, the person serves merely as a witness to Allah's actions and His manifestation. Effectively, the "self" ceases to exist. Human existence is purely a byproduct of divine existence. If we follow this logic to its conclusion, a person wouldn't even be capable of uttering that sentence without direct movement from God. In fact, the entire Library of Congress could be filled just by exploring the single letter "Ba." Everything contained within the Quran is found in the Fatiha; everything in the Fatiha is contained in the Bismillah; everything in the Bismillah is held within the first letter, Ba; and everything within Ba is contained within the dot of the letter Ba.

It’s clear that this individual is acting from a place of extreme self-reliance. By choosing to perform an action and then deciding to dedicate it to God, he is essentially asserting his own autonomy. It’s a way of saying, "I am the one in control here; I am the master of my domain." This mindset reeks of a misplaced sense of independence—a "me, myself, and I" attitude where the individual views themselves as the center of the universe. This directly contradicts the fundamental truth that God is One. To suggest that man exists on one side and God exists on the other creates a duality that simply doesn't align with the truth. You can't have two separate powers if there is only one.

At the end of the day, a literal translation is one thing, but the actual interpretation? That’s an entirely different story.

We’re putting in all this massive effort just to get that alternative translation to catch on with the public and really sink in. But honestly? We shouldn't hold our breath expecting people to actually grasp the core meaning. It’s just too heavy for the average person to wrap their head around.

This actually explains why extreme interpretations don't hold any weight when it comes to religious law. That’s all I’ll say for now—this subject matter is massive, and I’m worried we might be drifting off-topic. Besides, your questions are legitimate, even if I don't have all the answers myself. I know a thing or two, though.

Sean Cruz said:I mentioned at the start that my critique of the film was strictly from a linguistic standpoint. I’m not here to act as an interpreter for Islam as a religion; I’m analyzing the language itself. What bothered me during the screening was how poorly the language of the Bible was interpreted, which is why I brought up the various translations.
As for your other points, here is my take:
Pantheism may have roots in Christianity, but it doesn't support the kind of morality that is central to any monotheistic faith—pantheism doesn't align with monotheism at all; it’s essentially spiritual atheism. Deism is grounded in science, yet we know that no monotheistic religion is based on science; they rely on faith without empirical proof (there is no scientific evidence for the existence of God). Agnosticism doesn't deny God, but it doesn't acknowledge Him either. You could call it a form of skepticism, and from what I understand, skepticism isn't exactly embraced by monotheistic religions.
Christianity is a monotheistic religion—Islam recognizes Jesus as one of the "messengers," so I don't see the issue there. As for religious fanatics and nationalists, their opinions don't carry weight with me. They just spread hate, whereas the fundamental principle of any true faith should be love, not hatred.

@ David: I just saw your comment. If you revisit this thread, I’d appreciate it if you could answer a few questions:
1. How do Muslims recite their prayers in Arabic when most of them don't actually understand what they are saying? Don't they need one of those "interpreters" to enlighten them? From what I understand regarding prayer interpretation, it is recommended to pray in Arabic specifically because the language is so unique, ensuring there is no "confusion."
2. Why were the followers of Rumi killed because they thought he was equating himself with God, when he was simply in a trance when he uttered "Enel hakk"?
3. How do you interpret famous poets who wrote in Persian (like Omar Khayyam), whose poems sound blasphemous to some but are actually odes to God? Some of them are quite literally the most beautiful verses ever written.
If you truly represent what you claim to be, David, then you ought to understand the symbolism behind the moth burning in the flame, the wine, and the tavern keeper.

Best regards.

1. The Quran is the word of God, and as such, it acts upon the human soul regardless of whether the person understands the literal words being spoken. That’s the short version.
Let me give you an example...

There was once an old woman who recited (memorized) a specific Quranic verse in her prayers her entire life without knowing the translation. One day, a young, learned man came to her and translated that verse for her at her request. The old woman looked at him and said, "...that is exactly how I have always experienced it..."

2. The famous phrase "Enel Hakk" wasn't uttered by Rumi, but by Hallaj, which is why he
was executed. He was killed because he violated the Sharia laws as understood by the people of that era. The situation hasn't changed much today, at least regarding those extreme (which, in my view, are positively extreme) interpretations of faith; those levels of realization remain hidden. Quite simply, they aren't destined for paradise and have no affirmative impact on the progress of Islamic thought within the realm of religious law.

3. I am trying.😉
The moth burning in the flame is an allegory for "submerging oneself into the Divine Being, into which nothing else can enter except Him." Just as the moth is drawn to the light and rushes toward it, regardless of the fact that it will vanish within that light...

Wine symbolizes intoxication with divine love (ashq), while the tavern keeper is merely the vessel.

I'm not sure who labeled those poems as blasphemy? It could only be the "Wahhabis."

Generally speaking, Sufi "poems" are saturated with symbols because that is the only way to express the inexpressible—the realm of spirit and soul where the brain is stunned and the tongue is tied. Symbols exist to provide a glimpse of a vision that cannot be described with mere words.
One of the greats of Islamic thought who managed to describe the landscapes the human soul traverses on its path toward perfection using philosophical language is Ibn Arabi, the renowned Andalusian "philosopher." I put him in quotes because he wasn't a philosopher per se; he was simply capable of expressing himself with philosophical quality. If you come across his works, I recommend reading them, though if you enjoyed the Sufi odes to God, Ibn Arabi might not be your cup of tea, because philosophy itself is a bird without wings, and you cannot fly with it.

Jerry Green59 said:

Sean Cruz As specified by:
Pantheism. It’s one of those heavy concepts that people love to toss around at cocktail parties when they want to sound profound without actually having to commit to a specific doctrine. At its core, it's the idea that the universe and God aren't two separate things, but rather one and the same—that the divine is woven into every atom, every leaf, and every overpriced latte we consume. It’s a tidy little way to feel connected to the cosmos without the baggage of organized religion, though I suspect some might find it a bit too convenient. Still, there is a certain quiet logic to it. If everything is part of the divine, then even my questionable decision-making is technically part of a grand, cosmic design. That’s a comforting thought, isn't it? It doesn't align with any of the monotheistic religions, to be honest. That’s essentially just spiritual atheism.

Could you clarify? I'm not quite following.

Sean Cruz As I was saying:
@ David: I just caught your comment. If you find yourself revisiting this thread, would you mind answering a few questions for me?

The moderators have sent David some rather subtle hints that he isn't exactly welcome in this discussion.

Greetings, ja_sanja.

That’s not actually what happened. This is something else entirely. It borders on philosophy, and since I am exactly where I belong—in the philosophy subforum—let's dive in...🙂

The moderators were just doing their jobs, and they did them well. 👍
I stepped away from the philosophy section because certain "signs" suggested I needed to move on. That's on me; it's not the fault of the moderators or you. I understand your perspective—that regardless of what happens here, your focus remains on the moderators. That is actually a positive thing; it acts as a driving force for upholding justice.👍
As for what those "signs" actually were? Well, that's a question for the philosophers.😍

To wrap things up.

The moderators didn't kick me out.☕

Innovative and revolutionary. Heroically bold. We must remember our pursuit of the truth, and truth is inherently beautiful. The principle of "fleeing" from toxic thoughts should serve as the very foundation of one's mindset; after all, you can't step into a world of beauty while wearing mud-caked boots.

Edward Flores4; said:Fair question... are you looking for an answer, or is this just rhetorical?

Let me be clear right out of the gate: I have nothing against Islam or any other religion per se. However, since you clearly consider yourself a believer (and you come across as quite lucid and articulate), I have one question regarding the quote you provided above.

Does your religion mandate the spreading of the faith, or is that simply your own personal intention? In other words, does your faith impose specific requirements regarding expansionism?

There is no imposition involved. Our duty is merely to inform humanity, and that’s the extent of it. I don't want us to drift off-topic, though; we are still discussing philosophy here. My point in posting was to demonstrate that coexistence with Muslims in Europe is perfectly normal.

P.S. That "boldano" phrasing you used seems a bit odd—maybe a typo? As for your question, it's both rhetorical and not. Because ever since I've been watching this forum...😍

Kenneth Peterson5; said:Dear rowdyhawk10,
My ex-fiancé Muhammad—and everyone else I know who follows Islam has confirmed this too—once told me: "You can recognize a true Muslim by the fact that they have ten friends, at least seven of whom are Muslims, yet you shouldn't believe them even once."

From such a warped perception of reality, it follows that one shouldn't even trust your intentions for bringing this topic up, given that you claimed you don't see free thinkers in the film's authors, but rather Christians, instead of saying you don't see free thinkers but rather "Christians" (or quasi-Christians, or Christians who have strayed for certain reasons...).

I would ask you to explain where I am mistaken in presenting such a shaky thesis.

I can certainly do that...😍

There. That’s as honest as it gets.

I don't have a single friend. And yes, don't believe me. I wish for all of you to embrace Islam, and my entire life is dedicated to that goal: promoting and presenting Islam.🥳

The only thing is, you can be absolutely certain that I will never harm you in any way. Not at all. Not mentally, not emotionally, not spiritually, let alone physically. You can only benefit from me. Nothing negative ever comes from my side in any context. The worst thing you could get from me is nothing at all. Whether you are my neighbor, a business partner, a teacher at a preschool, or an undercover cop.😍

What does having a friend even mean to you? Is it just sharing common interests?😲 I don't know what actually binds friends together. Do you even have friends? Imagine if one converted to Islam.😲 😁 Would you still be friends?

But I do have brothers. Several. And sisters for whom I would give my life. Do you even know what it means to love someone more than yourself? Has anyone ever had a friend like that? Kenneth Peterson5?🙄

Moderate Muslims have a duty to spread Islam, but exclusively through peaceful means—by simply living their lives. If you happen to like our way of life and fall in love with it, then naturally, we will want that same happiness for you. We have no right to suffocate you with Islam, nor to impose it through force or any other method.
A Muslim who hasn't brightened your day through their example hasn't yet built themselves into a true believer.

P.S. A translation of the holy Quran isn't enough to grasp the message of a translated verse. Interpretation is required. A translation is not an interpretation. The verses of the Quran are interpreted by God through chosen pioneers (who could be ordinary people reaching high spiritual stations). Others who try to penetrate the meaning of a verse without divine inspiration often fall into various traps. The extremists alluded to in the film have fallen into one of them.

P.S. 2 Now you may continue your philosophizing.😍

Anonymous said:What really gets me, though, is that the person who started this thread hasn't actually contributed anything meaningful about love in response to all these posts. And then, they have the nerve to wonder if there isn't anyone "intellectual" around to lend a hand—and then they expect us to forgive them for it... It’s pretty bold to keep acting surprised that there aren't more discussions on love.🙂

👍 Jack Wood43, look at what you're doing. You're one of mine and I'm not letting you go. But viviana makes a fair point. Sorry.

When someone starts a thread, they have an obligation to nurture it, to tend to it, to baby it—as if it were love itself. Or perhaps, just affection?🙄 🙂 😘