Apology to Scratch

[_Livingstone22]

Through this whole thing, I have tried to refrain from saying anything. I did not see all the posts, nor do I understand what started it all, but I have been leaning on the side of jskains.... but it takes two parties to tango, and I believe Josh kept pouring gas on a fire that he should have walked away from long ago. The mature one walks away and leaves the attackers with nothing to attack.


I recommend we all just drop this whole thing.

[_skippy the dead]

If I could ask one thing for christmas, could it be you don't pick apart my apology and just accept it at face value? I would be very greatful.

JMS

Dude, quit saying you're locking yourself out, never to return, when you keep returning and posting! For this to close, you need to let it run its cycle (no more than a day or two after you leave, tops) and move on. Let it finish out of your sight, knowing that it will, indeed, finish, with no mention of jskains, tjholiday1977 or finalpost ever again.

[_The Nehor]

Now I wonder, is this someone faking being Josh to enrage him at an apology he didn't make or is this actually him?

If it's not him it's an interesting test of whether he's lurking. I'd actually mentally toyed with doing something similar as a joke.

[_asbestosman]

Now I wonder, is this someone faking being Josh to enrage him at an apology he didn't make or is this actually him?

If it's not him it's an interesting test of whether he's lurking. I'd actually mentally toyed with doing something similar as a joke.

Gadianton already mentioned that he had observed behavior like this before, so there is every reason to believe it's the real deal and that Josh has made similar apologies before.

[_Gazelam]

This isn't Josh. Josh is at home working on his math skills.

[_Mister Scratch]

Dear Mormon Discussions.com,

I lied about everything in an attempt to get attention. I am attention starved. I came to this board to fill a need in my life. I posted to combative posts, which makes me completely responsible for becoming a target. When Mister Scratch began posting about me… Over and over and over, I was angry at Mister Scratch and his repeated attacks on me. I figured if I made up the threats, he would back off. That did not work. So I tried the tjholiday thing so I had what looked like SOMEONE on my side, and that did not work. I am sorry, I lied. I will go away now and leave you to your board. I apologize to Scratch again for making him the uncalled for target of my behavior. I have locked my accounts, but make this last post in an effort to move on.

Thank you,
JMS

I appreciate you finally admitting the truth. In all my time on the boards, I have never seen anyone resort to such a dirty, low-down lie such as the one you pulled. To prey on people's emotions in such a way is really quite astonishing.

All that said, I believe I speak for Shades when I say that you are as welcome on this messageboard as anybody else is. If you'd like to continue posting, then by all means, continue posting.

But, as I believe I said elsewhere: although many of us are willing to forgive, many of us also have long memories.

[_The Nehor]

Dear Mormon Discussions.com,

I lied about everything in an attempt to get attention. I am attention starved. I came to this board to fill a need in my life. I posted to combative posts, which makes me completely responsible for becoming a target. When Mister Scratch began posting about me… Over and over and over, I was angry at Mister Scratch and his repeated attacks on me. I figured if I made up the threats, he would back off. That did not work. So I tried the tjholiday thing so I had what looked like SOMEONE on my side, and that did not work. I am sorry, I lied. I will go away now and leave you to your board. I apologize to Scratch again for making him the uncalled for target of my behavior. I have locked my accounts, but make this last post in an effort to move on.

Thank you,
JMS

I appreciate you finally admitting the truth. In all my time on the boards, I have never seen anyone resort to such a dirty, low-down lie such as the one you pulled. To prey on people's emotions in such a way is really quite astonishing.

All that said, I believe I speak for Shades when I say that you are as welcome on this messageboard as anybody else is. If you'd like to continue posting, then by all means, continue posting.

But, as I believe I said elsewhere: although many of us are willing to forgive, many of us also have long memories.

And some of those memories exist in long blogs. At least now I know how to get a dossier up though. Claim that Scratch did something. I think I'm going to go with:

Scratch raped my dog, stole my stamp collection, urinated in my closet, and beat me with my own umbrella whilst singing "The Star Spangled Banner". He was dressed as a clown and insisted I call him, "Most Honored Lord Duke of Atlantis". I think I should threaten legal action.

[_Gadianton]

So while the "sorry" and all is a nice gesture, one I have to say was kind of unnecessary and tackling the problem from the wrong direction

I'm curious what you mean by unnecessary, but if this cycle is indeed familiar, I can see how it might be attacking the problem from the wrong direction. Are you saying that perhaps there is no need to express sorrow over actions that may be beyond one's direct control?

Either way I'm willing to accept the nice gesture.

Because, to continue with Jersey's stealthed metaphor, the child is still trying to control the situation rather than accept it. It's exhaustion that brings on this phase, and hence that's why after a good night's sleep, it all starts again the next metaphorical day. Apologies to some degree have been going on for a while now. And notice how we've been requested, on a heart-wrenching plea for the Christmas season, not to analyze the apology. Because someone isn't quite tuckered out yet, and unwilling to let it go.

I don't have a specific answer in mind as to what our friend should do. One scenario might have been, coming back online, insisting his innocence in a brazen lie, telling us all to screw off and leaving it at that --- hold his head up high and refuse to compromise. And then not flinch at the aftermath. I would have respected that for sure I think. But that's one of many possible outcomes.

[_Bond...James Bond]

The man made a public apology. I should think that it's time to drop the mocking disdain.

Possibly, but it's hard to feel anything but distain about someone who lies about the welfare and safety of his family in an attempt to manipulate us (the MDB readers) for sympathy and to make us ignore his various other issues.

[_Gadianton]

skains, it's pointless to PM me unless you're just trying to create more board drama. One thing that you forget, as can be gleaned from my last post, is that it doesn't matter to everyone else necessarily what you're trying to accomplish. We can't control you, you can't control us. I'm not going to give in and agree to a "truce" or spit and shake on anything. If others are willing to agree to all the terms of your apologies, if they're big enough suckers to fall for it and let you win, that's up to them. If you really are sorry, and not just interested in getting Scratch, mainly, to shorten his memory (which is exceedingly long) and everyone else to act how you want us to act toward you, then you've done your part and what everyone else does with it is up to them. Let go, buddy, you can't fight the tao.