A Decade on RF

[Sundance]

DS, congrats on the decade, man!

 

[danieldemol]

10 years ago today, I joined RF intending to convert people to Islam. At the time, I believed, among other things, that homosexual sex should be punished by death, women should be subservient to men in society and relationships, and apostates should be killed. To my surprise, the LGBT people, atheists, and liberal women who befriended me here despite my beliefs about them weren't the demons or the terrible people I had thought they were.

After months of soul-searching, further discussions here, and personal research, I ended up gradually becoming a supporter of LGBT rights, egalitarianism, and secular humanism. I'm still thankful to this forum and every single person who has helped widen and add to my perspective since I joined. I believe I have become a much more mature and better person since then.

I'm also grateful for having had the opportunity to work on the staff for so long (since September 2012), and I don't regret a moment I have spent working to maintain this forum or interacting with the multiple staff members I have had the pleasure of working with and befriending over the years. At one point, RF was also my sole outlet to find friendship and support. I don't know how I would have managed through the 2012-2014 period without it, especially given that I was extremely isolated and closeted after losing faith while in Saudi Arabia.

Thanks, RF! This has been a great ride, with all of its ups and downs. I'm looking forward to many more years here.

Congrats on the decade you prompted me to check my avatar, and provided I haven't mixed up the dates I've been a member just a touch longer than a decade (apparently I signed up on April 25th).

I probably haven't grown as far as you have intellectually in that time though so in a way I'm still playing catch up.

 

[Secret Chief]

So that either means you'll be leaving soon... or you're just a fool like the rest of us?

Or both...

 

[lewisnotmiller]

10 years ago today, I joined RF intending to convert people to Islam. At the time, I believed, among other things, that homosexual sex should be punished by death, women should be subservient to men in society and relationships, and apostates should be killed. To my surprise, the LGBT people, atheists, and liberal women who befriended me here despite my beliefs about them weren't the demons or the terrible people I had thought they were.

After months of soul-searching, further discussions here, and personal research, I ended up gradually becoming a supporter of LGBT rights, egalitarianism, and secular humanism. I'm still thankful to this forum and every single person who has helped widen and add to my perspective since I joined. I believe I have become a much more mature and better person since then.

I'm also grateful for having had the opportunity to work on the staff for so long (since September 2012), and I don't regret a moment I have spent working to maintain this forum or interacting with the multiple staff members I have had the pleasure of working with and befriending over the years. At one point, RF was also my sole outlet to find friendship and support. I don't know how I would have managed through the 2012-2014 period without it, especially given that I was extremely isolated and closeted after losing faith while in Saudi Arabia.

Thanks, RF! This has been a great ride, with all of its ups and downs. I'm looking forward to many more years here.

Hmm...I've been here 8 years, and I actually find it a little hard to believe this place existed before I joined. If a tree falls in the woods, does RF exist, and all that.
If you have any photo evidence of your first post, preferably whilst holding up that day's newspaper, this story would seem more believable to me.

In the interests of friendship, I'll offer you my congratulations, and wish you another happy and informative ten years here, despite my suspicions.
Just remember, the moment you think you can't learn anything more about a topic, you're right.

 

[Secret Chief]

the moment you think you can't learn anything more about a topic, you're right.

This reminds me of something my dear old granny used to say: If at first you don't succeed, **** it.

 

[sayak83]

Congrats!
Only a fool would hang around here for a decade.

{hmmm checks calendar}

"A fool.. but an honest fool he remains. "... Gandalf

 

[Revoltingest]

This reminds me of something my dear old granny used to say: If at first you don't succeed, **** it.

 

[Twilight Hue]

10 years ago today, I joined RF intending to convert people to Islam. At the time, I believed, among other things, that homosexual sex should be punished by death, women should be subservient to men in society and relationships, and apostates should be killed. To my surprise, the LGBT people, atheists, and liberal women who befriended me here despite my beliefs about them weren't the demons or the terrible people I had thought they were.

After months of soul-searching, further discussions here, and personal research, I ended up gradually becoming a supporter of LGBT rights, egalitarianism, and secular humanism. I'm still thankful to this forum and every single person who has helped widen and add to my perspective since I joined. I believe I have become a much more mature and better person since then.

I'm also grateful for having had the opportunity to work on the staff for so long (since September 2012), and I don't regret a moment I have spent working to maintain this forum or interacting with the multiple staff members I have had the pleasure of working with and befriending over the years. At one point, RF was also my sole outlet to find friendship and support. I don't know how I would have managed through the 2012-2014 period without it, especially given that I was extremely isolated and closeted after losing faith while in Saudi Arabia.

Thanks, RF! This has been a great ride, with all of its ups and downs. I'm looking forward to many more years here.

Then Twilight Hue came along....

...

..

....and wishes a happy forum anniversary!