General Chat

We do have to protect our children. After all, they are vulnerable and trusting, we are stronger and cautious. But I can't help feeling what a sad state our society has got to when we are afraid of each other. When we can doubt the motives and even the identity of those we thought our friends. Was it not Jesus who said 'I am that I am.'? To me that means 'What you see is what you get'. No artifice, no pretensions. Fortunately those who cause mistrust will soon become isolated, while those who have true friends will only become stronger until maybe we may end up with a society where the kids can play in the street, you can leave your bike outside the shops without locking it up and people are happy to meet each other without fear.

agree Sheila 'Let he that hath not sinned caste the first stone' Davex

I usually give people the benefit of the doubt - ONCE, rarely twice - but in the last week or so someone who I know vaguely through a site has totally overstepped the mark with untruths! The phrase be sure your sins will find you out applied to them - as you said in and earlier posting when the excrement hits the fan some people then keep a very low profile

Too True Lal Who are we to know who is spinning us a yarn??? But when the watsit does hit the fan some folk tend to disappear??? Very questionable!!! Maggie My family would be mortified if i was to meet folk off a site. They would say to me..... 'practise what you preach!' But i would like to think i was mature enough to judge folk!! Nuff said!! Rant over for now!! LOL at the deceivers! Karen

Hi Karen :0) I went to my first meet, on my own stamping territory of winchester, but when my daughters (22 &25) found out i was going to meet a load of strangers in a pub, they were horrified!!! I pointed out that: 1. there were lots of us going 2. most were women 3. I was within walking distance of home -'Oh no mum you could be followed home'. My response was: 4. there are lots of alleyways and different ways of getting from A to B in winchester, and I probably knew them better than any of the people I was meeting. If I felt I was being followed, I would dive down a 'short cut' that would take me back to the centre. Eventually they backed off, but I had to phone them when I got home! I have been lucky, I met some lovely people there, none of them were 'faux friends' or not what they appeared to be, and have met them since, without getting the 'third degree'from my offspring. Goodness knows what my daughters will be like when I reach my 'dotage' and turn 50!!! maggie xxx

Our son (then 26) met his (american) wife over the internet and married her last year. Her family checked him out with the police before letting her visit, after six months' friendship, and they were engaged three months later. I suppose it's the modern equivalent of 'penfriends'!! Lily

I have met up with cousins I have found through this site, and they are great, get on really well with them.You do have to trust your instinct, I wouldn't meet up with anyone without my hubby with me. As you say not everyone are what they seem to be. Heather

I have not met anyone from GR yet. A few years ago I trod in my ancestors' footsteps in Suffolk, and met one of my Suffolk-ancestral related cousins (whom I'd ''met'' in rootsweb Suffolk mailing list) in a churchyard - very appropriate! Then he drove me to other churches, back to his house, where I met another Suffolk cousin who took me back to my B & B. The former is an Ipswich supporter, so I have to support the Tractor Boys as well as Palace; the latter is treasurer of the Suffolk Family History Society. :-) Joy PS have sent you a message, Karen.

I can understand what you are saying karen. People try to pull the wool over my eyes continually. I have very few contacts on here now and keep myself to myself in general. I avoid all controversial threads because I just do not have the knowledge to comment. So many things are going off behind the scenes. I call a spade a spade and do not like all this pretence. I just partake with the music, psychic and quiz threads now or anyway I can help out with my knowledge. I am just here for the beer so to speak.

Hi Karen, I'm sorry if you've been conned by someone via the web. You are right to say that we don't really know who we are talking to. We can only go by instinct and sometimes we can get it wrong. Most of us are more experienced in the ways of the world than youngsters are so I think there is less 'danger' when adults meet, particularly via a website such as this but we should still be a bit wary. I've met a few people from here and they have all been more or less exactly as I thought they would be. And they have all been really nice. I hope to meet a few more next month in Birmingham. There are others I've talked to on websites and mailing lists that I've never met, but would like to meet, and some I certainly wouldn't want to meet. The first person I met was a Somerset contact and I was very wary because it was a man but we met in Somerset RO where he showed me the ropes. We've met a few times since and talk a lot by email and I feel totally comfortable with him. I've also met a few 'cousins' I've been in contact with about family history but always in public places in the first instance. I see one 8th cousin every Tuesday at the LDS and he's really nice as well. The people who set out to deceive are the ones with the problem not those of us who are open and honest. I really do not understand the few who are deliberately nasty or scheming but can only assume that they feel inadequate and get a kick from exercising a little power. They really are more to be pitied than condemned. Gwynne

Karen yes Know where u come from friends daughter been taken in if I get hands on him cut of his balls off ;; but kept trying to warn parents she was on to late ect. But how do you keep childs trust or anyones???? We have all got to trust intuition somwhere along the line and hope we have got it right. .

dont do that matey! you have my phone number,and i will really try to put on a 'husky' voice,just for you. :o) bryan.

For all you guys know i could be a fat, bald, toothless 80yr old child molester???? Who is to know??? It really saddens me to think that folk are not what they seem?? Karen

Maybe both Bryan!! Both have been female that have had me fooled!! Or are they even female??? Female name doesnt make them female in the real world???? Do we actually know who we are talking too??? I may be giving up this cyber world as i am feeling very uncomfortable at the moment! Karen

karen....do you mean actor,or actress. bryan.

Well I must say........ I have been fooled again!!!!!!! I have give out my sympathies, condolenses and prayers to an actor once again!! Why do some folk tell such lies???? Once bitten, twice shy???? Maybe i am just guillable when it come to cyber 'friends'. After all we only know what we have been told!!! karen

Hi Karen, As you mentioned, it's not just the children who become gullable. There are many out there on the net who give out heart rendering stories to pull people in and then ask for finance to support their cause, only for the person to line their own coffers. We all need to be very careful out there in internet land. Paul

Thank you for bumping this up!! I am still annoyed at the fact we can get taken in by ' a lovely little old man/woman' etc. who purports to have our best intentions at heart!! Ok rant over for now!! Karen who is not as green as she is cabbage looking!! LOL!!

bump

Sorry Guys.... i was speaking hypothetically!! I have never met anyone one to one and sorry if i seem to have implied that! I just worry that some folks (intentionally) set out to deceive, and it not just kids that are gullible and too trusting of internet 'friends'! I'm sure we are all susceptible to sob stories etc, i think sometimes we give our love and sympathies too freely!! Coming back to our childrens safety, we always tell them to be NETSAFE but how do we how that the teenager they are chatting with is really who they say they are??? this must apply to us adults too. Karen PS Jess i guess it would be me that couldnt join in, but now i see his point!!!