Good topic to revisit... I would have missed this one completely if you hadn't ressureccted it Jybian.
I too spent much of my youth on the BBSes of the time conversing with those much older than myself. I found it easier to relate with those older than I and felt I had more in common with them and could be more open about things. I suspect this would explain why my mate is more thn seven years older than I.
Most people are very close minded... the world works the way they have been told and taught it works... period. They rarely stop to wonder how or why, and that is the problem. The same is true for religion... most take it at face value without trying to understand how or why these beliefs came about. To understand a thing one must be able to look at it from all sides and make an unbiased judgement, which is relatively hard to do. More times than not we see the knee-jerk reaction to a given situation and stimuli. It truly is a shame that people can be this ignorant.
I will always relate the two issues because for one it is very large part of my life, and two i see many similarities between the feelings and issues of accceptance of both. I have not had to come out and tell people that I am a furry because they all know I am already a dragon and understand what that means to me. The difference is now there are others as well as arts associated with it. The spiritual side makes it much easier to understand by accepting the traits of the animal spirit within us.
I don't expect this will make easier for most people or most furs. Always understand that people will look at you with skepticism untill they understand. Accept that, do not fight it, and help them understand. Acknowledge their misgivings and do your best to explain what it means to you.
Of course I have no plans to go to work wearing a dragon suit or wearing a giant pentacle around my neck... both are very personal things. I do them for me and not for others so there is no need to put myself on display. If they ask I will explain, but I will not offer, nor will I cower and hide being ashamed of who I am.
You are who you are some will love you, some will hate you. Such is life... all that matters is your thoughts.
*sits down and produces a pipe in his hand. he lights the pipe and begins to puff on it*
