when someone becomes incensed and defensive of opinions that are more machmir, it usually indicates that they feel in themselves that maybe the other opinion is actually correct and they are frightened of that thought. i dont mean you, just in general
That’s not really the issue here. I don’t have a problem with people who don’t wear shorts, drink only Cholov Yisroel, are makpid to always wear a hat/jacket by davening, keep Shabbos for 72 minutes, don’t hold by the local eruv* and so on. If that’s the way you want to go, all the more power to you – Chazak V’ematz!
My problem is when people come out and state that when you don’t follow such practices then you are doing something completely assur — as if there is no possible reason to permit. At this point, they are no longer machmir on themselves, they are (in essence) saying that if you do so, you are doing something wrong. *That’s* the point where I stand up and begin protesting. It has nothing to do with an insecurity in my position — it has to do with being told that I’m sinning when I’m simply not following whatever chumra the person is advocating.
The Wolf
* I, myself, don’t use the local eruv. But I would never tell someone else not to — that’s something that they have to decide for themselves.