(June 14, 2012 at 5:18 pm)whateverist Wrote:

(June 14, 2012 at 3:05 pm)Faith No More Wrote: What I hear from you, however, are poorly reasoned excuses to stoop to their level while attempting to hold onto the idea that you are merely trying to change their mind.

Exactly. When you try to coerce opinion by intimidation or trickery, you show the same contempt for reason and autonomy as Christianity.

Wait, Brian won't respect me unless I insult him. "Brian, you're a dick."

Insulting god, or picking on someone's claims I have done. But I defy anyone here to point out where I have insulted someone personally. They may have felt insulted because I picked on their beliefs, but that is not the same as insulting someone personally.

"That is a stupid claim", or "god is a dictator" or "fuck god" is not insulting the person. It is not my baggage if they don't know the difference between the person and what the person claims.

And as I have said in other threads here, I don't like the word "respect", not that claims by themselves deserve "respect". I VALUE that which can be proven. But claims by themselves do not deserve taboo status. Otherwise I we could all, they and we, could demand the silence of others merely because our claims got picked on. Then where does that leave society?

So sorry I missed this last entry. When I said you were a dick I was mostly being playful since you seemed to be encouraging us all to worry less about insulting people. But, in the sense that someone who gets in a lot of people's face is said to be a "dick" , I guess I also thought it was accurate. I really half expected you to take this as a compliment or at least see the irony.

I apologize if I hurt your feelings, Brian. There is no denying what I said was blatantly personal in that it was directed squarely at you. How can I know if you truly are a dick anyway? All I should have said is that I experience you as acting in a dickish manner. You may be the world's sweetest person underneath it all. Clearly words can hurt and I should choose mine more carefully.

(June 26, 2012 at 10:59 pm)whateverist Wrote: So sorry I missed this last entry. When I said you were a dick I was mostly being playful since you seemed to be encouraging us all to worry less about insulting people. But, in the sense that someone who gets in a lot of people's face is said to be a "dick" , I guess I also thought it was accurate. I really half expected you to take this as a compliment or at least see the irony.

I apologize if I hurt your feelings, Brian. There is no denying what I said was blatantly personal in that it was directed squarely at you. How can I know if you truly are a dick anyway? All I should have said is that I experience you as acting in a dickish manner. You may be the world's sweetest person underneath it all. Clearly words can hurt and I should choose mine more carefully.

Text is always harder to read inflection than face to face. And yes I am fully aware that people wont like everything I say. And yes, even I can take something the wrong way. But one thing people should know if they don't know about me, I don't hold grudges. It takes a lot for me not to want to interact with someone.

There is only one current person on the net I absolutely do hate and have a grudge with, but that is almost impossible for me. Even with that guy I simply let him hang himself and ridicule him.

I do have an atheist libertarian who drives me nuts with his economic claims, and we do go at it tooth and nail, but he could tell you that he doesn't hate me and I don't hate him.

I don't remember anything you said that hurt my feelings, in any case that was yesterday this is today.

Irony, maybe that did go over my head but, that makes me human, not perfect. Like I said, text is harder to interpret inflection.

(June 15, 2012 at 4:01 am)apophenia Wrote:

I am fair game, I don't agree with your metaphor of me in this cartoon. But here is the difference, I am ok with it. And don't look now, but I'd call this fighting back. So if you don't have a problem with "calling me out" I am simple, in all seriousness, having a hard time understanding why you'd be so insecure when it comes to what you list as belief in your profile?

Maybe I have not made myself clear enough. I could not function in society if I personally hated everyone who held labels, ANY LABEL, where I thought to myself "Why does that person feel the need to hold that label".

In all seriousness the next time you read a post from a believer of a different label, remember this post. I am quite sure you have said to yourself in questioning others "why does that person believe that".

You have, just do yourself a favor and don't be so sensitive. Thats all.

I am quite sure outside this post in your daily life you are just as normal and nice a person as anyone else. Both you and I have family and friends and co-workers who may say or do things where we think "really".

I admire more the fact you were unafraid to post this cartoon even though I don't think it applies to me. That says to me that you are capable of standing up for yourself.

Don't be afraid to be yourself and don't be afraid of me. I have never met you in person so I am not judging you. But as I said before, claims are not people, people make claims and claims by themselves do not deserve pedestals, otherwise why are any of us here questioning the beliefs of others? If you are willing to even be mere witness to the blasphemy of others than don't be afraid of having that mirror turned on you.

Be brave, I don't have a thin skin and after the back and forth, both of us are still human beings first. I promise I won't hate you merely because I ask "why does that person feel the need to hold those labels".

The worst most people think of me after they get to know me is "there he goes again", they roll their eyes and ignore the train wreck or rap me on the nose. So there are lots of things about me that drive people nuts, but this does not have to bug you as much as you are allowing it to.

Example of feigned indignation.

http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top...party.html

The article reports of a Hallmark graduation card that pokes some fun at the Tea Party. Although a very simple spelling error, the author indicates that this is a 'gradation' card in the first paragraph. The feigned indignation comes mostly from the comments after the article promising to boycott Hallmark.

(June 27, 2012 at 12:59 pm)cato123 Wrote: Example of feigned indignation.

http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top...party.html

The article reports of a Hallmark graduation card that pokes some fun at the Tea Party. Although a very simple spelling error, the author indicates that this is a 'gradation' card in the first paragraph. The feigned indignation comes mostly from the comments after the article promising to boycott Hallmark.

Fox is the biggest drama queen as far as "news", and makes Orwell's double speak look like child's play.

So you are suggesting that tea baggers can read?

Interesting.