Christians celebrate rape, torture, slavery and genocide.

[The Grand Nudger]

Whether the Bible is true is clearly a red herring for purposes of this thread, and bringing it up at this point comes across as desperation.

Desperation? I don't actually care John, I really don't. Again, "godopinesit" is a full stop because there is no avenue for elaboration whether or not the narrative is accurate. If you ask me why I opine it, I can tell you why, we can find the areas where we agree and disagree, and that allows us to weigh our respective opinions against each other..ultimately we may even be able to claim that one or the other is the "better" opinion. Happens to me plenty of the time. I go into something with an opinion, and after discussion my opinion changes. That the accuracy of the narrative can't be established is inconsequential to whether or not it can be elaborated upon, but very much relevant if someone feels that they are not required to elaborate upon what god opines. This is why a statement like "you would criticize god for doing the same thing" is so aggravating for me. Because god isn't giving any opinions - god isn't "doing the same thing" (even if he were- you just can't be fucking bothered to establish that can you), so already the comment is empty - meaningless...... but further, the "opinions" offered are not even opinions in any meaningful way if we line them up next to our own. But hey, feel free to elaborate on your opinion of why this is desperation? Maybe you have compelling reasons for holding this opinion?

No, as it’s subjective.

Then that would make your explanations for your tastes compelling, an inability to be refuted (by definition no less)...so I suppose you agree with me after all. Compelling reasons can be given for subjective opinions, and compelling reasons do not automatically confer objectivity to a subjective opinion. To be fair, it's very easy to have compelling reasons for a subjective opinion because the bar is much lower. Such is also the case for the opinions of god. -If- someone was willing to own them as subjective then a much more productive conversation could be had. If one insists that they are not subjective then it becomes fairly damned important to demonstrate that they are objective...and a major component of that is discussed above (and seems to be uniformly dismissed -in this case you decided to pull the desperation card- by those who might be inclined to claim that they are ). Now clearly I have no idea whether you feel that the opinions of god..whatever they may be, are subjective or objective, but it isn't for lack of opportunity to present them as either. You must have an opinion on this to have formed a statement like the one that I entered this thread with.

No, I don’t. I simply like it.

I doubt that, and I bet if we explored it we'll end up two pages later in the same situation we are re: subjectivity and compelling reasons.

I don’t have reasons for my tastes. I simply have tastes.

Again, doubtful. What keeps you from loving mushrooms one day, gagging on them the next, loving them again when you wake up the third - and then not giving two shits either way when you fall asleep that night? If you'd like to play a stonewalling game after I've been so participatory you can imagine the effect on my desire to continue this conversation with you, yes?