What IS good, and how do we determine it?

[Randy Carson]

Mike-

I'm interested in what atheists think, and I would have no problem with you posting passages from Hitchens or Harris or Dawkins as you think appropriate. As I said to Nestor in the Gary Habermas Q & A thread, I would LOVE to go hear a good debate between Ehrman and a skilled Christian representative.

So I'm disappointed to see you speaking so disdainfully of my posting of snippets from the Catechism. Presumably, you are interested in hearing what Christians (Catholics specifically) think on a given topic, and if the Catechism presents a point of view more eloquently and accurately than I might do on my own, why the objections?

Of course, if you aren't interested in a discussion with Catholics about these things, why bother reading these threads at all?

I am interested in what Catholics think. I am not interested in what the Catholic Church thinks you should think.

You imply a dichotomy where none exists. I agree with all teachings of the Catholic Church.

The disdain comes from the idea that it is so difficult for you to form your own ideas as part of a conversation. Being in the moment and present within a discussion seems to be very difficult for you. Hence your prepared Word documents and your incredulity and sheer inability to cope when someone doesn't follow your expectations. (Hence the AIDS example, which you conveniently dropped) And so, instead of succinctly telling us in your own words what you believe, you copypasta half of the catechism.

Rubbish. The fact that I have some of MY thoughts put down in Word is because I have been doing this a very, very long time. Why reinvent the wheel?

Case in point...Spacetime joined the forum a few days ago. Same arguments, different day. How foolish is it to type my fingers off telling him in different words what I have already told you and others.

Now, let's be honest: you anti-christers (hey, that has a ring to it) do something similar...instead of even bothering to post AT ALL (which is what I do), you simply say, "Look, asshole, this has all been discussed before. Do a search in the forum and stop wasting everyone's time."

Wow. THAT makes for great discussion, doesn't it? But I'm given that kind of response frequently...especially when I was newer here.

It's why C_L has fit in so well here, and has a 100+ page thread yet I haven't had to send her a single PM despite your blustering buffoonery your first couple of weeks here that we just want to hate on all Catholics and don't want to hear any other point of view.

rexbeccarox has. Twice.

And let's not kid one another: CL's avatar has got more than a few of the guys here dialing the aggression in their responses to her way, way down.

Your persecution complex fits the narrative that your life must needs follow, else your cookie cutter world which the Catholic Church has laid out for you (Catechismicly!) doesn't look right.

The way I phrased it was more tongue in cheek than anything, but you do take it to a new level, Randy.

If it is your opinion that I'm following the teaching of the Catholic Church at a whole new level, then I am honored. I would disagree, but thank you.