The differences that separate and unite us.

[Neo-Scholastic]

I started to write a reply at the beginning of the thread, but decided that since the OP used the term "conservatard" it would be pointless.

[Whateverist]

I started to write a reply at the beginning of the thread, but decided that since the OP used the term "conservatard" it would be pointless.

I guess emoticons are wasted on you?

Conservatards would probably feel this way too if they had feelings .

[Neo-Scholastic]

No, I get it. It just rubbed me the wrong way, but not enough to get upset. I just couldn't get motivated. Your innocent joke made me think that this thread wouldn't be receptive to anything I had to say no matter how much thought I put into it. And yes, part of my reasoning took into consideration that I'm a Christian posting on an atheist forum.

[Shell B]

I wonder if there is anyone on these forums who doesn't sometimes feel stereotyped by one of their demographics or another. I imagine every theist here feels dismissed or at least not fully and fairly appreciated at least some of the time.  The same is probably true for homosexuals, transexuals and asexuals.  Race of course can have that effect, as can differences in physical and mental capacity.  Women must feel that whenever discussions about what to do about their uterus start up again.  Conservatards would probably feel this way too if they had feelings .  Gun nutters probably feel terribly misunderstood.

For me, more and more, I feel age to be the thing that gets me sorted into a particular box.  Funny how that works.  Because with any luck all of us here will get to experience being older.  But it is a oneway mirror.  When you get older, you still remember the way older people felt different when you were younger.  But you don't feel much different from the inside.  I suspect that must be the case across the other demographics too, except we won't all inevitably transition through being female, black, homosexual or liberal just by virtue of not dying.

For the most part, I treat age with the respect it deserves. I sometimes use old as an epithet when someone's pissed me off, but I look forward to having a dignified old age. (At least dignified when I'm not shitting myself.) We watched a movie called "Leisure Seekers" last night. A fantastic look at old age and dignity. I left crying.

Being a woman has been the thing that's made me feel marginalized the most. My ex used to say to me whenever I dared to tell him how I really felt, "You have a mouth like a man. If you were a man, I'd punch you in it." It was one of his favorite things to say, to which I would reply, "If you were a man, I'd expect you to." Of course, that meant nothing, but got his macho ego all fired up.

[JackRussell]

On here?  Not really.  IRL?  My disability definitely plays a role.  I don't really mind the staring, or, even better, obvious attempts not to stare.  What pisses me off is the assumption that because I'm in an electric wheelchair, I must also have a mental disability, or are otherwise slow/dumb/overly sheltered/etc.  So, the people who bend down to get at my level, and then speak slowly and loudly while employing one-to-two syllable words?  They can fuck right off.

This gets my goat too.

I used to work with non-verbal disabled adults.

Sure, it took time to learn different communication methods.

Often I would lead trips in the community, i estimate 80-90% of the strangers would ask me, as a carer, questions rather than address my friends.

i can't tell you how much that pisses me off.

Assumptions about disabilities really annoy me.

I am bi-polar, every new doctor i see has asked me how times i have been in trouble with the law.

guess what, bi-polar, but never, actually very moral, even when manic. Just an over-spending opinionated arsehole at those times.

[KevinM1]

On here?  Not really.  IRL?  My disability definitely plays a role.  I don't really mind the staring, or, even better, obvious attempts not to stare.  What pisses me off is the assumption that because I'm in an electric wheelchair, I must also have a mental disability, or are otherwise slow/dumb/overly sheltered/etc.  So, the people who bend down to get at my level, and then speak slowly and loudly while employing one-to-two syllable words?  They can fuck right off.

This gets my goat too.

I used to work with non-verbal disabled adults.

Sure, it took time to learn different communication methods.

Often I would lead trips in the community, i estimate 80-90% of the strangers would ask me, as a carer, questions rather than address my friends.

i can't tell you how much that pisses me off.

Assumptions about disabilities really annoy me.

I am bi-polar, every new doctor i see has asked me how times i have been in trouble with the law.

guess what, bi-polar, but never, actually very moral, even when manic. Just an over-spending opinionated arsehole at those times.

Yeah, it's definitely worse when it comes from supposed professionals. Like, I can sort of give the general populace a pass for their unfounded assumptions. Doesn't mean it doesn't piss me off, but I can at least attribute it to ignorance and/or a lack of exposure to someone that looks like me. Or, perhaps, exposure via a specific person in their lives, and they then paint everyone similar with the same brush.

But the people who are trained and paid to deal with the disabled? It's complete bullshit, and I don't tolerate it.

[Shell B]

I once told a doctor about my intrusive thoughts. He then called them "so-called" intrusive thoughts. Motherfucker.

[ignoramus]

I also have intrusive thoughts with "some" doctors!

[WinterHold]

I feel very strange here. Being an Arab who is a Muslim living in the heart of the Middle East, moreover I have RRMS, I just feel strange on so many different levels.

The forum provides me with ability to socialize with so many interesting people, differences in faith, race and interests creates a very interesting environment for me to be in, not forgetting why I'm posting in the Islamic section quite often: to spread my views about the belief I chose and battle the damage the current Islamic religious institution did.

But on a personal level, people seemed very understanding, and I really saw little stereotyping -if none- concerning race, but lots concerning religion, which is expected. Still; more freedom and more healthy environment here than in the Middle East. Actually, you can go to prison in Saudi Arabia for writing in places like this; sooo...

You're cool; people

[ignoramus]

Atlas, my take is that since atheism is a subset of skepticism, you'll find the education level here is higher than the average. (including yours).
Lots of smart people are religious ... But most aren't educated. In fact, only 7% of Christian Americans have read the bible. Not because they don't want to, but because they can't! lol!
sad sad sad....