Fed up with Scott's bigoted bull....

[tklfan]

I never thought I'd say this...after all I KNOW that scott was instrumental in creating this forum...however, in light of his harassment of us in the past few days I think we should make a move to ban him from this forum. He is a prejudiced bigot and his only purpose in coming to this forum now is to harass us and cause trouble. That he does it under the guise of some higher power makes it all that much more disgusting. I can't be the only one who is getting sick of hearing his bigoted garbage!!!

[Haltickling]

Hey tklfan, many of us have similar feelings about his unsolicited preachings. Just ignore his posts as we do; Scott's not hiding behind tickle topics any more, his posts are clearly identifiable and avoidable.

Besides, he announced that he won't come here any more in his last message (link section), so this problem seems to be solved anyway.

[quinn65]

Glad to see our mods are staying open minded about controversial posts.

Originally, I came here for obvious reasons but was thrilled and amazed to see the quality of non-tk discussion going on around the forums. Without active agitators from all sides free to express their views, all that great discussion would go away.

Personally, I'd like to do a Texas cage match with RtG on religion. All I need is a work-related injury to keep me planted by my computer all day writing posts.

So there's fair warning, Scott. If I get laid up, I'm comin' for ya in your new forum... :devil:

;)

Pax,
quinn

[qjakal]

Well...he has only one set of books to draw upon, while you can access all the literature of the known world...no fair using an open mind to duel with. ;) Q

[MadKalnod]

Fundamentalist: Noun. One who believes in "believing in God" more that he believes in "God."

Puritan: Noun. One who lives in constant, mortal fear that someone somewhere might not be as miserable, guilt-ridden and self-hating as he is.

I'm reminded of some lines from "Inherit the Wind" (I can't find my copy, so I'm paraphrasing in places):

"The Bible is a good book. But it not the only book."

"God speaks to Brady, and Brady speaks to us? Is that how it works? To be against Brady is to be against God? Well, then let there be a Book of Brady! We shall hex the Pentatuech and fit you in neatly between Numbers and Deuteronomy!"

"Why does it bother you so much that God might be speaking to Bertram Cates as well as to you?"

[Strelnikov]

Be careful - too open, and your brains fall out. That's a typical Boomer failing, which accounts in part for how screwed up a lot of our kids are. Kids need moral absolutes while growing up. Many adults do too. The trick is in finding the RIGHT absolutes...

MK, I disagree with your definition of "fundamentalist." Many of my neighbors think of themselves as such. For the most part, they're decent, well-meaning people who use their faith as a guide to doing the right thing. That's what it's for, after all.

Quinn, is a Texas cage match like Apache wrestling? Left wrists tied together and knives in the right hands?

Strelnikov

[MadKalnod]

You are correct, Strelnikov-san. I most likely have been in error regarding the choice of word. For all my previous posts that may make me come across as a militant agnostic ("I don't know the answers and neither do you!"), I really have no quarrel with the average person of faith who uses their religion as the moral guidepost it was menat to be. These are not the people I intended to poke fun at. My view of Christainity is similar to Gandhi's thoughts when asked his opinion of Western Civilization: "I think it would be a wonderful thing if someone actally tried it."

My beef is with those individuals who use religion as the backboard with which they slam dunk themselves into everybody else's business. The modern Pharisees who think that their endorsement of a certain belief system entitles them to dictate how others run their lives. The people who do not believe in their particular God nearly as much as they believe that you must believe in their particular God as well, or else. The people who crave to bolster their faith by having strength of numbers on their side, as if popularity was the sole criteria for truth. (Yes, 20 million Elvis fans can be wrong.) And most (if not all) of the offenders that I was seeking to mock suscribe to the viewpoint that the Christian Bible is absolute literal fact with no room for allegorical or poetic interpretation. (Except, of course, for the Book of Revelations, which can be routinely twisted and contorted to fit current events in order to enforce the notion that the End is nanoseconds away. If the Bible says that God created all life on Earth during a one-week period 6000+/- years ago, then the Fossil Record is Satan's Trickery. However, we shouldn't be on the lookout for a real physical Great Beast with seven heads because that's only symbolism.) It's that brand of inflexibility and stubborn refusal to accept the existence of alternative views even as abstract concepts that usually leads to trouble. It's the sort of mindset that was ready to burn Galileo at the stake because he told the Church what he had seen with his own eyes through his telescope. "I know I'm right, your facts are irrelevant."

I was however, incorrect to lump them together with the likes of Strel's friends & neighbors. To use a logician's anaology, All of John F. Kennedy is dead, but not everything dead is John F. Kennedy. I am at a bit of a loss to find an appropriate word to replace my inadequate original choice.

[TheSteve]

Sorry all, but, like you lot, Ive seen scotts posts but, unlike you, I actually found them pretty damn funny. You see, arguments about morality and religousness aside, I can put myself and RtG side by side and trust me... Im not the one that needs saving!

In brief though, I pretty much agree with the "heathens" in the post, although the beleivers are perfectly clear to have their own beliefs in modern society, the extremist(s) should look at these two harsh (but fair) points, I may not have the facts perfect, but the basis is true.

1. Christian fanatics beleive that non believers will burn in hell and disregard them as people unless they convert (possibly with a cheque made payable to...) and I bet they couldnt care less if the damned die young.

2. Al-Queda (etc) beleive that non Muslims will die in "hell" so they diregard them as people unless they convert and see no reason why they shouldnt be killed before then.

Spot the difference. Gotta say though Im just talking about the really really REALLY strict people like RtG

[dvnc]

Anything that does not divide us will ultimately draw us closer together.

Scott's posts are what they are. Where one poster finds them "bigoted bull", another thinks Scott's got the Word of God (tm) in his ear. To all this, I say, "Whatever."

All of us have our own faith, or abstain from such. Some of us share a like faith with others here, and some of us don't. It's all good, people. We represent more than just America. We represent the World. How kindly we regard others here, who aren't as we are, is more important to me than whether or not you all think as I think.

It's why I stick to simple faiths, publically. Love is somethin' everyone believes in. I've more worries about someone that don't believe in love. That whole God/Allah/Yahweh/Odin thing is just REALLY personal stuff. Ain't my way t'mess with what it is that keeps someone treatin' others kindly.

dvnc

[Strelnikov]

MK, your description of those who use a belief system to slam-dunk themselves into everyone else's life doesen't fit just religious fanatics. It also fits true-believing Communists, the Politically Correct brigade, and (for want of a better term) Secular Humanists of the ACLU variety as well. The latter two groups are often as sanctimonious and preachy as any holy-roller preacher. Q once argued that Communism was akin to religion, so maybe Militant Agnosticism and PC are too.

In this country, the Godless Left has done more meddling with our lives than the Religious Right over the past 30 yrs or so. In my view, the social pathologies we see around us are the direct result.

DVNC, I don't pretend to represent the world. I don't even pretend to represent all of Christian America. I'm just here to learn and maybe, sometimes, to teach.

Strelnikov

[MadKalnod]

No argument there, Strel. As one Who is Conservative and proud, I've thought the same about the Left for years. Although I would argue that they are far from godless: They worship themselves and the Power they lust after far too much. I agree that both are identical in motive and manner if not in M.O. I do, however, often worry that by allowing the Theocrats to cozy up to us, ,we Republicans have made a Faustian deal that may cost us down the road.

[Strelnikov]

...look a lot like my neighbors and co-workers. They don't scare me a bit. That's a Bible Belt perspective, of course...

Strelnikov

[Daumantas]

Speaking as a Democrat, I'll take the Theocrats over the country club Republicans any day of the week. At least the Theocratic types believe in something other than their own stock portfolios.

[shark]

Teach on,Strelnikov,teach on.....

[Strelnikov]

Daumantas and I have finally found a point of political agreement!

Strelnikov

[Daumantas]

Oh, no doubt there, Strel. The country club Republicans actually have more in common with the type of people you probably think of as "Establishment liberals." Both are mostly motivated by an attitude of "I've got mine."

I know at least one country club Republican whose only visible or apparent reaction to Sept. 11 was to discuss whether or not to get out of airline stocks now or wait, and whether to start buying more Wal-Mart and Kmart stocks on the basis of all those flags being sold. This was on the Friday after the attack -- while President Bush was speaking at a memorial service in Washington, while churches were crowded nationwide and all the rest of the world was busy mourning. Made me sick to my stomach.

[Darkknight]

Scott's bible chatter reminds me of my sister. I listen, in this case read it and then wonder who the Bears play next.
All due respect to those that find peace and happiness in believing in something.
I lost my faith in a "God" not too long ago so I can't say walking the long hours of the night alone is fun either.

Life to me is an equation that runs like "pie" never truely coming up with a final answer but constantly adding more to it as time moves on.

If it makes him happy to rant the words of a supreme being, he truely is a better man than me.. for he is happy.

Peace,
DK

[Strelnikov]

Right again, Daumantas. Why should the similarity surprise anyone? They graduated from the same universities, belong to the same clubs, send their kids to the same prep schools, live in the same gated communities, probably use the same financial advisors. Another member roasted me as being a knuckle-dragging reactionary, for making that comparison a while back on this forum. Guess he couldn't see past the labels.

I'd be the last to say that my bank balance wasn't important, or that my investments weren't worth protecting. But dammit! It's important to STAND for something!

Strelnikov