# Der Trihs **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 3, 2009, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150 "2009-11-03T08:22:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![Yumblie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/76d3ee/32.png) [@Yumblie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yumblie)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/301 "2009-11-06T17:29:53Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > I find that particular comment…specious. Not attempting to pile on here, at all. The world used to be flat, remember? > [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > People thought that according to the rules of nature the earth was flat, and the Sun revolved around it. Guys, guys, the world was never flat. As far back as humanity had enough free time to observe and experiment on the world, people have known that the Earth is a sphere. [Eratosthenes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eratosthenes) managed to calculate the circumference of the Earth to a pretty accurate value, considering the times, thousands of years ago. Give us humans a little more credit! ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/302 "2009-11-06T17:42:26Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > Telling your audience the truth isn’t abusing them. But it does make the lickle babby jeesus cwy. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/303 "2009-11-06T19:03:27Z")
Hate is a very defining attribute of a person just as much as a person who could be religious or non-religious. When I first saw **DT** ’s posts, I used to see hateful posts from a non-religious poster, but now more recently [(since the drum has been beaten to a hollow ring of metal)](http://www.plyrics.com/lyrics/offspring/leaveitbehind.html), I now see non-religious posts from a hateful person. To me, **DT** is now more comparable to Phred Phelps, another hateful person, but with a different view towards religion. The hate has overtaken the viewpoint (valid or non-valid…doesn’t matter) of the person…they just become the screeching animals in the background of a huge jungle, selectively ignored after the hundredth repetitive screech. Not good company. We could do better without either. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/304 "2009-11-06T19:05:23Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > So tell me, how has the meek and mild, soft and reasonable approach worked out so far for atheists over the last three thousand years? I can’t speak for all atheists over the last three millenia, but my best friend went from a Biblical literalist to a strong atheist over the course of a year or so through people being calm, collected, and respectful when discussing these things with him. ---
**Author:** ![Fantome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Fantome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fantome)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/305 "2009-11-06T19:39:37Z")
> [@Yeticus\_Rex](#): > > To me, **DT** is now more comparable to Phred Phelps, another hateful person, but with a different view towards religion. For those that are familiar with **DT** ’s posts regarding religion but not familiar with the views of Fred Phelps, [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps) is his Wikipedia page. You can decide for yourself if this is a fair comparison. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/306 "2009-11-06T20:16:31Z")
> [@Yeticus\_Rex](#): > > To me, **DT** is now more comparable to Phred Phelps, another hateful person, but with a different view towards religion. More comparable to Phred than what? Sure, **DT** is more comparable to Phred than Martin Luther King is, but that doesn’t mean the gap between **DT** and Phred are all that close. By the way, if you’re going to use his full name, it’s kinda silly to use Phred. It’s like writing Pterry Pratchett. ---
**Author:** ![Kearsen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kearsen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kearsen)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/307 "2009-11-06T20:22:36Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Yeah, sure. :rolleyes: What _ **doesn’t** _ make them cling to religion? And what makes you think that faking respect towards it will somehow make them less religious? > > When has acting all respectful towards a belief, especially an irrational belief EVER made people less likely to believe it? Racism and sexism weren’t fought against successfully by people who pretended that their opponents were reasonable. I keep hearing this theory that I and other atheists need to act all respectful towards religion; when has that ever done anything but reinforce it, or similar false beliefs? Maybe it isn’t necessarily the religion you need to show respect for, or even a person’s beliefs. It is the person themselves that deserve the respect (well, in regards to their beliefs anyway) ---
**Author:** ![Latro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Latro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latro)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/308 "2009-11-06T21:15:01Z")
> [@Kearsen](#): > > Maybe it isn’t necessarily the religion you need to show respect for, or even a person’s beliefs. It is the person themselves that deserve the respect (well, in regards to their beliefs anyway) Uhmm, it´s rather the point that their belief doesn´t deserve respect, while the person might. So I don´t get the > [@](#): > > (well, in regards to their beliefs anyway)[/ ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/309 "2009-11-06T21:19:03Z")
> [@Yeticus\_Rex](#): > > To me, **DT** is now more comparable to Phred Phelps, another hateful person, but with a different view towards religion. This comparison _might_ have the tiniest smidgen of validity _if_ **Der Trihs** spent his life going around to the funerals of dead Christians, holding up signs that insult the deceased, and yelling at the mourners that there is no heaven, and that the corpse in the box is just going to rot in the ground like he deserves. He doesn’t, so your comparison is crap. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/310 "2009-11-06T21:19:49Z")
I think a belief can deserve respect. But I’m using “belief” with the strict Aristotlean meaning. A belief, classically, is a conviction based upon experience. It is hard for me not to respect that. A person and his/her life experiences are one and the same. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/311 "2009-11-06T21:21:13Z")
> [@Fantome](#): > > For those that are familiar with **DT** ’s posts regarding religion but not familiar with the views of Fred Phelps, [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Phelps) is his Wikipedia page. You can decide for yourself if this is a fair comparison. You are missing my point…the views _fade_ into the background while the hate in the message moves to the foreground…that is where my comparison is. It not about the views anymore, but the hatred in the views presented. BTW: Phelps didn’t write his own Wikipedia page and **DT** doesn’t have a Wikipedia page specific to him…but for a true comparison, just go directly to [http://www.godhatesfags.com/](http://www.godhatesfags.com/) for Fred and then do a SDMB search for Keyword: “Religion”, User Name: “Der Trihs”, and choose “Any Date” to find the 497 threads he participated in…that’s the comparison I’m talking about. > [@Bosstone](#): > > More comparable to Phred than what? Virtually any other Doper on this board. > [@](#): > > Sure, **DT** is more comparable to Phred than Martin Luther King is, but that doesn’t mean the gap between **DT** and Phred are all that close. Um, you’re kinda making my point. MLK had an excellent delivery in his view, where **DT** and Phred are more focused on their venomous deliveries, rather than their individual message itself. > [@](#): > > By the way, if you’re going to use his full name, it’s kinda silly to use Phred. It’s like writing Pterry Pratchett. So used to seeing Phred rather than Fred on this board. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/312 "2009-11-06T21:21:21Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > This comparison _might_ have the tiniest smidgen of validity _if_ **Der Trihs** spent his life going around to the funerals of dead Christians, holding up signs that insult the deceased, and yelling at the mourners that there is no heaven, and that the corpse in the box is just going to rot in the ground like he deserves. But that’s merely Phelps without the courage of his convictions. DT is a coward, who settles for spewing his hatred on message boards. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/313 "2009-11-06T21:24:19Z")
> [@Yeticus Rex to Fantome](#): > > You are missing my point…the views _fade_ into the background while the hate in the message moves to the foreground…that is where my comparison is. It not about the views anymore, but the hatred in the views presented. Notwithstanding whether Fantome sees your point, I do. It’s a lot like the Republicans who have lost their way, as they say. Their hatred for the President has consumed their ideology such that now the ideology comes from the hate. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/314 "2009-11-06T21:25:31Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > This comparison _might_ have the tiniest smidgen of validity _if_ **Der Trihs** spent his life going around to the funerals of dead Christians, holding up signs that insult the deceased, and yelling at the mourners that there is no heaven, and that the corpse in the box is just going to rot in the ground like he deserves. > > He doesn’t, so your comparison is crap. See my post above. Hate is hate. **DT** stands by his words regardless if he acted on them or just posted on them…He is comparable to Phelps, and his act is just about as tiresome. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/315 "2009-11-06T21:28:54Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > Notwithstanding whether Fantome sees your point, I do. It’s a lot like the Republicans who have lost their way, as they say. Their hatred for the President has consumed their ideology such that now the ideology comes from the hate. Yeah, exactly…there’s been quite a bit of that going around lately. Forest from the trees and all that. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/316 "2009-11-06T21:47:02Z")
I had to expand on this: > [@Yeticus\_Rex](#): > > Um, you’re kinda making my point. MLK had an excellent delivery in his view, where **DT** and Phred are more focused on their venomous deliveries, rather than their individual message itself. MLK had such an excellent delivery of his views, that some people actually felt threatened by them, while fewer sought out his death, and one succeeded in killing him. Millions carried on his views and strengthened the civil rights for all Americans. His delivery of his views converted the masses. Phelps feels that some vengeful God will do his bidding and tries to intimidate people into believing it. Some brained-washed family members and kids holding signs are his only followers. His hatred is not converting the masses. But many folks are waiting for him to take a dirtnap, and do their best to ignore him. **DT** message is well-known by all here on the boards. His message is not converting anyone, but his delivery is turning off a great number of religious and non-religious alike. His hatred is not converting the masses. I don’t think anyone here wants him dead, but most here are trying very hard to ignore him. If you want to change the worldview for the better, then hatred is not a great tactic. As others have said, it just creates further resistance. ---
**Author:** ![Fantome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Fantome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fantome)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/317 "2009-11-06T22:15:15Z")
> [@Yeticus\_Rex](#): > > You are missing my point… I didn’t miss any point. One can decide for themselves based on **DT** ’s posts here and the Wikipedia page I linked to if your comparison is valid or not. I don’t see why you think I missed your point. > [@](#): > > the views _fade_ into the background while the hate in the message moves to the foreground…that is where my comparison is. It not about the views anymore, but the hatred in the views presented. Again, one can decide for himself if **DT** ’s hate for people or religion compares to Phelps’. And then they can conclude how ridiculous your comparison is. > [@](#): > > BTW: Phelps didn’t write his own Wikipedia page So what? Do you believe it’s inaccurate? ---
**Author:** ![Rex\_Goliath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rex\_Goliath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rex_Goliath)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/318 "2009-11-06T22:19:27Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > A belief, classically, is a conviction based upon experience. It is hard for me not to respect that. A person and his/her life experiences are one and the same. You have a beautiful worldview. This needs to be repeated, over and over again. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/319 "2009-11-06T22:29:50Z")
> [@Yeticus\_Rex](#): > > Um, you’re kinda making my point. MLK had an excellent delivery in his view, where **DT** and Phred are more focused on their venomous deliveries, rather than their individual message itself. No, you missed my point. _I’m_ more comparable to Phred than to MLK, as are you. Doesn’t mean we’re anything like him, just that on the scale of Saint to Satan there’s less distance between us. But mainly I was just making fun of your word choice. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2009, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150/320 "2009-11-06T22:53:32Z")
**MrDibble** – gee, so everyone in the military should just up and go AWOL, eh? (BTW, how did **Der Trihs** feel about the initial conflict in Afghanistan, against Al Qaeda and the Taliban, after September 11?) > [@Fantome](#): > > Was that last sentence meant for me? If so, you’re wrong. I wasn’t talking about addressing her, as no one was talking about how one would have addressed Muhammad. When talking about Queen Silvia, it’s appropriate to refer to her as “Queen Silvia.” (No, if you look at the \*, that was related to my initial comments about Curtis) I know people refer to her as “Queen Silvia”, but I was mentioning _addressing_ a monarch. (Unless you DO address her as “Queen Silvia” – I’m not as familiar with the Swedish monarchy) **Czarcasm** , so it’s the excluded middle, eh? Either a total zealot, or a complete doormat? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/der-trihs/516150.md?page=17)