jenkinsfan: One Trick Pony

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I was unsure where to post this. Surely, there is no Greatt Debate here, nor would it even qualify in our new Great Debates Lite forum. And in spite of what might get said in subsequentt postings here, I really don’t see this as Pit worthy. owever, I did feel the need to bring this to jenkingsfan’s attention and also too everyone else who might benefit from it.

This is not a board dedicated to any one subjectt. It is a board where you can discuss anything, and as such I find it a shame that you seem to only be here to discuss one thing.

I went over your posting histor, jenkinsfan. I wanted to see if I was right, if you ever did once not post as a “Christian,” but as a person. Here is what I found.

I did not even look in these threads, as your postings definitely had to have fit the stereotype that you have allowed for yourself:
[ul]
[li]Need prayer?[/li][li]Scripture verses.[/li][li]More Scripture Verses[/li][li]All religions are right about this.[/li][li]Why are Christians afraid of death?[/li][li]Scripture Verses.[/li][li]Catholics not Christians?[/li][li]Why the hell do we have religion?[/li][li]What makes a good Christian?[/li][li]What exactly is a Fundamentalist?[/li][li]The Gospel according to the Bible.[/li][li]OK - Assuming God Created the World…[/li][li]The Empty Tomb[/li][li]If you had lived during New Testament times would you have accepted Christ?[/li][li]Question to Atheists.[/li][li]Are all believers self-righteous?[/li][li]Christians, does this offend you?[/li][li]Why do people put their faith in God?[/li][li]Christian Coalition?[/li][/ul]
Now, of course, if your posts there do not somehow involve you wearing your Christianity on yoru sleeve, I’m sure someone will correct me, but I haven’t the time to check every post you have made.

The remainder of your posts are as follows:
[ul]
[li]Just listen to yourselves…: This actually is a religious thread.[/li][li]How do you react to a nuclear attack?: He says he’d pray, in the middle of a discussion about real tactics one could use.[/li][li]Give Some Meaning to Love: He answers this with, “The Bible teaches that the purest form of love…” and quotesScripture.[/li][li]Ask the Gay Guy II!: Asks how being gay affects ones religion.[/li][li]Anti-abortion question: “Even if I weren’t such a fundamental Christian, I would still say abortion is wrong,” and his follow-up post begins, “God created human beings in His image.” Several subsequent posts use the Bible as his measuring stick in this issue.[/li][li]The Shelf Life of a Government/Economic System: In this issue, he starts off his post with the subnjectt “CAPITALISM, GOD’S WAY.” and uses Scripture to talk about an issue that did not involve reliigion until he showed up.[/li][li]Am I allowed to be a freethinker?: (Yes, an ironic thread for jenkinsfan to reply to since we all know the answer in his case must me “No.”) This was, as well, a religious thread.[/li][li]The Fat vs Thin debate in America: His post in full: “”…for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…" Psalm 139:14 Maybe Hollywood should start promoting that!"[/li][li]What does your name mean?: Even though it gave him a chance to plug how his name was for the guy who co-writes the Left Behind series, and even though the arcives had a similar thread he might have been able to reply to if he was reading the board instead of witnessing, I will cut him a small break on this one, if onlyy because his one follow-up post did not witness or mention Jesus.[/li][li]Why must people curse?: Starts out the OP “Being a Christian I try to refrain from vulgar language…” Several posters saw what was really happening here.[/li][li]who feels love?: His entire post: “‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’ John 15:33” His entire second post: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whososever believes in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16” (Kudos to Dopers here for pointing out that Christianity is NOT a very good example of unconditional love, something jenkinsfan couldn’t quite respond to.[/li][li]Sex & Children: “I have mixed feelings about where I stand in this debate, but allow me to illustrate the fundie’s view…” Again, aligning himself as something, and we all know what that something is.[/li][li]Edit your post here!!!: Here, jenkinsfan managed to NOT bring God into the equation. I applaud his constraint in being able to do so in the About This Message Board forum.[/li][li]Beakerxf: A continuation of a religious debate with the poster named.[/li][li]Understanding each other.: I suppose the only way we can understand each other is to say what religious beliefs we hold.[/li][li]The new Dollar Coin… yea or nay: I thought, how could he drag God into this one? Here’s how: His post in full is, “I like the new coins as long as they continue to force my religion down yer throats with ‘In God we trust’. :D”[/li][li]Understanding each other.: The closed-down Great Debates version of same thread.[/li][li]Elian: Again, I must give him props here, since thee only thing he wrote was “Well said” to a complaint on how many Elian threads there already were. I wonder if he would say “Well said” to a complaint about too much witnessing?[/li][li]Mad Max!! David B’s favorite proselytizer: A thread about campus preachers.[/li][li]Class Action Tobacco Law Suits: In this thread, he just asks me how I quit smoking and also adds, “Prayen’ for ya’(whether you like it or not :D)”[/li][/ul]
Okay, of jenkinsfan’s 115 or so posts, less than 1% of them are not about Jesus, and an overwhelming percentage of them are just wiitnessing.

The point oof this excersise is to ask jenkinsfan why he is here? If he wants to discuss theology exclusively, aren’t there a ton of boards that are devoted to that? If he wants to talk about other things, why does he never post about them? And if he indeed is simply here to witness, why doesn’t he get the clue that it won’t work here, is not wanted here, and that the best witnessing here is done by the likes of Polycarp who are well-rounded posters who are not shy about their beliefs, but do not only talk of them exclusively?

This could also be applied to people other than jenkinsfan, though I cannot think of any good examples.

In closing, I am not asking you to leave, jenkinsfan. But I left the LBMB when it occured to me that my own brand of witnessing - for the facts regarding multi-culturalism, science and US government - was being ignored, and I had learned all I needed to about those of that view-point.

When will you come to the same conclusion here? Because unless you want to get bast stereotyping yourself as “that Christian guy,” you will.

And in the meantime, you will be treated by other posters as the characature that you paint as yourself, as well as showing people that one needs to be all about Jesus if they are to be a Christian, and you know what? Some of us would find that pretty negative and cultish - not the most effective witnessing tool IMHO.

Is this what you want? How hard would it be for you to post about other subjects, put your own views in about… Well, ANYTHING?!? Or is this really how you are?

Either way, is this how you want to come off looking?

Yer pal,
Satan

TIME ELAPSED SINCE I QUIT SMOKING:
One month, three weeks, four days, 20 hours, 47 minutes and 21 seconds.
2234 cigarettes not smoked, saving $279.33.
Life saved: 1 week, 18 hours, 10 minutes.

2

(Bowing head)

Amen brother

3

Damn Straight!

4

Some people try to convince others of their sincerity.

And some try to convince themselves.

I think Mr. jenkinsfan is trying to do both.
And I notice that his Martyr Complex is in perfect working condition.

5

Sadly, this is not a trait that jenkinsfan alone among Christians (or even among religious people) has. Many Christian people I have met have had a knack for turning ANY topic of conversation into a religious debate. Frankly, it gets old pretty quickly. This is probably the main reason that I don’t have very many close Christian friends. I should clarify that this is NOT because I have anything against Christianity, but simply because the conversations get pretty boring after a while.

6

I’d just like to say I stopped frequenting a Christian message board over a year ago because the conversations were so aggravatingly circular, judgmental, hypocritical, and blind. Was it everyone? No. But it was the noisiest, most frequent posters–thus making up at least 60-70% of the posts–that felt a) all topics had to be reverted to religion, b) if you disagree with them, you must be wrong and told so enthusiastically, c) God lives in this box and never exists beyond it. Who were most sad weren’t the ones who sat angrily passing judgment, but the well-meaning, but hopelessly blind, ones who lived in a strangely insular world. There was no explaining anything to them, and every post was saturated with Christian clichés and platitudes that are parroted in a manner that suggests a lack of thorough understanding of what they are truly saying.

Sadly enough, I used to be one of these people.

Strangely enough, it is these people who have helped contribute to the current near-formlessness of my faith. I am ultimately responsible, sure, but people who act and speak like they were absorbed by the Pod People didn’t help.

He means well. He is sincere. He is, most likely, harmless. That he is a one trick pony isn’t that unusual or remarkable. Just leave him be in his world; it works for him. That’s pretty much what I left those at the Christian MB to do.

7

I was thinking the exact same thing, man.

Ever since the ‘why must people curse’ thread, I’ve noticed this trend with jenkinsfan. After that thread, he just kind of stopped posting for awhile, then came back and continued with the Christian semantics.

It is very annoying and futile to try to communicate with this person.

8

It’s called “witnessing”, and some Christians take it more seriously than others. Obviously, Jenkinsfan of the Straight Dope takes it very seriously indeed. I think we ought to at least credit the guy with the strength of his beliefs.

And golly, if he wants to drag God into every little-bitty discussion of oven cleaning, tap dancing, your favorite flavor of pop, and whether the toilet paper roll ought to hang over or under, well, I guess that’s his privilege, the SDMB being the wonderful, freedom-embracing place it is. I don’t have any problems steering around him every so often. I know people like him IRL, and I don’t have any problems steering around them, either.

At least he isn’t also selling Amway.

9

It’s curious that he is now being defended by several new posters.

Must be a coincidence.

10

Wow Satan! Your research was thorough, your points were well thought out and your conclusions were fair.

Duck Duck Goose, I might respect jenkinsfan for his beliefs as I respect other avowed Christian posters but he went to far awhile back when he had a sig line that read something like “Eternity: Burning or not burning”. I think he has the right to think that and maybe even state it in a debate as to how his views pertain, but to put that in someone’s face whether he is right or wrong or if it is true or not, is calloused and inconsiderate.

11

Satan, I love you. What say you dump that Drain Bead and marry me?

12

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t say anything about this. I mean, I feel like I talk about med school more than I should.

The only reason I said anything on the other thread was that I saw the thread a month or so ago at the LBMB, just before Jenkinsfan started posting here regularly, in which he said he was “going on another witnessing mission” to the SDMB. I didn’t say anything on either board at the time.

JF, please don’t think this is any slam on your beliefs. If you’ll look back a few months, particularly in GD, you’ll see the fallout that resulted when Libertarian managed to turn every single thread he posted in into a discussion of Liberterianism. Lib was, and is, one of my favorite posters around here, and his zeal for and confidence in Libertarianism matches yours for Christianity. However, you can only read so many posts about peaceful honest people before you want to peacefully and honestly yak.

All I’m trying to say is, try to look at us as something more than fodder for conversion.

Dr. J

PS: Thanks for the heads-up on the LBMB being in working order. They changed the link, so my bookmark was still taking me to the “routine maintenance” page. When I get through my Test from Hell on Wednesday and back from Key West, I’ll ride in and start straightening out misunderstandings of evolution again. :slight_smile:

13

Satan, why am I not surprised it was YOU who brought this up??? It’s too perfect. Now, don’t misunderstand, you made good points and were totally researched. But who would expect less from the Prince of Darkness on a religious theme???

14

Well, Satan; far be it from me to play “angel’s advocate” ('cause Fundies really annoy me), but the “one trick pony” accusation could also apply to you.

Lately, I don’t seem to recall any posts by you on any other topic other than your dislike of Fundies.

Yes, they’re a pain in the buttocks—but what have you posted lately?

Where is the sparkling wit of posts gone by?
Your constant attacks constitute killing flies with a sledgehammer; or wrestling with the chipmunks over hickory nuts. You may win, or you may lose. If you lose , you look like an enormous goober. If you win, you get a hickory nut covered with chipmunk spit… and lose your dignity.

15

Wally, I’m not defending him.

16

Hmmm, I’m not sure why I feel the desire to respond to this OP. I am in no way religiously inclined and I do find the non-preaching agenda of institutional religion’s to be of questionable virtue. And I seriously dislike that closed-minded bible belt fundamentalism –and it is fundamentalism, however…………

I’m not clear why jenkinsfan got so harshly treated in his most recent thread nor why his (I assumed he was a she, no idea why) one trick pony is received with this degree of hostility. Also, I’m not clear as to whether it’s the subject matter itself or the fact that he only has one tune to march too that offends.

Satan you mentioned cultural diversity in your OP yet you chose to spend what must have been some time researching the posting history of someone who’s subject is about as common on this board as a virgin in a brothel. Jenkinsfan offers diversity. I’m not saying he needs to be embraced because of that but this doesn’t feel right.

If it is just irritation, then I surely understand. I can only speak for myself but I don’t feel religion is being rammed down my throat. None of us need to open up the thread to view the (in jenkinsfan’s case) very obvious content and if it crops up in another thread, why not skip over it.

In the short time I’ve been posting here I’ve developed respect for you and for some of the others posting to this thread so it troubles me that you now appear to be intolerant.

Jenkinsfan is a fundamentalist therefore he pretty much only has one thing going on in his head. Perhaps I missed something here in which case I apologise but isn’t intolerance a sign of a closing mind and, in the wider context, a foreshadow of a potentially much darker future ?

17

Satan, I was going to say that you have waaaay too much time on your hands, but then I saw that you dropped the LBMB, so I guess you made up for it by searching out all of jenkinsfan’s stuff. :slight_smile:

An interesting result, I must say. At least some of the other LBMBers who came over here for a little while tried to get involved in other discussions.

“The most amusing threads on this board involve David B kicking some obnoxious creation scientist ass.” – Greyson3

18

Satan, on further reflection it occurs to me that what we have is a sub-species of troll. All we do is encourage him by noticing. And BTW I hadn’t noticed his line of attack until you mentioned it. Thanks, now I’m annoyed. If you just can’t resist the morbid facination involved in opening his threads aand reading his posts, don’t respond! At least not on the boards where he can see it. Email a friend, call your mother, stop strangers on the street, but don’t give him your time. That’s what I did, I guess. Never noticed him at all, and now look what you made me do!

19

Satan, I am in complete agreement with London_Calling, but I go beyond. I find the level of intolerance directed at Jenkinsfan by you and some of the others is appalling. I came to this board because it was INCLUSIVE, not EXCLUSIVE. I would like to be proud that I am a member, not ashamed.

So what if he wants to preach? You don’t have to listen. Some people appreciated his offer of prayer.

You object to his theology? How dare you suggest ANYBODY has a false theology! His methods? You and I both find them annoying; his belief system tells him that they are the right methods. You are offended by the suggestion that he has the only way? I am sure he finds your name or some of the threads here at least as offensive.

Your “Look! Look! Look! These are the bad things he has done!” list appears to others as pathetically defensive, like a child trying to justify himself. Get over yourself and your need to be right.

SATAN, YOUR BLATANT HATRED AND DISCRIMINATORY BEHAVIOR ARE NOT APPROPRIATE NOR WELCOME HERE. If you plan to continue in that vein I would like to ask you to take your bigotry to another board.

20

London pretty much stated my thoughts. Satan, you know I think a lot of you, but this thread is just wrong on so many levels.