LBMB: Some thoughts, ammends, explanations, and opinions

Okay, this isn’t a Great Debate per se, but I feel the need to get some things off of my chest for all Dopers and Left Behinders here, and this seems to be the forum read most by those who would care.

I realize that this is somewhat of a dead issue at this point, and I fear some may think I’m fanning a dying flame, but I feel somewhat responsible for the whole mess, and I feel my thoughts on the matter should be noted, if only as a matter of record.

I instigated people going over to LBMB for one reason only - to have folks more knowledgable about evolutionary sciences than I go over there to tell them better than I why the rhetoric posed by Creation Scientists (and believed by most people there as a real science itself) were either lies and half-truths.

I did this for the same reason anyone posts a link to a site - I thought some Dopers could lend a new perspective to the proceedings.

Needless to say, I was right. There were quite a few new perspectives. Some debunked the aforementioned rhetoric. A government major spoke of church/state issues. A Christian on this board questioned about inconsistancies in the Bible.

Meanwhile, my thread inviting people there had become a huge 700+ post running account of our interaction there.

It was silly, and some of the comments could certainly inflame some LBMB people who let emotions rule.

However, if you examine the evidence, I feel you will find nothing erroneous about the following statements:

(1) Dopers who went there were respectful and obeyed rules until one poster specifically lost patience and got himself banned. Until that one (and it was only one) moment, everyone was playing nice, just with differing opinions than a lot of the board.

(2) Until someone (Phaedrus, most likely, and a hearty “Fuck you” to him if it was) told their admin MBagnal about Dopers being there, nobody at LBMB felt as if they were being “attacked.” Correct me if I’m wrong, please…

(3) MBagnal proceeded to post about being “attacked,” and pretty much gave sanction towards their people coming here.

(4) A few LBMB types came here and did really silly things, things that were never done on LBMB. Maybe WE were the ones being attacked?

(5) It was over was soon as it begun. MBagnal called his followers home, and the lamers left, while those who violated our own policies were banned.

(6) The few LBMB regs who like it here are accepted and are already enjoying conversations with others - many of whom think a lot more like them than they might have initially thought, I suspect.

Now, I have to ask the question: What is with supposed death threats of MBagnal? I really would like to know the status of evidence as to whether this happened or not, and offer my assistance to uncover who did it (if in fact they were done).

I for one am very glad to see the likes of Navigator, Pariah, Rabbai, and some others here, as they add much to the board and I feel they are the types to not close their minds to possibly learning from the board as well.

Let me say to all of our new LBMB friends: I am sorry you came here under such a climate. But I hope we can all get along and have some fun!

Also, please do not judge me too harshly for my name. I chose it for reasons that are not meant to offend you and folks like you, but simply because of my penchant for playing Devil’s Advocate, as well as a healthy respect for shocking people a bit! :slight_smile:

Just don’t ask me to get behind you or anything…


Yer pal,
Satan

I only hope someone from the LBMB innocently tells a friend, “I had the NICEST conversation with Satan today!”

Yay, Brian’s back!


Leslie Irish Evans
http://leslie.scrappy.net

Eve…naughty, naughty!! :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

Brian, you missed a golden opportunity… the thread title should have been “Satan Repents”! :slight_smile:

Satan, I agree with everything you said. Do you think I should say that, instead of I had the nicest conversation with Satan today?
I didn’t really give your name a second thought. Then again I don’t try reading into the reason why people choose the name they have.
I have much enjoyed being over here, and I’m glad everything is pretty much died down.

Stan, or can I call you Brian like everyone else??

allow me to parse… :slight_smile:

I wouldn’t call it a feeling of ‘attack’ more like a feeling of ‘invasion’ or that a group of people (we knew not from whence they came) all of a sudden cropped up in a semi-organized anti-creation stance. But many of us, ‘felt’ that it was ‘pre-meditated’ or ‘planned’. Albiet ad-hoc.

I’m sure if we compared sheer number of posts, the numbers would be roughly equal on both boards. However, like a boxer with one-hand tied behind our back, those of us with in the dark-color-schemed board could only see half of the argument, while those under the biding of ‘Satan’ (sorry, it is just too hard to back up) could see both.

Let me just say this, I think, with a generous dose of hindsight, that it might have been better percieved to have been forthright with ‘from whence you came’ so that in the future your little party would not have been considered an ‘attack’.

No argument, and no excuse. I’m not quite sure why he over-reacted like that. I think there could have been a more wise approach.

Why thank you, but don’t judge others too harshly either. Many that came and posted here in the beginning didn’t have much stake in the OP’s you all started.

I hope we can have fun as well.

Peace.


† Jon †
Phillipians 4:13

As to #2:

Actually, Brian, IIRC a few Pounders thought that the Devil was working through a few SD folks, notably Daniel Schwarr, JAB, and Stan A. (tho not SoulFrost, briana, or nightmare as much). There were several comments made that the board was seeing an influx of antagonists and wondered if there was something fishy going on. And some even went so far as to claim the board was indeed under attack.

But an organized attack/invasion by Demon-worshipping atheists? I don’t remember anyone claiming that.

-andros-

As someone who watched this whole thing happen, and who rarely appears in Great Debates (I find my posts are more in line with MPSIMS action) I just wanted to say that while both boards ended up with some battle scars, I think good things will spring from it.

I may have personal beliefs that are more like the LBMB, but I find the SDMB so much more enjoyable because of rational discourse, different opinions, and the respect that everyone is given if they show the same to others. This board seems to have it together, and I find different opinions and ideas both enlightening and interesting. I don’t think posting an opinion than having everyone else say “I agree” does much for anyone.

Hopefully, some of the more militant LBMBers will see a new way to interact with differing opinions. Hopefully SDMBers will be able to understand where the other side is coming from. And, as a bonus, it looks like our board has picked up a few new and promising posters.

Thanks for always keeping this place interesting. After 4 months and 500 posts here, I still find it my favorite site to visit.


Well, shut my mouth. It’s also illegal to put squirrels down your pants for the purposes of gambling.

Hmmm, maybe not a good idea, Poly. Some people would probably see that as a sign that the end of the world is just around the corner… :wink:


Some drink at the fountain of knowledge…others just gargle.

An important issue is being overlooked here, and I hope our new friends the Pounders will help out.

The Straight Dope Message Board is free, just as is yours. But it still costs money to run, just as does yours. Please consider dropping by the Online Store with an eye toward buying the books of (non-divine) knowledge that have brought us together in the first place. They also have a pretty cool coffee mug and tee-shirt available.

Also, this is an advertiser-supported site. Be a pal and from time-to-time click on the link in the upper left of each page. It’s mostly for the movie reviews of Jonathan Rosenbaum, the reviewer for the Chicago Reader. He’s really good!

David B, please tell Ed Zotti that he owes me a buck.

Jesus saves… Gretzky grabs the rebound… He Scores!

I didn’t personally take any of it as an attack or a feeling of invasion, either one.
The board is not open to just a select few. Any number of people can post on whatever topic they choose. Regardless of how sudden or where from.
People shouldn’t have a problem with suddenly a different number of people agreeing with someone who has an opposing view. How is someone stating an opinion whether I agree or not going to change my beliefs? It’s not, but I can listen to them. We all have opinions, and can be stubborn about them. Giving someone a chance to speak doesn’t automatically mean I have to agree. It’s just giving respect to hear someone out, and look at where they are coming from with their ideas. I think that is basically all anyone wants.
When the word “attack” is used, what is a persons first response? Usually, defend and retaliate, and alot of mistakes happen when this occurs because it is done in anger. That’s what happened.
If it hadn’t been posted in the manner it was over there the majority of people would’ve gone on just fine.
I’m not putting MBagnall down. He’s human as we all are, and in looking back I bet he’d handle some things a bit differently.
If on nothing else I think we can all pretty much agree things were handled badly. It was unfortunate it happened at all. Things turned very ugly real quick. Now it is over.

Satan, I too would like to know whether our mods or admins have received any verification of the alleged death threats, or whether we are free to believe that MBagnall was blowing smoke.

TubaDiva? David B? Ed?

[aside] Brian, where’s my buck? :wink: [/aside]

And then there’s Godly Guy, our 13-year-old fire breather…

[aside]I wish I had as much courage and conviction at that age as our ‘little fire-breather’ does. Lets hope that this little episode doesn’t quesnch the flame.[/aside]

Peace.


† Jon †
Phillipians 4:13

#include apology.h
#include disclaimer.h

[still even more aside]
I agree, Nav. I like to see someone as young as GG so focussed on his faith. But I still hope he learns to temper his faith with some critical thinking as he matures.
[/still even more aside]

Amen to that!

Navigator:

You know I love you. (Make jokes about Satan loving you at your own disgression!) That said, allow me to make a couple of points:

First, call me Brian or Satan. I would suggest Satan just because some here might not know my real name and might be confused, unless this seems an afront to your senses! :slight_smile:

As for what you said about feeling approached (if not attacked), if someone posted there saying, “Hi! We saw your board and we want to participate,” and directed people to our site, things might have been better.

But even without this kind of enterance, someone else there vilified another for NOT claiming he devoted his life to Jesus. In matters unrelated to SDMB, we’ve both seen other theologies get truly attacked there - Rabbi Sam and the Jewish faith, Mormons, and even other Christians who disagreed politely on even the smallest non-salvation issues in scripture.

So, you tell me… If I said, “I’m an athiest” (I’m not, but bear with me), how welcome would I have been in that climate?

This does not impunge everyone there, 'Gator, and certainly not you. I’m talking overall climate here, and I believe you would agree with this accessment.


Yer pal,
Satan

are we mixing our metaphors???

if you start a thread with ‘pound includes’

shouldn’t comments be made with ‘//’ or ‘/’ and '/’

or am I just too obsessed with proper syntax??

Peace.


† Jon †
Phillipians 4:13

/* Nav, only a “pounder” would be obsessed with “pound includes” */


“We love Him because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19 †

Brian. (I leave your other title for the REAL one :))

where to start where to start…

Don’t committ the same fallacy some of LB members have, of lumping everyone into one category based on a few posts.

/I for one have many times jumped on or rebuked others for attacking other theologies. Especially rabid protestants that see the RCC as the Beast of Revelation. Others there have done the same./

I have gone on rants with others not of the faith, and have discussed doctrinal differences without spewing forth brimstone and fire. And if I slip, I hope a brother will point it out so I can repent.

SooooOOOooo…

If you came to the board with ‘ATHEIST’ on your forehead, you might not feel as warm and cozy as the rest of the chior. However (comma) we then would at least know what we were dealing with, and wouldn’t be so quick to jump on the ‘sheep clothing’ issue.

Given the nature of your names, I thought it was quite apparent where you all stood. JoshTenForty in particular. Stan A was kind of blantant, and I am quitely amused that you took such offence when called on your obvious anagram.

Perhaps your judgement on the over all climate over there could be revised, as mine has on the ‘overall climate’ of this board.

Peace.


† Jon †
Phillipians 4:13