# Polycarp did you forget to take you pills? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 3, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640 "2003-12-03T03:54:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 24
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2003, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/461 "2003-12-06T23:58:33Z")
Gotta agree with **pepperlandgirl** , you misread his implication with that line **DDG**. Anyhoo, it seems to me that you might have gotten your hopes up rather quickly. Teens say some dreamy happy things (when they’re not suicidal, hormones or something ). I’m anxious to see what could so move a man obviously well read in spiritual text. (I kinda wish **Una Persson** had held off on the archive suggestion until **Polycarp** spilled the bio. Now I sense he is refreshing his memory before posting! 😉 ) [breath bated] … P.S. > [@](#): > > \*dantheman said:\*I think we need to conduct an experiment. Who can we get to levitate a car… It might not prove anything but an easier experiment would be to shove a baboon _up_ his butt and see what happens to the car. ---
**Author:** ![Edlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8797f3/32.png) [@Edlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edlyn)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/462 "2003-12-07T00:56:17Z")
Hey **Homebrew** 🙂 I am hoping that **Poly** doesn’t post the bio **CarnalK**. No matter how many cry, scream, or stomp their feet, I don’t think this is the place or time for him to do so IMHO. For if you knew, what would you do with it? Would you open your mind? Your heart? Change? Or would you trash it like you have trashed **Poly**? I have no reason to believe you would do anything but the last. ---
**Author:** ![Edlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8797f3/32.png) [@Edlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edlyn)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/463 "2003-12-07T01:02:59Z")
Sorry, to clarify the “you” in _For if you knew_, it’s for most of you, not necessarily **CarnalK**. ---
**Author:** ![Darkhold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@Darkhold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darkhold)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/464 "2003-12-07T01:10:12Z")
I vote that Poly starts a new thread so we don’t have 10pages of discussion and baggage in front of his revelations so they can be judged separate of this discussion. Plus it’s a pain in the ass going through all of this to find his replies. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/465 "2003-12-07T01:50:59Z")
> [@](#): > > _Edlyn said:_ > For if you knew, what would you do with it? Would you open your mind? Your heart? Change? Or would you trash it like you have trashed Poly? Hope you meant a generic “you” in the second sentence as well. I sure don’t feel I trashed **Polycarp**. I understand you not wanting the bio posted so as to spare **Poly** his share of sticks and stones. I’m sure most would agree that at this point it would be quite fainthearted of him to not post it- on many levels. He knew full well the possible dangers on the road he chose when he mentioned his “hunch”. My personal gut feeling is that **Poly** is a nice guy whos hopes strongly tint his reality. That’s human & fine, especially when one has decent hopes. It strikes me that finding this Messiah on a defunct website indicates his hope has gone opaque. I’m open minded though, he might have thrown in with a decent enough fellow. I’m quite curious what plan for the future indicates his Christ-like nature. (Just to be clear IAAtheist who likes his buddist readings) ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/466 "2003-12-07T02:38:07Z")
Waiting for Godot… What qualities would I hope to see? A sense of humor, a non-offensive way of cutting through bullshit, a calming manner, a really hearty laugh, a way to inspire us to act upon our compassion, a tender heart unashamed of tears, playfulness, great knowledge and the insight to teach, accessibility, creativity, openness. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/467 "2003-12-07T02:48:44Z")
Hey **Zoe**. How about s/he doesn’t play “games” and enjoys snuggling. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/468 "2003-12-07T03:01:56Z")
**SGWJM** Likes wine, celibacy, hiking in the mountains, healing lepers and carpentry Seeking all of humanity for love, redemption and salvation. Send letters with photos to : [sonofgod@heaven.com](mailto:sonofgod@heaven.com) (No smokers or TV evangelists, please) ---
**Author:** ![Edlyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8797f3/32.png) [@Edlyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edlyn)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/469 "2003-12-07T03:21:23Z")
Yes, **CarnalK** , a generic “you” should be applied throughout my comments. It was intended for each person that reads it to ask themselves those questions. I don’t agree that **Poly’s** hopes tints his reality. In fact, he sees with clearer vision than many others. ( **Lib** and I very much enjoyed the evening we spent with him and his lovely wife.) It isn’t just **Poly** that would be trashed. So would the “other” person and any one else. That’s one reason why I limit my time with these boards. It’s grievous to me to witness such behaviour. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/470 "2003-12-07T05:39:11Z")
Edlyn, I know what you mean. I don’t want to see this story utterly cheapened either, even though I’m quite skeptical of the claim - or hunch - from a semi-orthodox perspective. I’m under the impression Poly is not going to name names, here. He’s going to post a general bio while leaving the identity secret for now. Am I correct? I have a prayer for the SDMB. I pray that whatever Polycarp posts on this topic, it will not further drive us apart. For the orthodox folk: even if Poly has a “hunch” that cannot be right, from our perspective, his presumed mistake is forgivable, yes? ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/471 "2003-12-07T06:10:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CarnalK \* > **(I kinda wish Una Persson had held off on the archive suggestion until Polycarp spilled the bio. Now I sense he is refreshing his memory before posting! 😉 )** Could be you’re correct. But given the typical high quality of Polycarp’s posts, and the consternation of this 10-page…you know, I don’t know what to call it…I reckon he’s likely just trying to wordsmith a post such that he expresses himself in a way that leaves less ambiguity than what started all of this. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/472 "2003-12-07T06:47:09Z")
**Poly,** the argument that our times needs an evangelical booster shot from another incarnation is the slippery slope of the multi-incarnational theorem which claims ‘the Christ’ appeared to all those who needed to hear the gospel. He appeared to neolithic humans and began communal human culture. He appeared to Abraham as one of the three visitors. He appeared as Rama and as the Budha and as Confucius. He appeared to the pre-Columbian American Indians. He appeared in 1917, only invisibly. He appeared to dolpins as God-made-dolphin. He’s appearing as this guy whom we’re all living with in a commune and slavishly obeying. He appeared in every alien (extraterrestrial) world (as the incarnate form of each said alien species). * * * This all leads to Hinduistic avatars as incarnational theology, and as you rightly admit, it is heterodox (even if you believe it’s just one more time). Christianity insists on the uniqueness of the one time incarnation as once and for all, and on the uniqueness of his coming again in glory forever. Otherwise, the answer to the question, “Are you the one, or should we expect another?” is “Well, if you miss me now the first time, just hang around and I’ll be back, so go ahead, put off repentance till my next come back.” Now, don’t get me wrong. I hold no animosity toward heretics. 😉 And there will be many a heretic who loved well who will be entering the fullness of the king before so called orthodox believers who loved not well. This teen of yours may very well be actualizing the inherent Christic potentialities that all humans have in an amazingly superior way. But be careful before thinking that he’s the one… again. Peace. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/473 "2003-12-07T07:15:38Z")
The Messiah wasn’t supposed to die even the first time, **Moriah**. What’s wrong with one more incarnation\> Really, I don’t see what’s so terribly heterodox about speculating that Jesus could return as a normal human being. I’m amazed at the consternation of so many here, not that **Polycarp** believes in elves but that he might not believe in the right _sort_ of elves. Is the “correct” belief about the manner of Christ’s return (which “no man can predict”) really so much more important than loving God and loving your neighbor. Is it important at all? ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/474 "2003-12-07T08:50:52Z")
**Dio** , given even a smattering of Christian history esp. wrt the denominationization (I think I just invented a new word) of the religion, I wouldn’t put it past ANY group to split over what an outsider would deem trivial. To an outsider such as me it might well seem quite trivial, but to someone not familiar with this board or Bayesian stuff, your polite disagreement with **matt\_mcl** might seem equally trivial. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/475 "2003-12-07T16:04:54Z")
I just have to say, non-believer though I am, that this is one of the most intriguing threads I’ve ever read. I’m waiting with baited breath for further revelations. Don’t tease us any more, **Poly** , it’s not seemly. ---
**Author:** ![badchad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b77776/32.png) [@badchad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badchad)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/476 "2003-12-07T16:26:43Z")
Ya know I have a “hunch”, actually I’m a little more sure than that so lets call it a “strong hunch”, well that doesn’t quite convey how close I am to total certainty so lets call it a “very strong hunch”, yeah that’s right a “very strong hunch” that when Polycarp finally reveals the teaches of Mr. “I was a teenage Jesus” it’s not going to be all that new or impressive. Yes, my “very strong hunch” is that teen Jesus’ teachings are only going to be a reflection of Polycarp’s teachings, which in reality are only a hijack of secular humanism mixed in with a bunch of superstitious nonsense and an overly gratuitous use of the word love. Which if you stripped it of all the superstition and emotionalism wouldn’t be all that bad of a system of morality. Now if teen Jesus were to preach things like Jesus of the Gospel… \*You are bound to obey every tittle of the Jewish law. \*Hate your parents. \*Hate your children. \*I did not come to bring peace on earth but a sword. \*Give your stuff away to anyone who asks for it. \*Don’t save for retirement. \*Do not marry a divorced woman. \*I’m so loving and forgiving that I shall cast most of you into a lake of fire and eternal torment for failing to bow down to me. …we’d think he was pretty stupid. Wouldn’t we Polycarp? **Wouldn’t we Polycarp?** ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/477 "2003-12-07T16:33:47Z")
**badchad** , your baseless hostility makes me pity you. You’re a sad, sad shadow of a man, addicted to badgering people for having beliefs which don’t do jack shit to you. ---
**Author:** ![xenophon41](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xenophon41/32/253_2.png) [@xenophon41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xenophon41)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/478 "2003-12-07T16:43:23Z")
Actually, there’s a kind of low comedy to it, **jayjay**. 'chad\*\* seems to spend a lot of time badgering **a** person for _not_ having beliefs which don’t have jack shit to do with their belief system. Now, to be truly inspired comedy, he’d have to accidentally stumble across something actually insightful about either targets of his ire. xeno - still waiting for that ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/479 "2003-12-07T16:50:03Z")
I don’t remember, badchad. Did you grow up in a Fundamentalist household? I did. And I went through a phase of open hostility towards all things religious. You’ll be happier when you grow out of it. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/480 "2003-12-07T16:59:28Z")
> [@](#): > > _Una Persson said:_ > Could be you’re correct. But given the typical high quality of Polycarp’s posts, and the consternation of this 10-page…you know, I don’t know what to call it…I reckon he’s likely just trying to wordsmith a post such that he expresses himself in a way that leaves less ambiguity than what started all of this. No doubt the tenor of this thread demands a well worded post. Doubly so as while **Poly** wants to lessen ambiguity he doesn’t want to eliminate it. Though to be honest, I was rather anxious because when he said “bio post follows” I thought it was following immediately (like already written). > [@](#): > > _Edelyn said:_ > It isn’t just Poly that would be trashed. So would the “other” person and any one else. That’s one reason why I limit my time with these boards. It’s grievous to me to witness such behaviour. I agree it can be ugly but that’s sort of how it has to be. I’m not sure who would respect a “hothouse Messiah” untested by even loudmouth cretins. I honestly hope **Poly** wouldn’t because that way certainly does lead to cultism. To keep it honest though, **Poly** has said that the teen is not self-proclaimed (or anything other than **Poly** quasiproclaimed for all we know). **badchad** I understand where you are coming from but: I would suggest you meditate/reflect (as your preferences run) on subtlety and self-gratification. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640.md?page=23) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640.md?page=25)