# 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:** 27
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/521 "2003-12-08T01:13:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by erislover \* > \*\*I understand what a qualitative difference is, that isn’t the problem. I know how to select among a set of pants. How do I select among a set of miracles? \*\* This is the point I was trying make earlier. Once you decide that you’re going to accept some things on faith, or on “just a hunch,” instead of applying reason to them, you have absolutely no mechanism to differentiate between miracles, or, for that matter, between pants and clown pants. All miracles become equally probable, all pants are equally wearable. For anyone out there who feels that **Polycarp’s** latest revelation has drifted off into the loony fringe, but who still believes that his explanations of his core religious beliefs somehow make sense, I think you’ve got some pondering to do. The uncomfortable (for some) fact is that there’s nothing stranger about his latest fixation than there is about his more mainstream faith. It’s all equally irrational, no matter how eloquently it’s defended. It may be unpleasant to acknowledge, but I think **Polycarp** has been revealed to be just **lekatt** , with better social skills and writing ability. No, that’s actually unfair. When **Poly** is posting about something that doesn’t involve religion, his posts are excellent, definitely worth paying attention to. But when the subject is the supernatural, he’s just as much of a wacko as **lekatt**. ---
**Author:** ![badchad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b77776/32.png) [@badchad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badchad)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/522 "2003-12-08T01:18:46Z")
jayjay: > [@](#): > > There’s a difference between not believing and striving to be the Al-Qaeda of atheism. The scorched-earth thing isn’t gaining you friends. It’s not gaining you allies. It’s making you look like a silly ass. So in otherwords you find my arguments bulletproof, to the point of being overly effective. Thanks you sweetalker, you.😉 ---
**Author:** ![pantom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/34f0e0/32.png) [@pantom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pantom)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/523 "2003-12-08T01:27:57Z")
Well, so far we’ve had the Scylla Thanksgiving thread, and the Polycarp Second Coming thread. As these things are said to come in threes, who among our popular posters is up for a third? And who will be the John the Baptist that starts the thread that goads the popular poster? Enquiring minds want to know… ---
**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 8, 2003, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/524 "2003-12-08T01:30:34Z")
Only an ass considers the fact that nobody wants to play with him proof of his inassailable genius and logic. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/525 "2003-12-08T01:31:43Z")
**jayjay** , you’re in a hole. Stop digging. ---
**Author:** ![badchad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b77776/32.png) [@badchad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badchad)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/526 "2003-12-08T01:47:03Z")
jayjay: > [@](#): > > Only an ass considers the fact that nobody wants to play with him proof of his inassailable genius and logic. There you go sweet talking me again.😛 ---
**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 8, 2003, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/527 "2003-12-08T01:51:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by badchad \* > \*\*Diogenes the Cynic: > Ahhhh, then what do you call this: > > You continue to disappoint me Diogenes. As an unbeliever I would expect you to be the voice of reason, not the apologist of nonsense. Next week will you be defending John Edward? \*\* I read Poly’s post as a somewhat of a qualifier, i.e that the “messiah” will come in an unexpected way. i also read the preamble to his bio post as a clue that he expects (as he has posted sevral times on other subjects) that God would choose to work in a naturalistic way rather than the decidedly silly spectacle anticipated by the bulk of Christianity. Asd I suggested before, I think it might be more akin to interpreting Martin Luther King as a “servant” of God but not necessraily _as_ God. I’m reasonably sure that Poly doesn’t think this kid is actually God incarnate but even if he did think that, it would be no more ridiculous than thinking that Jesus of Nazereth was. Anyway, I’m not so much defending this Walmart kid as the Messiah as I’m annoyed with the hypocrisy of other Christians in this thread. None of these Christians are virgins when it comes to bizarre beliefs so it’s a little disingenuous for them to avert their eyes over Poly’s speculations. ---
**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 8, 2003, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/528 "2003-12-08T01:57:24Z")
So, in the 11th page of this, we finally get to the pinnacle of **badchad** ’s wit: “I know you are, but what am I?” ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/529 "2003-12-08T02:00:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pantom \* > \*\*Well, so far we’ve had the Scylla Thanksgiving thread, and the Polycarp Second Coming thread. As these things are said to come in threes, who among our popular posters is up for a third? And who will be the John the Baptist that starts the thread that goads the popular poster? \*\* Well, in [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=227809) in GQ, a poster dismisses my assertion that it’s not a good idea to eat your own extremities by implying that I’m pretending to be a doctor. Does that qualify? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/530 "2003-12-08T02:05:51Z")
You need an entire thread devoted to it, **QtM**. Something like, “The First Annual Qagdop New Year’s Eve Rockin’ Fulla Shit Thread.” 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/531 "2003-12-08T02:13:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by iampunha \* > \*\*Why, **erislover** , expecting decisions to be rational and/or follow some organized process. I mean, really!😃 \*\* Nothing is true. Everything is permissable. ~Hassan i Sabbah ---
**Author:** ![pantom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/34f0e0/32.png) [@pantom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pantom)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/532 "2003-12-08T02:24:26Z")
**QtM** , you shameless self-promoter you! You do have to get the offending party to start the new thread down here in the Pit, you realize? (Truly a bizarre thread, btw. I’m beginning to think this place is getting wackier by the minute. Full moon’s on Monday. Maybe the wackiness will peak on that day?) ---
**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 8, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/533 "2003-12-08T02:24:30Z")
[Public Service Announcement] If you decide to google around to try and figure out who this kid is, do NOT type in “gay teen websites” for your search words as I just stupidly did. ESPECIALLY if you are at work [/PSA] (brought to you by the association for the blinding obvious) ---
**Author:** ![badchad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b77776/32.png) [@badchad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badchad)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/534 "2003-12-08T02:43:36Z")
Diogenes the Cynic: > [@](#): > > I read Poly’s post as a somewhat of a qualifier, i.e that the “messiah” will come in an unexpected way. i also read the preamble to his bio post as a clue that he expects (as he has posted sevral times on other subjects) that God would choose to work in a naturalistic way rather than the decidedly silly spectacle anticipated by the bulk of Christianity. As an atheist I would maintain that anything “naturalistic” will be quite unconvincing, however what you describe as a “decidedly silly spectacle” might actually make me believe. Do you differ in you perspective? > [@](#): > > Asd I suggested before, I think it might be more akin to interpreting Martin Luther King as a “servant” of God but not necessraily as God. Polycarp didn’t describe Martin Luther King as the second coming of Jesus, while he did describe the kid that way. > [@](#): > > I’m reasonably sure that Poly doesn’t think this kid is actually God incarnate… I think he does. I think he has a “very strong hunch” that he is. He said so. > [@](#): > > but even if he did think that, it would be no more ridiculous than thinking that Jesus of Nazereth was. I mentioned before that while I agree both are unreasonable, at least the “more” fundamentalist believers have the understandable influence of societal pressure. Poly just wants to make Jesus look just like him, an unhappy boy with homosexual (not that there is anything wrong with that) tendencies. If you ask me he’s got some serious guilt issues going on. > [@](#): > > Anyway, I’m not so much defending this Walmart kid as the Messiah as I’m annoyed with the hypocrisy of other Christians in this thread. None of these Christians are virgins when it comes to bizarre beliefs so it’s a little disingenuous for them to avert their eyes over Poly’s speculations. Perhaps you should be a little more even handed in pointing out who’s beliefs you think are bizarre instead of giving Polycarp the perpetual pass at the expense of others just because you think he’s a swell guy. It’s not like this is the first time I’ve noticed 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 8, 2003, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/535 "2003-12-08T03:00:34Z")
So **Qadgop the Mercotan** , got any strong hunches about homeopathy? Think you spotted the miracle elixir? 🙂 (just to keep this thread on topic) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/536 "2003-12-08T03:04:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CarnalK \* > \*\*So **Qadgop the Mercotan** , got any strong hunches about homeopathy? Think you spotted the miracle elixir? 🙂 (just to keep this thread on topic) \*\* Yes, I do have such strong hunches, and have posted on them. Now I think I’ll bow out and cease my shameless self-promotion 😉 and let this thread run its natural(?) course. ---
**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 8, 2003, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/537 "2003-12-08T03:19:08Z")
> [@](#): > > _DtC said:_ > Anyway, I’m not so much defending this Walmart kid as the Messiah as I’m annoyed with the hypocrisy of other Christians in this thread. None of these Christians are virgins when it comes to bizarre beliefs so it’s a little disingenuous for them to avert their eyes over Poly’s speculations I always thought that was close to **badchad** ’s point re **Polycarp** ’s criticisms of fundamentalism. You know, **Poly** acting like his made up religion was more firmly founded than their made up religion? It sure feels like you are doing backflips to give **Poly** wiggle room here. I say this as someone who honestly has no grudge and doesn’t like to dance on the graves of fallen heros. ---
**Author:** ![badchad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b77776/32.png) [@badchad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badchad)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/538 "2003-12-08T03:30:41Z")
Glad someone noticed.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2003, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/539 "2003-12-08T03:56:47Z")
So… The next messiah… is a insightful as… an [Argus poster](http://www.trendenterprises.com/argus/ArgusCatalog.subcat.cfm?Cat=1&mySubCatDesc=Large%20Posters). OK. Sorry, **Poly** , I keep hoping you’re going to say, ‘you all been punk’d, dudes!’ ---
**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 8, 2003, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/540 "2003-12-08T04:12:40Z")
**Polycarp** doesn’t _attack_ other people for their beliefs. That’s why I’m dfending him. I actually don’t have much to say about atheists/agnostics who think that Poly’s theory is absurd…as long as they’re careful to point out that _all_ religious beliefs are absurd. What I’m trying to get across is that there should be no diffrence in the way Poly’s beliefs are treated and the way any so-called “orthodox” beliefs are treated. Let’s be equally respectful or equally dismissive. Let’s not say that some religious beliefs are kooky and other ones “normal.” There _is_ something to the charges that I’m defending Polycarp because I like him. I have a natural impulse to defend underdogs or individuals who I think are getting piled up on. Poly’s a decent guy who doesn’t deserve to be snowballed over one unusual theory (which, btw, he _has_ stopped short of asserting as solid fact or inside knowledge). > [@](#): > > As an atheist I would maintain that anything “naturalistic” will be quite unconvincing, however what you describe as a “decidedly silly spectacle” might actually make me believe. Do you differ in you perspective? Since Poly is someone who already believes, I don’t think the convincing nature of an event means anything. I just think he may be casting a religious interpretation over an event (well, actually an _anticipated_ event) which is something that people have literally been doing since time immemorial. For example, Elizabeth’s Smart’s family have publicly characterized her rescue as a “miracle.” I dont think it was a miracle but I also don’t think they should be verbally savaged for holding that belief. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640.md?page=26) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640.md?page=28)