# Polycarp to explain his religious inconsistencies **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 29, 2003, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178 "2003-10-29T04:50:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/21 "2003-10-29T10:33:43Z")
**badchad** , atheist here, so “hard” that if God literally appeared before my very eyes I would prefer to believe I was being non-supernaturally deceived. **Poly** does not believe that the Bible is _literally_ true, and interprets the teachings of Jesus as being **non-exclusivist**. As a test for yourself, I would like you to explain basic cosmology to me, without inconsistencies, on pain of being called a lying hypocrite if any detail is wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Drastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Drastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drastic)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/22 "2003-10-29T10:44:36Z")
> [@](#): > > _quoth moriah_ > I don’t read GD, so I don’t know any of the background to this pitting… It’s always looked like a combination of hypotheses two and three, from where I sit. It’s a sort of rough parallel to how TVAA follows Libertarian around yapping and snapgumming at his heels, except that badchad is usually blessedly a little bit more quiet about his own version of the crusade. I’m glad to see Polycarp posting more again; his witness has been a big help for me in dismantling a pretty anchored shoulder-chip regarding Christianity which dismantling of has been, in retrospect, fairly important to me–for, admittedly, non-Christian reasons of my own. I do still maintain a previous analogy that a crowd rallying to defend him is akin to a crowd of well-meaning folks rallying to protect a mountain from being carved away by an armless fellow with a spoon clenched in his teeth. So I’m against any attempt to try to take the spoon away. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/23 "2003-10-29T10:49:19Z")
> [@](#): > > As a test for yourself, I would like you to explain basic cosmology to me, without inconsistencies, on pain of being called a lying hypocrite if any detail is wrong. I’d like to see that, too! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![TVAA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TVAA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVAA)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/24 "2003-10-29T12:36:22Z")
Eh, **Polycarp** is one of the more refreshingly-consistent Believers on these boards. At least he’s willing to admit that his beliefs make no rational sense. ---
**Author:** ![MrO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/50afbb/32.png) [@MrO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrO)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/25 "2003-10-29T13:08:58Z")
Another atheist/agnostic here weighing in to say that I’ve never found **Polycarp** to be inconsistent or hypocritical. Never seen anything in his posts deserving of an attack of any kind. I’ve certainly never found in his posts any of the hostility I find in the OP. Not to say that I agree with all of **Poly** ’s beliefs, but in terms of intelligence and goodness, he has certainly earned my respect. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/26 "2003-10-29T14:15:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TVAA \* > \*\*Eh, **Polycarp** is one of the more refreshingly-consistent Believers on these boards. At least he’s willing to admit that his beliefs make no rational sense. \*\* You’ve confused Poly with Tris. Triskadecamus is the one who says that his beliefs make no rational sense. But at least you’ve made Drastic look like a prophet. > [@](#): > > It’s a sort of rough parallel to how TVAA follows Libertarian around yapping and snapgumming at his heels, except that badchad is usually blessedly a little bit more quiet about his own version of the crusade. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/27 "2003-10-29T14:22:49Z")
I like **Polycarp** as much as the next Doper, but this seems a reasonable enough thread to me. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/28 "2003-10-29T14:30:49Z")
I haven’t found **Polycarp’s** views on God and and his understanding of Him contradictory at all. Certainly one can find inconsistencies in the bible if one takes every word literally without regard to context and assumes the bible was intended to be an historical document. I suspect that you are irked by **Poly** , because his views recognize the many legitimate arguments dispelling the bible as an accurate historical document thus disarming you of your weapons in your zeal to pound on "feeble minded " religious people. His faith in Jesus Christ and his love for Him is evident in his zeal and prolific posting towards that end as well as in his tireless display of patience as he tries to love all of us including you. That zeal can more than rival many extreme fundamentalists.To top it off, **Poly** is clearly writes in a manner conveying education and intelligence, and that must piss you off since it is inconsistant with your view of religious people. Perhaps **Poly** should reply to you in parables. I seem to remember that was the way Jesus responded to the pharisees when they tried to trap Him in inconsistencies. In a little fit of retribution, I entertained the idea of announcing that I was going to pray for you, but that wouldn’t be Christian would it 😃 . Gee **badchad** , lighten up will ya. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/29 "2003-10-29T14:40:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by grienspace \* > \*\ ***Poly** is clearly writes in a manner conveying education and intelligence Tell me you did this on purpose, please! ---
**Author:** ![TVAA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TVAA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVAA)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/30 "2003-10-29T14:47:56Z")
No, **Lib** , **Poly** has admitted it as well. Not that you’re capable of understanding what a “rational thought” is… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/31 "2003-10-29T14:50:43Z")
Not sure what your point is **Mangetout** but I do wish we had the edit function available. I proof read too damn quickly sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/32 "2003-10-29T14:56:26Z")
Sorry; I thought it might have been an intentional eroor. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/33 "2003-10-29T15:16:58Z")
What I don’t understand is why someone—anyone—would go after Polycarp, a font of reason and good will, a man whose rhetorical skills are legendary while aknowledging he doesn’t have all the answers, and a man who is one of the rocks upon which this board is built, for supposed inconsistancies in his beliefs while ignoring my totally half-assed belief system that combines atheism and Lutheranism with a touch of animism. Am I too easy a target while Poly presents a challenge? Or do I make so little sense, even to me, that it isn’t worth the trouble? Yeah, I’m jealous. ☹ ---
**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:** [October 29, 2003, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/34 "2003-10-29T15:23:45Z")
**badchad** - If anyone were to ever come to you and tell you they had all the answers, they are either crazy or lying (possibly both). To the best of my recollection, **Polycarp** has never claimed to have all the answers. In fact, he will come right out and say when he doesn’t know. There’s a search function on this message board. I recommend you do a little research into **Polycarp’s** GD posts. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/35 "2003-10-29T15:24:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\*_Originally posted by TVAA_ > No, Lib, Poly has admitted it as well. > > Not that you’re capable of understanding what a “rational thought” is…\*\* A rational thought is an idea that is born of reason. Your statement that “his beliefs make no rational sense” is a gross misrepresentation of what he has said. He has explained himself many times on this matter, distinguishing irrational from non-rational, and what those terms mean to him. [Here, for example](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=3118441#post3118441): > [@](#): > > A “rational” human being will do many things in the course of his life for non-rational reasons; marriage is for most people a non-rational decision – not irrational but not demonstrable by rational principles as a desirable action to take, without reference to irrelevant issues like emotions (which would have to be classified as non-rational motivators). And any decision taken on the preponderance of admittedly insufficient reasons, where an immediate choice is incumbent and there is not enough data for a truly rational decision, is non-rational. “Irrational” I hear as drawing a line that need not be there. It means “contrary to reason” while non-rational simply means “not entirely based on reasoning.” It is Tris who has always proudly proclaimed the irrationality of his beliefs. But you don’t care about either Trish or Poly, as is evidenced by that fact that you can’t keep the two of them straight. The fact of the matter is that you didn’t give a rat’s ass about Poly’s views, whether rational or irrational — you merely seized this opportunity, as you do every opportunity, to attempt a swipe at me. As always, you failed. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/36 "2003-10-29T15:25:38Z")
So my [Pitting of badchad](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=214494) was reasonable, then? ---
**Author:** ![Svt4Him](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@Svt4Him](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svt4Him)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/37 "2003-10-29T16:28:31Z")
So again, what’s the problem? I have nothing against [Polycarp\*\*, but he did say to start another thread where he’d answer the questions, and one was started. So now it turns into a popularity contest? He doesn’t have to answer since he’s such a nice guy? Could just be me, but that’s what it seems like. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/38 "2003-10-29T16:53:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Svt4Him \* > So again, what’s the problem? I have nothing against Polycarp, but he did say to start another thread where he’d answer the questions, and one was started. So now it turns into a popularity contest? He doesn’t have to answer since he’s such a nice guy? Could just be me, but that’s what it seems like. I would cheerfully sit down and discuss my beliefs – such as they are – with someone who was genuinely interested. Heck, I’d even discuss them with someone who obviously held different beliefs, as long as the spirit of the conversation was amicable. But if someone opened by attacking my belief system and mocked and ridiculed me in the process … why on earth would I want to waste time conversing with them? ---
**Author:** ![Svt4Him](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@Svt4Him](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svt4Him)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/39 "2003-10-29T17:54:40Z")
Have you seen some of the threads in GD lately? As far as I can see, in the fight against ignorance, common courtesy is thrust aside. That said, if **Polycarp** (sorry about the bolding earlier) told the OP that he would answer any of his questions, knowing the spirit they are asked in, it seems to me that it wouldn’t be contingent on the OP changing his spots. Otherwise it was wrong to say ‘start another thread and I’ll answer the questions’. But even some of the replies here show that he doesn’t have to because he’s so popular. ---
**Author:** ![hawkeyejo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e19b73/32.png) [@hawkeyejo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawkeyejo)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2003, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178/40 "2003-10-29T18:26:18Z")
I agree with **Svt4Him** in that after making an explicit statement about starting a new thread for answering questions, **polycarp** is beholden to answer these questions. Having said that, the tone of the questions is more like accusations and **badchad** would be better served if he calms down and tries to open a _discussion_ rather than post a rant. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-to-explain-his-religious-inconsistencies/210178.md?page=3)