# State some controversial beliefs that you have. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 25, 2006, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886 "2006-10-25T20:13:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/281 "2006-10-27T04:39:26Z")
[QUOTE=Sleel] US income taxes are lower, and you can sometimes write-off the not inconsiderable expense of relocating overseas, so most people opt to pay Uncle Sam until they don’t have a choice anymore. [/QUOTE] I don’t know the details of your situation, but I paid no money in taxes during my first 2 years living in Japan since my income was exempt thanks to the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion. And if you leave Japan you can apply for a refund for the money you’ve paid into the pension fund. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/282 "2006-10-27T04:57:11Z")
Anyone who expects guns to protect them from a tyrannical government is a fool. The majority of people who oppose abortion are outright evil, motivated by a hatred of women. The press is _not_ liberal; not even close. Liberalism is insignificant in most of modern America. Deep down, most Americans want a fascist government. More likely than not, America will be to the 21st century what Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union were to the 20th. [QUOTE=beergeek279] Then if you’re such an advocate, then why don’t you go sign up instead of being such a chickenshit and sending others off to fight your battles? [/QUOTE] :dubious: I haven’t sent anybody anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Hung\_Mung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hung\_Mung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hung_Mung)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/283 "2006-10-27T05:44:08Z")
[QUOTE=Sunspace] I believe that voting should be mandatory, as it is in Australia–but that there should also always be a “none of the above” choice. If “none of the above” wins, a new election must be held. [/QUOTE] I’ve never heard of this. I fucking love it. ---
**Author:** ![gum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bbe5ce/32.png) [@gum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gum)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/284 "2006-10-27T07:35:13Z")
[QUOTE=DanBlather] Thanks for the former. Can you elaborate on the latter? [/QUOTE] You’re welcome and sure. I’m talking about the [‘New anti-Semitism’](http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1863808,00.html) It’s not just England, you know. One of the leaders of our SP [socialist party] recently said: “We, the SP, don’t like Steven Spielberg or other Jews”. During a rally against Israël of the same SP, people chanted: “Jews, jews, beware. The army of Mohammed is coming” That’s what I meant by the Jewish are the Jewish of WWII all over again. They’re the scapegoats all over again. NB: I’m not Jewish. [QUOTE=Sweet Mercury] I believe that anyone who likes black licorice is a certifiable asshole. 😃 [/QUOTE] Hehehehehe 🙂 I’m not in a home. Yet. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/285 "2006-10-27T08:34:02Z")
[QUOTE=Beware of Doug] > [@Nava](#): > > I believe that nobody can have responsibility unless they have power. That may just add up to people refusing to do anything at all in circumstances they can’t control. That scares me. [/QUOTE] Yesterday, a coworker berated me because the people in factory XYZ are not doing something she needs them to do. OK, that thing they need to do is “my department”, true. BUT - I am not those people’s supervisors, who aren’t offering them either a benefit for doing those tasks or even some “minus” for not doing it, - I am not allowed to speak with those people directly, - and even have been threatened with being fired if I speak with factory people, - or with their supervisors. Both my boss and the person who was berating me consider that “they have to do it because they have to do it” (yes, that’s where my other line about circular reasoning came from, I didn’t accept this when I was 3yo and I’m not taking it at 38). When I say “well, what are they supposed to get from doing it?”, these people stare at me like I’ve got green skin and triple sets of horns and forbid me from talking with “the peons”. I’ve spent five years getting “the peons” to do what management needed _by finding out what would the peons gain from it and explaining it to them._ People aren’t dumb, if you show them a benefit they try to get it. But the reasoning has to be better than “cos I say you have to.” How can I be held responsible for something about which I have absolutely no power? I can be responsible about how I drive my car. I can be responsible about how I behave when others are driving. I can be responsible about helping someone on the street who’s sick. I can be responsible about giving money and time to volunteer organizations. But I can not be responsible to get Xrays without an Xray machine! ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 9:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/286 "2006-10-27T09:14:34Z")
I believe that the torture of prisoners by Americans is widespread, systematic, and done on orders from the top. Given that torture is useless for gaining _accurate_ information, I also believe the primary motivation is cruelty. I also believe the majority of Americans either don’t care, or enjoy the idea that people are being tortured in their name. I believe that America is the greatest threat to the world today. I believe that the twin religions of Christianity and Islam are the greatest single evil ever to exist. I have a strong suspicion that much of the homophobia seen in men is actually sublimated ( even subconscious ) jealousy. I’ve noticed that the same men who are homophobes are also often very hostile to or contemptuous of women. Deep down, I think that they resent that gay men can get sex and affection _without_ women. I believe that the single most important factor in one’s social and financial success is luck; luck in who your parents are, luck in whether or not your ventures succeed, luck in the avoidance of disaster. I also believe the second most important factor are connections, which brings you right back to luck, since what connections you have has more with your family than you; Bush being a classic example. Actual skill and effort come far behind luck and connections. I believe that “natural” does not mean “good”. Given a choice ( and a good selection ), I’d eat nothing but purely artificial foods, created Star Trek replicator style. Or not have to eat at all. If I could have my mind transferred sci-fi style into an inorganic ( but self maintaining ) android body, I’d do it immediately. I place no value on my physical humanity, or organic nature. ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/287 "2006-10-27T10:14:27Z")
[QUOTE=Hung Mung] I’ve never heard of this. I fucking love it. [/QUOTE] It’s actually one of the Issues that you can deal with in the online game NationStates, and I wholeheartedly agree with it- especially after the last round of State Elections here. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/288 "2006-10-27T11:34:42Z")
> [@](#): > > 1. Unicorns never existed. Tell that to the green alligators and the long necked geese. ---
**Author:** ![AndLuna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@AndLuna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndLuna)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/289 "2006-10-27T12:43:37Z")
[QUOTE=fachverwirrt] I have no problem with the word “he”. [/QUOTE] Um… what? Are people supposed to have problems with male pronouns? And in order to actually contribute to this thread, I, uh… believe that ‘All Your Base Are Belong To Us’ is _still_ pretty funny. How’s that for controversial? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/290 "2006-10-27T12:44:25Z")
I believe that **der Trish** makes a positive contribution to this board (corrosive, yes, but so’s soda and I use it to clean my drains, same as his posts). Judging by some of the previous posts, this puts me in disagreement with quite a few people. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/291 "2006-10-27T15:27:44Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] Former Texas governor Ann Richards said it about George W. Bush during the election campaign in which she eventually lost to him. The rest, sadly, is history. \ [/QUOTE] Okay, you’ve piqued my interest. My husband has this quote attributed to Barry Switzer. Digging a little deeper, it might actually have been **Time** magazine’s Susan Fraker who wrote it originally in the May 30, 1983 edition, referring to Howard Keck. ---
**Author:** ![Dob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Dob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dob)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/292 "2006-10-27T16:01:33Z")
I think their are alot of good people in the world, sadly, they are mostly cowards. I dont think GWB is evil, just ignorant and lazy IQ tests for parents is idiotic, smart people dont make good parents. Caring/loving people do. Affirmative Action as a solution is worse than the problem it’s “fixing” I believe their is a God, and I think everyone else does too (some just dont admit it) I think a woman president would do the US, and the world, a heap of good! I think you should always give to a beggar on the street. So what if they use for drugs or alcohol? Why begrudge someone living on the street a chance to forget about their lives for a while? I think any crime committed against a minor should be a mandatory 5-10yrs prison. No parole, no commuted sentence. You mess with a child, you get prison, period. I think the same rule should apply to teachers. I think the fact that teachers, EMT’s, firefighters, nurses, and police all make less than the minimum salary in the NFL is a sad, sad, sad statement of this country. And I love football. Golf is not a sport, its a skill, like chess. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/293 "2006-10-27T16:56:44Z")
[QUOTE=Dob] I believe their is a God, and I think everyone else does too (some just dont admit it) [/QUOTE] I’ve heard this quite often before, and to me it reveals how the religious are often arrogant or fearful to the point of near solipsism. They not only believe they are right, absolutely; they can’t even bring themselves to admit that other people _really_ disagree with them; other people can’t even be _wrong_. As far as this kind of mind is concerned, everybody _already_ agrees with them, but are just lying. And they _need_ to believe, and have others believe; the mere idea that other people function just fine without believing in God, that some people are perfectly satisfied with atheism or agnosticism is just intolerable to them. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/294 "2006-10-27T18:11:52Z")
[QUOTE=Spectre of Pithecanthropus] On this note, I think human objectification is not an unmixed evil, for I believe that the male gender is underobjectified. Too often we are told that our bodies are essentially grotesque and that we need to cover ourselves up. And I don’t mean just flabby guys with man boobs, although that does figure largely into the attitude. If you doubt me, just look around your local beach next summer and compare men’s and women’s attire. [/QUOTE] Yes, I think male sexuality is distorted and twisted by making us “appetite symbols” and making nearly all portrayals of what’s sexy all about what’s sexy _to_ us and very little of it about us experiencing ourselves as desirable, or about what women want. (I’m not sure how it plays out for gay guys, other than that nearly every time males are being sexually objectified visually, someone sooner or later says it’s just for gay-male consumption…not sure how I’d feel about that if I were gay…) ---
**Author:** ![Dob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Dob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dob)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/295 "2006-10-27T18:12:16Z")
> [@](#): > > I’ve heard this quite often before, and to me it reveals how the religious are often arrogant or fearful to the point of near solipsism. They not only believe they are right, absolutely; they can’t even bring themselves to admit that other people really disagree with them; other people can’t even be wrong. As far as this kind of mind is concerned, everybody already agrees with them, but are just lying. Me’thinks thou dost protest to much!! Relax DerT… if you really dont secretly believe in a God then you dont need to defend yourself against me, or anyone else for that matter. Just read it and move on to wishin death for all American troops. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/296 "2006-10-27T18:21:44Z")
[QUOTE=Dob] Me’thinks thou dost protest to much!! [/quote] “I’m going to make an insulting and ignorant statement about you.” “It’s insulting, ignorant, and untrue. I won’t accept your label.” “Ah-hah! that just proves how right I am!” It’s okay **Dob**. Personally, I know that you have great faith in J.R “Bob” Dobbs and have abandoned your false God. You may not be able to admit it to yourself though. I’ll pray for you. ---
**Author:** ![Dob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Dob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dob)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/297 "2006-10-27T18:28:12Z")
[QUOTE=FinnAgain] “I’m going to make an insulting and ignorant statement about you.” “It’s insulting, ignorant, and untrue. I won’t accept your label.” “Ah-hah! that just proves how right I am!” It’s okay **Dob**. Personally, I know that you have great faith in J.R “Bob” Dobbs and have abandoned your false God. You may not be able to admit it to yourself though. I’ll pray for you. [/QUOTE] /sigh… I wonder if Finn and Der share a dorm room, or some space in a basement together somewhere. Seems like one can’t pop up without the other. in any case, thanks for your prayers, and be sure when praying to ask that I get that new job i’ve had my eye on! ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/298 "2006-10-27T18:31:58Z")
[QUOTE=Dob] /sigh… I wonder if Finn and Der share a dorm room, or some space in a basement together somewhere. Seems like one can’t pop up without the other. [/quote] Excellent rebuttal. I see exactly how it addresses the fact that your assumption is insulting, ignorant, and untrue. Good on you for realizing that you’re not a mindreader, apologizing, and not trying to make some sophmoric dig. [QUOTE=Dob] in any case, thanks for your prayers, and be sure when praying to ask that I get that new job i’ve had my eye on! [/QUOTE] Come now, I wouldn’t pray for anything quite so crass. I’ll be praying that you can finally accept the fact that you don’t really believe in God, that you’re just lying to yourself, and that you really, really, really want to embrace J.R. “Bob” Dobbs in your heart and soul. Later I will tell you more about what you really think, but for now, just get the fact that you don’t really believe in God and you’re lying to yourself about it. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/299 "2006-10-27T18:35:00Z")
[QUOTE=Dob] Me’thinks thou dost protest to much!! [/QUOTE] As I said : [QUOTE=Der Trihs] And they _need_ to believe, and have others believe; the mere idea that other people function just fine without believing in God, that some people are perfectly satisfied with atheism or agnosticism is just intolerable to them. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2006, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886/300 "2006-10-27T18:42:00Z")
While I side with **Der Thris** against **Dob** , the whole idea of this thread is to raise controversial beliefs, not to argue and defend them. Some of the beliefs here are quite offensive to me and to others, but this isn’t the thread to hash those out. This is the thread just to state them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/state-some-controversial-beliefs-that-you-have/377886.md?page=16)