# What were you THINKING? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 13, 2023, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532 "2023-10-13T19:36:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 291
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6103 "2025-12-23T21:47:35Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > The post immediately after the modnote has to win the prize for idiocy. They may have been composing their post and missed the Note. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6104 "2025-12-23T21:50:26Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > @wolfpup, no, just no. Faulty reasoning. FQ is factual. Of course FQ is intended to be strictly factual, though discussions there do get into anecdotes and debates sometimes, especially after factual answers have been provided. But when almost all the initial responses to an OP are deemed off-topic, then it’s surely reasonable to believe that the question was badly framed, and maybe should have been moved to IMHO. The way the question was asked was very much an IMHO type question. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6105 "2025-12-23T22:08:52Z")
Whereas I thought that the OP made it clear that the thread was looking for statistics or other factual information. > [@Atamasama](#): > > Threads get momentum, and it’s hard to see what’s happening. Indeed, which is why I hid those posts, in order to break that momentum. EDIT: Oh, and I think there’s still a reasonable chance at a factual answer to the OP’s question. Surveys like that one don’t usually ask just one question, and there usually are cross-correlations published between the questions answered. It might well be that the same survey also asked questions about other demographic traits, and that some demographics had very different answers about the churchgoing question than others. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6106 "2025-12-23T22:14:44Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Maybe the OP should have framed the question differently Ah the time-honored SDMB folkway of Fighting the Hypothetical, in the specific form of “You Asked the Wrong Question, but I’ll Answer the Correct One.” ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6107 "2025-12-23T23:10:55Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Whereas I thought that the OP made it clear that the thread was looking for statistics or other factual information. You weren’t wrong. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6108 "2025-12-23T23:16:48Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Oh, and I think there’s still a reasonable chance at a factual answer to the OP’s question. Surveys like that one don’t usually ask just one question, and there usually are cross-correlations published between the questions answered. It might well be that the same survey also asked questions about other demographic traits, and that some demographics had very different answers about the churchgoing question than others. Which is what market-researcher me noted in a reply earlier this afternoon. The issue is whether such breakdowns for a 70-year-old poll are publicly available (almost undoubtedly not), as well as whether that data is still extant _at all_. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6109 "2025-12-23T23:20:10Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > > [@wolfpup](#): > > > > Maybe the OP should have framed the question differently > > Ah the time-honored SDMB folkway of Fighting the Hypothetical, in the specific form of “You Asked the Wrong Question, but I’ll Answer the Correct One.” I don’t agree for this specific case, but that was pretty funny anyway, thank you! 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6110 "2025-12-23T23:35:30Z")
I mean that really should be our motto. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2025, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6111 "2025-12-23T23:35:45Z")
Or you could have reframed the question in the proper forum to fit the personal answer you wanted to give. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2025, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6112 "2025-12-24T00:18:04Z")
Not in this case, there was a large enough delay. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2025, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6113 "2025-12-24T00:46:41Z")
Years ago, I gave up on asking questions in general questions, because no matter how carefully I framed a question, the thread would be overwhelmed by people who just wanted to shoot the shit without any relevant knowledge. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2025, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6114 "2025-12-24T01:02:10Z")
You should try it again, it’s gotten a lot better. I mean, people still sometimes post anecdotes and useless info (like the thread in question), but the mods are good about shutting it down pretty quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6115 "2025-12-29T01:49:49Z")
Welp, I’m done with our Teen who can’t be with her friends, over-strict parents thread. Does not add up. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6116 "2025-12-29T02:12:25Z")
I had my doubts from the git go but I’m 99% to where you are. We’ll see. She might be OK w real flamers for parents. More likely it’s all a psycho clown show with only losers as far as the eye can see. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6117 "2025-12-29T03:47:28Z")
They might be trying to contain an out of control teen, too. Either way. The story ain’t adding up. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6118 "2025-12-29T12:13:24Z")
Whereas i thought it was just a troll when the thread started, and now i think it’s more likely to be a real person ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6119 "2025-12-29T13:30:45Z")
I was right on the fence of “Is this real or fake?” So took a bland, clinical, almost AI approach to my answer. I narrowly avoided tacking an “Assuming this situation is at all real.” disclaimer on the end, but that’s an unkosher accusation of trolling I’ve been dinged for in the past. But I sure thought it loudly. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6120 "2025-12-29T14:08:16Z")
I think fake. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6121 "2025-12-29T14:19:06Z")
I think people would appreciate knowing that the persona you are all talking about is **lilybug0309**. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2025, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532/6122 "2025-12-29T14:28:34Z")
It’s very unlikely that someone that young would seek out an old school message board for general life advice. That’s way too 2005. Most new people find us because a search led them to an old thread about a niche topic and they look at other things and stick around. Then again, anyone trolling an old school message board is pretty 2005 as well. I started reading one of their threads and backed out pretty quickly. It didn’t catch my interest. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532.md?page=290) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-were-you-thinking/991532.md?page=292)