I do not intend to participate in a pile-on on WB, but I think everything you need to know about him can be gleaned by noting that when someone starts a thread saying, essentially, “He may be a total moron, but he’s our total moron,” his response is “Thanks!” I imagine that would also be his response if someone told him he’s not as dumb as he looks.
LOL Demise you’re right I did say it. Whoops. I retract that sentence.
Pld,
You have a very good point. I do have a hard time being a good Christian sometimes. Maybe that is why alot of people are athiests because it is so easy.
And Jodi,
I am not saying I like being called a moron. Who would? But sometimes when you are slammed everyday you’ll take any compliment you can get even it is double sided.
Could you explain this? Does this imply that born again Christians represent a “higher standard”?
Time to take your own advice, and “learn to properly EXPRESS how stupid you are.”
Sometimes we see only what we want to see.
No, Izzy, I’m saying that born-again Christians tell everyone else that they represent a higher standard–moral, behavioral, etc. That, because of the actions of Christ in their lives, they are different people than they were before. If this is how Bill acts after being born again, I shudder to think of what he was like before.
I think the problem is that Bill wants to have it both ways. On the surface, he believes in Jesus Christ, and likes the idea of being “saved” and going to heaven. After all, it beats hell, right? And it’s consistent with the conservative political positions he holds, and in fact gives him reason for it: homosexuality, abortion, premarital sex, and a host of other things are wrong because Jesus says so. (Or at least because some preachers who purport to speak for Jesus say so.)
But, as with too many people, he indulges in “cheap grace.” See, he confessed his belief in Jesus as his savior, and he now gets to go to heaven, but he doesn’t have to act any differently. I have never seen a post by him on this board that I felt was motivated by compassion, concern or love – all traits that born-again Christians like to remind people that they have in excess.
Pld,
Never?
Never.
Because, Bill, once again you’ve gotten into an argument with a female Doper and rather than just insult back, have resorted to the “she’s a slut. So there!” response. You got your ass flamed when you did it to Guin, I’m fairly certain you’ve done it to another female Doper (but I can’t find the cite) and you’re doing it again here.
There’s a huge difference between “You dumb jerk” and I apologize for me nailing this stupid chick but she has following around like a mangy horny mutt humping on my leg so I just had to kick her off."
If you don’t see the difference between the two phrases, I pity your wife and daughters.
Fenris
This is what I said to pld on his depression thread in bbq forum.
Sometimes I think some of you people are like people when they are in an argument with someone. They always remember and bring up the bad about people instead of trying to remember the good about them. Maybe if more people would do this, the world would be a better place.
I have to agree with the minority. A lot of times when WB post’s I open those threads with some trepidation as to what kinda whacky shit he’s gonna write. But unlike some other poster’s whose, shall we say, off the wall comments encourage the wrath of the majority, WB sticks around and basically says “prove it.” And most of the time, (from what I’ve read, so save the effort on pointing me to other shit) he’ll either say your nuts or hmmm, maybe you do have a point. His apology the other day on another thread I thought was quite nice. So, WB, I hope yer gittin’ edamucated, and I look forward to your next {{shudder}} thought provoking thread.
OK, I agree that anyone who goes around telling everyone else that they represent a higher standard had better live up to it, including Bill. (I don’t know if he has or not). But if he personally has not done this, I don’t think it is fair to hold him up to higher standard merely because he goes around telling people that he is a born-again Christian.
I actually agree with you that this is an issue (though again without specific comment about Bill). Although I don’t think it is so much that people believe that they don’t have to moderate their behaviour - rather that the concience and impulses that might direct someone to modify their behaviour can be “satisfied” by some “feel good” religious declaration or act.
Fenris,
Maybe you need to go back and read what she said to me one more time. And just don’t do it on this thread go back and read a few. This chick sticks her big snout in every thread I have written lately with some kind of vile comments.
And there alot more attacking than “you big jerk” and just because she is a chick doesn’t give her free reign to make verbal attacks on a guy without reprisal. And my insult was an analogy I wasn’t calling her a slut. With attitude I doubt any guy would want her anyway.
Sure, I’ll give Wildest Bill credit for apologizing for his “nuke the ragheads” thread, but it’s not like it’s an isolated incident - he has a year-long history of ignorance, much of which has been catalogued in these Pit threads:
“Wildest Bill - Pick a stance, any stance!” (started in October 2000, so we’re going on a year now, and considering he’d only registered in August 2000…)
“Wildest Bill, go fuck yourself” (a very nice collection of threads in which he’s proven his ignorance)
“How do you do it, Wildest Bill?”
“Wildest Bill deserves a second chance…”
“Yet another person out to get Wildest Bill”
“WildestBill, the weaselling stops here.”
And then, of course, there’s this thread.
I think the unstoppable fight against ignorance has reached the immovable object of stupidity that is Bill.
Esprix
Dear, dear, dear.
**Wildest Bill **writes some breathtakingly lobotomized posts, but I don’t think he’s evil any more than a mouse or a bird can be evil. Bill lacks sufficient moral comprehension or intellectual capacity to be capable of true evil. In the same way, I discount his self-professed Christianity, for he has shown repeatedly that he has only the most rudimentary comprehensions of the tenets of his faith, and thus can’t be held to account for moral failings anymore than a child who has not yet reached the age of reason. Good point on the “cheap grace”, PLD, but I suspect Bill thinks Dietrich Bonhoeffer played Colonel Klink on Hogan’s Heroes. (Hint: Bill, read The Cost of Discipleship.)
Ol’ Bill comes from the same folks and the same environment as I do, and I have known lots of guys like him. Generally, Bill is what Molly Ivins calls a Bubba-- a guy who you play poker or fish with, but you leave topics any more complicated than, “How 'bout them 'Skins?,” out of the conversation.
I find his posts as surreal as a Borges short story. Will any of us ever forget Mexican fatburners, for example? Can we ever find the equal of his Bizarro World values, where Jesus approves of torturing terrorists and defying the police is a law-abiding act? His fractured syntax and idiosyncratic orthography lend his posts an almost Joycean quality, a good ol’ boy’s version of Finnegan’s Wake.
No, **Wildest Bill **is an American original, and on a day when so many of us are examining our connections to our people and our nation, we should embrace Bill as a true reflection of the American heartland. He is the Rush Limbaugh audience, he is the supporter of Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, he is the shirtless guy on Cops, he is the Jerry Springer guest.
:: bangs head against desk ::
Bill, I’m gonna try one last time to make you understand. After that, you’re on your own.
What SexyWriter said wasn’t nice. It was a flame. No doubt about it. However, decent people, even when flamed, don’t respond with certain things: they don’t attack a person’s skin color and they don’t attack a person’s gender.
I’m not saying that you can’t fight back if you feel you need to and I’m trying desperately not to take sides (despite my desire to). But when female Dopers flame you and your first response is “No guy would want her”, or (paraphrased)“She’s like a bitch in heat” or “She’s a slut who sleeps with her teachers” as a method of winning, you automatically lose the argument in exactly the same way you’d lose if you called her a “nigger” or me a “kike”.
Fenris
Shit. Bill gets flamed more than the administration. That has to be some kind of accomplishment.
Well I for one nominate this as Bill’s new sig.
Sadly, not only will he probably take it as a compliment in a rebel yell kind of way, but he probably hasn’t the capacity to figure out how to set up a sig.
Esprix
That’s right, it’s not an isolated incident. You’ve catalogued WB’s highlights before. You’re very good at looking up everyone’s posts and picking out their gems. Why not actually look for the cites of WB apologizing or backing down yourself, if you’re so adament?
I don’t know why but Bill gives me this whole Boomhauer from ‘King of the Hill’ vibe. Maybe it’s the Texas connection, maybe it’s the eloquence, it could be almost anything.
Is this the best day for a pile-on of anyone? My best to you today, BILL; please pay no mind to what is being said here.
I’m getting ready to go to the memorial service here in downtown Seattle. To stand with strangers and friends and observe a moment of silence. I extend my hand to each and every one of you – without exception – and hope you all find peace.