But you’re free to ?
I did? When?
Hey, I’m game if you are. 
<bolding mine>
All right, I admit it. Do I get the third degree?
Alternatively, you could say “You’re right I did say that. Sorry, that was kinda rude”.
IvoryTowerDenizen has given you some great advice. I mostly mess with you for comedic effect. Anyway, take her advice to heart and I’ll have less to laugh at and you’ll be better off by far.
/talkingfromtheheart
The problem I face is, distinguishing the straightforward from the “comic effect.” There was no way for me to make any distinction, for example, with that Mozart title or the slurs directed at my mother–assuming “comic effect” was in fact intended.
That doesn’t explain why you choose to be rude even after it’s been made clear.
You have it backwards. That’s what they tell you to *sell *it.
The *purpose *is to isolate your congregation, so that your bizarre practices seem normal. If you have people close to you living normal lives, you might start to wonder about leaving yourself.
A lot of cults do it that way.
If I was Jehovah, I wouldn’t want these guys testifying on my behalf.
Have you read this article http://lesswrong.com/lw/lr/evaporative_cooling_of_group_beliefs/ about evaporative cooling as a metaphor for group beliefs? Representative quotes:
"Who stayed with Ayn Rand even after the scandal broke? The ones who really, really believed in her—and perhaps some of the undecideds, who, after the voices of moderation left, heard arguments from only one side. "
“Who gets fed up and leaves first? An average cult member? Or a relatively more skeptical member, who previously might have been acting as a voice of moderation, a brake on the more fanatic members?”
“After the members with the highest kinetic energy escape, the remaining discussions will be between the extreme fanatics on one end and the slightly less extreme fanatics on the other end, with the group consensus somewhere in the “middle”.”
Don’t presume to know someone else’s motives. You are not clairvoyant, nor do I presume you to have credentials as a psychologist. As for “cult,” that seems to be your catchall term for “non-mainstream religion.” Well, I don’t seek out the popular, to win favor; I remember Ashleigh Brilliant’s scornful comment: “I’ll always be faithful to the current trend.” :rolleyes:
I enjoy discussing controversial topics with those who can discuss them without getting angry. I have read the Bible several times in as many different English translations. I have also read The Book of Mormon.
Jehovah’s witnesses have not knocked on my door, but Mormon missionaries have. I let them in. We have a polite conversation, and part as friends.
Yeah, Lobohan, get with the program. Every religion is a cult.
Lobohan? … Now let’s not start tarring everyone with the same brush.
Lobohan is who you were responding to in the post quoted by Bryan Ekers. What the fuck is wrong with you?
He does have some pretty serious medical issues.
See here: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=16894534&postcount=506
I wish the mods would do more to discourage this kind of self-destructive posting. Now I feel bad.
I don’t. If he’s that ill that he can’t control himself, then perhaps he shouldn’t be online. At the very least, if he can’t control his anger, he shouldn’t be posting in the Pit. The guy is dishing it out left and right, but when it comes back to him, he gets all butthurt and throws a hissyfit.
I’ve been insulted a hell of a lot worse than he has, but I’ve never felt the need to threaten people (which, he might take note, is against board rules). So if that’s the worst he’s ever dealt with, he’s got it pretty damned good.
So dougie, if you can’t deal with people calling you names, or disagreeing with you, stay out of the Pit. You can talk the talk, but you sure as fuck can’t walk the walk. And if you have legit, medical reasons why you can’t do so, perhaps posting online isn’t right for you at this time.
There seems to have been a great deal of overlooking in this thread lately. Admittedly I missed Lobohan (sp?) where I should have recognized the name, but what I said in my last post was totally ignored by those posting after me.