Oh boy - Why are there 12 jury member traditionally

[Aerows]

I really upset the applecart at my house. I was having lunch with the family before my sister, brother-in-law and their two children leave. My father, while I'm busy making a sandwich says "Do you know why they have 12 jury members?" Not thinking anything of it, I said, "Oh why?" He said "Because of the 12 disciples of Jesus. I don't know why they have only 6 in Florida." I noted that Connecticut also had 6, and that in Muslim countries and Israel, they also have 12 jury members. He lost his fucking mind and started screaming at me like I had just declared that fire was cold.

What is it with conservatives that facts freak them the fuck out? How is it about Jesus when Muslim countries and Israel also have 12? You would have thought I was the anti-christ in the kitchen for refuting his "factoid".

I pointed out that he should be mad at whoever told him such bunk. He screamed "Nobody told me that!" I thought to myself, did you just make this shit up, and expect me to go along with it, or just what the hell minefield of a lack of logic did I just walk into?

Not to mention that King Henry in 1670 established 12 jurors.

[COLGATE4]

1. Many States have gone to a 6 member jury

for all civil suits and some also use 6 members in criminal trials. 12 isn't the sacrosanct number it once was.

[Aerows]

4. I know

But he flips out whenever someone refutes a "fact" that he drags out of his ass, but you never know which one it will be. Apparently, anything that refutes "traditional wisdom" (meaning things people think to maintain an ultra-conservative mindset) makes him lose it. I never know what the hell is going to do that.

[ZombieHorde]

2. Maybe you should secretly serve decaf coffee when he visits.

He seems uptight.

[Aerows]

12. It was some surreal

bullshit.

[trumad]

3. SHould have told him 6 of the 12 were gay.

[Aerows]

13. LOL

When I refuted the 12 disciples bit, that freaked him out so badly it wasn't worth going any further.

[davidn3600]

5. Florida does use 12 for capital cases

[Aerows]

6. But it has nothing to do with

"Jesus and the 12 disciples" bit. That was the part that got him outraged.

[bunnies]

7. Next time ask him why he never stoned you to death.

Assuming you've talked back to him at least once in your life. I mean, if he really believes the bible is the word of "God" then what would "God" think about your father going against his word?

I tried this with fundie mega-church pastor uncle. Good times.

[Aerows]

9. Well, "talking back"

seems to be anytime someone suggests that he's full of shit when he is. I'm not really inclined to be all that graceful at times when I'm caught off guard with complete and utter bullshit leaps of nuttery. 12 disciples. Yeah, that's why Muslim countries and Israel also use 12 jurors. It's because... Jesus.

[bunnies]

10. Dont be silly.

They have Jesus in their hearts. They just do know it yet. The Lord works in mysterious ways.

[NightWatcher]

8. Every damn thing isn't always about their god or bible

Point out that obvious fact and they lose their minds. I'm related to several people like this. They scream about Sharia Law being evil and out to get them, but they'll openly say that our laws should be bible based. They're so dense, they don't get it.

[Aerows]

11. He's not even really that much of a Fundie

He just plays one as a conservative. I think I've seen the man in church a handful of times and all of those were funerals and weddings. But OH MY GOD, if it's conservative right wing, it's the gospel.

I think he was playing me to see if I'd disagree so I could look like some kind of nutjob in front of my sister and her family (they ARE raving fundies). Oh well. Maybe I did. I don't exactly give a fuck at this point because I got caught off guard by some bunch of nuttiness and called it what it is.

[NightWatcher]

14. I don't debate them anymore. I just pat them on the head and tell them its ok

And that REALLY pisses them off.

[Just Saying]

15. Like so many conservatives

He freaks out when facts dispute what he wants to be the truth.

This really isn't an issue to scream about and he needs to chill out and get a life.

FWIW, from what I've read, it's based on King Henry II and for whatever reason has been tradition that's continued for 800 years. I can't find anything saying why he chose the number 12 so I suppose it could be based on the apostles. Or not.

[Aerows]

17. Israel and Muslim countries also have 12

That leads me to believe that the Jesus angle probably isn't the reason.

[pinboy3niner]

16. Tell him some states use 6 as a tribute to the number of the beast

That ought to freak him out.

[Aerows]

19. LOL

I wish I could, but I think that would give him a nervous breakdown. I think he screamed something along the line of (in the raving) GO LIVE IN A MUSLIM COUNTRY THEN! I DON'T CARE ABOUT ISRAEL!

and so on.

[FarCenter]

18. 12 good men and true

The idea of settling disputes using a jury of 12 impartial witnesses is usually dated back to King Aethelred's Wantage code of 933, although some scholars point out that the English jury system that emerged in the 12th century was almost identical to the Islamic Lafif, which the Normans may have brought from Sicily.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/3637858/Quite-Interesting.html

Note also that Jacob had twelve sons who founded the 12 tribes of Israel.

[Aerows]

21. Oh well

Obviously the Islamic Lafif is directly related to Jesus and the 12 disciples.

[Bay Boy]

20. Is that why there are 12 months in a year too?

Or 12 items in a dozen? or 12 years in the Chinese calendar rotation? or OPEC members? and on and on

[Aerows]

22. Isn't it obvious?

[Are_grits_groceries]

23. My Mama and I were discussing some Biblical point at the breakfast table.

It was minor and I can't remember what it was. I do remember what happened.
I said something that landed on one of her theological land mines. Boom!
She pushed everything off the table into my lap.

[Aerows]

24. I know

You never know when one is coming.

[reusrename]

25. Hi sis (I think it's sis), we have the same father.

[Aerows]

27. LOL

I hope on two angles that we do and that we don't. Good man. Freaks out when his beliefs get challenged. I'm a woman, after all.

[WovenGems]

26. And King Henry

Got the idea from the Vikings. Thus proving anybody can come up with a good idea.

[Aerows]

28. It was like standing in the kitchen

facing the toaster and getting blasted with bullshit. I didn't realize that it was a game, I just replied, and more bullshit got spewed my way.

Can someone explain to me why certain people have Jesus landminds that if you provide factual proof that they don't know what they are talking about causes them to rave and throw shit?

I was making a sandwich and got blindsided with this. Raving and throwing and threatening ensued by my father, but it was my fault. While children were present, and my sister. Brother in law exclaimed "I'm eating lunch!" looking he would like to kill me Um, yeah. It is extremely offensive to interrupt a person's lunch if they invoke "I prayed to Jesus". That's their grounds forever.