Ahem. I just want to say

[beam me up scottie]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Thanks.

[RevolutionaryActs]

1. Can I add something to that?

:banghead:

[beam me up scottie]

2. I feel a little bit better.

How about you?

[RevolutionaryActs]

3. Slightly.

:)

[Fenris]

4. *cough*

:grr:

[beam me up scottie]

5. Uh oh.

Did I say something wrong?

[Fenris]

6. No. I was echoing your sentiments.

:)

[beam me up scottie]

7. Oh, sorry.

I forgot it was safe in here. I wouldn't want to *cough* offend anybody.

[jonnyblitz]

8. your welcome. :P

:hi:

[beam me up scottie]

9. Hey Jonny!

The asshole forum was dead so I figured I'd come here.
:evilgrin:

[onager]

10. Adding my own...

A-A-A-A-A-R-G-G-G-G-H.

I'm already damn tired of the Pope-A-Thon. This is going to be worse than the Princess Di(e) media blitz. Which I guess is only fair, since the Pope wore snazzier dresses.

[beam me up scottie]

11. When is it going to stop.

I live in a red state, there are churches everywhere, I am constantly reminded that I don't belong. I thought DU was a refuge from all that.
I feel like shit because I keep telling my dad to join and how great this place is. I hope the hell he hasn't. I would hate for anyone to tell him to "shut up".

[jonnyblitz]

12. we are (((((surrounded)))).

:puke:

[beam me up scottie]

13. Brings a whole new meaning to the phrase

"you will be assimilated"
:scared:

[Jamastiene]

32. I'm living in a red state too.

I know where you are coming from as far as being surrounded by those types of people. :banghead:

And to think, the rules say telling people to "shut up" will get someone booted off of here. <shakes head in disappointment>

[beam me up scottie]

37. I was discussing the local elections with my

next door neighbor last October when she brought up the anti-gay amendment to the state constitution. Her pastor told her who to vote for. When the topic of the presidential election came up she couldn't remember Kerry's name. She just kept saying she was against whichever one wanted gay marriage.
This young single black mother who is always struggling to make ends meet was more worried about gay marriage than anything else.
This is the same woman who complains about a bigoted neighbor yet whenever we see him she tells me he's not a christian. She says the same thing about anyone who is essentially a "bad" person, they're not "christian". I guess she thinks having premarital sex with an endless string of boyfriends is christian behavior.

You just can't reach people who refuse to think for themselves.

[fshrink]

17. And then, we'll have the new one!

With all the official visits, to begin with the Idiot, who might take the huge "risk" of traveling abroad (which we will also be reminded constantly). And so on and so forth. All in all, we're looking at up until the summer vacations, at least.

[beam me up scottie]

18. Shoot your tv.

I did, it was quick and it didn't suffer at all.
My withdrawals lasted only until I started downloading bit torrent files for the shows I miss like the Daily Show, Scrubs and MI-5.
There is an amazing amount of radio available on the internet. News from all over the world without the reichwing slant. My IQ shot up 10 points immediately after pulling the plug on the boob tube.

[fshrink]

33. I did. Right after the last "prez" debate.

[beam me up scottie]

36. Liberating isn't it?

I'm so amazed at how much more I get done without the distraction.

[progressoid]

14. Gaaaaaaahd Daaaaaaaamn

Whew. That feels better. Couldn't hold it in any longer.

[GOPFighter]

15. DU used to be my refuge, now I've had to retreat to A&A

for solitude and safety. :grouphug:


However, I wonder if setting up sub-forums in DU was a good idea. What affect has this had on GD discussions if most of the thoughtful and serious members have retreated to their particular sub-forums? Could that explain the rash of nastiness that seems to have descended on DU lately?

[Taxloss]

16. I think there is more "Group awareness" going on.

The groups are certainly more polite. Whether that is because they are for paying members only, or because they attract broadly like-minded people, or because they are smaller social structures, is beyond me.

[Discord]

19. I second the motion.

These past few weeks have been particularly tough for me, as I'm sure it has been for many of you all.

[beam me up scottie]

20. Trying to stand up for human rights

while tip-toeing around emotions can be very tiring.

[Bluebear]

21. Exhausting.

Simply exhausting.

[Discord]

22. Aint that the truth.

I posted a thread explaining my last couple weeks on DU in GD.

ugh...

[beam me up scottie]

23. I just made a couple of apologies

(which don't come easy for me) for the way I stated my case. I believe I was right but it's not fair for me to pick fights when someone's upset.

Not that there aren't some du'ers that just ask for it, but they're always around.

I just need to remember that most of the christians on du believe in the same things we do, just with one extra god.

[Discord]

24. I hear ya. I'm sure I'll find a nice variety of athiests here

too. I know athiests can be as varied in their opinions as many Democrats are in theirs.

I am strongly anti-religious.

I never target the individual though, only the institutions. Thats where the corruption lies, most sane religious people are usually good people with good intentions. They don't deserve my anger.

[beam me up scottie]

25. Your name is so appropriate.

I was a laid-back non-believer, (hated the term atheist, still do) up until they declared war on me and other non-normals.(argh! I hate labels!)
Now I'm rabidly anti-religious, ready to scrap, day or night, just give me a reason.
Too ready sometimes-like tonight. My apology was accepted and I feel so much better.
I never had to define myself until recently. Once the reichwing targets you personally, it's a wake up call. "Ladies, surrender your womb" is what I hear.

And when they target gays, I go ballistic.

I've noticed that gay people on du never use the victim defense. They never sit around and say "Oh, poor me, nobody will give me my rights"
They're always mad, and they should be. I just think it's awesome how they stand up for themselves without whining. So many minorities want to call attention to their plight and come off sounding like victims.
Not gays, they just want what everyone else has.
Maybe I'll start a thread on that tomorrow.

I miss my friends in Vermont, that's why I like du so much. Fewer labels and boundries. So far so good.

[Discord]

26. I always refer to myself as non-religious.

I never much liked the term athiest either. Been demonized too much and doesn't really do anything to explain the belief I do have.

I'm moving from Mass to Vermont in June.

Getting a bit too expensive for me to live in Mass nowadays. Economy killed me so thought was a nice time to make a change.

[beam me up scottie]

28. Let me know where in Vermont.

I'm from the northwest, right on the border.
Poverty is why I'm down here-trying to get back this year though. A cardboard box is Vermont is better than a duplex in Kentucky. (at least when it's warm)

[Discord]

29. I know what ya mean.

Looking in the Montpelier area. My mom lives there so figured its a good place to start from.

[beam me up scottie]

39. Montpelier is beautiful.

It's set right up against the mountains and has a thriving counter culture. It's less expensive than living in Burlington too.

[Discord]

42. Yeah, I looked at Burlington.

It seems to have a decent job market but has alot of the "big city" feel. I figure that Montpelier is only 30 minutes away from Burlington, so I could look there for work, but live in a more small community type area.

Not to mention only an hour to the Canadian border should the shit hit the fan.

[Jokerman]

43. I lived in Charlotte for a while.

Just outside of Burlington. Beautiful area but I'm a city boy at heart so bucolic splendor wasn't for me.

It is a very progressive area. I miss the people there and I'll never forget meeting Bernie Sanders.

[Discord]

44. I've never really lived outside of a big city

but gonna give it a whirl.

Gonna be a big change, but one I think I need at this point.

I have gotten away from alot of the things in my life that I used to enjoy.

[beam me up scottie]

46. Bernie is awesome, isn't he?

Not to mention Pat Leahy, Jim Jeffords and of course, Howard Dean.
I met Dr. Dean once when he was governor. Great men, all of them.

Charlotte is beautiful too, tough commute in the winter though.
I was able to walk to work at my last job. Blizzards are much more enjoyable if you don't have to clean your car, wait for the plow, get stuck in snowdrifts and spend 2 hours just getting home.

[Discord]

50. Yeah, I've had to deal with it through all my winter trips

there this past year.

They actually plow much better than here in Mass.

[beam me up scottie]

48. Have you been to Montreal?

I spent many days and nights in that city. They have a great metro, concerts, museums, universities, all kinds of festivals and hundreds of restaurants.

[Discord]

51. Only went there for a weekend this past winter.

It was like -15F the whole weekend.

But it was a beautiful city. The people we're also much nicer than I was led to believe. Had a good time and plan on going back again sometime when its alot warmer. LOL

[Discord]

27. I've had this name on the internet for 10 years or so.

I'll tell ya the story behind it at some point when I'm not so tired.

In the meantime, I'll let ya guess. :P

Hint 1: eat a hot dog on Friday. (NO BUN)
Hint 2: Golden Apple
Hint 3: 5

Good luck!

Even Google might not help ya if ya don't know... but the truth is out there.

:rofl:

[beam me up scottie]

30. Yay!

Something else for me to obsess about. This is why I gave up crossword puzzles. :banghead:
See ya in the a.m.

[Discord]

31. LOL. we all need a hobby.

Have a good night!

:)

[onager]

35. fnord

:hi:

[Discord]

40. we have a winner!!!

:hi:

:toast:

[Jamastiene]

34. Good point that most are pretty decent.

And then there are those that will follow you from thread to thread and try to take it up with you in an entirely different forum. There is this one in particular thread that is missing now where someone did that just because someone pointed out that not everyone was mourning the Pope, not even all Catholics. You would have though someone had shit in someone else's cheerios. The thread following kept on and on for like an hour. They were being ridiculous about it. I won't name names, but it was unbelievable.

[beam me up scottie]

38. At work I said something derogatory about

ronnie dumbass reagan (see I can't help myself, it's my sarcasm gene kicking in) after he kicked the bucket. I thought I was going to get tarred and feathered.

[Discord]

41. I hear ya. I get the most flack from my views on religion

but I had a hell of a throwdown over the slew of "Kerry in '08" threads. I had one particularly annoying fellow that was shamelessly pushing the Kerry 08 theme at every turn. Going so far as to go into other peoples "Clinton/Clark/etc in '08" threads for the sole purpose of bashing their candidate at every turn.

He was the one posting the "Where the fuck is Dean?" threads on a semi-daily basis.

Now, I can see someone debating their candidate by pointing out the good things they've done, citing articles or records that support their claim, but this chap had NOTHING! He would berate others and plug shameless rhetoric at every turn.

So, I called him on it.

I asked him to cite sources, and to post facts. I asked him to provide evidence to the negative claims he was making against others.

He did what he always did, and resorted back to rhetoric, catch phrases and slanderous remarks...

So I did a search, and went to every post he made, and asked the same questions to provide proof...

I haven't seen him in a while...

:evilgrin:

[beam me up scottie]

45. That is too typical.

All of us have had to scurry off to get links to back up our point at one time or another, if a poster has none, they're blowing smoke.

I have actually seen world net daily cited more that once as if it were a legitimate news source.
Last time I simply posted a story about mole people with terrorist inclinations from weekly world news as a response.
If you haven't been to WWN, you really should check it out. I visit when
I need to lighten up.

Here's the link : http://www.weeklyworldnews.com/

Sample headline: "THE EIFFEL TOWER IS A PORTAL TO HELL"
"For generations, Parisians have known that the Eiffel Tower is a portal to hell, and have left unsuspecting tourists prey to Satan's sinister minions who enter our world through a secret trap door under the tower."

[Discord]

47. wow. too funny.

Its like the National Inquirer.

[beam me up scottie]

49. Yep, but with a liberal slant!

nt

[Jamastiene]

66. That sounds like the people that live

close to me. They honestly cannot think. I would say they can't think outside the box or without being brainwashed first, but I don't know if they are capable of thinking at all to be sure. If you dare point out that Bush sucks, they'll jump you even worse. And I thought they were bad about Reagan worship. :crazy:

[beam me up scottie]

68. This is why I mostly don't bother

trying to explain things to people who have blind faith, whether it's in god, chimpy, the pope or walmart; they are terrified that you will rock their world with the truth. My neighbor is an idiot, has to be told what to think.

Check out my quotes at the bottom of the thread, I think you'll like them.

[Discord]

69. check out the exchange between me and bryant in

this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3434910

This is why its not worth trying to talk to some people.

I've yet to hear him say much of anything rational or refute anything...

can't save em all I guess...

[beam me up scottie]

70. Discord,

you did very well in there. You didn't lose your temper, you patiently tried to explain your take on where the op was going with this, and he just didn't get it.

For the most part, I couldn't tell who was who in there-which is good.
As soon as you state you are an atheist, you are going to lose some people. These are the ones whose beliefs are threatened by you just being there. They are few and far between, which is good because you cannot reach them. Most intelligent religious people (the vast majority on du) understand that their way is not the only way.
Many don't show up on these threads because it gets really ugly in there and they don't feel comfortable going to bat for either side. But they are listening, maybe even agreeing that religion needs to be kept out of government. The ones that refuse to even consider that their religion might have flaws are just the most vocal.

I try to remember that once I've lost my temper and said something I regret, everybody will be able to read it and judge me accordingly.
Oh, and I'll admit, I haven't been very successful so far, but I'm learning.
I will never be as nice as Az but I will try to be as lucid as Trotsky. Have you read some of the threads from Dec and Jan? Trotsky shot down a ton of fundie dogma by using logic and intelligence. That's what I'm going to strive for.
I'm learning to stay away from hot button phrases, too. They have a negative effect on many moderates, sort of how I see red when I hear "culture of life" or "atheism is a belief system" and, while it's fun to use them on local fundies, on du they just end up turning everybody off.
I also will try harder to stay out of the flamers because it's both infuriating and counterproductive and once my name becomes synonymous with those, nobody will listen to anything I have to say. Wasier said than done, I know, but this group helps center me- I think that's kind of what it's for.

But seriously, don't sweat it, it went much better than the usual
"you made me mad in another thread so i'm going to get even" threads.
:applause:

[Discord]

71. Yeah, the funny thing is that it wasnt the first time

I have sat him down. He's particularly outspoken in his distain for athiests views, takes offense to anything anyone says about religion. He is one of the sheep, sadly. I still try not to be personally insulting to anyone. If anything, I'm a diplomat. My way of explianing religion how I see it to people is by giving examples that they can relate to in other areas of life besides religion. It seems to give them pause sometimes, because a little light bulb goes on for a minute. I don't allow for rhetoric, which most of the defense for religion is, and always question their ability to "show me."

[beam me up scottie]

52. I'm posting to myself to remind me

to tell myself that no matter how bad gd/du sucks right now I shouldn't leave.

And to remind myself that just because the pope pity party martyrs are the most verbose at present, that there are far more intelligent christians on du than stupid ones.

That straight men and women, gay men and women and religious as well as non-religious persons are allowed to stand up for human rights even though lesser minds might consider it a "conspiracy".

I hope I've convinced myself.

[Discord]

53. don't go! Just getting to know ya

and you'll always have here to retreat to when the political forums get too muddy.

Just take a break, do something you like to do but haven't done in a while. Treat yourself to something nice. Remember there, for now, is still some fun out there to be had.

I know how ya feel, but I just got here a month ago, so I'm just getting fired up. LOL

Hang in there. You have friends here. :)

[beam me up scottie]

54. Thanks, really helps to know that.

On my way home now, will stop to beat up a fundie (this state is thick with them)- might make me feel better.
I'll take pictures for you.
;-)

[Discord]

55. LOL. Beat em with your wit. I know, not much of a challenge,

but I try to avoid violence when possible.

If you could reduce a fundie to tears and force a nervous breakdown, I wouldn't mind seeing pictures of that.

:evilgrin:

But... then again.... how would I really know the differance, they look like that normally.

:shrug:

[beam me up scottie]

56. Honey, I'm home!

I am back and armed with knowledge (shhhhhhhhhhh, don't tell fundies what our secret weapon is, they might have to get a clue)

I found a fundie on the commute home but I didn't beat him up. I just pointed and laughed at him in front of his friends.
They love it when a girl does that.
:evilgrin:

[onager]

57. All right! You win 25,000...

...bonus air miles from the Evil Atheist Conspiracy.

Sorry I can't stay longer. Lots of overtime in the Fossil Fabrication Department these days...(grumble)...

[Discord]

59. Wow. I would think they'd have cut your hours seeing that

you already have hundreds of thousands of pieces out there already. What slave drivers. HRMPH!


Did anyone remember to tape the cross-dressing bi-sexual drug laced orgy for me?

[beam me up scottie]

61. No but I rented the documentary

on the depraved relationships atheists have with their pets and farm animals. You know, the one that scientifically proves that if we allow homosexuals to marry, we are inviting an epidemic of bestiality?



on edit: opera's spell check corrected my spelling of
bestiality, I've never had to type that word before.
what have i become?
:spank:

[Discord]

62. You are finally accepting the dark side...

wonderful words like bestiality will soon be second nature to you.

MWAHAHAHAHA

[beam me up scottie]

60. How are you doing with the

subliminal messages you were programming into the pa systems of the public schools?
I thought you said you'd have that done by now, you know they won't believe Darwin's lies anymore since the new "theory of evolution" labels were put on the science text books.

[Discord]

63. godless slacker!!!

I think onager drank all the Nyquil again...

:rofl:

[onager]

64. Hey! Don't give me no crap!

We finished the feasibility study on that project in Mississippi!

The EAC Subliminal Translators monitor school PA systems for any occurrence of the words "God" or "Jesus Christ." Then they automatically scramble it into a subliminal message consisting of a random quote.

Such as:

"Humanity will only be free when the last king is strangled with the guts of the last priest." (Denis Diderot)

Or "No form of religion should ever be taught in the public schools of the United States. Religion is all bunk. It's damned nonsense." (Thomas Edison)

[beam me up scottie]

65. Ah, Snidely Whiplash,

You've done well..although for future reference try to work these in:

"Gods are fragile things; they may be killed by a whiff of science or a dose of common sense." (Chapman Cohen)

"If there were no God, it would be necessary to invent him." (Francois Marie Arouet Voltaire, 1694-1778, Epître à l'Auteur du Livre des Trois Imposteurs. cxi.)

"A casual stroll through the lunatic asylum shows that faith does not prove anything." (Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche)

and, just for kicks and giggles:

"And on the seventh day, God stepped back and said 'There is my creation, perfect in every way ... oh, damn it, I left pot all over the place. Now they'll think I want them to smoke it. Now I have to create Republicans." (Bill Hicks, American comedian, 1961-1994)

[Discord]

67. Good work! We'll re/un brainwash these people

one mind at a time!

Or at least until I complete the orbital mind control laser project.

[Jamastiene]

72. I LOVE that quote

Humanity will only be free when the last king...

Could we throw in most of the protestant preachers and Bush as well? Sometimes, it does seem that would do the trick.

[fshrink]

73. You sure it's from Diderot?

[Discord]

58. lmao. too funny. nothing like a little public humiliation!

:evilgrin: