A Note to Conservatives and Bible-Believers

Originally Posted By RC Collins

(...and also anyone who doesn’t celebrate a court - overriding the popular vote - forcing the removal of "bride" and "groom" from state marriage licensing while that state’s domestic partnership law still discriminates against both-sex couples...)


Have you ever considered that you are wasting your time here in World Events, or at least using it extremely inefficiently? I tend to think I was, which is why I have been so quiet here lately. Heck, I haven’t bothered to read any of most of the recent threads.

Consider: Who is most likely to use the discussion boards here on LaughingPlace.com?

Disney fans and employees of some sort.

I like Disney. But think about this for a moment.

Disney is a company that specializes in make-believe, expensive vacations, and overpriced merchandise. It attracts idealists, hopeless romantics, and people obsessed with sweetened-up fairy tales. It has a major "Hollywood" studio and a major broadcast television network, a live theatre business, and resorts that employ scores of thousands in low-wage service jobs. As such, there is going to be a larger-than-in-the-general-population percentage of wishful thinkers, people governed by fleeting emotions, feminized husbands (married to women with a princess complex and supporting her overspending on Disneyana), childish adults, liberals, people with a bent towards liberal homosexual activism, moral relativists, frustrated dreamers, hedonists, people who have a problem dealing with reality and use Disney too much as escapism, and people who resent their low wages and think they are owed more by other people.

I’m NOT arguing that everyone who falls into all of these categories is close-minded, unreasonable, or incapable of presenting sound, valid arguments in defense or promotion of their opinions.

But these ARE people who are more likely to believe it is the responsibility of a President of the United States to make their life better, and that a candidate can and will do so if elected by reducing financial freedom and independence. These are people who are more apt to believe that when a politician touts the extremely vague promise of "change", those changes will all be changes *they* like and will work out well. They expect the government to care about and cater to their feelings. They expect to be taken care of by people with more money than them. They don’t like anything that might imply that there are some ways or times genitals should not be used. These are people who think they have a right to force other people to do things for them.

Who is most likely going to have the time to consistently get into deep political conversations on a Disney fan board? People with too much idle time on their hands, or people who are neglecting things they shouldn’t. What does that tell you about the people with whom you are arguing in 200-plus post threads? What does that tell you about yourself if you keep participating?

Another thing I’m *not* doing is bashing Disney fandom or working for the mouse. I have worked for Disney, and I remain a Disney fan. I enjoy the finer things about Disney very much. But I don’t let fantasy intrude too much on reality, and I have decided I would rather read up on what’s going on in Disney than argue with other Disney fans about politics, religion, morality, etc., especially since someone who is a Bible-believer and a somewhat libertarian conservative is going to be among the clear minority in posting here.

Most mockers of the Bible or any particular church on boards like this aren’t *really* interested in the truth or at least hearing a different opinion. They cynically cite verses or teachings out of context not because they really want to read a good explanation, but because they hope doing so will shut you up. When you offer a reasonable response, they can always deflect by refusing to accept your sources, no matter who or what they are. Many of these people don’t like to think that anything they do is wrong or that they should in any way be held accountable, and they claim you are arrogant for thinking that you know the truth, which is a truth claim on their part, and therefore a self-defeating (but common) position.

You can’t reason with people who base everything on their own internal feelings. Someone's feelings are their own, after all. When someone essentially argues with "Sez you!" or "Is to!" or "You’re a bigot", the discussion has degenerated and is no longer good for anyone.

So I suggest you are probably better off doing other things, like enjoying more of the rest of LaughingPlace.com. You probably came to LP originally because of your interest in something Disney-related. Enjoy that. Or go spend more time with your family. Or get more politically active, or study your Bible more, or give more time to charity. Stop wasting time arguing about first things and things that should be self-evident with people who don't want to to hear it and just came here to vent about how they don't like a politician or a church teaching. It IS an election year in the USA, so you can be more effective getting involved with a campaign.

After all, does it really matter all that much if the ventings and rantings and accusations in WE go uncountered?

Since there are likely some curious people reading this who don’t identify with any of the people I was addressing...If you are *really* interested in what the conservative arguments are, or the Bible or Christianity, or even some good discussion of the marriage issue – not what those hostile or those supportive but hapless in arguing say - you might want to check out these sites:

Conservative:
<a href="http://patriotpost.us/" target="_blank">http://patriotpost.us/</a>
<a href="http://www.townhall.com" target="_blank">http://www.townhall.com</a>
<a href="http://www.nationalreview.com/" target="_blank">http://www.nationalreview.com/</a>
<a href="http://www.larryelder.com/" target="_blank">http://www.larryelder.com/</a>
<a href="http://www.heritage.org/" target="_blank">http://www.heritage.org/</a>

Christian/Bible:
<a href="http://www.probe.org/" target="_blank">http://www.probe.org/</a>
<a href="http://www.christian-thinktank.com/" target="_blank">http://www.christian-thinktank.com/</a>
<a href="http://www.salvomag.com/" target="_blank">http://www.salvomag.com/</a>
<a href="http://merecomments.typepad.com/merecomments/" target="_blank">http://merecomments.typepad.co...omments/</a>
<a href="http://www.str.org" target="_blank">http://www.str.org</a>

Here’s a good one on marriage:
<a href="http://www.gaysdefendmarriage.com/" target="_blank">http://www.gaysdefendmarriage.com/</a>

I may still check in on WE. We’ll see. Thank you...

 

Originally Posted By EighthDwarf

Hmmm, while I really like Disneyland, I do think reality is worth talking about.

In fact, call me crazy, I think discussing current events, politics, economics (and yes religion) are far more important than discussing why Mulholland's Madness should be torched rather than gussied up.

Not discussing these things is like living in...well....Fantasyland (in my opinion)

 

Originally Posted By ecdc

Wow...so much that could be said (and maybe I will later when there's more time). But I think post 1 could be summed up thus:

"I can't support my opinions with evidence or facts and I don't like it when people challenge me, so I'm back for one last temper tantrum and insult hurling session, and then I'm picking up my ball and heading out. In the words of Eric Cartman, 'Screw you guys, I'm going home.'"

Yup, that's about right.

 

Originally Posted By DAR

So wait I can't like Disney because I tend to lean conservative and most Disney fans are liberal. Did I read that right?

 

Originally Posted By wahooskipper

I don't know the demographics of the site users but it is my gut feeling that there is a majority of posters here...at least in World Events...who come from/live in California. California is a liberal state. Liberalism is alive and well here.

That said, I just can't get that worked up if someone doesn't believe in what I believe in. I don't get excited watching news shows when political pundits from both sides of the aisle just scream over top one another. That ain't good television to me.

I am a regularly practicing Catholic who doesn't particularly care if you believe or not. I don't support gay marriage but I wouldn't fight it being instituted in Florida or anywhere else for that matter. I'm not a proponent of abortion but I wouldn't protest at a clinic. I don't think the Right to Bear Arms was intended for AK-47s but I have shot rifles in my younger days.

I married a liberal.

I enjoy Disney and post on this site but I also enjoy other amusement parks <a hush fills the room> and I post at Coasterbuzz and other non-Disney sites.

We became a divided nation when the press said we were a divided nation. That egg it on and we buy into it hook, line and sinker. The political parties have realized that the only way they can really distinguish themselves is to appeal to their fringes so most of us are left feeling disenfranchised.

I think a vast majority of Americans share very similar views...but don't tell anyone I said that.

 

Originally Posted By DAR

<<So I suggest you are probably better off doing other things, like enjoying more of the rest of LaughingPlace.com. You probably came to LP originally because of your interest in something Disney-related. >>


I did come here because of Disney. But the boards I usually occupied, Animation and Live Action don't get a lot of activity. I don't venture into the Disneyland and DCA areas much because there's not a lot I can say since I've never been to those places.

As for the WDW section I used to go there all the time but quite frankly I find one poster in particular over there to be rather condescending to the majority of guests that visit there. So now my WDW fix is spent over at the WDW Radio show boards.

The majority of time I post is here, Community, General Entertainment and sometimes in Play Pen.

People disagree when it comes to life in general that's way it is. It would be boring if we all agreed with each other.

Besides I'm always correct in everything I say so it doesn't really matter.

 

Originally Posted By mrkthompsn

God made the universe, the world and everything in it. That is truth.

God send his Son to the earth to save all people. That is truth

The world will eventually end by the might of God and His Son. That is truth.

To this effect, all "World Events" have some sort of relation to the will, intent and actions of God.

 

Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder

Post 1- what a load of crap. Sometimes a banana is just a banana, and sometimes crap is crap.

"As such, there is going to be a larger-than-in-the-general-population percentage of wishful thinkers, people governed by fleeting emotions, feminized husbands (married to women with a princess complex and supporting her overspending on Disneyana), childish adults, liberals, people with a bent towards liberal homosexual activism, moral relativists, frustrated dreamers, hedonists, people who have a problem dealing with reality and use Disney too much as escapism, and people who resent their low wages and think they are owed more by other people."

Feminized husbands? A bent towards liberal homosexual activism?

Instead of wasting so much of your obnviously valuable time writing all of this, why not just say you hate fags? It would have saved everyone a lot of time and angst.

"I may still check in on WE"

Big deal.

 

Originally Posted By Dabob2

Post one is essentially someone telling other people what they believe (or are "apt" to believe), what they "expect," and what their arguments are supposedly based on. As with most posts from either right or left extreme telling OTHER people what they supposedly believe, etc., it is chock full of inaccuracies, simply reflects the poster's warped view of the other side, and is essentially a long attempt at self-validation by the poster.

 

Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder

More and more, I have no patience for such stuff. Long winded attempts to justify bigotry don't appeal to me. As I've said elsewhere before, I'd respect the position if someone simply said they disagreed and couldn't personally reconcile things. Instead, we get stuff like this.

 

Originally Posted By dshyates

RC, does the nurse know your out of your room and playing on the computer?

 

Originally Posted By RoadTrip

RC lost me at "feminized husbands (married to women with a princess complex and supporting her overspending on Disneyana)"

My wife definitely does not have a princess complex and I don't support her overspending on ANYTHING. I may be a somewhat "feminized" husband, but I don't see that as necessarily being a bad thing.

 

Originally Posted By fkurucz

<<Long winded attempts to justify bigotry>>

I keep seeing this word thrown around in WE, and I have come to the conclusion that its use is often meant as a form of intimidation. Its a PC way of telling people that they are bad or even evil, and that they need to change their evil ways. In some ways it reminds me a lot of the usage of the word "racist", because its often used in lieu of arguments.

I think that there are more constructive ways to approach people that we have disagreements with. For instance, some posters who favor homosexual rights have challenged those who oppose them to prove that same sex marriage is indeed harmful to society. IMO this is much more constructive than calling someone a bigot.

 

Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder

"I keep seeing this word thrown around in WE, and I have come to the conclusion that its use is often meant as a form of intimidation."

While you might see it that way, your view isn't accurate. As I've said elsewhere, I'd rather people were just upfront and said they don't like homos and leave it at that. But to hide behind the bible, something that is purported to be the instrument that tells us all to love one another, it becomes nothing less than bigotry and hypocritical to me.

I'm also the same guy who posits the question you state in paragraph two. I never get an answer.

 

Originally Posted By RC Collins

>>Not discussing these things is like living in...well....Fantasyland (in my opinion)<<

I do discuss them. I'm just not convinced a Disney fan board is the right place anymore.

>>"I can't support my opinions with evidence or facts"<<

Actually, I can and do. But when the response is basically "nuh-UH!" no facts are going to matter.

>>So wait I can't like Disney because I tend to lean conservative and most Disney fans are liberal. Did I read that right?<<

No. As I said... I like Disney, and I'm conservative. Sorry I wasn't clear.

>>Instead of wasting so much of your obnviously valuable time writing all of this, why not just say you hate f---?<<

Because I don't. But thanks for proving my point for me.

>>Long winded attempts to justify bigotry don't appeal to me.<<

Thanks for proving my point for me.

>>My wife definitely does not have a princess complex and I don't support her overspending on ANYTHING.<<

Great. I didn't say that applied to everyone here.

>>I never get an answer.<<

Never? Really? Never? Or just answers you don't like or find unsatisfying?

 

Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder

"Never? Really? Never? Or just answers you don't like or find unsatisfying?"

Never, as in never. Name one type of harms gays can bring to marriage straights haven't already done.

 

Originally Posted By DAR

<<I may still check in on WE. We’ll see. Thank you.>>

Well that didn't take long.

 

Originally Posted By fkurucz

<<I'm also the same guy who posits the question you state in paragraph two. I never get an answer. >>

Correct, but at least no one resorted to calling you names. If name calling is not for intimidation, then what purpose does it serve?

 

Originally Posted By fkurucz

And the name calling by some posters here can be so intense that the "seculars" on this board sometimes end up "eating their own", as happened recently to davewasbaloo when he committed the heresy of publicly admitting that he found homosexual acts to be disturbing. I was very disturbed (but not surprised) by the viciousness that was displayed towards him. It reaffirmed for me that civil dialog regarding this topic is very well impossible, at least in this forum. It also reminded me that zealotry is not only heard from the pulpit.

 

Originally Posted By DVC_dad

To the OP......Dude you had me until you said, "Feminized Husbands."

I rather enjoy being a conservative who is also a Feminized Husband.

But beyond that, as for the rest of your post, I never thought I would say this to a fellow Far Right extremist but dude, you just set "us" back 50 years. Gee thanks.