This section of WP is full of jerks.

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Well, I agree that it is valuable to hear how what you think comes across when it's presented to someone else. I guess I'm talking about only listening to oneself.

Here's an example. I'm interested in theology as a special interest but I ascribe to no particular religion. I am an agnostic. I don't assume there's one answer to everything. I just find belief systems interesting. I'm more interested in the questions than I am in the answers. I read Karen Armstrong and Elaine Pagels who write about religion from an anthropological POV. I'll read the Zohar just as quickly as I'll read about Buddhism. My problem is these kind of threads rarely can progress because it so often too quickly turns into a p!ssing contest.

Well, it's like people actually attack you and insult you for not believing how they do, and then go back and say "I'm giving you my opinion. Deal with it." If you try and point out how they're being intolerant, they call you a hypocrite.

Well, it's like people actually attack you and insult you for not believing how they do, and then go back and say "I'm giving you my opinion. Deal with it." If you try and point out how they're being intolerant, they call you a hypocrite.

Maybe I just proved your point, as I now realize my response had nothing to do with what you were actually talking about.........

I'd like to introduce the topic of reinterpreting sayings attributed to Jesus through an Eastern perspective. There's some speculation that he studied Buddhism. I'd like to discuss how Paul is considered responsible for modern Christianity. I am aware of the conflict between James and Paul. I am aware that Jesus was only one of many "messiahs" during the time and most were expecting a military leader. I am aware of how the Bible is a patchwork job and how parts have been mistranslated and deleted over the centuries. I cannot see the Bible as the one true word of God because I know it was written by many different flawed human beings. If someone believes differently that is their right and I'm fine with that. I'm not going to change their mind by insulting them. It's history I want to talk about, not one true answer. I really like Joseph Campbell who reminds us that concepts were conveyed by metaphorical means back then and it was never intended to be taken literally. He says if you deny the myth you don't see the larger spiritual truth behind it. So, is it possible to start any of these thread ideas? Or will it immediately become "I don't believe in God because I'm not an idiot like you". Frankly, I don't give a flying f**k whether you believe or not. I don't know if I believe. I don't worry about it. How can a Supreme Being create a flawed being and then condemn that being for acting according to it's nature? Anyway I'm getting a lot of what I'd like to talk about down now so maybe if I do introduce a topic, people will know I'm only interested in exchanging ideas.

I agree with you Greshym, but I dont think its intentional on their part, remeber that ASD often involves an inability to view a concept from the eyes of other people, and often this will come out in seemingly absurd ironic ways, I dont think its malicious, just ignorant.

I dont think there is any point demanding complete tolerance, because it wont happen, no matter how reasonable a request it is, some people do not have the life experience and understanding to be able to tolerate certain ideas, because they see them as a threat to their own 'reality'. The best we can do, is tolerate their ignorance and help them to understand as much as possible, but any negative reaction to someones intolerance, simply reinforces their belief that they are underthreat, and increases their intolerance

In short, I think we just need to respect others' opinions.

I wish we can just reply to the previous post and not quote...

We do not need the posting pyramid if we are just simply commenting on the previous post, do we?

Just scratching my head...

But quoting massive blocks of text is fun :3
@ruennsheng
This method seems to work well.

I agree pyramid posting can be cumbersome, but sometimes when I don't someone else is posting at the same time and comes up first and my comment is then out of context.

Thank you for your response, Miszt. I was starting to think the PPR section was a hangout for the demented. It's a relief to hear a voice of reason finally!

I think that inability describes a huge portion of humanity NT or non NT.

< Tries to always be devil's advocate so threads will be interesting.

I thought of the same thing- people do _____ to you 7 times in a row, you do it to them even once, they're all "why you gotta be like that man?" and the waddle off with this indignant pout.

Nothing wrong with that.

See? I was trying to avoid pyramid posting and now it looks like I'm responding to Greshym_Shorkan when I was actually responding to TheOddGoat.

Yes, you have to be careful on this forum to understand that when you're arguing something, people mostly won't write " but I might be wrong" because that's assumed. They aren't trying to say you're wrong, but if you don't say it hard and straight up it gets too fluffy and goes off point and is harder to tell what people mean.