New Riding Buddy (heheh)

Corvus Corvax wrote:
MattB wrote:

No offense meant to you or anyone else CDB (which I realize probably
didn't pan out), but I just typed what I felt.

****, CDB is what we need more of: he just seems to want to apply a
little common sense to life and otherwise be left the hell alone. (I'll
buy you a beer any time, CDB: you may not think so right at the moment,
but I feel pretty sure we are more-or-less on the same side in the
world.)


CC

Thanks, I'm much more Libertarian. At one time, I was a raving
activist, too, having led Operation Rescue events in WA in the
mid-80's. You really do things like that when you believe that unborn
children are truly children, but just being discriminated against on
the basis of residence. Ie, ok to kill inside, but becomes murder to
kill once they're outside. I don't buy it, but that's ok.

I was also quite concerned about taking bad guys off the street when I
had a govt job. I also used to enjoy teaching kids karate so they
could learn to set goals, believe in themselves, gain confidence and
self control.

Now? I wanna make a living, live in a way that makes my wife of 20yrs
still glad she said, "I do", take care of my family, help others with
my work, be available to friends, ride as much as I can, and that's
about it.

But, I don't want some kook in the public, (my tax-supported) library
insisting that 6yr olds have access to snuff films. If they (as the
responsible parents) want to show them to their own kids at home,
nothing I can do about that. I don't really care. I should, but I
don't.

But I do care about my kids, and to some extent, while their values are
being shaped, I want to know what sort of stuff is being poured into
them. gigo, remember? When they were younger, and they'd want to
stay the night at a new friend's home, I'd ask about adult presence,
access to the internet, that sort of thing. That's what we as parents
do, all over the world, trying to some degree to control and protect
what gets in, until such time as the kids mature to where they should
make those decisions on their own.

If we do a good job providing discipline from the outside, then when we
do cut them loose, they'll hopefully discipline themselves, and be
productive human beings. While I'm waxing elephants, it's like this.
As parents, we impose the banks on the river of their lives, slowly
letting go to see if they can hold back the water and impose their own
constraint or banks, since a river uncontrolled is a flood, and very
damaging, but a river constrained can do a lot of good for a lot of
people. As the kids mature, we hand over more responsibility, less
control, more decision making, less orders and rules.

And, I might be lucky, but I've got two amazing kids, as some folks on
this board know.

So, I had no idea this thread would go the way it has. Just tells me
the mainstream media has done a great job to stereotype Christians as
narrow, cram it down your throat bigots, when my experience is the
opposite. For example, they were first when the Tsunami hit Thailand,
and last to leave (first-hand account, btw). First to help in New
Orleans, and still helping. They're doing up to 90% of the charitable
works (especially feeding the homeless and caring for single families)
without fanfare or return, just because it's the right thing to do.

So I'm going back into my own charitable outreach as the goodwill
amabassador to the unridden masses, to host my Tues nt Beginner Barney
Rides.

Saddle up.
CDB

MattB wrote:
Paladin wrote:
MattB wrote:

Maybe you would have just kept quiet, but I suspect maybe you wouldn't have.

I had no idea who she was, but on the MTBR forum they were acting like
she was a celebrity. So I figured I'd better look her up. The rest is
history.

Matt (mostly just intolerant to intolerance - oh and really bad music)


You make a good point. Sorry I over-reacted. I'm much nicer in
person...


This seems believable. I might even make you prove it some day.

I did not realize you were making your call based solely on the
picture, and art is totally subjective. I happen to prefer my wife's
profile, but some think she looks too skinny and athletic. Others like
'em big and round. fbg's making the world go round and all that...


Well, it was the picture + what I found when I looked her up. But if we
all like the same women you guys would all be jealous because I got the
best one!

This gal, I know her a little bit, and she's bright, funny,
courageous, gracious, (very pretty in person), but also outspoken and
committed to standing up and making changes for what she believes in.


Which in theory sounds like a great set of traits. Actually that sounds
a bit like my wife. They are just at odds with the things they'd like to
see changed.

CDB


Matt

I say let them compete in a jello wrestling pit...

CDB

Paladin wrote:
snip


I say let them compete in a jello wrestling pit...

CDB


Fair enough.

But if a book is written about it, should it be allowed in the library?

Matt

Paladin wrote:

Saddle up.

Hope we get to ride together some time, brother.

CC

Paladin wrote:

Thanks, I'm much more Libertarian. At one time, I was a raving
activist, too, having led Operation Rescue events in WA in the
mid-80's. You really do things like that when you believe that unborn
children are truly children, but just being discriminated against on
the basis of residence. Ie, ok to kill inside, but becomes murder to
kill once they're outside. I don't buy it, but that's ok.

I was also quite concerned about taking bad guys off the street when I
had a govt job. I also used to enjoy teaching kids karate so they
could learn to set goals, believe in themselves, gain confidence and
self control.

Now? I wanna make a living, live in a way that makes my wife of 20yrs
still glad she said, "I do", take care of my family, help others with
my work, be available to friends, ride as much as I can, and that's
about it.

But, I don't want some kook in the public, (my tax-supported) library
insisting that 6yr olds have access to snuff films. If they (as the
responsible parents) want to show them to their own kids at home,
nothing I can do about that. I don't really care. I should, but I
don't.

But I do care about my kids, and to some extent, while their values
are being shaped, I want to know what sort of stuff is being poured
into them. gigo, remember? When they were younger, and they'd want
to stay the night at a new friend's home, I'd ask about adult
presence, access to the internet, that sort of thing. That's what we
as parents do, all over the world, trying to some degree to control
and protect what gets in, until such time as the kids mature to where
they should make those decisions on their own.

If we do a good job providing discipline from the outside, then when
we do cut them loose, they'll hopefully discipline themselves, and be
productive human beings. While I'm waxing elephants, it's like this.
As parents, we impose the banks on the river of their lives, slowly
letting go to see if they can hold back the water and impose their own
constraint or banks, since a river uncontrolled is a flood, and very
damaging, but a river constrained can do a lot of good for a lot of
people. As the kids mature, we hand over more responsibility, less
control, more decision making, less orders and rules.

And, I might be lucky, but I've got two amazing kids, as some folks
on this board know.

So, I had no idea this thread would go the way it has. Just tells me
the mainstream media has done a great job to stereotype Christians as
narrow, cram it down your throat bigots, when my experience is the
opposite. For example, they were first when the Tsunami hit Thailand,
and last to leave (first-hand account, btw). First to help in New
Orleans, and still helping. They're doing up to 90% of the charitable
works (especially feeding the homeless and caring for single families)
without fanfare or return, just because it's the right thing to do.

So I'm going back into my own charitable outreach as the goodwill
amabassador to the unridden masses, to host my Tues nt Beginner Barney
Rides.

Saddle up.

Crap, man, that was the shiznit. (No idea a) if it's a word or b) how to
spell it.)

Bill Sornson wrote:
snip


Crap, man, that was the shiznit. (No idea a) if it's a word or b) how to
spell it.)



Fo shizzle! I always knew you were down with Snoop.

Matt

Mark Hickey wrote:
"GeeDubb" wrote:

"Mark Hickey" wrote

Look at the second definition: "a specific fundamental set of beliefs
and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects".

Atheism fits both of the above defitions perfectly.
snip
I guess in the second definition the non-belief in the existance of deity is
the fundamental "set" of beliefs and practices........

pretty thin perfect fit but that's how you interpret it so we will agree to
disagree.

But I think you can now at least understand how someone could
interpret the current trend as catering 100% only to those with a
particular "religion" (atheism), to the exclusion of any other belief
system. That's pretty much it in a nutshell for me. Heck, I'm not
even asking for equal time - but zero time seems a little harsh. ;-)



Mark, this is total bull****! There is no set of practices or rituals
particular to atheism. It is simply the absence of all of the nonsense
that comes with popular religion. This is another illustrative point of
why atheism is NOT religion. . . there is no "set" of beliefs and no
uniting factors besides the lack of belief in a god.

You can't cater to the 'practices' of a group that doesn't practice
anything.

G.T. wrote:
GeeDubb wrote:

"Mark Hickey" wrote

It would be funny if there weren't so many gullible people out there.

the problem is that both (more than both) sides of this issue feel
that the other side is gullible.

No, I don't think either side is gullible. I believe rational people
want to keep our society enlightened and free, and I believe the
superstitious people want to take us back to the dark ages of fear and
repression.

BINGO.

Mark Hickey wrote:
"GeeDubb" wrote:

I wasn't directing this at anyone in particular (a generalization) but isn't
that what religion is all about? Suppression of the masses?

Errrr, no. It's not. You should actually try it some time and see if
it makes you FEEL opressed (it's quite liberating for me, actually).

OTOH, if you feel that "self-control" equates to "suppression", I'd
suggest you don't need to find your eneny in religion, but in
philosophy in general (unless you choose to study only hedonist
philosophers).

and to ask Mark Hickey......since when is atheism considered a religion? I
don't believe in a superior being nor do I believe in any organized religion
(mostly due to the suppression issue and each religion attempts to control
its followers IMO) but I have more morals than probably 99% of all religious
people. Morality is not a religious thing.....especially not a Christian
initiated thing.

I'm looking at the Webster College Dictionary. The first definition:
"a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the
universe, esp. when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency
or agencies, usu. involving devotional and ritual observances, and
often containing a moral code for the conduct of human affairs".

That definition certainly says that USUALLY there is a supreme being
involved (and most references to the word would do so), but not
ALWAYS.

Look at the second definition: "a specific fundamental set of beliefs
and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects".

Atheism fits both of the above defitions perfectly.


.... and as far as practices are concerned, so does anyone who doesn't
practice a popular form of religion or believe in a recognized god or
sets of gods. You cannot have equal and just representation in terms of
religious beliefs, so the only fair thing is to leave it out entirely.
Period.

Leaving out religion from public affairs does not cater to ANY group.

Let me give you an analogy:

Say that group A believes that dolphins are the smartest creatures on
earth, and actually have total mind control over every human on the
planet. Say that - despite the fact that the majority of our nation
believes this hoo-haa for some reason or another - I simply am not a
part of it. Now, is this non-belief a religion? Hell no! Don't turn my
non-partisanship into an agenda . . that simply makes no sense!

Paladin wrote:
That's the great thing about freedom, we can believe what we want,
pretty well say what we want, and if someone doesn't like it, and they
want to believesomething else, and even try to persuade others to his
or her way of thinking, that's when freedom rings...

And when that doesn't work just lob a frag' through the open window in
the middle of the night.