Bernie on Francis and the Almighty $

[Starboard Tack]

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), a 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, spoke at Liberty University in Virginia.
http://www.c-span.org/video/?328079-1/senator-bernie-sanders-ivt-remarks-liberty-university

[rug]

1. How long before they call Bernie complicit with the crimes of religion?

Let me take a moment, or a few moments, to tell you what motivates me in the work that I do as a public servant, as a senator from the state of Vermont. And let me tell you that it goes without saying, I am far, far from being a perfect human being, but I am motivated by a vision, which exists in all of the great religions, in Christianity, in Judaism, in Islam and Buddhism, and other religions.

And that vision is so beautifully and clearly stated in Matthew 7:12, and it states, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them to do to you, for this sums up the war and the prophets." That is the golden rule. Do unto others, what you would have them do to you. That is the golden rule, and it is not very complicated.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/09/14/bernie-sanders-liberty-university-speech-annotated/#

[AtheistCrusader]

3. Quick sanity check, I don't see any problems.

When in Rome, etc. Liberty university is a fundy religious entity, so it make sense to speak in the language they understand.

It's not like he tried to say the golden rule ORIGINATED in the bible or anything, so cool beans with me.

[beam me up scottie]

4. He called out Christian hypocrites in their own house today.

What's not to like?

[daleanime]

52. Trust me....

they'll find some thing.

[beam me up scottie]

54. They already have.

The new talking point is that he threw women and lgbt people "under the bus".

Brock's PAC has been busy.

[daleanime]

59. Now that is truly jaw dropping.....

He started his speech with his stand on both of those. He couldn't have made it more clear.

So it now OK for Democrats to lie, I thought we let republicans cover that.

[beam me up scottie]

60. It's a reboot of 2008.

The swift boating is coming from inside the house.

[MisterP]

5. people have already blamed the Vatican for creationism and Yezhov, sooooooo

[muriel_volestrangler]

65. People blamed the Vatican for Stalin's head of secret police?

Huh?

[Starboard Tack]

7. Bloody cannibals

They love to feast on their own, don't they?

[Cartoonist]

2. That's a stretch

Atheists have always said the Golden Rule has nothing to do with a deity. Just because it is found in the Bible doesn't invalidate it.

The Golden Rule doesn't compel people to be bigots, haters, and war mongers like the rest of the Bible does, as well as other religious texts.

On edit: This post was meant as an answer to rug, not the OP

[Starboard Tack]

6. Really? Wow! The entire rest of the bible.

The Golden Rule doesn't compel people to be bigots, haters, and war mongers like the rest of the Bible does, as well as other religious texts.

What version did you read, the "Classics Illustrated"?
Time to put the crayons down and do a little reading. Not my favorite book, by a long shot, and much of it is pretty horrific, but you claim that apart from this one phrase, which probably did not originate with the bible, the entire book COMPELS people to be bigots, haters and warmongers.
I guess "love thy neighbor..." is pretty bigoted. And the tale of the good Samaritan is all about hatred of those who are different, and feeding the hungry, well, that's pure warmongering.

How do you feel if people call you a bigot for saying shit like that? "Do unto others"

And you wonder why there is such a backlash from so many atheists toward anti-theist ignorance and bigotry.

It will be interesting to see who supports your outrageous statement.

[Cartoonist]

8. It's a hate manual

My opinion. Deal with it.

The Bible supports slavery. It will be interesting to see who supports that.

[Starboard Tack]

9. Sounds like you hate everything about it.

There are opinions out there that are worse than yours. I deal with them every day. You are not the only absolutist in the world, or on DU. It's a trait common to all extremists. Stems from pure fucking ignorance.
It is NOT a "hate manual". It's a compendium, an anthology of many stories by many authors. There are actually a few good stories in it, just like in a library. Something you might want to join, btw.
Saying "The Bible supports slavery" is like saying the library supports slavery. White supremacists said the same thing. Are you agreeing with them?
Find me one believer today who you think supports slavery, unless you are talking about corporate slavery, which has become the norm, though it is more like indentured servitude.

[Cartoonist]

10. Suck on my library card.

FU and your condescending ignorance. The Bible tells you who to hate (gays, adulterers), how to hate (stoning). No matter how hateful something is in the Bible, it stays in there forever. When science makes new discoveries, the textbooks are revised.

Get back to me when the Bible is clean.

[Starboard Tack]

11. Your intolerance is noted.

Along with your abysmal attitude.

[beam me up scottie]

15. Intolerance? You mean like comparing gay people who want to get married to animals and bicycles?

For the audience members who may be new to the discussion of just who is and who isn't intolerant and/or hypocritical in this group:

Starboard Tack (10,698 posts)
112. And this has what to do with the RCC?

Why would any couple want to marry in a church that doesn't accept them? Makes no sense.
You really look for extreme situations to provide fodder for your hatred of religion. How about if I wanted to marry my bicycle, or my hamster and some church opposed performing the ceremony, would you be there, fighting for my rights?

I'm sorry, but religious rights and gay rights are not the same thing. I support both. Seems like you only support one. I know many gay couples, some who married in church and some at town hall and some couldn't care less about the institution of marriage.

I think your views are self centered. You want the world to adapt to your values, like the vegan who wants everyone to quit eating meat. What a boring world that would be.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1218&pid=123723

Starboard Tack This message was hidden by Jury decision. Hide

176. Really? And how exactly did I do that?

You seem to confuse marriage and sexuality. The first is about a ceremonial binding of two entities. The second is about sex.
Who are you to tell me I cannot marry my dog, or my brother, or my mother, or my fucking bicycle, if I so wish. You don't get to decide these things. Sorry to disappoint you.

A Jury voted 5-2 to hide this post on Fri Apr 18, 2014, 05:12 PM. Reason: This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1218&pid=124676

Starboard Tack (10,698 posts)
177. No, I am not equating it with anything.

We should all have the right to marry whomever or whatever, provided it is consensual and conducted of sound mind.
Do you have a problem with sisters marrying each other? I don't. How about other family members? Do you draw lines and, if so, why?

My point, as I'm sure you are already aware, was about seeking approval from the RCC or any other church, to get married. That approval comes from within one's own conscience. Official approval comes from the state. Fuck the church and fuck those who want to paint me as an enemy of equal rights. Fuck the bigots and bullies and nasty hate mongering anti-theists. Fuck all fascists.

Happy Easter!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1218&pid=124679

I bolded that last part to highlight the hypocrisy of calling the people who were intelligent and righteous enough to criticize your homophobic statements "bigots" and the gall it took to attack them for doing so.

[AtheistCrusader]

18. +1

It's amazing that someone who repeats bigoted right wing homophobic talking points, is somehow an expert on hate in/from the bible.

That's just fucking amazing.

[beam me up scottie]

19. And who think they have the right to lecture others about bigotry.

He should clean out that nasty basement and get his own house in order.

An apology to DU's lgbt members would be a good start.

[Starboard Tack]

22. Thanks again BMUS

What we all do without you? Thanks especially for bolding the best part.
Yeah!
Fuck all who would restrict the rights of others!
Fuck the church and fuck those who want to paint me as an enemy of equal rights.
Fuck the bigots and bullies and nasty hate mongering anti-theists.
Fuck all fascists.

But at the same time, strive to be compassionate, and do unto others as you would have done unto you.

Big cheer for you BMUS, you are the bestest! Have a super duper day!

[AlbertCat]

12. Saying "The Bible supports slavery" is like saying the library supports slavery.

That's funny!

Are you saying a library supports everything in every book on its shelves????

The Bible, unlike a library, gives instructions on how much to pay for slaves and how to treat them... repeatedly... within ITS pages. They aren't the library's ages.


Ridiculous in the extreme.

"White supremacists said the same thing. Are you agreeing with them?" I agree with them that the Bible supports slavery.... because it does.

Are you saying that because 2 people clearly see the same words on a page and understand what they mean that they agree on everything?

Guilt by association.... six degrees of Kevin Bacon....

Ridiculous in the extreme.

[Starboard Tack]

13. Wrong! The bible is an anthology which contains many books

Some people pick isolated stories to justify their intolerance, regardless of their belief in a deity. Cartoonist is a prime example and if you agree with his outrageous statement, then you are another.

How does the NT support slavery? Give me a quote. How does Genesis support slavery?
Now, if you want a document that does support slavery, then you need look no further than your wonderful Constitution. In the 72 years between the election of George Washington and the election of Abraham Lincoln, 50 of those years had a slaveholder as president of the United States, and, for that whole period of time, there was never a person elected to a second term who was not a slaveholder.

Looks like slavery was OK back in the day. Should the bible be amended, like the Constitution? Should we edit all the books to change history? Or should we move on and deal with what folk actually believe today?

[AlbertCat]

14. The bible is an anthology which contains many books

Last edited Tue Sep 15, 2015, 04:24 PM - Edit history (2)

So it's nothing like a whole? No one is to think the Bible is Christian but a bunch of different Christian thingies you can pick an choose from?


"Some people pick isolated stories to justify their intolerance,"

So, the Bible is to be taken as a whole? Picking and choosing is invalid?


More and more ridiculous.... -er


Try to make up your mind before you pull a muscle tying yourself in knots.


The Bible IS an anthology of books. But not books on all kinds of subjects and themes. It's related books about a narrow subject.

And the Bible condones slavery (unless the author is the slave) because slavery was a common thing in the ancient world, when the books were written.

The most tangental scan would tell one this.

[Starboard Tack]

23. You appeared to be getting the drift Albert.

Then you lost it again.
NO! The bible should not be taken as a whole. Obviously, there are some on both extremes who take it as a whole, the so-called word of god, which is ridiculous, as so much of its content is self contradictory, and so much is absurd if taken literally.

Have you ever been to a library, or book store. They are split into sections. The bible is in one section, along with the Quran and other books on religion and mysticism.
Picking and choosing is completely valid.

So all books written in the US before 1865 also condoned slavery? Is that what you are saying. All who believe in the Constitution, as it was written, condone slavery?
Sheesh! Talk about tying oneself up in knots. I hope you don't do that in the knitting group.

And the Bible condones slavery (unless the author is the slave) because slavery was a common thing in the ancient world, when the books were written.

The most tangental scan would tell one this.

'Nuff said You win the prize!

[AlbertCat]

41. Well....

...... you didn't get the drift of my post at all.

You really should stop preaching and listen to someone other than yourself for a change.



Just utterly ridiculous.

[cleanhippie]

42. "You really should stop preaching and listen to someone other than yourself for a change. "

Nailed it!

[AtheistCrusader]

17. Here's the difference.

The constitution is just a human contract. We made it up. It's ours. We can change it.

The bible is supposed to be the immutable insight into an alleged god. Slightly different.

Our constitution isn't a jealous god that must supplant all other constitutions. Our constitution has innate processes by which it can be revised, and improved, or destroyed and replaced.

There is literally no correlation between the two concepts.

[AtheistCrusader]

16. Man, if false equivocation was an alternative energy source, you could power a medium sized city.

Those 'stories' that make up the canon versions of the bible, speak to what god allegedly WANTS us to do, how it wants us to behave. It's not observing the behaviors of mere mortals. It's not history. It's MEANT as a manual. Insight into the supreme thingy that supposedly created us, and has a plan for us to fill our part.

That plan, according to the rules/doctrine/manual that is known as the Abrahamic bible, is dripping with hate. Absolutely dripping.

This is not true of all religions, mind you.

[Cartoonist]

20. This is not a story.

Punishments for Sin
20 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any Israelite or any foreigner residing in Israel who sacrifices any of his children to Molek is to be put to death. The members of the community are to stone him. 3 I myself will set my face against him and will cut him off from his people; for by sacrificing his children to Molek, he has defiled my sanctuary and profaned my holy name. 4 If the members of the community close their eyes when that man sacrifices one of his children to Molek and if they fail to put him to death, 5 I myself will set my face against him and his family and will cut them off from their people together with all who follow him in prostituting themselves to Molek.

6 “‘I will set my face against anyone who turns to mediums and spiritists to prostitute themselves by following them, and I will cut them off from their people.

7 “‘Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God. 8 Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the Lord, who makes you holy.

9 “‘Anyone who curses their father or mother is to be put to death. Because they have cursed their father or mother, their blood will be on their own head.

10 “‘If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death.

11 “‘If a man has sexual relations with his father’s wife, he has dishonored his father. Both the man and the woman are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

12 “‘If a man has sexual relations with his daughter-in-law, both of them are to be put to death. What they have done is a perversion; their blood will be on their own heads.

13 “‘If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

14 “‘If a man marries both a woman and her mother, it is wicked. Both he and they must be burned in the fire, so that no wickedness will be among you.

15 “‘If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he is to be put to death, and you must kill the animal.

16 “‘If a woman approaches an animal to have sexual relations with it, kill both the woman and the animal. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

17 “‘If a man marries his sister, the daughter of either his father or his mother, and they have sexual relations, it is a disgrace. They are to be publicly removed from their people. He has dishonored his sister and will be held responsible.

18 “‘If a man has sexual relations with a woman during her monthly period, he has exposed the source of her flow, and she has also uncovered it. Both of them are to be cut off from their people.

19 “‘Do not have sexual relations with the sister of either your mother or your father, for that would dishonor a close relative; both of you would be held responsible.

20 “‘If a man has sexual relations with his aunt, he has dishonored his uncle. They will be held responsible; they will die childless.

21 “‘If a man marries his brother’s wife, it is an act of impurity; he has dishonored his brother. They will be childless.

22 “‘Keep all my decrees and laws and follow them, so that the land where I am bringing you to live may not vomit you out. 23 You must not live according to the customs of the nations I am going to drive out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them. 24 But I said to you, “You will possess their land; I will give it to you as an inheritance, a land flowing with milk and honey.” I am the Lord your God, who has set you apart from the nations.

25 “‘You must therefore make a distinction between clean and unclean animals and between unclean and clean birds. Do not defile yourselves by any animal or bird or anything that moves along the ground—those that I have set apart as unclean for you. 26 You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.

27 “‘A man or woman who is a medium or spiritist among you must be put to death. You are to stone them; their blood will be on their own heads.’”
-----

That is some pretty vile shit. If that is your Lord, then your Lord is an evil monster. Damn right I am intolerant of that crap. My question for you is, how can you be tolerant of it?

[Starboard Tack]

24. Sounds like Texas

Of course I am not tolerant of that crap, and who the fuck is Molek?

Where did I ever say anyone should be tolerant of anything written in the bible?

I am tolerant of those who choose to believe such crap, not the crap itself. Are you getting it yet?

I am tolerant of people's rights to believe and do whatever suits them, provided they hurt nobody.

We can't control people's thoughts, and we shouldn't try. But if and when those thoughts are turned into actions, then they become accountable.

I don't have lord, btw.

But, cherry picking a few quotes like you did does not make the entire anthology a "manual of hatred".
It just shows that we haven't progressed too far in terms of loving each other.

[trotsky]

25. "We can't control people's thoughts, and we shouldn't try."

So, I shouldn't try to engage with a racist, to change his or her mind about other races?

I shouldn't engage with a misogynist, to improve his attitude and understanding about women and their varying birth control needs?

cherry picking a few quotes like you did does not make the entire anthology a "manual of hatred".

Cherry picking a few quotes doesn't make it a "book of love," either.

[Starboard Tack]

26. Of course you should "engage" with them

I do it all the time. Best way to engage, IMO, is to find common ground, if there is any, and go from there. Alienating folk from the get go is unlikely to be productive. Instead of insulting them for their belief in a deity, ask them why they are intolerant. If they are christian, ask them what Jesus would do and think and how that fits with their feelings about others.
Cherry picking quotes definitely does not make it a book of love, I agree. The very fact that we are able to cherry pick means it is very inconsistent in terms of moral instructions and messages.
I'm sure my problems with the bible are no different to your own. My issue is with extremism.
I expect bible thumping evangelicals to be extreme, but not atheists.

Yes, we should speak out when religion encroaches on the secular world of government and public education. Yes, we should speak out when the religious try to impose their rules on the rest of us.
But they have a right to believe whatever and I respect that right, not the belief. When their beliefs impact on those outside their church, or religious circle, then we should speak out forcefully.

[trotsky]

27. Now you're contradicting yourself.

You say we shouldn't try to change minds, but you admit sometimes we should.

You're completely full of it. All you want to do is broadcast hate by smearing people as "extremists." I have no idea why anyone should take you seriously.

[Starboard Tack]

28. Completely full of what? Where is the contradiction?

Why do we participate here on DU, if not to exchange ideas and sometimes change minds. A rigid mind is an unhealthy mind. I see no contradiction there at all.
Respecting someone's right to believe in a god and worship as he pleases, has nothing to do with engaging in a mutually desired conversation about belief and religion. If that person's beliefs interfere with the rest of us, then we don't need their permission to speak out.
Where do I say we shouldn't try to change minds?
And there I was, thinking trotsky actually wants a conversation. Silly me!

I don't "smear" people as extremists. I call it as I see it. If you think everything in the bible is about hatred, then I see you as an extremist. If you think every word in the bible is the word of god, then I see you as an extremist.

If you think tolerance of another's right to believe whatever is apologizing for homophobia and pedophilia, then I see you as an extremist.

I don't broadcast hate, my friend, the haters do that very well without any help from me. If I preach anything, it is tolerance, and I strive for humility (not always easy). If you see that as spreading hatred, then that is your problem, not mine.

Believe it or not, a lot of folk take me seriously, and I have wonderful conversations with believers and non-believers. It's all about mutual respect and a healthy sense of humor. Give it a try sometime, it won't kill you. Might even give you some peace of mind.

Anyway, I hope you are well and enjoying life, which is way too short for bickering. It was good to talk to you again.

[trotsky]

29. What you are calling "controlling thoughts" is simply the act of expressing opinions...

and attempting to change minds. You can't have it both ways, berating people for trying to change minds but then admitting that sometimes it's necessary. That's bullshit. And when you ratchet it up by accusing people of being "extremists" when that's utterly ridiculous, you foster hatred and animosity. Extremists KILL PEOPLE. So knock it the fuck off.

I do not enjoy talking with you (not many people do evidently), but your hypocritical actions here demand confrontation. You have labeled other DUers "vermin." Your understanding of the reproductive needs of women is primitive and insulting. You spew hatred and anger, and spread animosity. Multiple DUers have called you out on this behavior, and you persist.

You want to be taken seriously? Apologize for calling DUers "vermin." Apologize for thinking that all women need for birth control is a pack of condoms. Apologize for promoting the right-wing meme that gay marriage will lead to marrying animals or inanimate objects.

AND THEN STOP DOING THOSE THINGS.

[beam me up scottie]

31. Well said, trotsky.

I doubt that he'll take your advice but someone had to say it.

[Starboard Tack]

32. Oh trotsky, trotsky, trotsky

Are you really feeling persecuted by me and my non existent merry band of extreme tolerants?

Gotta go to town now. Francis is calling

[trotsky]

36. You couldn't persecute me if you tried.

The fact that you can't even bring yourself to apologize and admit error for assuming women can just go buy condoms if their employer denies them birth control coverage says all that people need to know about you.

[Starboard Tack]

37. Here you go trotsky.

If there are any women out there who are unable to get birth control because their employer refuses to cover their healthcare on religious grounds, then I duly apologize to those women.

I can't imagine where that would be. But I'll take your word for it that such places and situations exist.

BTW, do you have healthcare? If so, does it cover your condom purchases? I must have been missing something along the way. Probably because I've never had medical insurance. Never could afford it. Good to be back in a national health providing country.

And glad to know you don't feel persecuted.

[trotsky]

40. What the fuck do you mean "IF"!?!?

There ARE!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burwell_v._Hobby_Lobby_Stores,_Inc.

And has been explained to you multiple times, women take birth control medication for reasons OTHER than preventing pregnancy. This is NOT just about buying or using condoms.

EDUCATE YOURSELF.

[Starboard Tack]

43. Good. Keep up the fight. I support you in it.

Might be better if things were better described for what they are intended.
Condescension doesn't suit you. Hopefully, you'll learn that along the way. Your message is often right on, but your delivery really sucks at times. Messages are useless if you alienate your audience. Take it from one who knows.

[trotsky]

44. You are in absolutely no position to lecture ANYONE, so don't even try.

Sincerely apologize for calling DUers "vermin."

Sincerely apologize for being either woefully clueless or intentionally cruel by implying that women's reproductive coverage needs can be met with a box of condoms.

Sincerely apologize AND STOP FUCKING DOUBLING, TRIPLING, QUADRUPLING down on your alleged "super-tolerance" you try to demonstrate by parroting the ridiculous right-wing memes about marrying animals or inaminate objects.

I've never done anything as outlandish as the above. "Take it from one who knows"? What, about problems with "delivery"?? Jesus H. Christ man, those three things above are problems WAY BEYOND simple "delivery" - don't you see that? No one on DU is a disease-spreading sub-human creature. Such a comparison is beyond the pale and it's not a Godwin to note that the fucking Nazis did that sort of shit. You shouldn't be doing it on DU.

SO KNOCK IT OFF ALREADY. Drop the attitude, and just be a decent person FOR ONCE.

[Starboard Tack]

45. Thanks for proving my point.

I still love you , btw. You remind me sometimes of myself, many decades ago. I'm sure you are probably a nice guy IRL, as most here are. As rug has mentioned, the internet does weird things to some folk. Lots of hall monitors who think should be running the world, telling people how to behave, never taking advice, never asking real questions. Know what I mean.

I would never call anyone vermin, btw, but some have decided to own the description as some kind of badge of honor. Takes all sorts.
I have dormice in my ceiling, at present, making a hell of a racket. Seriosly, it's been going on all summer, and they are multiplying like, well, like dormice do. Might have to call an exterminator. Such fun the rustic life.
Nice chatting with you. You're like a new pen pal Who crops up once every year or two.

Buona notte!

[beam me up scottie]

47. Lots of hall monitors who think should be running the world, telling people how to behave...

Yes, I know exactly what you mean, where is...nevermind.

[Starboard Tack]

57. I bet you were never a hall monitor bmus

But I bet you were buddies with them. Helped them with homework and stuff, like the sweetheart you are. Your loyalty to the cause is admirable.

[beam me up scottie]

58. No I was the one beating up bigoted bullies who called my friends names.

[Starboard Tack]

69. I knew we were kindred spirits.

When did it all change for you?

See, I never stopped confronting the bullies and bigots. As the keeper of all my posts, you should know that.
Go back a few years and you will see the only reason I came to this group, in the first place, was to defend family members and friends who were being bullied and insulted by the usual suspects. People who rode the bus, marched with Dr King, faced the clubs and tear gas in Chicago, but Dawkins forbid, dared to come into this group and express their religious beliefs.
That is why I came here. To confront bullies. Otherwise, I don't have much interest in religion.

[trotsky]

72. Revisionist bullshit!

Your father-in-law announced his presence here by saying that...

"None of us would want to live in a society without some sort of an ethical sensitivity based on solid religious faith."
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Thats%20my%20opinion/11

All the people you have ridiculously slammed as "bigots" or "bullies" merely expressed their opinion to him that such a sentiment was religious bigotry. There's nothing wrong with non-religious ethics. Your FIL, much like you (go figure), just kept doubling down, never apologizing, just further trying to drive home his belief that religious ethics and religious people were superior to atheists.

Since then, those of us who spoke up against his bigotry have been targeted and attacked.

[Starboard Tack]

77. Thanks for saving us all the trouble of finding the link

Who do you think you are that anyone should apologize to you for expressing their thoughts and beliefs?
If you engage in bullying and bigotry, you should expect a proportionate response. Instead, you double down and continue to attack and bully.
I know you don't believe in it, but it's called "Karma". Deal with it.

"Revionist bullshit" indeed. Bravo!

[trotsky]

79. "Karma" is when you get locked out of your own thread.

For the very behavior you're condemning in others.

Bravo, indeed.

[beam me up scottie]

81. Posting homophobic statements on DU and calling the people who criricize you bigots...

I believe that's called hypocrisy.

Deal with that.

[beam me up scottie]

80. Nice try but you're the one who called atheists "vermin".

All because they disagreed with religious people on DU.

And that was after you compared people who want to marry their same sex partners to someone wanting to marry animals, family members and inanimate objects.

The only reason I bother to confront you at all is to call out those intolerant statements when you have the nerve to lecture others about bigotry.

So I don't give a fuck if doing so makes me a bully in your mind.

[Curmudgeoness]

48. "I would never call anyone vermin"

What was this supposed to be then?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=thread&address=1225582&alert=7#post7

[Starboard Tack]

53. A metaphor.

And a very apt one for the thread it was posted in. There sure is a lot of thin skin and fragile self esteem around here when folk get offended by metaphors. Hell, I could list quite few that have been used when pointing fun at believers and tolerant atheists. Lots of nautical ones too. I don't get offended, because I don't identify with the metaphors.

[beam me up scottie]

55. Really? A metaphor? Like this?:

[Starboard Tack]

62. Nice one BMUS

We can always rely on you to keep things classy.

[beam me up scottie]

78. Nazis called Jews vermin, you called atheists vermin and I'm the one without class?

You don't get to decide which minorities are worthy of being considered human beings.

[Curmudgeoness]

61. Maybe there are people who will believe it was a metaphor.

Last edited Wed Sep 30, 2015, 01:26 PM - Edit history (1)

I'm not buying it.

Regarding thin skin, don't worry about us. I doubt that you can offend us. We have to put up with a lot all the time, and not just online. We are strong.

[Starboard Tack]

66. I have no desire to offend you or anyone else

If you choose that as a badge of honor, I wish you well.
If you feel the need to join a group to be strong, then it should be obvious why so many join churches for the same reason.
If your group, as a whole, decides to bully people around here, then you should expect to be called on it. I never saw you as one of the bullies, and still don't. I wish you well.

[beam me up scottie]

50. Link to you calling atheists "vermin"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1225&pid=595

Starboard Tack (10,719 posts)

7. Ignore them. They neither help nor hinder

They are irrelevant and it is their irrelevance that both pisses them off and motivates them. They have no substance and seek to feed off those who do. Responding to their mockery and theophobia only encourages them.
If you leave crumbs on the lunch room counter, the vermin will come to feed. Keep it clean and they will crawl back to the dark corners to fester and eventually consume each other.

Take comfort in the knowledge that most of us, including atheists, are praying in our own ways for those who are suffering. And we don't care if some choose to pray to a deity. It's the thought that counts.

[beam me up scottie]

51. Link to the group host stating he told you not to call atheists "vermin" again:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6590512

hrmjustin (62,740 posts)

203. And i asked him note to do that again.


Your right I shoukd have caught it last night but did not.

[trotsky]

56. Spare me the ridiculous condescension and act like an adult.

"telling people how to behave, never taking advice, never asking real questions"

Yeah, I know what you mean. I've seen you doing that your entire stay at DU, and you're still doing it right now.

I thought given the opportunity to apologize for the insulting things you've said might just help us turn over a new leaf. I was so wrong. Don't know why I should have expected any more.

I am no friend to someone who blithely dismisses women's reproductive needs and rights. I am no friend to someone who labels fellow human beings as sub-human, disease-carrying animals. I am no friend to someone who perpetuates hateful right-wing memes. I am no friend to you.

But at least I understand now why you act the way you do.

[Starboard Tack]

63. Hey buddy, you took that label on yourself. Complain to VNN's derision division.

But if the shoe fits...
Saying something 100 times doesn't make it true.

[trotsky]

64. Of course, we embraced your hatred.

Turned it around and made it a comedy. Lots of laughs at your expense.

Doesn't change the fact that you used the term, viciously, to describe decent human beings. All you need to do is apologize, and perhaps you could help be the change.

Or just continue with your bile and condescension. Your choice.

[Starboard Tack]

67. Except I don't hate you

I doubt any of you laughed as hard as I when I saw how you adopted the label. But each to his own. I love you all.

It is always good policy to not leave crumbs and scraps in the kitchen, especially when there are pests around, even though the pests are sometimes pets or children. I'm dealing with dormice and termites at the moment, both in my ceiling. Let me tell you, I'd rather be dealing with you guys. You provide wonderful entertainment during breaks.

Remember trotsky, it's only the internet. Don't let metaphors get you down. Celebrate all the attention you get from it, all your followers. You're like the Pied Piper around here, at least when Scottie's on vacation.

Have fun! And please feel free to make any jokes you like at my expense. I'm happy to entertain.

[trotsky]

68. It's not a laughing matter.

And your "aw shucks" method of trying to save face while avoiding a real apology is tired and lame.

Multiple DUers, even those you didn't label "vermin," have taken you to task for your behavior. But you see nothing wrong with it - you just keep doubling down and saying the problem is with everyone else.

"If you run into an asshole in the morning, you ran into an asshole. If you run into assholes all day, you're the asshole." -- Raylan Givens, Justified

Note to the jury who will likely be called for this post: please, read the entire thread.

[Starboard Tack]

71. I hope nobody alerts on you. I certainly won't

Multiple DUers, even those you didn't label "vermin," have taken you to task for your behavior. But you see nothing wrong with it - you just keep doubling down and saying the problem is with everyone else.

Who are these "multiple DUers" that you keep talking about? You and ???
And who are the ones I labeled?

Repeating something over and over doesn't make it true, no matter how many buy the lie.
There are folk, multiple folk, who believe the distortions and crap they see on Fox News, or in the National Enquirer. As they say, "paper never refuses ink".

Note to the jury who will likely be called for this post: please, read the entire thread.

I don't really think you mean that

Turned it around and made it a comedy. Lots of laughs at your expense.

[trotsky]

73. muriel_volestrangler and Curmudgeoness, to start.

Then again maybe you consider them to be vermin as well. I don't know.

[cleanhippie]

70. No one is making jokes at your expense, tacky.

You're the one onstage making everyone laugh at you.

[Starboard Tack]

74. Are you saying trotsky is a liar? Check post 64. It's in englsh.

OMG, they're starting to turn on each other

I love to entertain, btw. A man who can make others laugh is worth his weight in gold. As long as I can entertain and distract, it keeps you away from attacking the good people who post here. Though most have been chased away.
The religion group has become an splinter of the A&A group, dominated by a handful of antitheist theophobes. Pretty funny when you think about it.

Feel free to alert on any and all of my horribly offensive posts. I'm done with this thread. So, you can chat and giggle among yourselves. It was fun entertaining you.
Let the wailing and gnashing of teeth begin!

[cleanhippie]

76. Buh-bye!

[AtheistCrusader]

82. Well, we vermin do that sort of thing, you see.

Thanks for that meme by the way. You contribute so much to our lives.

[Lordquinton]

83. Thought control is the baileywick of the RCC

What with the whole "thinking it is as bad as doing it" doctrine, I've had friends so messed up from that, the preemptive guilt trips, it's crazy. And offencive that it gets hand waved away, then applied to people trying to shine light on it.

[trotsky]

84. Thought control indeed. From another thread:

“. . . religious submission of the intellect and will must be given to a doctrine which the Supreme Pontiff or the college of bishops declares concerning faith or morals . . . therefore, the Christian faithful are to take care to avoid those things which do not agree with it.” Canon 752.

[Cartoonist]

30. Cherry Picking?

You want I should cut and paste the whole book of Leviticus? Do you think that's the only ugly part of the Bible? Get thee to a library and read it because obviously you only know the cherry-picked good parts.

Do you have any children? How about sacrificing one of them to God? Not funny? I don't think so either.

God just turned your wife into a pillar of salt, so what do you do? Have sex with your daughters.

You want more, or do you just want the chapters with Peter Cottontail in them?

As long as the Bible has all this shit in it, it's a hate manual.


Who Am I?

[Starboard Tack]

33. Now, if you said "some of the bible" I would have agreed

It's the absolutism that lets you down.
Gotta run

[Cartoonist]

34. So if the salad you eat

Only has some shit on it, it's still yummy?

[trotsky]

35. AHAHAHAHAHA

Ewww but AHAHAHAHa

[Act_of_Reparation]

38. And Battlefied Earth is a great film...

...except for all the parts that suck.

A Momentary Lapse of Reason is a superb Pink Floyd album... except tracks 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Dan Brown is an incredible writer; it's unfortunate that everything written before and after The DaVinci Code was terrible. But no one's perfect!

Because real liberals never judge a work by its aggregate content.

[Starboard Tack]

39. Now that is pretty funny

Disgusting, but funny.
Salad is never what I would call "yummy". Edible and healthy, even tasty at times.
I don't eat or read the bible. Got better things to do, like enjoying the colors of the world.

I read it as a kid and choose to remember the good parts. Didn't take much remembering, but there were some nuggets which have worked for me. YMMV

[Warren Stupidity]

46. "I don't eat or read the bible" - well that explains your ignorance on its contents.

[Starboard Tack]

49. Yup!