Controversial Does God Exist?

[ant-mac]

Um no, you haven't. You've seen the Bond one and this one (which was baloney and the mod knows it). I have consistently ridiculed the post, not the poster.

There are other examples of your inappropriate behaviour dotted about all over this website. The fact that you are ignorant or unaware of them does not excuse them. I am a strong supporter of passionate and robust debate and discussion, but I do not support your habit of employing personal insults against your opponents.

I have also acted in accordance and in compliance with the CODE OF CONDUCT.

Um nope. Continued behaviour? Personal attacks. What on earth are you talking about?

This merely demonstrates that you lack the maturity and intellectual capacity to monitor and be aware of your own behaviour.

Demonstrate one personal attack on this thread please, liar.

You have just demonstrated one yourself. Thank you for making my task easy.

However, on occasion, you have referred to the posts of other members as gibberish. That is not passionate or robust debating, that is merely insulting another member on a personal basis. On occasion, you have also acted in a manner that could easily be interpreted as condescending, insulting and perhaps even borderline sexist.

Which attacks would these be, liar?

Are you really so unaware of your antisocial behaviour?

You also accuse other members of holding opinions or points of view that they clearly do not, whilst clearly lacking the capacity to comprehend exactly what it is they are saying.

The only person I have seen on this forum whose behaviour is demonstrably trollish and unpleasant is...

Yourself possibly? Are you that self-aware?

You have previously instructed other members to educate themselves. I now suggest that to you.

well, why don't you click on the negative ratings and see for yourself.

Yes, it's absolutely terrible! Those three negative ratings have really shaken me up and caused me to question my faith in Humankind. If only I had some positive ratings as well, to balance out the negative ones. Oh wait... I have. In fact, I currently have over 1 400 positive ratings, Hux. How many do you have?

By the way, I hope you realize that as a staff member I could erase those negative ratings anytime I wished...

Hint: He's the one that rushed like a bat out of hell to like your gibberish post.

Rushed?

I read another member's post - which she had clearly put her heart and soul into composing - and at the end, because I agreed with it, I indicated so. Why is there a problem with that?

And now we come to the business end of this post.

In the past, my fellow staff members and I have been more than patient with you and have given you every opportunity to rectify your unacceptable behaviour. It appears that you have chosen not to do so. Despite a previous warning from me on this thread, you have continued acting in an unacceptable manner that is in contravention of the CODE OF CONDUCT.

You are in violation of rule two and rule three.

02. Please conduct yourself in a civilized and reasonable manner on this forum and abide by the decisions of all staff members at all times. Please treat all other members in a civilized and respectful manner. All members should promote harmony on this forum. Do not disrupt the normal and orderly operation of this forum in any way. Doing so may result in temporary suspension or permanent expulsion.

03. Do not post abusive and / or insulting messages on this forum. Foul language is permitted on this forum, provided it is not directed towards another member in the form of a personal attack. Do not bully and / or troll other members of this forum. Doing so may result in temporary suspension or permanent expulsion.

Therefore, you are now banned from this thread until further notice and you have earned yourself a warning point. Further inappropriate behaviour will attract further punishment.

Please familiarize yourself with the CODE OF CONDUCT.

If you wish to discuss this matter further for any reason, please contact a staff member via the conversation function.

 

[Amyghost]

Amy, I admire your calm, logical responses to a man who has laughed off several warnings by @ant-mac, @DeJoHnNiE and @Alex Vojacek but I ,personally, am enormously offended by the comment about some kind of "otherworldly" being living in your anus. I have observed this person ignore any number of interventions by staff that he control his mouth and his attitude and have seen no intention on his part to do any of those things much less take them seriously.

Although I am highly reluctant to report him for this continued behavior, I am also unwilling to let it go by as if it makes no difference whatsoever. It makes a difference to me. I am tired of it beyond belief and have finally come to the conclusion that his personal attacks on members of this site constitutes the "Troll-Like" behavior that we all agreed had and has no place on this site. In point of fact, we all agreed to a code of conduct when we joined this site prohibiting exactly this kind of behavior and if you wish to continue with him, dealing rationally with what is clearly irrational behavior, I will let it go. But this is most decidedly not what the rest of us come here for and I am sick to death of watching it continue unabated.

I accept that this is a "controversial" thread but that in no way makes it open for personal attacks and non-stop vitriol directed at anyone who disagrees with his POV or challenges his right to make those attacks. So I will leave it up to you as you are largely the person he has chosen to direct those attacks at. But once again, I have taken some of those attacks personally myself and will report him for them unless you choose to ask me to just let it be. I leave you this choice because you have remained the voice of reason, no one but AM has called him on them in this particular thread and therefore you have earned the right to make the decision for yourself.

@ant-mac, by no means does any of this mean that I have any less respect for your authority nor do I believe that you have dealt with him in any less of a rational fashion. But given that he won't even listen to you of all people, I'll report him if you have no objections either. It is not my goal to override your decisions in this matter; more that I think adding more weight to the behavior at hand may help to serve our agreement that his behavior is unacceptable to us all and he seems to think that he is beyond all of it.

This is, without question, the most awful and painful post I have made on this site. But I just cannot continue going on as if his behavior doesn't matter or, that if we ignore it long enough, it will simply go away. So forgive me one and all. But we, in this country, are faced with a man in office who operates in much the same fashion and as far as I'm concerned, no one is above the law. Even when it is only the law as we have agreed to on this site. If the group in question believes it best, I will remove this post (or asked for it to be removed) but in the meantime, I am tired of observing this behavior continue ad nauseam without feeling the need to comment on my own beliefs insofar as this is all concerned.

Now, please feel free to continue your conversation uninterrupted.
It's just another observation by The Wacky Norwegian Woman!

Janine, thanks--and my deepest personal apologies for having had any part in what I can see is a very real problem for you.

I find Hux's behavior troubling, to put it bluntly. I came onto a light thread with what, to me anyway, was a fairly innocuous post, only to have it fastened on like a fruit bat with an apple, by someone who was apparently angered by my words well past any point those words would seem capable of driving someone to. I had hoped to let it be the usual natter back and forth and that would be the end of it. When that didn't work, I tried turning it aside in a mildly jocular manner. That only seemed to make it worse.

I have no idea what Hux's problem may be (nor, once again, to be painfully blunt, do I particularly care, as I have no interest in being anyone's internet Father Confessor). But I do see that he appears to have anger issues that are making it really difficult for him to exchange with others here in a manner that keeps within the boundaries of the forum conditions. Worst of all he either can't, or is committed to being determined not to try and, see that his actions are offensive, disrespectful, insulting and plain ridiculous, given the context these responses are being made in. Why he feels the need to escalate this issue into a personal WWIII is beyond me, but I have a feeling there may be other facets involved in such an over-the-top response that we're not seeing.

I won't advise you you to report or not; you can only make that decision for yourself, and I've been here long enough already to see that, unlike IMDb, it's a hard one. But I do agree that there appears to be something radically wrong here, and I don't think if it goes unchecked it's at all apt to straighten out by itself.

And Janine--have no fear. I've rinsed my hands of this. I long since learned that the only thing that can be accomplished through repeated discussion with those of Hux's stripe (which isn't really discussion at all, just repeated head-bashing, as I noted earlier) is to elevate one's own blood pressure, and to no positive end. I'll save that one for the next Trump protest, lol. I'm happy enough to let this one go by the boards--and thanks again for the well thought-out post. It was much needed by this point.

 

[Amyghost]

There are other examples of your inappropriate behaviour dotted about all over this website. The fact that you are ignorant or unaware of them does not excuse them. I am a strong supporter of passionate and robust debate and discussion, but I do not support your habit of employing personal insults against your opponents.

I have also acted in accordance and in compliance with the CODE OF CONDUCT.

This merely demonstrates that you lack the maturity and intellectual capacity to monitor and be aware of your own behaviour.

You have just demonstrated one yourself. Thank you for making my task easy.

However, on occasion, you have referred to the posts of other members as gibberish. That is not passionate or robust debating, that is merely insulting another member on a personal basis. On occasion, you have also acted in a manner that could easily be interpreted as condescending, insulting and perhaps even borderline sexist.

Are you really so unaware of your antisocial behaviour?

You also accuse other members of holding opinions or points of view that they clearly do not, whilst clearly lacking the capacity to comprehend exactly what it is they are saying.

Yourself possibly? Are you that self-aware?

You have previously instructed other members to educate themselves. I now suggest that to you.

Yes, it's absolutely terrible! Those three negative ratings have really shaken me up and caused me to question my faith in Humankind. If only I had some positive ratings as well, to balance out the negative ones. Oh wait... I have. In fact, I currently have over 1 400 positive ratings, Hux. How many do you have?

By the way, I hope you realize that as a staff member I could erase those negative ratings anytime I wished...

Rushed?

I read another member's post - which she had clearly put her heart and soul into composing - and at the end, because I agreed with it, I indicated so. Why is there a problem with that?

And now we come to the business end of this post.

In the past, my fellow staff members and I have been more than patient with you and have given you every opportunity to rectify your unacceptable behaviour. It appears that you have chosen not to do so. Despite a previous warning from me on this thread, you have continued acting in an unacceptable manner that is in contravention of the CODE OF CONDUCT.

You are in violation of rule two and rule three.

02. Please conduct yourself in a civilized and reasonable manner on this forum and abide by the decisions of all staff members at all times. Please treat all other members in a civilized and respectful manner. All members should promote harmony on this forum. Do not disrupt the normal and orderly operation of this forum in any way. Doing so may result in temporary suspension or permanent expulsion.

03. Do not post abusive and / or insulting messages on this forum. Foul language is permitted on this forum, provided it is not directed towards another member in the form of a personal attack. Do not bully and / or troll other members of this forum. Doing so may result in temporary suspension or permanent expulsion.

Therefore, you are now banned from this thread until further notice and you have earned yourself a warning point. Further inappropriate behaviour will attract further punishment.

Please familiarize yourself with the CODE OF CONDUCT.

If you wish to discuss this matter further for any reason, please contact a staff member via the conversation function.

Ant-mac, I admire the reasoned response--and I'm really sorry to have had any part in something that led up to the need for this. All I can say is thanks, and a strong wish that it'll never have to be repeated. I hope to continue to conduct myself in a way that won't make that necessary at any other future time, big mouth though I'm justly credited with possessing, lol.

 

[Janine The Barefoot]

my deepest personal apologies for having had any part in what I can see is a very real problem for you

Oh Amy! My problem is that he's a colossal jackass and it's not that I can't take it, it's that I'd actually like to see that "otherworldly being" stuffed up his *** since that is clearly what drives his brain and is using him as it's "mouth puppet" (That was an approximate take on how he was trying to describe you wasn't it? Because that's what it sounded like to me). Yes, I'm offended by his choice of language. But mostly because it's specifically designed to attack and denigrate women. He would never talk like that to one of our guys, who in turn, would never talk to one of us like that because it simply wouldn't occur to them. We are surrounded by wonderful, huge-hearted men like @chainsaw_metal1 , @Doctor Omega @ant-mac and @High Plains Drifter and so on and so forth. Guys who love us for who we are and Amy.... not to burst your bubble but I've got a couple posts that are.... hmmmmmm...... you try to explain it CS! Chances are I'll just make myself look even worse!

Anyway, I was angry at him. Offended that he chose to go after you, an obviously highly intelligent and rational woman and one who was more than his equal word for word, by the way (thankfully, not limited to words of only two syllables) and that his choice of wording was as deliberately small-brained as he could possibly make it when he determined to aim it at a woman and fire it off like no one would notice. I noticed. I didn't like what it said about him and I don't like what it says about how he feels about women. But.... that is just my observation and my opinion. At no time whatsoever did I find myself having a "wildflower in distress in the corner, spinstress, shocked, little-old lady whose never heard language like that" response! Truthfully, I'm pretty sure some of my language on this site should embarrass even me! But I'm a Wacky Norwegian Woman and our boundaries can get confusing!

So please don't feel like you need to apologize on my behalf! I was impressed! You go girl!!!! Anytime you want to take someone on, I'll be in the bleachers cheering you on. The rest of it.... well..... whatever he may be, he is. I just expect him to use better language! Anus?! Really???? That's the best he's got? Two syllables specifically designed to outrage anyone whose never taken an anatomy class (actually, I do think it's indicative of a larger, more offensive and possibly dangerous type of behavior... but since we've got one "in office" as it were, I supposed I should just get used to it and shut up for four years..... nope, can't do it!) But you Amy, you brilliant, wonderful example of why women should run the planet... well, you just rock!

I simply didn't want to step in on a situation you clearly had handled and one that @ant-mac was already on top of. But at the same time, I wanted you both to know that I was willing to hit the "eject" button (or the one that gets "The Cone of Silence") if either of you wanted some back-up. Two people managing an "over the limit" (him not you) thread is one thing, but when a third who has only been an observer makes a "report" on it to Admin. (Hellooooooooo? @ant-mac deserves some help doing his job guys.... he's been on his own for a bit here and I for one would just like to see him get some support from the guys who appointed him OK?) Well, you would think that would add some extra weight to a burden you were both admirably carrying on your own!

So, Wacky Norwegian Woman signing off from the front lines! Hoping all of you have a happy and "bomb-free" day!

And.... Dancing Bunnies for absolutely no justifiable reason I can think of except that they make me smile..........

 

[chainsaw_metal1]

not to burst your bubble but I've got a couple posts that are.... hmmmmmm...... you try to explain it CS!

@Janine The Barefoot Your posts are breaths of fresh air. They come from someone as twisted as myself, which is always welcome. You know just the right Monty Python reference for any occasion.

 

[Janine The Barefoot]

They come from someone as twisted as myself, which is always welcome. You know just the right Monty Python reference for any occasion.

Cause you know I love you!

And hey, Alice gave me an "I don't get it"...... does that mean I need to explain further or that I'm just not making any sense (big surprise there right?!!!)?

 

[Janine The Barefoot]

Ant-mac, I admire the reasoned response--and I'm really sorry to have had any part in something that led up to the need for this. All I can say is thanks, and a strong wish that it'll never have to be repeated.

Amy.... it's just possible that if I were ever really, truly willing to grow up (I'm 57), you are who I would want to be!

 

[ant-mac]

Ant-mac, I admire the reasoned response--and I'm really sorry to have had any part in something that led up to the need for this. All I can say is thanks, and a strong wish that it'll never have to be repeated. I hope to continue to conduct myself in a way that won't make that necessary at any other future time, big mouth though I'm justly credited with possessing, lol.

Amy, please do not concern yourself at all regarding any of your previous posts on this thread. I have found your behaviour to be rational and reasonable throughout. If at any time you have felt annoyed or frustrated, it is not without good reason.

I just hope that this experience has not deterred you in any way from wishing to remain a member of our little community.

 

[ant-mac]

@Janine The Barefoot - In many ways, Janine, I think you represent the heart and soul of our little community. You certainly represent what is best about us.

And for once, just for you...



Dancing bunnies...

 

[Janine The Barefoot]

@ant-mac ......

Bless you. And the white horse you keep riding in on to the rescue of us all!

And because I know she won't mind if I share it with you......
@duzit 's heart!

.........................................................

 

[Janine The Barefoot]

So, it occurs to me that in my unending Norwegian foolishness, I am now guilty of doing the very thing for which I accused @Hux.

Given that I am no more entitled to be crass or condescending than anyone and therefore have no right to make light of it in any way whatsoever, I would like to publicly apologize for taking anything that @Hux has posted out of context and used it to what may appear as my own ends. Although I may find his comments towards others offensive, that does not, at all, entitle me to use them against him or to alter them and end up being perceived as having done exactly what I have accused him of.

There is no question but that anything on my part that even gives the impression of an attack on another member of this site, is equally offensive and frankly, I should and do expect better from myself.

So please, forgive me for my lack of manners, the often crass way in which I expressed myself in my last, extended post to Amy with regard to the commentary of Hux and know that I have no question that I crossed a line in that post and it's one I should have known better (and do in fact know better) than to even have gotten a toe next to. Honestly, you all deserve an apology for behavior and commentary that is typically not something I would engage in and in fact is an example of the very thing I was trying to object to and so sadly failed at.

I won't edit out that post or asked for it to be removed because I want it to stand as an example of a good intention handled in the worst of ways possible. I want to remember that I crossed the line so that I won't cross it again. I want it to stand because it shows how easy it is to go wrong in the service of what you believe is right. It's an important lesson and one I want to remember and be able to observe.

So, once again, I apologize. It's only right that I should be held to the same standard that I am trying to fight for, for everyone else. I screwed up guys and we should all learn from it!

 

[Doctor Omega]

I cannot, in any way, express things better than Ant Mac did earlier, so I will simply steal his quote wholesale Janine....

In many ways, Janine, I think you represent the heart and soul of our little community. You certainly represent what is best about us.

 

[ant-mac]

@Janine The Barefoot - Well said.

So guess what?

Spoiler

 

[chainsaw_metal1]

Again, I have no bunnies, but I will send out my army of chipmunks to wish you well!

 

[Janine The Barefoot]

I will send out my army of chipmunks to wish you well!

Which is rather like getting an army of chinchillas and you know how I feel about those!!!!!
Thank you CS! Leave it to you to come up with your own "dancing army" that would touch my heart in just the right way.

@ant-mac , @Doctor Omega , @chainsaw_metal1.... I am speechless with awe and gratitude. Since it's you guys that bring
all of this out of me.... you should really be thanking yourselves. I know that I am grateful to all of you, every single day.

 

[duzit]

So, it occurs to me that in my unending Norwegian foolishness, I am now guilty of doing the very thing for which I accused @Hux.

Given that I am no more entitled to be crass or condescending than anyone and therefore have no right to make light of it in any way whatsoever, I would like to publicly apologize for taking anything that @Hux has posted out of context and used it to what may appear as my own ends. Although I may find his comments towards others offensive, that does not, at all, entitle me to use them against him or to alter them and end up being perceived as having done exactly what I have accused him of.

There is no question but that anything on my part that even gives the impression of an attack on another member of this site, is equally offensive and frankly, I should and do expect better from myself.

So please, forgive me for my lack of manners, the often crass way in which I expressed myself in my last, extended post to Amy with regard to the commentary of Hux and know that I have no question that I crossed a line in that post and it's one I should have known better (and do in fact know better) than to even have gotten a toe next to. Honestly, you all deserve an apology for behavior and commentary that is typically not something I would engage in and in fact is an example of the very thing I was trying to object to and so sadly failed at.

I won't edit out that post or asked for it to be removed because I want it to stand as an example of a good intention handled in the worst of ways possible. I want to remember that I crossed the line so that I won't cross it again. I want it to stand because it shows how easy it is to go wrong in the service of what you believe is right. It's an important lesson and one I want to remember and be able to observe.

So, once again, I apologize. It's only right that I should be held to the same standard that I am trying to fight for, for everyone else. I screwed up guys and we should all learn from it!

All right @Janine The Barefoot so you've been a bad girl again. When are you going to get it under control? This was no light infraction of the sites standards. I just don't know what a proper punishment should be this time. Something that will touch your heart. OK, here is what is going to happen starting 5/19 thru 5/20.
Your Dancing Bunnies are GROUNDED. Not one Bunny do I want to see in any of your posts.
This is from your "Furious Duz" !

 

[Janine The Barefoot]

Your Dancing Bunnies are GROUNDED. Not one Bunny do I want to see in any of your posts.

Ohhhhhhh Duz! You really know how to hit a gal where it hurts And....uhmmmmm I invited you to do this didn't I??????
Wow...... you're really good at it! You've surpassed all my expectations...... I'm even kinda speechless....... So, congratulations
for that GF.......

Gee, now what to do about my emoji issue?............

Bottom properly kicked. Ego, sufficiently in check. Behavior rightly chastised. Applause appropriately rendered.

No Bunnies....... Dear god!..... No Bunnies???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

 

[ant-mac]

@Janine The Barefoot - It's okay, I'm not banned, so there you go.

Spoiler

 

[duzit]

I

Ohhhhhhh Duz! You really know how to hit a gal where it hurts And....uhmmmmm I invited you to do this didn't I??????
Wow...... you're really good at it! You've surpassed all my expectations...... I'm even kinda speechless....... So, congratulations
for that GF.......

Gee, now what to do about my emoji issue?............

Bottom properly kicked. Ego, sufficiently in check. Behavior rightly chastised. Applause appropriately rendered.

No Bunnies....... Dear god!..... No Bunnies???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

I thought that would get your attention. Grounding always worked on me, especially during summer vaca.
Mom was tough ! ! !

 

[croft_alice]

Cause you know I love you!

And hey, Alice gave me an "I don't get it"...... does that mean I need to explain further or that I'm just not making any sense (big surprise there right?!!!)?

You didn't make any sense,so i was confused. And i have an opinion about this conversation that you guys have,but i'll keep it for myself,for now