How would you deal with a fundie you have to work with?

His Divine Shadow · Post by **His Divine Shadow** » 2003-03-01 06:01pm

Fundies, practially unheard of here.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-03-01 10:57pm

Howedar wrote:I know quite a few fundamentalists who don't shove their beliefs in my face.

Then they would be irrelevant to this particular discussion, which is about a fundie who won't shut up. What is your problem? First you say we should let fundies rant and not say anything to offend them, then when the stupidity of this approach is pointed out, you say you know fundies who can keep quiet. Well whoop-de-doo! Too bad we weren't talking about that kind of fundie, eh?

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-03-02 12:08am

There are two subjects.
Quoted verbatum:

How would you deal with a fundie you have to work with?
and
Anyone have any fundie stories?

I should think it was obvious that I was speaking of the former, as I didn't tell a story. Considering the typical "would the world be better if all the fundies died?" kind of topics in this forum, it seemed likely that the question was how would one deal with a fundie of any sort, rather than how one would deal with a fundie that wouldn't shut up.

Damn, that is one long sentance.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-03-02 12:19am

Read the first post. He talks specifically about a fundie who spouts his beliefs and doesn't give a shit what anyone else thinks. Now you're just trying to justify your red herring.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-03-02 12:22am

I read it as two different topics.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-03-02 12:25am

Howedar wrote:I read it as two different topics.

Of course. There are two topics: the thread topic and the hijack.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-03-02 12:35am

Are you suggesting that I hijacked the thread, or are you talking about the general shift in topic beginning with the first response?

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-03-02 12:37am

I'm talking about the way a lot of people react to criticism of aggressive fundie behaviour by trying to change the subject to "but not all Christians are like that!". It's an almost ubiquitous response to that sort of topic. And yes, it totally ignores the original thread topic. Allow me to beg forgiveness for actually trying to talk about the original topic

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-03-02 12:40am

I forgive you. I do believe, however, that it is general practice to read preceding responses and speak on the what the topic has become, instead of rehijacking the thread.

UltraViolence83 · Post by **UltraViolence83** » 2003-03-02 12:44am

You've ALL got it easy. I live with a YEC fundie. Top that. I hate the way he smirks at me whenever I mention something that took place over 6,000 years ago.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-03-02 12:51am

I used to have a fundie in my literature class. He carried to school every day a bible, in a case, in his backpack, and would sometimes read it to people. He's going to West Point now and says that "it's the only place that still believes in honor". He talks about the Civil War and Robert E Lee practically every second in history class (I personally wasn't there, but I've heard about it from numerous firsthand witnesses. Poor guys.)

Strangest thing is that he dropped out of Lit class for no obvious reason. he was getting good grades too. I think he dropped out cause it wasn't biblical enough or something.

And for those of us with no debating skills whatsoever (hint: me) or extensive knowledge of the bible and its contradictions, what should we do when faced with a fundie, an aggressive one?

EDIT: This guy is more a Confederate rather than a US civillian.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-03-02 12:53am

Howedar wrote:I forgive you. I do believe, however, that it is general practice to read preceding responses and speak on the what the topic has become, instead of rehijacking the thread.

It's "re-hijacking" a thread to pull it back on topic now?

SyntaxVorlon · Post by **SyntaxVorlon** » 2003-03-02 12:53am

Do what strongbad says steal his lunch.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-03-02 12:55am

Darth Wong wrote:
Howedar wrote:I forgive you. I do believe, however, that it is general practice to read preceding responses and speak on the what the topic has become, instead of rehijacking the thread.
It's "re-hijacking" a thread to pull it back on topic now?

I would have thought so. It is still a quick forced change in topic, right?

Post by **Coyote** » 2003-03-02 12:55am

Had a fundie type that worked at a copy shop I slaved in a few years ago. We had, on the night shift, a gay guy, a lesbian, a Native American, myself, and this Fundie white guy. It was fun.

He'd hound Kevin (the gay guy) about being wrong and going to hell (at one point putting him in tears, the rest of us were unaware of this as we'd've killed the bastard). We tried to get rid of him with complaints but the management felt some responsibility for him since they'd specifically brought him up from Califonia to work at the shop.

The guy did himself in. He started making Nazi posters and used the iron-on shirt machine to make Nazi-themed SS iron-ons for his toddler girl's jammies. This was so up and over the fucking top (got it on tape too) that he was gone the next day.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-03-02 12:57am

Shinova wrote:I used to have a fundie in my literature class. He carried to school every day a bible, in a case, in his backpack, and would sometimes read it to people. He's going to West Point now and says that "it's the only place that still believes in honor". He talks about the Civil War and Robert E Lee practically every second in history class (I personally wasn't there, but I've heard about it from numerous firsthand witnesses. Poor guys.)

Strangest thing is that he dropped out of Lit class for no obvious reason. he was getting good grades too. I think he dropped out cause it wasn't biblical enough or something.

Artsies in university usually tend to have fairly liberal social attitudes. That can probably grate on a fundie. They might have made him read something he found offensive (an extremely long list for some people).

And for those of us with no debating skills whatsoever (hint: me) or extensive knowledge of the bible and its contradictions, what should we do when faced with a fundie, an aggressive one?

If you have no debating skills, don't try to get into a debate. Just tell him that you'll make him a bargain: he won't bother you with his fundie beliefs, and you won't bother him with your Satanist beliefs.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-03-02 01:00am

Howedar wrote:
Darth Wong wrote:It's "re-hijacking" a thread to pull it back on topic now?
I would have thought so. It is still a quick forced change in topic, right?

OK, I've humoured this up till now but you're starting to piss me off. The only person talking about quiet fundies in this thread is YOU. Replies from WP and others (even HG) all respected the thread topic. YOU have been selling a red-herring because YOU are too fucking stubborn to admit error, and now YOU are bullshitting, trying to pretend that there have been people on this tangent BESIDES you. I've tried to pull YOU back on topic, and you're trying to pretend that everyone besides me has been on your red herring, when they haven't. Any idiot can read the first page from beginning to end and see that the majority of posters are talking about aggressive fundies. I can smell your bullshit from a mile away and so can everyone else. Just admit you tried to change the subject and don't pull this chickenshit.

SyntaxVorlon · Post by **SyntaxVorlon** » 2003-03-02 01:16am

Darth Wong wrote:
Shinova wrote:I used to have a fundie in my literature class. He carried to school every day a bible, in a case, in his backpack, and would sometimes read it to people. He's going to West Point now and says that "it's the only place that still believes in honor". He talks about the Civil War and Robert E Lee practically every second in history class (I personally wasn't there, but I've heard about it from numerous firsthand witnesses. Poor guys.)

Strangest thing is that he dropped out of Lit class for no obvious reason. he was getting good grades too. I think he dropped out cause it wasn't biblical enough or something.
Artsies in university usually tend to have fairly liberal social attitudes. That can probably grate on a fundie. They might have made him read something he found offensive (an extremely long list for some people).
And for those of us with no debating skills whatsoever (hint: me) or extensive knowledge of the bible and its contradictions, what should we do when faced with a fundie, an aggressive one?
If you have no debating skills, don't try to get into a debate. Just tell him that you'll make him a bargain: he won't bother you with his fundie beliefs, and you won't bother him with your Satanist beliefs.

Or better yet, say:
Don't bother me with your vapid idiotic false idolrous fundie crap, and I won't sacrifice you to the one true god Cthulhu.
Then start chanting Iä Iä Cthulhu Fhtagn.

Either way, if this is a really awful fundie, it won't work. A bunch of them believe that it is their god given duty to be up everybodies asses.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-03-02 01:32am

Darth Wong wrote: OK, I've humoured this up till now but you're starting to piss me off. The only person talking about quiet fundies in this thread is YOU. Replies from WP and others (even HG) all respected the thread topic. YOU have been selling a red-herring because YOU are too fucking stubborn to admit error, and now YOU are bullshitting, trying to pretend that there have been people on this tangent BESIDES you. I've tried to pull YOU back on topic, and you're trying to pretend that everyone besides me has been on your red herring, when they haven't. Any idiot can read the first page from beginning to end and see that the majority of posters are talking about aggressive fundies. I can smell your bullshit from a mile away and so can everyone else. Just admit you tried to change the subject and don't pull this chickenshit.

Wicked Pilot said:

Do bring up religion to begin with. Make sure they know it's not something you like to discuss. However, if they start spouting bullshit, let them have it (politely of course).

Emphasis is mine.

Shinova · Post by **Shinova** » 2003-03-02 01:35am

Um, Wong:

Isn't it kinda extreme? I mean, so he said something about fundies being quiet or something. So it was a little off-topic. So what? The whole thread hasn't been derailed or anything.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-03-02 01:56am

Howedar: that's pathetic. Basing your whole bullshit argument upon WP's use of the word "if", and your moronic assumption that it meant he was ignoring the thread subject to talk about whether all fundies are aggressive. When I say "if your brother's being such an idiot, don't let him use your computer", this hardly means I am denying or questioning your claim that your brother was being an idiot.

Shinova: I don't see why Howedar should be allowed to accuse me of "re-hijacking" the thread simply because I wouldn't humour his red herring, but I shouldn't be allowed to call it bullshit.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-03-02 01:59am

You are doing that right now. You know, seeing as I don't worship you as a demigod like fully half this board, you can call me whatever the hell you want.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-03-02 02:06am

Howedar wrote:You are doing that right now. You know, seeing as I don't worship you as a demigod like fully half this board, you can call me whatever the hell you want.

If this was the best rebuttal you could come up with, you're just too full of yourself to admit your mistake and this is your way of covering up. You tried to hijack the thread, your very first post was made in your oh-so-condescending and holier-than-thou attitude which you've maintained throughout, and you haven't managed to make any point other than "I refuse to admit defeat", so now you try to attack the fact that I happen to run the board, as if this means my arguments have no validity without that fact. Pathetic.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2003-03-02 02:11am

I do what?

No, I basically told you to go ahead and bash me. You seem to think that I'm saying that we should both be above that. Fuck, I don't care. Go ahead, do whatever. God knows debates can be far from civil. If you want to swear at me, go right ahead.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-03-02 02:17am

Howedar wrote:No, I basically told you to go ahead and bash me. You seem to think that I'm saying that we should both be above that. Fuck, I don't care. Go ahead, do whatever. God knows debates can be far from civil. If you want to swear at me, go right ahead.

It's not about swearing; it's about the fact that somebody posted a story about pushy fundies and asked for other stories and/or ideas on dealing with them. Your suggested remedy was to just let them have their way, which I said was stupid and I gave reasons. You retorted that not all fundies are pushy, which was just an evasion. And then you descended into various successively more obvious evasion tactics, finally ending with your pathetic ad-hominem in which you dismiss my arguments because you don't buy into this "cult of personality" that I supposedly have (funny, I was under the impression that you can only knock down an argument through l ogical rebuttal of its points, not by puffing out your chest and bragging that you don't buy into the author's personal authority).

I suppose you want me to swear at you, so you can save face and pretend you didn't make a jack-ass of yourself and that I'm just a rude, irrational person whose points wouldn't be taken seriously by anyone if I didn't have admin power over the webboard. OK, fine, you're being a fucking idiot. There, now you can go tell yourself it's all better, and that big meanie is completely wrong