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Post by showmedot on Jul 17, 2014 16:25:46 GMT -6
I'm about to conclude that despite our efforts to keep something going here, we're giving CPR to the dying basically.
It's been almost a month since FB's abrupt exit. I think after this long it's likely she's never returning. This forum was her baby, and I'm little interested myself in dredging up newsy bits as discussion starters, aka the care and feeding of the forum. I'll check in occasionally, but all in all, I think the BS has pretty much splatted its last.
However, I do appreciate what I've learned from each of you and value the interchanges with you three from the Corner--Steve, Ken and Jim-- both there and here. Woodrow has proven himself a worthy addition to the group. I wish I'd known him longer as he's easily the most unflappable forum participant I've encountered for years.
So, as I see it, it's pretty much days of auld lang syne.
May you live long and prosper, Dot
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Post by woodrowli on Jul 17, 2014 21:24:12 GMT -6
New forums are a nightmare to get off the ground. For one to catch on and take off requires a lot of perseverance and the ability to see it looking like a wilting tulip, without frustration. It can take a few years to get up and running. Ten years ago was much easier as forums were not that common and everybody wanted to be an early member.
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Post by Jim on Jul 18, 2014 11:07:57 GMT -6
I'm about to conclude that despite our efforts to keep something going here, we're giving CPR to the dying basically. It's been almost a month since FB's abrupt exit. I think after this long it's likely she's never returning. This forum was her baby, and I'm little interested myself in dredging up newsy bits as discussion starters, aka the care and feeding of the forum. I'll check in occasionally, but all in all, I think the BS has pretty much splatted its last. However, I do appreciate what I've learned from each of you and value the interchanges with you three from the Corner--Steve, Ken and Jim-- both there and here. Woodrow has proven himself a worthy addition to the group. I wish I'd known him longer as he's easily the most unflappable forum participant I've encountered for years. So, as I see it, it's pretty much days of auld lang syne. May you live long and prosper, Dot Hi Dot: I suppose you're right. I've enjoyed meeting you too. Have a great summer, Jim
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Post by stevec on Jul 18, 2014 15:28:49 GMT -6
Well, have a great rest of your life, folks. Everybody has been a class act. It's been a pleasure.
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Post by ken on Jul 18, 2014 20:10:08 GMT -6
Believe it or not, I quite like everyone here and have so enjoyed the experience. Does that mean I can't show my back yard view that amounts to about 25 by 80 feet, a mango tree and a grapefruit tree before it hits the Florida brush of the next lot? (No water and no beauty scene that the money hungry, prosperity gospel Steve is displaying from his pictures). All kidding aside, you are all a great bunch of people. Ken
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Post by woodrowli on Jul 18, 2014 20:19:58 GMT -6
I have deeply enjoyed the company of everyone I met here. I am hoping that things will pick up and more will join extending the life of a very enjoyable forum.
I am very pleased to be a member here and loves y'all (The Texan in me comes out at times)
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Post by showmedot on Jul 18, 2014 22:39:38 GMT -6
Geez, as wistful as you guys sound maybe there's still a pulse.
Anybody else ever watched the HBO series Six Feet Under? I was working nights when it originally aired and never saw a bit of it. Effin' fantastic series. I've probably got a sinus infection, feel like dog, so naturally I start watching a show about a dysfunctional family that runs a funeral home with every episode starting with a usually gruesome death.
But, damn! It is the best piece of tv drama I think I've ever seen. Brilliant, just brilliant.
So, WTF. Somebody think of some damn thing worth discussing, willya, till I feel relatively human again.
And wherever you are, FB, UN-fuck you, you bastard, for ditching us in such a chickenshit way. If you were to get your sorry ass back here eventually, we might actually forgive you. After we make you grovel...
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Post by woodrowli on Jul 19, 2014 6:31:35 GMT -6
I jusy noticed a huge drop in members posting on other forums I am active on. Even City-Data which is one of if not the largest forums with over 2 million members. Looking at my stats My posts in the past have been viewed an average of 12,000 - 14,000 times a day. (I have almost 10,000 posts there) that has now dropped to about 3,000 views per day. Islamicboard which is the second largest Muslim Forum used have about 600 members on line at any given time is now down to about 10
Maybe forums are now going the way of dinosaurs?
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Post by showmedot on Jul 19, 2014 8:14:14 GMT -6
I dunno. Maybe that says something about society that participation in religious forums is declining.
I'm not sure what it says, but if it indicates that people are becoming more openminded and aware that different doesn't necessarily mean wrong, that would be a very good thing.
Does life have to have any profound meaning? Maybe life just IS.
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Post by woodrowli on Jul 19, 2014 9:04:31 GMT -6
Might just be a slow phase for forums? Oddly one forum I am on Isgodimaginary, which is an offshoot of whywontgodhealamputees, is slowly growing. Oddly while it gets new members almost daily, nobody is really posting very much. The parent forum whywontgodhealamputees seems to be on it's last leg
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Post by stevec on Jul 19, 2014 22:39:05 GMT -6
Believe it or not, I quite like everyone here and have so enjoyed the experience. Does that mean I can't show my back yard view that amounts to about 25 by 80 feet, a mango tree and a grapefruit tree before it hits the Florida brush of the next lot? (No water and no beauty scene that the money hungry, prosperity gospel Steve is displaying from his pictures). All kidding aside, you are all a great bunch of people. Ken What does this prove, Ken? It proves that god, if there is one, doesn't really give a damn about prayer, religion, morals, or even whether a person believes in god or not. I sit on my beach, pop open a beer, relax, and basically thumb my nose at the notion of god, all the while enjoying a good prosperous atheist life. God doesn't reward people for their generosity and faith, I'm the perfect example of that. Basically, your faith feeds on the probability that some Christians will be financially, physically, and emotionally successful. You hold up the shining examples for the good life as god's blessing, and totally ignore the even greater probability for the miserable Christian life. Your properity gospel is the spiritual equivalent of Las Vegas, it's all about the laws of probability. For example, you do all that work in god's name, and I do absolutely nothing for god. So when Christianity and atheism deliver the same statistical results for success, again, you and I are prime examples, what does that say about the efficacy of god? All religions produce winners and losers, the former imagine a trend, while the latter hope they can follow the trend, hence the Las Vegas analogy. Your trite old response that god blesses all under heaven really doesn't explain my success as an atheist, as much as it throws up a smoke screen for your perspective of god.
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Post by ken on Jul 20, 2014 3:28:45 GMT -6
Believe it or not, I quite like everyone here and have so enjoyed the experience. Does that mean I can't show my back yard view that amounts to about 25 by 80 feet, a mango tree and a grapefruit tree before it hits the Florida brush of the next lot? (No water and no beauty scene that the money hungry, prosperity gospel Steve is displaying from his pictures). All kidding aside, you are all a great bunch of people. Ken What does this prove, Ken? It proves that god, if there is one, doesn't really give a damn about prayer, religion, morals, or even whether a person believes in god or not. I sit on my beach, pop open a beer, relax, and basically thumb my nose at the notion of god, all the while enjoying a good prosperous atheist life. God doesn't reward people for their generosity and faith, I'm the perfect example of that. Basically, your faith feeds on the probability that some Christians will be financially, physically, and emotionally successful. You hold up the shining examples for the good life as god's blessing, and totally ignore the even greater probability for the miserable Christian life. Your properity gospel is the spiritual equivalent of Las Vegas, it's all about the laws of probability. For example, you do all that work in god's name, and I do absolutely nothing for god. So when Christianity and atheism deliver the same statistical results for success, again, you and I are prime examples, what does that say about the efficacy of god? All religions produce winners and losers, the former imagine a trend, while the latter hope they can follow the trend, hence the Las Vegas analogy. Your trite old response that god blesses all under heaven really doesn't explain my success as an atheist, as much as it throws up a smoke screen for your perspective of god. The issue at hand is, however, "All kidding aside, you are all a great bunch of people" None-the-less, I don't agree... Does your wife exercise a faith? You almost sound like that God should punish you in some way. Yet scriptures say that God causes it to rain on the just and the unjust. If you think about it, you try to do right, you are not evil and you fulfill the requirement for blessings (I assume) in that you are a diligent worker. Not sure what your beef is.
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Post by showmedot on Jul 20, 2014 9:27:07 GMT -6
No, Ken, the issue at hand is that "just kidding" and a smiley icon are passive-aggressive bullshit.
You mouthed off at Steve just as nastily as he does repeatedly to you. "Just kidding" doesn't make what you said any nicer. At least, Steve appears pretty honestly and straightforwardly hostile. You, on the other hand, for some weird reason seem to think you have to excuse away your justifiable anger at being insulted repeatedly by making a hostile response and then claiming you were just kidding because you love everyone here.
Do something refreshing, willya? OWN YOUR ANGER about that label being applied to you. Tell Steve to shut the fuck up about that from now on.
Now, if you want an explanation of what Steve's problem is with the prosperity gospel and its preachers, that might provide a means for an interesting discussion of what kind of abundance God intends people to seek.
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Post by stevec on Jul 20, 2014 10:09:22 GMT -6
I already know we are a great bunch of people, I'm simply trying to take advantage of what may be my last chance of getting a meaningful answer.
My point is, Ken, if god causes it to rain on the just and unjust, and if the just and unjust share the same amount of prosperity(however you define it), what is the point of believing in god?
If marriage and diligent work result in prosperity, what does god have to do with having a prosperous life?
Lastly, yes, I do expect to be punished for being an atheist, if your version of god exists. If you claim that god blesses people with prosperity, then there should be a litmus test for that effect. You and I represent prosperity, good health, and happiness, albeit on opposite sides of the spiritual spectrum, where's the litmus test for god's blessings? You can test prosperity for brains, brawn, hard work, and luck, but there's no test for god. Why is that? Punishment or lack of prosperity, at least, would be a good test for god's blessing, but lacking that, one can only conclude that brains, brawn, hard work, and luck are responsible for my success.
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Post by woodrowli on Jul 20, 2014 10:17:02 GMT -6
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