Let's stop beating around the bush

[BlueHair]

Originally Posted by Colly Wolly

This is a place where I get wood thinking about how smart and sophisticated I am compared to everyone else.

When you say "wood", don't you really mean "twig"?

[Colly Wolly]

Originally Posted by BlueHair

When you say "wood", don't you really mean "twig"?

I'd say more like "log". It's big, it's heavy, it's wood.

[LA Ute]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

So then if I challenge your views, I am doing nothing more than "running you off." So in the end you add nothing, and I am a meanie.

Heavens, if I am running off people whom I don't like, or whose opinions I disagree with, I'm doing a poor job. Unfortunately, the more one despises me, the more likely one is to stick around.

You are not running me off. As for despising you, I don't even know you enough to like or dislike you. For better or for worse, I like most people, and your chances of getting me to despise you are quite limited.

[LA Ute]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

You jump in, make an undefended assertion, which I challenge. I really do think it is an awful press release, full of sophistry and some lies/deceptions--and it is clear that someone who believes this doesn't have the proper tone to merit a response.

I guess I could take your critique of the "Divine Institution of Marriage" statement and fisk it, but that would take a long time and would accomplish little. I just don't want to do it. We'll have to agree to disagree.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

So then if I challenge your views, I am doing nothing more than "running you off." So in the end you add nothing, and I am a meanie.

Why so obtuse? The issue here is your delivery. Stop pretending otherwise.

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

Unfortunately, the more one despises me, the more likely one is to stick around.

Narcissism.

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

And I still wait for Pelagius.

Did it ever occur to you that maybe his reluctance to engage has more to do with your style than with the weight of your logic?

[UtahDan]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

Narcissism.

The problem is that by any objective measure this board just dies when he is not around. The rest of us are for the most part too nice to make things interesting. Who else has quarreled with virtually everyone? Mike's psychoses are what makes this little world go 'round.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by LA Ute

I guess I could take your critique of the "Divine Institution of Marriage" statement and fisk it, but that would take a long time and would accomplish little. I just don't want to do it. We'll have to agree to disagree.

This always happens when discussing LDS belief from a secular perspective. At some point, everyone agrees, let's be civil and discuss these issues intelligently and with mutual respect. Next thing, all silence. Everyone runs out of things to say. I don't care whether it's historicity of the Book of Mormon, Mormon Doctrine, Mormonism's ultra-social conservatism, there's nothing there but a bunch of assertions. There's no there there, but "do as we say." The most entertaining part is the dissembling.

A word about Mike's piquant style. I think everyone here would vouch that I've been on the receiving end of Mike's barbs more than anyone here. But the thing is people come here because of Mike's style. Telling him to change is like telling Chris Hitchins to be nice. When Mike disappears for a few days everone complains the place has gone boring. When arguing with Mike I always try to roll wiht it a lot, occasionally respond in kind, and retain my fine wit and good humor. A bit like locker room banter, yes. But he's no Mr Crimson, as I think you see from what little you've read of him here.

Mike is an unusual breed of cat when it comes to temple recommend toting active LDS who give hundreds of hours a year to their church--super bright, highly educated, brutally honest, and pulling no punches when discussing his religion. I find it refreshing in a culture that in my considerable experience places a relatively low value on truth for truth's sake.

LA, I think if you recruited Mike to appear on Heldgehog Blog every now and then it would be a good addition. I hope you stick around here.

[TripletDaddy]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

But the thing is people come here because of Mike's style....When Mike disappears for a few days everone complains the place has gone boring.

LOL. Count me out of that group of sycophantic slags.

As James Bond said in A View to a Kill, "don't be so damned obsequious."

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by TripletDaddy

LOL. Count me out of that group of sycophantic slags.

As James Bond said in A View to a Kill, "don't be so damned obsequious."

You can be pretty entertaining yourself, so go ahead and straighten out your nose. But when Mike went on vacation you turned into a barnacle. That's just a fact.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by UtahDan

The problem is that by any objective measure this board just dies when he is not around. The rest of us are for the most part too nice to make things interesting. Who else has quarreled with virtually everyone? Mike's psychoses are what makes this little world go 'round.

I'll drop the issue.