Things

[kinked_a_bit]

A...

 

[LoneMilf]

Are you sure you want this thread in the politics forum? I can just imagine the junk it will be filled up with in no time..

 

[ll74]

(If you want the focus to be on politics, then add that you do)

1. That people want the best for all people
2. That people have a solid fundamental understanding of science.

 

[DeluxAuto]

A couple of days ago I saw a video where a guy was talking about how older people become "set in their ways/beliefs/ideas" and this inflexibility is a big obstacle to communication with younger people. Perhaps so.

But that led me to consider the fact that as I have gotten older, my own beliefs have continued to change. So the question for this thread is:

What did you once believe - that you no longer do?
Extra points for explaining what caused the change!

I remember when Playgrounders stayed in their lane and didn't drop this bullshit on the wrong forum.

 

[Bn2f]

I just realized why this thread, which I have clearly tied to politics and current events, is so troubling to some of you.

It’s because you don’t change or develop. Whatever ideas you have today will likely be the ones you have when you are waiting to die in a nursing home (or on a sidewalk somewhere).

For those of you who recognize yourselves in that description, tell us how old you were when you realized you already knew everything and no further examination or analysis was needed.

YOU earlier posted a thread touting a racist landlord from the 1970s, who posted a racist full page ad in the 80s against innocent children, and who is STILL a racist today for the office of the president of the United States and now you’re lecturing on your wisdom to address and recognize change? GFY

 

[Lazaran]

I learned that "republicans" are even more ignorant, racist, bigoted, hypocritical, and morally bankrupt than I could ever have imagined. - And I imagined they were very much all those things.

JFC

SAD!!!

 

[DeluxAuto]

I remember when people didn’t spend every waking hour looking for ways to be assholes.

I just realized why this thread, which I have clearly tied to politics and current events, is so troubling to some of you.

Hypocrite sez wut?

 

[Fuzzy1975]

I learned that "republicans" are even more ignorant, racist, bigoted, hypocritical, and morally bankrupt than I could ever have imagined. - And I imagined they were very much all those things.

JFC

SAD!!!

You stole the words right out of my post that I planned on writing....damn you said it so well I'll not bother.

 

[Lazaran]

YOU earlier posted a thread touting a racist landlord from the 1970s, who posted a racist full page ad in the 80s against innocent children, and who is STILL a racist today for the office of the president of the United States and now you’re lecturing on your wisdom to address and recognize change? GFY

Also:

GMAFB

*nods*

 

[Lazaran]

You stole the words right out of my post that I planned on writing....damn you said it so well I'll not bother.

I’d like to think I saved every decent intelligent person on the board the trouble of stating the obvious.

*nods*

 

[Chernosoth]

I flipped on the death penalty twice. As a young teen, I was pro death penalty, until I saw an article which mentioned a life sentence is usually cheaper than the process of appeals and finally execution. And there is always the possibility of overturning a conviction. But now I see an inevitability that there will be more executions as we become unable to sustain a huge prison population. There are other options for the less dangerous criminals, and we will need all of those options.

 

[SmokingFap]

I used to believe, unquestioningly, that Israel was the “good guy” and whatever they did to the Muslims was well deserved.

This was probably an outgrowth of hearing Christian Zionism preached from the pulpit.

But once you start reading the Bible in a serious way, it’s very clear that the Jews were not chosen because they were the best. I believe they were chosen because they were the worst.

There were always a few who were faithful and good, but the vast majority were sinful and disobedient toward God. Jesus himself referred to them as the children of the devil (John 8:44).

It is my opinion that God chose to use them because they were the worst material he could find - so that his greatness would be better displayed. As for today, I have asked Christian Zionists to explain the spiritual difference between an unrepentant Jew now and those screaming “Crucify him!” two thousand years ago. None has ever attempted.

Twenty years ago I’d have been right there with the Israel fanboys, making excuses for their crimes. Today I see them for what they are - no better than their enemies in the practical sense - and worse in the spiritual sense.

And... there it is. Starting an entire thread to spew anti-semitic bile. Initial post seemed like a fairly benign and interesting topic. Moving along now.

 

[SmokingFap]

I remember when people didn’t spend every waking hour looking for ways to be assholes.

No you don't.

 

[MindYaBitness]

I used to believe that my party was correct, that their vision for the future was the brightest & best for my generation. As I grew older, and my spouse got deeper into politics, I realize that anyone from either/any political party has done so much back scratching, quid-pro-quo-ing, and backdoor dealing to fund their campaigns, that there is no such thing as a good guy. Every politician, even the ones you love the most, will sell their constituents up river to please who's funfing them, and have their PR firm do damage control.

In addition, they love to keep us polarized on issues like abortion or gun control, because if we're fighting about that we won't pay attention to how they screwing over the economy, taxes, etc.

I believe in democracy, I vote in every election. However, I don't have much hope for our representatives on a national level.

 

[Fuzzy1975]

I used to believe that my party was correct, that their vision for the future was the brightest & best for my generation. As I grew older, and my spouse got deeper into politics, I realize that anyone from either/any political party has done so much back scratching, quid-pro-quo-ing, and backdoor dealing to fund their campaigns, that there is no such thing as a good guy. Every politician, even the ones you love the most, will sell their constituents up river to please who's funfing them, and have their PR firm do damage control.

In addition, they love to keep us polarized on issues like abortion or gun control, because if we're fighting about that we won't pay attention to how they screwing over the economy, taxes, etc.

I believe in democracy, I vote in every election. However, I don't have much hope for our representatives on a national level.

Whether everything you wrote in red is true, or not, the bold section is what matters. Voters decide who gets into office, not the politician who is running. You voting, and being educated about who you support is the most important thing you can do to protect your Democracy!

 

[BrightShinyGirl]

I used to believe, unquestioningly, that Israel was the “good guy” and whatever they did to the Muslims was well deserved.

This was probably an outgrowth of hearing Christian Zionism preached from the pulpit.

But once you start reading the Bible in a serious way, it’s very clear that the Jews were not chosen because they were the best. I believe they were chosen because they were the worst.

There were always a few who were faithful and good, but the vast majority were sinful and disobedient toward God. Jesus himself referred to them as the children of the devil (John 8:44).

It is my opinion that God chose to use them because they were the worst material he could find - so that his greatness would be better displayed. As for today, I have asked Christian Zionists to explain the spiritual difference between an unrepentant Jew now and those screaming “Crucify him!” two thousand years ago. None has ever attempted.

Twenty years ago I’d have been right there with the Israel fanboys, making excuses for their crimes. Today I see them for what they are - no better than their enemies in the practical sense - and worse in the spiritual sense.

Christians often misunderstand Judaism. For example, Judaism has no concept of “sin”. That’s something Christians invented.

Also you misunderstand the meaning of being “chosen” by God. It only means that our rules are for us alone. The Torah is not a general law that applies to all people. It only applies to the Jews.

 

[BrightShinyGirl]

A couple of days ago I saw a video where a guy was talking about how older people become "set in their ways/beliefs/ideas" and this inflexibility is a big obstacle to communication with younger people. Perhaps so.

But that led me to consider the fact that as I have gotten older, my own beliefs have continued to change. So the question for this thread is:

What did you once believe - that you no longer do?
Extra points for explaining what caused the change!

I used to think that people who changed their gender were weird or messed-up, but then I spent some time around a few trans-women and discovered they were just regular girls trying to live their lives. My husband has told me the trans-men he’s met are the same.

 

[Fuzzy1975]

I used to think that people who changed their gender were weird or messed-up, but then I spent some time around a few trans-women and discovered they were just regular girls trying to live their lives. My husband has told me the trans-men he’s met are the same.

I have better things to worry about in life than other peoples sexuality. People are too hung up about sexuality in general....

 

[PaxNurgle]

This whole thread can be summed up as:

The original poster used to be a kind, tolerant, compassionate and caring person.

Now he is a racist and homophobic bigot.

So therefore he is correct; people can and do change. But sadly, not always for the better.

 

[Sean Renaud]

I used to believe America was salvageable. If we could just vote for the right people and set a few things right, it would all be fixed, maybe even “better than ever.”

But that isn’t true. It’s not the politicians or the laws that are the problem. It’s the population.

Whether or not it’s a majority yet, the demoralization of the American population has reached critical mass. Psychological warfare has been deployed, with tremendous success for several decades.

You don’t know who did it to you, or how - but it matters not because it can’t be undone and you wouldn’t even try.

I heard a couple of rich guys talking on a podcast today, saying this, right now, is the era of chaos. I laughed. The bottom is coming fast, but when it finally arrives I doubt it will look anything like this. These will be the good old days.

Even so, I don’t dread it. Those who come out on the other side will have opportunities they haven’t even dreamed of.

The problems in this country reach back all the way to the founding and if we're not full of shit we know it was rich white males who made a system that was always going to work roughly this way. Its intentional and it has very little to do with the population as a whole.

This is the era of chaos? Compared to what? We are experiencing one of the longest stretches of general peace in history. The only reason the rich would make that claim is an attempt to get us to take our eye of the ball when we finally got it where it belongs.

There is no other side. If we hit the bottom here is exactly what's going to happen because its always what happens. The top 1% will be displaced, maybe the top 10 and then the people in right beneath will take over and it will be mostly same shit diffent day. It would be interesting to see what kind of Constitution would be adopted after that point but there is no predicting that one.

What you can guarantee is that the middle class will be the ones that get hit hardest as long as the issue isn't things like global warming related things or hitting peak oil.

 

[ll74]

I used to believe America was salvageable. If we could just vote for the right people and set a few things right, it would all be fixed, maybe even “better than ever.”

But that isn’t true. It’s not the politicians or the laws that are the problem. It’s the population.

Whether or not it’s a majority yet, the demoralization of the American population has reached critical mass. Psychological warfare has been deployed, with tremendous success for several decades.

You don’t know who did it to you, or how - but it matters not because it can’t be undone and you wouldn’t even try.

I heard a couple of rich guys talking on a podcast today, saying this, right now, is the era of chaos. I laughed. The bottom is coming fast, but when it finally arrives I doubt it will look anything like this. These will be the good old days.

Even so, I don’t dread it. Those who come out on the other side will have opportunities they haven’t even dreamed of.

Why do you want it fixed?. What exactly is broken?

Which morals are the ones for America and why?

 

[dkovic77]

You just don’t interest me. I know what you are.

So America isn’t salvageable. Leave.

Winners never quit, and quitters make the rest of us a whole lot happier!

 

[ll74]

You just don’t interest me. I know what you are.

Apparently I interest you enough for you to.actuallly respond to my comment.

Maybe a bit of introspection is in order for you.

I asked some questions...feel free to answer or don't...it sounds like you have morals that you feel I should have.

 

[v_indigo]

I used to believe, unquestioningly, that Israel was the “good guy” and whatever they did to the Muslims was well deserved.

This was probably an outgrowth of hearing Christian Zionism preached from the pulpit.

But once you start reading the Bible in a serious way, it’s very clear that the Jews were not chosen because they were the best. I believe they were chosen because they were the worst.

There were always a few who were faithful and good, but the vast majority were sinful and disobedient toward God. Jesus himself referred to them as the children of the devil (John 8:44).

It is my opinion that God chose to use them because they were the worst material he could find - so that his greatness would be better displayed. As for today, I have asked Christian Zionists to explain the spiritual difference between an unrepentant Jew now and those screaming “Crucify him!” two thousand years ago. None has ever attempted.

Twenty years ago I’d have been right there with the Israel fanboys, making excuses for their crimes. Today I see them for what they are - no better than their enemies in the practical sense - and worse in the spiritual sense.

That’s a lot of anti-semitism right there.
Not your position on the behavior of Israel, but literally everything else

 

[Chernosoth]

30 years ago, I was a vehement atheist. I have mellowed out and can accept the probability that gods exist, with the caveat that gods should be chosen as carefully as friends, lovers, lawyers, accountants, etc. I don't feel inclined to choose any of them, so I could now be a deist.