The Wisdom & Faith of Lehi Cranston

[_Daniel Peterson]

Actually, to some, you have been.

No, I haven't been.

Perhaps you don't see it, but others do.

No, they don't.

But they may well imagine it.

Maybe it's time for some self reflection? Perhaps you haven't been as kind as you think you have?

It's extraordinarily presumptuous on your part to think that you're in a position to know whether I'm reflective or not, or whether I've been reflective in the past.

[_Scottie]

No, I haven't been.

Okay, if you say so.

No, they don't.

But they may well imagine it.

Okay, if you say so.

"I didn't beat him, I just disciplined him by hitting him multiple times with a pipe wrench!! He may have perceived that as abuse, but it wasn't."

It's extraordinarily presumptuous on your part to think that you're in a position to know whether I'm reflective or not, or whether I've been reflective in the past.

Fair enough.

[_Daniel Peterson]

One thing that has to be understood is that the Scratchist mythology about me -- e.g., my central involvement in some crusade to smear and destroy Mike Quinn, my attempt to smear Robert Ritner, my death threats against the senior Scratch, my intimidation of a poor and defenseless questioner on behalf of the sinister SCMC, etc., etc. -- is pure demonizing fantasy, fiction without any substantial basis in actual history or fact.

And, although I understand that one or more Scratches will almost certainly arrive here shortly to reaffirm the faith by reciting a litany of my crimes including these and others, their portrayal of me is essentially false both in general and in its particulars.

If you believe any part of it, I can understand why you would imagine me to have been a monster of unprincipled viciousness. But it's simply not true.



.

[_Scottie]

One thing that has to be understood is that the Scratchist mythology about me -- e.g., my central involvement in some crusade to smear and destroy Mike Quinn, my attempt to smear Robert Ritner, my death threats against the senior Scratch, my intimidation of a poor and defenseless questioner on behalf of the sinister SCMC, etc., etc. -- is pure demonizing fantasy, fiction without any substantial basis in actual history or fact.

And, although I understand that one or more Scratches will almost certainly arrive here shortly to reaffirm the faith by reciting a litany of my crimes including these and others, their portrayal of me is essentially false both in general and in its particulars.

If you believe any part of it, I can understand why you would imagine me to have been a monster of unprincipled viciousness. But it's simply not true.

It's a quite a wide gap from saying you have treated some people poorly some of the time to a monster of unprincipled viciousness, don't you think??

And, for you to insinuate think that we all derive our opinions about you based solely on what Scratch says is insulting to me. I'm quite capable of forming my opinions on you all by my lonesome little self. Personally, I think you are a worse person than you think you are, and a much better person than Scratch thinks you are.

[_Daniel Peterson]

It's a quite a wide gap from saying you have treated some people poorly some of the time to a monster of unprincipled viciousness, don't you think??

It is. The latter is the full-blown Scratchist position.

I apologize for seeming to suggest that you imagine me to have been "a monster of unprincipled viciousness." I should have been clear in merely noting your affirmation that I've been "a monster of cruelty."

And, for you to insinuate think that we all derive our opinions about you based solely on what Scratch says is insulting to me.

I insinuated no such thing, and have never entertained the thought.

However, given that this board has long been the principal if not sole venue of Mister Scratch's multi-year campaign to defame me and blacken my character, it would be naïve on my part to imagine that his relentless and implacable crusade has had no effect whatever on anybody posting here.

I'm quite capable of forming my opinions on you all by my lonesome little self.

I've never imagined otherwise.

Personally, I think you are a worse person than you think you are,

Personally, I don't know what you think of yourself, and, since I don't know you, would never presume to judge whether your self-image, of which I know nothing, is better or worse than your reality, of which I know essentially nothing.

I've really been surprised -- genuinely so -- by the confidence with which harmony (and now, apparently, you) are able to judge the characer and personality of people you don't personally know. Our encounter in that church hallway lasted, oh, perhaps ten seconds?

and a much better person than Scratch thinks you are.

That's not saying much.

[_harmony]

If you believe any part of it, I can understand why you would imagine me to have been a monster of unprincipled viciousness. But it's simply not true.
.

Actually, from what I recall, I called you an arrogant prick (which resulted in Z being shut down for 2 days because of the outcry). That's a long ways from "unprincipled viciousness", to my way of thinking. And since I knew nothing about Quinn, Ritner, SCMC, etc. at the time, I think I can safely say I never thought then, nor do I think now, that you are capable of "unprincipled viciousness". although I still think you can be an arrogant prick sometimes, just not as often as you were 10 years ago.

Just saying.

[_Daniel Peterson]

Actually, from what I recall, I called you an arrogant prick

I think I remember that.

It was one of your more cogent arguments.

which resulted in Z being shut down for 2 days because of the outcry

I don't remember that.

I cheerfully admit that I Iack (and don't care to develop) infinite patience for enduring ignorant silliness. But I'm far nicer and more civil to silly ignoramuses than many are, and much, much more so than I'm given credit for.

[_Scottie]

Personally, I don't know what you think of yourself, and, since I don't know you, would never presume to judge whether your self-image, of which I know nothing, is better or worse than your reality, of which I know essentially nothing.

I've really been surprised -- genuinely so -- by the confidence with which harmony (and now, apparently, you) are able to judge the character and personality of people you don't personally know. Our encounter in that church hallway lasted, oh, perhaps ten seconds?

It is quite possible that your online persona is much different than your in real life persona. My judgements are based solely on what I know of you online, and, yes 10 seconds in a hallway. And you are correct that it is very difficult to know someone from a few messages posted on some obscure message boards.

However, I have noticed some patterns in your posting that appear to speak to your character. They may or may not represent what you are like in real life, but I have formed an opinion by them none-the-less, as I'm sure you have formed an opinion about me.

My statement that you are probably worse than you think you are comes from a long standing tradition of you not admitting when you are wrong. I know you claim that you have admitted this in the past, but I have never seen it. Why, even in this post, you just said everyone else who thinks you have been mean to them simply "imagined" it. You accepted absolutely NO responsibility. How else am I supposed to take that, except that you have an overly-inflated view of yourself?? Hence, you are probably a worse person than you think you are. Honestly, I think we are all probably worse people than we think we are.

[_Daniel Peterson]

My statement that you are probably worse than you think you are comes from a long standing tradition of you not admitting when you are wrong.

I don't defend positions that I believe to be incorrect.

On line, I defend positions.

Do the math.

I know you claim that you have admitted this in the past, but I have never seen it.

That's not my fault.

When I've made an error, I've been willing to admit it.

Why, even in this post, you just said everyone else who thinks you have been mean to them simply "imagined" it. You accepted absolutely NO responsibility.

I don't believe that I've never hurt anybody's feelings, misread something, or misjudged somebody, and I've never claimed perfection or infallibility.

But I simply won't plead guilty to an unspecified blanket charge that I've been "a monster of cruelty" in the past, or that I'm one now. Sorry. There are already too many Scratches -- though I admit that it would be amusing to see how they would react if I were to join their cult.

How else am I supposed to take that, except that you have an overly-inflated view of yourself??

You're to take it as a refusal to genuflect between the verdict on my character loudly trumpeted by a handful of internet detractors.

Hence, you are probably a worse person than you think you are.

You have no basis for this judgment. Yet you make it anyway.

Honestly, I think we are all probably worse people than we think we are.

I deal every week with people who are better than they think they are, and I see it as my mission to try to help them see that.

[_Scottie]

I don't believe that I've never hurt anybody's feelings, misread something, or misjudged somebody, and I've never claimed perfection or infallibility.

But you just did claim perfection. Perhaps you need to re-read what you wrote to me?

But I simply won't plead guilty to an unspecified blanket charge that I've been "a monster of cruelty" in the past, or that I'm one now. Sorry. There are already too many Scratches -- though I admit that it would be amusing to see how they would react if I were to join their cult.

I never charged you with that. I said that sometimes you have been mean to people. You flat out denied that you have ever been mean to anyone, and that it was everyone else's fault for "imagining" it.

You're to take it as a refusal to genuflect between the verdict on my character loudly trumpeted by a handful of internet detractors.

Perhaps you are overly sensitive to the abusive nature of Scratchs accusations. I can understand why you would get so defensive.

Although I'm not quite sure why you keep putting Scratch's words in my mouth??

You have no basis for this judgment. Yet you make it anyway.

Again, would you care to re-read what you posted to me on the previous page?? I DO have basis for my judgements.

I deal every week with people who are better than they think they are, and I see it as my mission to try to help them see that.

Good point. I see this too.

I feel as though I'm coming off as attacking you, when that isn't my goal. I don't think you are a monster by any stretch. However, you HAVE wronged people in the past as we all have. I'm glad to see that you admitted it.