Apropos Image of the day

[_Wheat]

You’re missing the point, entirely. There is no “crime” at the root of what Texas has done. There has been no plaintiff, no defendant identified. There is no violation of any laws that has been asserted. At least not yet.

And that’s the beauty of the whole thing! We have been shown that we can make an entire system of belief responsible for the real or imagined offenses of any of its individual members. Can’t you see the opportunity that this entire series of events is presenting to us – on a silver platter as it were!

I mean, even the ACLU is proving reluctant to step in on this one! Do you realize what that means in terms of the prospects of finally ridding ourselves of the cancer that Joseph Smith introduced into our society? I’m telling you, we need to act on this before anyone starts getting cold feet about taking children from their mothers.

Well, the problem would be if you try to take our kids away for no reason we'll shoot you. At least I would.

Weren't you paying attention? Texas was entirely prepared for that eventuality. They had an APC, assault weapons, the whole nine yards. They'd take care of you in a heartbeat, mister. Of course, it might be your last.

[_The Nehor]

Weren't you paying attention? Texas was entirely prepared for that eventuality. They had an APC, assault weapons, the whole nine yards. They'd take care of you in a heartbeat, mister. Of course, it might be your last.

Probably would be, I'd do it anyways. I bet I'd get the first shot off too.

[_asbestosman]

Weren't you paying attention? Texas was entirely prepared for that eventuality. They had an APC, assault weapons, the whole nine yards. They'd take care of you in a heartbeat, mister. Of course, it might be your last.

Probably would be, I'd do it anyways. I bet I'd get the first shot off too.

Doesn't it take silver instead of lead to undo vampires?

[_Some Schmo]

The fact is that foisting irrational religious beliefs on kids as though they are real is a form of psychological child abuse, and were it not for the fact that too many people are doing it and there aren't the resources to take care of the problem, those kids really should be protected from the lunacy of their parents. The shear number of cases is pretty much the only reason it should be restricted to only the extreme cases like this one. The ability to facilitate and hide rape and sexual abuse (in this case) stems from teaching blind adherence to authority figures, not to mention pushing a crap load of guilt and fear.

As crazy as Wheat sounds (and the fact that he's likely some MAD sockpuppet), he's not as far off from the truth of the matter as one might think. The LDS church is not as different from the FLDS church as they want to believe. Just a little more subtle.

[_Wheat]

The fact is that foisting irrational religious beliefs on kids as though they are real is a form of psychological child abuse, and were it not for the fact that too many people are doing it and there aren't the resources to take care of the problem, those kids really should be protected from the lunacy of their parents. The shear number of cases is pretty much the only reason it should be restricted to only the extreme cases like this one. The ability to facilitate and hide rape and sexual abuse (in this case) stems from teaching blind adherence to authority figures, not to mention pushing a crap load of guilt and fear.

As crazy as Wheat sounds (and the fact that he's likely some MAD sockpuppet), he's not as far off from the truth of the matter as one might think. The LDS church is not as different from the FLDS church as they want to believe. Just a little more subtle.

Apparently I'm no more "crazy" than you. And I'm certainly "not as far off from the truth of the matter as one might think."

And tell me truly, can't you see how this precedent-setting action on the part of the Texas authorities has opened the door to all kinds of long-dreamed-of-possibilities?

Just the thought of being able to strike a death blow to Mormon, Inc. must send shivers up your spine. Agreed? I mean, think how thankful you would be right now if the government had come into your house when you were 3 years old and removed you from your parents' influence until you were 18. You would have been spared the horrifying ordeal of having to live all those years under the oppressive regime of your parents and the cult they imposed upon you.

[_cinepro]

Texas totally screwed up. Everyone knows if you want to stop an isolated religious sect from practicing polygamy, you don't go after their kids and women. You go after their property. This lets the community survive, but gives the leaders a legitimate motivation to end the practice (after all, God would not want those FLDS to lose their Temple, right?)

If Texas did it effectively, I'm guessing the FLDS would ditch polygamy within 20 years.

[_Sethbag]

Joseph Smith started all of this, LOAP, with his wildly inappropriate sexual liaisons with young women and girls who were not his legal wife. He manipulated them, he seduced them, he coerced them spiritually, he imposed upon them, and then he screwed them.

I was unaware of any evidence that Joseph went to bed with the young girls. I can easily condemn statutory rape without condemning Joseph. I don't need to justify that for which I've seen no evidence.

That's about where I sit, as well.

Oh, and the blame game goes way past Joseph Smith. At least back to our friend, The Bible.

First off, you and I, and everyone else knows that Joseph Smith was having sex with most if not all of his fake wives. Don't even start. You put up this innocent "we don't have the stained sheets" defense as if anyone was buying it. As Eliza R. Snow famously replied, when asked if she'd had sex with Joseph Smith, "I thought you knew Joseph better than that."

Secondly, Christopher Hitchens is right, religion does poison everything. I believe that you, LOAP, are probably a very reasonable, intelligent person at heart. But you've been corrupted by the idea that the Bible actually serves to define and justify right and wrong, what is moral and immoral, etc. You say that the "blame" for Joseph's immoral sexual exploitation and manipulation of women and girls goes to the Old Testament, I guess. I'm really not sure if you're trying to be ironic, or whether you actually think the words recorded by the bronze age goatherders of the Middle East several thousand years ago actually justify Joseph's misdeeds.

Do you really derive your morals from this book? Do you really believe that if a woman is found not to be a virgin at her wedding, she must be stoned to death, and her own family must throw the first stones? Do you really believe that homosexuals should be stoned to death? That a teenager who mouths off to his parents should be stoned? Do you accept that a woman is to be considered married to a man, whether she wants to or not, as the consequence of his having raped her?

The Old Testament does not describe a moral people, governed by moral laws, given by a moral, just, and loving God. It contains mythology, pseudo-history, barbarity, cruelty, misogyny, racism, etc.

[_Some Schmo]

The fact is that foisting irrational religious beliefs on kids as though they are real is a form of psychological child abuse, and were it not for the fact that too many people are doing it and there aren't the resources to take care of the problem, those kids really should be protected from the lunacy of their parents. The shear number of cases is pretty much the only reason it should be restricted to only the extreme cases like this one. The ability to facilitate and hide rape and sexual abuse (in this case) stems from teaching blind adherence to authority figures, not to mention pushing a crap load of guilt and fear.

As crazy as Wheat sounds (and the fact that he's likely some MAD sockpuppet), he's not as far off from the truth of the matter as one might think. The LDS church is not as different from the FLDS church as they want to believe. Just a little more subtle.

Apparently I'm no more "crazy" than you. And I'm certainly "not as far off from the truth of the matter as one might think."

And tell me truly, can't you see how this precedent-setting action on the part of the Texas authorities has opened the door to all kinds of long-dreamed-of-possibilities?

Just the thought of being able to strike a death blow to Mormon, Inc. must send shivers up your spine. Agreed? I mean, think how thankful you would be right now if the government had come into your house when you were 3 years old and removed you from your parents' influence until you were 18. You would have been spared the horrifying ordeal of having to live all those years under the oppressive regime of your parents and the cult they imposed upon you.

LOL

Exposed. (Too easy)

[_LifeOnaPlate]

First off, you and I, and everyone else knows that Joseph Smith was having sex with most if not all of his fake wives. Don't even start. You put up this innocent "we don't have the stained sheets" defense as if anyone was buying it. As Eliza R. Snow famously replied, when asked if she'd had sex with Joseph Smith, "I thought you knew Joseph better than that."

I'm quite serious when I say I see no evidence that Joseph Smith had sex with a fourteen-year-old.

Secondly, Christopher Hitchens is right, religion does poison everything.

Hitchens again?

I believe that you, LOAP, are probably a very reasonable, intelligent person at heart. But you've been corrupted by the idea that the Bible actually serves to define and justify right and wrong, what is moral and immoral, etc. You say that the "blame" for Joseph's immoral sexual exploitation and manipulation of women and girls goes to the Old Testament, I guess. I'm really not sure if you're trying to be ironic, or whether you actually think the words recorded by the bronze age goatherders of the Middle East several thousand years ago actually justify Joseph's misdeeds.

I was just playing the blame game. You like to do that regarding the LDS and FLDS. I'm taking it a step further. It's the exact same thing.

Do you really derive your morals from this book? Do you really believe that if a woman is found not to be a virgin at her wedding, she must be stoned to death, and her own family must throw the first stones? Do you really believe that homosexuals should be stoned to death? That a teenager who mouths off to his parents should be stoned? Do you accept that a woman is to be considered married to a man, whether she wants to or not, as the consequence of his having raped her?

What do you think, Sethbag?

The Old Testament does not describe a moral people, governed by moral laws, given by a moral, just, and loving God. It contains mythology, pseudo-history, barbarity, cruelty, misogyny, racism, etc.

Marriage itself can be thrown in with polygamy for being a huge immoral unjust cruel institution.

[_asbestosman]

First off, you and I, and everyone else knows that Joseph Smith was having sex with most if not all of his fake wives. Don't even start. You put up this innocent "we don't have the stained sheets" defense as if anyone was buying it.

Todd Compton seems to have bought it last I heard (with respect to the underage teens).