I don't agree, Schmo, I think Ajax does have a conscience and his impulse is to care about people. I know it sounds weird but it's the same for my RWFY. This board and other more extreme venues he may frequent are his way of blowing off steam. He doesn't want to care, but he does. Whisky can tell you all about people like this. I got into a scuff-up the other day with RWFY, I'm very disappointed in myself for caving but I did. I recommended to him that he join ICE. He didn't get the point, another reason for me to do better in the future, but the point was he wouldn't be able to do it. No way could he snatch a kid at school or out of bed, put them in cuffs, and off to detention. Milgram experiments considered, I'd put my money that Ajax couldn't either. It's much easier to fill in a dot on a piece of paper to tell other people to do the dirty work while you create a narrative for yourself that makes reality palatable.
There are a couple who have been on this board who I do think have no conscience, I'll hold that to myself, I mention it so as not to sound like I'd 'redeem' everyone in that way. In a way, it's worse. RMWY should do much better as a person given he does care about people. While he has done many good things on a personal level, he's done some incredibly bad things also, both personally and through his toxic beliefs via collective action, especially if you take his Christian values into consideration. What's hilarious when you take RMWY's religion into account, and the ace in the hole that wins the argument for me, is that on virtually every topic that could be conceived as political his pastor's beliefs are closer to mine than his own. I would put money that Ajax's bishop doesn't hold the same beliefs that Ajax proffers on this forum.
It's far from the truth that I'd ever try to convince Ajax there isn't a God, I hope that the good that I know is left in Mormonism on community (not leadership) level helps him repent one day.
Lost Gospel of Thomas 1:8 - And Jesus said, "what about the Pharisees? They did it too! Wherefore, we shall do it even more!"
You may be right, Gad, and I agree that it's worse to be a MAGAte who quashes their conscience for the sake of the "movement" than those that don't have a conscience in the first place.
There was a time when I thought ajax could be moved. I no longer believe that, and put him on ignore as soon as I accepted he was immovable. Some people's internal narrative will always win out over "smack you in the face" reality.
Religion is for people whose existential fear is greater than their common sense.
No, you're actually right. I'm not sure why you would have ever thought I could be moved to embrace open borders or democratic socialism. I'd have no problem reuniting illegal immigrant families in their native countries, even if I had to serve as an ICE agent myself.
I would put money that Ajax's bishop doesn't hold the same beliefs that Ajax proffers on this forum.
My bishop actually told me that he now understands why it was wrong for him to baptize and illegal immigrant as a missionary, and he's half latino. My stake president broke into a belly laugh when I sang, "Walking in a Welfare Wonderland," at the ward Christmas party. I'm more worried that the Hindus were right about eating beef being a sin, than I am that God will tell me that we were wrong for having a border and enforcing it.
And when the Confederates saw Jackson standing fearless like a stonewall, the army of Northern Virginia took courage and drove the federal army off their land.
