Although it would make his life less interesting, poor gemli could withstand being ejected from your blog. I don't write here to offend or upset people, any more than theists, and particularly Mormons, write to offend or upset me. But if theists get to spread their message to all and sundry, it would seem that all and sundry might want to respond.
On the matter of engaging arguments, how does one engage a wild profusion of supernatural claims that have literally no chance of being true? If they were true, they would be obvious to everyone. Besides, everyone knows that the Catholic faith is the One True Faith, because that's what I was taught, although it is fun to watch religious authorities try to acknowledge conflicting theological claims.
But I would hate to shake the faith of others, given how fragile it obviously is. So there will be no need to ban me. I've pretty much said everything I've needed to say.
Live long and prosper.
Gemli out.
Say it ain't so Gemli......followed by.
I'm sorry to see you go. It's your choice, though. Entirely yours. I would have been happy had you chosen to stick around for actual conversation. We gave you every chance, but you're clearly not interested.
If Gemli is truly gone (and I very much hope he stays gone) it will represent a seismic shift in Mopologetics.
"If, while hoping that everybody else will be honest and so forth, I can personally prosper through unethical and immoral acts without being detected and without risk, why should I not?." --Daniel Peterson, 6/4/14
After thousands of comments to gemli about Mormonism, SeN failed to convert him.
In fact, the last several years of interacting with SeN has left a bad taste in gemli's mouth. I'm sure gemli is now one of the millions of people who dislike Mormonism.
That was some great missionary work, DCP.
"I'm on paid sabbatical from BYU in exchange for my promise to use this time to finish two books."
Peterson has said nonsense like this before, but if he loses the most interesting commenter he's ever had you'd think he might regret it.
DanielPeterson
tangata neneva
4 hours ago
tn: "Dr P, perhaps, out of pure charity, its time to say good bye to Mr G. We would not want him to suffer pain or permanent brain damage, and apparently his continued participation here is risky for him."
LOL. I'm leaning more and more in that direction.
Typically, I've only booted people who were obscene or insulting, etc. Poor gemli has always (or almost always) been civil and polite, so I've been disinclined to show him the door.
But, for the past year or so, at least, he's been simply repeating his slogans and cliches ad nauseam while shamelessly refusing even to pretend to engage the arguments of those who still try to converse with him. Eventually, it becomes mere static. For the life of me, I don't see the point of his continued posting here. I'm surprised he's still at it.
It's all o.k. Peterson will get some dullard on there, and make hash of him, and imagine he is doing the work of Jesus better. Of course, there won't be any conversion, but who hasn't known for the last 45 year Peterson is not about converting anyone, but winning arguments? It impresses him, but that misses the point, of which I am sure he still does not grasp. I will miss Gemli, to be sure.
The regular posters will need someone else to attack. Well, they still have the Maxwell and non-literal believers. Dr. Peterson could concentrate on travel blog efforts.
Cheers to Gemli. He lasted way longer than myself.
The regular posters will need someone else to attack. Well, they still have the Maxwell and non-literal believers.
Yes: this is the key point. Dr. Peterson used to crack jokes about how he couldn't resist the "message boards," and that he was like an alcoholic wandering past an open bar--he just couldn't hold back. But it turns out that it's not the "message boards" he's addicted to; rather, it's about kicking people around, belittling and mocking them. While moving to "SeN" may have moved him away from the boards, he still found an outlet for his "addiction." If Gemli is truly gone, though, it will mean that he'll have to direct these impulses elsewhere--yes, perhaps at the "new" MI, or he may finally start reading Jonathan Neville's writing so that he can ridicule/attack it more directly.
(And on a sidenote: I found it hilarious that he was telling Billy Shears that he has "nothing of value" to say on the whole Richard Nygren incident because Billy "hadn't read" all the details, while, meanwhile, Peterson has boasted repeatedly that he hasn't read a single word of Neville's writings.)
"If, while hoping that everybody else will be honest and so forth, I can personally prosper through unethical and immoral acts without being detected and without risk, why should I not?." --Daniel Peterson, 6/4/14