Hey, good to here from you. Are you back for good?

The whole site completely crashed a few months ago, screwing up everyone's accounts. Lucky should hopefully be able to get most of your data back.


So what's going on with you these days?

In reply to this comment by [defunct] uhohzombies:
Hey DFT, congrats on your wedding. Tell Issy I said hello. What the heck happened around here? I can't seem to get into my old account and when I tried to register a new one, it said to use my old screen name... which is now totally wiped clean. I am so lost, lol. See ya around man.

It's not all soft.

In reply to this comment by peggedbea:
sir,
this avatar is making me uncomfortable.
i know underneath the kitty is young harrison ford being foxy
i also know that you are a furry
and underneath your plush and fuzzy exterior is soft fleshy man meat.

shudder,
bea

You can't blame me for breathing on a wilting violet. This was a dialog, not a monologue. If Aemaeth didn't want a discussion, then he shouldn't have responded to my video in the first place. He's no victim.

I wasn't trying to chase him off the site. I was just trying to seed some doubt and engage him in some frank conversation. I'd love nothing more than for him to come back and stand up for himself. He could bring his friends too if he likes. The more the merrier.

Again, I'm going to re-iterate that there is a double standard when it comes to religion. The religious are allowed to damn people to hell and decide which humans are allowed to be married, but point out some glaring problems within a faith and all of a sudden you become Darth Vader.

Inelegantly: fuck that

I honestly find Mormonism very troubling, from it's morally disgusting inception, to it's unbelievable mythology, to its history of discrimination and misogyny, to its recent foyer into politics. I see it as a negative force in the world and would like to seed some doubt among its followers.

Can I be tolerant and severely critical at the same time?

Here are some questions that culture tells me I shouldn't ask.

-Joseph Smith had 33 wives, some of them as young as 14, some of them were others men's wives. How does this square with Mormon views on morality? How can you follow the teachings of a despicable lech and then seek to limit the rights of gay people?

-Do Mormons really believe that God waited 1800 years and then revealed himself to some dude in rural Utah, whom he instructed to sex up dozens of women and girls?

-Is it possible that this entire religion started out as a sex cult?

-Do Mormons really believe that Native Americans are actually a lost Jewish tribe?

Does tolerance require my silence on these points?

Would you have chastised me if Aemaeth was a Scientologist, or a polite Neo-Nazi?

Does tolerance have limits?

First off, I enjoy having my belief system challenged, because it results in either a stronger, deeper understanding of current beliefs, or an ideological upgrade. Win-Win.

I disagree that individuals should not be held accountable for the actions of their religious, political, or other organizational/ideological memberships, especially when those individuals support injustice through tithing or donation. If not, then what is the value of the stake they hold within the organization? I could write a letter to high ranking clergy, but somehow I don't think that would be as effective as a widespread backlash.

Backlash is a good thing. It's a healthy, instructive consequence for misdeeds, an important form a protest and a great catalyst for change. It's also a great way to exert pressure from the bottom of an organization up to the untouchables at the top. For instance, the backlash against Bush and the Republicans was arguably a better force for political enlightenment and change than anything Clinton did in his 8 years in office.

Also, religious ideology should absolutely not be exempted from scrutiny. If you substitute Republican, Libertarian or Democrat for Mormon in my comments, they suddenly become uncontroversial and commonplace. I see no reason why religion should get a free pass, especially when that religion gets into the politics business.

Finally, shielding the religious from scrutiny denies them the opportunity to use all that gray matter up in their head cavity. An opportunity was missed here for someone to stand up for what they believe in and confront troubling perceptions of their faith. Had he mounted an argument he felt comfortable with, he'd never have to worry about getting into a tussle again, because he'd be prepared. Then again, retreat can be significant too, if it is the result of doubt.

Que sera, sera...

Anyway, thanks for challenging my beliefs, kitty kitty. You are the moral heart of the sift.

Looks like Project: Empathy was a bit too successful, as he managed to get the point (that being singled out sucks) without getting the point (that he was cast as the gay person in my staged allegory). It's a shame he couldn't make that connection. Oh well...... either way, that's some thin skin for a denizen of the internet. I've seen tougher talk in the *catsanddogs channel. <shrugs>

In reply to this comment by schmawy:
* dangles handcuffs *

>> ^dystopianfuturetoday:
[saving this comment in case it gets erased.]
Yes, by all means, run away. That is what Mormons do best when ... your absurd belief system. ... so called 'Prophets' ... pull their heads out of their asses ... means you are gullible.

You getting kinky with me?

In reply to this comment by schmawy:
* dangles handcuffs *

>> ^dystopianfuturetoday:
[saving this comment in case it gets erased.]
Yes, by all means, run away. That is what Mormons do best when ... your absurd belief system. ... so called 'Prophets' ... pull their heads out of their asses ... means you are gullible.

Ooh, nice. Puts my crude pixel cat to shame.

69888,37376,22526,15364,16648,33552,74528,84000,96288,84768,74512,33032,31748,22526,37376,69888

In reply to this comment by schmawy:
0,15996,2628,6724,9784,0,7292,8724,8724,7172,0,8708,5124,2172,5124,8708

YAY!

In reply to this comment by schmawy:
0,15996,2628,6724,9784,0,7292,8724,8724,7172,0,8708,5124,2172,5124,8708

Thanks Schmawy. Actually, this was my first sift. --> http://www.videosift.com/video/How-To-Fight-a-Battle-Royale

In reply to this comment by schmawy:
*promote The fir$t Sift of DFT

Link is dead.

In reply to this comment by Creature:
I was wondering why that guy was so familiar...then I realized it was VenomfangX. I guess one of his biggest fans recently went out killed a girl and then killed himself.

Bwahahaha... nice.

In reply to this comment by peggedbea:
single mom is a dish best served cold and bitter. like gazpacho with 2 tablespoons of mylanta-to neutralize the acidity of the tomato and soothe all the stomach ulcers.

i would also enjoy some refried illegal immigrant, and pickled dead beat dad.

Thanks. I need to hotkey this.

In reply to this comment by qualm:
You get one too!

Myth: Taxes are theft.

Fact: Taxes are payments for the public goods and services you consume.

Taxes are part of an agreement that voters make with government, a contract in which citizens agree to exchange their money for the government's goods and services. To consume these goods and services without paying for them is itself theft, and is rightly punished as breach of contract. Some may object that they have not agreed to the contract, but if so, then they must not consume the government's goods and services. Furthermore, contract by majority rule is better than by minority rule, one-person rule or anarchy (which results in kill-or-be-killed). Opponents of taxation under democracy are therefore challenged to find an improvement on democracy.

lol

In reply to this comment by peggedbea:
oooh cock me amadeus!

Issues?