Posted on 12/11/2009 5:57:16 PM PST by Jim Robinson
Free Republic is a fringe right-wing Christian fundamentalist site... or so they say... and they might even be right.
We don't go for any of that godless left-wing big government socialist malarkey. And we do put our faith and trust in God, not government. We are pro-God, pro-Life, pro-Family, pro-Country and pro-Liberty.
We do not believe that government or science knows what's best for us or our children. We will make our own decisions thank you very much.
Every once in a while some group of posters get together and try to bend Free Republic to their will. Now, we tend to be pretty free-wheeling around here and will take a lot of guff and a lot of obnoxious insults from a lot of people, but eventually a breaking point is reached.
For example, when a group of RINO lovers recently banded together to try to force FR to accept an abortionist/gay rights RINO as our presidential candidate, they soon found themselves on the outs.
And a few years ago a group of evolutionists tried to force FR over to their way of thinking and they soon found themselves on the outs.
FR is a pro-God, pro-Creator, pro-Life, pro-Liberty site.
And now we have yet another group of Darwinists trying to have their Darwinist way with us. Well, as I've said before what doesn't kill us will only make us stronger.
Darwin Central has again declared war on FR. They have ping lists and email lists and will try to pull away as many FReepers as they possibly can. So be it. Those who would rather go with Darwin, please go. I sure as hell won't try to stop you.
FR will remain a pro-God, pro-Life, pro-Liberty, pro-Creator conservative site.
We wholeheartedly believe that our unalienable rights are a gift from God our Creator not from man or government. And no man, no government will ever deprive us of same.
Keep your powder dry.
Roger that!
How condescending and snarky of you. Does everything else he said meet with your approval as well?
But I would suggest that the problem isn’t scientists, but the perception that YEC’ers, essentially the Phelps family with regard to Biblical interpretation, logic and reason, have taken control of anything related to science on FR.
That comparison is just inexcusable. It falls into the *Hitler was a _____* category. Who made you the expert in Biblical interpretation, or logic and reason, that you can pass judgment on other's ability to do so?
The threads begun by GGG (Phelps) have turned into childish crap and there is never anything of benefit to anyone that has an interest in the issues.
They turn into childish crap because some people made it their mission to sabotage the threads. And, FWIW, the people who were interested in the issues were the creationists GGG pinged, not the disruptors who swarmed the threads to destroy them. Nobody forced the evolutionists to go on those threads and start Christian bashing.
I again suggest that it is because GGG posts so many threads (I’m not going to comment as to their viability) and does so in a way so as to bait non-YEC’ers, thus resulting in the childish behavior.
GGG was not posting them to bait non-YECers. He never pinged them to those threads. They found them all by their little selves and swarmed them after that.
Nobody ever forced them to click on the links and read the threads and comment on them.
They are responsible for their own bad behavior that got them banned.
They could have just acted like the adults they claimed to be and ignored them.
. However, I suggest that you give it some further thought and consider re-instating some of those recently banned(from an ex-donor).
Threatening with pulling your donation if JR doesn't tow your line? How mature of you to try to force compliance with blackmail.
I read that stuff, but I ain't buyin it!!! Christians can't come along after thousands of years of fundamentalism amonst all tribes of humanity of all different types and all of a sudden claim a monopoly on fundamentalism!!!
Let's hope Annie got it right; her father sure didn't!
Let me give you a rundown on where I stand on the topics you mentioned.
I'm pro-God, pro-Creator, pro-Life, pro-Liberty, and absolutely against running a abortionist/gay rights RINO for President. (I'd also take that one step further than some freepers in that I'm ALSO absolutely against nominating abortionist/gay rights RINOs for major office in ANY state, regardless of whether it "voted for Obama" I don't think we need to sell our soul to "win".) I'm a charter member of the VRWC, couldn't be more proud, and have one of those cool FreeRepublic themed "VRWC" cards in my wallet.
I'm also a practicing Christian, consider myself devout (I attend church when I can), but I wouldn't describe myself as a "fundamentalist" or "religious right". (one of the few times I think Ann Coulter was spot-on was when she said conservatives in the upper northern states aren't comfortable with the label "religious right" attached to us , regardless of how religious we are) I am a hardcore social conservative, but not because of my religion (for example my church was adamantly opposed to the Iraq war, whereas I supported it). I do get rather annoyed with the "fundamentalist" protestant types here who insist anyone who's not a member of their denomination is "not Christian", and apparently must believe "real" Christianity didn't exist on earth until protestants showed up in the 1600s.
I agree with the poster who noted not all freepers are Christians. Some are Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Atheists, etc., and fine conservatives. I agree with the sentiment that Free Republic should be a "mainstream right-wing Christian/Jewish/Other Faiths/etc. strict constructionist/pro-Constitution site" instead of a "fundamentalist Christian" site.
I believe in the theory of evolution. I will go one step further and note that I also agree with teaching the theory of evolution in science classes. I have no intention of joining "Darwin Central" for the same reason I have no intention of joining the "American Association of Geologists" even though I believe in the theory of continental drift. Not my thing.
I agree with Darwin's basic premise, I don't think that makes me a "Darwinist" anymore than agreeing with Newton's basic ideas makes me a "Galileoist" who worships him.
I have real problems with the young earth creationists here who demonize anyone who is pro-evolution, and claim those of us who disagree that the world is 6000 years old are "not Christian" and "belong to the culture of death". Another freeper compared their rhetoric to Rev. Wright's "Hate Whitey" church that has decided Jesus only saves those who believe in black liberation theology. I'm sorry to see that any Christians preach hatred and condemn anyone who thinks differently than they do. That's certainly not what Jesus taught.
As a final note, I'll add that I also agree with the theory of genetics that was first discovered by Gregor Mendel. (my father went to Mendel Catholic HS in Chicago) Most of the "anti-Darwin" folks here ranting and raving about the evils of science teaching about Dominant and recessive traits, eugenics, etc., should actually be attacking "Mendelists" and not "Darwinists", especially Ben Stein (who I used to like until he went insane and endorsed Al Franken and Obama) trying to tie the NAZIs eugenics policies to "godless science". I suspect the reason they don't demonize Mendal is A) they haven't actually read the "evil godless theories" they denounce (or they'd realize Darwin never once mentioned genes) and B) Mendel was a devout Augustinian priest and monk, which goes against their "Darwinists are atheists" stereotype.
Now this is the type of reply that I expected. GGG caught me by surprise with a mature response. I didn’t object to the information that GGG posted, but it the contentious and controversial nature in which he posted it, ala Phelps. He always had to add his jabs in the title of the article to get everyone going. I think his articles will get a better discussion going in the religion forum. I’ll address your specific concerns in a separate response in a moment.
Let me give you a rundown on where I stand on the topics you mentioned.
I'm pro-God, pro-Creator, pro-Life, pro-Liberty, and absolutely against running a abortionist/gay rights RINO for President. (I'd also take that one step further than some freepers in that I'm ALSO absolutely against nominating abortionist/gay rights RINOs for major office in ANY state, regardless of whether it "voted for Obama" I don't think we need to sell our soul to "win".) I'm a charter member of the VRWC, couldn't be more proud, and have one of those cool FreeRepublic themed "VRWC" cards in my wallet.
I'm also a practicing Christian, consider myself devout (I attend church when I can), but I wouldn't describe myself as a "fundamentalist" or "religious right". (one of the few times I think Ann Coulter was spot-on was when she said conservatives in the upper northern states aren't comfortable with the label "religious right" attached to us , regardless of how religious we are) I am a hardcore social conservative, but not because of my religion (for example my church was adamantly opposed to the Iraq war, whereas I supported it). I do get rather annoyed with the "fundamentalist" protestant types here who insist anyone who's not a member of their denomination is "not Christian", and apparently must believe "real" Christianity didn't exist on earth until protestants showed up in the 1600s.
I agree with the poster who noted not all freepers are Christians. Some are Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Atheists, etc., and fine conservatives. I agree with the sentiment that Free Republic should be a "mainstream right-wing Christian/Jewish/Other Faiths/etc. strict constructionist/pro-Constitution site" instead of a "fundamentalist Christian" site.
I believe in the theory of evolution. I will go one step further and note that I also agree with teaching the theory of evolution in science classes. I have no intention of joining "Darwin Central" for the same reason I have no intention of joining the "American Association of Geologists" even though I believe in the theory of continental drift. Not my thing.
I agree with Darwin's basic premise, I don't think that makes me a "Darwinist" anymore than agreeing with Galileo's basic ideas makes me a "Galileoist" who worships him.
I have real problems with the young earth creationists here who demonize anyone who is pro-evolution, and claim those of us who disagree that the world is 6000 years old are "not Christian" and "belong to the culture of death". Another freeper compared their rhetoric to Rev. Wright's "Hate Whitey" church that has decided Jesus only saves those who believe in black liberation theology. I'm sorry to see that any Christians preach hatred and condemn anyone who thinks differently than they do. That's certainly not what Jesus taught.
As a final note, I'll add that I also agree with the theory of genetics that was first discovered by Gregor Mendel. (my father went to Mendel Catholic HS in Chicago) Most of the "anti-Darwin" folks here ranting and raving about the evils of science teaching about Dominant and recessive traits, eugenics, etc., should actually be attacking "Mendelists" and not "Darwinists", especially Ben Stein (who I used to like until he went insane and endorsed Al Franken and Obama) trying to tie the NAZIs eugenics policies to "godless science". I suspect the reason they don't demonize Mendal is A) they haven't actually read the "evil godless theories" they denounce (or they'd realize Darwin never once mentioned genes) and B) Mendel was a devout Augustinian priest and monk, which goes against their "darwinists are atheists" stereotype.
More of the same propaganda that our kids get shoved down their throats in school in place of real science.
Evolution has no relationship to science whatsoever. Mathematics, the backbone of science refutes evolution completely, but whenever this fact is presented here the evo-maniacs go rabid and sabotage the thread with adhominem attack and nonsensical graphics, and anything but evidence. The childish behavior, in particular, is the reserved domain of the evo-terrorists here.
As you can see by the posts to this thread, its about 99:1 happiness that the evo-nutcases have been zapped, but there are still about 5 or 6 more radical nut cases that need to go.
Of course I will sabotage such thread (without "ad hominem"), because no such "fact" is presented. Presented is simplistic argumentation, based on incomplete knowledge of mathematics, OR perhaps on the hope that the readers are ignorant. When the former is involved, I can patiently explain the concept of cumulative selection. When the latter, I may indeed go rabid. :)
Excuse me ?
I’ve known Steve-B for 25+ years. Merely because he is not a RELIGIOUS conservative, does not mean he’s not a Conservative.
I’d categorize him as Conservative to Libertarian.
For that matter, **I** am not a Christian Fundamentalist, either.
It’s people making claims like yours, that cause the Left to start muttering about “Christian Taliban”. . . . .
Don’t forget us “Cultered Rednecks!”
bert :Forcing a view of Christianity and of God is not what I consider to be the spirit of Free Republic
Are you forced to open the post? Take some personal responsibility. It's a cornerstone of conservatism.
No, but I am usually interested in the topic so I read the article. However, you will note that I rarely post with regard to the article and seldom find any comments by any side helpful on GGG’s threads.
I don’t post on them at all. Too nasty. I read it and leave the thread. I don’t go looking for shooting matches. There are those that do.
......Are you forced to open the post?.....
Like beer cans thrown beside the road, they litter the news forum and are hard to ignore
Ditto from Texas.
Again, take some personal responsibility. It's a cornerstone of conservatism.
Why can't you just ignore them? There are posters that I don't appreciate. I try to ignore them. It's not worth the aggravation.
But it's not nearly as much fun.
It's not worth the aggravation.
For some it apparently is.
There seem to be a lot of fundamentalist protestants on FR who have a very narrow world view. They live in regions that are 90% protestant, and probably haven't encountered many non-protestants in their everyday lives. When they encounter non-protestants on the Internet they don't see them as real Christians, but probably weird cults.
It would probably shock them to learn that fundamentalist Protestants are actually the smallest of the three major types of Christians in the world, after Catholics and Orthodox (both of which predate protestantism by 1500+ years)
Part of the reason they ignore Orthodox Christians is that the orthodox are only 3.5% of Christians in the U.S., though worldwide there are least 300 million orthodox, and Eastern Orthodoxy is the second largest Christian communion in the world.
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