I'm Back! And Completely Different. But The Same.

[FreeThinkerNZ]

I've been away from ex-c for quite a while, busy with stuff, but decided to come back for at least a while because last time I looked there was a brilliant free speech culture here. What better place for an ex-leftie now conservative to hang out. No, my account has not been hacked. Unlike John Podesta, my password is a bit better than "password".

 

My values haven't changed, just my understanding of politics, economics, security, and the justice system. And the thickness of my skin has increased, some of you may be pleased to learn. Prizes for the most SJW older posts of mine that you can find. I embrace the shame.

 

We understand Christian deconversion here, right? In some cases, there's also political deconversion. I'm not alone, it's happened to millions in this historic year.

 

Because I am also brimming with empathy, I want to again to offer help to newly deconverting ex-cs with their adjustment process, particularly in light of a pattern I've observed. In some cases, young people who've come out of a very fundy home seem to go as far as possible in the other political & cultural direction. That's fine, their choice, but I'm all about eradicating the binary thinking I grew up with and valuing logic & evidence above ideology. Crazy, right? I will help those who want to be helped. 

 

All SJW whining will be soundly denounced on sight. Someone ask End3 to unblock me, I'll be his greatest champion. Is he still single? j/k 

 

I do want to move to Texas and buy lots of weapons. Which (obviously) I will only ever conceal carry and use in self defense or as a deterrent to government tyranny.

 

Cthulhu Bless 'Murica!

[Fweethawt]

Oh boy...

 

Welcome back and -- I'm probably not the only one that wants to know which brand of glue you're sniffing so, let it rip.

 

What gives? Why the change of hea... mind? What brought about this about face?

[Thurisaz]

Good to see you back in any case

[LogicalFallacy]

 

 

All SJW whining will be soundly denounced on sight. 

 

Just so we are clear, are you saying you will smack those whining about SJW's or smack the SJW's into the middle of common sense land?

 

If its the later we are friends

 

And welcome back, I'm from NZ, and fairly new here. And true to my nature I have already made friends, peeved some people off, and found I can be wrong... more often that I'd like to admit... but I've learned more about certain topics while 3 months here than 32 years as a Christian.

 

On political leanings and values: I certainly haven't changed my political leaning a lot (Center right of the spectrum), but certain topics I have re evaluated. I think its important that not EVERY christian value is anti humanist. Some of them are actually quite good and fundamental to a healthy functioning society in my opinion.

[FreeThinkerNZ]

Oh boy...

 

Welcome back and -- I'm probably not the only one that wants to know which brand of glue you're sniffing so, let it rip.

 

What gives? Why the change of hea... mind? What brought about this about face?

I'm sniffing Trump Glue ™

 

He makes everything great again. Hey, I'll probably agree with you on most things now.

 

I've loathed Hillary Clinton since 2008. Supported Bernie Sanders, and even though I said anti-Trump things at that time, I hadn't bothered to look into his policies and record, I was just parroting what I'd heard. Over a 6 months period I learned what goes on in the mainstream media and in the US government much more than before. When it became clear that Hillary was going to steal the nomination I was a bit lost, not knowing what to do next, so I started reading about Trump to see if he would really be as bad as people were saying. 

 

I could write a page on each of 20 policy areas but I'll mention the first one I agreed with here.

I read/watched "Latinos for Trump" representatives and saw things from their perspective. In particular, that enforcing existing immigration law would actually *reduce* discrimination against Latinos who had settled in the US legally. That really spoke to me. Here was a group that had done nothing wrong but was being treated like criminals because of the color of their skin, or their accent or their name.  I know we can't eradicate all discrimination by race or other things but I think we can tackle this problem in some way.

 

Then I found out the drug trade is contributing to illegal immigration and there is a much higher violent crime rate in this group. It doesn't need to be. Every country is entitled to a secure border. I firmly believe that if Trump is able to implement all or most of his immigration policies then drug harm, violent crime and cost to taxpayers will reduce. It's worth a try, anyway.

 

Hillary wanted open borders and a path to citizenship for people who didn't use the existing one. Coincidentally enfranchising millions of illegal immigrants would restore the Democratic party's long term electoral chances and likely obliterate the other side.

 

Democracy only works if parties can take turns.

[FreeThinkerNZ]

 

 

 

All SJW whining will be soundly denounced on sight. 

 

Just so we are clear, are you saying you will smack those whining about SJW's or smack the SJW's into the middle of common sense land?

 

If its the later we are friends

 

And welcome back, I'm from NZ, and fairly new here. And true to my nature I have already made friends, peeved some people off, and found I can be wrong... more often that I'd like to admit... but I've learned more about certain topics while 3 months here than 32 years as a Christian.

 

On political leanings and values: I certainly haven't changed my political leaning a lot (Center right of the spectrum), but certain topics I have re evaluated. I think its important that not EVERY christian value is anti humanist. Some of them are actually quite good and fundamental to a healthy functioning society in my opinion.

 

 

Thanks for the warm Kiwi welcome

 

It's the latter, re SJWs. I disagree that it knocks sense into them, though. Unless they're open minded. I had lots of whacks when I was an SJW but actually it helped me question my beliefs... eventually. Took about 18 months for me to admit I didn't have adequate data to support my claims. I looked for it, but couldn't find it. Example: if women really are earning 77 cents in the dollar, wouldn't it be helpful to have clear data supporting that? I never found it.

 

But I still agree with many other feminist ideas. I just don't flagellate people with them. I'm in my 40s and my impression of the real world is that a positive attitude, thicker skin & hard work will get you far higher pay than waving placards will. Yes, in many cases men do have an easier time of things. But the solution to that is not to whine about it in ways that switch people off. Get better at what you do and prove them wrong. 

 

I agree with you about Christianity. I have way more compassion for Christians, even the rabidly fundy ones, than I did before. I'd far rather live in a majority Christian community than a majority Muslim one. Sweden is not as attractive as it used to be. Tragic for Swedes.

[FreeThinkerNZ]

Good to see you back in any case

 

Aw, what's this "in any case" stuff, lol. I'm ready to do battle against the feminazis that have infiltrated German politics and society  

[TheRedneckProfessor]

Fuck yeah! Welcome back, Baby Girl!

[FreeThinkerNZ]

Fuck yeah! Welcome back, Baby Girl!

I love it when you call me that

[TheRedneckProfessor]

 

Fuck yeah! Welcome back, Baby Girl!

I love it when you call me that

 

And I love you, Baby Girl!

[Fweethawt]

So let me get this straight...

 

So now, if I say, "Baby, I think you're hot. And I eventually wanna do you."

 

How would you react to that?

[FreeThinkerNZ]

So let me get this straight...

 

So now, if I say, "Baby, I think you're hot. And I eventually wanna do you."

 

How would you react to that?

First, I wouldn't believe you. But yeah, why not? LOL

[Fweethawt]

 

So let me get this straight...

 

So now, if I say, "Baby, I think you're hot. And I eventually wanna do you."

 

How would you react to that?

First, I wouldn't believe you. But yeah, why not? LOL

so I wouldn't not be considered a misogynistic male chauvinistic pig that only sees women as objects instead of the people they are?

[Geezer]

Welcome back. There appears to be a general assumption here that when a fundy de-converts they automatically become political liberals but that isn't the case. I'm still a registered Republican but I'd don't wear the label Republican, Democrat, Liberal or Conservative. It you wear a label you're expected to embrace everything that label says you believe in.

 

I haven't bothered to register as an independent but that's what I am. Both liberals & conservatives have some good ideas that I can endorse. I can't be a Democrat because they have allowed the anarchist & radicals to hijack their party. I can't be a Republican because the radical Fundies have too much influence in establishing policy.

 

I could not vote for Clinton because she is a criminal that belongs in jail. My vote for Trump was a vote against Clinton but now that he has actually won, and that was a shock to me, and appears to have calmed down I can & will support his Presidency.

 

I've reached the point in my life that I'm not interested in wearing labels that promote anybodies agenda.

[FreeThinkerNZ]

 

 

So let me get this straight...

 

So now, if I say, "Baby, I think you're hot. And I eventually wanna do you."

 

How would you react to that?

First, I wouldn't believe you. But yeah, why not? LOL

so I wouldn't not be considered a misogynistic male chauvinistic pig that only sees women as objects instead of the people they are?

 

Good lord no. Look, I've been reading Ann Coulter's tweets. She had some things to say about overweight women yesterday, it was so funny. I'm not slim like her, but I sure saw the funny side. Remember, she was called the C word 19 times in a TV "roast" by people who would say I'm sexist for not supporting Hillary. So I cut her a lot of of slack because so much hate is directed at her.

 

I really think in all but cases where physical/mental health is a factor, people *can* manage their weight if they work at it. I just choose not to. But I admit that.  I look at women like Coulter and think, she's extremely smart, and she must have valued being slim and worked at it, and the fact is, it's helped her career. Is it "fair" that women have to do that in most industries to be successful and men mostly don't? No. But I refuse to sit around whining about it. Either put up or shut up. These fat activists who try to tell us fat is attractive and healthy are ridiculous.  I've been a lot slimmer than I am now and I was more attractive then, fact. If I cared that much about it I'd remedy it. 

 

To get back to your point, I think women like Coulter, or the women around Trump, work damn hard at exercise, what they eat, and all the other things they must spend time on to look as good as they do. Sure, they have the resources for the best spa treatments, haircare, clothing etc. But they also stand up straight and look confident.  Melania Trump will have worked hard from adolescence to break into the modelling scene and earn enough money to move to the US and eventually be in Donald Trump's social circle. It didn't just happen by magic. She also speaks several languages. He would never have wanted to marry someone with low intellect or work ethic. So good on her.  

[Fweethawt]

 

 

 

So let me get this straight...

 

So now, if I say, "Baby, I think you're hot. And I eventually wanna do you."

 

How would you react to that?

First, I wouldn't believe you. But yeah, why not? LOL

so I wouldn't not be considered a misogynistic male chauvinistic pig that only sees women as objects instead of the people they are?

Good lord no. Look, I've been reading Ann Coulter's tweets. She had some things to say about overweight women yesterday, it was so funny. I'm not slim like her, but I sure saw the funny side. Remember, she was called the C word 19 times in a TV "roast" by people who would say I'm sexist for not supporting Hillary. So I cut her a lot of of slack because so much hate is directed at her.

 

I really think in all but cases where physical/mental health is a factor, people *can* manage their weight if they work at it. I just choose not to. But I admit that. I look at women like Coulter and think, she's extremely smart, and she must have valued being slim and worked at it, and the fact is, it's helped her career. Is it "fair" that women have to do that in most industries to be successful and men mostly don't? No. But I refuse to sit around whining about it. Either put up or shut up. These fat activists who try to tell us fat is attractive and healthy are ridiculous. I've been a lot slimmer than I am now and I was more attractive then, fact. If I cared that much about it I'd remedy it.

 

To get back to your point, I think women like Coulter, or the women around Trump, work damn hard at exercise, what they eat, and all the other things they must spend time on to look as good as they do. Sure, they have the resources for the best spa treatments, haircare, clothing etc. But they also stand up straight and look confident. Melania Trump will have worked hard from adolescence to break into the modelling scene and earn enough money to move to the US and eventually be in Donald Trump's social circle. It didn't just happen by magic. She also speaks several languages. He would never have wanted to marry someone with low intellect or work ethic. So good on her.

Yeeeeah, umm... Wow! So, uh... Reel that in a bit, and you'll get there, FTNZ.

[FreeThinkerNZ]

Welcome back. There appears to be a general assumption here that when a fundy de-converts they automatically become political liberals but that isn't the case. I'm still a registered Republican but I'd don't wear the label Republican, Democrat, Liberal or Conservative. It you wear a label you're expected to embrace everything that label says you believe in.

 

I haven't bothered to register as an independent but that's what I am. Both liberals & conservatives have some good ideas that I can endorse. I can't be a Democrat because they have allowed the anarchist & radicals to hijack their party. I can't be a Republican because the radical Fundies have too much influence in establishing policy.

 

I could not vote for Clinton because she is a criminal that belongs in jail. My vote for Trump was a vote against Clinton but now that he has actually won, and that was a shock to me, and appears to have calmed down I can & will support his Presidency.

 

I've reached the point in my life that I'm not interested in wearing labels that promote anybodies agenda.

 

Sounds really interesting. I think if I were American I'd be a registered Independent, but follow my state's laws to change it in time to vote in a primary if I wanted to for some reason, and then change it back to Indy. Growing the Indy group can send a message to the Rs and Ds. They've haven't listened to it yet but will have to.  Ideally, while unlikely to happen, uniform primary processes would help a lot I think. I've seen that candidates can game the system according to the timing of primaries, some states receive lots of attention, others very little, if they're part of a super Tuesday or late in the season.

 

NY was a pain for Democrats this year because the registration deadline for the closed primary was in October 2015, deliberately before enough people had really heard of Sanders. Can't remember the exact number but it was maybe 1.5 million or more Indies who missed out. The Hillary camp's answer was, you should have switched to Dem 6 months ago. True but not great for the future of the party. I found the NY party machine to rival Chicago for corruption. But then came CA, which was just as bad.

 

Having one national primary day for all parties would be great. Hard to achieve. But registration wouldn't matter, people could vote in one party and there could be systems to stop them voting in another's primary. The time for voter ID laws is long past. 

 

I do agree about the radical fundies in the GOP.  I've found the ones I encounter online very respectful of my non-belief. I was surprised. Guess we'll see what happens. It seemed to me that the organized atheist community was overwhelmingly for Hillary, and that's when I stopped respecting those who were.  I think they're blinded by their anti-theism to the exclusion of issues like national security, which I consider more urgent.  

 

You're right, Trump did become more disciplined in recent months, and that didn't surprise me at all. I don't think he's acting, I think he takes the role seriously and really does not want to mess it up. He's had to fight a war on two fronts, with the establishment GOP sellouts actively sabotaging him from within. Supporters are irate with them for that. At times I thought they'd succeed. So IMO the fact he defeated both them and everyone else he was fighting, is incredible. I still sometimes can't believe we did it. 

[FreeThinkerNZ]

 

 

 

 

So let me get this straight...

 

So now, if I say, "Baby, I think you're hot. And I eventually wanna do you."

 

How would you react to that?

First, I wouldn't believe you. But yeah, why not? LOL

so I wouldn't not be considered a misogynistic male chauvinistic pig that only sees women as objects instead of the people they are?

Good lord no. Look, I've been reading Ann Coulter's tweets. She had some things to say about overweight women yesterday, it was so funny. I'm not slim like her, but I sure saw the funny side. Remember, she was called the C word 19 times in a TV "roast" by people who would say I'm sexist for not supporting Hillary. So I cut her a lot of of slack because so much hate is directed at her.

 

I really think in all but cases where physical/mental health is a factor, people *can* manage their weight if they work at it. I just choose not to. But I admit that. I look at women like Coulter and think, she's extremely smart, and she must have valued being slim and worked at it, and the fact is, it's helped her career. Is it "fair" that women have to do that in most industries to be successful and men mostly don't? No. But I refuse to sit around whining about it. Either put up or shut up. These fat activists who try to tell us fat is attractive and healthy are ridiculous. I've been a lot slimmer than I am now and I was more attractive then, fact. If I cared that much about it I'd remedy it.

 

To get back to your point, I think women like Coulter, or the women around Trump, work damn hard at exercise, what they eat, and all the other things they must spend time on to look as good as they do. Sure, they have the resources for the best spa treatments, haircare, clothing etc. But they also stand up straight and look confident. Melania Trump will have worked hard from adolescence to break into the modelling scene and earn enough money to move to the US and eventually be in Donald Trump's social circle. It didn't just happen by magic. She also speaks several languages. He would never have wanted to marry someone with low intellect or work ethic. So good on her.

Yeeeeah, umm... Wow! So, uh... Reel that in a bit, and you'll get there, FTNZ.

 

Haha, of course. I'd be fairly quiet if we were sitting in a bar

 

Here's a Trump female to ease the pain.

 

http://becuo.com/lara-yunaska-eric-trump

[Blood]

I do agree about the radical fundies in the GOP.  I've found the ones I encounter online very respectful of my non-belief. I was surprised. Guess we'll see what happens. It seemed to me that the organized atheist community was overwhelmingly for Hillary, and that's when I stopped respecting those who were.  I think they're blinded by their anti-theism to the exclusion of issues like national security, which I consider more urgent.  

 

If you actually lived with and interacted with the "radical fundies of the GOP" (i.e., the mainstream and majority of Republicans), I predict you would take a sharply different attitude. They are NOT "very respectful" of non-belief AT ALL. That is why the atheist community was overwhelmingly for Hillary. No, we are not "blinded by anti-theism." We can see perfectly clear. Trump-Pence is a win for radical Christian fundamentalism, and that mental disease manifests itself in a thousand different cancerous ways even out of power. Given ultimate power,  the damage they can and will do will be enormous. Creationism taught in public schools, Southern Baptists dictating public policy, Bible verses used to shape Middle Eastern policy, more tax dollars used to fund churches, etc, etc. It will be a fucking nightmare and this naive optimism you have is, in my opinion, badly misplaced.

 

The only hope I have is that Trump lied about everything when he embraced the fundies during the campaign, and will stiff them as president. 

[FreeThinkerNZ]

 

I do agree about the radical fundies in the GOP.  I've found the ones I encounter online very respectful of my non-belief. I was surprised. Guess we'll see what happens. It seemed to me that the organized atheist community was overwhelmingly for Hillary, and that's when I stopped respecting those who were.  I think they're blinded by their anti-theism to the exclusion of issues like national security, which I consider more urgent.  

 

If you actually lived with and interacted with the "radical fundies of the GOP" (i.e., the mainstream and majority of Republicans), I predict you would take a sharply different attitude. They are NOT "very respectful" of non-belief AT ALL. That is why the atheist community was overwhelmingly for Hillary. No, we are not "blinded by anti-theism." We can see perfectly clear. Trump-Pence is a win for radical Christian fundamentalism, and that mental disease manifests itself in a thousand different cancerous ways even out of power. Given ultimate power,  the damage they can and will do will be enormous. Creationism taught in public schools, Southern Baptists dictating public policy, Bible verses used to shape Middle Eastern policy, more tax dollars used to fund churches, etc, etc. It will be a fucking nightmare and this naive optimism you have is, in my opinion, badly misplaced.

 

The only hope I have is that Trump lied about everything when he embraced the fundies during the campaign, and will stiff them as president. 

 

Your response is laughable. You don't know me at all. I'm also very careful with word choice having been around lawyers most of my career and specialized in poring over draft regulations for fun. I said "the ones I've encountered online". You don't know how many people that is, or anything about them. Among my new associates, there is a widespread belief that liberalism is a mental illness. I don't go that far but basically everything you've said can be switched around to how they see liberals. You're making predictions, speculating, and that means you have no evidence, and none of it should be taken seriously by those who try to base beliefs on adequate evidence. I haven't substituted one faith based system for another, which your post suggests you have.  Have fun with it

[Blood]

Wow, so now you are just going to repeat Ann Coulter nonsense ad nauseam? Great.  

[FreeThinkerNZ]

Wow, so now you are just going to repeat Ann Coulter nonsense ad nauseam? Great.  

I'm honored to be mentioned in the same sentence as such an inspiring, smart woman. If we share similar views, maybe it's because we've seen the same evidence. If it upsets you, you're free to scroll on by.

[Fweethawt]

Yeeeeeeeah and there it is.

[FreeThinkerNZ]

Yeeeeeeeah and there it is.

You recognize the simple act of offering rational facts to the butthurt? 

[florduh]

As with most places that political discussion goes on, we run the gamut. Thick skin is required to survive and thrive. Facts aren't the same for everyone and people can draw different conclusions from the same fact. We have reasonable people from both halves of the spectrum and we also have extremists as well. Fun! This place is a lot like real life!

 

And guys, back off. I was her first love around here.