Members of AboveTopSecret.com: I'm Sad… And Maybe You Are Too…

reply to post by SkepticOverlord

Message received and understood.

/namasalute

Murgatroid
That post deserves a huge fist bump.

WHY is there no ATS fist bump emoticon?

In loo of that:

Absolutely right about that I'm in for it.

SkepticOverlord.... I know that feeling is fading for some, and for others, it's gone.

Great OP, as it is always useful reminding us about tolerance, understanding, respect and hope.

I won’t pat myself on the back since I have been guilty of sometimes overindulgence in bickering. But as far as religion goes, I have tried to advocate a tolerance for others religious beliefs on ATS. To no avail of course.

I personally am an Integral religious believer. en.wikipedia.org...
That is someone who believes that there is truth in ALL religions, and consequently seeks the best OUT OF ALL faiths.

This has taught me tolerance since I can see the truth in the Christian, Jew, Hindu, Muslim, and certainly Buddhist faiths, as well, believe it or not, some atheistic forms.

I try to remind people that when they call ALL of any group anything based on the actions of a few from that group they are indulging in the worse form of bigotry and don’t even know it!

It all boils down to the reality that we don’t need to hurt each other.

And defaming people’s religious icons or their faiths with indiscriminate hatred and abuse is very hurtful.

Dispute can be done in a respectful and positive manner where people, although have different views, can none the less leave the dispute with respect for others views, without tearing each other apart.

It is a noble goal.

Nice post, and I have to say, my hats off to the ATS members that has the guts to say words that are becoming taboo in our country!


Merry Christmas and GOD Bless all of you!

beezzer
Oh my. How awkward.

Sometimes I create threads to foster debate. Other times I whack a hornets nest. But it's to get a subject talked about. There are times where I really think an issue is important, but the core is being lost in the rhetoric.

I know I can be a polarizing figure at times.

Perhaps. . . . just perhaps. . . I'll look for smaller hornets nest to whack.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Na i enjoy your threads,

You have some strong convictions but on the whole you always seem pretty repectfull and mindfull that other may not 100% agree. I may not all ways see eye to eye but i do enjoy your threads and thoughts. Same with a certain other rabbit here :p

To be honnest i can only think of 5 or 6 that seem to be really devisive and disrespectfull and they dont seem to have posted on this thread.

reply to post by crazyewok


Thank you, you crazy little ewok!

I do enjoy your wit and input regardless of the position.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


SkepticOverloard,

I am with you 100%. I have been a member for 9 years, at the behest of a friend who absolutely loved you guys. He no longer posts or lurks because the environment just became too caustic.

I have purposely avoided posting for similar reasons and often resort to using the PM method of communicating because the atmosphere becomes too hostile.

We could all use a little Christmas Cheer and Goodwill toward one another. We should always use our best behavior and be respectful and patient with everyone, especially those we disagree with.

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it and Happy Holidays for those who don't.

Allowing banned members Proto and JPZ to return with no delay is vital toward the restoration of ATS.
Pay them.

SkepticOverlord
I'm sad.

“In much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.”

-Ecclesiates 1:18

Wow this may be the best post ive seen in a while. So many replies so early also.

It sure seems TPTB, or however you want to call it, want us so concerned with each other believing we are our own enemies that we dont pay so much attention to yhe real problems.

More often then not I see heated words grouping all republicans or all democrats together in negative ways. We get so focused thinking one side is the enemy that we dont notice both sides are destroying our country.

Personally ill try to be more understanding and hopefully nor contribute to the overall problem.

Very well said op star and flag to you. Seeing the overwhelming early responses should shoe there is hope. I intend to read through them too.

i am about as suttle as a flying brick sometimes but i do try and remain polite to other members here but ats has a few members who attack like a rabbid animal .

i come on the internet to have a laugh and to learn things that the msm will not report and looking at how sxxx some other sites are on the internet with imature posters and their crass words i hope ats never goes there in my time here i think i have hit the report button 3 times after seeing posts so it is not all bad .

i would hate to be a mod here - you guys/girls do a great job ats is your baby dont drop it

reply to post by SkepticOverlord

Yeah, I'm sadder than most....

But, this is the heart of sadness, is it not? And though many cannot tell, or will not, this is our sadness, is it not? And what will we do with this, as it is, really? For if we never idenitfy the source of the true sadness, that is the maker of such, but only participate in the revisionist erasure, then what are we left with, really?

Scars, pain, etc.

Yes, I am sad.

There are no social issues and Civil unrest, other than what is projected.....that is my sadness, that many of us were used for that, and then repeated, to do the same...and that is truth, whatever it gets you or me.
take care and happy holidays, whatever they are significant for, they should be significant for appreciating your life and giving to others, no matter what it is we live within....JMHO
Tetra50

JRCrowley
“In much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.”
-Ecclesiates 1:18

In context, there's no solace in Ecclesiates (possibly written by Solomon as a biography of Koheleth), which is a warning against gaining knowledge, and that it leads to a meaningless life. Offering the shallow advice: "A man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry," and that, "much study is a weariness of the flesh."

FarmerGeneral
reply to post by mikegrouchy

 

You got that one wrong Friend!

edit on fpmMon, 23 Dec 2013 13:23:20 -060012America/ChicagoMon, 23 Dec 2013 13:23:20 -06001America/Chicago12America/Chicago by FarmerGeneral because: Made it gender neutral...changed to Friend from Brother

edit on fpmMon, 23 Dec 2013 13:27:02 -060012America/ChicagoMon, 23 Dec 2013 13:27:02 -06001America/Chicago12America/Chicago by FarmerGeneral because: Spelling mistake and syntax...sigh

Thanks for that!

I was wondering if anyone would listen to the Geldoff version,
and remember the Marley version. Two Bobs, singing, separated
by time.

Someone remembered the source, the original,
and spoke up.

A correction to the better.

Mike Grouchy



Sometimes when the stadium is full, and one doesn't
hear many voices singing along, that does not mean that
people don't hear you. Sometimes, the silence, means
they agree,
and are just taking it all in.

Just saw this & had to share!

scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net...

WOQ

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


Skep,
I think you got some good points.

For the last two years, the management have been pushing ATS to become more of alternative/breaking news site which I can quite clearly see now, rather than a niece conspiracy site that was developing at a steady rate.

We saw some absolutely stunning threads on a weekly basis with really balanced discussions! Now I'd be lucky to pick up one of those WOW threads once every couple of weeks.

That in it's self has opened up a new user base and forced many of the dedicated content generating members without a say on the direction of ATS has forced them off to greener pastures, hoping to find a hole left by the recent shift in content and direction that was ATS.

The threads of late have had no real solid foundations, threads die out in interest in a matter of hours
if not days! I'm seeing more superficial discussions and less of that 'FIRE' that once was.

That's just my two cents Skep!

Merry Christmas to all from the land of China!

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


Sad ? No.

Frustrated ? Hell yes.

Especially for those of us who don't even know what the hell a "leftist" or "rightist" is, and see this stuff plastered throughout any and every thread on ATS whether or not it's even relevant to the topic at hand.

I'm a conservative, liberal, socialist, progressive, capitalist, communist, anarchist, revolutionary, libertarian, atheist, spiritual, conspiratorial, psychoanalytical rebellious nerdy geek.... and haven't got a friggin' clue where I fit into this "left"/"right" pigeon-holing thing.




Point being: People come in all flavours and the six thousand shades of grey in between.

Labelling and pigeon-holing is what's killing us these days... and it's slowly killing ATS too.



What has changed in the past 2-3 years ?

Conspiracies are no longer the main focus here anymore. It's somehow become a politically driven forum with a side dish of religious table tennis just for added measure.

Instead of politics and religion being the appertif around here, they've become the main entree.

Why is that ?
Hell if I know, but that's what has happened.

And it's a damn shame.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord