From the Office Party Thread

[phee]

In your opinion, do you think that people in general are too easily offended?

Is there anything that offends you in an unreasonable way?

Thoughts?

[The_Dark]

Yes, I think people get offended way to easy. I think the heart of the matter is ignorance and misconceptions. People tend to think they have rights that they don't or don't really understand that other people have the same rights that they do. Freedom of Religion is a good example. There are a great many people that "think" that it is Freedom From religion.

What offends me? People who tell me that I am wrong but have no way of proving it when I have proof that I am right. Keep your feelings out of the debate and present facts. Though I respect your feelings and your right to your feelings.. feelings dont change reality.

[phee]

Yes, I think people get offended way to easy. I think the heart of the matter is ignorance and misconceptions. People tend to think they have rights that they don't or don't really understand that other people have the same rights that they do. Freedom of Religion is a good example. There are a great many people that "think" that it is Freedom From religion.

What offends me? People who tell me that I am wrong but have no way of proving it when I have proof that I am right. Keep your feelings out of the debate and present facts. Though I respect your feelings and your right to your feelings.. feelings dont change reality.

I really could not agree more

[Shade Everdark]

I am offended by these statements about offense.

[Guest Game of Chance]

I am offended by these statements about offense.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am also offended by this statement.

Seriously though, I think there is a great deal of veracity in The Dark's comments.

[Msterbeau]

I am also offended by this statement.

Seriously though, I think there is a great deal of veracity in The Dark's comments.  I'll expand later.

While I can agree somewhat about "facts" being the best source to judge right from wrong ( Healthy vs unhealthy...etc) the piece you posted yesterday from John Parsons makes some very good points as well... about the "relativeness" of truth.

[Guest Game of Chance]

While I can agree somewhat about "facts" being the best source to judge right from wrong ( Healthy vs unhealthy...etc) the piece you posted yesterday from John Parsons makes some very good points as well... about the "relativeness" of truth.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Glad you enjoyed it. Here's the link, in case you missed it.

http://www.detroitgothic.net/index.php?showtopic=7394

[Fierce Critter]

I'm hesitate getting into this one again. Because the "enlightened" ones amongst us will come out of the woodwork to tell me how my life isn't zen or something enough to be beyond feeling.

I'm not a robot. Things offend me. Just as things also make me happy/please me/etc.

[HipsterDufus]

I'm hesitate getting into this one again. Because the "enlightened" ones amongst us will come out of the woodwork to tell me how my life isn't zen or something enough to be beyond feeling.

I'm not a robot. Things offend me. Just as things also make me happy/please me/etc.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ditto.

I do like having this place to vent, no matter how idiotic what I say may seem to others.

[Homicidalheathen]

Not everyone. How can you make that kind of general observation about everyone?

I used to get upset over what happened to HipterDufus. I lost my last job because they found out I was pagan. Yah, it pissed me off....nothing I could do about it though.

Most people assume your Christian if you look white is all and Christians think they are doing you a favor by bringing their beliefs into your life. They are taught to 'spread the gospel.....save others'.....it is what keeps money coming into the church.

I just ignore them

That being said........this guy on myspace has been trying to chat me up for some time now. So I said, sign me up on your messenger.

We chatted twice. About meeting and everything. He lives in another state.

I just talked to him yesturday! He must chat with tons of people everyday......because......today I go online and.....

He is there and writes me this note that says 'who the hell are you I don't remember signing you up'

(His name is Dante')

So I said Hi Dante's inferno

And he got mad at me! Real mad! Starts yelling at me in type.....stuff like do I look like a element of fire to you? (I like fire, am getting a fire symbol tattoo soon, so I don't get why he is offended)

He goes on to tell me after I try to explain....that I ment no harm......that he hates it when people say that because blah blah blah......

I said well you will never ever meet me now, I don't handle people with anger management issues well. So I deleted him from my yahoo and myspace.

That is a good example of people getting mad too easy. Not someone trying to shove their religeous views up your ass. All I did was make a silly comment! Sheesh!

Do you know how many times people have told me to suck because I blow as my name is Windy, not Wendy? I just laugh.......it is kinda funny.....my mom was a hippie. What can I say.

[kellygrrrrrl]

Yes. I think people are too easily offended. But I also think that people are becoming so loose with thier mouths, noone knows when to take things seriously or not? Everone thinks they can say anything....and they can....but THINK BEFORE SPEAK.....(One thing I am trying to learn how to do.....)

Personally.....I cannot stand sarcasm....or being Mocked.

[The_Dark]

OMG YES!!!!

THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK

[torn asunder]

What offends me? People who tell me that I am wrong but have no way of proving it when I have proof that I am right.

seriously, if you have "proof" that you're right, you'll be the richest man in the world...

to be honest, you have pieces of information that seem reasonable enough to you that you can accept them as truth, but really, there is no such thing. everything is relative - everything is dependant on the viewpoint of the person involved. the simple act of viewing a thing, changes the thing, and therefore makes knowing an "absolute truth" impossible.

that being said, i'll paraphrase one of my favorite quotes (since i don't have a copy of it nearby)

if you're offended by something, it's not the thing that creates the offense, it's your interpretation of the thing, and that is entirely within your control, which means that the only thing offending you, is you...

personal responsibility... that's all it comes down to...

btw, this wasn't specifically aimed at thedark, he just always seems to have comments worth quoting, and ones that spark my interest.

(edited for spelling...)

[The_Dark]

Oh sure... get all Zen on me....

[torn asunder]

:laughing :whistling

[Scary Guy]

I say life sucks, deal with it. I'm sure I offend many people constantly by just existing in the same room. Old people look at me as if I'm satan or the anti-christ. I drive a hearse and durring halloween I'll get a thumbs up, but the rest of the year I get a middle finger. Some of my ideas just seem to piss people off.

Freedom of speach and expression is wonderful, and most important above all else.

I don't like a lot of things on the planet but I'm not really offended by them either, if I am I just turn and walk away.

Though I wouldn't mind equal representation at all.

[Draco1958]

HH, what symbol for fire are you going to use. I have a pic of the Japanese character for fire if you are interested in that for your tattoo.

[Guest Megalicious]

. Keep your feelings out of the debate and present facts. Though I respect your feelings and your right to your feelings.. feelings dont change reality.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thats the most intelligent thing Ive ever read on DGN .... thank you dark =)

[The_Dark]

Excuse me while I blush.

[phee]

Excuse me while I blush.

Yeah... your face looks a bit hot

[Steven]

in a nutshell..... I think we simply lack basic coping skills by and large.

But we have however - developed impressive blaming skills.

blanket statements bug me though, I must admit. I hear them all the time - both from the Christian community and the Non-Christian community.

For example, I know HH was not referring to me in her Christian venting, but I'd like to expound on it a moment - since I am a part of (and therefore representitive of) what she hates. So might I suggest the following, in light of what she posted:

A) I'm not a dick. At least not a religeous one. If I'm a dick, then its' pretty much 100% me - just being a dick - in any social circle or scenario. Therefore my sins are equall opportunity.

B) I'm not naive. Beleive me I've done it, seen it, tasted it, got lost in it, whatever. I am as real as any of you. I got my problems too. And my hangups. and my addictions.

c) I dont have a jesus complex. Jesus is Jesus. I'm just not. Thank God or you'd all be lost.

D) I dont work for ANY church ANYWHERE and I never chase down converts for heavinly brownie points or $$$ points for the church tithe account. Nobody in the church tells me what to do. As is biblical I make myself accountable to a few chosen that I trust and I do indeed receive input and empowerment thru habitual community. But I'm nobody's boy....at least no humans.

E) I have MANY times been at odds with the church and have also been publically chastized by my fellow beleivers for following my own call and calling them on the carpet when I thought they were full of shit.

F) In so soing I have definately used the words "your full of shit". I just went thru this last week.

G) I do not speak Christianeze.

H) None of you are on, nor shall you ever be on, my Go Get Em list because no such list exists. Thats just stupid.

I) I could care less who is a Pagan or witch. I do not hate anyone, I do not fear anyone, I will eat chicken wings and drink beer or scotch with anyone, and I will go where I please based on my personal spiritual intuition as opposed to some so called rulebook. This by the way - is what is Christlike - being all things to all men - and being available to all men.

J) I DO have my personal limits an morals based on what I beleive God is leading me to do. I DONT have the right to press them onto you. If Im partying with people and at some point in the revelry I decide to sit something out - big deal man.

H) and finnally, I am not Holier Thn Thou, because I understand the "proper" context of being "Holy". "Holy" does not in any way translate into "Good". Holy simply means that my life is set aside for God's purposes. It has nothing to do with any personally measurable "goodness" found within me. It simply equates to availablity. Therefore I am in no way better than anyone. I'm just a guy. I say what I think. I do what I must. If I offend you along the way - tell me, I'll listen to you, hell man I might even buy you lunch.

[sass_in_the_pants]

I say life sucks, deal with it.  I'm sure I offend many people constantly by just existing in the same room.  Old people look at me as if I'm satan or the anti-christ.  I drive a hearse and durring halloween I'll get a thumbs up, but the rest of the year I get a middle finger.  Some of my ideas just seem to piss people off.

Freedom of speach and expression is wonderful, and most important above all else.

I don't like a lot of things on the planet but I'm not really offended by them either, if I am I just turn and walk away.

Though I wouldn't mind equal representation at all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Does it surprise you, really, that people bristle at the sight of a hearse? Hearses are synonymous with death, and loss and suffering. The symbolism of it is so strong that it can take people out of the moment that they are living in, and take them back to another moment, the moment they watched a loved one's body rolled into the back of one. After attending three funerals in the last two weeks, I can tell you this for certain, I wouldn't be delighted to see you parked in front of my house. Nothing personal, scary, I just don't want to see a hearse ever again. My point is that if you choose to express yourself by driving a hearse, then you might also expect people to express themselves to you, possibly via their middle finger.