I thought I'd help you out, Baker, by giving you the definition of the word "before" from dictionary.com so that you can understand that my statement was not meant to imply that anybody already HAD bashed Christians:

–preposition 1. previous to; earlier or sooner than: Phone me before noon.
2. in front of; ahead of; in advance of: his shadow advancing before him; She stood before the window.
3. ahead of; in the future of; awaiting: The golden age is before us.
4. in preference to; rather than: They would die before surrendering.
5. in precedence of, as in order or rank: We put freedom before wealth.
6. in the presence or sight of: to appear before an audience.
7. less than; until: used in indicating the exact time: It's ten before three.
8. under the jurisdiction or consideration of: He was summoned before a magistrate.
9. confronted by; in the face of: Before such wild accusations, he was too stunned to reply.
10. in the regard of: a crime before God and humanity.
11. under the overwhelming influence of: bending before the storm.
12. without figuring or deducting: income before deductions.
–adverb 13. in front; in advance; ahead: The king entered with macebearers walking before.
14. in time preceding; previously: If we'd known before, we'd have let you know.
15. earlier or sooner: Begin at noon, not before.
–conjunction 16. previous to the time when: Send the telegram before we go.
17. sooner than; rather than: I will die before I submit

My comment was that I wanted to make it clear these guys were hardly representative of Christianity before someone made the assertion that they somehow WERE representative of the faith. I know it's a difficult concept for you to grasp, Baker, but humor me.

Yep, this has certainly degenerated.

Being oversensitive towards them just makes them happy. They hadn't bothered for almost 3 days, doubt there were going to chime in. It isn't a difficult concept to grasp, and I'll be happy to humor you.

Dunno what good it will do, though. You're so sensitive these days that you have to make fights where there aren't any, and then go to the trouble to write 380 words in response to my 9. I didn't used to dislike you, you used to be one of my favorite bloggers and your site was always linked by mine. Now though, you've become one of those reactionary people who sees digs in every post and injustice everywhere you look.

I figure you'll either snap out of it or end up one of those people with a cardboard sign, ranting on the corner while everyone tries not to notice. I think it is a shame because you are sharp as nails and have great debate skills. You've just lost the ability to be intellectually detached from conversations and let the argument make itself.

Maybe too much of your self-image is tied up in this meaningless crap. This instance is indicative, though. Someone makes a small remark, you step onto a soapbox with one hand in your lapel and a finger indignantly pointed at heaven. Come on, it's a friggin blog.

The only thing that is completely certain is that so long as people can bank on you being sensitive to digs, you'll get them wherever you go. I've wonder if it isn't because of having to look over your shoulder and deal with the town you live in, etc. If you think I hate you or something, I don't; I waver between concerned, depressed and amused.

Come on, it's a friggin blog.

I would say the same to you, Baker.

For the record, I had just come over from an article where Christian day camp was unfavorably compared to al Qaeda training camps, and saw the potential for someone else to use Fred Phelps and his gang of idiots as somehow representative of Christianity. In fact, I HAVE in the past seen him used as an illustration of "Christian terrorism". That is why I said what I said.

You obviously haven't kept up on my blog Baker. I haven't blogged very much that wasn't personal in the last WEEK; not enough time. While I have commented, it must be noted that my comments were to various replies and not necessarily to the article at large.

I can show you many examples of individuals who have compared conservative Christians to the Taliban. From Rosie O'Donnell's idiocy on "the View" to the Air America host's idiotic rant about Christian camps on the movie "Jesus Camp", there's no shortage of illustrations. And the shortage of people who will actually defend conservative Christianity from these charges would seem to indicate that not a few Americans believe these illustrations. Is presenting the other side now considered a form of raving lunacy?

"I can show you many examples of individuals who have compared conservative Christians to the Taliban. From Rosie O'Donnell's idiocy on "the View" to the Air America host's idiotic rant about Christian camps on the movie "Jesus Camp", there's no shortage of illustrations."

So now it's made its way into you so deeply now that you expect it wherever you go?

What sort of victory are you handing them by letting them put their thumb print on your brain? They really didn't need to offer their perspective here, you did for them. Think about that, no one had offered offense to Christians here, so you felt you had to go ahead and mention what they would say preemptively. You basically offered their perspective for them.

That's the problem I see with you recently. You're trying to stay ahead of injustice, so you "preemptively" see injustice wherever you look. The end result is that a lot of the circumstances end up with YOU being the Debby Downer, dragging injustice into places it wouldn't have otherwise been.

That's the problem a lot of people have with your political party, too, (not so) coincidentally. Same with the green party. People who predict injustice and doom seem to work it into every conversation, and after a while you realize that injustice and doom are their constant mental companions. How bleak.

and P.S. no, I no longer read your blog after being blacklisted from it due, again, to your recent bout of hyper-sensitivity.

and P.S. no, I no longer read your blog after being blacklisted from it due, again, to your recent bout of hyper-sensitivity.

Right, Baker. It's always someone else's fault. You couldn't POSSIBLY have had anything to do with it.

That's why it escalated, Baker. I admit I was a little hot under the collar. But you're trying to portray yourself as Mother Theresa, Ghandi, and Jesus Christ rolled into one. There's enough blame to go around on this one, Baker.

Oh come on already! Gid, you're the only one that's made any mention at all of associating these freaks with mainstream Christians. Drop it already. No sense starting shit when there wasn't any shit in the first place.

That's really the danger of being too interested in the people you most despise, I think. After exposing yourself to them so much their seeds take root in your head, and then they don't even have to be there to harass you. Eventually, you just feel harassed wherever you go and whatever you do, because when you deal with issue x, their response to it immediately comes to mind.

That's really the danger of being too interested in the people you most despise, I think. After exposing yourself to them so much their seeds take root in your head, and then they don't even have to be there to harass you. Eventually, you just feel harassed wherever you go and whatever you do, because when you deal with issue x, their response to it immediately comes to mind.

Yeah, you've got me pegged, Baker (sniff!). God, I'm glad for your psychoanalysis.

If I'm so obsessed with what people on JU think, Baker, why do I spend so little time here lately?

I don't think it about JU, Gid. I think it is about living a life where you feel despised by the people around you, having police sitting outside your house, worrying about getting your kids taken away needlessly, etc. I think it is far from being about JU.

If you don't like the psychoanalysis, reject it. I thought for years that you and I had some common ground, but I found that to you I was just another person you had to be wary of. So when I /shrug, above, I do it IRL, too, not just on JU.

To quote Tolkien: "It is perilous to study too deeply the arts of the Enemy, for good or for ill." Eventually meanness finds its way into you, and even if you aren't mean you suffer meanness in your head, granting them the leisure to just sit back and watch. Why give "them" that victory?

Take it however you like, it is meant in the best possible way.

Yeah, you've got me pegged, Baker (sniff!).

You really can't used pegged in that way any more - something to remember if you ever have to speak in front of anyone under 25 or so. WWW Link (not work-safe).

To give Gideon the validation he desires, all Christian fringe groups are identical to Muslim fringe groups in general nuttiness, but it's only really Muslims who have the courage of their crazy convictions.

Yarrr.

To give Gideon the validation he desires, all Christian fringe groups are identical to Muslim fringe groups in general nuttiness, but it's only really Muslims who have the courage of their crazy convictions.

Now THAT quote I can agree with, cacto.

Sorry, Mason. I didn't mean for this to get so sidetracked. Whether Gid understands it or not I've cared about him and his family, and been concerned about him. I'll take Shakespeare's advice and leave him to heaven, and the thorns he carries around with him.