Need Help Soonish: Shouldn't be humiliating hon... When I broke away from my upbringing (Raised in a strict church where women should "know their place" and republicanism was a family birthright) all I felt was relieved.

People like us don't need to be ashamed that we were once kool-aid drinkers hon... We should be proud we were strong enough to break away from it, no matter how scary it might have seemed at the time ;)

I was ashamed that I was so wrong about so much. But thank you. I do feel a new person and am glad for it.

Nadie_AZ: Well, my first step was questioning my family 'history'. Then my religion (mormon). When I finally had some answers, I basically 'rebooted' all my beliefs and stances.

I know others who had a clear moment of thinking and realized they had been lied to.

I admit I was very very devout in my beliefs. Brainwashed and a full believer. And as someone who went from being 100% in lockstep in everything taught by my religion and being close to the same politically, I can say that the best method in helping convince others is experience. Not yours. You can't change anyone's mind. They have to see and be in other people's shoes. I think that immersion will force them to reconsider.

They will rebel against those feelings, but it will leave suggestions, hints, possibilities. And those will make somebody open their mind up.

I'm of torn sentiments. I did it, so I know it can be done. But it is up to the person to change. And nobody likes to do that. I think it is humbling and (for me) humiliating.

But what you did is very hard. What I want t know is what helped for you to question all those things? Was it a build up of small things that sort of let you question the entire system you built up? You think if one was trying to be less confrontational and you identified with them it would be more accepting to them having you question your beliefs? Or did it not matter?

I am just wondering what as individuals we can do for someone to go "maybe my beliefs of this have been wrong and I should re-evaluate". Studies show people like this when given facts that their beliefs are wrong the cling to them even more. So what can one do to try to get these people to re-evaluate their position.

I believe you when you said you had to want to change. But I have to believe some things helped you wanting to change and I would like to get incite to what those were.

If by "conspiracy" you mean "allowed a man to speak without interrupting his tirade of crazy" then yeah, CNN totes set him up. By giving him a platform in the first place. And not editing out the crazy stuff that he said.

This is akin to the "gotcha media" that tried to give her softball questions on air.

Never anyone's own damn fault for talking crazy, always the fault of the folks who dared ask them the questions that they'd agreed to...

Nadie_AZ: Need Help Soonish: Shouldn't be humiliating hon... When I broke away from my upbringing (Raised in a strict church where women should "know their place" and republicanism was a family birthright) all I felt was relieved.

People like us don't need to be ashamed that we were once kool-aid drinkers hon... We should be proud we were strong enough to break away from it, no matter how scary it might have seemed at the time ;)

I was ashamed that I was so wrong about so much. But thank you. I do feel a new person and am glad for it.

Yeah that takes a lot of strength of will, something you should be proud of.

Cletus C.: I've heard Wolf is having Rev. Wright on the night of Obama's speech at the convention. So they play it fair.

I'm sorry, was Rev. Wright claiming Obama was born in Kenyafartisan? Was Rev. Wright calling the president's legitimacy into question?

Consider... monster.com/worldnetdaily

Must be retarded.
Must have cognitive dissonance
Must wear a tinfoil hat
Must lick the taint of a St. Reagan statue at least thrice a day
Free Republic account a plus!

Rush says that his "only point is that they didn't tell Trump that's what they were going to discuss."
He starts off saying: "Nobody at CNN told Trump they were going to bring this up." Then he goes on to say: "They probably told Trump..." And then in the next sentence: "That's probably what they told him..."

I'd say that Rush is probably full of shiat.

Salt Lick Steady: Marcus Aurelius: CNN burned my toast.

CNN put the toilet paper on the roll so that it comes out the back.

I hate that.
seriously, how the hell am i supposed to get access to that first square! i basically have to revolve the entire roll and wait for that free square to show up.

Corvus: But what you did is very hard. What I want t know is what helped for you to question all those things? Was it a build up of small things that sort of let you question the entire system you built up? You think if one was trying to be less confrontational and you identified with them it would be more accepting to them having you question your beliefs? Or did it not matter?

I'd say a build up of small things that pushed me to openly question. When I felt threatened in my beliefs, I went turtle and then lion. I was defensive and then aggressive in my responses. But then ... I'd spent my mission among illegal immigrants in New Mexico, where I learned a new language and culture. They were some of the best human beings I ever met. This chinked the armor of some beliefs on race and culture. I worked with many muslims on H1B visas at a job in 2001. This destroyed my world view before and especially after 9/11. I spent time with homeless and (as/with) mentally ill for a little while, which left me thinking it wasn't all about boot straps. We grew up poor and I saw how hard work got my dad a whole lot of not much. This helped me understand that there was something more to society as a whole - even if I didn't grasp it until later. It all came to a head in 2000-2001 when I asked the questions about my religion and was told to not ask.

I have a friends who are pretty right. I basically approach them based on what we have in common and politely side step their occasional rants. I had one friend admit that he felt guilty- he'd send me awful terrible (see re:fwd:fwd:fwd) emails and I'd send him cool pictures of space from NASA. I wasn't some asshole liberal, I was simply a friend. On the other hand, I don't talk with my family much because they still think I'm in denial or a rebellious stage in life. They have, in the last year however, stopped asking about church. For the most part.

Nadie_AZ: Corvus: But what you did is very hard. What I want t know is what helped for you to question all those things? Was it a build up of small things that sort of let you question the entire system you built up? You think if one was trying to be less confrontational and you identified with them it would be more accepting to them having you question your beliefs? Or did it not matter?

I'd say a build up of small things that pushed me to openly question. When I felt threatened in my beliefs, I went turtle and then lion. I was defensive and then aggressive in my responses. But then ... I'd spent my mission among illegal immigrants in New Mexico, where I learned a new language and culture. They were some of the best human beings I ever met. This chinked the armor of some beliefs on race and culture. I worked with many muslims on H1B visas at a job in 2001. This destroyed my world view before and especially after 9/11. I spent time with homeless and (as/with) mentally ill for a little while, which left me thinking it wasn't all about boot straps. We grew up poor and I saw how hard work got my dad a whole lot of not much. This helped me understand that there was something more to society as a whole - even if I didn't grasp it until later. It all came to a head in 2000-2001 when I asked the questions about my religion and was told to not ask.

I have a friends who are pretty right. I basically approach them based on what we have in common and politely side step their occasional rants. I had one friend admit that he felt guilty- he'd send me awful terrible (see re:fwd:fwd:fwd) emails and I'd send him cool pictures of space from NASA. I wasn't some asshole liberal, I was simply a friend. On the other hand, I don't talk with my family much because they still think I'm in denial or a rebellious stage in life. They have, in the last year however, stopped asking about church. For the most part.

Thanks. That was very informative.

whidbey: Isitoveryet: Salt Lick Steady: Marcus Aurelius: CNN burned my toast.

CNN put the toilet paper on the roll so that it comes out the back.

I hate that.
seriously, how the hell am i supposed to get access to that first square! i basically have to revolve the entire roll and wait for that free square to show up.

Freedom isn't free.

I don't know if anything is free anymore :(

Oldiron_79: A certain % of people are naturally rebellious and will just end up the polar opposite of how they was programmed by parental units.

I mean my dad is the kind that would vote for Hitler if he was running as a Democrat and the Union supported him, and well lets just say I'm not a democrat and don't give 2 shiats who the Union says to vote for.

In the same vein, I knew a guy who was staunchly Rupublican because his dad, who left him and his mom when he was young, was a Democrat. I can understand that point of view.

Coco LaFemme: moops: God Is My Co-Pirate: Marcus Aurelius: CNN burned my toast.

CNN drank the last of my coffee and didn't bother to make a new pot.

CNN put fish in the microwave in my office.

CNN used the last of the toilet paper on the roll and didn't put a new one on the holder.

CNN got into my unlocked work laptop and changed my email signature to "Coeyagi: Dildo For Hire".

Shaggy_C: Well, so much for that. Make a serious comment and it's mocked. Better stick to the usual routine I suppose.

When your standard MO is to act like a dick, don't be surprised when people treat you as such.

IoSaturnalia: whidbey: No doubt. What is Romney even doing being seen with him publicly? I can't imagine how it would help one's Presidential campaign.

He's the highest-profile GOP pol that is willing to be seen with Mitt. He's literally the best that Mitt can do for a surrogate.

When your primary challengers were borderline retarded / insane, the last GOP prez. sodomized this country in countless ways, Chris Christie makes Biden look introverted and the stars of the legislative branch are all teaparty nutbags too, who the fark is left? Pawlenty or Jeb Bush. Jesus, I'd give up if those were my choices.

Salt Lick Steady: coeyagi: Coco LaFemme: moops: God Is My Co-Pirate: Marcus Aurelius: CNN burned my toast.

CNN drank the last of my coffee and didn't bother to make a new pot.

CNN put fish in the microwave in my office.

CNN used the last of the toilet paper on the roll and didn't put a new one on the holder.

CNN got into my unlocked work laptop and changed my email signature to "Coeyagi: Dildo For Hire".

CNN replaced my regular with decaf and waited to see if I noticed.

CNN took the remote and tuned to Erin Burnett: Outfront during the NFC Championship game.

Sgt Stubby: Isitoveryet: so you think that CNN our foxed the Don?


Maybe.

But the POINT (if you could be bothered to RTFA) is that this is a well coordinated, democrat-media message - the message being that Romney hasn't 'properly distanced himself' from whatever Trump says. It's a coordinated, invented narrative.

It's desperation... in May.

Oh, there's desperation all right, and it's coming from a Republican nominee who would allow himself to be within 25 miles of Trump at any given moment.

Salt Lick Steady: coeyagi: Salt Lick Steady: coeyagi: Coco LaFemme: moops: God Is My Co-Pirate: Marcus Aurelius: CNN burned my toast.

CNN drank the last of my coffee and didn't bother to make a new pot.

CNN put fish in the microwave in my office.

CNN used the last of the toilet paper on the roll and didn't put a new one on the holder.

CNN got into my unlocked work laptop and changed my email signature to "Coeyagi: Dildo For Hire".

CNN replaced my regular with decaf and waited to see if I noticed.

CNN took the remote and tuned to Erin Burnett: Outfront during the NFC Championship game.

CNN told me it just wants to be friends.

CNN told me we'd just split the check evenly, and then ordered the prime rib after I ordered a burger.