A mildly peevish prevailing mood

[CraigD]

I’m sensing that a kind of snappish, short-tempered mood has been growing among many of the regulars here at scienceforums over the past 3 days.

 

For example, when Goku, whom I presume (perhaps wrongly) to be toward the youthful side of the age continuum here, commented in the innocently-named how do they calculate star distance? thread

how many of you actually think any of the methods work?

or do you just believe anything that a SCIENTIST says.

I found myself itching to fire off a warning shot about some of us being scientists of some ilk, only to discover that the normally kindly and nurturing Turtle had blasted away with something like what I’d been thinking before struggling to think my “happy thoughts”.

 

I suspect that the Should Intelligent Design be taught in science class? thread, especially since the arrival there of the passionate and passion-inspiring TRoutMac, has much to do with the mood. I know I’m feeling a bit hostile when I think of that thread, which is unfortunate, since I see within the ID movement a potential to reconcile some of the primarily American animosity between religious and scientific segment of our culture.

 

It’s a thin ray of hope, but one thing my peace-love-dove 1960s hippy upbringing instilled in me is to clutch at any positive-seeming straw in a storm of negativness. Paradoxically, the best way to interact with some of the more extreme members of the evangelical Christianity msy be to take to heart one of the core lessons of their doctrine by treating them kindly, and turning the other cheek to any blows.

[Tormod]

Nah, this happens every time a die-hard and cocksure ID-er drops by. They seem to think they can blast in here and conquer us with their charm and brilliance, but sadly they tend to lack both. And it doesn't help them much to mock science and scientists - especially since most of us are not scientists at all.

[rockytriton]

I think that goku is older, I think he's a farmer, at least he spells his words the way that a farmer says them. It is pretty annoying that people come in with the attitude that people believe things just because a SCIENTIST says it. Especially when these people believe in ID and all of these other things just because a PREACHER tells them, or just because a BIBLE tells them. I'm a very sceptical person, so when I hear people say this start is this many light years away and so on, I don't just say either "oh, I guess it must be then", or "oh, I'm not going to believe him because he's a SCIENTIST". I say "hmm, I wonder how he knows that, I'm sure he doesn't have a tape measure that long, let me look it up and see how they figure it out." I think that's the difference between most of the people here and the select few who are just here trolling. Maybe they think they will convert some people to Jesus and make their way into heaven, I don't know.

[Turtle]

I’m sensing that a kind of snappish, short-tempered mood has been growing among many of the regulars here at scienceforums over the past 3 days.

 

For example, when Goku, whom I presume (perhaps wrongly) to be toward the youthful side of the age continuum here, commented in the innocently-named how do they calculate star distance? thread I found myself itching to fire off a warning shot about some of us being scientists of some ilk, only to discover that the normally kindly and nurturing Turtle had blasted away with something like what I’d been thinking before struggling to think my “happy thoughts”.

 

... Paradoxically, the best way to interact with some of the more extreme members of the evangelical Christianity msy be to take to heart one of the core lessons of their doctrine by treating them kindly, and turning the other cheek to any blows.

 

___I already lost one reply by dilly dallying, so rather than a lengthy sincere Socratic apology, I offer this facetious apology instead. My reputation isn't tarnished, it just has a lot of patina. Whether these guys are innocent or not, I did fire multiple frontal shots & at least one flanking mortor. Guilty as charged. As Craig noted, the cannon were already loaded & I just happened by in a bad mood & carrying some matches & it looked like they were coming right for me. Stuff happens; this too will pass. Thank god no one was martyred. :)

[Tormod]

___I already lost one reply by dilly dallying, so rather than a lengthy sincere Socratic apology, I offer this facetious apology instead. My reputation isn't tarnished, it just has a lot of patina. Whether these guys are innocent or not, I did fire multiple frontal shots & at least one flanking mortor. Guilty as charged. As Craig noted, the cannon were already loaded & I just happened by in a bad mood & carrying some matches & it looked like they were coming right for me. Stuff happens; this too will pass. Thank god no one was martyred. :)

Just a reminder that The Lounge is open to read for all. :D Let's not put someone out to hang and dry.

[Turtle]

Just a reminder that The Lounge is open to read for all. :D

___Ay Skipper; 'tis meant to be a public apology. Facetious & yet sincere, I apologize to all for acting out of turn & character. On with the game that is a foot...afoot. :)