Originally Posted by vangogh

I care about and have very strong opinions about both politics and religion. Like VM this account is my business. Unlike VM I don't like mixing business with politics and religion. I don't think there's anything wrong with it per se, but I can tell you I have clients on both sides of the fence and could easily lose them. It's possible I'd pick up new clients who agreed with me, but overall I see no reason to start putting my political and religious opinions all over the web.

I should clarify that what I meant was that my religion and to a lesser extent my politics provide the guiding principles and ethics for how I run my business. However, the business, for the most part, is staying out of those realms. And I certainly have clients with beliefs varying greatly from my own, but as long as I'm able to true to my own beliefs, I have absolutely no problem with that.

Originally Posted by vangogh

Besides never once have I seen any political or religious debate change anyone's mind. The debates inevitably get charged and heated and devolve into people calling each other idiot's. Some people enjoy the debate enough to put up with that. I don't.

I quite agree. I often wish we would lay aside at least some of our differences and concentrate on what we do have in common. A lot more would get done that way.

They say if you speak the devil's name, he will appear.

I guess they are right

I disagree, this isn't the least popular forum, the Suggestions Forum is. Really.... nobody seems to be even bothered with what goes on over there anymore.

Seriously though, I agree with Steven, this a mostly a Web Development-oriented forum, and only a few users use to make it very active a while back(see two posts above mine ).

Originally Posted by Feydakin

I prefer to think that its because so many Obama supporters are sitting around with stunned looks and a WTF expression..

Funny .

They say if you speak the devil's name, he will appear.

Uh oh, the devil's back. Run away, run away. I swear the contract I signed isn't valid. It won't hold up in any court of law. My soul is mine I say, mine.

Originally Posted by Faydakin

I prefer to think that its because so many Obama supporters are sitting around with stunned looks and a WTF expression..

That seems like a fair assessment. I haven't seen Learning Newbie posting much of recent. I'd imagine this section of the board is symptomatic of the energy levels in the Democratic party right now. With 2010 elections just around the corner, there isn't much to look forward to for the liberals, and the conservatives realize that gloating only breeds resentment. Even MSNBC seems to have realized (to some extent) that the derogatory application of the words "Tea Bagger" in application to average Americans only helped to fire up the opposition, so they have gotten a lot quieter with that line of talk.

What this section of the forum needs is both an extremely opinionated antagonist and protagonist. I'm more than happy to play the role of either .

So I'm free to call you names and spew ad hominem in general now?

Originally Posted by cbwm

What this section of the forum needs is both an extremely opinionated antagonist and protagonist. I'm more than happy to play the role of either .

You're wrong! Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong!

By the way, I'd created the perfect avatar for you awhile back:



Scary huh?

tim

Originally Posted by serandfae

You're wrong! Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong!

By the way, I'd created the perfect avatar for you awhile back:



Scary huh?

tim

I love it. I've seen a variety of other words under that poster that are equally applicable. Let me try it on and see if it fits

Heh, heh. Welcome to the Evil Grin Smiley Army. Yeah, that poster reminded me of a lot of Communist posters I saw back in the day.

tim

The "why is politics and religion unpopular" thread is the most popular politics and religion thread in months!

There's no shortage of politics in particular on the interneet, so it's not really needed here folks. Move along, move along...

Maybe today's mindless drones don't have much of an opinion .

Originally Posted by vangogh

I care about and have very strong opinions about both politics and religion. Like VM this account is my business. Unlike VM I don't like mixing business with politics and religion. I don't think there's anything wrong with it per se, but I can tell you I have clients on both sides of the fence and could easily lose them. It's possible I'd pick up new clients who agreed with me, but overall I see no reason to start putting my political and religious opinions all over the web.

I never minded expressing my opinions in either regard. I have a rule when it comes to such subjects: I'll talk about anything so long as the conversation doesn't devolve into attacks on the individuals.

I'm fortunate to have excellent clients, not all of whom agree with me, but all of whom are respectful of others. They know me quite well and trust that I am honest, fair, and forthright -- even though in religion and politics they may vigorously disagree with me.

If I had a client who didn't want me because of my views, I'd probably have let them go anyway -- if they cannot respectfully agree to disagree and respect the fact that I do not push my views on them, then it betrays a more fundamental flaw in their character. [As always, in my never-humble opinion.]

Originally Posted by vangogh

Besides never once have I seen any political or religious debate change anyone's mind. The debates inevitably get charged and heated and devolve into people calling each other idiot's. Some people enjoy the debate enough to put up with that. I don't.

I exit the debates when they break down into such blather, but I don't post to try to convince the other person(s) to change their mind... I post to place on the record the counterarguments to their arguments. If a falsehood is allowed to stand unchallenged, it will oftentimes be considered true.

I should add that I don't always "argue" my own viewpoints. To better understand arguments, it's useful to try and argue from a viewpoint one disagrees with.

I did that regarding the American civil war in college and, to be quite honest, am glad I wasn't arguing for the south during that time as we slaughtered our opponents.

Originally Posted by JeremyMiller

I should add that I don't always "argue" my own viewpoints. To better understand arguments, it's useful to try and argue from a viewpoint one disagrees with.

I did that regarding the American civil war in college and, to be quite honest, am glad I wasn't arguing for the south during that time as we slaughtered our opponents.

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."
- Aristotle

Originally Posted by JeremyMiller

I never minded expressing my opinions in either regard. I have a rule when it comes to such subjects: I'll talk about anything so long as the conversation doesn't devolve into attacks on the individuals.

I'm fortunate to have excellent clients, not all of whom agree with me, but all of whom are respectful of others. They know me quite well and trust that I am honest, fair, and forthright -- even though in religion and politics they may vigorously disagree with me.

If I had a client who didn't want me because of my views, I'd probably have let them go anyway -- if they cannot respectfully agree to disagree and respect the fact that I do not push my views on them, then it betrays a more fundamental flaw in their character. [As always, in my never-humble opinion.]



I exit the debates when they break down into such blather, but I don't post to try to convince the other person(s) to change their mind... I post to place on the record the counterarguments to their arguments. If a falsehood is allowed to stand unchallenged, it will oftentimes be considered true.

I should add that I don't always "argue" my own viewpoints. To better understand arguments, it's useful to try and argue from a viewpoint one disagrees with.

I did that regarding the American civil war in college and, to be quite honest, am glad I wasn't arguing for the south during that time as we slaughtered our opponents.

Well written, couldn't have described myself any clearer all of my life. Most of you already know I am straightforward, will give my viewpoint whether you care to challenge the topic or not. I hate the word challenge, argue, or debate, prefer discussions on an intelligent level. Throughout my life and my husband's life never has it effected our business or personal life, we have friends and business clients from all cultural, religious, political, sexual orientation backgrounds.

I think that one reason is the fact that many people are not willing to mix religion with business for fear of being rejected by prospective clients. That ofcourse amounts to having fear of the unknown.

Politics and religion dont really interest all of us..some became interested on it but I guess it is really boring.