Onacruse said:
: ... I'm reminded of that scripture "Have you ever known a spring give sweet and bitter water simultaneously? Have you ever seen a fig tree with a crop of olives, or seen figs growing on a vine? It is just as impossible for a spring to give fresh and salt water at the same time."
The problem with analogies like this is that they're false. Humans are not like springs of water, fig trees or grape vines. They're multi-faceted creatures, not one-dimensional inanimate objects or vegetables.
: For example, let's take:
: Problem is, [Craig], like certain other posters, you have an inferiority complex based on the demonstrated fact that you have virtually no debating skills. Knowledge of that lack causes you to lash out at other posters you know or think have some skills.
: I would dearly like to know how a comment like that could be taken as anything other than derogatory, spiteful and demeaning.
Of course a comment like that is as you describe, and if the comment is assumed to be out-of-the-blue and unjustified, your point would be well taken. The real point, though, is whether such a comment is justified. Let me make an example and see if you think your example represents the whole story.
Suppose someone called PeaBrain continually makes derogatory comments about you, like this:
Craig continually proclaims himself THE master debator of this board.
Craig constantly proclaims his superiority to everone else, but is delusional.
Craig thinks he's more than a man.
Craig is an idiot.
Craig has formed a cult around himself and people worship him.
Suppose these derogatory and false statements appear month after month, and year after year. Would you be justified in getting pissed? I think so.
If on a number of occasions you engaged the liar with comments like:
Can you find a single instance where I have ever proclaimed anything like that?
And if the poster never comes back with proof of the lies, would you not be justified in being pissed? Would you not be justified in setting the record straight?
Just how long would you put up with someone continually lying about you?
Furthermore, are not false statements such as the above, accompanied by staunch refusal to back them up, positive proof of someone who indeed has a serious inferiority complex, has no debating skills, and probably is seriously in need of psychological counseling?
So when you're pushed to the limit by lies from PeaBrain, after ignoring them for some time, would you not be justified in saying:
Peabrain, you have an inferiority complex based on the demonstrated fact that you have virtually no debating skills. Knowledge of that lack causes you to lash out at other posters you know or think have some skills.
Given that the above example is based on actual statements by Prisca to me, do you still think your example represents the real situation? Is it fair?
I have to say that it appears that you, like so many other posters to this and related threads, have simply not done your homework by reading over the complete threads, and so really have no business commenting. Take a lesson from Teejay.
AlanF