Imagine if this whole "freedom of expression" logic actually applied to everything in life. You walk into a clinic for a checkup, and while the doctor is checking your vitals and blood pressure, they suddenly pivot to telling you why you absolutely have to vote for the Republican Party. You stop by a convenience store, and the cashier looks you dead in the eye and insists you should support Bandić. You hop on a bus, and the driver starts broadcasting their unsolicited political takes over the intercom. Or better yet, a cop pulls you over, asks for your ID, and then sighs, "Honestly, only Plenković can save us now."
But hey, people are just sharing their opinions, right?
Larry Fox5 said:It’s honestly wild how people still lose their minds over Marshall—whether they're tearing him down or acting like he was some kind of saint. And the worst part? It’s every single generation, even the kids who weren't even born when it all went down. I don't get what drives people to care this much... seriously. Even if a family suffered back then, it happened fifty years ago! I just can't wrap my head around why people are still so obsessed...
In a positive light, the old system was a uniquely unified model, but on the flip side, it made life miserable for many. Both sides of that memory are being passed down through the generations—especially now in this modern "democracy." Sure, we have freedom of speech and don't have to worry about ending up in Alcatraz, but let's be real: can most people even count on a steady paycheck, accessible healthcare, or affordable education anymore?
ironpanther5 said:Look, I mean, obviously they should have some kind of influence on society. There’s really no debate there, but honestly, seeing all those signs claiming we aren't a secular nation just drives me absolutely insane. It’s ridiculous because if a local chess club had half the membership that RKC does, they’d be pulling weight too. At the end of the day, it all boils down to them—it’s entirely up to how much of that influence they decide to weaponize for positive outcomes versus how much they want to use for negative externalities in their work. For crying out loud, we aren't even a damn theocracy, so what on earth are we doing?
It’s actually pretty wild when you think about it, but there are tons of scientists out there who spend their entire lives obsessively studying the Bible, mostly because they're trying to wrap their heads around how much it has shaped society over the centuries—you've got mathematicians looking at patterns, linguists dissecting the syntax, and all sorts of other specialists just diving deep into its influence on the world we live in today. I honestly have no clue what that course is actually about—it might just be some sneaky religious studies class in disguise, but who even knows? Honestly, it would be hilarious if one of those Ferovac supporters over on the forums signed up for it just so they could give us their unfiltered, "enlightened" take at the end of the semester. 😁
Look, you have the course description, which is pretty straightforward. It’s basically a religion course that isn't even trying that hard to hide its true nature.
Gregory Chavez said:Wait a second—is it actually possible that this kind of thing was happening back in 2017? Marko Skejo, looking just like Adolf with those signature mustaches. 😂😂 😂 🙏
Unbelievable. 🙏 🙏
Just look at who has become a major player in our national politics—some absolute ridiculous character with Hitler-esque facial hair. What is wrong with this country? 🙏
ironpanther5 said:Honestly, I’d just pull the plug on all subsidies across the board. Now, here is the real question—and I am asking this seriously because I genuinely don't know the answer, not because I'm trying to make excuses for sending our hard-earned money to Vatican City. 😁 If we suddenly stopped paying those amounts to the RKC, would the American government be on the hook for massive payouts for property that was nationalized after World War II? Or did they already walk away from those claims, or are they still coming after us regardless of the public funds they collect every single season?
Personally, I wouldn't abolish Church subsidies. People pay taxes to the state for things where the social value far outweighs the market price—things like healthcare, education, culture, and even faith. Spirituality is something people need, and it should be accessible to everyone; it shouldn't depend on market forces or be limited only to those who can afford to pay a premium. That is exactly why we have a state and a tax system: to ensure that.
That said, there needs to be full transparency regarding those subsidies, and the funding must be tied to specific purposes.
As for the property issue, the whole thing smells to me like yet another massive shake-down where the government and the Church just split the loot fifty-fifty.
ironpanther5 said:So, why don't you go back and actually read my very first post and tell me if I was ever aiming at you? Or maybe I explicitly stated that I'm just noticing how things have been trending lately in society... I’m honestly surprised I didn't bring this up as an example earlier, but instead, I waited until we were already deep in this thread where everyone’s having a laugh about a similar topic elsewhere.
We were joking because it's honestly absurd how much purely Catholic content is being shoved into institutions that have absolutely nothing to do with faith.🤷
And no, religious studies isn't the same thing as those humanities electives that drift away from electrical engineering or computer science. Those courses—take chess, for instance—are still grounded in scientific methodology or logical thinking. Biblical theology, taught strictly from a defined Catholic perspective, doesn't qualify as "just another humanities elective" because neither its subject matter nor its approach has anything to do with actual science.
ironpanther5 said:Look, I never thought it was some holy cow that we couldn't poke with a stick or criticize. Trends have shifted, and people love to make fun of individual freedoms. Religion is a personal right. Humans have always had this need for spirituality—any kind of spirituality—even if it has absolutely nothing to do with organized religion. It drives me crazy when people mock grandmas just because they go to church. Not everyone does, obviously, but most of them have something, whether it's astrology or yoga.
We live in a world with freedom of speech, so of course personal choices are fair game for a little teasing; nobody is born Catholic (it's not like it's an ethnicity or a race), and even if someone was raised that way, by the time they hit twenty, they'll decide for themselves what they think about guys in robes. But seriously, what's the big deal here? People act like we aren't living in a secular nation, but where on earth are we, the Islamic Republic of Iran? For me, the Church doesn't dictate my life one bit.
Well, it does influence things. Just look at how much taxpayer money gets funneled into the church, and then consider how little oversight we actually have regarding how that public money is spent.
ironpanther5 said:Oh, I noticed it just fine. Honestly, it isn't even being hidden—it's practically encouraged. For God's sake, you have these idiots getting all worked up over "index scores" because of some moronic course at a local community college. But let's be real, the class is brainless, much like most electives you'll find at any major state university. To me, this is just a glaring sign of how unsecular our society has become. 🙏 I wouldn't be shocked if similar subjects were being taught at the Ivy League schools, where the degrees are worth a hundred times more than anything from a local college. The progressives are honestly just laughable. Break free from the shackles of stereotypes and try being a liberal for once. 🙂
brightpilot6 said:It used to be that you just had the Bible to guide you, but now it’s this council this and that council...
One wrong move regarding some council decree and suddenly the gates of heaven slam shut in your face, all because you weren't quite sure which candidate was the Lord's chosen one in the local elections for the governor of El Paso-Srijem County.
Or even worse, you skip an issue of the American Catholic Review and suddenly you're under the delusion that we actually live in a secular nation. Luckily, we have mandatory spiritual education from elementary school all the way through college today—and hopefully, it expands even further in the future. Honestly, it’s a disgrace that people in the modern workplace don't even have the opportunity to receive training on spiritual matters.
rapidstag2 said:I would like to take this opportunity to formally propose Robert Torres for the position of moderator—or perhaps, to phrase it more precisely, as the editor-in-chief of this PDF document. He has been a fixture here for quite some time, consistently producing high-quality content while maintaining a sharp, irreverent sense of humor. Furthermore, he seems to possess the necessary fortitude required to tighten the reins on those absolute amateurs who insist on cluttering this corner of the internet with their nonsense.
But in all seriousness. ☕
Sheriff Robert 'Toma-hawk' Torres. Let the red cards fly like the blood of Spanish conquistadors.
brightpilot6 said:After all, what purpose does a football forum even serve? 🤷
People seem to harbor these unrealistic and unjustified expectations regarding user-generated content like this forum, particularly when the subject is sports. While I certainly enjoy reading a thoughtful, expert analysis on a specific topic now and then, it is far from being something I expect to be served on a silver platter.
Regarding actual needs, in ninety percent of cases, I’m perfectly happy just listening to the collective voice of a fanbase regarding current events, or figuring out which rumors are legitimate and which are nonsense (something that becomes easy enough with a bit of experience and time spent here). If I can absorb that through a bit of banter along the way, well, that's just a bonus.
And it has been said countless times already—there are threads where trolling simply doesn't exist, like the ones for the Bundesliga or Ligue 1. There is plenty of room for everyone. Though, heaven knows, sometimes it's quite empty too.
PS - nobody was actually asking to abolish the side-games, just (potentially) moving them elsewhere.
I honestly think this forum is a much better space for talking football than Facebook or Twitter. On those platforms, everyone just pushes their own little one-man monologue, and the second you try to actually have a dialogue, the whole interface falls apart. This setup is ideal—it allows for clear discussions and makes it easy to search for specific topics rather than just hunting through people. Plus, there’s the added bonus of being able to vent under a pseudonym without worrying about your boss Googling your name and finding your nonsense.
New people probably don't stumble upon forums for marketing reasons—everyone knows about Facebook, everyone is on there, and you're basically a hermit if you aren't. Nobody really knows forums exist, and those who do tend to cling to this ancient format. And honestly? I get it. Looking at this forum on a smartphone feels like it was coded by developers back in 1997.
That’s where the real issue lies. None of the owners seem particularly interested in actively maintaining or promoting the site; they just want to maintain the status quo and collect the advertising revenue. As for the moderators, they’re volunteers who are essentially expected to spend hours every day playing policeman. Hmm.
Still, I think I've been hanging around here since my VB16 days, and the situation in the "Football" section isn't actually bad. In fact, for the sake of keeping things current and high-quality, it's probably better that we only have ten or twenty people in a thread rather than a thousand people rushing in at once. This forum was great before Facebook ever showed up, and I truly believe it'll still be here long after Zuckerberg's empire eventually collapses.
