Posts by Jamie Chase6

Charles Fox10 said:This thread isn't the place for PDFs. If you want to talk politics, fine—but if you’re looking to harp on Nora’s mom, her outfits, her makeup, or how much she promotes herself in Gloria, go take that up with the admins. They're the ones who handle closing threads like this.

Link to the thread

Just following the Forum rules. Look, let’s be clear about how this works: if someone decides a topic doesn't actually fit under its current heading, then it gets moved to where it actually belongs. It's that simple. If it's out of place, we shift it to the right section. Period....which is something I've had plenty of chances to witness firsthand right here, and honestly, it just makes perfect sense to me.

The whole thread was basically an autopsy of that media frenzy that just refuses to die, even after it served its purpose. Honestly, watching Muter jump out of line like that to start making noise again feels pretty questionable to me. Beyond that, the discussion moved into the actual mechanics of the system itself—specifically how we handle people who are seriously ill and vulnerable within our institutions.

Rezon, your take on how Nora’s mom dresses and does her makeup is incredibly shallow, and honestly, your arguments are nothing more than pure demagoguery.

I wasn't even expecting to get a coherent explanation out of this place, let alone that this Forum actually had established rules. Honestly, if you were a moderator, I’d tell you to shut your mouth—it’s ridiculous how threads can't be deleted or locked just because some quasi-moderator decides they have a subjective opinion on them. ☕

So, that's it? Just like that, you're heading out? Fine by me! I’ve got plenty of things to do without having to deal with constant goodbyes or empty exits. If you're looking to make a clean break, go right ahead—just don't expect me to be sitting here waiting for your return. Catch you on the flip side, or maybe I won't!

Charles Fox10 said:You already asked me about this via DM and got my answer, so I might as well just lay it all out for you right here. It’s the exact same thing I told you then.

Alright, let’s wrap this up. I’m locking this thread for 24 hours to let everyone cool their jets. Things got way too heated, and frankly, a lot of you completely lost it. Let's take a breather and settle down.

I’m putting you on the spot right here in public—and honestly, I’ll be damned if I don't expect you to come back with some kind of coherent explanation this time. ☕ Why did you shut down the thread—"Nora could be cool, but her mother doesn't even..."?
This topic is incredibly timely. It opens up so much room for real discussion—not just about certain individuals, but about the system itself—and yet you went ahead and shut it down without any actual reason. It’s pure discretion, and honestly, it's ridiculous.

I see this thread has already racked up over 400 views. Honestly, I bet the numbers—both the view count and the comment section—would be even higher if you hadn't gone ahead and locked things down. A moderator's job is to actually moderate the discussion, not just kill a thread because they can't handle someone having a different opinion than their own. 🤦

brightotter67 said:Alright, let’s go—I’m starting a petition for more true crime! ☕

Pointless ☕

The topic "Do you believe Amanda Knox is innocent?" is fundamentally about law and forensics. But at the same time, it’s tied directly to politics and the media, since both played massive roles in how that trial unfolded. If we actually had a dedicated true crime subforum, it would just give those vultures a place to feed on pretentious sensationalism and other people's tragedies.

I honestly don't get why anyone is complaining about where this topic is placed... if it were buried under the music page, I'd understand, but the way things are, I can only conclude that some people have such incredibly boring, empty lives that they spend their time suggesting absolute garbage.

Hannah Alvarez2 said:Alright, looking at those mental shifts—honestly, they sound exactly like those moody teenage years during puberty.🤣 Like, seriously, it’s basically the same thing.

As for everything else? Show me a picture or it never happened. No proof, no truth.

By the way, I know this would probably fit better over in the religion sub, but does anyone know if there are actual cases of "possession" in non-Abrahamic religions out there?

Benjamin Taylor6 said:Psychology, as a scientific discipline, flat-out denies the existence of possession. It’s viewed strictly as a mental illness—it isn't about someone casting a spell on you or being overwhelmed by "negative energies." Most often, we're looking at organic issues, or purely psychological ones, which act a bit like a glitchy computer program running in the background.

There’s this one debate—not specifically about possession, mind you—but it really highlights how classical science refuses to acknowledge anything beyond dialectical materialism.

Then again, I see plenty of famous celebrities who swear by curses and possessions:

Look, fine. You don't believe possession is possible. But just because psychology denies it doesn't mean it isn't an absolute reality. The only people who can actually give a relevant answer here are the Church authorities who deal with this stuff. Someone already mentioned how psychiatrists and clergy work together, so in that sense, I don't think psychiatry is flat-out denying the possibility either.

I think Grace is the most competent theologian here. I'd really appreciate it if she could take a look at this article I pulled off the web (you can find the whole thing online); I found it pretty compelling and it seems to hold water to me.

I’ve attached an article I found online in the header.
If you just type in the phrase mentioned above, you'll get the full text.

Basically, the article argues that possessions are actually incredibly rare. Historically, people suffering from mental illnesses were subjected to exorcism methods, and obviously, the results were disastrous. It’s the same story when cases of supposed possession are treated with standard psychiatry—the "healing" process often leaves them looking like "walking zombies." Further down, there's a checklist of criteria that must be met before a proper diagnosis can even be considered. It makes a point that those who are possessed are also mentally ill. That mental instability could be a direct consequence of the possession, or it could be the actual underlying cause.

Here is the list of requirements—let's call them symptoms. Pay close attention to the lists under sections II and III.
Section III is titled "******d manifestations"—meaning "External Indicators." I have no clue why the English version of that specific title won't show up for me; every time I type it in, I just get asterisks, so I went ahead and translated it myself.


I ) Mental Changes Affecting The Person
1 Mental Changes Affecting The Person 1 look for changes in personality. This usually shows up when someone who is normally friendly suddenly turns completely silent.
2 An active person suddenly starts isolating themselves.
3 Watch for shifts in sleep patterns.
4 Look for sudden spikes or drops in weight.
5 Monitor changes in attitude and behavior, which typically lean toward hostility.
6 Note if they start swearing excessively when that is totally out of character.
7 See if they develop a sudden aversion to religious items. A regular churchgoer might suddenly find the mere thought of it repulsive.
8 Check for any evidence of self-mutilation.
9 Watch for changes in their style of dress.
10 Pay attention to their personal hygiene and any sudden decline in it.
11 look for evidence of occult materials in The room.
12 Look for destructive tendencies, particularly if they are targeting religious objects.
13 They might become verbally abusive or threatening without provocation.
14 They may turn violent, frequently attempting to harm animals.
15 The individual might suffer from intense nightmares or night terrors.
16 They might engage in humiliating acts, like wetting themselves and so on.
17 They may become hyper-fixated on sexual matters, including excessive masturbation or doing it in front of others.
18 Take notice if they seem to exhibit a different persona or multiple personalities.
19 Watch for bizarre dietary shifts. Foods they used to love might become revolting, or they might start eating things they previously hated.
20 Note if they seem to be experiencing memory blackouts.
All of The above Can be cries for Help or signal The beginning of drug Use or mental illness; because of this, you have to be extremely careful about labeling these as signs of possession. When these are the only symptoms present, you need to seek psychological counseling first before even entertaining the idea of demonic involvement. Honestly, a lot of these changes are perfectly normal, especially with teenagers. Don't jump to the conclusion of possession unless there's a reason to believe they are actually vulnerable to it—for instance, if they've been messing around with rituals or the occult and *then* the personality shifts start. Most likely, it's a natural issue, meaning it's psychiatric or psychological in nature.
As you'll see, there are plenty of other red flags. Look for those before you buy into the possession theory. Also, whatever you do, never tell someone going through personality changes that they might be possessed. You could be planting a very dangerous seed in their head.

II) Physical Changes Affecting The Person
1 The person might go for extended periods without blinking. (This could actually point to a neurological condition.)
2 The individual might lapse into a catatonic state. (All of The above Can be cries for Help or signal The beginning of drug Use or mental illness)
3 The person starts speaking languages they haven't studied. (Or maybe they're speaking English but with bizarre, unidentifiable accents.)
4 They start speaking in tongues.
5 The person becomes totally rigid—we're talking "unmovable" even if several people try to shift them.
6 Pay attention to the eyes. They can turn pitch black, almost like a shark's eyes.
7 Watch for blatant shifts in their facial features.
7 The person might display superhuman strength.
9 They might show signs of “precognition,” basically predicting things before they happen.
10 They might display “retro cognition,” knowing details about past events they had zero way of knowing.
11 They might be able to sense things about someone they’ve never even met.
12 Their voice could shift wildly, jumping from high pitches to deep, guttural tones.
13 They might actually be able to read your thoughts.
14 Their movement might get weird. For instance, they might seem to glide through a room rather than walking.
15 You might see welts or scratches appearing on the skin like symbols or writing. Check the spots they couldn't possibly have reached themselves.
16 They might actually levitate.
17 Their hair or eye color might suddenly change.
18 You might hear multiple voices coming out of one person simultaneously.
19 Note if animals seem terrified of the person, especially if the pets start acting skittish right when those personality changes kick in.
Now, look, a handful of these symptoms could easily be tied to medical issues or psychological struggles, but most of them? Most of them sit way outside the boundaries of science. If you start seeing a cluster of these, you need to take it seriously. At that point, you look back at the first category of symptoms and see if they line up with what's happening in this second category—or the third one I’m about to lay out. Obviously, some signs carry more weight than others. You have to weigh the severity of each symptom when you're trying to figure out what's actually going on. You should call on the Holy Spirit for guidance and discernment, particularly when the manifestations are vague or hard to pin down.

III) ******d manifestations
1 Objects move around as if they have a mind of their own.
2 Things might vanish and never turn up again. (Asporting)
3 Items might disappear only to pop up somewhere else entirely. (Teleporting)
4 Objects might vanish and then reappear exactly where they started.
5 Things might just manifest out of thin air. (Apports)
6 You might hear knocking, banging, or heavy thumping echoing through the house or a specific room.
7 Objects might fly through the air like invisible hands threw them.
8 You might hear knocks at the door when nobody is standing there. This often happens in sets of three—it's a classic way of mocking the Holy Trinity. Same goes for doorbells.
9 Religious items might go missing or get smashed. They can also be desecrated.
10 You might hear growling, but you won't be able to find the source.
11 Scratching sounds might occur without any clear explanation.
12 Foul, stinking odors might drift through the air with no logical source. They tend to come and go.
13 You might see strange lights darting around a room.
14 Heavy pieces of furniture might slide across the floor on their own.
15 You might catch glimpses of people or dark, shadowy figures that don't quite have a solid shape.
16 Strange-looking creatures might be spotted.
17 Doors and drawers might swing open or shut by themselves.
18 Electronic appliances might flip on or off without anyone touching them.
19 Fires might spontaneously ignite.
20 Pets might get spooked and refuse to go near the person being targeted.
21 Animals might growl at something they see that you can't see at all.
22 Any mention of God or religious topics might trigger a sudden burst of activity.
23 Glass might shatter for no apparent reason.
24 You might hear the sound of breaking glass, even though nothing is actually broken.
25 You might experience sudden temperature swings—usually a sharp drop—though they can go both ways. You can actually track this on a thermometer.
25 A person might suddenly feel freezing cold even if the room temperature stays the same. You might even see a one to two degree drop on a thermometer held near them.
26 You might get that unsettling vibe that someone is staring at you, or just a heavy sense that you aren't actually alone in the room.
27 People frequently report hearing distinct voices when there isn't a soul around.
28 It’s common to hear your own name being called out, only to realize the house is empty. I've even heard stories where a husband and wife both swear they heard the other person call to them at the exact same time.
29 You might feel a sudden, sharp draft of wind blowing through a room, even when every single window is shut tight.
30 Electrical issues become a thing—lights flickering out or switches failing to work entirely for no logical reason.
31 If you try to fight back or shut the activity down, you'll often see what looks like direct retaliation.
32 The activity tends to ramp up aggressively the moment you try to pray.
33 There’s often a visible backlash if a priest or any clergyman visits the house to help.
34 Then there are physical attacks. We're talking real violence here: punching, scratching, biting, or having your hair yanked.
35 Don't forget the psychological warfare. The devil is smart enough to target your specific vulnerabilities. If you’re struggling with shame, he’ll crank that emotion up to eleven. It works the same way with depression, anxiety, or whatever else keeps you up at night.
36 There are also sexual assaults involved. This can range from unwanted touching to full-blown penetration. And let's be clear: this happens to men just as much as it does to women.
37 Finally, there is the levitation of objects or even people.

Patrick Miller3 said:..what kind of "literature" are you reading where people are actually "walking on walls"?
..nobody can speak a language they don't know (in that psychotic state, people just start mumbling nonsense, but suddenly everyone is an expert in Ancient Hebrew, Old Latin, or Aramaic)😂

The "witnesses" are all supposedly linguists or something 🤣

..and who exactly is "levitating" and where!!!?? 🙂

Can anyone provide a link?

There were several articles out there, and I've read interviews with prominent theologians discussing specific cases from their years of practice.
My point was that Vatican City has incredibly strict criteria when deciding if someone is actually possessed; if someone is just mumbling gibberish and showing symptoms of schizophrenia, then obviously, it's not a case for an exorcist.

The symptoms I listed are what point toward possession.

silentsurfer70 said:Exactly 😁 and like I said, these forces are exactly what Christianity describes them as. It makes sense since they also provide the "cure." Sounds like rambling at first... but look at it this way:

The universe is 15 billion years old, Earth is about 5, and Homo sapiens only showed up a few hundred thousand years ago. Now, imagine a civilization that was, say, a billion years old. Those beings probably wouldn't even live in the material world. We can't even wrap our heads around what they'd look like given that evolutionary advantage; basically, they'd be God to us. You really think beings like that couldn't trigger something as simple as possession?

Look, we don't understand much with our current science. These things fall under mystical experiences, and science doesn't really mess with that. The Church, however, has more experience with it, and after all, one of its missions is exorcism.

Modern relativism has called everything into question—like the whole concept of good and evil. Psychiatry doesn't have diagnoses for "evil"; they just label everything similar as sociopathic disorders, BPD, etc. It's as if every bad person is just a victim of their own illness, as if they don't have free will... let alone dealing with an external evil that can trap a living person.

I'm telling you, I didn't believe in possession at all, even as a Catholic. I went agnostic, then atheist, then back to being Catholic 😁 until I started digging through some literature and it really shook me...

Man, you have sure gone through some wild transformations. Talk about a turbulent life path. 😍 😉

Mark Campbell5 said:Yeah, focusing on positive influences is almost always better than leaning on negative ones. Positive motivation tends to yield much better results.

Negative reinforcement is used for intimidation, and honestly, it can be incredibly effective. For instance, humans are basically the only animals—if you consider us just a specific subspecies of primate—that you can actually intimidate using the threat of future punishment.

If you tell a dog you’re going to punish him, he doesn't really process the concept. But if you tell a person they’re facing consequences, you can essentially turn them into a slave. Granted, that depends on the individual, but that’s the fundamental logic behind slavery. That’s precisely why those systems functioned the way they did.

Here’s a decent video on the subject:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbp6umQT58A

That brings up the question of whether evil can actually cross over from one dimension to another. Because possession would imply someone from another reality is controlling a person in ours. Right now, that’s impossible to prove, which is why cases of possession are usually left to the exorcists.

Currently, there’s zero empirical evidence to confirm possession, so it’s not really a scientific reality. It remains in the realm of illusion or faith—which, let's be honest, is often just the influence of people in your immediate circle. An exorcist will often "confirm" the presence of outside influences just because they're nearby. So, in a strictly factual sense? It doesn't exist.

There’s no scientific proof that God exists.
Look, there’s no scientific proof that God exists, but there’s also no scientific proof that He *doesn't*.
Science lacks evidence for plenty of things and phenomena that definitely exist. I have massive respect for science, but let's be real: science isn't the absolute final word on everything.

Thomas Bailey59 said:There are people out there who take meditation and the whole ascetic lifestyle seriously. They live completely off the grid, away from this insane pace of life we deal with, totally surrendered to spirituality and MEDITATION. If you’ve ever messed around with meditation techniques or even just tried to chill out and quiet your mind for a second, you probably noticed how easy it is to recall things in that altered state—that alpha state. Memories just float to the surface. Actually, there might be a real explanation for those "possession" signs you're seeing. Think of it like looking at a lake during a rainstorm. You’re standing on the shore or a bridge, staring at the water, but all you see are the ripples from the raindrops hitting the surface. You can't see what's sitting at the bottom. Our thoughts work the exact same way; they cloud our consciousness. But once the rain stops and the water goes still, everything at the bottom becomes crystal clear. Through long-term practice and meditation, we can actually peek into our subconscious. Those symptoms of yours? They could be experiences or perhaps a sort of language used by our ancestors that's been stored away in our subconscious. Some yoginis have gone so deep into meditation that they claim to remember when we were nothing more than amoebas. So, those signs of possession might just be moments where those ancestral experiences override your conscious mind, making you speak in those ancient languages you mentioned. 🤷

That’s all well and good, but I wasn't talking about ascetics or people dedicated to meditation here. I'm talking about cases where a regular person—someone who doesn't live, say, in Tibet😍—starts behaving in the way described above. Usually, we're looking at psychiatric patients, though sometimes (given the symptoms mentioned earlier) it really is a case of possession.
Vatican City is extremely cautious and suspicious about this. They only step in once psychiatry has officially washed its hands of a case—specifically when the symptoms are "supernatural" in nature, like what was described before. That's when the exorcist enters the scene. The Church isn't going to take that risk; they won't just accept psychiatric cases under the table. Doing so wouldn't just be unprofessional, it would be incredibly dangerous, not to mention a total disaster for their credibility. So, Vatican City has very clear rules regarding this, and...criteria for when someone actually decides to call in an exorcist.

Susan Price30 said:Speaking as a theologian, I can tell you one thing: very few people experience what is classically and "by the book" defined as possession. Most of those who think they are possessed actually aren't, which is why they end up seeing a psychiatrist rather than seeking help from clergy or religious institutions. And I think it will stay that way...

Furthermore, those dealing with spiritual disturbances almost always have underlying psychological or mental health issues, but it doesn't necessarily work the other way around.

For instance, I can often tell quite quickly whether someone is experiencing a spiritual issue or if there is another cause, and most experts in this field can do the same. The symptoms in the first case are distinct from those with purely mental health struggles, even when their outward behavior looks identical...

So, as a theologian, do you actually believe in the existence of demonic possession? This is a real question, even if it seems like a theoretical one at first glance. 🙂

Follow-up question: Are you arguing that the symptoms described above (at least some of them) are specific indicators of possession that distinguish it from standard mental illness? And if so, according to theological doctrine, what exactly are the symptoms of possession?

Hannah Alvarez2 said:So, I was talking to this former friend of mine once—she was a total, hardcore Catholic fanatic—and she mentioned that in their local parish, they send the most extreme cases straight to Linic or some other specialized exorcist. I'm curious, does anyone here actually know anything about how that works?
Personally, I’m not really buying into that kind of stuff, but hey, since the topic's already on the table...

Look, based on what I know from movies and books, there are certain symptoms that suggest a case belongs to an exorcist rather than a psychiatrist.

1. A person might suddenly develop a "gift," like clairvoyance, that they never had before.;
2. They start speaking in languages they’ve never studied—like Latin or ancient Aramaic.;
3. They speak in a completely different voice, or they levitate (and not in a graceful way 😍)—anyone who's seen "The Exorcist" knows that terrifying scene where the girl just flies right out of the bed.
4. Walking on walls in a way that is definitely not humanly possible.

So, in those specific scenarios, it’s pretty hard to argue that you're just dealing with a psychiatric issue.

Sean Watson48 said:I’ve been in a similar spot. On her end, we were, I think, best friends. She is lovely and all that good stuff—we never fought, our relationship was perfectly civil, there's no argument there—but after a while, I just stopped finding her fun. It felt like hanging out with her was becoming a chore. I definitely felt like this friendship didn't carry much weight for me anymore, and honestly, it started feeling suffocating. Just a "friendship" existing for its own sake. I’d find myself wondering more and more often, "What the hell am I even doing here?" 🤦 And now... how do you actually explain to someone close to you, out of nowhere, that you don't want to hang out intensely anymore? Honestly, I have no clue if there’s a smart way to handle it. My solution, as cowardly and selfish as it was, was the simplest one: I just cut all ties. It was definitely selfish and a total jerk move, but I couldn't bring myself to say it to her face. 😢 On the flip side, ignoring everything swirling in my head and pretending everything was fine seemed like an even worse option. So, I started ghosting her. It was incredibly difficult, and I wasn't sure if I was doing the right thing, but enough time has passed that we don't just stop hanging out—we don't even say hello anymore. It was an excruciating situation, but looking back, it feels like things ended up where they should have. My advice to you is: if you have the guts, tell her to her face. If not... well, learn from my mistake. Just be prepared for your conscience to sting for a long time. But even that fades eventually. Anyway, good luck. 🙂

Sometimes I’ve thought to myself, "Man, I wish I didn't have a conscience and was just shallow, because life would be so much easier for people without any backbone..." But only sometimes...
Whenever I read a post like this, I immediately change my mind. ☕

I have to say, I am absolutely floored that this fascinating thread was shut down. I truly believe this topic has massive potential. The author wasn't out there offending anyone, so in my eyes, closing the discussion feels like nothing more than pure subjectivity and an arbitrary move by the moderators.

And honestly, I couldn't disagree more with Ashley Mitchell81 regarding her claim that this belongs in the Philosophy Department. The way the post was framed—focusing on self-help, setting goals, and finding purpose—points squarely toward psychology.

To throw out another argument against Monnie's take: even if we were to concede that the subject matter fell under philosophy, the logical step would be a simple Psychology relocation to the right section. Instead, they just wiped it out without providing a single valid, reasoned, or objective justification.

hollowtrucker77 said:Jamie Chase6, honestly, it feels like there isn't a single thread on this site where someone doesn't get labeled a troll. It’s getting exhausting.
Furthermore, the mods will step in to edit posts containing things like private info or stuff that just doesn't belong on this forum, but they'll go ahead and delete posts that are just... questionable.
Ultimately, the person making the post is the one responsible for what they put out there.

Look, I called her a troll because she started a thread and then went completely silent, which is exactly why I made that call. 😉But once I saw she had actually posted again in the meantime, I immediately issued a correction right after my first post and walked back the "troll" comment. My apology followed the original post almost instantly, and both were deleted. I think that’s malicious and purely subjective, regardless of what our dear Nicholas King thinks about it.😍
All jokes aside, I retracted the troll accusation, and I don't throw those labels around lightly. I've been around here long enough to know my style is polite, so considering all the circumstances, I find this level of moderation totally inappropriate. Especially since I follow the forum rules to a T.

velvettrucker52 said:Regarding the deletion of posts—we don't notify users when we delete something or explain the reasoning behind it. The forum rules are available to everyone; I assume any user has read them and knows what they wrote, so the reason for a deletion shouldn't be a mystery. Of course, you can always ask, and you'll get an answer. The only reason you haven't received one is due to the moderator being away.
Actually, Jamie Chase6, if I had stumbled upon that post myself—I wouldn't just delete it, I'd issue a ban for violating the sub-forum rules..

By the way, velvettrucker52, if I may be so bold, do you feel like you might have gotten a little too carried away with this whole "enforcer" role? 😉Don't you think you're overdoing it? Please don't take this personally, but that bolded part really prompted me to speak up and make this comment. ☕

Nicholas King said:I’m nobody special, but I can take a look at 😁

Lately, there's been this new rule on the forum where they’re wiping out all the deep-dive troll forensics. (Do I even need to tell you how much that sucks? 🙂 🙂 🙂).

Honestly, I doubt they would have touched the rest of the post though.

Usually, when posts get nuked here, it happens without any explanation at all.

Thanks for the heads-up. I figured that was what was happening 😁 Even so, my internal compass for fairness just wouldn't let me stay silent without making a scene. Since the author actually replied after I posted (which I hadn't realized when I hit send), I immediately issued an apology—PUBLICLY—retracting my claim that she was a troll. And guess what? That apology got deleted too. 😢 If it was just one "controversial" word causing the issue, why not just edit that specific word instead of killing the entire post? Makes zero sense, right?

Furthermore, Nicholas King, if memory serves, you’ve frequently questioned whether authors were being real in your own insightful posts, often attaching the same questionable labels at the exact same time I did. So, based on everything happening here, I’m forced to conclude that this isn't moderation—it's just arbitrary power trips. ☕ And let's be real: pulling nonsensical rules out of thin air in the middle of the night to basically suppress free speech is also not "moderation."

To put it bluntly, I know I’m not the only one feeling let down by this autocratic, wildly subjective "moderation." Because of this, the forum is slowly but surely losing its purpose, its soul, and its charm.

So, I politely reached out to a moderator asking where my reply went on the thread regarding suspicions about a spouse's faithfulness. A user named TheSves actually replied to it (quoting me and giving his take), but my original post is just gone. It was wiped without a single warning, penalty, reprimand, or even a slap on the wrist—unlike those moderators who hand out punishments like political activists in D.C. handing out flyers to people on the street. Since I didn't get an answer privately, I'm taking this inquiry public.

Below, I’m quoting the post that was deleted for absolutely no reason, and I expect an explanation. I also welcome your thoughts—do you honestly think there’s anything "offensive" or whatever about this post that warrants it being nuked without any context? ☕ Regards

THE FOLLOWING IS THE POST FROM THE THREAD REGARDING SUSPICIONS ABOUT A SPOUSE'S FAITHFULNESS

If you ask me, this lady is a textbook example of a troll. She threw out one tiny little bone and then completely ghosted... not another word, not even a blink. She doesn't even have the imagination to invent details or scenarios to get us all riled up and debating. Honestly, that’s what ticks me off. Even trolls aren't what they used to be...

Anyway, whether this specific situation is true or not, here is my take...
When—or if—partners start drifting apart (physically, mentally, emotionally...), that is the first red flag. Infidelity doesn't have to happen immediately, and it might not even happen at all, but in that kind of setup, the probability of things going south (either through cheating or a breakup) is incredibly high. In my opinion, if you actually care about the relationship, you can't just ignore those signs and then act shocked when you find out you're being cheated on. I'd say it's better to prevent the fire than to try and put it out after the house burns down. That's point one. Second, when infidelity does occur, or when someone suspects it (assuming there weren't those obvious warning signs beforehand), it is very easy to find out if you actually want to know. Someone can deny it until they're blue in the face, claiming they're as innocent as a newborn, but if their partner has solid evidence or a gut feeling that isn't just the result of a bad day or hormones, then the situation is clear. Nobody feels betrayed or suspicious for no reason. If the partner actually gives a damn, they will go through hell to prove their loyalty or explain why things seem a certain way. If they don't? Well, anyone with enough backbone should seriously consider ending a relationship where they feel miserable and where their partner simply refuses to acknowledge their concerns... regardless of whether actual cheating took place or not.

hollowtrucker77 said:Look, I wasn't taking a shot at you specifically, or anyone else for that matter. I’m talking about the principle of the thing.
If the mods actually started policing exactly how much people write and dissecting their specific style just to decide if they should hand out sanctions for "inappropriate" behavior—I mean, come on. You don't even need me to spell it out for you. You can probably see exactly how much chaos that would cause. It would kick up a massive amount of dust and trigger a level of tension this place hasn't seen yet.

Alright, we’ve already covered that ground... My actual point was that you shouldn't be applying rules so rigidly where you're just reacting instantly based on a single gesture, but whatever... fine.

hollowtrucker77 said:Look, regarding what you're saying—I actually agree with your point on that whole debate. You've got a valid perspective there. However, I can't get behind the way you handled yourself during the discussion. Your attitude was off.
Look, let’s be real here—you’re the one who walked into this completely clueless, which is exactly why Shefty shot back with that "as if you have a clue what you're talking about" remark.

I think you weren’t actually paying attention to the conversation if you’re going to write something like that, because... Before I even reached out to Shefty...I actually said this once to some guy on a forum—and I’ll quote myself here: "Look, sorry, but this honestly made my day. You clearly don't have the slightest clue about people, let alone how to judge someone's character." 😂"
Look, I’m telling you right now—I am NOT her. She went on the attack, claiming she doesn't have a lick of experience. Even before she had the nerve to tell me that my experience was "worthless," she was already out there throwing around value judgments that weren't even backed up by any actual data.
Furthermore, she kept insisting that even though she lacks any actual hands-on experience, if she were ever faced with a real-life situation, she’d definitely react differently—saying she’d handle things this way or that, blah blah blah. So, I laid it out for her—with actual facts and solid reasoning—pointing out that you simply cannot predict how you'll behave when the pressure is actually on. Forgive me, but what exactly is so controversial or illogical about that? To drive my point home, I even cited that one great line: "There are three different people living inside you."
Just one kind of guy. That's all I'm saying.
What kind of person do you think I am? Seriously? You’re really going to walk up and drop a question like that without any context? That’s a hell of a way to start a conversation.
And just what kind of person are you, really?
"That's the one thing you clearly don't get." Look, I wasn't attacking her experience. I was making a reasoned argument about why she can't possibly know how she’d react in that situation. I wasn't just throwing insults like, "Your experience is garbage and you don't have the slightest clue how to judge character." That's not what I said. ☕ Are we all on the same page here?

hollowtrucker77 said:In my next post, I’m dropping this entire debate entirely. I’m done playing games with the topic; I’m going straight for the throat of the person I'm talking to, and then we'll see how the moderator reacts to that.
So you got hit with a penalty, but Shefty walked away completely scot-free? Give me a break. That is absolute nonsense. She didn't even bother sinking to that level by hitting back just as hard.If you ask me, this is a textbook case for a ban, and I’m pretty sure most moderators would hand one out in a situation like this.

Do you actually believe that? In her incredibly polite and perfectly civil response—both to others and to me personally—Shefty didn't descend to the level you're trying to pin on her.😢
Give me a break; I’m practically moved to tears over here. Seriously, take a moment to read back through the thread if you can be bothered (though unfortunately Štemajzl wiped some of the evidence, so you won't get the full picture), but even then, you'll see that Shefty wasn't 🙂

hollowtrucker77 said:Jamie Chase6, look, the story is actually pretty simple and doesn't involve your entire forum family tree.
If "gestures" were actually the exception rather than just a way to inflate post counts—with pages consisting of nothing but emojis and pictures—we wouldn't even need a rule for it in the first place.
Unfortunately, people exploited the loophole by spamming nothing but smiley faces, which forced the creation of a rule so that trolls wouldn't have anything legitimate to ask for in a discussion.
That rule was established, it's one of the older ones now, and I honestly don't get why you're whining about it.

There’s no rule without an exception, but fine. If that doesn't apply here, and if people who clearly aren't trolls—people who aren't just communicating through gestures—are also getting punished just to ensure this rule is applied consistently, then whatever. I'll fall in line. 😉

hollowtrucker77 said:And for the record, I don't see why you're surprised at getting a strike for trolling when you use debate tactics that were rejected back in ancient Greece (like ad hominem, attacking the person instead of the actual argument).

Sasha, I am calling you out here because I don't think it's fair to claim I wasn't using arguments. If you actually read my previous post, it's obvious I was using logic and specific examples. Sure, my tone was heavy on irony and cynicism, but that's a direct reflection of my opponent's tone. If that's enough to warrant a strike, then Shefty should have been struck too. Instead, this strike feels less like an objective necessity and more like a result of someone simply disagreeing with me.
And regarding your claim that I attacked you personally instead of addressing your points—do you really consider "You don't know jack about anyone's experience..." to be a valid argument?

Bottom line, I realize my comments might be seen as excessive, likely due to that famous maxim about the judge...
The hierarchy doesn't work the same way here. 😕

Jose White18, my interest in your little dream is directly proportional to how much I care about your track record as a moderator.☕ Regarding that dream of yours and your belief that you're actually doing a good job running this place...

My only regret is that in this corner of the internet, filled with outcasts and misunderstood souls,😍 the only people left to react or argue are the very ones who drove everyone else to hell in the first place.😁

So, we're just left with a bunch of mindless drones—let's call them "damaged goods"—since total tyranny is the rule here.
"The judge is out to get you, and the jury is already convicting you..."

slywolf45 said:Look... what can I even say to you?
If you let one person slide, you have to let everyone slide, otherwise the whole neighborhood goes to hell.
Then you go and punish someone, and suddenly they're whining about why you didn't punish the other guy too... and it just becomes this endless cycle of nothingness.
And honestly, and I mean truly, deeply honestly, I don't see any reason why they'd cut you a break while denying it to someone else. 🤷

I’m not talking about being soft here. I already said that punishing someone over one single fucking gesture is completely mindless. A rule that targets one specific action like that just lacks any logic or reason. Don't you think?

Jose White18 said:Honestly, don't even bother. You got that warning you're whining about precisely because you tried to play psychologist again.
I have no idea where you get this sudden urge to build psychological profiles based on... absolutely nothing.

It wasn't an "analysis," it was a debate. Period. It was just two different perspectives clashing. Instead of rising above the fray or actually doing your job as a moderator, you let your own irritation get the better of you. Because you didn't like my opinion, you took a shot at me and handed out a penalty just because you had the power to do it. ☕ That’s how it looked from where I was sitting, and deep down, I think you know exactly what your motives were.