Posts by Ryan Wood98

Last night, I felt this sudden, intense urge to go trolling in the comments section of a news site where I happen to work.

Since I am technically an employee there, I decided to exercise some restraint, avoided the baiting, and just went to bed.

I woke up this morning with a fever north of 100 degrees.

I suppose one might wonder... is this perhaps some kind of withdrawal symptom?

I happened to come across the thread. I won't specify which one or where it was located.

The moment I read the headline, I knew I would end up trolling.

It seemed inevitable that the thread would attract a crowd of irrational people posting complete nonsense, and I suspected I wouldn't be able to resist telling them all they were fools, or something to that effect.

Regardless, I clicked on it.

As expected, my assessment regarding the idiots and their posts was correct.

And, of course, I was also right about my own weakness and inability to resist the urge to troll.

I suppose one has to wonder what is in a person that drives them to react that way.

Now, I am just sitting here quietly, waiting for an infraction that will likely arrive in the form of a suspension, if not something worse.

Why on earth did I do that? It isn't even the first time.

I didn't actually write anything; I think Cthulhu managed to hack my account ☕

Gary James88 said:I don't see him actually attacking anyone personally. On this forum, people have always been able to take a critical look at pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, just as they can with other approaches or models. Even theories regarding the causes of various mental health conditions—whether they are scientific or otherwise—are open to scrutiny, provided there are some sort of arguments presented...

So, I suppose that means we could just as easily debate whether mental illness is caused by Cthulhu, depending on which stage of sleep someone is in?

I mean, I guess you could find books claiming that too, and those would be just as valid as any other kind of argument.

Gary James88 said:Was psychology ever even part of the Spirituality subforum on this site? 🤷

Unfortunately, lately, things have started to feel quite similar to that.

Lisa Hernandez3 said:I think I may have misspoken earlier, and I didn't mean it quite so literally regarding the spiritual aspect of the Psychology forum. Tell me, isn't there a bit of a contradiction in why this topic even exists within this specific section? This is just how I see it—and I suspect others feel similarly, as most people participating in the thread seem uneasy with the subject matter: from the perspective of religious teaching or spirituality, if those values are placed above psychology, then it would probably be more appropriate to move the thread to a section that covers such primary or foundational positions. People here don't feel comfortable with it, and I guess that alone is enough of a signal. If the thread were framed to ask people what their religious teachings mean to them, or what role Jesus plays in their worldview, or even religion in general, then we could perhaps discuss whether it's in the right place. But as it stands, the topic preaches from a doctrinal standpoint, whereas psychology is a science that can explain *why* people adopt certain doctrines, rather than debating the doctrine itself.

Or perhaps:

religious teaching >> psychology — no
psychology >> religious teaching — yes

I realize it isn't exactly ideal to talk about the nature of the thread within the thread itself, but there have been enough signals from various participants that something feels off, and some people are feeling a little offended by it.

Yes, I suppose it is.

Robert Collins2 said:Your sarcasm is pretty weak...

And look, much to the disappointment of certain inquisitor-style forum "believers," I’m not some backward atheist. I believe in Jesus and his actual original teachings—which, unfortunately, have been totally twisted by the influence of organized religion and people like the OP here, who twist every religious teaching to fit their own agenda and pull arguments that fly in the face of common sense and honestly just insult my intelligence. That’s why I don’t get why this subforum even split off from Spirituality if unscientific nonsense like this and the constant bashing of pharmacology and psychotherapy—stuff that has literally saved lives, including mine (was it rage or the devil that possessed me? I'm not sure, exorcism didn't work so I ended up "relying" on meds because apparently, being highly educated makes me vulnerable to those kinds of influences, according to the author 🙄)—is not only allowed here, but actually approved by the moderators... 🤮

👎

I completely agree with you, and you have my full support. 👍

Robert Collins2 said:🤦

Good grief, seriously? You actually consider yourself qualified enough to jump into psychology threads and try to "debate" things like depression???

🙄

Man, this is just tragic. It’s wild how much ignorance and pure lack of class can turn someone into... well, this...

👎

Look, I live with clinical depression, and believe it or not, I'm not locked away in some facility somewhere. I go about my life like a totally normal person—I work a high-pressure job at the university, I hang out with friends, I eat, I sleep, and nobody is physically holding my hand while I'm typing on this forum...

I suppose Jesus holds your hand 😉

hint: you could potentially sue him for sexual abuse.

Gary James88 said:This is a pretty heavy, controversial topic. There’s actually an entire movement here in the States that treats mental health issues as spiritual crises. It’s even gained traction within certain corners of the medical establishment—you’ll see instances where books are openly presented at medical schools claiming things like homosexuality or atheism are essentially "spiritual illnesses" that can be cured through prayer. They even frame depression as a byproduct of being disconnected from God. You have this segment of the medical community that just shrugs and says, "well, we don't know everything yet," basically applauding these fringe ideas in academic settings. Given everything we actually know about modern science and psychology, what is there left to say about that?

I don't think you need to say anything at all; perhaps she just needs to be removed from the subforum.

slymaker9 said:If you had the chance to reinvent yourself—to pick any set of traits or characteristics from a massive pool and weave them directly into your identity, would you take it?
What kind of persona would you aim to embody?😍
For instance, would you choose to be brilliant, witty, charismatic, attractive, sultry, stoic, dependable, optimistic, grounded, hardworking, or perhaps more lighthearted and carefree?

I suppose I would prefer to stay exactly who I am, though I might add a few things:

- A significant financial inheritance
- Slightly more longevity in my genes
- Fewer skin imperfections, like moles and such
- Having some hair on my head would also be a nice touch
- Better sinus health
- The absolute best teeth in the world, so they never decay and I never have to visit a dentist again

Beyond that, I guess everything else is fine.

I suppose my brain functions a bit like a koala's.

Edward Wilson82 said:Fearless? No, it's Disgust, Not Fear, Drives Homophobia
Some psych researchers over at the University of Arkansas dropped a study showing that "homophobia" isn't actually rooted in fear or anxiety—the way a real phobia works—but in a sense of pure disgust.
Matches my own experience when I first saw those crowds parading around. It wasn't fear. It was straight-up disgust.

That feeling of disgust is basically nature’s way of signaling how broken, sick, and damaging those types of relationships are—warning us they shouldn't be legalized or socially accepted. And honestly, nature knows what it's doing. Just look at the health stats regarding homosexuality and sexual behavior.

More than half of all people diagnosed with AIDS are homosexuals. Syphilis, which we thought we’d wiped out decades ago, is knocking on the door again. In the United Kingdom, for instance, syphilis rates among the gay population have spiked over 600% in the last six years. In San Francisco, it's practically an epidemic. One public health facility in San Francisco sees about 75,000 patients annually, and 70-80% of them are from the gay community, with 59% suffering from intestinal parasites. The risk is massive because they pass these things on to the heterosexual population.

Then there’s the usual list of STDs most common in the homosexual population: hepatitis A, B, C, D, gonorrhea, colon cancer, intestinal parasites, typhoid fever, herpes simplex, Chlamydia trachomatis, Shigella, Entamoeba, Giardia lamblia, cytomegalovirus, incontinence, hemorrhoids, and even tearing the rectal lining which often requires emergency surgery. Life expectancy drops to maybe 39-42 due to infectious inflammation, and suicide rates are climbing because of the mental strain caused by all these physical ailments.

The mortality rates suggest that homosexual relationships are more dangerous than nicotine or alcohol. You also see much higher rates of psychological disorders in the gay community—depression, addiction, stress, identity issues, loss of touch with reality, mood swings, narcissism... you name it.

People love to blame an intolerant society for these psychological issues, but that's a myth. The rates of mental disorders are pretty much the same in places where homosexuality has been socially accepted and legalized for ages, like in the Netherlands. Check this study out: http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=14663994

Bottom line: the disgust we feel toward homosexuality and its behaviors is a natural defense mechanism meant to prevent the biological and cultural contamination of society. So, pushing back against parades is perfectly logical—even necessary. Like that first link says: Disgust, however, triggers a bi-phasic physiological reaction, with heart rate and respiration initially rising but plummeting shortly thereafter. While fear causes a "get me away from that" reaction, disgust manifests as "get that away from me."

Personally, I find hooligan groups at American football games quite repulsive. Perhaps we could just pass a law to ban them? That is what nature seems to be suggesting, I guess. Thanks!

Henry Williams said:Why on earth would he close his eyes or turn his head? 😕I mean, a guy should be able to walk down the street in Chicago without having to deal with constant shocks. It’s like if I decided to strip naked and dance right in front of you on the sidewalk—you’d lose your mind! And then if I told you, "Hey, just close your eyes and pretend I'm not here," *that* would actually be the crazy behavior.
The thought of doing something that ridiculous never even crossed my mind.

Would it never occur to you to hug and kiss your own girlfriend?

WOW, you must be called "Romeo"🙄

Brandon Rivera2 said:But doing that is gonna make everyone watching pretty disgusted, right?

I suppose people will eventually just stop paying him any attention, unless, of course, they find his behavior particularly entertaining. 🙄 I don't think anyone would actually attack him because of it.

Brandon Rivera2 said:I mean, I don't strictly "know," it's more just what I'm thinking...

Didn't Ratko Milić, also known as Coca-Cola, once say "to be or not to be"?

Brandon Rivera2 said:And honestly, who would actually care if someone shoved a burger up their nose?

Honestly, I guess it shouldn't matter to me if someone decides to shove sliders up their OWN nose.🙄

Brandon Rivera2 said:Being intimate basically means nobody else is involved, so those aren't really private acts to begin with...

I suppose I don't kiss third parties; I kiss her. 🙄

Are you suggesting that kissing a girlfriend in a public place is somehow unacceptable?🙄

Brandon Rivera2 said:I mean, those are supposed to be private things... intimacy is basically the opposite of being out in public...

I hug and kiss my girlfriend in public, and honestly, the idea that I should feel the need to hide that seems entirely irrational to me.

Alex Jelinić said:I suppose I will just list a few individuals who have actually been covered by the press, given how much certain groups are treated as untouchable these days. As for the religious aspect, that part was somewhat upsetting to read. I belong to a community that has never committed murder, nor would we ever intend to. And if you are referring to the Catholic Church, it is also quite full of gay people.

Andrew Cunanan was a figure involved in some niche films and was a frequent companion in certain social circles. In 1997, he murdered the famous fashion designer Gianni Versace. Aside from him, he took the lives of four other men.

Jeffrey Dahmer was a necrophile, psychopath, and cannibal. He killed 17 boys and young men, whom he would lure to his apartment, drug, kill, and then engage in necrophilia and cannibalism.

John Wayne Gacy appeared to be a decent husband and father, but in reality, he was a homosexual, sadistic pedophile, and psychopath. He murdered and dismembered 33 boys and adult men. He kept the remains of his victims in his basement, yet he would entertain children in front of that very house while dressed as the clown Pogo.

one
http://christianchildabuse.blogspot....religious.html

two
http://www.apologeticsindex.org/p21.html

three
http://www.srpska-mreza.com/library/...n-vatican.html

(Well, this one seems politically motivated, so I am a bit skeptical, but it fits well under number three)

four
http://christianchildabuse.blogspot....-domestic.html

five
http://home.comcast.net/~pobrien48/serial_killers.htm

But there are actually about fifteen cases here, which seem to show how the typical profile of a serial killer can be linked to repressed sexuality and religiosity.

As I write this, I find myself thinking of various forum members, and I feel a sense of unease 🤷

nimblegardener7 said:The point was completely missed. I said more people are becoming tolerant or acting indifferent toward homosexuality because they mimic what they see—watching perversions and becoming perverse themselves. But not everyone becomes gay; it depends on the inclination a person already has. It’s like how not everyone with a genetic predisposition becomes gay (for example, there aren't any among Orthodox Jews).

That still doesn't explain what your actual problem is. Like, specifically with lesbians?
It's just obvious you don't know anyone who isn't heterosexual (though you probably do, maybe you just don't realize they're gay since people usually hide it).

And if it works that way, why don't all gay people become straight when we're surrounded by so much straight material? You'd think it worked both ways, but clearly it doesn't; I guess they're resistant.

I've already laid out my views in detail in previous posts, so I won't repeat myself. And yes, I am quite familiar with the homosexual population, for private reasons.

Having had homosexual experiences isn't a bad thing, and I suppose you shouldn't feel any guilt because of it. If people are trying to convince you that this makes you a worse person, then I think they are simply wrong. 😉