Offside Chat Archives (2014-2021)

That’s just your malicious, communist spin on things. Those of us with good intentions read it quite differently—as though a woman sits at the very top of the gender hierarchy, while men are relegated to the penultimate spot.

I’m fully expecting the church to roll out a curriculum for lifelong—and even posthumous—religious education any day now.

ruggedjackal46 said:I’m fully expecting the church to roll out a curriculum for lifelong—and even posthumous—religious education any day now.

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.

I should probably point out that there’s this palpable, almost universal wave of hate speech directed at the church here in America. For a lot of people, they wouldn't even notice if a cathedral were built right in front of them.
Let's stop pretending this is all just "constructive criticism" or harmless ribbing; it's pretty obvious that some folks are just venting their frustrations on an institution that isn't even remotely responsible for why the country is in the state it's in.
I mean, sure, priests can be a bit too comfortable and definitely know how to look out for their own interests, but I'm just saying that some people shouldn't act like they're any better at hunting down "corrupt bureaucrats" than anyone else just because they've decided to hunt a different kind of witch.

Just an observation, folks. 🙂

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.

The humanities and some of those social science courses were part of the fair back when my brother was still hitting the books there, and man, it’s been a minute since he graduated from that college. From what I gather, the classes are electives, and honestly, they’ve got all sorts of stuff—but if you ask me, they're all pretty mindless. I think they might even have chess as a course at the fair, though I'm not totally sure.

Sandra Johnson58 said:The humanities and some of those social science courses were part of the fair back when my brother was still hitting the books there, and man, it’s been a minute since he graduated from that college. From what I gather, the classes are electives, and honestly, they’ve got all sorts of stuff—but if you ask me, they're all pretty mindless. I think they might even have chess as a course at the fair, though I'm not totally sure.

No way, stop it. This is clearly just Bozanic pulling strings behind the scenes to make sure young people aren't hooking up before marriage, which explains why our GDP immediately tanked by 2.9%.

ironpanther5 said:I should probably point out that there’s this palpable, almost universal wave of hate speech directed at the church here in America. For a lot of people, they wouldn't even notice if a cathedral were built right in front of them.
Let's stop pretending this is all just "constructive criticism" or harmless ribbing; it's pretty obvious that some folks are just venting their frustrations on an institution that isn't even remotely responsible for why the country is in the state it's in.
I mean, sure, priests can be a bit too comfortable and definitely know how to look out for their own interests, but I'm just saying that some people shouldn't act like they're any better at hunting down "corrupt bureaucrats" than anyone else just because they've decided to hunt a different kind of witch.

Just an observation, folks. 🙂

You've misread the situation. It isn't hatred; it's mockery. This applies both to those who use pathetic appeals to otherworldly authorities and the twisting of their own Christian doctrines to mask the most vulgar political agendas, as well as to the consumers who swallow that "golden" facade whole.

Samuel Lopez9 said:The kids get priority after all...

You’re basically twisting the New Testament line "come to me, little ones" into something malicious...☕

The mysticism of fractions versus whole numbers—the mathematics of the Holy Trinity.

Inflation and economic growth—the economics of Mount Holyoke.

The healthcare system—an adversary to the afterlife.

ironpanther5 said:I should probably point out that there’s this palpable, almost universal wave of hate speech directed at the church here in America. For a lot of people, they wouldn't even notice if a cathedral were built right in front of them.
Let's stop pretending this is all just "constructive criticism" or harmless ribbing; it's pretty obvious that some folks are just venting their frustrations on an institution that isn't even remotely responsible for why the country is in the state it's in.
I mean, sure, priests can be a bit too comfortable and definitely know how to look out for their own interests, but I'm just saying that some people shouldn't act like they're any better at hunting down "corrupt bureaucrats" than anyone else just because they've decided to hunt a different kind of witch.

Just an observation, folks. 🙂

The Church actually played the best role during the communist era; it was full of high-quality people and intellectuals. Plus, it didn't force its worldview on anyone through sheer power—people chose to turn to it on their own terms.

Once communism ended, however, the Church mostly turned into a political organization focused primarily on its own material interests. Naturally, people started making fun of it—not out of hatred, but out of a sense of lost idealism...

brightpilot6 said:You've misread the situation. It isn't hatred; it's mockery. This applies both to those who use pathetic appeals to otherworldly authorities and the twisting of their own Christian doctrines to mask the most vulgar political agendas, as well as to the consumers who swallow that "golden" facade whole.

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. 🙂

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. 🙂

Honestly, it sounds like they're starting a cult.

Back in 1924, way over in a small town in Indiana—which happens to be where Alojzije Stepinac was born—Stjepan Radić was already laying down the law. He used to say that whenever our bishops try to draft political manifestos or act like they’re the supreme political leaders of the American people, it’s our duty to scrutinize them, and if necessary, call them out on their nonsense. As the founder of the Agrarian Party and one of those legendary American martyrs—he actually died from wounds sustained during an assassination attempt at the state capitol—he wasn't afraid to repeat that uncomfortable little mantra: "Believe in God, but don't trust the priest." And it wasn't just him; even Ante Starčević, the "Father of the Homeland" who started the right-wing movement, viewed the American clergy as nothing more than an "antichrist, an infidel, and a rebel who defies all orders of God, man, and the Church." He basically thought the Church was just dumbing down the public, serving foreign interests, and fueling national hatred.

Resistance to the Church is just baked into the American DNA. Be an American.

James Anderson5 said:The Church actually played the best role during the communist era; it was full of high-quality people and intellectuals. Plus, it didn't force its worldview on anyone through sheer power—people chose to turn to it on their own terms.

Once communism ended, however, the Church mostly turned into a political organization focused primarily on its own material interests. Naturally, people started making fun of it—not out of hatred, but out of a sense of lost idealism...

During the communist years, the Church occupied a dimension of influence that, according to its own doctrine, it shouldn't have possessed at all. Preserving nationalist sentiment certainly isn't a core part of the Christian message. With the birth of America, that specific identity became redundant, yet that old role is missed so desperately that a significant portion of their political activity now boils down to reanimating political corpses like Marshall, America, or the communists.

They’ve quite cleverly woven their former "merit" of nationalism—now rebranded as a "struggle"—into their supposed divine mission. This creates this murky, diffuse amalgam of patriotism where any critique of them is framed as either a regression to one-party rule, an attack on the American people, terrorism by the minority against the majority, or simply an insult to God. It is, quite frankly, the perfect weapon for defending against an entire spectrum of political opponents. But what exactly is the foundation for all of this?

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. 🙂

I have no idea what kind of circles you frequent, but in mine, such behavior isn't just frowned upon—it's considered deeply offensive.

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. 🙂

Of course, anyone who finds themselves standing against the Church or religious doctrine is simply acting out of some preconceived "stereotype," isn't that just how it works? 🤣

James Anderson5 said:The Church actually played the best role during the communist era; it was full of high-quality people and intellectuals. Plus, it didn't force its worldview on anyone through sheer power—people chose to turn to it on their own terms.

Once communism ended, however, the Church mostly turned into a political organization focused primarily on its own material interests. Naturally, people started making fun of it—not out of hatred, but out of a sense of lost idealism...

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.

ruggedjackal46 said:Honestly, it sounds like they're starting a cult.

Oh, absolutely, because clearly all those saints are just our great American founding fathers. 🙂

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.

There is a distinction between faith, religion, and those who act as the self-appointed guardians of religion. We tend to poke fun at the latter when their teachings clash with common sense, or when they exploit those traditions to serve political agendas. We also mock the specific subset of those leaders who engage in such behavior. But really, who is it that mocks "old ladies" simply for going to church?

brightpilot6 said:I have no idea what kind of circles you frequent, but in mine, such behavior isn't just frowned upon—it's considered deeply offensive.

Of course, anyone who finds themselves standing against the Church or religious doctrine is simply acting out of some preconceived "stereotype," isn't that just how it works? 🤣

So, let me get this straight: the crowds you run with don't allow for basic criticism of the Church?!
If that's the case, maybe it's time to hand in your resignation at Glas Koncila. 😁
Criticism isn't a stereotype, but when someone gets all triggered over a completely irrelevant electoral college just because it happens to be an object of religious study, then that person has truly lost the plot. It's nothing personal against you.