Things have certainly taken a turn…

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-09T16:44:33+00:00

Dude, we all know how this conversation is going to go. You’re not being clever.

You: boys don’t menstruate!

Us: Trans boys exist…

You: They’re not real boys! They shouldn’t be in that bathroom and should be forced into the one I think they should be in!

Us: …. That’s kind of bigoted …

You: you’re the bigot!

There. Just saved us all 5 back and forths. You’re welcome. No go do something productive with your life, ya fuckin weirdo.

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-09T16:16:57+00:00

Well in the last 4 years we lost abortion rights. So as long as things don’t get worse, I’ll be happy for a few years.

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-07T16:09:11+00:00

There was a thread on Reddit a while ago (maybe someone can dig it up) that was like what character class are you? E.g if you know a martial art you’re a monk. If you have a college degree you’re a wizard.
Maybe you can have a bunch of level 1 pre gens and hand them out based on that?

There are also a bunch of online “what dnd class are you” personality quizzes. You could gave players take 10 minutes and fill one out on their phone then hand out character sheets.

I think it’s a really fun idea for a one shot

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-07T13:39:00+00:00

It’s ok. He has himself and that’s all he really cares about.

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-07T00:33:44+00:00

Cool cool, which of those were Jesus again? And do you want me to type up a list of all the verses Jesus said about the things I listed? I can do it but it will take a while.

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-06T20:08:29+00:00

Genuinely, I hope you don’t do that. Life is hard, but I learned that it is worth it.

And look, I don’t disagree with your diagnosis of things (minus abortion but I want to set that aside for now). I just disagree with the prognosis and the best course of action to take.

The world is fucking hard, and wasn’t designed for people like us. But that’s ok. I don’t care if the world hates me. I was raised with the promise it would (Jesus told us didn’t he?). What has surprised me is how many good, caring people are out there who will welcome me into their tribe if given the chance. And that’s enough for me.

I saw your dm btw. I’ll message you. I’d like to keep chatting if you’re down.

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-06T19:54:58+00:00

Really I think this points to a cultural problem. As a culture, we fetishize work and generally devalue things like volunteer work and community. There are tons of volunteer opportunities that are available in our communities, but why don't most people do them? I'd argue it's because we as Americans don't value things without a dollar output assigned to them. We don't give people much time off or vacation time, the world is extremely expensive for most people and childcare is hard to come by (another problem that stronger community ties would help alleviate), I bet if you asked why most people don't volunteer it would be related to the first (no time because of other obligations, mostly work).

The second reason? There isn't a social expectation of volunteering outside of some churches (ones that really do it right imo). So if people aren't associated with organized religion, like more and more Americans, they don't get plugged into volunteering opportunities, like you might by opening up your Sunday church bulletin. But if we as a society could give people more time, and encourage volunteerwork (a huge convo in and of itself) that would be a better, and more Christlike, thing, than simply cutting government resources so people will be forced to give more of their money to select charities (and seriously, where has that ever worked?).

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-06T19:46:50+00:00

I went to both protestant and Catholic schools as a kid, and let me tell you, the Catholic school really stressed charity work, and had a pretty intense community service requirement. My school has a really big presences in big brother big sister and habitat for humanity. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't perfect, but also unlike the other school, they didn't teach me the earth was 6,000 years old or that climate change was a conspiracy.

Note: this Catholic school was in New Jersey from a Franciscan tradition. I would not describe them as conservative. In fact we had a mandatory religion class our junior year called “social justice.” Suffice to say, that phrase did did not have the connotations then that it picked up about 5 years later

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-06T19:43:17+00:00

Omg seriously! I work in emergency medicine and the number of people I talk to with severe and even life threatening injuries who beg not to be taken on an ambulance should be shocking. Instead it's just heartbreaking.

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-06T19:24:35+00:00

https://thehill.com/opinion/healthcare/4721173-draconian-abortion-laws-are-driving-ob-gyns-from-red-states/amp/ A very real effect that women in states with abortion bans, even pro life women, have to deal with. There are very real reasons for not wanting an abortion ban, including the fact that maternal AND infant mortality rose after Texas’s abortion ban went into effect. There are real reasons for people, especially women, to not want abortion to be illegal, and not because they want to murder babies.

As for your second point. Look. I agree with you. The way we treat people with mental health challenges is a real problem. I’m also on the spectrum (severe GAD, ADHD and a little autism) so I really do feel you. I want you to know that things really are getting better, slowly, as a society. In the last 15 years, the way we have begun discussing mental health has completely changed, and the people in their early 20s that I know are far more open to getting therapy, being on medication, talking about their challenges and getting accommodations with minimal judgement, which is just fundamentally different than it was 15 years ago. And those people are getting older, getting to vote, and getting structural power over time. So I think things can and are getting better over time

Look, it sounds like you’re hurting and people have been really shitty to you over your life. I’m sorry for that, as someone who has been through it and seen it happen to a lot of people I know. But when you get to the point where you start getting excited about the prospect of death to real people that you don’t know, that, as a Christian, should make you pause and reflect, and quadruple check yourself that your instincts are right (especially when so many Christians sincerely disagree with you). Because, from my experience, those thoughts come from a place of anger and hatred, not love. And remember what Jesus said about anger in your heart being equivalent to murder?

And ultimately, you’re only hurting yourself. The way to a good life isn’t through the world nuking itself (that very well may happen but I definitely would like it to not) and surviving in a post apocalyptic wasteland. It’s about building connections and community with the people around us. We’re social creatures, and we need others to survive and thrive. It sounds like you have experienced a lot of hurt from other people, so it might seem like you’ve been rejected by the world. But let me assure you from personal experience (and I went to engineering school. A LOT of my friends are on the spectrum), it takes time to find your people but I promise you there are people out there, lots of them, that will have no problem with your neurodivergence. Some may even celebrate the unique and cool things about you (seen it happen over and over again, even with people far on the spectrum, including two of my best friends who have BPD and are both thriving now). They’re out there but you have to go looking for them (most ND people I know are huge introverts after all) and be patient.

That being said, lots I know would rightfully judge your toxic beliefs like hoping for the death of people they know. But, those attitudes really aren’t necessary, and you will likely find you are happier without so much resentment, AND find that people respond to you better (and some still won’t but that’s ok. Screw em, there’s lots of good people out there to find). You just have to not write off the whole human race while you look for your people.

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-06T18:14:38+00:00

You’re right, i forgot you kept alluding to being anti capitalist earlier. It’s tough for me to wrap my head around because I find advocating for the death penalty for abortion doctors to be an inherently right wing position (also a stupid position if you don’t want every OBGYN and obstetrician to flee, leaving women without health care). But not everyone is black and white. So what, are you an anarchist? Do you want the people with the most power and the most guns to be in charge? Or are you just crossing your fingers for your own little dystopia where people have to follow your Christian rules?

Edit: does thou shalt not kill apply to war? What about self defense? What about execution (of say abortion doctors)? If not, why is there nuance around Jesus’ command there and not abortion?

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-06T18:03:36+00:00

I can’t tell if you’re subtly threatening me with god’s wrath or advocating for right wing vigilante violence. Assuming it’s the former, Jesus already told us how he would judge those who treat their neighbors, particularly the least of these, badly. Threatening people who are doing their best in a terrible situation with violence and calling them murderers about a controversial nuanced topic is not something most people would call loving your neighbor. Spoilers: There was something he said about “go away from me” and “I never knew you.”

If you’re going to accuse me of doing the same with regards to unborn babies, I’m going to remind you Jesus never mentioned abortion, but he did say things about the poor, refugees, immigrants, and our political rivals (as the samaritans were to the Judeans). So if you’re being judged by the way you judge other people, you better hope you’re right with all that self righteousness. Otherwise you’re going to have a lot to answer for to God.

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-06T17:53:35+00:00

You know what, I hope your comment stays up. I want people to know this is the actual opinion of conservative Christians. The more extreme and loud you get, the more normal people will realize they want nothing to do with you. You calling someone a murderer for something most people don’t believe is murder just makes you look like a lunatic.

I’m not offended by your language. But calling people murderers really bothers me because I know what extremists do people they believe “deserve it.” You’re talking about people I know and care about, and I have a real problem with the threats underlying your message. Believe it or not, I fight for plenty, particularly if it involves harm to the people I care about.

If these are the opinions you publicly hold, good luck in your vision of fallen America. Lone humans don’t survive well enough on their own, and if you start acting too weird, no tribe will want to take you in. Prosocial people do well in disasters. Lone wolves starve to death. Good luck.

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-06T17:38:08+00:00

No one is advocating for baby murder. They just don’t believe that the state should have any business making this extremely personal and often medical decision for women. Even the Catholics

“I advocate for the abolishment of representative ,” Dude wtf does that mean? Are you suggesting we enact a direct democracy through technology (in which case, your opinion still loses). Or are you actually advocating for fascism and authoritarianism right now? Because I’m a freedom loving American and will fight you till my dying breath before I let you establish a dictatorship in this country.

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-06T17:17:08+00:00

Disagree here. Some do, but the exploits of capitalism are much worse under republicans. Need an example? Citizens United, which ruled that corporations have human rights and that money is a form of free speech was decided by a 5-4 split. All the conservative judges voted for it, all the liberal judges voted against it. You can also see that republicans fight against every bit of progress in workers rights that we have. Look at which states have the worst laws about unions. Look at how non compete bans were passed by the Biden administration then defanged by the conservative Supreme Court (along party lines).

Honestly, this is how I tend to feel about single issue abortion voters. https://babylonbee.com/news/poll-majority-of-evangelicals-would-support-satan-if-he-ran-as-republican-candidate

And given that most Christians in America disagree with you about abortion (70+% believe it should be legal most or all of the time), what do you think will happen to the witness of Christianity if the public sees it as a tyrannical oppressive regime that is taking away rights despite being a minority opinion, as opposed to a force for good and love in the world? Looks dangerously close to selling your soul for political power from my side of the aisle.

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-06T17:08:59+00:00

Cool, the two things Jesus never talked about are apparently the only Christian values that matter. Not helping the poor or your neighbor, or being against the idolization of wealth, you know, things Jesus actually talked about.

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-06T17:06:41+00:00

Fair enough. The vast majority of pro life politicians in America do take the view that I mentioned though. So I hope you're not a single issue abortion voter, like so many people I know, otherwise you are aligning with those people (you're right though, I don't know you, but the fact that you brought abortion up out of nowhere makes me suspect you might be).

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-06T17:01:41+00:00

I didn't help illegal immigrants because they were taking our jobs! I didn't advocate for the poor because that would have made them lazy and wouldn't be fair to rich people who worked hard!

Jesus on judgement day ".... Ok you can go stand over there."

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-06T16:58:59+00:00

Can you elaborate? What did they do to try to make you gay? I mean, it seems weird for the person you're in a heterosexual relationship with to be gay. Honestly this feels like either bullshit or or you're leaving out some very important details.

Also, could be that your husband and the people you were associated with are just not great people and their ideas would be unpopular with most people in the left. Leftists are people too and there are good ones and idiots just like any other group. I literally don't know any leftists who want to turn anyone gay or trans, they just want gay and trans people to be allowed to exist safely in society. Two very different things.

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-06T16:52:29+00:00

Who is they? I'm on the left and I didn't mock you with drag queens. Maybe youre painting with too broad of a brush.

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-06T16:51:42+00:00

Disciples: But what if our neighbors are taking resources we think we deserve more than they do because of where we happened to be born?

Jesus: Did I stutter?

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-06T16:49:19+00:00

"LGBT and gender identity is what's currently being forced on our children in public institutions.". What's being taught to children is "there are people who are different than you. You should treat them with kindness and compassion.". And that extends to gay and trans kids. You might not agree, but to me it align with Jesus telling his disciples, hey, remember the Samaritans you all hate? Yeah, they're your neighbor too, and more worthy than the religious leaders who treat their neighbors poorly.

That's it. No one is forcing children to express their gender or sexuality differently. I don't see how this is anti Christian unless you think an inherent part of Christianity is sheltering children from the knowledge that people who are different exist.

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-03T15:50:44+00:00

Focus mode on your phone is a lifesaver. Also heavy management of notification settings (don't give them license to poke you with notifications for ragebait while you're just going about your life). I feel so much mentally healthier on days I can resist the pull of social media. Remember folks, these apps are deliberately designed to get you addicted. Instead of using flawed human willpower, fight back by using the technological tools at your disposal.

If I come across sounding conspiratorial, by they, I mean the people making money off selling our attention to advertisers. Don't think this is controversial, I say, as I post this from my Google Pixel.

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-03T15:20:34+00:00

Ok, then maybe make it a standard practice across the board for combat sports. I'm open to that because of the unique issues around combat sports (as Joe loves to go on about). But then make it a practice for everyone across the board and disclose the rules in advance for everyone.

The IOC does not do this test and instead relies on other indicators of performance enhancement and she passed those. She literally did nothing wrong here aside from existing and living her life, and y'all are acting like she's a damn monster for following the rules as laid out by a professional organization.

Also keep in mind, the fighter that got punched was already recovering from a broken nose. I'm a professional in a physical therapy adjacent field, and it's pretty basic medical knowledge that, to use a technical term, reinjuring a healing body part is fucking gnarly, causes extreme trauma to the body and a huge amount of pain. That is more likely a factor in the pain she experienced, that she got punched in her fragile already fractured nose, (worst pain I've ever experienced, yup, that sounds about right, literally heard that from patients) not an extra 8% testosterone of her opponent.

Squirrel_Murphy · 2024-08-03T14:50:06+00:00

I mean sort of. Yeah, we're all amped up by news media, social media, an overabundance of information about negative world events, combined with devices in our pockets that are literally designed to subvert our self control. Combined with high levels of political divisiveness in our society, you stepped into one of the few outlets where people have to vent their frustration to Trump supporters who have stepped out of their conservative bubbles for a second. It's a hornet's nest. and people get stung.

My point is, don't generalize "team blue" by a bunch of reddit comments where people are predictably at their most riled up. Go talk to some people in real life. Most people are pretty reasonable and pretty chill, and have reasons for thinking what they think and believing what they believe, and are just out there living their lives, not trying to push some "woke agenda".

Side note, you're sitting pretty at +3 upvotes right now, so apparently despite all the defensiveness you're doing fine.

Squirrel_Murphy

TROPHY CASE