You guys are still at it! (why am I not surprised?)

[Morley]

I agree with drumdude on this.

I think I've demonstrated that I'm not always MG 2oh's biggest fan. That said, though MG's "hug a child" may have been awkwardly said, it should be left at that. I think he was trying to suggest that folks here are not those who engage in common, everyday activities--including hugging our own children or grandchildren. It obviously backfired on him.

There's much to engage in MG's disparaging opening post without focusing on that. He loves irritating folks, but many times we're too quick to take the bait. He wants to be misunderstood and to play the victim. As Sock Puppet suggests, we're obliging him. (And I'm speaking as one who obliges him all too often.)

[Marcus]

I agree with drumdude on this.

I think I've demonstrated that I'm not always MG 2oh's biggest fan. That said, though MG's "hug a child" may have been awkwardly said, it should be left at that. I think he was trying to suggest that folks here are not those who engage in common, everyday activities--including hugging our own children or grandchildren. It obviously backfired on him.

There's much to engage in MG's disparaging opening post without focusing on that. He loves irritating folks, but many times we're too quick to take the bait. He wants to be misunderstood and to play the victim. As Sock Puppet suggests, we're obliging him. (And I'm speaking as one who obliges him all too often.)

My theory is that mentalgymnast trollposts the community with a variety of insults and rude assumptions until he gets a response. When his inappropriate comments regarding grooming got a response he pushed it that way, adding in impossibly tonedeaf comments until someone voiced the obvious concerns, at which point he played the victim, and trolled harder.

Mentalgymnast is very, very good at this very, very unethical skill--that of being a troll. His Mormon church background gives him the perfect "in" into this mostly exmormon community, he only has to build on the old fashioned Mormon approach of disparaging the other, the 'nonmembers,' the rest of the world. The fact that many of us have a similar starting background just gives him added fuel.

I've read a variety of his posts, which go back almost 25 years in the various renditions of this forum. He has always disparaged this community, this group of "you people" that his religion has trained him to think of as beneath him. It's the perfect storm: His severely negative personality traits that lean him toward mean-spirited trolling, his membership in a church that has trained him to not only think less of those who believe differently but to feel free to violate polite society rules and express it, and an internet community with the most generous free speech rules on the planet. It's practically a given that the troll will troll.

[Tator]

It is very infrequent that I oblige the Mentalgymnast or anyone else but I have always viewed him as a hypocrite. I am sure he hides his Snapple addiction and his posting from his wife. I have always imagined him as the most brow beaten, hen pecked, and pussy whipped Peter Priesthood holder that Mormonism can produce.

[MsJack]

Wow, this thread.

Imagine being salty that other people have hobbies that you don't like.

[MG 2.0]

I agree with drumdude on this.

I think I've demonstrated that I'm not always MG 2oh's biggest fan. That said, though MG's "hug a child" may have been awkwardly said, it should be left at that. I think he was trying to suggest that folks here are not those who engage in common, everyday activities--including hugging our own children or grandchildren. It obviously backfired on him.

There's much to engage in MG's disparaging opening post without focusing on that. He loves irritating folks, but many times we're too quick to take the bait. He wants to be misunderstood and to play the victim. As Sock Puppet suggests, we're obliging him. (And I'm speaking as one who obliges him all too often.)

What I said in my initial post:

"Step outside and breathe. Hug a child. Serve a neighbor. Take a drive. Read a good book. Have a real life conversation."

Who in their right mind would think that within the context of this sentence there is some 'hidden' meaning that points towards grooming?

Sheesh, people. Awkwardly said? I don't think so. Awkwardly received. Possibly.

Much to engage in my opening post? Such as?

Irritating folks? Not really. What I do like to do is push back on some of the silly and inappropriate comments...bashing...that are often made about the CofJCofLDS, its leaders and those that are living according to its standards.

Off the top of my head...DCP. He is lampooned and mocked in his absence. That's childish behavior. I could go on. The problem is, as I've said again and again, when you have a group of people that have strong feelings in opposition to a religious faith (especially Mormonism?) they are going to feed off of each other and attack the other. They will not see clearly. They can say what they want and get support from others.

An echo chamber.

Alternate voices either not allowed or squelched by any means possible. Ridicule, calling names (troll being the go to), and false innuendo (contextual misappropriations and use of ellipses to create false narratives and/or straw men that can then be knocked down). The list could go on.

It is what it is. And I find it interesting to observe in action.

Nothing really surprises me any more...even the efforts to tear down self-esteem and self-worth. I do find that tactic to be offensive.

I've said it before, this is the problem with online social media including boards such as this. Folks can manipulate and 'dogpile' on other people with the hope of cancelling out what they have to say or they can simply try to bring them down by expressing pseudo psychobabble and diagnose the "deficiencies" of those that are not in their tribe.

It is rather transparent.

Others, not part of the tribe, looking in can see it for what it is.

This thread has now run its course as far as I'm concerned. Others will respond to this post and twist and turn (a phrase I've use before towards some folks here) and either downplay or misspeak in regards to what I've said.

Contextual mismanagement. I've called it out many times to little or no avail.

I will continue to stand up and not shrink. Critics have an agenda. They have their motives. And they also have their weaknesses.

They come across, believe it or not.

Regards,
MG

[Marcus]

...What I said in my initial post:

"Step outside and breathe. Hug a child. Serve a neighbor. Take a drive. Read a good book. Have a real life conversation."

Who in their right mind would think that within the context of this sentence there is some 'hidden' meaning that points towards grooming?

Sheesh, people. Awkwardly said? I don't think so. Awkwardly received. Possibly.

Much to engage in my opening post? Such as?

Irritating folks? Not really. What I do like to do is push back on some of the silly and inappropriate comments...bashing...that are often made about the CofJCofLDS, its leaders and those that are living according to its standards.

Off the top of my head...DCP. He is lampooned and mocked in his absence. That's childish behavior. I could go on. The problem is, as I've said again and again, when you have a group of people that have strong feelings in opposition to a religious faith (especially Mormonism?) they are going to feed off of each other and attack the other. They will not see clearly. They can say what they want and get support from others.

An echo chamber.

Alternate voices either not allowed or squelched by any means possible. Ridicule, calling names (troll being the go to), and false innuendo (contextual misappropriations and use of ellipses to create false narratives and/or straw men that can then be knocked down). The list could go on.

It is what it is. And I find it interesting to observe in action.

Nothing really surprises me any more...even the efforts to tear down self-esteem and self-worth. I do find that tactic to be offensive.

I've said it before, this is the problem with online social media including boards such as this. Folks can manipulate and 'dogpile' on other people with the hope of cancelling out what they have to say or they can simply try to bring them down by expressing pseudo psychobabble and diagnose the "deficiencies" of those that are not in their tribe.

It is rather transparent.

Others, not part of the tribe, looking in can see it for what it is.

This thread has now run its course as far as I'm concerned. Others will respond to this post and twist and turn (a phrase I've use before towards some folks here) and either downplay or misspeak in regards to what I've said.

Contextual mismanagement. I've called it out many times to little or no avail.

I will continue to stand up and not shrink. Critics have an agenda. They have their motives. And they also have their weaknesses.

They come across, believe it or not.

Regards,
MG

Mentalgynast is posting exactly as I described he would:

My theory is that mentalgymnast trollposts the community with a variety of insults and rude assumptions until he gets a response. When his inappropriate comments regarding grooming got a response he pushed it that way, adding in impossibly tonedeaf comments until someone voiced the obvious concerns, at which point he played the victim, and trolled harder.

Mentalgymnast is very, very good at this very, very unethical skill--that of being a troll.

...He has always disparaged this community, this group of "you people" that his religion has trained him to think of as beneath him. It's the perfect storm: His severely negative personality traits that lean him toward mean-spirited trolling, his membership in a church that has trained him to not only think less of those who believe differently but to feel free to violate polite society rules and express it, and an internet community with the most generous free speech rules on the planet. It's practically a given that the troll will troll.

[I Have Questions]

25 years of trolling. How sad and empty must his life be?

[IWMP]

I agree with drumdude on this.

I think I've demonstrated that I'm not always MG 2oh's biggest fan. That said, though MG's "hug a child" may have been awkwardly said, it should be left at that. I think he was trying to suggest that folks here are not those who engage in common, everyday activities--including hugging our own children or grandchildren. It obviously backfired on him.

There's much to engage in MG's disparaging opening post without focusing on that. He loves irritating folks, but many times we're too quick to take the bait. He wants to be misunderstood and to play the victim. As Sock Puppet suggests, we're obliging him. (And I'm speaking as one who obliges him all too often.)

My theory is that mentalgymnast trollposts the community with a variety of insults and rude assumptions until he gets a response. When his inappropriate comments regarding grooming got a response he pushed it that way, adding in impossibly tonedeaf comments until someone voiced the obvious concerns, at which point he played the victim, and trolled harder.

Mentalgymnast is very, very good at this very, very unethical skill--that of being a troll. His Mormon church background gives him the perfect "in" into this mostly exmormon community, he only has to build on the old fashioned Mormon approach of disparaging the other, the 'nonmembers,' the rest of the world. The fact that many of us have a similar starting background just gives him added fuel.

I've read a variety of his posts, which go back almost 25 years in the various renditions of this forum. He has always disparaged this community, this group of "you people" that his religion has trained him to think of as beneath him. It's the perfect storm: His severely negative personality traits that lean him toward mean-spirited trolling, his membership in a church that has trained him to not only think less of those who believe differently but to feel free to violate polite society rules and express it, and an internet community with the most generous free speech rules on the planet. It's practically a given that the troll will troll.

MG=mentalgymnast... Didn't realise that. Guess the clue is in the name lol.

[IWMP]

Why is everyone just beating on each other? Not really much discussion happening when we all just criticise each other as people.

[Marcus]

My theory is that mentalgymnast trollposts the community with a variety of insults and rude assumptions until he gets a response. When his inappropriate comments regarding grooming got a response he pushed it that way, adding in impossibly tonedeaf comments until someone voiced the obvious concerns, at which point he played the victim, and trolled harder.

Mentalgymnast is very, very good at this very, very unethical skill--that of being a troll. His Mormon church background gives him the perfect "in" into this mostly exmormon community, he only has to build on the old fashioned Mormon approach of disparaging the other, the 'nonmembers,' the rest of the world. The fact that many of us have a similar starting background just gives him added fuel.

I've read a variety of his posts, which go back almost 25 years in the various renditions of this forum. He has always disparaged this community, this group of "you people" that his religion has trained him to think of as beneath him. It's the perfect storm: His severely negative personality traits that lean him toward mean-spirited trolling, his membership in a church that has trained him to not only think less of those who believe differently but to feel free to violate polite society rules and express it, and an internet community with the most generous free speech rules on the planet. It's practically a given that the troll will troll.

MG=mentalgymnast... Didn't realise that. Guess the clue is in the name lol.

Good catch lol. Also, speaking of "criticis[ing] each other as people," did you notice the name mentalgymnast gave the thread?