Mr Greybeard
I guess Im from a different time and place, where a man is held accountable for what he says, tells and does, and you call a spade a spade. I realized I ruffled mr 7Mag feathers. I started the whole thing. Guilty as charged. But it was all just in fun for me. No personal insult was ever intentionally made. But I apologized to him right away and I thought all was well with he and I. As I said a man should be held accountable---including me.
While I won't disagree with your comments about holding folks accountable for what they say that is not the purpose of this forum. That and that alone is what I'm trying to get across here. I think somewhere buried in the threads should be one from me saying more or less that. But it bears repeating from time to time.
Some of these forums are set up for folks who wish to discuss somewhat controversial topics to do so without harrassment from folks who do NOT share their views. This is one. Exotics Hunting and Game Ranching Forum and the Crossbow Hunting Forum are a couple of other examples. Each of these topics have many detractors and folks who would totally disrupt the flow of discussion left unchecked.
What you think of and refer to as humor or poking fun isn't generally looked at it that way by folks who actually hold strong views in favor of such topics. Therefor I provide a place for the topics to be discussed by those who are believers or in favor of these topics and do not allow those who do not to impede the free flow of information.
Mr bulletmaker chose to jump into the ring with us, and I guess that was his privilege, but it really was between Mr 7Mag and myself. I really wish he would have let us handle our thing. But he didnt. Im sorry you think telling people to "shut the hell up" just because they disagree with you is acceptable. I dont, and I still think he was out of line. Especially since no one was saying anything to him in the first place. It is however your barn and you get to call the dance any way you want to, so Ill just sit silently on the side and watch.
Don't read "too much" into my comments. I did say that it wasn't the way I'd have put it. I was more tactful and would have preferred he be. But understand clearly the sentiment he expressed is the way I feel regarding folks who try to disrupt the flow of information on my site in general and very speifically on the forums that are rather controversial in nature.
You and all are free to express your disbelieve in the subjects. You are only asked to do so in a gentlemanly manner. I do not feel that is what you did. Do not address specifically what one person says and try to refute the veracity of it. They likely can't "prove" it here nor can you "disprove" it here. Such attempts only lead to what has happened in this thread. Lots of edits have been made by posters. What was originally said I don't know.
So if you wish to sit on the side lines fine. If you wish to participate according to the rules that too is fine.
As stated by me, I too am not a beliver in much of this. I've not seen it and I like to with hold my acceptance until I see. But I'm also not a disbeliever. Just a person waiting to make up my mind when the evidence is in front of me. Heck I've read stuff on this forum and some others I sure find mightly hard to believe. NO specific references to threads and not discussing this thread at all here. But I sure ain't gonna jump in and tell them it just didn't happen.
I have absolutely no doubt that the comments of a couple here have greatly inhibited the discussion of the events reported by 7magWoodsman and perhaps others. That's a shame. Even when I read stories I don't necessarily believe I enjoy reading them. Heck I'm a bit SCI-FI fan even tho I don't really believe the events of the movies. Besides one day someone may show me something that makes me a believer in these things I previously didn't believe in.
Wanna know some things I do kinda sorta more or less believe even tho I have no hard proof?
1. I believe the government fabricated the entire mission to moon deal. I don't believe anyone has ever left the earth's orbit and gone elsewhere. Yeah I have lots of reasons and evidence but no PROOF.
2. I do believe we're not the ONLY intelligent life in the universe. Well that's assuming you believe humans are actually intelligent. The way many act that could be in doubt.
3. I believe other (non earth based) intelligent life has visited earth.
4. I believe there are many things on this earth we've not yet positively identified and cataloged and perhaps things never even seen by human eyes. Might the bigfoot be one? Maybe. Dunno.