Thai Buddhism today

[frequent]

I recall vividly the comments a Thai who had lived in the West for some time but who returned recently to live in Thailand: “if you think Catholic priests are bad, they are nothing compared to Thai monks”. I’m always intrigued by those who assert that Buddhism is somehow superior to Christianity. They assert (wrongly) that Buddhism does not have a sense of guilt (I have a Thai friend who constantly moans about how guilty he is feeling about something or other) and has no hang-ups about same-sex activity (wrong; the Dalai Lama has condemned it). In any case, no mainstream religion supports promiscuous sex, or sex with prostitutes, which are largely the preoccupations of this Forum. For those of us with some knowledge of late medieval Christianity, Thai Buddhist monks selling “lucky” lottery numbers, or the dancers at the Erewan Shrine performing for good luck, resemble European monks selling Indulgences. Spirit houses are everywhere, but represent nothing in the Buddhist tradition whatsoever – the sort of rank superstition that permeated Christianity as practised by the European peasantry

So it wasn’t any great surprise to me to see naughty monks exposed in the press (https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crime/1480749/warrants-out-for-ex-monks-accomplices) recently, nor to read an opinion piece (http://www.khaosodenglish.com/opinion/2018/06/02/the-corruption-and-excesses-of-thai-buddhism/) in Khaosod English on the corruption and excesses of Thai Buddhism. The story about the naughty monk (https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1479993/police-chief-returns-from-frankfurt-alone-after-ex-monk-claims-asylum) who fled to Germany and then claimed political asylum is pure joy on so many levels

Over to the dewy-eyed (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dewy-eyed) brigade

[latintopxxx]

I think Catholic priests and their shenanigans are exaggerated. I went to private Catholic schools and not once was I touched...Lord I lusted after Brother Murphy and Brother Goode...but no, nothing, nada.
Wonder if I can sue for neglect or something..

[frequent]

I think Catholic priests and their shenanigans are exaggerated. I went to private Catholic schools and not once was I touched...Lord I lusted after Brother Murphy and Brother Goode...but no, nothing, nada.
Wonder if I can sue for neglect or something..Yours was clearly not an equal opportunity establishment

[Nirish guy]

Thai Buddhist monks selling “lucky” lottery numbers ............or European monks selling Indulgences.

See the second one I get, if you're going to run a scam one that is based on what happens once someone is dead is bound to be a sure winner, but the "here's a lucky number for next weeks lottery" surely has a very limited shelf life and would be prone to disgruntled believers coming back the next week to tell you your "lucky" numbers weren't worth a fuck !?

Or like a good (bad) religions I wonder do the monks then use the "faith" get out clause, ie that "could" have worked but it's all your fault that it didn't as you obviously didn't have enough faith so basically it's all your fault and not mine, now, would you like another try for next weeks draw while you're here perhaps ?

[Smiles]

I'm just glad that Frequent has re-joined the band of the sex maniacs who make up the majority on this board. Certainly at least that hoard could never be called Monks.

[Nirish guy]

I'm just glad that Frequent has re-joined the band of the sex maniacs who make up the majority on this board. Certainly at least that hoard could never be called Monks.

Oh I don't know, I think we've fucked NEARLY enough boys to have earned that accolade just as the same as the Monks have ! :-)

[AsDaRa]

I think Catholic priests and their shenanigans are exaggerated. I went to private Catholic schools and not once was I touched...Lord I lusted after Brother Murphy and Brother Goode...but no, nothing, nada.
Wonder if I can sue for neglect or something..

I have the same feeling. The media in the West is dominated by anti Christian journalists. So bad news for Catholicism is made front page news and the story is kept alive. However in other professions that work with children, like teaching, the abuse rate is far higher. But you wouldn’t know because no front page articles, no articles giving a background analysis, because in that case journalists care far less. How else to explain this difference in reporting?

The number of adult female teachers who have sex with underage boys is higher in my view than priests who do the same. I get that idea because tabloid papers frequently mention stories like this. But it is never reported as one big story about the widespread pedophilia among female teachers. It are stand alone stories. However a single priest who abuses, is not reported as a stand alone story, but put in context of the Church. And when three priests in one month are accused the Church is put on trial. The teaching profession never gets that treatment.

This difference in how stories like this are reported give the average Joe the idea the Catholic Church is full of pedo’s. I dare to bet that the teaching profession is the true hegemon in employing pedophiles.

[AsDaRa]

Also isn’t Buddhism about meditation, reducing the sense of “me”, and stuff like that? What percentage of Thai meditate?
I think very very low. Then what makes them Buddhist? I have the idea many see Buddha like a God and ask for favors. But in Buddhist teaching Buddha is an example to follow. He can not help you now.

So are most Thais really Buddhists? If their daily practice and believes so deviate from what Buddhism truly is?

[a447]

asDaRa, you have made some interesting observations about paedophiles in the teaching profession.

I have no idea if your assertions are true or not. Do you have any facts and figures to back up your argument?

Surely one of the reasons the media come down so hard on paedophile priests is because they are participating in institutionslised child abuse - abuse which is prohibited by the doctrine of the religion they purport to represent. It is this betrayal of the teachings of their religion that the media is also highlighting.

From my experience, just about all the Thais I've ever met consider themselves Buddhists. I don't know exactly what they expect from their religion, but if it is simply to ask for favours, then they are not alone in that regard.

[Smiles]

Oops Sir Moderator Sir, you got there before I did.
Agreed ... AsDaRa's last two posts are chock-a-block full of personal opinions, but useless without evidence and/or links to a whole handfull of statistics.

[latintopxxx]

we are all getting far too serious...all I know is that I somehow muddled my way through 12 years of catholic schooling and not ONCE was I evenly slightly molested...by the time I was 14 and all my hprmones had kicked in I was a sweaty horny mess and Brother Goode and his muscular thighs featured in many of my wet dreams...but NO..nothing.

[latintopxxx]

...yet reading the popular press you get the distinct impression that just walking past the Vatican would at least guarantee the chance of a good grope...and I've done that...walked past and into the Vatican....but again nothing. Maybe its time I turned mormon or something based on the latest gay porn they are definitely hot to trot.

[Smiles]

we are all getting far too serious...all I know is that I somehow muddled my way through 12 years of catholic schooling and not ONCE was I evenly slightly molested...by the time I was 14 and all my hprmones had kicked in I was a sweaty horny mess and Brother Goode and his muscular thighs featured in many of my wet dreams...but NO..nothing.
If you are actually serious (and most folks on this board think you are not ... on ANY topic) your observations are not worth a pinch of coon shit ... purely anecdotal.
Of course the majority of young men in the Catholic church were never molested. Who doesn't understand that?
(After all, Catholicism claims 1.2 billion souls ( https://www.bbc.com/news/world-21443313 )

But the numbers who were molested ~ let's say over the last 60 years ~ are very substantial, highly documented, over very many different countries, and plead guilty of molestation by large numbers within the Catholic Church, including some Cardinals.
As well, to the great shame on the Catholic church ... many priests also got a free ride from the establishment: i.e. The Cover Up.

[latintopxxx]

is this exclusive to catholics???

[Smiles]

is this exclusive to catholics???
Is playing dumb your message board forte, or do you go around in regular life like this?

But I'll bite: of course it's not! Catholicism is what the the last few posts are about, but all the rest of this thread is about Buddhism. The temples of Thailand house their very own shame, which come up every so often in the newspapers. Thailand has 72 million people ... duh.

[latintopxxx]

its just that you include a link to a bbc website...like im gonna click on leftie tree hugging fake news.
Sure catholic priests have raped kids...but so have members of all other denominations christian and otherwise...school teachers...afghan truck drivers..whatever...im just a bit blase when it comes to all the click bait nonsense...they way its portrayed you'd think i would've gotten lucky during my 12 years in school...but again nothing.
Only sex I had at school was with my geography teacher and he was only 8 years older, I had seen him at gay bars ...so was easy picking for a horny 17 year old like me....and he was a lay teacher...

[frequent]

...yet reading the popular press you get the distinct impression that just walking past the Vatican would at least guarantee the chance of a good grope...and I've done that...walked past and into the Vatican....but again nothing. Maybe its time I turned mormon or something based on the latest gay porn they are definitely hot to trot.I think you've been watching the Bel Ami porn films Scandal In The Vatican 1 & 2 too much, latin

[frequent]

Do you have any facts and figures to back up your argument?.Facts and figures - evidence-based posts? That would be novel requirement on this Forum

[frequent]

So are most Thais really Buddhists? If their daily practice and believes so deviate from what Buddhism truly is?Isn't the question "Are most XXXs really [name any religion of your choice]" so tendentious as to be meaningless. When I was working in the US some of my Christian Protestant colleagues believed that Christian Catholics weren't "really" Christians. Sunni Moslems will tell you that Shia believers are not "really" Moslem. What hope does the outsider have?

[latintopxxx]

I thought it was the other way...catholics tend to think of other denominations as not quite there...and in the case of the anglicans..they are catholic light

[Nirish guy]

When I was working in the US some of my Christian Protestant colleagues believed that Christian Catholics weren't "really" Christians.

Come here to sunny Northern Ireland and I'll show 350,000 God fearing Ulster Protestants who will GUARANTEE you that they're not ! :)

[latintopxxx]

oh how i love the way a topic on Buddhism ends up on whos the most christian of us all....hilarious

[paborn]

I have the same feeling. The media in the West is dominated by anti Christian journalists. So bad news for Catholicism is made front page news and the story is kept alive. However in other professions that work with children, like teaching, the abuse rate is far higher. But you wouldn’t know because no front page articles, no articles giving a background analysis, because in that case journalists care far less. How else to explain this difference in reporting?

The number of adult female teachers who have sex with underage boys is higher in my view than priests who do the same. I get that idea because tabloid papers frequently mention stories like this. But it is never reported as one big story about the widespread pedophilia among female teachers. It are stand alone stories. However a single priest who abuses, is not reported as a stand alone story, but put in context of the Church. And when three priests in one month are accused the Church is put on trial. The teaching profession never gets that treatment.

This difference in how stories like this are reported give the average Joe the idea the Catholic Church is full of pedo’s. I dare to bet that the teaching profession is the true hegemon in employing pedophiles.
I often wonder where you get your information. "in my view" is not a citation of credible sourcing. I take no side in this; however, if you look at the insurance companies who provide policies to protect organizations you will find that, at least in the US , catholic priests, protestant ministers, rabbis all "sin" at a rate of about 4%. Teachers are a little higher at 5% the issue with catholocism was that the hierarchy hid the issues, covered them up until they all broke at once. You idea that adult female teachers having sex with boys is higher than preists may or may not be true but cite your source. This post has as much validity as your opinion on pasta! Where do you get these notions?

[frequent]

oh how i love the way a topic on Buddhism ends up on whos the most christian of us all....hilariousSince most of us are sexually promiscuous, one thing for sure is that the answer is NONE OF US

[latintopxxx]

thats where I disagree...sex is not dirty,,,,its to be enjoyed...now im not gonna say that we should do it in the streets at midday and scare scotty....but its not evil or bad or dirty...its fun and good and healthy...dont let religious constraints limit your horizons

[frequent]

thats where I disagree...sex is not dirty,,,,its to be enjoyed...now im not gonna say that we should do it in the streets at midday and scare scotty....but its not evil or bad or dirty...its fun and good and healthy...dont let religious constraints limit your horizonsOn what basis do you disagree that every major religion disapproves of sexual promiscuity?

[latintopxxx]

now thats a stoooopid comment...especially for u frequent

[frequent]

now thats a stoooopid comment...especially for u frequentHere's a simpler solution for you Latin. Go see your parish priest and say "I travel thousands of kilometres to have paid sex with young men in Third World countries. Am I still a good Catholic boy?". Report back with the answer

[AsDaRa]

Here's a simpler solution for you Latin. Go see your parish priest and say "I travel thousands of kilometres to have paid sex with young men in Third World countries. Am I still a good Catholic boy?". Report back with the answer

Why is it bad? It is win win. They benefit and we too. The 1000 baht per hour they get is far far more than they can get with another job. So how is this bad or exploiting them. It’s the opposite: we treat them very well. At least I do. I respect them, tip good. How is paying for sex different than paying someone to clean your room?

But I agree in official Catholicism sex is only to be done to procreate. And with your own partner. But according to that logic there are very few real Catholics and for gays it is a bit difficult to procreate.

[AsDaRa]

I often wonder where you get your information. "in my view" is not a citation of credible sourcing. I take no side in this; however, if you look at the insurance companies who provide policies to protect organizations you will find that, at least in the US , catholic priests, protestant ministers, rabbis all "sin" at a rate of about 4%. Teachers are a little higher at 5% the issue with catholocism was that the hierarchy hid the issues, covered them up until they all broke at once. You idea that adult female teachers having sex with boys is higher than preists may or may not be true but cite your source. This post has as much validity as your opinion on pasta! Where do you get these notions?

I get this information from my intuition. And logical thinking. Say you are a pedophile, than you want to work with children, be around them. In this secular age what better way for this than the teaching profession. And when you read certain newspapers there hardly goes by a week when I read about female teachers and underage boys. In American news you read this regularly. But a bishop is forced to answer questions like “what is the Church doing to prevent priests abusing children? Why so many priests are pedo”. School directors, ministers of education don’t get these questions when a teacher is caught. It is never put into context, always reported as stand alone stories. There is a huge difference between reporting. I would love to see the teaching profession being reported on the same way as the Church.

[frequent]

Why is it bad? It is win win. They benefit and we too. The 1000 baht per hour they get is far far more than they can get with another job. So how is this bad or exploiting them. It’s the opposite: we treat them very well. At least I do. I respect them, tip good. How is paying for sex different than paying someone to clean your room?

But I agree in official Catholicism sex is only to be done to procreate. And with your own partner. But according to that logic there are very few real Catholics and for gays it is a bit difficult to procreate.You are assuming (like Trump) that human interaction is purely transactional, whereas religions emphasis the "fidelity" or qualitative character of a relationship. That's why the Christian ones usually refer to a marriage as being like the relationship of "Christ and his Church" (Book of Common Prayer) - one of continuity and "faithfulness". The argument of political conservatives (eg. David Cameron) in favour of same sex marriage is that it will promote social stability. Promiscuity undermines stability. The wording of the Marriage Act in many jurisdictions has been changed to define marriage as "a relationship between two people to the exclusion of all others". Note that that has nothing to do with breeding nor, frankly, with exploitation

Therefore promiscuity is frowned on - nothing to do with the production of bastards. Prostitution is seen as an extreme form of promiscuity. In the past 60 years (since The Pill) the whole basis of monogamy is being challenged. Children are no longer inevitable. Religions and social conservatives generally have emphasised the qualitative nature of a stable relationship. To do so they've been forced to acknowledge that it's not only heterosexuals who can have stable relationships, so the goal has become the stable relationship as the key to the stable society

Prostitution has sometimes formed part of religious observance, but it's generally seen as "sacred" prostitution to do with fertility rituals for a good harvest. We're only on the threshold of the sexual revolution that the Pill (and widespread availability of abortion - the two go hand-in-hand) has ushered in. Let's not behave as if relationships are merely transactional, or we'll end up in a Trumpian universe

[frequent]

I get this information from my intuition. And logical thinking.I think we can all agree that what you write shows that clearly

[AsDaRa]

I think we can all agree that what you write shows that clearly

Thank you for the compliment, or wasn’t it a compliment? :)

[frequent]

Thank you for the compliment, or wasn’t it a compliment? :)Surely your intuition and logical thinking make the answer obvious?

[AsDaRa]

Surely your intuition and logical thinking make the answer obvious?


It did. But I still stand by what I said. It is very logical to think teaching is full of pedo’s. What other profession gives them access to what they desire?

[frequent]

It did. But I still stand by what I said. It is very logical to think teaching is full of pedo’s. What other profession gives them access to what they desire?I really must update my Ignore list

[scottish-guy]

... teaching is full of pedo’s. What other profession gives them access to what they desire?

Politics and Showbusiness apparently

If anyone was familar with a certain wonderful boy brothel on the Reeperbahn (which was just so much fun it was unreal), it was a politician who brought that all crashing down with his liking for small dishes which weren't on the regular menu

[frequent]

Politics and Showbusiness apparentlyDon't forget nursing. I hear they're forever fondling their patients under the sheets

[a447]

It is very logical to think teaching is full of pedo’s.

Not really.

Apparently, there are very strict criminal background checks in place. Teachers must have a Working With Children card before they can get anywhere near a school. If a teacher is found to be working in a school with a lapsed card - they have to be regularly renewed - there are hefty penalties in place for both the teacher and the school principal.

Do priests have to jump through the same hoops?

But there is another problem, already alluded to here. The church has found itself in hot water - and in the headlines - not only because of the incidence of child molestation, but also because the upper echelons of the church went out of their way to cover up the abuse and protect the abuser. Even the Pope recently called accusations against a priest mere hearsay. He's since changed his mind!

Is your "intuition and logical thinking" telling you that such institutionalised cover-ups are also occurring in Education Departments all around the world?

[frequent]

Oddly enough I thought the Forum rules forbade dwelling on under-age sex as a topic

[scottish-guy]

a447 I suspect that checks are next to useless - almost every time one of the scandals breaks the perpetrator turns out to have had no previous "criminal background".

Of course you could argue that knowing there's a requirement for checks serves to "weed out" applicants as anybody with a criminal background in sexual deviancy wouldn't risk applying for a teaching job.

[a447]

Agreed. Such checks can only serve as a deterrent.

But I wonder if there are any such checks of guys entering religious service.

I recall reading about that young Thai monk who lived the high life, posting photos of himself aboard private jets and wearing Louis Vuitton apparel. Surely those higher up would have noticed his tastes were anything but simple.

[frequent]

Agreed. Such checks can only serve as a deterrent.

But I wonder if there are any such checks of guys entering religious service.

The argument will be that teaching is merely a job whereas the priesthood is a vocation. Besides, children are of the essence of teaching but are incidental to the priesthood. Not all priests are parish priests. Same with nurses

[a447]

The argument will be that teaching is merely a job whereas the priesthood is a vocation.

Yes, that is the very point I was making, albeit not so succinct as you have worded it.

[arsenal]

Organised religion is one of the great evils visited by mankind upon itself along with genocide, torture and slavery.

[paborn]

I get this information from my intuition. And logical thinking. Say you are a pedophile, than you want to work with children, be around them. In this secular age what better way for this than the teaching profession. And when you read certain newspapers there hardly goes by a week when I read about female teachers and underage boys. In American news you read this regularly. But a bishop is forced to answer questions like “what is the Church doing to prevent priests abusing children? Why so many priests are pedo”. School directors, ministers of education don’t get these questions when a teacher is caught. It is never put into context, always reported as stand alone stories. There is a huge difference between reporting. I would love to see the teaching profession being reported on the same way as the Church.
"your own intuition" - well, that does explain the utter nonsense of your posts.

[latintopxxx]

This is all getting far too serious...not that its not a serious subject. Am I contradicting myself??

[latintopxxx]

Point is that unfortunately this happens in many organizations but clearly the Catholics with the Pope and the Vatican make a wonderful target...even more so when they shoot themselves in the foot over and over again.
And arsenal..stop being silly spouting tired old leftie mantras...religion was power and what brought order to our world then...if there wasnt religion something else wouldve popped up in its place...religion and Christianity and the wealth of knowledge that it safeguarded throughout the ages is what made our world so powerful....thats why u as a white gay male can afford to travel the world buying developing world arse for a pittance.

[paborn]

While I agree that the topic has become very serious we have to accept that it is a very serious one and I'll just let it rest. However, I do find it hard to believe that Christianity is the root cause of the industrial revolution and the rise of the West. The Japanese I see in Bnagkok in the evening are just as amouras as any of us.

[latintopxxx]

paborn..u need spell check or my english is slipping...."amouras"..??

[paborn]

Sorry, what I need is cataract surgery, on for next month. eanwhile I'm squinting. I meant, of course, amorous. But, I think you knew that.

[arsenal]

Latin wrote.
"Christianity and the wealth of knowledge that it safeguarded throughout the ages is what made our world so powerful."

One could argue the opposite. That without organised religion suppressing the free flow of information we would actually be further advanced.

[latintopxxx]

...but history proves me right?! Hello??

[paborn]

I, honestly, don't see how:

"The Scientific Revolution liberated science from religion. The new science separated spirit from matter. Reason and experiment replaced revelation as the source of knowledge of the world. After the Scientific Revolution, it was inevitable that God would eventually be pushed entirely out of nature and that science would deny the existence of God. – Margaret J. Osler, Professor of History and Adjunct Professor of Philosophy at the University of Calgary and author of Reconfiguring the World: Nature, God, and Human Understanding in Early Modern Europe"
I agree with the professor and many, many others. But, then I'm a follower of Dawkins and have read his seminal " The God delusion" a number of times

[arsenal]

History can prove anything anyone wants it to. Perhaps without the centuries of religious dominated censorship we'd be further advanced. It's impossible to prove one way or another.

[latintopxxx]

reminds me of the rowan atkinson skit where satan is welcoming the recently departed to hell...and he says to the atheists.."dont u feel stupid now"....

[frequent]

I agree with the professor and many, many others. But, then I'm a follower of Dawkins and have read his seminal " The God delusion" a number of timesThus demonstrating that you are not a seeker after truth (the scientific method) but merely a victim of confirmation bias (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias). However, you're in good company there - most people are similarly victims, as evidenced by post after post on some topics on this very Forum. I should add that I'm not a believer in the existence of God, nor am I an atheist, since both are equally belief systems as neither can be proved beyond reasonable doubt

Good luck with the cataract surgery - I see you're in good company. Betty had it done last month (https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a21237943/queen-elizabeth-cataract-surgery/)

[paborn]

Yes, many of us in the US have formed ourselves, regretably, into camps. We were headed there without Trump but he has accelerated the pace. I'm aware of confirmation bias and, often, turn to works from the other side to test my belief system - to no effect. I am what I am.

I'm sure you are aware of the continuing argument about whether or not Atheism is a "belief system"; I tend to think not as it is, in it's essense, a total lack of a belief. Yes, I know you could argue the other way as effectively. But, I an atheist not becuse I'm against a belief system, but because I find no reasonable basis to have a system that has God at it's core ( hurts me to capitalize ) .My avatar of Ganymede with Zeus displays my willingness to accept pleasant myths. Perhaps, I just can't affirm the horrendous, hateful God of the Judeo-Christian world.

[latintopxxx]

my Catholic God...is not a hateful one...we got a good out..called confession...I could kill a busload of pregnant nuns and get forgiven...you must be thinking of presbeterians or some other north irish super uptight no fun wanna be christans.

[paborn]

[QUOTE=latintopxxx;243782]my Catholic God...is not a hateful one...we got a good out..called confession...

It must be a great comfort to you.

[frequent]

my Catholic God...is not a hateful one...we got a good out..called confession...It must be a great comfort to you.My understanding is that a necessary precondition of confession is repentance - the sincere intention not to repeat the action. To describe confession as "a good out" is therefore a contradiction of its purpose and according to my Catholic friends means the confession and absolution has no effect

[latintopxxx]

point is that my God is not a hateful vengeful one, who said I wasnt being sincere. A vengeful one would not provide the "out" that we good Catholics have. However I must say if all religions were true...then Id go fot Buddhism...only because of the whole reincarnation thing.

[paborn]

Latin, I'm sorry but there is a marked difference between the "vengeful" God of the old testiment and the gentle message of Jesus. Having said that, I do find it disconcerting that Jesus had to die for an omniscient God ( who he was/is a manifestation of in the trinity ) to grant forgiveness to his people. Also, I don't doubt your sincerity but Frequent is right. In canon law if you view confession as an "out" then the effect is negated. It is not meant as a salve to the concious but an act of contrition and repentence. In fact, the reason that the Catholic church relies on Church teachings rather than bible quatations is to separate the Church from the terrible image of the bronze age Jewish tyrant.
Wow, I go off topic as well, don't I? The OP did ask about Bhuddism.

[latintopxxx]

...damn...stumped again

[Smiles]

"... Also, I don't doubt your sincerity ..."Oh dear Paborn, get a grip!! This is 'LatinAPoxxOnYouAll' your talking about after all. Or are you? If so, HUGE mistake. :dirol_mini: :bo: You must know that by now, shirley.

[scottish-guy]

I have to echo Smiles - you really have to get a grip Paborn!

First you say you thought Arsenal was "reasonable" and now you say you thought LatintopXXX was "sincere" - I hope you disabuse yourself of these crazy notions as soon as possible!

:drink:

[paborn]

Simply trying to not take any sides at all. I no more doubt that Latin's Catholicism is sincere than Aresanel is reasonable and now that I understand what caused our disagreement I heartily retrack my remark about your status as a gentleman. I'm going to try very hard to be polite to everyone.

[scottish-guy]

.. I'm going to try very hard to be polite to everyone.

That's always been my motto

:p

[frequent]

I have to echo Smiles - you really have to get a grip Paborn!

First you say you thought Arsenal was "reasonable" and now you say you thought LatintopXXX was "sincere" - I hope you disabuse yourself of these crazy notions as soon as possible!I assumed paborn was being ironic. He thinks latintopxxx as sincere as arsenal is reasonable ie. he thinks the opposite - latin is insincere and arsenal unreasonable

[arsenal]

I have to agree. I am not reasonable, Latin is not sincere, Scottish Guy is not sane and frequent is none of the above.