Criag, thanks for calling yourself a bigot, it saves me the trouble. I am not on a high horse, nor does the view I posted earlier espouse a "liberal" view, only a decent and tolerant one.
I am a life long resident of the town, and I too oppose the application in it's current form. What concerns me greatly is the bigoted tone some have taken regarding opposing this application, and using bigoted rationalization to make thier points. In a free and open society, that is inexcusable.
My views or your views on any peacable fundamentalist religion are not relevent to this application.Only the rule of law and due process are.
Frankly, I personally don't give much for the extreme fundamentalist views of many religions either, regardless of if they happen to be Christian( as I was raised), Jewish , Muslim or whatever else, if they demean or demonize "non-believers" in any way. This view however, would not justify my opposition to granting these people equal rights , protection and due process under the law. This does not place me on a "high horse", it's only common decency.
In a free and open society it is completely excusable and permitted to not want 25,000 christian fundamentalists living on ones block, be it bigotted or not. I do not like their extreme views and do not want 25,000 of em in my face. So, basically, **** you.
Fair enough. You have the right to move, but not to move others. I'm trying to give you the benefit of the doubt as best I can here, even after the **** you comment.
Just to help me clarify your earlier points:
If this free and open society let's you object to living next to this group of people that you don't like, do you think that gives you the right to deny the application based on that feeling? Or did you mean that you would not like it and still afford them due process? Or did you mean as I took from your last post that you would just find another place to live?
I have stated earlier my position on this many a time:
1. CC is a church in name only. It is no more a church than my "Maier Ministries" church.
2. CC is a business
3. My own companies can also become churches just like irelands church has.
4. This whole church business is a legal fiction/tax dodge.
5. Providing a so called church the right of due process when it is really a business is questionable. I am not so sure that a church deserves due process when it is not really what it claims to be.
6. If it were a church and not a business, then I would say it deserved due process.
7. It remains true that this is not about a church, but it is about mr ireland and his self serving greed.
8. It is also about the poor simple minded folks who pour all their money into his pockets. I actually feel very sorry for them.
9. The problem with all this stuff is that it directly effects ME and my WIFE.
10. This thing could destroy us financially.
11. Evangelical Funamental Christianity is very bigotted and so am I pertaining to my feelings about that movement. I dislike them in their entirety as a group because of their beliefs.
12. If it is approved, we loose big time, but we will still move.
I hope that I have been clear.
The opinions expressed above are mine and mine alone and do not represent those of others in this town necessarily.
Who knows? I know that there is at least one person. That is it. Is it illegal, Immoral, or unconstitutional for others to share my views? If they do, maybe they should be shot by the political correctness police? Obviously, by implication, you are one of the police.
Thank you for your candor. I can see that your opposition is based largely on personal convictions and personal finances, rather than that of community concerns, unless you simply did not include those issues on your list.Some might accuse you of the same greed that you accuse Dr. Ireland of, only on the other side of the fence.To be clear, I am not making that charge, only suggesting that some might.
Of course a lot of your finance concerns may be based on assumptions, depending upon how close your home is the the property in question, and what type and size of facility ends up on the site, and how it impacts quality of life issues.
Suggesting that Christ Church does not deserve due process because you call them a business, suggests rather loudly that a business should be denied due process. That does not make sense.Any business, church or citizen deserves due process.
My entire reason for getting involved on this message board debate in the first place was what I saw as misdirected, irelevent and bigotted issues being used to justify opposition to this application.That, no matter how it is spun, is wrong,legally, morally and even strategicly if you oppose the application. As the application now stands, I oppose it too, but for truely justifiable reasons.
1. The impact to my wife and myself. We live on Meriden, the same road on which this monstrosity is to be constructed.
2. The impact on the town that we have come to love.
3. General principles - - - the idea that someone can just march into a town and take over.
One last point:
I do not think that a church should enjoy due process by invoking church based laws when it is in fact, a business. If it want to invoke business based law to protect itself, fine. It wants to use RLUIPA. It's Bull****!
My comments regarding the activities a PR firm may perform for a client example: photo ops and free movies was simply an example. Did the PR firm for Christ Church organize the free movie at the Morris Museum - maybe - maybe not. It is the job of a Public Relations Firm to place the client in the best light possible and organize events to do so.
Christ Church has retained a PR firm. Voices of Rockaway Twp. has not retained a PR firm. Rockaway Twp has not retained a PR firm. Interestingly only one of the three parties above has hired a PR firm. Make of that what you will.
quote: Originally posted by: Lisa Salberg "Matthew - My comments regarding the activities a PR firm may perform for a client example: photo ops and free movies was simply an example. Did the PR firm for Christ Church organize the free movie at the Morris Museum - maybe - maybe not. It is the job of a Public Relations Firm to place the client in the best light possible and organize events to do so. Christ Church has retained a PR firm. Voices of Rockaway Twp. has not retained a PR firm. Rockaway Twp has not retained a PR firm. Interestingly only one of the three parties above has hired a PR firm. Make of that what you will. Have a nice evening. Lisa "
Lisa,
You implied that their PR firm set up the movie. Is this a rumor you passed on, information that you fabricated, or fact that you know for sure?
If it is fact, please tell how you know it is true. For example, you might say that you talked to a Museum employee who was contacted by the PR firm. Or you might have spoken to STAR 99.1 people who have confirmed that it was the PR firm who arranged the movie. There would be several ways to prove your statement, but as of yet, you have provided nothing along those lines.
Many churches sponsor community outreaches without the help of PR firms. It would follow that CC probably did as well. But you seem to know that the PR firm was involved.
quote: Originally posted by: Matthew "Many churches sponsor community outreaches without the help of PR firms. It would follow that CC probably did as well. But you seem to know that the PR firm was involved."
When an entity reaches out to a group they've NEVER reached out to before in a method they've NEVER used before and the press is there to cover it big time, it smells very fishy. If it quacks like a dinosaur, and it's a lizard, the PR firm must be involved.
quote: "Did the PR firm for Christ Church organize the free movie at the Morris Museum - maybe - maybe not. "
Lisa,
I am sorry, I did miss the jist of your previous answer. The above statement seems to confirm that you have no idea if your assertion that CC's PR firm set up the movie is true.
My only question is will you continue to pass on or make up unfounded information about CC to cast them in a negative light?
I think it depends...will the church continue to cast Rockaway Township's residents in a negative light by calling us racists and have police escorts to go make a wee-wee?
If so, then I guess all's fair.
You're already proving that you're not above rumor-spreading on the other board. Ad nauseum.
If asking for accountability of specifics and proof, evidence or verification of statements in a posted message makes a person a 'troll,' then I guess I am one, too .... (see message thread titled: To: Maria et al re: nicknames & identity .. ..)
.....
and goodness only knows that I am definitely NOT a troll the last I looked !!!
What is disconcerting to me is when the request for the accountability is not provided ... that calls for a
Another warning - - - I would tend to view the Bystander as a troll too. Watch out for her too. She has given us no reason to trust her motives for posting on this site. She acts like we here in RT are a sociological laboratory, but I suspect that she could be up to no good.
Internet Troll: An "Internet troll" is a person who delights in sowing discord on the forums. He (and it is usually he) tries to start arguments and upset people.
A classic troll is trying to spin conflicting information, is questioning in an insincere manner, is divisive and argumentative with need-to-be-right attitude, "searching for the truth", flaming discussion, insulting people, turning people against each other, harassing forum members, ignoring warnings from forum moderators.
Forum Troll: A person who posts outrageous message to bait people to answer. Trolling is a form of harassment that can take over a discussion. Well meaning defenders can create chaos by responding to trolls. The best response is to ignore it, or to report a message to a forum moderator.
Troll Message: An outrageous message posted to a message board, newsgroup or mailing list to bait people to answer.
(( I would tend to view the Bystander as a troll too. Watch out for her too. She has given us no reason to trust her motives for posting on this site. She acts like we here in RT are a sociological laboratory, but I suspect that she could be up to no good. ))
What do you think my motives are for posting on this site??
No one's ever asked but I'll provide them now anyways ... I have absolutely no *motives* to post on these boards other than to participate in discussion and debate. That is it. I would like to think that I provide food for pause and thought, too. I've never not answered any questions that were posed to me ... I've never side-tracked or *spun* any answers to any questions that were posed to me, either. (To: Admin - wish there was a search feature with these message boards).
To suspect that I could be up to no good ... is indicative to me of someone who takes exception to the fact that I have not shown support and agreement with various posted thoughts, opinions and beliefs. Short of agreeing with everything that's posted on this site, there's likely nothing that I could say or do that would provide evidence and proof to support the absolute fact that I am definitely not a troll.
And that ain't gonna happen! Not only have I not agreed with everything posted on this site, I've also not not agreed either ! (whoa, too many double negatives there! )
(shaking my head is disbelief)
Your suspicions are way way way way way incorrect, Craig. They truly and honestly are. Trust me.
-B. (a non-Rockaway resident and an impartial, non-supporting, non-religious person AND a citizen of Morris County!)
If you are a non-Rockaway resident, why don't you butt out of our internal problems. As far as I am concerned, you have no right to be stirring the pot here and I personally resent your participation in that which is none of your ****ing business.
And, BTW - you claim to be an educated woman. Well, let me give you a little clue about mathematics. You used a concept that the statement "...faith and faith alone" is 1000000000000000% correct. I do not know what college you went to, but you missed a few classes. The most that any statement can be correct is 100%, since that is the asymptotic value to absolute truth. A statement can not even be 100.0000000000001 % correct.
Go back to school or shape up! Better yet, go find a bbs that involves your own town and enjoy stirring that one up.
Bystander, I wish for a search feature too and there isn't one, sorry--without upgrading to the paid service and I'm not really inclined to start paying for this. It takes too much of my time to begin with.
Free Speech (except for the kind that winds me up in court somehow) is welcomed here, from whomever, from wherever, from whatever perspective--
You know the deal, Craig--in order to allow the folks who agree with us to speak freely it has to go the other way too! lol, Ya can't have your cake and eat it too--
Trust me when I say that we have known much better ways to enjoy ourselves. Yes, I know that this is a free speech board and that is exactly why I expressed my perspective (having the right to do so) that people who do not have a dog in this fight should do the right thing and keep their traps shut.
If my presumption of the same person being both nicknames is incorrect, then I apologize and you can disregard the rest of this message. Thanks!
(( Internet Troll: An "Internet troll" is a person who delights in sowing discord on the forums. He (and it is usually he) tries to start arguments and upset people. ))
Well couple of things wrong with that one when it comes to me ...
(a) my intent is not to sow discord on the forums, it is to provide food for thought and debate.... my intent is also not to start arguments nor upset people. (b) the 'it is usually he' is also incorrect. (picky, picky me)
(( A classic troll is trying to spin conflicting information, is questioning in an insincere manner, is divisive and argumentative with need-to-be-right attitude, "searching for the truth", flaming discussion, insulting people, turning people against each other, harassing forum members, ignoring warnings from forum moderators.))
Don't believe I'm one of those ... my belief is supported by the following:
(a) I don't believe I've spun any conflicting information at all ... I will admit to questioning posted opinions and statements... I will admit to asking for support for posted opinions and statements... Perhaps this is considered, by some, to be the spinning of (already) conflicting information?
(b) I have not questioned anything in an insincere manner... I've never posted anything intentionally insincere, but if it's been interpreted as such, I don't know if there'd be anything I could do to change that from happening ?
(c) I definitely do not have a 'need-to-be-right attitude ... I could care less if anyone reading my messages agrees or disagrees with me ... Agreeing to disagree is rewarding and satisfying to me.
(d) My intent is also definitely not to be divisive and argumentative ... again, I reiterate that my intent is to engage in debate and discussion... it's indicative of a non-emotional and well-balanced debate and discussion
(d) 'flaming discussion,' 'insulting people,' turning people against each other' harassing forum members' -- not aware of anything I've posted that has done any of these whatsoever. If I have, someone will have to be VERY SPECIFIC ... point out any of my EXACT messages and quotes and show me solid proof of such. I've asked for very specific evidence to some of the allegations that have been made against me in past postings ... I've never been graced with the receipt of any, though. Not sure what to make of that, either. If I've flamed, insulted, turned people against each other, harassed etc etc ... then I DO need the proof of having done so in order that I learn from this ...
(e) 'warnings from forum moderators.' - haven't had any of those so far and hope not to receive any, either.
(( Forum Troll: A person who posts outrageous message to bait people to answer. Trolling is a form of harassment that can take over a discussion. Well meaning defenders can create chaos by responding to trolls. The best response is to ignore it, or to report a message to a forum moderator. ))
I hope the messages I've posted are not outrageous messages to bait people ... I would sincerely be upset to think that that's how they have been received. Again, I repeat myself when I say that I have posted to engage in debate and discussion. I do agree that the best response is to ignore or report to forum moderator. Absolutely.
(( Troll Message: An outrageous message posted to a message board, newsgroup or mailing list to bait people to answer. ))
That's the same as a Forum Troll (see above).
(( You sir, and your ilk are trolls... ))
If you review each and every single of the messages I have EVER posted within these message boards (I have always used the nickname Bystander) ... you will NOT find one single instance of an insult anywhere. To refer to me as an 'ilk' is insulting and rude. To call me a 'sir' when I'm not a 'sir,' though, is an unfortunate but understandable error ... since "Bystander" is a (deliberate) non-generic nickname.
Out of curiosity, where'd you find the troll definitions ??
(( If you are a non-Rockaway resident, why don't you butt out of our internal problems. As far as I am concerned, you have no right to be stirring the pot here and I personally resent your participation in that which is none of your ****ing business. ))
I wasn't aware this message board was limited to ONLY Rockaway residents.
(( ...faith and faith alone" is 1000000000000000% correct..... ))
The use of my many 0000000000000's was symbolism to show my very very very strong agreement with a statement that you yourself actually originally made. Sheesh.
(( I wish for a search feature too and there isn't one, sorry ))
No sorry needed, that's OK .. I kind of figured there was a good reason for there not being a search feature and I definitely agree with not wanting to pay more for that service!! Besides, it's not an impossible task to do one's own manual search.
((It takes too much of my time to begin with.))
I hear ya' - I'm sure your hands are fuller than you probably expected them to be when you got things going.
(( aren't we having fun??? ))
Sure ... but, as usual, I can only speak for myself.
Bystander - I would have to agree with others that you are here to stir things up (in a negative way - IMHO). So troll seems to stick.
As you admit to not being a resident, I would say yes, you have a right to post anything you feel like, but remember why this forum was formed - due to one-sided administration of another forum.
We needed somewhere to communicate with each other without censorship.
If you just like contoversey, then please feel free to find another forum (perhaps something you feel you have a vested interest in, as we all do as property owners in OUR town).