User talk:Benp

Might as well stop procrastinating and get started on this.

As for "harmless card games," are you suggesting that games like poker and blackjack can't help foster amorality and outright immorality? Doubtless that's why Las Vegas is such a bastion of Christian virtue and decency. I personally know of at least one incident in which a child who played one of these fantasy card games was attacked and robbed by an adult because the cards he was carrying were "rare and powerful." --Benp 10:07, 11 August 2009 (EDT)

How is that the fault of the card game? Since when do they play Magic:TG in Vegas? What does Vegas have to do with anything? -TheHeroExcelsior

You mentioned poker and blackjack as other "harmless" card games. I was pointing out exactly what kind of morality is exhibited by a town DEDICATED to such "harmless" games. It seems entirely relevant to me. --Benp 10:25, 11 August 2009 (EDT)

It's not the card games that cause the depravity. It's the gambling, drugs, booze, and prostitution that do. Stop blaming the games for the actions of the players. They do not play Magic:TG in Vegas. There is no connection. TheHeroExcelsior 10:47, 11 August 2009 (EDT)

Wait...it's not the card games, it's the gambling? The card games are the gambling! I'm sorry, but your arguments seem a little confused. --Benp 10:52, 11 August 2009 (EDT)

I learned to play poker from my grandmother, is she evil too? The player bet on the hands. You don't have to gamble to play cards. TheHeroExcelsior 11:02, 11 August 2009 (EDT)

"unless you can offer some substantiative justification for removal of this material beyond the fact that you personally play and like the game (and are thus biased,) I stand by my position that it should remain. --Benp 10:49, 11 August 2009 (EDT)

My counter is this: The article is about Liberal indoctrination, not "things that might cause liberal thinking in select instances." So stick to things that are certain to cause liberal thinking, and please remove conjecture. "Maybe" is not good enough. Where's the stuff on historic revisionism, censoring the pledge, forced sex ed, outlawing prayer? These are the things that indoctrinate children into the liberal mindset. And you want to blame a pen and paper game? TheHeroExcelsior 11:07, 11 August 2009 (EDT)

I take wine at Communion. Is my priest evil for giving it to me? No? And yet you were willing to claim that alcohol causes depravity. Of course, the exact same arguments apply to alcohol as to this game: many people enjoy it responsibly without behaving immorally as a result. Nobody forces people to drink.

Yet, you're willing to point the finger at alcohol and not at these games (which you personally play and enjoy.) I see a bit of a double standard there.

I prefer a balanced approach. I would not claim that alcohol causes depravity, but I WOULD acknowledge that it has the potential to be harmful, and I would NOT seek to remove that information from an article. Likewise, I have not claimed that D&D is some universal cause of evil and immoral behavior, but I DO acknowledge that it has the potential to be harmful. Note that I didn't put the material in this article in the first place; I'm simply objecting to your removing it with no justification.

Where IS the stuff about historic revisionism, censoring the pledge, forced sex ed, and outlawing prayer? That's an excellent question. Why not try to contribute to the article by adding these things, rather than deleting material? --Benp 11:19, 11 August 2009 (EDT)

The Blood of Christ is not alcohol, but I accept your comparison. I agree that some children may not see the difference between game and reality, but I have never met anyone under 14 who played. That is why I concede that my experience cannot be the Final Word on that. Maybe some little kids have played it and gone awry. I will conclude that D&D is only a positive or negative force if used as such. Players have free will in the game, people have free will out here. Our choices dictate our path. I am just worried that we will have to stamp a warning label on everything that might cause liberal thinking. This is my first day as a member of Conservapedia, and it was interesting. Benp, thank you for being a good adversary. You've honed my debate edge. TheHeroExcelsior 11:59, 11 August 2009 (EDT)

Wow

I thought I remembered you from somewhere. Were you the guy who did the Dawkins biography? TheHeroExcelsior 12:17, 11 August 2009 (EDT)

Sympathies on the front page

Could we do this? It upsets me to see people trying to score political points from such a tragedy. PamAyers 18:31, 28 July 2008 (EDT)

PZ Myers

Hey, thanks. I added a bunch of stuff. I had long intended to do so. I guess I just needed a little kick in the pants. Jinxmchue 01:38, 15 July 2008 (EDT)

You're welcome. Good call on including the "Don't send these people email" silliness. Posting peoples' email addresses and then claiming that he didn't mean for them to be harassed or emailed is just baldfaced dishonesty on his part; I wonder who he thinks he's fooling? --Benp 17:50, 15 July 2008 (EDT)

Someone beat me to it

Thanks for the head's up anyway. Jinxmchue 12:29, 28 July 2008 (EDT)

Hi

Hi Ben, thought I would make an account to say I enjoy reading your debates. Guten abend, Deiter.

Thanks. I disagree with a lot of people here about a lot of things, but I try to be fair about it. Ich bin rechthaberisch, aber aufrichtig. :) --Benp 18:49, 28 July 2008 (EDT)

We may be arguing the same point to one another.

I replied on my talk page. Corry 13:30, 28 July 2008 (EDT)

Jcane blocked

Thanks for the head's up. Hope you like the block message, too. Jinxmchue 12:47, 1 August 2008 (EDT)

You know, there are a lot of complaints about how unfair the liberal deceit article is. I wonder if folks like JCane think that this kind of behavior is the way to prove their honesty? --Benp 12:52, 1 August 2008 (EDT)

Invitation to join Wikiproject:News

Benp, since you have contributed news items in the past, you are invited to sign up as a member of Wikiproject:News. [[Wikiproject:News/Guidelines|Review]] the Guidelines. Make your suggestions [[Wikiproject:News/Suggestions|here]]. --DeanS^talk 09:28, 12 August 2008 (EDT)

[[Wikiproject:News/Suggestions/Archives]]

Benp, Thanks for contributing news items. When your suggested news items have been completed, they will be archived under [[Wikiproject:News/Suggestions/Archives#Benp|your name]] so we can keep the suggestions page clear for new items. --DeanS^talk 10:45, 25 August 2008 (EDT)

Thanks for posting the news about Bill Melendez's death

It's saddening, but appreciated. Jinxmchue 01:23, 4 September 2008 (EDT)

NewsProject - Wanted pages

Since you are a member of the news project, I need your help with wanted pages. We now have over 100 wanted pages and I need you to pick a few to work on this coming week. --DeanS^talk 23:19, 14 December 2008 (EST)

I updated my message to you on my talk page. I gave you some sources

I updated my message to you on my talk page. I gave you some sources. conservative 18:46, 27 February 2009 (EST)

Conservative Logic

Great job on the replacement. --Jpatt 20:19, 22 May 2009 (EDT)

Thanks. If there's going to be an article, it might as well be a good one. :) --Benp 20:20, 22 May 2009 (EDT)

request

I see you have some interest in the Richard Dawkins article at Conservapedia. Accordingly, I have a small request. Could you please draft a short version of a biography of Dawkins. Please make it shorter than what is found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Dawkins#Biography I can post your brief biography in the Richard Dawkins article. Please feel free to ask others to participate in the endeavor I am proposing. conservative 15:10, 24 May 2009 (EDT)

Will do. I may not be able to get to it until a little later this week, as I have work and family-related commitments, but I'll get to it as quickly as possible. --Benp 22:07, 24 May 2009 (EDT)

Hi...

You guys do realize you are on your user page, right?  :-) --ṬK_/Admin^/Talk 15:50, 11 August 2009 (EDT)

Extra privileges

Thanks for your high-quality edits for over a year. I've just granted you extra privileges of night editing and blocking, which were overdue.--Andy Schlafly 17:36, 20 December 2009 (EST)

Wow...thank you! I'm honored at the trust, and I'll do my best to live up to it. --Benp 17:46, 20 December 2009 (EST)

Thanks, I've got the rest

Thanks, Benp. I've got the rest. And watch the Recent Changes for something neat.--Andy Schlafly 16:35, 21 December 2009 (EST)

Will do! Thanks! --Benp 16:36, 21 December 2009 (EST)

You're right--that IS pretty neat. Looks much nicer now! --Benp 16:43, 21 December 2009 (EST)

Yeah, it's cool. By the way, I've really enjoyed and learned from your extremely insightful edits here. Thanks for sharing your wisdom and teaching others here.--Andy Schlafly 16:47, 21 December 2009 (EST)

Thank you for giving me the opportunity! A merry somewhat-early Christmas to you and yours, since I likely won't be on between now and then. :) --Benp 16:53, 21 December 2009 (EST)

Merry Christmas to you too, Ben! We'll sorely miss any absences by you, but we'll be constantly improving as best we can. Enjoy this special time of the year.--Andy Schlafly 17:00, 21 December 2009 (EST)

Great New Year's Resolution

Two Founders a day ... what a great resolution!!! Happy New Year's to you! Godspeed for a good year.--Andy Schlafly 13:17, 1 January 2010 (EST)

Don't slack off - I didn't see any red links turn blue on New Year's Eve. ;-) --Ed Poor ^Talk 16:50, 2 January 2010 (EST)

Duly kicked. :) That's two for today--thanks for keeping me on the ball! --Benp 16:53, 2 January 2010 (EST)

Welcome back!

Welcome back, Ben! We missed you!--Andy Schlafly 20:49, 10 January 2010 (EST)

Thanks, Andy! Good to be back. --Benp 20:56, 10 January 2010 (EST)

Superb addition

Thanks for your superb addition to Essay:Quantifying Openmindedness!--Andy Schlafly 19:09, 25 February 2010 (EST)

Your new essay

Just read your essay on liberalism and intelligence. It is a brilliant dissection of the average liberal psyche, well done! Myrobi 17:10, 1 March 2010 (EST)