Dear runner,

Who exactly are you talking about?
The Pope?

May I suggest that if you want to be
credible - name names - because on OLO -
you know very little about the backgrounds
of the people who post, and what they do or do
not believe in.

Generalisations - don't account for individual
points of view or people. For example, just
because you claim to be religious - we don't
make the assumption that you're a right-wing,
narrow minded fanatic. That would be most
ungracious.

Return the favour to others - if you want to
retain credibility.

Apart from the title of this troll-thread being a load of old cobblers, my question is this:

Will TRUTHNOW78 actually deign to respond to the contributions to his/her/its topics?

If not (as has become his/her/its custom) could I please request to my fellow OLOers to refrain from further posts until TRUTHNOW78 does display the respect and courtesy of contributing to its own topics.

Fractelle

While I didn't intend to contribute anyway, I fully support your post.This poster reminds me of a small kid who plays that game of ringing the doorbell and then running away to watch from behind a nearby hedge as the householder responds!

I, like you, think it inappropriate behaviour which does not warrant response.

I strongly suspect TRUTHNOW78 is a sock-puppet for one the regular posters. He starts a thread with one alias, then posts to it with another (or several others) to make it seem that his argument has more support than it really does.

"There is a consistent association shown by our best studies, including the U.S.-funded ‘Demographic Health Surveys,’ between greater availability and use of condoms and higher (not lower) HIV-infection rates."
Edward C. Green, director of the AIDS Prevention Research Project at the Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies.
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MTNlNDc1MmMwNDM0OTEzMjQ4NDc0ZGUyOWYxNmEzN2E
I've noticed that the standard form of response to discussions that challenge some people's prejudices seems to be ad hominem attacks, accusations of trolling and calls for others to boycott the discussion.
Can't we do better than this?
As for the education factor, why then is syphilis on the rise among educated Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, Southern California, Miami, and New York City homosexuals?
http://www.hiv.gov.gy/hp_sti_sym_fs.php

KMB - the increased rate of AIDS among homosexuals is more likely to be because they're not using condoms as there's no fear of pregnancy.

Effectively, your last point shoots your stance in the foot.

I'm also boycotting the discussion from here on in and agree with Fractelle and Romany. It's not because I disagree with Truthnow, it's because he/or she doesn't show the respect to respond to any topics he creates. He only creates topics then runs away.

So it's a boycott on the grounds of manners, not politics. Similarly, runner never shows the slightest sign of respecting other views, constantly vilifying the views of 'secularists' which he's even been known to call 'earth-worshippers.'

According to him, every problem in the world can be chalked up to people not following catholic dogma, although strangely, he claims he's not catholic. Never a hint of compassion or understanding for people who don't see the world exactly as he does.

Plus, Truthnow tends to pick spurious sources and never dignifies the challenges to their validity with a response.

The very definition of a troll, KMB.

P.S.
Even prominent Catholics are shying away from the pope's recent idiocy. In fact, the church itself edited his comments after the fact, in order to tone them down. They actually changed the words, which casts doubts on his supposed infallibity, it would seem.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,,25212024-26040,00.html

Foxy, for most religious people I don't assume they're a narrow minded fanatic.
Unless they are incapable of showing any sign they're reasonable. Take a look at runner's litany of posts and if you can come across one that isn't harsh and judgemental, then I'll concede he mightn't be a fanatic, otherwise, all evidence points to the contrary.