I, TheMiddleWay, am a devout Christian and always have been.
I wonder how many people will actually be surprised by this headline. I know I have many detractors who has labeled me an apologist in the past and thus they won't be surprised. On the other hand, I've had many conversations with many people about Buddhism and agnosticism may be surprised by this headline. In fact, one may wonder why I would even want to post this headline and reveal this in the first place. Why would I want to talk about God and me? What reason could he have for hiding his Christianity some might ask. What tactic is he playing at by revealing it now? The truth of the matter is the reasons for this headline are not clear or easy to explain. Ok, that's not entirely true but for Gods sake let's assume it is for the moment. I mean sure, I could spend a lot of time trying to explain my position and try to defend the headline but I wont. Maybe I should though. Maybe I should spend some time explaining this to you who might be curious. Maybe I could even talk about what God and god(s) and god mean to me. You see the purpose of this is not to make any declaration for anyone who has had any interaction with me knows the truth about my beliefs. Rather think of this as just a little experiment, maybe even a little silly joke, to see how many people will read that headline and based on nothing more, will go on and post that they knew it all along or that I don't belong here, or the multitude of other negative reactions that some people have with the religious here. This is why I'm trying to keep talking because it's critical that the truth of this post be buried in the text for the faux-periment to work In fact, I guess I should talk more about God (Capital G) in here to really make it work. This way people will see that I'm talking about God and thus reinforce that the headline might be true after all. Well, more God. I guess I already talked about God earlier. But hey, one can never have too much God, ammiright? Of course I'm not promoting that but that's just another shameless excuse to talk about God. In other words, there is no explaining this headline because the headline is made up. I am, and continue to believe, as I always have and as I've posted countless times. I'm not gonna post it here because it might draw too much attention to the made up nature of the headline. And the only reason I'm continuing to talk this is so that I can bury that fact in text so it's not immediately obvious. In fact, if you are reading this now then you are likely reading more than most people. And if you are reading this now and understand the full significance of the headline, treat those who only read the headline with pity and gentleness. The purpose here is not to shame or mock them but to draw attention to what I consider a serious problem in terms of modern societies promulgation of fake news and misleading information. I hope no one gets the headline. I really do.
May god(s) mercy be with you all.
9
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17 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.lol I read it all through, and my final conclusion is that ... This is a clear example of what 3 months of Covid-19 quarantine does to a person. I'm extending a virtual hug.
All jokes aside, we do indeed have a problem with clickbaiting, half truths, sensationalism, and outright lying. Social media compounds these on enormous scale.
yaway
Level 6
June 14, 2020
0
I've seen your posts before and I always thought there was something screwy about you. Now I see.
BitFlipper
Level 8
June 8, 2020
0
#1; It's very hard to read a run-on sentence...let alone a run on paragraph - forget a run-on essay.
#2. You're trying to shock us with the headlines...then ramble on about "one can never have too much God, ammiright" ....
...huh?
So....sorry. You're obviously confused. You're obviously not organized with your thoughts...and sadly...you're just #religulous.
Do we "get" the headline? I get that you're confused....for sure.
But
I'm glad you're here.
At least you're seeking answers, not wallowing in religions. Kudos on your efforts.
Robecology
Level 9
June 8, 2020
0
Serious question here, because I agree it's a serious problem and certainly we, as a society, can do better. How do we influence accountability in the media? I mean, you did get lots of reads from the headline, so job well done there, but how do we stop making the baiting with misinformation a fruitful approach? Is there a way to infuse integrity into our media sources or do we simply have to work from the flipside and try to teach people how to consume information and how to spot and spit out the bullshit that's thrown in with it?
Amzungu
Level 8
June 8, 2020
0
@TheMiddleWay I don't know, either. But throwing my hands in the air and accepting things as they are just isn't in me. Just because there aren't any easy answers, doesn't mean there aren't any answers at all. The only way I feel I can get to the 'truth' about a news matter these days is by reading multiple sources from multiple bias groups, then reading multiple international perspectives, then checking my more trusted sources like NPR and BBC. By the time I get done wading through the BS of bias, I feel like I find the 'common ground' where the reality may lie. It's fucking exhausting at times.
@TheMiddleWay On the politician point, exactly. Sigh.
I do think the work needs to be done on both sides, but the most likely sustainable change will come from people learning how to think more critically about the information they are taking in, because much of what is out there is specifically intended to bamboozle you into thinking one thing they want you to think, and it is made to sound super legit, if you're not looking at it skeptically and demanding solid support of the statement. The trick is to treat everything with the same level of skepticism, not just the things you don't automatically fall in line with. Otherwise we just end up buying into our own bullshit. 
@TheMiddleWay Hahaha, Very true. Though, I was thinking that the one fatal flaw to your little experiment is that those who most need to see it-don't read it. 
@TheMiddleWay Indeed. Keep up the good fight!
@hankster Also true. I think the most important part you mention is keeping your foot on the brake when you recognize you can't be sure. Yet, there are many areas where, with just a little due diligence and thoroughness, we can be sure, and maybe working harder to illuminate those areas could be one path toward being able to better weed through the bullshit when trying to find our way to what's most accurate.
@hankster well said. It is overwhelming and exhausting. I have to set daily limits on my 'news' consumption in order to maintain my mental health. It certainly doesn't help the situation to have a commander in chief who has normalized outright lies and screams 'fake news' at anything that doesn't put him in a glorified light, but that's pretty much where we're at these days. Good luck with your weeding. The struggle is real.
...if you think I read all that! 
The best I can do is stop taking you seriously ..if I can even remember who you are..
Varn
Level 8
June 8, 2020
1
Varn:
@TheMiddleWay Paragraphs may have drawn me in … but when ‘god’ is capitalized.. I seek no further 
I get the point you’re trying to make...albeit in a rather tediously wordy slab of text! I must say though that even were it actually true, and your beliefs actually did match your headline, and that you were in fact “outing yourself” to us, that would be perfectly fine with me. Everyone, even here on this ostensibly anti-religious site, has the right to state their beliefs or non-beliefs, even those which seem to be counterintuitive or contradictory to the rest of us. I would however, draw the line if you started to try to proselytise!
Marionville
Level 10
June 8, 2020
3
So why don't you read what other people write carefully ?
Fernapple
Level 9
June 8, 2020
1
@TheMiddleWay Quite the contrary, I am sure this is the case because I have always found that your posts are intelligent and imaginative, and a rarely if ever disagree with them, this one being a case in point being both imaginative and well presented. That being the case, it is strange that while I find your posts good, I find your comments to often be so far from even addressing the things they are intended to be about. I say this without any intention but to help, And certainly in no way to belittle. More care really is needed in reading and understanding before commenting, it is a small but important failing in one who could I am sure offer so much more.
@TheMiddleWay Once more you have misread, I actually said exactly the opposite. I said that I tend to agree with you posts. That is posts meaning original writings put by you at the top of the page. And that the times when we disagree is on your comments.
You are one of a kind sir! I respect you a lot.
AravindAjith
Level 6
June 8, 2020
0
You're going through quite a woke phase. You've been acting differently lately.
I've studied you for awhile. I knew you were freaking brilliant from the first post you made - not fair when people can write PhD level easily and have mastered that level of science and math. Then I saw some of your posts that tended to be anti-Greta. I hoped there wasn't some male chauvenism there. Then you showed me that wasn't the case- just figureheads shouldn't be appreciated when the scientists and real deals with the solid evidence aren't appreciated. I've never seen someone go so far to be neutral and unbiased. You're the only person I know who demands a scientific study on a political post source.
You try to be fair and unbiased. You give it everything you have. Now that you are realizing just how ridiculous the right is - due to COVID and pretty much the unpunished murder of a black man - you are being forced to realize how messed up conservatism is. You realize how ridiculous the misinformation is -and in some ways that makes you even crazier. Even you can't remain neutral in the face of this level of hatred and oppression. You're a good person. Nobody would expect you to be unbiased and make excuses for Hitler during World War II, Welcome to the left. Welcome to the resistance.
UrsiMajor
Level 8
June 8, 2020
1
@TheMiddleWay Yeah, the post is about how ridiculous the disinformation is. Didn't expect you to throw in one of my shock-jock value tactics.. Maybe it's contagious. It comes down to good v evil really. Evil isn't going anywhere. As long as there are people there will be evil. And stupid. Stupid isn't going anywhere either.
We always knew you were a wordy troll...yawn...
AnneWimsey
Level 9
June 8, 2020
2
Believe whatever you want. Believers are always masquerading as others in order to force their beliefs onto others and trying to convert people. Hypocrisy at its highest. If you truly believe that God gave everyone free will, then everyone can decide to believe or not believe. Stop playing God and trying to take away that fre will that you supposedly believe in.
noworry28
Level 8
June 8, 2020
1
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