Perhaps one of the more succient and accurate things said herein. A+ for clearly identifying the lines drawn. I guess the curtins will be closing soon on this thread ... I guess it's time to re-vive some of my old magic. :D

People oblige the martyrs.

To understand to LB phenomena you must understand that IMO, and you may agree with this, no one has more enemies than LB, and few allies. There is no more a team effort regarding him than a team effort to try and shoo a junebug outside, a lot of people might jump up to get rid of it because it irritates them. An unusually high percentage of people simply don't like him, and those that could be allies stay out of it because he rarely helps himself by constantly compomising his position, which also makes him an easy target to respond to in an argument. Look back in this thread for an example.

This high percentage of enemies has less to do with his beliefs than in his method of expressing them, and in endless often poorly researched political theads. Almost everyone who has encountered larry in an argument has been called a series of adjectives implying they are less honest, less honorable, less wise, an generally so morally degraded that they represent the downfall of society. Combine that with him also starting an extremely high percentage of politially charged threads, so naturally is at the center of a high percentage of arguements. So basically, I wouldn't feel all that sorry for him, he reaps what he sews.

I guess I will have to invest some time investigating the so-called LB effect. I can say he's a conservative, probably not a fan of B.O., and he's a Christian. Those 3 put him in the minority on this forum and in some regards at a disadvantage. In regards to the banter back and forth, not sure who provided the first shove or punch, but it certainly looks like the tight knit groups have done their fair share of name calling. In regards to the "other side" so to speak, I have not seen any better or worst researched commentary. Overall, I guess I am in the super-minority in that I like Larry. What is somewhat funny is that so many folks which I suspect place themselves in the intellectually superior club (unlike the uninformed masses to which I belong) aren't showing themselves as such when the banter goes back and forth with Larry. So, it appears that Larry cannot be doing that bad of a job.

He's a peach of a guy, and you're just like him!

Well, thank you ! :)

No, I mean it!

So since you do not feel ganged up on and you share similar beliefs, do think the fact that they get ganged up on is because of the manner in which they convey their beliefs?

Um, why are we talking about Larry? There are enough threads that already end up in talking about him. How about that there Jesus fellow?

And, so do I ! Why did you feel compelled to reinforce your commentary? You really didn't need to as it was unneccessary. But that's OK. :)

I think MS Fowler summed up the "battle lines" so to speak. Jesus, well, I am guessing He's got better things to do, such as saving souls, performing miracles, and perhaps starting the process by which the most die hard atheist on this forum will be converted. Then, that person can log back on and tell the world how wrong he or she was. That will most likely be the best part of this thread and all those posts led to another soul being saved.

Why use the term, "enemies"?

I don't think it's likely that Jesus said that. I haven't looked to see how many balls of what color it got in the Jesus Seminar but I'm thinking most scholars think it is concocted by the author of the piece and didn't come from Jesus.

The description enemy I guess speaks for me. I certainly don't consider myself an allie of his.

Sure, no ones sheets are clean greazzer when the bickering begins. I think few people consider themselves "intellectually superior", except for perhaps a few individuals like pastor M, though there are plenty who consider themselves morally superior than everyone. I guess I can line you with larry in that camp huh?

You really are blind to the like 5 a day political threads he started for a long time? He reaps what he sews, stop feeling sorry for the guy, its totally ridiculous since the majority of the arguments he's involved in are started by his theads anyway. The classic strategy is post something inflammatory, then accuse people of attacking him when people respond to his first post.

Id say politics are pretty evenly divided on this forum, though I guess you like he see some advantage in claiming to be a minority. I guess its just like the war on christianity you believe is ongoing.