Fellow Romans, I need help!

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Do you advocate my mission?

yes defiantly
0
No votes
yes but its futile
0
No votes
no its futile
7
87%
no it will harm our reputation
1
12%
 
Total votes : 8

Fellow Romans, I need help!

Postby Gaius Iulius Tabernarius on Sun Apr 13, 2008 5:03 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzKpaNAA ... re=related

This false profit is preaching xenophobia and perpetuating disinformation about both Rome and the EU, as an American I am sick at this!

I want to attempt to reason with him, simply because I have to try.

I am going to send him the following message,

"The olive branch,

Before you block me or delete this, first allow me to extend the olive branch.

I would like to discuss with you the nature of the roman revival movement and how it is in no way apposed to America, American values, or anything more than attempt to preserve some of the best aspects of western virtues.

I am markedly disturbed by the implications your movie might have for the roman revival movement, and would like to demonstrate the benevolence of my organization, and indeed the good merits of it.

You should know that I personally am a loyal patriotic American citizen who, (I might add) is a member of the republican party.

I am also a roman catholic, not a pagan.

If you are interested in learning more, I will be happy to share with you all of the merits of roman culture and how it is if anything a great boon for America. After all if not for emperor Constantine Christianity would never have become the western worlds chosen faith."

I want your input on this message and any advice you can offer, furthermore any endorsement's would be more than welcome. I would also like to have SVR's approval, before I take on this mission.
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Injunction Function

Postby Aldus Marius on Sun Apr 13, 2008 5:23 am

Salve, mi Tabernari...

I'll let a Curator tell you this officially, but for my part: Do not drag me, us, or this organisation into any flame wars.

People have been saying those kinds of things about Rome and America since the days of the Founding Fathers. The evangelicals really get me started (no offense to the evangelicals, and darn good Romans, in our midst). You cannot "reason" with dogmatists; as the saying goes, their minds are made up, don't confuse them with the facts. Or, as one of my first bosses put it: "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It gets you all muddy, wastes your time, and only serves to annoy the pig."

Let it go, amice. Rome still stands. We know what we're about. We've endured plenty worse, and need not dignify their polemics with a reply.

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Postby Quintus Servilius Priscus on Sun Apr 13, 2008 12:48 pm

Salve,

As Curator, I ask that you do not involve the SVR in any way with the host's of/or the program "Tomorrow's World". You can as a private citizen do so but, as Aldus Marius stated leave the SVR out of any discussion you have with anybody associated with the Host's or the Show. I do not want this organization involved in any Pagan(i.e. Religio Romana) vs Christian evangelical religious arguments.

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Postby Gaius Iulius Tabernarius on Sun Apr 13, 2008 5:24 pm

I figured as much, (mostly why I elected not to specifically mention which organization or organizations I belonged to.)

I would still like to try, and at least find some way to protest this message, and its not as if I have anything against Christians (I technically still am one) I just find serious fault with this guy.

I did leave a comment, but they deleted it and set it up to block future comments, (probably a sign that I am definitely waisting my time, but hey I am very very stubborn.)

I promise that I won't bring up svr or do anything too extreme, I just want feedback on the content of my message, specifically is it polite, and non threatening enough to be taken seriously (even if it wont be by this person.)

If it is block, (which it probably will be) I am going to post the message on my profile in you tube, along with a message explaining how I was ignored and censored.

Hey if he is on a soap box, I want to find my own. I am not above butting heads with a ram.
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Hmmm.

Postby Aldus Marius on Sun Apr 13, 2008 9:08 pm

Hmmm.

I'm debating whether to tender you a reworded reply.

Why? --Because, by the sound of you, you're going to lob something at them anyway, regardless of what we recommend, so I might as well hand you a tennis ball even though I suspect you'd prefer a large rock.

Why not? --Disciplina, my friend. Yours *and* mine. Rome (and Romans) did not go around picking fights just for the sake of fighting. We did not respond to every provocation; even had we wanted to (which we didn't), who had the manpower? Who had the time? If we had risen to the bait every time, the other side would have already won by shackling us to our own pride. He who is not master of his passions is a slave to them.

We chose our battles where possible, not letting the other side choose them for us. We concentrated our efforts where they would have the greatest effect for the least expenditure of energy (physical, emotional or otherwise). That means we did not get involved in lost causes, and we let a lot of little stuff slide. And believe me, on the Internet, if it's anything short of theft or vandalism...it's all little stuff.

The need to choose one's battles wisely, to decide where to invest our energies for maximum return, is especially strong when one is the only Roman on the premises. There is no way, short of mass reprogramming, that a Roman is going to win a leg-lifting contest with people like that, and it only makes us look petty and shrill if we try. They *want* to get people upset. Why hand them the goods?

In sum, it might be time to give the Gallic Wars a rest, and try reading some Plautus or Horace. The best of us were warriors and poets; and to ignore the refined side of the Heritage is to put down Roman civilisation more firmly than any clowder of fanatics ever did. Those people sound ridiculous; so, as long as we're all being Roman about it, let's sit back and enjoy the spectacle they're making of themselves, shall we? >({|;-)

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Postby Gaius Iulius Tabernarius on Sun Apr 13, 2008 10:15 pm

You know; your right, maybe I am have been reading too much Caesar...

I am defiantly going to do something... but perhaps I will simply make my own statement as apposed to countering this particular statement.

I guess I am just really disturbed by the whole thing... I will wait and think it over before I decide my course of action. Thanks for your advice.
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Re: Injunction Function

Postby Tiberius Dionysius Draco on Mon Apr 14, 2008 4:41 pm

Salve Tabernari,

I've watched part of the YouTube video, but couldn't bear to sit through it. Really, I can't wrap my mind around the fact that anyone would take such a man seriously.

In any case, I find myself agreeing with everything Marius said, especially this part rings true for me:

Aldus Marius wrote:You cannot "reason" with dogmatists; as the saying goes, their minds are made up, don't confuse them with the facts. Or, as one of my first bosses put it: "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It gets you all muddy, wastes your time, and only serves to annoy the pig."


And to add a quote I've heard somewhere: "Never argue with stupid people. First they drag you down to their level, then they beat you with experience."

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Postby Marcus Lupinius Paulus on Mon Apr 14, 2008 7:33 pm

Don't feel too bad about this video. I actually doubt there is areal church behind it!

"Tomorrow's World" is a production of "the Living Church of God", whiuch itself is an offshoot of the Worldwide Church of God, led by 'Apostle' Herbert W. Armstrong.

I went to the LCOG website, and saw a long list of 'congregations' in many countries. But interestingly, no webpage links for these local congregations. You just click on thename of the Pastor and you can send an email. I find it odd that you can find all sorts of local church webpages for Lutherans and Methodists and such....but so far I have not seenany for this group.

Maybe I am wrong and there are some out there. But I suspect this is more of a media business than anything else.

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Postby Gaius Iulius Tabernarius on Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:21 am

To Tiberius Dionysius Draco,

Your probably right, but I guess I still believe that somewhere under all that bias delusion there is a rational mind that can be reached. But I doubt if I have the rhetoric prowess to do it.

To Marcus Lupinius Paulus,

I really hope you are right, but I fear that the biases against Europe, Rome, and the belief in racial and cultural superiority is common enough for something like this to catch on.

I mean I heard from one person on a different site that this guy also believes that white evangelicals are the lost tribe of Israel or something like that... I can't wrap my mind around why anyone would want to think that, let alone how they could believe it.

I am beginning to question the fist amendment... should people like this be allowed a pulpit?

Anyway thanks again for all the sage advice.
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Postby Marcus Tullius Ioannes on Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:40 am

Schiller's dictum seems especially appropriate in this case: "Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain."

Freedom of speech does allow and even requires the airing of objectionable beliefs. There is a temptation to limit that freedom as a result, and one sees this increasingly, on college campuses and somewhat in the law, for example, where efforts are made to eliminate and punish speech which is hateful or racist. These efforts are well-intentioned, but there is a danger in imposing such restrictions.

Under certain emperors, speech seemingly critical of them or the imperial family was outlawed. I think this didn't accomplish much, even for the protection of the emperors in question.

I take solace in the wisdom of the stoics, Epictetus in particular. There are certain things outside of our control; if we struggle to control them we will not have peace, and we should not allow them to disturb us, but rather should focus on the things that are within our control.

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Postby Gaius Iulius Tabernarius on Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:48 pm

I suppose that's true, I guess as the world becomes more educated as a whole this kind of fanaticism and ignorance will diminish naturally.

Still its hard to swallow, I just hope his movement gets the vilification it deserves, (if in fact it is even a movement at all.)

I wonder, what do any of you suppose it would take to counter someone like that, if one had to? Never know when we might find ourselves on the defensive, I have been a few times.

hmm that gives me an idea for a new topic, how do you react if someone calls you nuts for being too roman?
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Fiendish Evil Grin!!

Postby Aldus Marius on Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:01 pm

Salve iterum, mi Tabernari!

> how do you react if someone calls you nuts for being too roman?


Heh heh...talk about lobbing one right into my court. I just grin wolfishly and show 'em my test results. Damn right I'm a mental case. (Uncle Sam pays me for it too.) I'm not just certifiable--I'm certified. Since I was three. By the State of California, no less, and they've seen their share of fruits and nuts. They tell me I'm one of the nuts, it's only the truth.

Insanity is tremendously liberating. You can do anything you want, and as long as it doesn't harm anyone or anything, the worst anyone can do is say you're crazy.

Seriously, though, I'm living proof that you can have three major, two medium, and a half-dozen minor varieties of mental illness and still be functional, intelligent, articulate, and fun to be with. >({|:-)


Your Resident Madman,
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Postby Gaius Iulius Tabernarius on Wed Apr 16, 2008 12:46 am

Thanks friend but that wasn't the kind of insanity I was referring too. I was talking about the negative kind that people refer to when they insult you, or me.

I have been called all sorts of things, some complete opposites of each other

like fascist and communist, (called both.)

Conservative and liberal, (called both)

Role-player and conformist (you get the idea)

I usually just reply with a witty remark, and try to change the subject. I have had about 50-50 success with this.

I'd be lying if I said I've never seen a psychologist, then again most people should.
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*Most* Fiendish Evil Grin!!

Postby Aldus Marius on Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:10 am

> I was talking about the negative kind that people refer to when they insult you, or me.

That's the kind I'm talking about too. I just don't consider it an insult. >({|;-]

"Go placidly amid the noise and haste..." AKA "Do Not Feed the Trolls." How many people have to say it, and how many times? Don't let that s**t bother you. And, per deos immortales, don't go tracking it in here and try to make it bother us.

*evil grin fades, replaced by a long sigh*
Last edited by Aldus Marius on Wed Apr 16, 2008 8:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby Gaius Iulius Tabernarius on Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:55 am

sorry... to be fair, I mostly feed them hemlock.
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