Response to melsbasketcase

[Key2daUnderground]

Knowing this is a vid over a year old, I'll still like to say that it seems to me (judging on this 1 vid) is that she is projecting her own insecurities onto your supposed or perceived pretentiousness. But then again, Im making an assumption on this 1 vid. Hope you guys are still friends or at least cordial.

[theowarner]

@Key2daUnderground

I think I came on a little strong in those first few months. Mel's great.

[geminijohn]

Wow what a great person! being open to admitting shortcomings and or a need to share info you feel is important!

I am a fan of mel and found this video through her site...she ROCKS because she is so articulate and honest she does not have to use words that are obscure trying to impress or

personal attacks..but don't get her angry lol.

SMART IS A SMALL WORD TO DESCRIBE MEL!

[Letsmakeasamich]

Your truly a class act, Theo. Not to mention I learn SO MANY new words while watching your videos, it's truly educating for me! I have to pause the video a lot so I can google the word, but hey I know what obsequious and sycophancy mean!

[pumkinpi2]

"I live outside of Boston, don't like Boston." I did that for three decades near Dallas. It has been two years since I moved away, and I have just come to realize that I lived in a place I did not like, and to wonder how I could have live so unintentionally.

[ShadowPa1adin]

Do you reccomend any books on the subject of the "broken narration"? Anything for a beginner?

[theowarner]

Apocalypse: On the Psychology of Fundamentalism in America by Charles Strozier

[xychr0]

Bah, I really wish she kept her account open. Hope she's ok. A very interesting and classy person and also very authentic.

[theowarner]

She has another account open. I forget what it's called.

Still watching all my videos, eh?

[xychr0]

actually i was trying to scrape up remaining mel vids during this comment, but yep i've been //watching/// listening to your theologs and such. Keep up the good work! By the way check out the user fakesagan - he has a great mind and fascinating commentary, especially his take on the RRS and the secular humanism situation. peace - j

[jdf088]

she has reopened her account as of today. one video up of her and rob mostly goofing off, it was quite refreshing to see her laughing.

[CBUEngineer]

I believe it is your cadance and psychological jargon that project the images she is seeing. Your measured tone and well rounded speach pattern can make people in place like here (memphis, TN) believe you to be an armchair scholar.

[Xenphobic]

totally dig the dialog that you provide here, even though this lady is grilling you, you remain calm and grateful for her criticism albeit a bit chastising. I have to commend you on this and i want to say that i totally appreciate your wanting to *actually* open up dialog and not loud blabbering about who's more right than the other and copious amounts of name-calling

[clawdfrawg]

I have a great face for radio to. The olney thing I can say about "big words" is if you take Churchill's "we shall fight them on the beches' speach & put in a few latin bassed words it losses somthing.

[danohrly]

Jazz piano humm..I'm guessing you're a fan of Bill Evans and Keith Jarrett? Great videos, and a lovely taste in music! :D

[Eregeras]

The fact that she is able to hold an open conversation, not be an utter prick like VFX/PCS and Nephilimfree, doesn't apparently censor comments and has no delusions of grandeur; kind of makes me want to subscribe to her and then encourage every other Atheist, Secularist and critical thinker to sub to her too.

Just to piss the fundamentalists off. We might disagree, but she is downright civil compared to the 'Axis of Idiocy'. She deserves more subs than VFX and Nephilimfree.

[theowarner]

Axis of Idiocy... I like it.

And I agree with your comments here.

[windham666]

any person who uses the phrase "extensive vocabulary" in a sentence is a person who has an extensive vocabulary.

good bless the mel's of the world.

[stretchyrubberbands]

Really, sirrah? Are you serious?

[windham666]

homer, the old saying "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger,"

-- Psalm 8: 1-2 (KJV) applies to mel and others in similar stations of life.

In there amongst the roughs you will find many diamonds, uncut by all distractions of so called modern life. Gems. Not many, true, but they are quite valuable nonetheless.

and if you do not see this, sirrah k sirrah, your myopia is to blame.

[dekrahs]

I'd bet the farm that she would accept everything Jesus Christ allegedly said without demanding to see his face.

[TheMajorD]

T.O. I suggest you keep to the shadows I subbed to many people over the ages and many of them went to cam and people began to focus on their rooms, faces, hand and facial gestures, altogether being distracted by what is being said. Mostly if you feel you would rather get a message across I suggest the shadows because beingon webcam acts as an effective mist shrowding the entire message of the video in a dense haze.

[sasugakirin]

Wow, seriously a class act. That's far more respect than she gave you, and that's commendable.

Honestly, I prefer your videos without a view of your face. "Talking head" style videos are really grating (particularly because it sometimes encourages people to overact for the camera), and the way you present your ideas with graphics and text are soothing and work very well.

[EmoKidsScott]

JESUS CHRIST HER VOICE

[TGOW11]

great video, can't say much more than that except that you sound like a facinating person, which is a dissapointment of a sort because we simply dont have enough.

[MangaGothicTheMovie]

I get it a lot. My the comments I got in my argument since moving to the states was "You're British accent doesn't make you smarter" which kinda surprises me. I never once thought that an American accent was dumb, and I wish I knew of a way to convince them otherwise. I don't like to think it's a personal inferiority complex or something but I do get the impression it's designed to make me feel guilty because I'm British and there for must be stuck up. Some prejudice doesn't die

[SirFiNiX]

I've heard the "you're too cowardly to show your face" argument before. Damn straight. What's their point?

I've never seen "bravery" (I call it "willingness") to do things that are pointless or daft as an asset.  (Bravery and willingness to do meaningful things, on the other hand, I do see as an asset.)

[TachiRdiesDirty]

I think its well past time to move on from this. You, Mel, myself, have all done the thing that I have been scolded for. I cannot take it seriously or personally because it just is what it is. Its also way in the past by now.

Who was it that said, you live and die by the sword?

In the end, I am sorry to have said what I said, but I am not sorry that I said it to whom I said it. Anything less than that is a bigger insult, and an untruth.

[itachixthexemo]

great vid

[Geodge]

And about the "big words" and educated snootiness thing.

Arguments get pretty "tribal", I noticed, once the gloves come off. Christian, atheist, Muslim, American, Republican, Democrat, Anarchist, Nihilist, Rich, Poor, Highly educated, Less educated, Ivy League, Redneck, Left brain, Right brain, Elitist, Populist. People are as likely to put themselves in these "boxes" as they are to put others. I don't know why we do it, but it's a cage. Slots are effective for sorting mail, but not ideas

[Geodge]

Great video. There aren't a lot of examples on youtube of conflict where users actually listen to another's points instead of flipping them the bird. Yea, I know mel did that too but :-)

Mel's fantantastic "on camera", and she might take it for granted that everybody is. But she's paid a large price personally for revealing herself on youtube, and thus naturally will empathize better than most of us what it's like to see a mocking grotesquery of yourself as the subject of others' videos

[bl4ckd0g187]

you have a mission on youtube? man, I'm just here to screw around, go with the flow. not that I'm a nihilist, or anything.

incidentally, in regards to the videocamera/narrative, the narrative approach seems to work better for you; I don't know why.

[theowarner]

Yeah, mission is too strong a word. I'm working in a general direction though. And overall, I do think it's important and worth doing, maybe even for my own benefit exclusively.

Yeah, I think my style holds up. Thanks!

[rozeboosje]

Great video. Mel is a great person, and I'm glad you're recognising that.

[theowarner]

Yeah -- I'm glad you agree!

(I thought you video on apocalypticism was great!)

[rozeboosje]

I'm going to be RICH!!!!!!

[hellokittypourlolita]

You sound like Leonard Nimoy from In Search Of..but well educated with a wry humor..Could it be Mel was intimidated in a paranoid state simply because you are intellectual?

[theowarner]

Thanks! (His book of poems is excellent, by the way.)

[notmyreligion]

You were quite a gentleman- i thought she was rather rude.

Your use of language is lovely and im sure im not the only one who has expressed their appreciation of it. Please keep posting :)

[theowarner]

Thanks!

[jdquarg]

I understand treating MBC like JF777 maybe like booing at the special Olympics, but still...

How does showing your face become such an issue? How does it verify honesty? VFX, JF777, and NephilimFree face are they any more honest?

How is it offensive to use "big words"? We should always use enormous words. Enormous is big isn't?

Some people can ramble coherently. Some cannot.

Posting videos on YT someone is going to criticize. Criticizing is good for both parties.

Must fight adding more...

[Remainingcharacter]

You do her great honor despite her questioning your intent. I find it ironic that she is moved to protect someone as supercilious (hidden behind pat christian humility) as veritas48 while implying you are arrogant. I will hazard the waters of public opinion, her opinion, (least she find me and label me a Theo-phant, while she perhaps decides to shield, I don't know... NephilimFree from your crosshairs) and give you kudos for all your efforts here on youtube.

[rnistuk]

Theo, I'm appreciative of your content. I think Mels' criticisms are quite unwarranted.

[FlowCell]

You were far more patient with this woman then I would have been.

[TachiRdiesDirty]

I can't resist point out that a good Christian would be forgiving of his or her enemies, they would in fact love them.

Pointing out a book to help Mel with her internal dialogs of suffering and guilt, that was loving your enemy, and I am the so called atheist.

[TachiRdiesDirty]

Its a good video as usual but the ending is a little absurd, in how it embraces her objection to criticism.

Like this is her thought process... "oh no, my public video where I insult people and swear, got some criticism. Why did that happen to me? Poor me, I hate you for responding to my video where I went looking for a fight."

Anyone who makes a video is subject to criticism, and anyone who makes a video that is belligerent in nature should count on a comment or two in objection. Be fair

[theowarner]

Yeah, I feel bad that in trying to make peace and trying to establish that relationship, I needed to object to some of the comments made on her video. You might have been included in my comment, there.

But, I think that she's not your typically YouTuber on several levels.

[shaybshay]

You know I feel about your voice, lol. No need for the mug although I wouldn't judge you or your thoughts any differently. I must say after watching thunderf00ts videos for so long without a face then looking at his other channel and seeing him for the first time I was a bit shocked, the two just did not go together, for me anyway. I think the need for the face just makes it personable for us disconnected humans. By the way I think your sincere.

[TachiRdiesDirty]

Theo, I did try to extend the olive branch it was not very welcome...What I said was fair, and if shes referring to Decca what he did was, talk to her. Its Arguable that it was "less bad" then What I did and she swore at him for his efforts.

This whole victim act... the "poor Mel" shuffel... its just silly. Its Obvious she feels very sorry for her self. And thats the saddest thing of all, because Mel is several times more intelligent then any other Christian I have seen on YT.

[PrydainFawr]

tw, I would have had a more tempered response to this lady for some of the statements she could verbalise so lackadaisically. Her assail against the collage educated really hurts me, my country (the UK) gives a collage education as a free right to all and my taxes are well spent on this I think.

This lady should try, being otiose on a cultural machine like YouTube while defending others gives me no reason to watch her, now that I have seen this I will relay my concern to her.

Ta theowarner.

[theowarner]

Well -- otiose is a good word, but that's not the solution. You're proposing shutting down the dialogue that I'm trying to establish.

[judonomobic]

I wonder if you don't work in radio. I can swear that I've heard you on NPR on some in depth report about the rain forest or the Canadian aborigines in Moonbeam Ontario. If not you might want to engage in some story telling on NPR. You are delectable to the ears. I could enjoy a story or two as you paint a landscape of phonaesthetics while I sip cognac out of a brandy sniffer. I would contribute to the station on the pledge drive week. Thank you

[MizarShadow]

On a second, decidedly long-winded note, you went far too easy on this young one Theo.

'It is a brave man, he who bows down before the assassin....a brave man, and a deadly man.'

[MizarShadow]

There is a very simple idea that comes through in all of your work on this subject Theo (at least, from my perspective).

Your mission seems to boil down to: Demonstrable Fact. When people claim things that are demonstrably false and laughably illogical, you step in and illucidate the situation for them.

Theo....from the bottom of my heart, you are completely sincere, never pretentious, and always frighteningly erudite. This response only shows those very qualities in spades.

[ComradeAgopian]

Well said Mizar. I could not add one word to this.

[jebus6kryst]

Such a gentalmen. It is always nice to see that some people still have class.

[mrkurt13]

What do you do for a living? Your essays and responses are really....fluid, is the best word I can come up with. Did you develop your style of writing/speaking over time with intent or is it just talent?

[theowarner]

I let the universe flow through me... I might be gin, though.

[urbanred]

Brilliant. I like mine with tonic.

Your videos are wonderful. Please keep up this wonderful dialogue with v48, mel and others.

[theinquisitor]

As I understand it, Veritas's video was about how he knew there was a benevolent god because of his interpretation of some experience. This isn't merely a statement about him, it's a very significant statement about the whole of reality. It says something about what it means for a person to suffer from a disease or an accident or anything the universe throws at us. There is a very big difference between a mindless universe and one controlled by a god...

[theinquisitor]

... it's basically like saying, all the suffering in the world is just, because there is a just ruler of the universe. If the all powerful ruler of the universe is just, then so is all the terrible suffering endured by all animals since the beginning of life. This is not the statement that entitles the speaker to be protected from criticism. It's an astonishing statement that says a lot about the person saying it. You were far from inappropriate to Veritas, you were overly kind.

[theowarner]

I was trying to be decorous.

But, you're right. The theology at work in Veritas48's videos is dramatically more complex than just a guy telling a harmless story.

[Rahab111222]

The face thing really isn't that important, I don't know why it would be.

[theowarner]

Well... the argument is that it makes it harder for some to attack me. It's not equal, that is -- since I attack them personally.

I think it makes it easier to focus on my ideas, though.

[theinquisitor]

For one things, it's absurd to hold you responsible for the actions of your subscribers.

I don't really understand why mel has a problem with you criticisng Veritas48's video. If someone puts something like that on the internet, they're asking for criticism. If he wanted that to remain private and free from scrutiny, then why did he post it on a website designed for commentary and response? It seems bizarre to try to fault you for merely providing your own perspective.

[theowarner]

Yeah, I see that perspective, too. But, I think it's worth talking these things through. Remember that Mel was the first person to criticize me at all... I think it's very important to keep that conversation going.

[mjdoyza]

A fascinating tribute to a worthy recipient.

[theowarner]

Thanks!