Why Do Some Want To Believe So Much?

[Guest]

Many peoples entire self worth rests on their honesty and integrity.

Ok, but these should the people who know they are telling the truth and shouldn't give a hoot about what some other people think. Is the important part the honesty or having people think you have honesty?

[Guest]

I think it's natural to feel something when your integrity is called into question.

RIP Tomizawa.

[Guest Ambermae]

No probs Amber, all cool..

Now if ever there was a time for that old " Flower Giving " emoticon..............

Cheers dude!

[indiefoot]

I love the way people make excuses for the poor behavior on the internet. I don't know if it's a generational thing or what. Calling someone a liar is a serious matter in the world I grew up in and I suspect in the rural world that many bigfoot witnesses grew up in.

In the bigfoot world calling someone a hoaxer has become something that is done very casually. I don't have to present any evidence to show a hoax, I can just go with the old gut feeling. If you want to hear from people who are not a part of the bigfoot internet world, I would suggest we stop making excuses and change the way we talk to people and change the way we judge people.

[Guest]

Sure they can decide for themselves, it's just a friendly warning. I understand your curiosity to hear about Bigfoot encounters. But we who research look at the bigger picture. We do not want to see someone coming forward with needed information get abused and chased away. I can recommend plenty of great web sites to read about Bigfoot sightings such as Bobbie Short's Bigfoot encounters site.

http://www.bigfootencounters.com/

you are sooo right on this one John, Im sure more than a few have been chased away from the old BFF......

[Guest]

Belief in things that are considered outside the norm are hardwired into our brains, we were not born to question things

I beg to differ with you, the advances made in science over the last 100 years are directly related to questioning the status quo.

[Guest]

Well did the troll ever come back or did we run him/her off? I don't know why, but I always picture this troll doll sitting at a PC typing crap when someone ID's a forum member as one

[BobbyO]

I love the way people make excuses for the poor behavior on the internet. I don't know if it's a generational thing or what. Calling someone a liar is a serious matter in the world I grew up in and I suspect in the rural world that many bigfoot witnesses grew up in.

They're not excuses, i'm not making excuses at all, for anyone..

I'm just saying, for probably the fourth or fifth time now, that he/she said their opinion but worded it wrong..

& for the second time " like it or not it's part & parcel of seeing an Animal that is neither accepted by Science or accepted by 99.9% of the North American Population & because of that, i too can't understand why people who have, & wish to come clean, can't see the kind of reaction that was given today, worded however, happening more often because it will & so be it..

It's their loss for not knowing, not yours.. "

[Guest Admin]

I'm sorry, but that's nonsene. I think anyone who claims to have seen Bigfoot is a liar or an idiot. If it's ever proved, then I'm the idiot. The only reason they should have to claime it exists is because they, personally, have seen one. if they have then fair enough, they're relyng on their own evidence whic is not avilable to me, but I think everyone who makes such a claim is either mistaken or lying. I MUST think that given my position, I dont have a choice. Theres no other possibility. The publicly available evidence is laughable.

This is unacceptable behavior. See your warn level for details.

[Guest Admin]

In your case, I believe you claim to have seen bigfoot with no capacity for misidentification. I may be wrong and have you confused with someone else. But it you do claim to have seen Bigfoot without any possibility of misidentification, I have to think you're a liar. What else could I possibly think, if I don't believe Bigfoot exists? I think the same of you as you think of someone who claims to have seen Bigfoot getting into a UFO.

Now, that's not to say you are a liar. You may have seen Bigfoot, and maybe Bigfoot does exist. And in that case then you're absolutely justified because you're trusting your own observations and eventually you'll have the last laugh, becuae you'll be proved right. But for me, at this point in time, I think you're lying. Surely you know that many, many people think this about you. I'm quite happy to give you details privately to contact me if you'd like to to take this up with me personally. But yes, I think you're lying. So do most people. You know this.

Two warnings in one weekend? Well done.

[Guest ShadowPrime]

A couple things...

Not that anyone asked me, but I would lean towards Mods taking a cautious approach when it comes to warning, banning, locking down threads. I am all for civility - truly! - but I think that for the most part, folks can handle themselves here pretty well, and that short of obscenity, ethnic slurs or something really outright vicious, we can "police our own". I hate to see heated argument put in the same category as vicious out of bounds insults, and at times...at TIMES... I felt things actually veered a bit too far towards stifling discussion. At times. To be crystal clear - don't care for rudeness, personal insults, don't want to see BFF become the "R-rated BFF" (I would hope that younger folks interested in BF could be encouraged to come here, without concern), or anything like that. Just saying... would opt for a cautious approach re Mods actually stepping in.

But as to the assertion that folks shouldn't be bothered by being called liars... really? There are ways of expressing skepticism, even STRONG skepticism, that don't require the blunt, universally insulting term of "liar". That is rude, that is provocative, and yeah, it is insulting. I am not suggesting that anyone claiming a BF sighting should take offense if their assertion is questioned..far from it... but there is 'questioning' and there is 'insulting'....IMHO.

Shadow

[Guest]

& this is the key isn't, what you wrote is your opinion like you said, & what he/she wrote is their opinion HRP, you & others just dont' seem to like the choice of words, which were a bit strong i agree, but it's just their opinion....

We're all Adults here aren't we ??

I can't believe that someone's opinions & choice of words has caused such a stink, has made others come out & say that witnesses shouldn't relay their Encounters here & have got others calling for Mods etc..

Has absolutely zero to do with the choice of words buddy. Both of us stated our opinion that he/she had the right to express an opinion they held. I'll defend their right to do so until the cows come home.

But, can't they do it without insulting other members? I certainly could. Suspect you could as well.

This is unacceptable behavior. See your warn level for details.

Apparently, there are some rules here. Kudo's to you Mods/Admins for stepping in despite what Bobby O may think. Respect for other opinions should rank highly in the rules. Calling others with opposing opinions liars & idiots certainly should be out of bounds. I'm personally encouraged that the warning level for this poster was raised.

Two warnings in one weekend? Well done.

Well done on your end in policing the forum! A troll is a troll, and despite the calls for a *cautious approach* by some who truly have no clue what Mods/Admins are confronted with on a daily basis, I say moderate the forum fairly and evenly. Respect for others should be high on the priority list, and name calling should be discouraged.

My hat is off to the Admins for taking the appropriate action on this one for the good of the forum!

[Guest]

Ok, but these should the people who know they are telling the truth and shouldn't give a hoot about what some other people think. Is the important part the honesty or having people think you have honesty?

If I am reading your comment right, I think this is a very good question. It has always been my experience, people do care what others think, regardless of the amount of "truth" behind the "honesty". People are "social beings," on and off the internet. I often find those who yell the loudest, "I don't care what anyone thinks," really do and, often care more than anyone else. How do I come to that conclusion? Because they defend their "word" very strongly (on and off the internet), and every chance they get they say, "I don't care what anyone thinks." When I read that, I always think to myself, "If you don't care what anyone thinks, then why are you saying anything?" As humans, I think we all want to be accepted, and for most "your word" is important. I think when honesty is questioned - that's when the "I don't care what anyone thinks," comes into play.

If "we" as human beings, did not care what others thought about our honesty and integrity, we wouldn't have words like "honesty" and "integrity".

Personally, I think both, honesty and having people think you are honest is important to everyone.

Me? I don't care what anyone thinks..

JMO.

[Guest DrOnion]

Just remember as members here at the BFF, we have been encouraged to use the report button when we see displays of bad behavior.

I would bet that is how the admin saw Llawgoch's insulting postings.

[Guest]

& this is the key isn't, what you wrote is your opinion like you said, & what he/she wrote is their opinion HRP, you & others just dont' seem to like the choice of words, which were a bit strong i agree, but it's just their opinion....

We're all Adults here aren't we ??

I can't believe that someone's opinions & choice of words has caused such a stink, has made others come out & say that witnesses shouldn't relay their Encounters here & have got others calling for Mods etc..

Ok what he/she said, & we'll go over it until the Cows come home & are ALL in agreement, were out of line but so what, sticks & stones etc..

It's pathetic, in my opinion..

But it is all about the choice of words and internet social skills in general. We are all adults here and thus we do not need to hurl insulting names or statements regardless of who it bothers or who it does not. This conversation may be pathetic but it would not be taking place if people policed their own statements.