What's your controversial opinion?

[Sir Thomas Sean Connery]

I WOULD post an extensive rant about how Religion needs to dies for mankind to make any real progress, but that's a little overdone, so here's a new one:

Human life has very little value and killing someone can be justified in many different ways. Also, when an evil person dies, it is a good thing, morality be damned. I got so pissed off at the massive number of people whining about the Bin Laden death celebrations.
All I could think of was the lady in Warriors of Virtue screaming "IT WAS A LIFE!!!".

 

[Taylor6288]

I don't usually bother to post on internet forums because I always assume that given the number of people on them at some point someone else is going to give the same opinion as me on the whatever.

However, this is a thread I really haven't seen before and while I wholeheartedly expected the huge amount of religion bashing I think (on this site at least) the vast majority of posters have given some deeply intriguing points. All this makes me wonder why on earth so many of these meaningful issues aren't being addressed by those in power.

Finally getting round to my answer to the actual question at hand, I will jump on the religion bashing band wagon but only so far as when it effects other people. For example, preachers and the like - deeply annoying and do more harm than good to their own cause I would have thought.

Also, human life is sometimes regarded a bit too highly (read on before you get angry over that) in cases such as murderers or any individual or group who significantly lessens the quality of life for others in some way. Kill them to stop them draining our resources and people who say that everyone deserves to live should be forced by law to pays the thousands to keep the more evil of our species alive. I believe that each person is responsible for their own life and grouping them together is largely pointless unless it comes from proven factual basis (an average british person lives longer than the average person from ethiopia can be proven, all teenagers are not knife wielding lunatics who learnt how to beat you to death from watching mario jump on things till they vanished from existence).

Lastly, not the most controversial thing in the world but it should be noted. All advertisers need to go away and learn another trade cos they are wasting time. Stop shoving shiny, flashy, brilliant, new thing down my throat and learn to teach or something useful.

In 2008 USA spent $412.4 billion on advertising and marketing but only $2 billion on food aid for poverty ridden countries and of that $2b only one third was on food because even the shining beacon of niceness that is the USA can't help but take a slice of every last cake it can get its hands on even if it's a cake they baked for the starving orphan kid sat in the corner.

Very sorry for the long post and if you read then please repeat any points you deem of particular note - all too often listening seems to be a skill forgotten by most when desperate to have their own voice heard.

 

[Namewithheld]

I believe that people should not be scorned simply because they aren't you. I also believe that the nameless, faces masses that we heap abuse on are billions of people that are just as important, unique and intelligent as you. They all have hopes, fears, dreams, worries, desires and are wholly, wonderfully, horribly, completely HUMAN and they deserve some FUCKING RESPECT.

Seriously, I can't express how much I fucking hate this cynical, knee jerk, generalization of your fellow human beings.

It's nothing but making yourself feel good by making every one else look stupider, meaner and dumber.

And we're SURROUNDED by this meme that the common human is dumb, brutal, savage and a minute away from harming everyone around them. It makes me want to spit. The vast vast VAST majority of people are good.

It's the minority who fuck things up. AND WE KEEP ELECTING THEM TO PLACES OF POWER! THAT'S JUST WHAT THEY WANT US TO DO! AARRGH

 

[LordSnakeEyes]

A baby isn't worth risking lives over until it's afraid of death and proved it might be useful in the future.

To support this; Babies aren't worth risking lives over period. My logic; who knows what the baby will amount to? Say the kid grows up to be a dictator? You can't know and (in my experience) you should always expect the worst of people, so just assume that (unless you have a logical reason to deem your life worthless) the kid will be the Antichrist (figuratively speaking).
Next point; I don't think it counts as even a human being unless it can survive for over a minute in a room of normal temperature, stoping it's gestation only prevents another "unwanted" human from coming to life.

Finally; Religion should have no bearing on anything but morality. Science and economics should be exempt from needing to cope with any morality as well.

 

[A Free Man]

I think that art, music and other creative subjects are more important that stuff like science and maths.

That being said there is no way of us convincing you either considering that we would only argue with logic which you have already dismissed as being less important then the application of creativity.

PS: Keep in mind I understand that both aspects to culture are of vital significance I am just talking of a general relative greater importance.

I think that art is more important than science, that doesn't make me ignorant, and it doesn't mean that I will "dismiss" logical arguments and your view points just because they are different to mine. Don't think that just because my views are different to yours that I am incapable of reason.

Sorry that was not what I was implying, there is a difference between reason and cold logic (I think anyway), I was merely saying that generally people who think creativity is of greater importance may view it from a different perspective and thus would be less likely of accepting a logic based argument. I am not saying that the other perspective is of higher or lower intelligence only that it is different. I didn't mean to imply any negativity in that. I never said anything about ignorance or being incapable of reason I think you are putting words in my mouth there. Also when I said "dismiss" I didn't mean ignore or disdain, merely that people that think creatively probably would not pay as much credit to an arguement that was purely logical, that doesn't make either right or wrong, but I probably could have worded that more clearly. All in all this is just an opinion of mine based on my own personal observations.

 

[Womplord]

I think the psychological effects of being raped are no worse than a violent beating.

Have you been raped lately?

No. Have you? Have you been violently beaten lately? I just can't see a logical reason why rape would do worse than a violent beating... maybe a very violent beating would be a more appropriate term but still. I mean the kind of beating when someone has you pinned against the ground and you are dreading the next punch, but you can't move you hands because their knees are pressed on your arms with all their body weight and you have to keep enduring the seemingly endless incoming punches. By the end, you are a bloody, teary mess lying on the ground. It takes a long time to get over something like that.

I don't really see how you can come to such a conclusion unless you have been raped yourself. Have you been raped? If not, how can you even begin to speculate on the psychological effects that would come from such a traumatic event?

It's easy to speculate. I mean, I know what rape IS. Someone puts their penis in you. Woop. Yes I can see how it would be humiliating and degrading, but there's no way it's the way everyone treats it, like it's a fate worse than death.

 

[SonicKoala]

I think the psychological effects of being raped are no worse than a violent beating.

Have you been raped lately?

No. Have you? Have you been violently beaten lately? I just can't see a logical reason why rape would do worse than a violent beating... maybe a very violent beating would be a more appropriate term but still. I mean the kind of beating when someone has you pinned against the ground and you are dreading the next punch, but you can't move you hands because their knees are pressed on your arms with all their body weight and you have to keep enduring the seemingly endless incoming punches. By the end, you are a bloody, teary mess lying on the ground. It takes a long time to get over something like that.

I don't really see how you can come to such a conclusion unless you have been raped yourself. Have you been raped? If not, how can you even begin to speculate on the psychological effects that would come from such a traumatic event?

It's easy to speculate. I mean, I know what rape IS. Someone puts their penis in you. Woop. Yes I can see how it would be humiliating and degrading, but there's no way it's the way everyone treats it, like it's a fate worse than death.

No, it is not easy to speculate. I can't even believe that you (who probably considers themselves a fairly intelligent individual) would say something so ridiculous. First off, someone is putting their penis in you against your will, so that's an important aspect you failed to mention. Furthermore, as I alluded to before, unless you've been raped, you cannot speak on the effects. You simply cannot - at all, since you know nothing about it. Doing so is ignorant, and your downplaying of rape and its associated effects is profoundly disrespectful to those who have actually been raped.

 

[Taylor6288]

I think the psychological effects of being raped are no worse than a violent beating.

Have you been raped lately?

No. Have you? Have you been violently beaten lately? I just can't see a logical reason why rape would do worse than a violent beating... maybe a very violent beating would be a more appropriate term but still. I mean the kind of beating when someone has you pinned against the ground and you are dreading the next punch, but you can't move you hands because their knees are pressed on your arms with all their body weight and you have to keep enduring the seemingly endless incoming punches. By the end, you are a bloody, teary mess lying on the ground. It takes a long time to get over something like that.

I don't really see how you can come to such a conclusion unless you have been raped yourself. Have you been raped? If not, how can you even begin to speculate on the psychological effects that would come from such a traumatic event?

It's easy to speculate. I mean, I know what rape IS. Someone puts their penis in you. Woop. Yes I can see how it would be humiliating and degrading, but there's no way it's the way everyone treats it, like it's a fate worse than death.

No, it is not easy to speculate. I can't even believe that you (who probably considers themselves a fairly intelligent individual) would say something so ridiculous. First off, someone is putting their penis in you against your will, so that's an important aspect you failed to mention. Furthermore, as I alluded to before, unless you've been raped, you cannot speak on the effects. You simply cannot - at all, since you know nothing about it. Doing so is ignorant, and your downplaying of rape and its associated effects is profoundly disrespectful to those who have actually been raped.

Saying that hitler was an awesome dude at parties and all those who stood in the way of his honorable deeds deserved their fate is an incredibly disrespectful thing to say due to the millions who died because of him. That doesn't stop the earlier statement from being either of the following: "controversial" or an "opinion". If you find a statement on here to be controversial to the point that it needs to be disputed I think you need to go back and read the title then check what is your issue with it being here.

Also, just so you don't go chomping on my man region for saying this, rape is bad. It's so bad that I cannot accurately imagine the mental trauma which it causes but to say it is impossible to do so is entirely unfounded given you don't know my or anyone else's imagination.

 

[Womplord]

I think the psychological effects of being raped are no worse than a violent beating.

Have you been raped lately?

No. Have you? Have you been violently beaten lately? I just can't see a logical reason why rape would do worse than a violent beating... maybe a very violent beating would be a more appropriate term but still. I mean the kind of beating when someone has you pinned against the ground and you are dreading the next punch, but you can't move you hands because their knees are pressed on your arms with all their body weight and you have to keep enduring the seemingly endless incoming punches. By the end, you are a bloody, teary mess lying on the ground. It takes a long time to get over something like that.

I don't really see how you can come to such a conclusion unless you have been raped yourself. Have you been raped? If not, how can you even begin to speculate on the psychological effects that would come from such a traumatic event?

It's easy to speculate. I mean, I know what rape IS. Someone puts their penis in you. Woop. Yes I can see how it would be humiliating and degrading, but there's no way it's the way everyone treats it, like it's a fate worse than death.

No, it is not easy to speculate. I can't even believe that you (who probably considers themselves a fairly intelligent individual) would say something so ridiculous. First off, someone is putting their penis in you against your will, so that's an important aspect you failed to mention. Furthermore, as I alluded to before, unless you've been raped, you cannot speak on the effects. You simply cannot - at all, since you know nothing about it. Doing so is ignorant, and your downplaying of rape and its associated effects is profoundly disrespectful to those who have actually been raped.

Well I could say exactly the same thing about downplaying the effects of a heavy beating. Here are some of the effects that I encountered: Feeling really extremely depressed immediately afterwards, Feeling dopey for a few days afterwards (possibly a physical effect of it though), being constantly on edge long after it happens (like looking around behind you all the time, living in fear), inability to trust others for long after it happens, flashbacks of the event triggered by things. I never downplayed the effects of rape, I simply said that they were roughly the same level of severity. Although the effects may have been increased given that it was someone that I know and trust, and not some drunk guy at a bar. In short, YOU were the one who downplayed the effects of violence; I never downplayed the effects of rape. Finally, there is nothing wrong with discussion on a bad thing you never went through, it doesn't have to mean automatic offense to everyone who did.

 

[SonicKoala]

I think the psychological effects of being raped are no worse than a violent beating.

Have you been raped lately?

No. Have you? Have you been violently beaten lately? I just can't see a logical reason why rape would do worse than a violent beating... maybe a very violent beating would be a more appropriate term but still. I mean the kind of beating when someone has you pinned against the ground and you are dreading the next punch, but you can't move you hands because their knees are pressed on your arms with all their body weight and you have to keep enduring the seemingly endless incoming punches. By the end, you are a bloody, teary mess lying on the ground. It takes a long time to get over something like that.

I don't really see how you can come to such a conclusion unless you have been raped yourself. Have you been raped? If not, how can you even begin to speculate on the psychological effects that would come from such a traumatic event?

It's easy to speculate. I mean, I know what rape IS. Someone puts their penis in you. Woop. Yes I can see how it would be humiliating and degrading, but there's no way it's the way everyone treats it, like it's a fate worse than death.

No, it is not easy to speculate. I can't even believe that you (who probably considers themselves a fairly intelligent individual) would say something so ridiculous. First off, someone is putting their penis in you against your will, so that's an important aspect you failed to mention. Furthermore, as I alluded to before, unless you've been raped, you cannot speak on the effects. You simply cannot - at all, since you know nothing about it. Doing so is ignorant, and your downplaying of rape and its associated effects is profoundly disrespectful to those who have actually been raped.

Saying that hitler was an awesome dude at parties and all those who stood in the way of his honorable deeds deserved their fate is an incredibly disrespectful thing to say due to the millions who died because of him. That doesn't stop the earlier statement from being either of the following: "controversial" or an "opinion". If you find a statement on here to be controversial to the point that it needs to be disputed I think you need to go back and read the title then check what is your issue with it being here.

Also, just so you don't go chomping on my man region for saying this, rape is bad. It's so bad that I cannot accurately imagine the mental trauma which it causes but to say it is impossible to do so is entirely unfounded given you don't know my or anyone else's imagination.

Just because something can be classified as an opinion does not mean that it is exempt from scrutiny, especially when it is so incredibly flawed and debatable as the opinion regarding rape which I responded to initially - so flawed, in fact, that it's treading that fine line between not really being an opinion, but being an outright fallacy. I also don't believe that anyone who has not been raped even has the right to hold the opinion that "Rape isn't that bad". In my mind, having an opinion necessitates having background knowledge which one can use to defend their opinion should the need arise.

 

[SillyBear]

I have to agree with you, but the truth is, during WWII Japan was an unstoppable juggernaut. They didn't know fear and they sure as hell didn't know defeat.

Unstoppable juggernaut? You do realise they lost all hope of victory at the Battle of Midway, right? That was in 1942. They were over muscled and out gunned ever since then. Their ruthless fighting was only delaying the inevitable. In fact, by July 1945 the Japanese Navy were completely unable to conduct any organised operation. I understand you were probably being hyperbole, but that's a ridiculous claim. In fact, the Japanese themselves only gave their military 16 months to beat the USA. They estimated that if it went any longer, they were defeated because their industry couldn't compete over a real war. Japan's only hope was a quick strike that would deter the USA from fighting them. You could argue Japan lost at Pearl Harbor, but Midway was a huge setback and it lost them the war.

Secondly, to suggest the Japanese did not know defeat is ludicrous. They made numerous attempts to negotiate a surrender with both Russia and the United States, however the USA wanted to control Japan and wanted the Japanese to denounce their Emperor. This was a red herring, because Truman knew full well that they would never comply. It's a fake negotiation, and you see it a few times in history. Another infamous time was during the build up to World War 1, when Austria issued ridiculous lists of demands to Serbia. You pretend like you are negotiating, but really all you are doing is making sure you give demands that your enemy won't accept. You look like you tried, but you didn't.

The United States wanted to drop the nuclear bomb on Japan, and they had every intention of doing so. They wanted to test the effects of the bomb, to flex their military power and they wanted to beat the Russians to the punch.

The Hiroshima and Nagasaki bomb supporters will often say that the atomic bomb prevented a full scale land invasion of Japan that would have killed millions more. This is A-Grade nonsense and there is not one reliable piece of evidence that indicates the Japanese governance and hierarchy would have actually fought for that long. The Japanese rulership clearly wanted out of the fight, but they wanted to go out with pride. The USA wanted Japan, they wanted to become a superpower and they sure as hell didn't want the Russians getting there first. They dropped the bomb because of this.

Negotiations could have been made, and there was not one realistic attempt of negotiation made from the USA. They kept pushing negotiations they knew the Japanese would decline to stall time and to make it appear that they tried diplomacy. They didn't. In fact, in January 1945, General MacArthur send President Roosevelt a Japanese offer to surrender. The Japanese surrender negotiations actually entailed the dissolution of the Emperor, and that he would only remain in a ceremonial role. The surrender was declined straight away. Seven months later, the exact same offer of surrender was accepted. I don't see any of this as "evil" I see it as reality, and this stuff happens. Winners win and the losers lose hard.

That's my "controversial!" opinion .

 

[The Funslinger]

.....I swear, my mind is like a mix of a utopian democracy and a stalinist dictatorship sometimes.

I agree, it sounds like a confusing mess.

Or maybe you're just... Stalin for time!

YEEEEAAAHHHH!!!

OT: I've read some very interesting subjects brought up here, so I'm glad I started this thread. (Also I got my 10,000 view badge for what it's worth.(Not much, but still.))

 

[The Funslinger]

I honestly don't know what to put down. I just like reading all the responses that people give. And most of them have to do with either reforming religion or getting rid of it entirely.

I agree, but I feel like I set mine out fairly diplomatically. However it is an overwhelming opinion here, so I'll just list other opinions of mine.

If someone is no longer able to do things for themselves/is bed ridden in perpetual suffering with no hope of recovery, they should be allowed the option of Euthanasia so they can die with dignity (it's sure as hell more dignified than wasting away in a hospital bed.) but it is entirely their choice.

I think that while guns were made as weapons of war, they are more than that. The collection of them is as justified as any other hobby, provided you can prove yourself to be an entirely sane individual. I know this website is fairly anti-gun. Really, I would want them because I like shooting targets AND find the specifics of the things to be interesting. Despite the fact that it's guns we're talking about, it's as justified as people who collect wine and don't drink it but rather store rare vintages. Another thing I have in this vein is that I train gun dogs. (The dogs I train from puppyhood to adulthood come out with a very good nature, are obedient and very friendly. Their playful nature makes them good pets, too.) This could be thought of as the same as collecting guns. People pay large amounts for a decent dog trained to do something like herd sheep or retrieve a hunter's kills.

I feel that it is easy to become a skilled sportsman than it is to become distinguished artistically or become a skilled worker in things that directly contribute to society (e.g. a science or architecture based career) ergo sports players should be paid far, far less for essentially doing something that is basically a game for a living. Certainly not enough to make them rich. However, due to sponsorships and the like, this would be difficult to achieve.

There should be increased tax deduction for families with one unemployed parent, or an approved rotation of who works and who stays home in the week. This would ideally encourage people to be better parents and so would improve society in the long run.

Edit: Got another one:

Restaurants should have a section for people bringing little children. This section would be separated off with a vacuum sealed door and sound proofing. Keep all the tantrums in one place, don't ruin the evening for the people who got babysitters.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

If I lived in America I think I would be more controversial.

-I think that the death sentence is a barbaric and stupid idea.
-I'm Pro-choice
-Civilians shouldn't have access to guns
-Children aren't scum
-Most people you meet in life really aren't that bad
-Society isn't dying any more than it ever has been

 

[Tentickles]

If you're going to advocate the execution of handicapped children, could you not quote me to do so? Thank you.

You're asking someone to limit what they are saying in a thread about controversy?
Hypocrite.

I asked them not to use me to say what they want.

Did you read the message before posting?

Why did you reply to this thread in the first place? It's bound to happen (it did) that you'll get quoted by someone and with the topic of the discussion you'll probably dislike what they are saying.

Which is why I called you a hypocrite.

 

[Chocolate Mousse]

- That it is unfair to immediately think of a person as an idiot and not worth talking to just because (s)he is religious. ( I have met plenty of perfectly nice religious people with normal IQ thank you very much.)

- Extreme Feminism is goddamn annoying.

- I find Xbox live too full of 12 year old trolls who barely understand what they're saying.

- Abortion is Murder

- Christianity and Islam (and religion overall) in themselves are not evil. I think it was Gandhi who said something like "I love Christianity, but I hate Christians.

- The internet is both the greatest and worst invention of mankind.

- I agree that there are people deserving of the death penalty.

- Humanity can never be united as one.

- WewillbetakenoverbyrobotoverlordsAUUUGGGHH!

Should make for an interesting first post

 

[Tentickles]

I don't think you understand what a hypocrite is, as you are continually using it incorrectly. That or you simply wish to insult me and are reaching for the first available word.

We are never going to make an impact on each other.
This conversation is over.

 

[Lynoxus]

Everything (even the bad) that happens in the world and the past should be made into a joke / humor.

 

[Implying I'm A Troll]

America deserved 9/11 and America and Israel are the biggest threats to world peace

Israel should be destroyed

the moderators on this site suck

 

[LightningBanks]

Mine would be that all immigrants who actually ruin my day or life (even in terms of bullying) should be kicked out of the country.

Im not racist, its not because theyre a different race, its because there are so many families wanting to get in, and they probably deserve it more if your just going to come over here and ruin peopls day/lives/etc

Then again, same goes ffor racist people.

I did have a way better one thats always on my mind, but for the love of the escapist I just cant remember it