HIIII! JUST MESSEGE ME HERE! (ROFL)

Harry Potter MSNBC poll edit

I can't find a link to it. If could show me where you saw it, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you. Serendipodous 01:02, 18 December 2009 (UTC)Reply

Oh, sorry; it's an online poll- those are never very reliable. I don't think I can include it. Thanks for trying though. Serendipodous 01:37, 18 December 2009 (UTC)Reply
Funny; lots of people say it's too biased against Christians. :) I suppose it's how you read it. Serendipodous 01:45, 18 December 2009 (UTC)Reply

Regarding Theistic Satanism edit

I have made the statement less definate. People are allowed to declare their religion on their userpages, I have seen a few Satanists of various kinds editing different articles. Ian.thomson (talk) 02:18, 18 December 2009 (UTC)Reply

Wikipedia is not a forum. Discussion is to further the quality of articles in some way. I am interested in the occult just as I am interested in a variety of religious and mythological topics. Information about what people believe doesn't offend me. Even if I do not hold those beliefs, those beliefs are an aspect of creation. You can locate Wikipedians that identify themselves as Satanists here. Ian.thomson (talk) 21:58, 18 December 2009 (UTC)Reply

If someone tries to ban you for religious reasons, then you can report it here. Being a Satanist is not a bannable offense, or even an offense. Anyone with a banhammer isn't likely to keep it long if they were to ban for that sort of reason. Ian.thomson (talk) 22:21, 18 December 2009 (UTC)Reply

I will put my explanation of why I am a Christian on my user page, since it would be rather long for something on talk page not related to an article. Ian.thomson (talk) 22:41, 18 December 2009 (UTC)Reply

I've updated my userpage, sorry for the wait. Ian.thomson (talk) 23:20, 18 December 2009 (UTC)Reply

Wikipedia is not for proselytizing. You are welcome to discuss your beliefs on your page (which is on my watchlist), but editor's beliefs are generally to be ignored unless they are certainly causing a conflict of interest (and only if this is definately so, not just maybe, because we must always assume good faith). Ian.thomson (talk) 20:02, 19 December 2009 (UTC)Reply

Ian is correct. as a Satanist, i can assist you in coming to speed in Wikipedia if you would like that, lotamikadoshi. it is a cyber-encyclopedic project by volunteers. discussions of the type to which you may be used, vying for ideology, or contending as to 'realities' or arguing for the value of your religious practices, are all fairly unrelated to the overall activities for which we are assembled. that said, if they lead you to become interested in the wider topic of Satanism at large and you wish to contribute to the construction of the variety of Satanism pages at wiki, then the talk pages will be places to discuss what these generalizations include, and, if things improve, spots where citations may be provided to justify the roiling claims circulating through the pages. good luck. I applaud the interests of theistic Satanists and support you in your actions.-- self-ref (nagasiva yronwode) (talk) 18:02, 6 April 2010 (UTC)Reply

Regarding watchlists edit

Watchlists aren't a bad thing, they're just used to see if new changes have been made. For example, I have the article Armilus on my watchlist so I'll know if AnonMoos adds in some info we've been talking about bringing in. Some other editors and I keep our user pages on each other's watchlist so that we can revert any vandalism done by other editors (usually IP vandals). There's nothing wrong with having your userpage on someone's watchlist. Ian.thomson (talk) 20:18, 19 December 2009 (UTC)Reply

Just curious edit

What made you think I was secretly a Satanist? Ian.thomson (talk) 20:26, 19 December 2009 (UTC)Reply

Most people are taught to be part of the crowd. In the west, the crowd pretends to be Christian. If Constantine wasn't born, the crowd would pretend to be Mithraist, or perhaps Muslim (which is what the crowd pretends to be in other parts of the world). The crowd isn't actually Christian, Muslim, or whatever, because an individual must choose to be a part of a religion. One means the crowd uses to draw people into it is to tell some potential members "hey, don't be a part of us, follow the exact same system we do, but in reverse," encouraging potential rebels to still follow the crowd's system. A study of advertising shows a great example of this: MTV advertises rebelliousness to the youth, but they're just as corporate as AIG. Burger King says "have it your way," but they mean "have it your way within our system." Also, faith (be it in YHWH, Brahman, the self, George Bush, Belial, or whatever) being strong does not mean that it is correct (this is true for me as well, there's nothing to say the Omega Point will ever happen). Ian.thomson (talk) 20:38, 19 December 2009 (UTC)Reply

In Europe and America (the West), the crowd has mostly claimed to be Christian. I am not like most Western Christians, my views are more individualist. Most of the people I've met that assumed I was a Satanist thought that because I believed Christianity should be something to empower the individual instead of a culture (especially since I didn't match their cultural definition of Christianity). I actually am a Christian, though. My above comments are pretty much taken straight from a hero of mine, Soren Kierkegaard. Ian.thomson (talk) 23:37, 21 December 2009 (UTC)Reply

I like humanity, whatever ethnicity it may manifest as. Ian.thomson (talk) 22:25, 22 December 2009 (UTC)Reply

Japan managed to successfully sneak attack America's base at Pearl Harbor, but all interaction against US for the rest of the war was pretty much the US being extremely vicious. Japan cooperated with Hitler's Nazi Germany. All nations make mistakes. I do not believe there is a "greatest" nation, but that different nation have different good points. To say that one nation is the greatest means that other nations are not so great. As for strongest, Japan no longer has a proper military (although America should allow them to have their own military now, the war has been over a long time). It is an admirable nation, but World War 2 is not exactly the best thing to bring up. Miyamoto Musashi, Akira Kurosawa, and the concept of wabi-sabi are admirable. Even the Yakuza are admirable in their own way. I even admire the Kamikazi pilots to some extent, just not the war that was being fought. Ian.thomson (talk) 23:29, 22 December 2009 (UTC)Reply

Regarding nationalism, and what Wikipedia is for edit

It isn't an issue of religion, it is about nationalism. I find the attitude of "our nation is #1" a bit narrow, regardless of what nation it is. It is because I am a liberal that I do not like nationalism. Wikipedia is an encyclopedia, not a social networking site. This site is not for drawing any member to any ideology, whether it is nationalism or a religion. Ian.thomson (talk) 02:48, 13 January 2010 (UTC)Reply

There is a difference between stating one's opinion and attempting to turn others to it. Ian.thomson (talk) 01:12, 14 January 2010 (UTC)Reply

Great plans edit

The distribution of information, such as when I edit Wikipedia and when I start teaching, all brings the world closer to the Omega Point. That is enough participation in a great plan for me. Ian.thomson (talk) 22:57, 22 January 2010 (UTC)Reply

I didn't remove any messages. Also, do not proselytize edit

As you can see here, I didn't do anything to your message. It is Angeldramos's right to remove messages from pages as he pleases, as can be seen here. Wikipedia is not a social networking site. I am not saying this because of your religion, I have had a number of articles started by Christian groups deleted for the same reason I am going to tell you this: do not proselytize on Wikipedia, or I will report you. This is not Facebook. Also, at no point have I ever claimed to be an administrator. You are free to try point out where I ever said I was.Ian.thomson (talk) 00:05, 5 February 2010 (UTC)Reply

(Some content removed) edit

Oh, and since I'm a practicing Christian, and, despite my disgust at Satanism, I wish to show you what is the right way:

Satanism Contact edit

I'm sorry it took me so long to get back to you (since January!), but i have revisited your post to my talk page today while waiting for contact from other Satanists that i am networking information with via Wikipedia in hopes of possible coalition to construct valuable wiki pages on the subject. on my talk page you asked:

Are you or are you not interested in any way about practicing Satanic worship in real life?...
no, i have my own worship, and i am a Satanist by my lights, but i am allied with Satanists of all types and attempting to serve Satan and Satanists with your interests to get a better approximation of the real world, and be seen for what you are in real life. if you have an interest in this service, or in networking here in Wikipedia or coordinating with me on the variety of pages now percolating on Satanism here, then contact me by posting here or on my talk page and i'll do what i can to be more quick of response. thanks for your patience.-- self-ref (nagasiva yronwode) (talk) 17:51, 6 April 2010 (UTC)Reply

Hey edit

Mr. Iotamikadoshi...I don't understand. I wasn't like, forcing you to convert, really, just commenting that it would maybe be better if you stopped forcing your views onto others...and now, this Satanist reverend (the two of you are probably friends here, right?) are trying to get me banned? I was just trying to send a WikiSmile...how it came to this, I don't know... Celestialwarden11 (talk) 22:23, 9 April 2010 (UTC)Reply

Know that you no longer have any permission whatsoever to go as far as actually leave a message on this talk page, my talk page. I have no interest in speaking with you, only those whom share my own interests. However, your sickening messages may yet be forgiven should you choose to practice my faith; if you do, it is even possible that your account will not be suspended for the time being. If not, do not ever contact me again. Iotamikadoshi (talk) 20:38, 13 April 2010 (UTC)Reply
Nobody needs permission to leave messages on your talk page. You can delete them if you wish. Please stop making empty threats of suspension against a well intentioned editor who is only trying to spread some friendship around. Some of your recent posts seem close to harrassment.--Charles (talk) 22:12, 13 April 2010 (UTC)Reply

Following your latest uncivil message to Ian I have reported it to ANI.--Charles (talk) 08:58, 14 April 2010 (UTC)Reply

Know that I, Iotamikadoshi, shall seek to advance my own cause elsewhere, and I shall contact both Ian.thomson and Celestialwarden11 no more on Wikipedia. I no longer have any interest here; after today, if this issue is dropped, I swear that no more edits shall be made by me here, to other users especially. Thank you.

Re: Hello edit

Greetings, Iotamikadoshi. A couple of things in response to your comment on my talk page.

First, I have no quarrel with the members of any religious group based merely on that membership. I feel that Wikipedia is better off for having the most diverse user base it can possibly get, so in that regard, the more groups that participate, the better.

The challenge comes from getting all those groups to work together harmoniously. It stands to reason that, for example, articles about Palestine will be edited passionately by Jews and Muslims. As long as they are willing to act in a civil manner toward each other, that's a good thing. When the situation descends to name calling and attacks on other editors on the basis of their religion, then it's a problem.

So, I agree with you that just as Christians dislike devil worshippers and/or Satanists, so too do Satanists dislike Christians. However, you don't have to like somebody to work harmoniously with them. That said, working harmoniously generally means not doing anything to taunt or harass them—and rubbing one of the above religions into the face of a practitioner of the other would count as harassment. (I'd even go further and say that any unsolicited talk page message inviting somebody to serve the Dark Lord/be Born Again/get Touched by His Noodly Appendage is ill-advised, with persistent such messages to the same user being clear harassment.)

As I noted at User talk:Celestialwarden11, I didn't trace the full arc of the messages, since it looks like it stretches back over two months. However, as far as I can tell, it does appear that Celestialwarden11 left the first such message—but (s)he was not the last one to leave such a message. I stepped in there when I did because of the nature of the messages that were left at that page, specifically the comments about all of said editor's edits being disruptive. The thread on that talk page had gone far enough, and in my capacity as an administrator, I felt it was time to stop it. After commenting there, I looked at your contributions overall and felt it was a one-off occurrence, the message I'd already left was enough to handle things, and that there was nothing else that warranted a specific warning to you.

Which brings us to User:Charlesdrakew's AN/I report. The report was made in good faith: he saw an incident that he thought should be looked at by administrators. Since I'd already acted in regards to this incident, I replied with a description of what I'd done—and that I felt no sanctions needed to be taken against any involved editor, so long as they all go on about their editing. So, as to whether the report was reasonable, it was a legitimate, good-faith report, but I don't think it required any action.

In conclusion, remember that when it's all said and done, this is an encyclopedia. The Wikimedia Foundation has set this up, and the community has set up its guidelines based on the WP:Five Pillars. "When in another's lair, show them respect or else do not go there"; however, based on your comments at the AN/I thread, you're willing to respect the guidelines of Wikipedia. Based on that, I offer my regret that you received some messages that were uncivil, and I again welcome you to Wikipedia and encourage you to participate in building the encyclopedia here, whether it be through assisting the Wikipedia:WikiProject Religion/Left Hand Path work group or through working on any other set of articles that interests you. —C.Fred (talk) 00:30, 15 April 2010 (UTC)Reply