Walkaboutsverse or whoever the current Mudcat scapegoat is.

Don't know anything about MSBGeorge, but I do know Walkaboutsverse, who was dealt with purely in terms of his published manifesto in an effort to educate him on its innumerable errors both factual and ideological. The last thread that attempted to do this was The re-Imagined Village which remains my favourite ever Mudcat thread - good humoured banter in an open celebration of common culture with a view to enlighten someone who has got it so completely wrong.

The X in Xmas is exactly the same X as in the chi-ro, though it might be regarded as an essential secular shorthand. I think Xtian was first used by John Betjeman - I've also seen Xan, but use Xtian myself. My only problem with Xtians is their belief that the rest of us are going to hell and the sort of righteous pomposity this gives rise to. Georgiansilver's last two posts are a perfect example of: I am really happy with my life and my lifestyle... are you....????.... no... are you really??? What is the point of your existence? Why are you here???   I know why I am... do you???

It's this sort of inane superstitious bullshit that needs moderating; in fact, any form of evangelising really ought to be regarded as a hate-crime and the perpetrators punished accordingly. Otherwise I've no problem with religion as a cultural / folkloric phenomenon and happily accept any individual of any faith into my home, but once they start to preach they will be evicted with extreme prejudice against the notion that truth is to be found anywhere else but in the collective heart of humanity. Just a shame there's so much other crap in there too...

S O'P