Aspiring Pastor Drowns on Honeymoon in Florida: '3 Days of Wedded Bliss Turned into a Nightmare'

Are we supposed to be sad?

He's a cute twink.

Bummer.

He peed in me.

[quote]“Yesterday afternoon while at the beach the Lord decided to call my husband Dalton to come home to him,” Cheyenne Hedrick, 22, said of the incident on Facebook.

Does the Lord go to the beach very often?

Another go fund me. SMDH.

I've been to this beach. It's lovely.

I hope they use some of the GFM money for her to take some English classes.

“Myself,” “Pray for I”?

WTF?

However I only go in shallow water as I am scared of sea beasts.

who gets married during mercury retrograde?

Well at least he got to have sex before he died, thankfully this was after the wedding instead of before.

Three days and he was sick of her shit already.

1 less Trump vote and lifetime of shaming others for their “sins”.

Come on people, where the are the obligatory thoughts and prayers?

I took a bath just a week ago -- this could have been ME!!!

I'm getting Leave Her to Heaven vibes

Thoughts and prayers....

He was a hot piece of ass!

Jesus needed another angel!

I'm sorry for them. What a tragedy, and so young.

But, damn, you guys make me laugh!

[quote]I hope they use some of the GFM money for her to take some English classes. “Myself,” “Pray for I”?

This is what happens when you're education is from Christian schools

God is so great that he will snuff you out like a match whenever he feels like it! Maybe he didn't like the young man's pastoring style.

After hearing the way she speaks, I guess the ocean was looking pretty good. That boy escaped a lifetime of stupidity, not least his own for going to a fucking Bible college.

[quote] —Mrs. Joanne Floursack, Mayonnaise, Kansas

Joanne, are you going to bring your famous Mayonnaise Squares to the wake?

They are absolutely divine!

R17 ...but he couldn’t live forever

Dalton!

What a cutie...

Adorbs..

You know the honeymoon sex wasn't very good.

I could have made him feel REAL good, R28!

He barely looks pubescent.

She killed his ass. Mark my words. She saw how tiny that dick was and decided he had to go. Bet her next husband has an unfortunate end as well.

She looks absolutely desperate in R25 and R26 pics

He was as average as can be. Weak jawline. No sex appeal whatsoever.

Agree, R32.

She was all over his ass, and probably couldn't wait until the honeymoon.

Bitch must be PISSED that she got three days of cock and has to go hunt for a new stud.

Take lots of cold showers, honey, because it's gonna be years before you get to have sex again!

Most "aspiring pastors" are known for being ass up and blindfolded in a cheap motel for a pump 'n dump.

[quote] This is what happens when you're education is from Christian schools

If so, then you too are a Christian school graduate.

I've been to that beach many times. I guess there probably should be more PSA and awareness about how to swim in the ocean without getting caught in the current or riptide and how to ride it out.

$30,000? WTF does she need $30,000 for a funeral for?

Someone should check if there was a new insurance policy purchased recently

This could definitely be an episode on Forensic Files

What SPF does the Lord use?

Horrible news - a friend of mine went through the same thing. They were in Puerto Vallarta, swam out a bit from the beach, then his boyfriend had a heart attack and my friend had to drag his dead body to shore. He was 42.

Go on vacation with your love and return a widow.

People who know absolutely nothing about the ocean should never swim in it.

R4, all the time. He leaves his size 14 footprints in the sand.

Too bad Jesus didn't walk him right off that water.

R36 Why, because they don't teach swimming there and one should be Christ like and walk on water?

She kilt him dead. You was in danger, Dalton. Now you just dead.

He was cute. She needs braces.

You may kiss the tide.

Ebb Tide's revenge

This reminds me of that newlywed couple who were kayaking in the Hudson River and she hit him over the head with the oars until he went under. I hope they are treating her like a murder suspect.

I'd lay odds that she drowned him. She looks like a murderous bitch.

She’s a snaggletoothed goon

R46, you used the wrong form of "you're" in your initial post at R20. You should have used "your".

You wrote:

[quote]This is what happens when you're education is from Christian schools

And it should have been:

[quote]This is what happens when your education is from Christian schools

And I am NOT the guy who originally responding to you, just explaining your mistake that the other poster was snarking about.

[quote]She killed his ass. Mark my words. She saw how tiny that dick was and decided he had to go. Bet her next husband has an unfortunate end as well.

She killed him .... but because during the honeymoon, she found gay porn on his phone.

W&W for R49!

I hope she uses “Kiss the Tide” as the title for her autobiography.

I'm hysterically laughing at R51 for some reason, so I must belong here.

Why didn’t the lord save him? I guess he had hidden sin.

Daniel Vance is quite the toothy KWEEN! (see linked video)

And i can't snark about these two bible bangers. What a nightmare for her, he new husband pulling her down into the sea. Then popping up, near death, with his eyes rolled back. Christ! I suppose survival instinct kicks in but still she's got some grit to survive.

So he couldn't swim or he had a heart attack at 22? Something doesn't hold water.

Did you read the article? Yeah, he wasn't swimming so well in the strong current and was probably panicking. The drowning and oxygen depletion caused the cardiac event. Twat.

R60, he held water pretty well, though.

This is very sad. A happy young guy with his whole life in front of him. Freak undertow, I mean do you know anyone who drowned this way? Terrible.

Maybe he faked his own death knowing his whole life was a lie. Did they find his body?

He died due to filthy sin.

That’s a shame. ™

R64 read the damned article.

[quote]"Please pray for I."

Who is this illiterate bitch--Lorelai Lee?

Did she realize he was gay after she found Streisand's "Wet" album on his iPod?

It was suicide. He heard about Faye Dunaway. He wasn't going to have it.

Is she back on ChristianMingle yet?

This sounds like she killed him.

[Quote]“She attempted to assist him, but was unable to help him due to him pulling her under,”

Translation: she kicked him away.

All of you making fun of this situation are going to hell!!

R74, I’ve got booze in my hand basket.

Her statement is fishy (haha). I don’t know how you’d kill someone that way, but maybe it was a happy accident for her. She seems rather thrilled with her “widow at 22!” status.

I feel really bad for her as I can't imagine how difficult this must be but how did people manage before GoFundMe? how were they able to pay for things on their own? why does every tragedy today have a GoFundMe page attached to it? There are some things that I think it is great for but for others I think people should learn to manage on their own.

He was a random twink. He won’t be missed.

Horrible anal hygiene.

[quote]She seems rather thrilled with her “widow at 22!” status.

Ah, what people won’t do for attention nowadays.

I was looking at old newspapers once. I saw a wedding announcement in one column. Elsewhere on the same page was a death notice. The guy hung himself in his barn. As for the bride, I don’t think you ever get over that.

R76, lots of people did not purchase grave markers until later, even much later, because of the expense. This twink might be deposited in his grandparent’s plot.

Plots are typically a couple grand, though could be anything, of course. Cremation is cheaper, but you still have to pay for a place to put the remains.

[quote]The guy hung himself in his barn. As for the bride, I don’t think you ever get over that.

I’ll bet she was under that at some point.

[quote]I was looking at old newspapers once. I saw a wedding announcement in one column. Elsewhere on the same page was a death notice. The guy hung himself in his barn.

That groom sounds like Stephanie Weir's character in that MadTV sketch.

Did he realize that he preferred pole, not hole?

I had nothing to do with it, but if it helps her cope mmm'kay.

Is our children learning??

One pastor down. Lots to go.

What a beautiful day it will be when we are free of them all.

I SWEAR this was an episode of Murder She Wrote.

They seem like such a cute couple.

[quote]Well at least he got to have sex before he died, thankfully this was after the wedding instead of before.

Not necessarily. You don't know some of those sheltered Christian women.

LOL!

Can’t say I’d blame them. After years of hearing how awful it is and all the ways you’d be punished for doing it and no doubt getting total lies presented as Sex Ed....would you hop into bed and go from holding hands and pecks to full intercourses in one night? I wouldn’t and the few people I know who were raised Christian either had a horrendous wedding night that messed up their sex life for months/years or they were smart enough to go slow and work through the bases over time. These don’t seem too bright though.

I know they’re all over the south but I still find it hard to look at the words Bible School and accept that they actually exist.....and people go.......and think it’s a legitimate way to educate young people.

Wait Bible Schools are school schools? I thought they were just for religious study and the kids went to regular school?

Christian Homeschoolers tend to on to bible school and most kids who go to bible schools go not receive any other third level education because normal colleges and universities are “of the world” and will turn them into feminist commies. There’s bible study which is an hour on Sunday morning religious education but bible schools and divinity schools are “third level” with many issuing degrees that would get the graduate laughed out of a job interview at any legitimate company. Lucky for them the boys go on to pastoring or the family business and girls become stay at home moms.

He was fucking cute. His widow is a dog.

Being Christian extremists, I bet she got pregnant on their honeymoon.

The dramatic scene...

MAN, drowning: "Help me! I can't breathe!"

WOMAN: *Kicks him hard in the stomach and pushes away* I have to save... I'S BABY!

MAN: *Gurgle ...itch...*

WOMAN: *Gives one last, vicious, kick and casually swims to shore*

WOMAN: Help! Help! *Snort stifled guffaw* Help!

Poor kids.

Also, St Augustine has the ugliest beach in Florida.

[quote]Also, St Augustine has the ugliest beach in Florida.

They're from Iowa, what do they know? Their church probably paid for the most budget vacation they could find. I bet the girl doesn't even have life insurance on him.

R99 Of course shedoesnt, what poor 22 year old has a policy. 22 year olds with policies have better honeymoons than a so-so part of Florida.

The church will “take care of her” and continue to preach against a social security net.

[quote]The church will “take care of her”

The church won't take care of her. They're already interviewing pastor replacements. Who does she think she is, Jackie Kennedy? She's lucky if the church puts her belongings in storage, at her expense, instead of lining them up on the side of the street. They have to get that parsonage ready for the next pastoral family.

That’s why it’s in “ “ but the church will take care of you is how they get poor people to vote against their own interests. If you knew how many devout Christians have no insurance, no savings and only one wage earner and are certain that God will provide through the church.....it’s terrifying. But the pastors convince them it’s better than involving the gov’ment.

pathetic...I feel sorry for her. Sad story all around

Isn't there some dishy pastor who we've discussed? Killed his wife or something? Maybe someone on DL could give her his name and address?

r104, that would be Davy Blackburn, who cashed in and retired from pastoring. This gal is going to have to wait for him to kill off his new wife though before she gets a shot.

[quote]This gal is going to have to wait for him to kill off his new wife though before she gets a shot.

She may not have to wait long if Davy goes out for a jog.

Davy retired from pastoring?

[quote]Davy retired from pastoring?

Pffffffft. Who needs to put up with the shit of pastoring when you have a big insurance payout? One can just sit around and write bullshit books and show up on tv shows as a "grief expert" or "crisis survivor."

Granted I was raised Catholic and disavowed that (May cloud my thinking) but I cannot fathom allowing some goofy looking, poorly educated doofus in khaki pants to be my authority....on anything. Are people that desperate for some kind of guidance? I believe people go to these guys for counselling, marriage therapy, addiction support. Mind boggling.

Good. One less rightwing crazy religious lunatic on Earth.

I wonder if he knocked her up during their three day marriage.

Wow, his go fund me is over $30,000. That’s a lot, but it so little, form a practical perspective. Such a shame.

[quote] Are people that desperate for some kind of guidance? I believe people go to these guys for counselling, marriage therapy, addiction support. Mind boggling.

How wrong you is...

These days, pastors tell their congregants to take their therapy problems to a therapist.

What they're desperate for is someone to work 60+ hours per week, 7 days per week: visiting sick people in the hospital, visiting the heavies in the church, doing all the lifecycle events (marriages, youth events, baptisms, funerals, etc), while doing shit like managing the janitors (if they have one). And the wife is expected to work at the church for free or the church ladies will rip her a new asshole.

A lot of these small churches get into arrears paying their pastors until the big rush of donations from Christmas pours in.

[quote] Wow, his go fund me is over $30,000. That’s a lot, but it so little, form a practical perspective.

I would guess this is because of the news coverage--and not mostly from their flock.

She’s 22 with no kids. She was a wife for 3 days. What does she want or deserve a pile of free money for? If he dumped her last week she wouldn’t have had a pay day. If he left her next year she’d be SOL. He dies and people think she deserve a 6 figure payout? Get her ass back in school and get a job.

What funeral for a young kid costs $30,000?

R116, I don’t think they charge by age.

A memorial stone could be $5000 without too much frill. They would have, perhaps, gone into debt paying for the wedding and honeymoon. If they had a reception with food, it could cost $5000 or $10000 for that. Would it be too much to give her $10,000 cash as a parting gift?

They probably went into debt for paying for the wedding. His student loans are now her problem. Plus the funeral.

[quote] If he dumped her last week she wouldn’t have had a pay day.

You only need to read this sentence to know that the person who wrote it is an asshole.

Those type of Christians do not go into debt for weddings.

hahahahaha. 30,000 for a memorial. She's no dummy. Gofundme's are hilarious.

The whole funeral industry is a scam . Millions of acres devoted to storing dead people that no one ever goes to see. My family kicked out untold 1000s to bury my grandparents.14 years later Im the ONLY one who still visits and changes the flowers. I still say this bitch offed him.

I put out $600 for a memorial for my grandparents. They died in the 1930s and 1940s, and I never met them, but it was out of respect for my late father and his late sisters. There’s a bit more of a story to it, but no matter.

I also do genealogy research and felt that they deserved to be acknowledged as being buried there. I wouldn’t have spread for it, if I weren’t older with a little disposable income.

My Grandpa Otto lacks a marker, but due to cemetery specifications, it would be much more expensive. Maybe $2000 to $5000, for a simple marker, and I don’t have that much disposable cash for such a thing. My brother independently thought he’d do likewise, but also couldn’t justify the expense.

Any sob story gets a gofundme these days. Like the 2 year old who shot himself with Granny's gun. Yeah, let me reward you for killing your grandchild. Its pathetic

My Irish brother in law is sucked into this hell of circular charitable drives. It’s like that horrible thing we go through in the office, where everybody gets stuck funding other kids’ sports teams, or summer camps, or pet walk-a-thons, or half-marathon events, except worse, because he seems to pay larger sums of money, frequently, on more serious events that he has to pretend he cares about.

Like, an acquaintance’s brother dies. What was once “a very private matter” (ty, Beth Jarrett.), now becomes an event where the size of the go-fund-me account defines the person’s life’s worth.

I mention my BIL’s Irish lineage because they seem to have a high regard for peer pressure, keeping up with the neighbors, and exaggerated sense of shame.

The Widow Bride is going to milk this for all its worth.

What is it about Florida and dying husbands?

[quote]her husband tragically drowned

I hate the overuse of “tragically” these days. Just presenting the facts makes the point that it was tragic, readers don’t need to be told how to feel.

As opposed to, “her husband happily drowned”? What about, “comically drowned? Or “unexpectedly, and mysteriously drowned”?

My sister and I had a serious debate as to whether my father died “suddenly”, or “unexpectedly”, for the obit. I could accept “suddenly”, but how “unexpected” is it for a 90 year old to have a heart attack? I think I gave up, since historical accuracy was of secondary concern. Sometimes, though, there’s some nonsense where you just have to put your foot down.

R111 Seven months from now she will give birth to a big, black baby and claim it is Daltons. Another GFM page will be listed and she will receive all sorts of blessings from his christian congregation.

R129 "Her husband drowned" would be the preferred wording. A death by drowning is already tragic so you don't need to add "tragically". I wouldn't even put "accidentally" because it's presumed a person didnt drown intentionally, and if they did or were murdered, you wouldn't say they drowned, you'd say they were murdered, or they committed suicide.

I like “her husband seriously drowned.”

[quote]They seem like such a cute couple.

*seemed.

Fixed that for you.

Husbands die every day, Dolores. Why... one is probably dying right now while you're sitting here weeping. They die... and leave their wives their money. I should know, shouldn't I? Sometimes they're driving home from their mistress's apartment and their brakes suddenly fail. An accident, Dolores, can be an unhappy woman's best friend.

I wouldn't be surprised if the widow says her husband "drownded"/

I's in mourning, y'all! Have sum respext! GoFundMe!

God was sending a message.

“Maybe it’s a good thing, if God wills it? Well, I have to trust that it is. Fiddle-d-dee”.

R38, have you ever planned a funeral??

R139, there are cheaper ways to do it. Cremation is the best. Do these evangelicals allow that? Then, you don’t deposit the ashes anywhere. You keep them on a self, and don’t bury them. Maybe you go on vacation to St. Augustine in a year and dump them in the ocean. So, maybe $2000 for cremation, then $2000 for the vacation. Then $1000 for the service? Maybe $5000 in student debt and $2500 in wedding expenses? That comes to $12,500. That’s all guesswork, and if she chooses these options.

We picked my Mom’s casket out solely because it was black and matched her hair color. Really dumb. It was the most expensive model, too. What a waste. If my siblings actually read my instructions before my future services are over, and that’s a big if, I write that they should buy the cheapest model available. In my state, a burial requires a casket, inside of a liner. The liner is not cheap, and prevents the casket from water intrusion and contact with the soil. It’s like a concrete sarcophagus.

[quote] Maybe $5000 in student debt

Oh my sides!

Faith Bible College costs 17k PER YEAR.

Oh well, she won’t need a subscription to Covenant Eyes now.

Will she have her vagina sealed back up, now that it's no longer in use?

It’s ironic that right when writing skills were at their lowest, the internet gets invented and it becomes important again to know the difference between “our” and “are”, etc., or face social embarrassment.

You do not insult I! Me is offended!

They had their wedding night. They certainly did the deed on their wedding night. It is incumbent upon evangelicals to make more children to brainwash for Jeezus.

Now that this young woman has tasted of dick, can anything hold her back? I think we have an incipient Blanche Dubois on our hands. Lock up the children.

Oh, sorry about that last bit. Pee Brain has that covered.

Don’t these people have barn animals to emulate? They must know about sex on that basis. Or are farms too rare in Des Moines, or Kansas City, or wherever?

Why didn't God part the sea for Dalton to walk safely to shore? Why couldn't Dalton walk on water? Perhaps she couldn't help Dalton because she could barely walk from being fucked stupid the night before. In any case, it's a cause to celebrate, one less Christian and one less pastor in the world!!!

Surprises me no end when these daft Christian creatures still believe in their god after bad things happen to them. They're either tremendously wet behind the ears or their god is a complete cunt.

He just works in mysterious ways!

Any don’t they think dead people are better off anyway because they’re home with Jesus so they twist it into he was so special God called him home early.

In all fairness, though, one must recognize that life is full of hardship, death, and even terror and horror. It’s not fair, and the bad prosper while the good suffer, much of the time. Once you acknowledge this to be a feature, not a bug, then you should understand that everybody gets shit upon, in unequal allocation, and there’s nothing special about anybody, that they should somehow avoid their share of sadness.

God isn't like a genie that grants wishes to good boys and girls. If you’re lucky, and you survive, He gives you strength to withstand these hardships. He grants patience, forbearance, persistence, courage, and other virtues. But He’s not taking you down off your cross. The faithful believe that intercession is possible, but nobody is so special that they should ever expect it.

I know we’re indulging in black humor here, but all these comments seeming to assert that the failure of God to save some ignorant twink from drowning should somehow discredit Christianity, simply misunderstands Christianity entirely.

Besides, perhaps God did intercede. Perhaps he saved the girl from drowning as well? Since we’re speculating on the unknowable, I mean.

Why didn’t Jesus help him?

[Quote] God isn't like a genie that grants wishes to good boys and girls.

Yet people pray to God for even the most mundane things —“please let me pass this test!”

Yes, R153, they do. It doesn’t work, does it?

R152, you missed my point, in R151.

Just think for a moment. God’s own Son prayed:

[quote] Father: "…if it be possible, let this cup pass from me …" (Matthew 26:39). The NLT refers to it as "this cup of suffering." The "cup" is a symbolic reference to the suffering and anguish that Jesus was about to endure. Jesus would be required to drink the entirety of the cup, knowing how bitter and difficult it would be, Jesus adds, "nevertheless, not as I will, but thy will be done," which shows His total submission to God's will.

God did not lower his own Son off the Cross, even when He begged for it, so it’s not much of a surprise that He let this boy drown.

Depicted: God’s view of the Crucifixion as depicted by Dali. It’s one of my favorite paintings.

Doesn’t Dali capture a terrific sadness in his painting? I have a small copy of it in my house.

What a sadistic thing that the Christian God is. Demanding human sacrifice to salve some adoration complex of his?

While I lack the medical credentials to diagnose God, still I can state to a reasonable degree of observational and auditory certainty, based upon what his hallucinogenic cultists attest to, is that he's one mean SOB.

I just read she had a positive pregnancy test. She’s also decided to abort the baby because it would painfully remind her of him. I personally think it’s because she thinks no other man will want “sloppy seconds” and a step kid with a dead daddy to constantly explain about.

r157 where did you read this?

[quote] all these comments seeming to assert that the failure of God to save some ignorant twink from drowning should somehow discredit Christianity, simply misunderstands Christianity entirely.

We have free will. Some times, that's free will to be stupid.

Don't fight rip currents. Let them pull you out, and then swim horizontal to the shore.

There was a horrible story a few years ago about an entire family that was killed by a rip tide. First, the dog got sucked in. The teenager swam in to save the dog. The father swam in to save the kid. Some other family went after the father. Guess who survived from the whole group? The dog.

So the dog had the natural instinct to swim horizontal to shore? Where did he live afterwards?

oh r151, why do you bother coming on here? We're all a bunch of Christian -loathing atheists on DL. And unless you're celibate you're a hypocrite if you're a Christian. Your people have caused us immeasurable pain and continue to do so. In the west, Christianity is the root of all homophobia

Xavier, darling, I know you mean well, but you are in the wrong place to try to talk about Christianity in a positive light, seriously. Most of us are atheists, and mostly because we've seen the hypocrisy and evil in a LOT of Christians.

Hell, I stopped believing in "God" at age 5, because my Roman Catholic grandmother told me to pray in hopes that it would make my abusive alcoholic piece of shit father stop beating us all up, so I prayed and prayed but nothing changed, so I quickly figured out that either A) your alleged God doesn't exist, or B) he *does* exist but he's a fucking sadistic psychopath so why the hell would I worship him?

So yeah, you're barking up the wrong tree, dude.

[quote]Is she back on ChristianMingle yet?

She thought she'd give Plenty Of Fish a try.

Footprints in the Sand ... During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you out to the sea and drownt you.

[quote]Yesterday afternoon while at the beach the Lord decided to call my husband Dalton to come home to him,”

Apparently it was a collect call.

You Data Lounge bitches are shallow. If OP had included a hotter photo of the dead boy, there would have been much more weeping and wailing in this thread.

I hope she threw him some good hot fucks while he was still around to enjoy them. Not that I approve of heterosexuality, mind you.

Yup. He had potential.

[quote]Yesterday afternoon while at the beach the Lord decided to call my husband Dalton to come home to him,”

By killing him in the most agonizing way possible that will emotionally scar his wife for the rest of her life, instead of , you know, letting him die peacefully in his sleep....

Ha, ha!

I'm sorry for laughing and chucking off at them. They've been brainwashed, probably since childhood. It's not their fault but as adults they do have the choice to walk away from the nonsense that is religion.

R161, R162, thank you for your respectful comments. I do understand what you’re saying. But seriously, when the thread is about religion, you shouldn’t be surprised or upset to read disagreeable posts.

As a Liberal and scientist, I believe it important and necessary to be truthful and factual. I expect my news sources, for example, to report the facts, omitting nothing pertinent, whatever it shows. It’s fine when they vier into opinion, as long as they are clear that they are doing so. The same, when they use facts to draw conclusions or speculate.

Likewise, my post at R151 has two facets, religious belief, and certifiable facts. They are quite different.

I don’t expect the majority of people here to believe what I do about religion. I know there are some who do, more or less, but neither case changes what I believe. If I describe my beliefs, it doesn’t mean I am trying to convert anyone. I am not responsible for the Inquisition and I do not personally empower pedophiles.

As for facts, there are certain facts associated with Christianity that are often misrepresented on DataLounge. For example, Christians are often lumped together into one big group of Gay-haters. In fact, you need only attend a single Pride parade to see tons of Gay-affirmative churches and synagogues. Even the Catholics have subversive sects that are Gay-supportive and some composed seemingly entirely of Gay men. And Catholics have very little in common with Churches such as this twink’s. These are [bold] facts. [/bold] I do get exasperated when people misrepresent the facts, especially repeatedly, so I may occasionally write to correct these falsehoods.

So, the point in R151 that I addressed more delicately there, is that it is an unsophisticated and childish notion that God, if he existed, would have saved this boy because, what, because you judge the boy to be so entitled? The [bold] fact [/bold] that I was addressing is that this is not how Christian belief works for most people. You may not have a Christian belief, and that’s your business and I’m not suggesting you change it, but you are factually incorrect if you think that this kid’s drowning does anything to discredit Christian belief, because that is not how Christian belief works.

Besides, much of this Christian-bashing seems based in malice, and that’s just ugly.

Good try, R171. Christian belief is no unified thing. "Christian belief" is nothing but a subject heading to distinguish one extraordinarily broad topic from another, for example, "Jewish belief," or "Hindu belief."

With out some sort of unanimity to be found under the header "Christian belief," most of your argument breaks apart and floats away. It is that insubstantial. There are Christian believers who cling to faiths that absolutely validate the interpretations stated above, with which you seem to disagree. A loving, all-knowing, all-powerful God set this young woman up for a world of loss and pain. That's what some would have you believe, but that is the sort of nonsense that thinking people can dismiss out of hand. Sadly, people of faith start several steps behind when it comes to reason and to thinking for themselves. They insist on shoving everything through the idiosyncratic filter of this thing they call their faith and then believe whatever comes through that filter. Fools they are.

Linked below is what religion gets a person. Spirituality is quite different. It comes from within. Religious dogma is sophistry that exists to elevate the peddlers of it and subjugate the masses. You can also turn a nice buck from religion.

^R161"based in malice". No, it's based on using humor to heal the damage that was inflicted upon us as children.

Most of us would rather come here and try to make each other laugh instead of telling all our sad stories about how Evil, hypocritical, abusive cunts and asshole Christians fucked us up when we were kids.

[quote] So the dog had the natural instinct to swim horizontal to shore? Where did he live afterwards?

Probably the mother--who was there and saw it all happen--and whichever kids were left.

One of the morals to the story (pointed out in the comment section, if I recollect) is that animals have stronger survival instincts than we do.

We Floridians, at least when I was in school, were told every year by our teachers not to fight riptides (ie be calm, let it take out out, swim horizontal). We are also taught to be wary of shallow lakes that might have alligators. It's a pity that tourists aren't.

[quote] R172: Good try, [R171]. Christian belief is no unified thing.

[quote] R171: For example, Christians are often (erroneously) lumped together into one big group of Gay-haters.

Well, R172, we agree! It is exactly one of my points, in fact. I wrote as much, a few times, I think. In this thread, posters are conflating all Christian sects together as Evangelical, or anti-Gay, or whatever. And that is not the case.

[quote] R173: Most of us would rather come here and try to make each other laugh instead of telling all our sad stories about how Evil, hypocritical, abusive cunts and asshole Christians fucked us up when we were kids.

You don’t strike me as funny. You are generalizing. You are blaming others for what some awful person or persons did to you. 99% of the world’s Christians have done nothing to you. If you were blaming Whites, or Men, or Gays for what this person or people did to you, your malice, and that’s what it is, would be called out for what it is.

I can’t take your pain away, I wish I could, but no one can undo what you went through. Blaming uninvolved people is just wrong.

The problem, I believe, is “people”. You don’t need religion to victimize the vulnerable. All you need is people to do that. They’ll tell you it’s in the name of God; or National Socialism; or International Communism; or the Emperor. There’s always an excuse. But the problem is people, and that’s been true since the dawn of time.

The dog story. Holy fuck.

"Kuljian's 16-year-old son, Gregory, ran to save the dog, only to be captured by the surging surf himself. Kuljian, 54, followed, and then his wife, Mary Scott, 57.

On shore, their 18-year-old daughter, Olivia, and Gregory's girlfriend could only watch.

Both parents' bodies were later recovered, but the boy — presumed dead — is still missing.

The dog eventually made it back to shore."

I wholeheartedly agree with the poster upthread who mentioned overuse of the word tragic. I recall hearing a radio announcer saying that when Bob Hope died. Later I was told the same was said of Bing Crosby. Seventy four, and One Hundred, respectively, NOT tragic, and lives well-lived. It is however always a tragedy when young people die in events such as this, especially for the widow and their families.

I recall an old radio blooper where the announcer reported on an accident where “5 people died; 2, seriously.”

R177, dogs be hardcore.

[quote]On shore, their 18-year-old daughter, Olivia, and Gregory's girlfriend could only watch. Both parents' bodies were later recovered, but the boy — presumed dead — is still missing.

Ka-CHING!! $$$

R177 That’s what they get for thinking a dog is more important than humans. Stupid.

[quote]Faith Bible College costs 17k PER YEAR.

And she’s practically illiterate. Money well spent!

[quote]R177 That’s what they get for thinking a dog is more important than humans. Stupid.

Reminds me of the dumbass who dove headfirst into a Yellowstone hot spring to save his friend's dog:

[italic]On 20 July 1981, 24-year-old David Allen Kirwan from La Cañada, California, was driving through Yellowstone’s Fountain Paint Pot thermal area with his friend Ronald Ratliff and Ratliff’s dog Moosie. At about 1:00 P.M. they parked their truck to get out and take a closer look at the hot springs; Moosie escaped from the truck, ran towards nearby Celestine Pool (a thermal spring whose water temperature has been measured at over 200°), jumped in, and began yelping.

Kirwan and Ratliff rushed over to the pool to aid the terrified dog, and Kirwan’s attitude indicated he was about to go into the spring after it. According to bystanders, several people tried to warn Kirwan off by yelling at him not to jump in, but he shouted “Like hell I won’t!” back at them, took two steps into the pool, and then dove head-first into the boiling spring.

Kirwan swam out to the dog and attempted to take it to shore; he then disappeared underwater, let go of the dog, and tried to climb out of the pool. Ratliff helped pull Kirwan out of the hot spring (resulting in second-degree burns to his own feet), and another visitor led Kirwan to the sidewalk as he reportedly muttered, “That was stupid. How bad am I? That was a stupid thing I did.”

Kirwan was indeed in very bad shape. He was blind, and when another park visitor tried to remove one of his shoes, his skin (which was already peeling everywhere) came off with it. He sustained third-degree burns to 100% of his body, including his head, and died the following morning at a Salt Lake City hospital. (Moosie did not survive, either.)[/italic]

Aww, poor Moosie!

Why would a dog jump into a hot spring, though?

Dogs do not score highly on Impulse Control or Thermodynamics.

I’m confused.

Here's the thing--Kirwan could read the "Beware Hot Springs" sign.

Moosie could not.

Keep your dogs on a leash.

What a terrible story and what a blithering idiot.

So can I still jack off to these photos, or...

Go for it, R190. Report back.

[quote]Kirwan and Ratliff rushed over to the pool to aid the terrified dog, and Kirwan’s attitude indicated he was about to go into the spring after it. According to bystanders, several people tried to warn Kirwan off by yelling at him not to jump in, but he shouted “Like hell I won’t!” back at them, took two steps into the pool, and then dove head-first into the boiling spring.

I guess he REALLY had a hot ass...

That is definitely Darwinism in action.

Since he dove in head-first, he would be hotheaded.