People Share What They Think Are the Toxic Ideas Spread on Reddit

Reddit can be a good site to connect with people and to learn about different topics, but let’s face the facts: there are a lot of people out there with dangerous ideas that spread like wildfire on the Internet.

That’s why it’s important to find your news from reputable sources…which can definitely be hard to do these days.

Folks on AskReddit shared what they think are the toxic and potentially dangerous ideas and beliefs that people share on Reddit. Share your thoughts in the comments.

1. Deviating from the norm.

“Absolutely hating on those that deviate from the norm. Hating on people that conform to society’s norms but not Reddit’s norms. Hating on people trying to have fun or hobbies.”

2. Pure selfishness.

“Glorification of selfishness. I get the impression a ton of people on this site have difficulty asserting themselves, or recognizing or setting their own boundaries, because Reddit is full of advice geared toward people with these problems.

What these posters seem to forget is that not everyone is codependent with self-esteem through the floor. And yet anytime anyone wants to get out of something that someone else wants them to do, Reddit leaps to “no is a complete sentence! Put yourself first! Don’t JADE!” In real life though, maintaining healthy relationships requires sometimes doing things you aren’t thrilled about for others’ sake.”

3. Let’s see the proof.

“Reddit is very much “Guilty until proven innocent”.

They will jump straight down the throat of any alleged criminal with 0 facts, 0 context, and demand they be sentenced to years behind bars, or worse.”

4. Quick to judge.

“Reddit has a tendency to label people “toxic” and encourage relationship advice that isn’t great.”

5. That’s bizarre.

“Worshipping celebrities. 10 year olds don’t need to receive death threats because he’s never heard of a 55 year old actor.”

6. Hostile to the facts.

“Reddit is extremely hostile to actual expertise. If you state outright “I do this professionally and you are wrong” it will send people into an impotent rage. If you don’t say so, they will smugly keep missing the point. There really is no good way to try to correct misconceptions or bad information.”

7. Amen to this one.

“To an extent, Reddit plays a role in the growing anti-intellectualism. There seems to be a large assumption that this is a website of experts and lengthy replies must be credible. I saw a fellow redditor describe it perfectly, “you finally realize how little most redditors know when they start talking about a topic you happen to be well researched in”.

I see this in two places primarily, topics about public education (I am a middle school teacher) and topics such as anti-vaccine. I understand reddit hates anti-vax for good reason, but it is also stuck in the old “anti-vaxxers are just stupid” stereotype. Instead of educating and helping the problem, they just poke fun. This unfortunately drives more anxious parents toward anti-vax communities. A little empathy, understanding, and education would do more to combat ideologies such as anti-vaccines than anything reddit actually does.”

8. Does that mean you can do whatever you want?

“Those people who make introversion out to be an excuse for some pretty terrible antisocial/misanthropic/unacceptable behavior.

I don’t like loud spaces and can feel overwhelmed by crowds of people; I would pay not to go to a concert. I also genuinely love the people in my life and will always make time for anyone who needs me. In my experience this is true for everyone extroverts and introverts alike.”

9. Don’t take this advice.

“Everyone is an armchair psychologist. You post about feeling sad sometimes and inevitably someone is like “thats because you have atypical depression and bipolar disorder” or whatever.”

10. Come on Reddit…

“One example of this….a medical doctor posts a well written comment about the dangers of over prescribing anti biotics. Top comment of the thread. Tons of awards. Later a 2nd year med student posts a similar comment. Still well written but maybe misses a few key points specifying how and why. Again…top comment of the thread. Gilded to the nines.

Later a college freshman bio major writes a pretty bad summary of the situation but it’s part of the Reddit hive mind echo chamber so anyone who bothers to correct him gets misinterpreted and downvoted. And so on and so on until someone LITERALLY TELLS ME they read on Reddit that taking antibiotics is dangerous and will lead to a super disease that will wipe out humanity. Come on Reddit….”

11. Stereotyping.

“Stereotyping, in general, seems rampant. Many comments and posts seem to believe that individuals are incapable of independent thought and just reflect the race/religion/gender/ethnicity/group/nationality/political party/subreddit/culture they belong to.

People are varied even within ideologies. Argue points and issues, not identities.”

12. That’s not good.

“If your partner does anything at all that you dislike, you should dump them, take them to the police, avoid all other partners in the future, etc etc.

Particularly prevalent in Relationships, Relationship Advice, AmITheAsshole and even just AskReddit itself. It’s rather appalling, and it seems to be pushed by people who have no idea what being in a relationship is actually like. It’s not fucking easy basically, you want to love something and be in a completely committed relationship? Prepare to fight for it, because it is not easy.”

13. What about the gray areas?

“Failure to acknowledge any nuance or gray areas. People feel the need to go all in on one side for any issue. I think they feel they’ll look weak or hurt their argument by relenting on any point. Or having a discussion on any point.”

14. Bad advice.

“That whenever someone in your life isn’t behaving perfectly or 100% supporting of you all the freaking time, you need to “cut them out of your life” because they are “abusive” and “toxic”.

I’m curious how many families have been ruined by such destructive advice.”

15. Most people are good people.

“Most Americans I know are nowhere as racist, dumb or fat as reddit makes everyone else think.

A good bunch of them are smart, hardworking people, and are also nowhere as extremist as to be considered far-right, far-left, etc. Reddit might be a huge echo chamber in politics, but, at least the Americans I know, have moderate views and are easy-going people.”

The post People Share What They Think Are the Toxic Ideas Spread on Reddit appeared first on UberFacts.

A Muslim Woman Stepped in to Stop the Harassment of a Jewish Family on the Subway

If there’s one thing people love to see on social media, it’s human beings sticking their necks out for each other – perhaps especially when the people involved are perfect strangers.

The phrase “if you see something, say something” has become a little passé, but the truth is that sometimes it’s exactly the thing to do.

And one heroic woman took that to heart when she witnessed a man harassing a Jewish family minding their own business on a London subway.

Oh, last thing – she’s Muslim, and the harasser is Christian.

She wasn’t alone in speaking out, though. One witness – Chris Atkins – posted a video to Twitter.

The man reportedly rushed up to a man and his young son, both wearing yarmulkes, and began to read from a Bible, loudly screaming and cursing at the pair of them.

The woman, Asma Shuweikh, didn’t hesitate to speak up, fearing that he would become violent (as he threatened to) if no one stepped in between him and the family.

“I thought, if I reason with him and talk to him and pretend that I’m sympathetic with what he’s saying, maybe I can diffuse the problem because he was actually talking to a little boy.”

Others followed her lead, and they were able to distract the man for long enough for the Jewish family to quietly escape the train.

“If it had been me,” Shuweikh said, “I would have liked someone to stand up for me.”

It’s all anyone wants in a time of fear and need, I think. Just something to keep in mind the next time you find yourself faced with the choice to speak up or look the other way.

The British Transport Police arrested a suspect on charges of committing a racially aggravated public order and is still in jail.

The post A Muslim Woman Stepped in to Stop the Harassment of a Jewish Family on the Subway appeared first on UberFacts.

In 1825, a British geologist went…

In 1825, a British geologist went to Sicily and examined the remains of a female saint. He concluded that they weren’t human and likely belonged to a goat. He told the priests, who kicked him out and then placed the bones into a casket to prevent future study.

This Is What You Should Know About the Hymen

Too many people don’t understand the female body well enough (or at all). The recent revelation that rapper T.I. asks his daughter’s doctor to check her hymen to ensure her virginity on a yearly basis is the (extremely disgusting and invasive and inappropriate) proof. And the fact that so many people support him makes a lot of women very uncomfortable.

In case you’re someone who would like to know more, or who would like to be able to educate other people who should know more, here’s some general information for all of us about a part of the female body.

First up, fact check: the presence of an attached hymen does not indicate whether or not a woman has had vaginal intercourse.

Truly.

View this post on Instagram

"We have yearly trips to the gynecologist to check her hymen."⁣??‍♀️ ⁣ Yup, TI the rapper said this on a podcast recently.⁣ I can’t make this up. ⁣ If he would have come into my office asking for this I would have laughed in his face. But seriously, there are a lot of people that don't know that you actually can't tell if a woman is a virgin or not just based on an exam. It just doesn't exist.⁣❌ ⁣ ⁣So what is the hymen? It is a thin piece of tissue that covers the opening of the vagina. The hymen can stretch or tear as a result of various behaviors, by tampon or menstrual cup use, pelvic examinations with a speculum, regular physical activity, sexual intercourse, insertion fingers or items into the vagina, and activities such as gymnastics. There are different types and shapes.⁣ ⁣ When a dad puts their daughter in this predicament then she can't trust him. He is humiliating her and possibly making her hide things behind his back. In this case it is making his daughter and other women believe that sex is bad and is not healthy. Her outlook on sex is totally different now and possibly gives her a subconscious thought to thinking that controlling her is ok. She also will possibly view going to the gynecologist or any doctor for that matter as a bad experience, and that could potentially have health consequences for her future. ⁣ So how do we tell if someone is a virgin or not? ⁣ You ask them! ⁣? That's it.⁣ Plan and simple. ⁣ Communication is key as a human being, between friends, between father and daughter, mother and son, doctor and patient.⁣?? ⁣ Let's learn from this and hope that in this century we can dispell myths on virginity, what sex means and hope that women are not scared to see doctors for their health concerns. I hope his daughter can overcome this and have a healthy sexual relationship in her future, because she is after all 18 years old and an adult!⁣ ⁣ FYI, In October 2018, the UN Human Rights, UN Women and the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that virginity testing must end as it is a painful, humiliating and traumatic practice, constituting violence against women. Let’s end this violence! Keeping it real! Dr. E

A post shared by ✨Erica Montes, M.D.✨ (@the.modern.mujer) on

The hymen is a thin piece of membranous tissue that partially covers the vaginal opening. It’s usually half-moon shaped, but every body is different. The general belief is that when a woman has sex for the first time the hymen is “broken,” but in truth, it’s typically stretched and only sometimes torn.

Again, that doesn’t happen for everyone.

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#Repost @plannedparenthood • • • • • • “Sex” means different things to different people, so “virginity” does too. But whatever you believe, the fact is you can’t tell if someone’s had sex by checking their hymen (the thin, fleshy tissue that’s located at the opening of the vagina). Hymens are different for everyone. Most hymens naturally have holes in them, and some are more open than others. Many other activities besides sex can stretch your hymen — like riding a bike, doing sports, or putting something in your vagina (like a finger or tampon). ?: @emilysweirdembroidery #misogyny #misogynior #virginity #sexed #hymen #embroidery #sexeducation #womensrights #genderbasedviolence #genderequality #genderequity #equality #equity #feminism #feminists #feminist #oppression #oppressed #marginalized #disenfranchised #virginitytesting #antiwomen

A post shared by David Mondelice (@sonofgoddess1207) on

Not only that, but some girls are born with open hymens, some don’t have one at all, and others naturally stretch or tear their hymens through activities like gymnastics, exercise, or horseback riding – even using tampons, menstrual cups, and regular gynecological exams could cause stretching and/or tearing.

The idea that if a woman is a virgin she’ll bleed the first time she has sex? Also a myth, for the reasons mentioned. Also, even if a woman is a virgin, and even if she has a hymen, her hymen may not bleed if it gets stretched and/or torn.

The bottom line? No one should be examining a woman’s hymen or bedsheets for proof of her virginity, or in order to verify rape allegations – it is useless and can potentially cause physical and psychological harm.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) condemn virginity testing for those reasons and because, in some countries, if an unmarried woman is determined to not be a virgin, she may be publicly shamed, beaten, and imprisoned. Not to mention she may be more likely to consider suicide – or even be murdered.

“The practice is a violation of the victim’s human rights and is associated with both immediate and long-term consequences that are detrimental to her physical, psychological, and social well-being. The harmful practice of virginity testing is a social, cultural, and political issue, and its elimination will require a comprehensive societal response supported by the public heath community and health professionals.”

Also, the concept of virginity itself might be a topic for another day, but this bears repeating: virginity is a social construct, and, in most cases, a holdover from a very different time. A time when women were controlled like property by the men in their lives, and a time before we had technology that could address concerns like paternity and inheritance.

Whether or not a woman has had sexual intercourse has no bearing on her value to herself, her family, or to society at large.

The sooner we all accept that and stop (literally, in some cases) poking our way into other people’s business, the better off everyone will be.

The post This Is What You Should Know About the Hymen appeared first on UberFacts.

People Share the Life Mysteries They Wish They Could Get Answered

Life is full of mysteries. I’m talking about all kinds of things that we really wish we had the answers to.

They could be big, they could be small. They might have something to do with how the universe works, or they might be specific only to you.

AskReddit users revealed what mysteries and questions they want to know…

1. You’re not alone on this one.

“What’s in the Vatican’s secret library?”

2. Maybe a ghost?

“What the hell happened to make my dog terrified of the bed for 3 days last year.”

3. Outer space…

“I would love to know if we have in some form been contacted. Maybe some higher forces know and didn’t tell us or it just went right by us because we were unable to receive the message due to technology. I think there’s a pretty decent possibility that that has happened.”

4. I’d like to know this one, too.

“Who was the Zodiac Killer and what was his complete story.”

5. That’s a real conundrum.

“What kind of job I could actually get and enjoy and still be able to live my life comfortably. Seems to be the impossible question.”

6. Definitely a weird story.

“What happened to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370?”

7. Is anybody out there?

“If there is other intelligent life out there somewhere. I know that we probably will never see another intelligent life form, but it would be nice to know. It is neato some of the radio telescope stuff they are able to do now and look for atmosphere contaminants that could signal intelligent life. Would likely be the best we can do.”

8. Who did it?

“Who killed Jon Benet Ramsey? Also Madeline McCann. I really don’t think those cases will ever be solved and it drives me crazy.”

9. The real story.

“I’d like to have a true and factual account of the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth.”

10. Before and after.

“What existed before our universe exploded into existence and how is it going to end??”

11. A true crime mystery.

“Who was Jack the Ripper?”

12. One of the big questions.

“What actually happens after you die?”

13. That’s heavy.

“If there was anything I could have done to save my daughter from being murdered by her ex-boyfriend.”

14. An interesting question.

“How many times has humanity been reset by disaster.”

15. Looking for a partner.

“Who is out there that would be a good husband and want me as much as I want them. I’d move anywhere and change my job and life circumstances to find a partner.”

The post People Share the Life Mysteries They Wish They Could Get Answered appeared first on UberFacts.

This Church in Is Going Viral for Its Clever Signs

I love a good church sign, and I’ve noticed that churches in all different parts of the country are getting in on the action.

I think that’s a trend we can all get behind, don’t you?

Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church in Wantagh, New York, is gettin’ it done in the sign game in a major way. Some of their messages are funny and some are designed to make people think.

Pastor Ron Garner said, “Our church is located on a very busy street in Wantagh. I want to convey to the public that Christianity doesn’t have to be staid. I also want to convey to passersby that I believe people who follow Jesus are not called to be apolitical but are called to take social justice issues seriously. We are a small congregation but we have new members who came because of our signs.”

Enjoy!

1. Peace is priceless.

WMCC's latest sign. . .

Posted by Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church on Friday, September 6, 2013

2. I like this message.

WMCC's latest sign. . .

Posted by Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church on Tuesday, July 16, 2013

3. Walk the walk.

Our latest church sign. . .

Posted by Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church on Tuesday, February 26, 2013

4. Yes! I love this!

Posted by Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church on Friday, June 15, 2012

5. Can’t hide bigotry.

As I said before, plagiarism can be a good thing. Thanks to Rev. Denoon and the students who stood up to Westboro Baptist at UNLV.

Posted by Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church on Wednesday, February 29, 2012

6. Hopefully, this is true for all of us.

The congregation of WMCC wish all of you a Happy New Year! May you be blessed and be a blessing to others.

Posted by Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church on Saturday, December 31, 2011

7. Go ahead, try it.

Posted by Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church on Saturday, April 16, 2011

8. He was a rebel.

WMCC gets ready for this week's gospel lesson: "The Samaritan Woman."

Posted by Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church on Tuesday, March 22, 2011

9. NONE.

Our latest entry on our sign is getting lots of attention. This may be the last entry made on "old faithful." We are hoping that our new sign will be installed in a matter of days.

Posted by Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church on Thursday, February 10, 2011

10. This one is powerful.

Our latest sign. . .

Posted by Ron Garner on Thursday, January 19, 2017

11. Same old message.

Our new enlarged and improved sign.

Posted by Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church on Tuesday, March 15, 2011

12. A timely sign.

Our latest sign. . .

Posted by Ron Garner on Monday, August 20, 2018

13. Not at all.

Our latest sign . . .

Posted by Ron Garner on Monday, June 18, 2018

14. That sounds familiar…

WMCC's latest sign. . .

Posted by Ron Garner on Saturday, December 26, 2015

15. Amen to that!

Our latest sign. . .

Posted by Ron Garner on Monday, April 6, 2015

Are there any churches by you that are bringing their A-Game to their signage?

Share some pics with us in the comments!

The post This Church in Is Going Viral for Its Clever Signs appeared first on UberFacts.

Mount Athos, Greece

Mount Athos, Greece, is an entirely self-governed peninsula inhabited only by Orthodox monks. Female humans, chickens, cows and goats are banned from entry, but female cats are explicitly permitted.

Priest Brings Stray Dogs into His Church so They Can Find Loving Homes

Bless this man.

Those are people who talk the talk, and then there are those who walk the walk. And a priest in Brazil named Father João Paulo Araujo Gomes definitely falls into the latter category.

Father Gomes heads a parish in the city of Gravatá, and he allows stray dogs to come into his church during mass. Why, you ask? So the dogs can hopefully find homes with his parishioners.

Posted by PadreJoao Paulo Araujo Gomes on Thursday, August 8, 2019

Any dogs who wander the street are given ample opportunity to participate in mass so guests can get a look at them and decide if they’d like to give these forgotten pooches permanent homes. Father Gomes says, “They will always be able to enter, sleep, eat, drink their water and find shelter and protection, for this house is of God and they are of God.”

Father Gomes has taken the dogs into his rectory and during services they wander around, sleep, and sometimes even get in on the action, looking to be petted by the priest and his flock.

Der Priester Juan Pablo aus Brasilien fängt streunende Hunde ein, badet und versorgt sie und empfiehlt sie dann der…

Posted by Winfried Niederer on Friday, August 23, 2019

Because of Father Gomes’ charity and kindness, dozens of stray dogs have found forever homes in Gravatá – the kind-hearted priest has even adopted some of the dogs himself. He said, “I helped several dogs with serious health problems. Some of them I brought to the parish house, and they were later adopted. Three of them stayed with me. Today, they are my children and sleep in my bed.”

Posted by PadreJoao Paulo Araujo Gomes on Monday, March 11, 2019

Be sure to follow Father Gomes on Facebook to keep up with all of these beautiful animals and their adventures.

The post Priest Brings Stray Dogs into His Church so They Can Find Loving Homes appeared first on UberFacts.

John Newton was the captain…

John Newton was the captain of a slave ship. In 1748 he encountered a severe storm and, although being non-religious, prayed out to God for safety. This event changed his life. He later became a clergy member, an abolitionist, and wrote the hymn “Amazing Grace” about his experience.

Sound Baptisms

On Sundays, San Francisco’s Church of St. John Coltrane holds ‘sound baptisms’ — three-hour jam sessions, and their general advice is ‘If you ain’t happy, you ain’t listening to enough Coltrane!’.