Quite a shame how people respond

[A_Nony_Mouse]

Exactly what is wrong with ridicule?And to say all attacks are senseless is stupid.

Claimant, "Pink unicorns are real"

Atheist, "That is bullshit, no they are not real"

Claimant, "YOU HATE ME"
...

Political self-declared atheist Jews hate me. Why would I care? People have to get in line to abuse me.

---

The religious bring the same old, tired arguments thinking they have their trump card, and when you refute it, they deny it's even been refuted and claim victory.

I think that goes both ways.
...

If you do not like it, what the fuck are you doing here?

[Cato]

Food for thought:
...
"The truth of our faith becomes a matter of ridicule among the infidels if any Catholic, not gifted with the necessary scientific learning, presents as dogma what scientific scrutiny shows to be false." - St. Thomas Aquinas

That is, dead meat.

That's it? 'That is, dead meat.' What the fuck? Is this an inside joke that only a retired butcher would understand?

Or, perhaps they are the words spoken by a horny mid-forties lass in her prime while considering the flaccid fifth appendage of her equal-aged champion.

[KichigaiNeko]

---

Hi guys.

I've been noticing something bad in almost every thread I go into.

The thread starts usually with something a religious person asks about or posts. And what follows is a long thread of ridicule and senseless attacks.

I am noticing more an more threads that never seem to attack the question and the issue at hand. Threads filled with cheap jokes and insults. Posts that are nothing more than a link or a pair of sentences that don't contribute to the debate.

Meanwhile the religious people use those posts to later on claim that they had a "discussion" on an atheist oriented forum and they won the arguments!
"See", they would say; "I posted some of my religious proof and BOOM! Atheists didn't know what to respond".


Come on guys!


You want to comment on a news piece, do so, but with respect to the readers. Maybe write about how morality should not be derived from holy books and how that piece of news contradicted human rights, the teaching of the people who did something...


Atheists are supposed to be the elite of the educated masses. We are supposed to spread knowledge, not ridicule.

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[Rayaan]

The thread starts usually with something a religious person asks about or posts. And what follows is a long thread of ridicule and senseless attacks.

Ridicule and personal attacks are likely to happen in almost any topic in which there are strong and opposing views which can also (oftentimes) lead to "heated" arguments. I don't think that is something really unexpected. And of course, as you may already know, that is not something that happens only between theists and atheists; Personal attacks frequently occur between atheists on various issues that they disagree on, as I have seen in this forum and they occur between theists as well, as I have seen in religious forums.

Nonetheless, I personally prefer everyone to discuss things in a polite, considerate, and a welcoming manner as much as possible (key words: "as much as possible") even though I know that not everyone has the patience for that. They would rather say things that are tough and harsh, but honest, which is actually fine to me, unless I feel that they are really going over the line.

And just to remind everyone, there are some rules on personal attacks in this forum, though we are quite lax about it.

---

There was a point where I was going to come up with a list of "suggestions" for new theists letting them know what angers us the most and what examples of preaching are in order to facilitate the communication process. But I got busy with new hobbies and regular sex and said "fuck it." This is why I didn't go into diplomacy.

Oh, I remember that ...

You also asked me if I would like to assist you in those "suggestions" and then I said "Of course" (or something like that), but later, I ignored it, too.

The preaching rule been updated, though. Better late than never.

[thesummerqueen]

Two beautifully brilliant posts in a row in the same thread. It is times like this I wish for 30+ years younger and serious flirting.

That aside both of them have been so close to what I would have posted, in fact sort of paraphrases as times, even I am impressed.

You are much more patient than I.

[curtsies]

I won't take credit for the patience though. I have none. And I bet if I asked, my boyfriend would sign up on this forum just to agree with that. I am, however, terribly opinionated, and this 'tone' argument has been going on in both atheist and skeptic circles long enough to make me want to slit throats.

Most people have no idea what the fuck they're getting into with me. Whether this is because my default is to be flippant, my avatar, or what, I can't say. I notice many newbs also have no idea what the fuck they're getting into with many of the longer running members on this board, either, and most of them don't have the common sense they were born with to feel the situation out before deciding it's okay to slap their dick up on the wall and say "LOOK AT THAT!" And then they get pissed when someone laughs at it or slaps it with a little stick. WTF were you expecting when no one else had showed you theirs yet?

I suppose it's difficult for others to judge based on casual observation. I certainly don't put nearly as much effort into what I say here as I might in other places, because I no longer give as much of a fuck and I would hazard a guess that many others feel the same way. But that goes along with using the search bar. DeistPaladin's epic arguments are still hanging around, and so are Min's many historical slap downs.

What I hate most are 1) people who think they're god's gift to mankind and the rest of us should be grateful for their knowledge, 2) 'humble, kind but waffling' pronouncements of judgment (fucking pick a position already), and 3) whiners who can't stand that someone called them out on their shit stinking.

Oh, I remember that ...

You also asked me if I would like to assist you in those "suggestions" and then I said "Of course" (or something like that), but later, I ignored it, too.

We both had way more important things to do, I would assume. Had I been taking communications classes at the time like I did about a year later, I would have globbed them onto some assignment or other.

[Tonus]

I notice many newbs also have no idea what the fuck they're getting into with many of the longer running members on this board, either, and most of them don't have the common sense they were born with to feel the situation out before deciding it's okay to slap their dick up on the wall and say "LOOK AT THAT!" And then they get pissed when someone laughs at it or slaps it with a little stick. WTF were you expecting when no one else had showed you theirs yet?

That's what I was thinking as I saw some of the recent topics/posts by new members, particularly the ones who quickly cried out "bullying!" It is not difficult to either (a)read the site for a few hours (or days) before joining, or (b)take a cautious approach as you get acquainted with the place.

Or you can take a flying leap into the pool before checking if there's any water in it. Some people like surprises, after all. Or at least they think they do.

[thesummerqueen]

I honestly think that a lot of them come from a position where they were either A) "top dog" or B) sequestered mentally in some way so their ideas were never challenged.

Me, I grew up the oldest of three by four and eight years, and was always the oldest kid on the block by some years with no one to hang out with really but parents. When I left high school and started an office job, I was the youngest in the office by at least 5 years, so again, I was hanging out pretty much all the time with older, more experienced people. I learned quickly how easy it is for your ideas to get stomped on. I also unfortunately (or fortunately) developed at taste for expensive booze because older, more experienced coworkers are way past the college cheapo days.

[Angrboda]

"If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen."


This is a community of individuals, not an army of atheist automatons. Hell, some of the time, the cheapest shots are ones where one theist is taking a swipe at another, usually for not being a "True Christian[tm]". A forum is a community, and is more an organic interaction of people's uniqueness, the reaction to whatever structure exists, and a whole lot of random accidents. For whatever reason, some forums turn out really good; others, not so much. I may be biased, but I think this is a very fine forum. Not saying we should avoid suggestions for improvement, but I don't see how "stop being such meanies" is ever going to pan out into some form of constructive change. It's just more of the moronic tripe which, like typical apologetic arguments, is old, tired, and ignores that it's already been asked and answered a million times as well.

[Shell B]

Skeptics and the like are supposed to be much more educated.

You can be skeptical and a moron.

Who says atheists are supposed to do anything, dude? I, for one, do whatever the fuck I want. I usually do not engage in the one-liners with theists. I tend to have my petty squabbles with atheists, but I still find your post a little condescending.

[thesummerqueen]

You can be skeptical and a moron.

Can we all just stop making fun of Rebecca Watson, now?