(July 1, 2016 at 11:18 pm)Cthulhu Dreaming Wrote: This may surprise a lot of you, but EP has a point there.  This place can be pretty hostile to minority opinions and I or one wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of an AF dogpile.

I'm not saying everyone does this - far from it - but the phenomenon exists nonetheless.

I'll be brutally honest, since I am in that mood... I have no illusions about what this place is, or can be like. I learnt pretty early that it was very hard to play genuine devil's advocate with theists without inviting said dogpile. And also very hard to ask genuine questions of theists that didn't have any ulterior... gotcha... motive without again inviting said dogpile. This is embarrassing but I'll say it anyway... I saw many of the theists on this site as kind of like surrogate father figures and to some extent idealised them as such because they were brave enough to do what my dad would never do... brave enough to come into the lion's den and actually talk about the issues... whereas with my own dad any attempt at discussion of uncomfortable issues such as homosexuality is met with a literal or figurative door slammed in my face. So first it was alpha male, then Randy, then chad in that role for me.

But at the moment it's no-one because I'm in an angry frame of mind. Angry at Brexshit, angry at smunty - read 'smug cunt-y' - theists and others... just generally angry I'm sorry to say. And I know that anger breeds smuntiness so I get caught up in it just as much as anyone else... and that makes it worse... just an unpleasant cycle. But hopefully this funk will pass because it's not nice and one thing I do know is that you get out what you put in to this site... that it's all about attitude. I think back to a previous thread... the seeing red thread... where we - me, Chad, Rhythm etc - had a perfectly respectful and open-minded discussion and genuinely explored and learnt from each other's perspectives. I miss the frame of mind I was in then because that thread was and is like gold dust to me in terms of personal insight gained, and everyone's words - including chad with his theist perspective - were precious to me... so much so that I backed up that thread for posterity and easier reference   ... so it is possible to get along and it basically just comes down to attitude... so as I said I just hope that I can get back to that sort of attitude because anger is not only unpleasant but also very draining and stressful 

Anyway, I'm tired so I'll say night night and deal with any fallout from this post tomorrow.

(July 1, 2016 at 11:18 pm)Cthulhu Dreaming Wrote: This may surprise a lot of you, but EP has a point there.  This place can be pretty hostile to minority opinions and I or one wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of an AF dogpile.

I'm not saying everyone does this - far from it - but the phenomenon exists nonetheless.

Mate, we're the atheists! we ARE the minority!

Fuck -em all! They can take their demented objective reality, their souls and their favourite skyfairies with them.
Let's not feed or cater to the delusion. We're not helping them ... Truly.

I also respect theists for coming here, if their motives are honourable. Sadly I don't think most of the ones we get here fall under this heading. Most are here to troll, to preach or just to make themselves feel better by lashing out at atheists.

The ones that do take part in sensible discussions, I have a lot of respect for. The ones that actually take the time to listen I respect even more, but they are a rare breed indeed. I'm not saying they're rare in the world, just they don't tend to come here.

I wonder if it's because they are secure and balanced, and don't feel the need to butt heads with atheists.

(July 2, 2016 at 11:06 pm)KUSA Wrote: She was the hottest looking gal here and you assholes ran her off. Damn!

Opinion only. Unless you have a member vote I'm unaware of. An then I want a recount.

"There she is, Miss Atheist Forums
There she is, your ideal
With so many beauties she took the forum by storm
With her all-American face and form"

(July 3, 2016 at 8:54 am)mh.brewer Wrote:

(July 2, 2016 at 11:06 pm)KUSA Wrote: She was the hottest looking gal here and you assholes ran her off. Damn!

Opinion only. Unless you have a member vote I'm unaware of. An then I want a recount.

"There she is, Miss Atheist Forums
There she is, your ideal
With so many beauties she took the forum by storm
With her all-American face and form"

1. Actually she is from Brazil.

2. Who do you think is better looking?

(July 3, 2016 at 8:59 am)KUSA Wrote:

(July 3, 2016 at 8:54 am)mh.brewer Wrote: Opinion only. Unless you have a member vote I'm unaware of. An then I want a recount.

"There she is, Miss Atheist Forums
There she is, your ideal
With so many beauties she took the forum by storm
With her all-American face and form"

1. Actually she is from Brazil.

2. Who do you think is better looking?

Really now?

(July 2, 2016 at 5:58 pm)Losty Wrote: I'll be the first to admit that I can be an asshole sometimes.

But we like your asshole. With a twist!

Really now, later, and in the past.

(July 3, 2016 at 8:59 am)KUSA Wrote:

(July 3, 2016 at 8:54 am)mh.brewer Wrote: Opinion only. Unless you have a member vote I'm unaware of. An then I want a recount.

"There she is, Miss Atheist Forums
There she is, your ideal
With so many beauties she took the forum by storm
With her all-American face and form"

1. Actually she is from Brazil.

2. Who do you think is better looking?

But an American citizen.

For me, it takes more than looks to be hot.

Just because you jumped off the bridge, ...................

(July 1, 2016 at 11:23 pm)Minimalist Wrote: Seems impractical to set up a roster for Same Old Shit Theist Refutation Duty so only one person at a time does the arguing.

I've mostly stopped noticing repetitions of theistic apologetics. I have uses for my time and no duty to enlighten the willfully ignorant.