(June 23, 2011 at 5:20 pm)TheYoungAtheist Wrote: I am not trying to say "You should not allow your self to be offended" I am merely stating that the only reason something is offensive, is because the "offendee" perceives it as offensive. The "offender" most likely states the offense because they themselves don't find it offensive. I'm sorry but some of you are missing the point.

I would venture to say that most of the time when someone says something offensive, they know it is offensive. I don't think I am missing your point. I am disagreeing with you, to an extent.

Every group and individual has an upsides and a downsides. I don’t belong to any group, yet being a highly imagitive artist some say my down side is being too vague, too honest and the odd time it is my English and the odd time having a screw loose. I’ have immunity to insults yet if the same negative message keeps coming up, I'm quick to make adjustments.

You can’t even joke to Muslims about their Religion, insulting Christians make them often thumb or glaze over and ignore you or they go to other extreme and give you an express ticket to hell. I found an Atheist downside is lame imagination. I know because I kept asking atheists on another website. What is Atheist greatest downside (none given) if it isn’t lame imagination what is an Atheist downside. Many of them tries to make me apologized, and many tried to drive me off the site. For what’s not talked about is the deepest downside truth from my experience

Its not the being offended part that is the issue, it is the proclamation of it as if that somehow either negates what the offending person has said or that because the offended is so hurt by it should never have been said. It is also used as a cop-out. I'm so offended by you I am not going to discus this any further. Well that's just too bad but it doesn't change the facts as they are.

"You are a primate" is a statement that is offensive to many people, yet if I bring it up in a discussion and it offends the other party, that is not my problem, it happens to be true.

This thread offends me.

(June 23, 2011 at 6:21 pm)leo-rcc Wrote: Its not the being offended part that is the issue, it is the proclamation of it as if that somehow either negates what the offending person has said or that because the offended is so hurt by it should never have been said. It is also used as a cop-out. I'm so offended by you I am not going to discus this any further. Well that's just too bad but it doesn't change the facts as they are. "You are a primate" is a statement that is offensive to many people, yet if I bring it up in a discussion and it offends the other party, that is not my problem, it happens to be true.

I completely agree. However, offensive statements are not relegated to the world of ignorance/religious discussions. Beyond this forum and that type of conversation, there are a billion and one good reasons to be offended that are often the fault of the offender. Being offended should never overshadow reason. However, not everyone who is being offensive is being reasonable.

(June 23, 2011 at 4:24 am)leo-rcc Wrote: 'It's now very common to hear people say, "I'm rather offended by that", as if that gives them certain rights. It's no more than a whine. It has no meaning, it has no purpose, it has no reason to be respected as a phrase. "I'm offended by that." Well, so fucking what?'

- Stephen Fry.

And in the USA, the I Amendment does not guarantee the right of free speech to the majority; they are the majority. They don't need protection; democracy is tyranny of the masses. It is for the minority opinion that amendment exists. - James.

(June 23, 2011 at 11:38 am)Minimalist Wrote: Some of these fuckers need to be offended.

What do you believe on the grounds of being offended Min?

When it comes to being offended by what someone else thinks or says, I agree that being offended is an action taken by the one offended. But sometimes the offender is the active one. If someone slaps my face then I am not only offended but entitled to defend, and sometimes a good offense is the best defense. (Don't mean to offend proponents of the turn-the-other-cheek school of thought but hey, if that offends you it really is on you.) In a more real world application, if a group bands politically to restrict who I can lawfully wed then they have actively offended me and that is so even if the choice I would make isn't the one restricted.

One may not be capable of immunity from offense. But one can definitely choose how to react to someone or something which has caused such offense. In the real world this isn't always easy. But here in cyber space it is not too hard, largely because one has time to compose a suitable response. I have a basic rule that I do not engage in ad hominem as a means of communication with others, mild sarcasm notwithstanding. Now most forums have these rules anyway. But one should choose not to negatively react nonetheless. My point is that trying to go through life not being offended is all very well and noble but rather impractical. So when we are offended, we should try to convey a positive response. It also helps to get offended at what is being said or done rather than who is saying or doing it.

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(June 23, 2011 at 6:19 pm)Castle Wrote: Every group and individual has an upsides and a downsides. I don’t belong to any group, yet being a highly imagitive artist some say my down side is being too vague, too honest and the odd time it is my English and the odd time having a screw loose. I’ have immunity to insults yet if the same negative message keeps coming up, I'm quick to make adjustments.

You can’t even joke to Muslims about their Religion, insulting Christians make them often thumb or glaze over and ignore you or they go to other extreme and give you an express ticket to hell. I found an Atheist downside is lame imagination. I know because I kept asking atheists on another website. What is Atheist greatest downside (none given) if it isn’t lame imagination what is an Atheist downside. Many of them tries to make me apologized, and many tried to drive me off the site. For what’s not talked about is the deepest downside truth from my experience

You belong to more groups than you realise :

Age
Class
Politics
Gender
Religion
Education
Nationality
Employment
Marital Status
Sexual Orientation

What was the web site ?

When suggesting that atheists lack imagination, the suggester might wonder just how untapped the imaginations of the insane may be.