The simple truth

[Bad Wolf]

Those Christian forums have the better idea. Just block and ban rather than insult etc. To atheist forums it seems a major part of why they exist. Either that or people genuinely believe there's the chance someone will pop up with the answer.

I think we are very justified in insulting people. Its not because of ignorance, I can understand someone being ignorant. Its the illusion of knowledge that gets me and deserves to be mocked and stamped out. When a theist comes onto our forum so incredibly ignorant of the subject that they are talking about and yet so arrogant, so sure they are right and that they know what we don't. And even when, we demonstrate that they are wrong, they don't accept it. That kind of intellectually bankrupt and intellectual dishonesty needs to be stamped out and mocking is the way to do it.

[Jacob(smooth)]

You may be right. Perhaps it would be better to specifically ban missionary work. Discussing religion is fine but I for one don't appreciate earnest appeals to join up in order to avoid the supernatural repercussions of my choices.

Agreed. This is, after all, a discussion forum.

 That kind of intellectually bankrupt and intellectual dishonesty needs to be stamped out and mocking is the way to do it.

It's really not. Have you not noticed how Christians thrive on "persecution". Hell, in America people are have to invent ways to feel sorry for themselves. Mocking Christians for their faith (or activities they believe are integral to it) is like trying to cure a masochist by whipping them.

[Whateverist]

My concern is simply that the smack down dilutes the message. And whilst I know that Atheism is not a religion seeking converts, I do like to see Christians freed from the things which people have bolted onto the faith itself (like creationism, republicanism or anti-scientism).

I agree with you completely on this. Rather than working for the end of religion atheists would do better to work toward trimming off the bits which intrude on sound reasoning and ultimately policy decisions.

That's all. You fucking hateful ignorant brainwashed Atheists.

And thank you for sharing. You superstitious knuckle-dragging Christard.


Oh .. and Frodo, I wonder if we need a division within the religion forums for talk about religion vs no-holds-barred attempts to enlist recruits. Of course atheists really do want to argue with theists about this and that detail of the bible. Perhaps we just need a sub-forum for folks to go proselytize and spew venom. Maybe it needs to be located in Ryleh?

[Jacob(smooth)]

And thank you for sharing. You superstitious knuckle-dragging Christard.

Thanks for playing

[Bad Wolf]

It's really not. Have you not noticed how Christians thrive on "persecution". Hell, in America people are have to invent ways to feel sorry for themselves. Mocking Christians for their faith (or activities they believe are integral to it) is like trying to cure a masochist by whipping them.

Well, reason, logic and evidence doesn't work. I don't know what else to try.

[SteelCurtain]

Admittedly I sorta miss being a christian once in a while. Killing people that disagree with me and feeling completely justified about it has got to be satisfying.

Problem with that is that the Lord warned that many would claim they know Him but He says to them, "I never knew you." Having a label of Christian doesn't mean your a Christian.

Just gonna gloss right over the "killing people that disagree with me" part, huh? The problem is not with that, but the all these fake scotsmen around here? Telling...

[Jacob(smooth)]

It's really not. Have you not noticed how Christians thrive on "persecution". Hell, in America people are have to invent ways to feel sorry for themselves. Mocking Christians for their faith (or activities they believe are integral to it) is like trying to cure a masochist by whipping them.

Well, reason, logic and evidence doesn't work. I don't know what else to try.

Now THAT is a worthy thread!

Bear in mind though that many of the Christians you talk to are the "resistant strains", the theological equivalent of mrsa. Lots of Christians, have wobbled or fallen through it. I certainly have.

But if logic is penicillin then mockery is bloodletting! It aggravates the infection.

To stretch the analogy, we swab for culture and sensitivity to see what works. Perhaps some form of subtyping and targeting?

[Rampant.A.I.]

Evolution is a fact. The Theory of Evolution is a theory. The one describes the other; they are not interchangeable.

Similarly, the Theory of Gravity describes the fact of gravitational attraction.


Good, then you can define the classification "kind" for us.


Yep; that's evolution.


How about a reptile evolving into a bird?


How convenient for you. The creator exists because the creation proves the creator exists. Now demonstrate that this creator is "God".

Reptiles evolved into birds, really? Based on what? If so why did some evolve and some didn't? Wouldn't of all reptiles of ceased to exist and there be just more birds? Who decides they stay a lizard and another will be a bird?

The Word of God attests that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Please explain to me how gasses came from nothingness.

---

That's a remarkably low standard you set for yourself. Understandable, considering what you're peddling, though.

If one sinner repents there is a great celebration in heaven.

I see you're still asking the same questions, and ignoring the linked answers.

Bird evolution is well-documented, commonly accepted, and supported by the fossil record:

"In the 1970s, paleontologists noticed that Archaeopteryx shared unique features with small carnivorous dinosaurs called theropods. All the dinosaur groups on this evogram, except the ornithischian dinosaurs, are theropods. Based on their shared features, scientists reasoned that perhaps the theropods were the ancestors of birds. When paleontologists built evolutionary trees to study the question, they were even more convinced. The birds are simply a twig on the dinosaurs' branch of the tree of life."



"In theropods even more closely related to birds, like the oviraptorosaurs, we find several new types of feathers. One is branched and downy, as pictured below. Others have evolved a central stalk, with unstructured branches coming off it and its base. Still others (like the dromaeosaurids and Archaeopteryx) have a vane-like structure in which the barbs are well-organized and locked together by barbules. This is identical to the feather structure of living birds."

[Tonus]

It's really not. Have you not noticed how Christians thrive on "persecution".

About as many as thrive on smug self-righteousness. Like anyone else, they tailor their approach to the response they get. I find that it distracts from the actual discussion (assuming there is one, and not the bald attempts to proselytize that we are getting lately).

Mind you, the insults and disparagement don't bother me, regardless of who it's from. You can be as crude and obscene as anyone and still put forth an interesting or compelling argument, and you can be as gentle and likable as anyone and post useless garbage. I'm less interested in the former and much more interested in the latter. Be nice or be crude, but for fuck's sake, have something worthwhile to say.

[Rampant.A.I.]

You may be right. Perhaps it would be better to specifically ban missionary work. Discussing religion is fine but I for one don't appreciate earnest appeals to join up in order to avoid the supernatural repercussions of my choices.

It's the intellectual dishonesty in missionary proselytizing that's incompatible with a discussion forum. It's clear that posters like Revelaton777 aren't interested in discussion of any sort: When objections are raised, they simply switch topics and tactics.

That's not discussion, not debate, it's catechism. This is a discussion forum.

As a newbie, I would think warnings to stay on topic followed by banning those who refuse discussion would encourage debate, instead of Gish Galloping.