The Problem of Evil combined with the problem of Free Will

[Valyza1]

In my experience, human beings are multifaceted.  You can apply any label you like for the sake of convenience, but at the end of the day, you can't capture their value on a hook.

-agreed, but that doesn't change the contents of my experience or address my comment in the least.  OFC people are multifaceted., and sometimes those multifaceted people act in very, very strange ways.  

I may have misunderstood your comment, then. You literally asked if they could be something other than nutballs. I responded that people are multifaceted, meaning yes, they can be all kinds of things. No one is, of necessity, consecrated to any character label others place on them. I'm sure you can be a nutball sometimes, too. I'm sure we all can. But it's not all we are. We can communicate with each other and actually help each other in positive ways like fellow human beings. We don't have to agree or have the same beliefs to do so. And if you agree with that, then all I'm adding to the sentiment is that ridicule makes it harder to communicate as such.

Well, then I agree with you there.  I never suggested ridicule makes them believers in the first place.  I only suggested the fish are going to flap their hardest when caught on the hook.  Also, that it isn't a service to anyone but the fisherman or those ordering fish.  I hate the analogy, and I don't know what eating the fish would be analogous to, but I'm doing my best with it.  

Hahaha, well stop expanding it, then?  If the fish realizes that it's fucking up...ostensibly, a service has been done -for- the fish.  

This is why I don't think that's quite the analogy that's going to help your case, because the fish isn't fucking up at all. It's acting perfectly normal for a fish and is being tricked. It's a more apt analogy for villain/victim situations than this one, unless you mean to imply that you're a villain.

I'm not sure how it benefits me personally, much, though..for some nutter to realize he's a nut.  I wouldn't know that though, having never talked anyone out of a belief to see what benefit it confers me.  

I'm not talking about talking theists out of their beliefs. I talking about communicating with people about their beliefs despite our opposing viewpoints. Getting to know a person as an individual and their views as an individual can be it's own benefit. And likewise with them getting to know me and mine. There's no agenda.

I don't care if you're an atheist or theist, it isn't my place to determine how you can or can't behave.  You can go out and murder a bunch of kids, and it still wouldn't be my place to tell you you're wrong, even though I would try to help preventative measures like the effort to keep you locked up.  But I do consider it my place in a discussion forum to have a discussion worth having, and the topic of what's a better way to respond is interesting to me and i think is worth sharing my views on.  

Some of that is a bit odd, but I'll focus on where we agree.  I also think that the topic of what;s a better way to respond is an interesting one..and I, personally, allow for some ridicule in the mix of whatever the total composition of that better way is.  I think it has utility, it's limited utility..but isn't all utility limited?  

I don't quite know the answer to that question, but I think it's a matter of degree. Some utility is more limited that others.

I agree and would never expect anyone to shield me from the consequences of sharing my beliefs.  That doesn't mean I shouldn't share my opinions on what are better and worse ways to respond.  They may not do any good for you, but maybe they will for someone else.  Not only that, but I wouldn't even know for sure how they affect you until I actually post them in the first place.  I'm perfectly aware of what I might invoke by posting them, and accept the risk, because I find the potential rewards to be worth it.

You are sharing your views, I don't see why you think we're talking about keeping you from doing so....as we talk about your views.  Left field.  I've already told you that I prefer the nuttiest of nuts to be talkative nuts.

Yes, I know (and thanks for implying that
I'm the nuttiest of nuts ). I was just affirming that I realize there's a difference between self-censorship and being unwelcome, lest it appear to anyone that I don't.