Open discussion of the Christian Why We're Here thread

[Whateverist]

That's not to say that what atheists are saying wouldn't be offensive as well. You make valid points about how some of the things said such as religion as a mental illness is offensive. That doesn't mean to say that they aren't necessarily valid arguments though. But I would like to point out one other small thing. This is a fucking atheist forum. This is where atheists come to talk about being an atheist, most often because they have to live lives surrounded by theists offensively trying to save them again after the struggle of breaking free from religion. And some people have been quite abused by religion. Many atheists have to pretend to be a theist and can't even live their own lives. Being a theist you don't have that problem. So don't come here expecting the kind of privilege that you have in your society to be given to you here as well in what for many is an atheist refuge.

Otherwise it's like being a white straight man offended at being told that it's inappropriate to try sleeping with as many women as possible in a woman's refuge.

There are three important points being made here, two of which I strongly agree with.

Lets get the one I disagree with out of the way first involving what it means that "this is a fucking atheist forum".  I think that means it is a forum at which atheists can count on having an equal place at the table, unlike most the other places concerned with discussing religion.  Avoiding 'blasphemy' is not privileged here.  But Tiberius has said repeatedly beginning with the original statement of purpose that all are welcome here.  

The forums were created for the purpose of providing friendly discussion and debate between atheists and other like-minded individuals, as well as theists. Theists are more than welcome to join and enter into discussions but please bear in mind the nature of this community when entering into a discussion.

 I suppose what might be at the heart of our disagreement is what theists are being cautioned to bear in mind concerning the nature of the community when deciding to join in.

The second point you make I entirely agree with but I don't find it expressly mentioned in the statement of purpose, unless it is being implied in that last bit.  Functionally this has been and will no doubt continue to be a place where atheists who have as you say been badly treated by religion in the rest of their lives can get support for the beliefs they don't share with the mainstream communities where they live.  In my experience, this seems to have a more clearly protected status at TTA than it does here.  I think it matters to most of us but I don't think it translates as reason to tell theists who come here for discussion that they must avoid speech which triggers those horrible feelings for recovering atheists.  We want to be a safe space for atheists but I don't think that is privileged over it being a safe space for everyone who wishes to engage in real discussion.  I'd say this place errs on the side of free speech, and I personally am comfortable with that.

The final point is the one I'd really like to take up but maybe it deserves a thread of its own.  That point concerns the seeming paradox of having respectful discussion when Christians and Muslims hold it as their primary purpose to convert non-Christians and non-Muslims.  As an atheist it has taken some time to reach the point where I can respect an adult's right to hold a religious mindset even though I think the vast majority do so in way too literal a fashion, not hesitating to posit a supernatural zone to hold the denizens of beliefs which can no longer find a home in what we know about the cosmos.  Regardless, I think respectful coexistence demands that I respect their right as an adult to make that choice, even if I suspect it was implanted when they were young.  That is an aspect of their culture and even if no evidence for a supernatural zone can be found, cultures can't be wrong just because some beliefs cannot be supported.  But if I am to go to such lengths to accommodate their culture, is it not reasonable to expect them to do the same?  Should Christians and Muslims living in a multi-cultural environment not also be expected to give up proselytizing?  I only know I can't count as a friend or a peer a theist who asks for my respect for his beliefs and then duplicitously acts to subvert my own in any way possible.