[Serious] Over the top

[GrandizerII]

Ok, so this is specifically about what atheists say, not "over the top" remarks in general.

I see what you mean. 

I think we would benefit from speaking in a reasonable way, even though we are atheists. There's this old fashioned idea that it's good to be accurate, fair, careful in our speech, etc.

Well, there's also this idea that it's ok to be human, make mistakes, be frustrated (to a certain extent), and just show a bit more freedom in our thinking. What you say makes a lot of sense in academic circles, but not all of us here are interested in being overly accurate and fair.
because not all of us come here out of a strictly academic motivation to think through every aspect of things carefully and fairly.

Me personally, I'm here to be as fair as possible in my discourses with theists, but simultaneously I'm not here to pounce on every atheist in an atheist forum every time they make a statement that seems mildly unfair.

If it's damaging, really unfair, or clearly wrong statement that they're making, sure. I've had the urge to correct people (whether here or elsewhere) when they make statements such as Jesus was copied from prior pagan myths, or when some insinuate that all Muslims are bad people. And if someone were to say all Catholics are child molesters, I'd call them out as well.

I also always keep in mind that, globally, theism lends a lot of privilege to people, and especially Christian theism. And when in a world that is generally very encouraging of theistic belief (specifically Christian belief) and that enables discrimination against atheists (so that often times atheists have to be careful not to disclose their atheism in various situations such as at work or in politics or among family, etc.), when an atheist comes to an atheist forum, often times they're here to chill or to vent or to just express more freedom and to feel more of the "faith"-linked privilege they don't feel in the real world. Not all of us are here for the debates.

Going back to that original remark in the OP, it's not nice to say, but it's not even much of a big deal, since I can't think of any situation in which people are informed by their religious views anyway (so in agreement with Shell here). Religious views don't inform, they just guide. A theist scientist doesn't discover gravity or the big bang because of their faith in God.

Oh, I already forgot the wording of the OP quote, lol. But I do recall you, Belaqua, arguing for the fact that religious views inform people with regards to scientific discoveries and such. So I was remarking on that instead.