Leave moderation up to the moderators.

[thesummerqueen]

I'd like to point out that not everyone comes onto a discussion forum understanding exactly how it works. This is my first, and pretty much only discussion "forum" although I participate on a few lists and every now and then resurrect my accounts on other forums. I had no idea what I was in for here. Fortunately for me I was atheist and had practice addressing strangers, and had Shell's encouragement. Think of how it feels to have no clue how to proceed and suddenly get attacked by a bunch of people just because your beliefs don't align with theirs.

You guys do realize (and you should, because some of you used to be in this boat) that some Christians don't even realize that what they're doing IS preaching or that it is in any way wrong? Maybe it's easier for me to see here in the South, but Jesus is their bread and butter, uttered with every hope that the plumbing will be fixed, the computer screen will unfreeze, the dog will stop shitting in the wrong spot of the garden, it doesn't matter. It'll take time for those people to figure out how to hold a conversation without god, and they're so used to being told to spread the good word that they have no concept in a lot of cases why they shouldn't.

And not a lot of people are trained in school anymore, if they were even 50 years ago, to hold a real discussion. It takes practice. Give them that practice.

I realize we're not here to deconvert or change minds (if that's possible) but you did come here for company and discussion. The world needs more of "I'm sorry, what you're doing is wrong" and less "You're a fuckhead!" and those sorts of responses work as well for religious crap as well as anything an ATHEIST might hold sacred. Otherwise people get nowhere.

This place is both a haven and a spot to foster understanding. You aren't required to cultivate tolerance and understanding between yourself and theists, or those of a different political persuasion, but neither should you encourage the denial of their chance to keep engaging people here and letting the chips fall where they may. The ignore button is a beautiful thing.

Besides, I'm getting sick of hearing people complain about the people they find irritating or offensive here, and then when we ban them and the forum is quiet for a few weeks, complain that there's no one to pick at. Which would you rather have?