(July 29, 2012 at 12:49 am)Shell B Wrote: Not to be too sarcastic, but I didn't realize we were performing for an audience. We're a community of people with different opinions and different methods. Yes, many of us debate extremely dishonestly and many of us (myself included) don't think that adults should have to censor themselves to spare someone's feelings. We get to choose who we care about. Being careful about people who are being dishonest dicks is just too much work. I would rather put my effort in where it is deserved.
I don't think that conducting yourself well in a debate is really about how well you'll get treated in return. A big part of it--probably the majority--is about being someone who's worth a shit.
“The truth of our faith becomes a matter of ridicule among the infidels if any Catholic, not gifted with the necessary scientific learning, presents as dogma what scientific scrutiny shows to be false.”