Why are deists so annoying?

[Jenny A]

Rational inquiry is an intellectual tool. Don't try to make a religion out of it.

Where was I doing that? Overdramatisation much?

It was the be world "always" in bold.

When attacking beliefs which can can be falsified, it's useful. When inquiring into beliefs held emotionally, and admittedly so, rationality is a blunt instrument of about as much use as paperweight in a hurricane.

Bollocks.

Since when did DP state his beliefs were entirely emotional. If he did that I would have no reason to badger him.

This line of thought would also indicate it's not useful to criticise theistic viewpoints, because they're not entirely falsifiable. Riiiight.

It's certainly worth criticizing theistic viewpoints which either: 1) negatively affect others (most religions do this); or 2) for which proof or rational justification is claimed. However, if it's an instinctive or emotionally held belief and the believer has admitted to having no proof, what possible value is does badgering him with the fact he has no proof serve?

The whole tenor or Deist Paladin's response suggests to me that he holds his views emotionally. But the word he uses is "instinctive." Here's at least part of where I got that impression:

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For a time, about a two week period in my life, I had something of what could be called a crisis of non-faith. No, really, I'm serious. I actually wondered what was wrong with me, why I couldn't be a "normal" atheist like all of my friends and family. Why couldn't I, as many would say, "take the final step" or figure out why God was so firmly a part of my philosophical outlook. I came to accept it as just my instinctive nature.

Somewhere around here I posted a thread that goes into my take on deism in greater detail. I'll try to dig it up and post a link.

That thread also does contain my "proof" of deism: Homosexuality proves God! ...well, maybe not but it is at least a proof that Christian apologists aren't likely to hijack any time soon. Although, you know, instead of the banana... oh sorry, I was about to go too far again. My wife tells me I do that. It must be especially jarring when juxtaposed with my otherwise gentlemanly demeanor.

Not that the two are related, but I discovered I'm a deist about the same time I discovered I'm bisexual. I mention it only to underscore that I didn't "convert". I discovered that's what I am and have been all along. Maybe it's just the way my brain is wired. God gene anyone? Or perhaps my instincts are on to something. Who knows?

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You see, you are indulging in the same irrational behavior yourself. "Because I'm a cunt who can't let a point drop," is not a behavior I have much hope of discussing with you rationally, though I can give you a number of rational reasons why it's not only not useful, but positively damaging. For example, try rationally convincing a teenage girl that her boyfriend is a prick and see how far that gets you.

But if the boyfriend is a prick is there not a chance the girlfriend would realise? I don't buy at all this notion that simply discussing this, isn't useful. Just seems like yet another excuse for people to not justify what it is they say they believe. I call bullshit on that line of thought. People should be questioned. Even if their beliefs are emotionally motivated. I absolutely do not buy one bit that it is entirely damaging.

Not a chance in hell--well maybe a 1% chance. What will happen is she'll dig her heels in and rationalize. At the end of the conversation he'll be god's gift to her. That's because her belief in him wasn't rational to begin with.

Paladin has my sincere admiration at this point because repeated badgering hasn't caused him to begin manufacturing rationalizations. Most of us are very good at rationally defending our emotions and it leads to thinking our emotions are rationally held. That's usually a mistake.