I like Randy. There, I said it. I try to see the best in him and all theists on this site. I understand that that may make me naive or an idiot, or both, but I am what I am. I find it hard to believe that a professing Christian would knowingly be dishonest or a bad person because that would be going against their entire belief system. So I make the assumption that all theists here are honest and decent, or at least trying to be. And the only one I've taken any strong dislike to was PiousPaladin and she turned out to be a Poe.
But ultimately I think the approach Randy has taken was not very wise. I've seen two other members make a similar entrance, one very recently. Anyone who comes in with all guns blazing trying to be different, just comes off as aggressive and superior whether they intended it or not, or at least to me. I find it hard to trust those sort of unpredictable people and end up needlessly keeping them at arm's length, always wondering what their motives are. It seems completely pointless to me and the only explanation I can think of is that it is a kind of pre-emptive strike designed to gauge other people's reactions, either that or deliberately setting yourself up for a fall to fit in with your self-image. But those are just guesses.
But all this is on a personal level. I'm still an atheist and I strongly disagree with most of what theists have to say. I just find it hard to separate the person from the beliefs in discussion and am basically very timid, so I haven't been much involved up to this point. But this site is my home and it is a discussion forum so I need to get over that, so I'm going to try and start now.
@Randy
I like you as a person but unfortunately, try as I might, I find it very hard to trust you. Not that you necessarily care what I think, or should, but nonetheless if you did it would be easily rectified by opening up about yourself... by using the other forums or playing mafia. Just some way for you to tell me, and us, who you are rather than what you believe.
But ultimately I think the approach Randy has taken was not very wise. I've seen two other members make a similar entrance, one very recently. Anyone who comes in with all guns blazing trying to be different, just comes off as aggressive and superior whether they intended it or not, or at least to me. I find it hard to trust those sort of unpredictable people and end up needlessly keeping them at arm's length, always wondering what their motives are. It seems completely pointless to me and the only explanation I can think of is that it is a kind of pre-emptive strike designed to gauge other people's reactions, either that or deliberately setting yourself up for a fall to fit in with your self-image. But those are just guesses.
But all this is on a personal level. I'm still an atheist and I strongly disagree with most of what theists have to say. I just find it hard to separate the person from the beliefs in discussion and am basically very timid, so I haven't been much involved up to this point. But this site is my home and it is a discussion forum so I need to get over that, so I'm going to try and start now.
@Randy
I like you as a person but unfortunately, try as I might, I find it very hard to trust you. Not that you necessarily care what I think, or should, but nonetheless if you did it would be easily rectified by opening up about yourself... by using the other forums or playing mafia. Just some way for you to tell me, and us, who you are rather than what you believe.
