Psychology behind debating? Or is it just fun to stir the pot once in a while?

[cosmowanderer]

I was on Twitter earlier and got into it with a couple of theists over a Donald Trump tweet... I made a snarky comment, they came to his defense. Anyway...

Sometimes, I can't help but love to argue with theists. My atheism is strong, and I have yet to see someone present a new argument in favor of religion or theism that I haven't seen numerous times before. I know I'm not going to change their minds, and I know they aren't going to change mine (unless someone finally offers some evidence/logic/argument I haven't heard before that can't be refuted).

Still, I love to argue. Does anyone else get this pleasure over a debate, even a pointless one?

I mean, this wasn't the greatest of arenas or group of people. One of my tweets said "Why don't you believe in Osiris? Zeus? Yu Di?" One replied with "Because they're not real lol," to which I replied "Precisely. Once one understands rejection of them, you understand atheism" and one of the theists replied to that with with "Shut up, slut!" So it's not like I was in a group of intellectuals. And yet, sometimes I just can't help but feel the desire to stir the pot a bit.

Maybe it's because when I was a militant Christian I would purposely go into chat rooms to find atheist and totally and unabashedly berate them, and it was their presentations of logic, science, and philosophy that made me want to dig deeper. Ironically, I started digging deeper and deeper so I could have better arguments against atheism, but in my digging I ended up realizing I was an atheist. Maybe I'm trying to return the favor somehow? Haha.

[Mystic]

You want someone to point you to God deep down inside. Of course, you to got to begin to reflect and be ready to submit. There is many proofs for God but dark forces on the hearts keep people from perceiving them.

[Shining_Finger]

I would say it may be a Superiority Complex or similar.
Practically just the feeling of Superiority.
I get it to, probably just as a sort of, "Somebody on the Internet is Wrong!" Rush 50% of the time, Superiority Rush 100% of the time.

[Minimalist]

[Salacious B. Crumb]

I enjoy having discussions over controversial topics, but don't really like debating. I'm starting to slow down on the pointless debates on here, because they are.. well, pointless. Although, sometimes you can't help yourself, because people say some really dumb shit on here sometimes. [See a few posts above]

[Exian]

You want someone to point you to God deep down inside. Of course, you to got to begin to reflect and be ready to submit. There is many proofs for God but dark forces on the hearts keep people from perceiving them.

Yes. Please do tell CW what CW wants. Who else should know what CW wants better than... MysticKnight??? No, that can't be right.

[cosmowanderer]

Maybe it's just because I've been feeling angry at religion in general the last few weeks. My grandma sent me a bunch of anti-atheist emails that were pretty berating, and the whole Kim Davis thing got my blood boiling. Usually, I don't have an interest in debating/arguing with theists, because I know it rarely has any influence, but I think since I can't get angry at my grandma or yell at Kim Davis, I'm releasing it on the Internet... *shrug*

You want someone to point you to God deep down inside. Of course, you to got to begin to reflect and be ready to submit. There is many proofs for God but dark forces on the hearts keep people from perceiving them.

No. I have yet to come across a theist who's dug deeper for a higher power than I have. It's been a good ten years since I've heard anything I haven't already heard from the theist point of view.

[Losty]

You want someone to point you to God deep down inside. Of course, you to got to begin to reflect and be ready to submit. There is many proofs for God but dark forces on the hearts keep people from perceiving them.

Lmao
via Imgflip Meme Maker

[robvalue]

There's nothing wrong with enjoying debates. I enjoy them, at least while my opponent is vaguely making an effort to be honest.

However I think they are of benefit to onlookers. If an atheist's arguments are carefully constructed and accurate, and if the responses are emotional and fallacy ridden, it may make some people think that we actually have some valid points.

I would bet that thousands of lurkers have de-converted on the strength of reading/listening to arguments all over the web and slowly absorbing it all.

It also helps to clear up inaccurate preconceptions about what atheism is, and what atheists "are like". And to show how many of us there are out there, to help people feel more comfortable with admitting what they are when the time comes.

[houseofcantor]

Wait a minute - debating on twitter? How da fuq does one debate a point in 140 words or less?

You want someone to point you to God deep down inside. Of course, you to got to begin to reflect and be ready to submit. There is many proofs for God but dark forces on the hearts keep people from perceiving them.

le sigh. Lemme guess, the store was sold out of clues when you went there to get one?

It also helps to clear up inaccurate preconceptions about what atheism is, and what atheists "are like".

Yikes. For the future glory of atheism, I prolly should retire from the field.

I did all that "religious discussion" in my "becoming prophet" days. It has become terminally boring to keep hoeing the same row over and over again. I can understand, admire, and applaud the efforts of those who present a clear, concise, well reasoned argument for lacking belief; but now I'm kinda just standing on the sidelines throwing pies.