How did you become an atheist?

[Edwardo Piet]

I'm not an asshole.

There is no subset definition in the dictionary that refers to merely ex-theists. All the definitions refer to atheists. You were attempting to address ex-theists but the question was applied to all atheists so I answered with "By being born" and said that I've always been an atheist. Then you take issue with me saying that you weren't talking about that definition of atheism, as if there's another definition that merely means "ex-theists" when there isn't.

I'm not an asshole. And I'm going to stop arguing with you about this now because clearly disagreeing with you often makes you get pissed off at me and insult me... I'm an asshole for merely disagreeing with you.... and this didn't need to be a big deal, you could have just said something like "Well I know I phrased it as "How did you become an atheist" but I'm actually only asking ex-theists here." - but even that wouldn't be necessary because you didn't have to respond to my post.... I answered your question as an atheist. I became an atheist by being born.

You wanted to argue with me about this and I'm not going to pretend to think I'm wrong about something if I'm not...

But I'm done arguing with you about this because my mere disagreement makes me an "asshole" in your eyes and you're too proud to concede a point.

Going to be the mature one and stop arguing with you now.

[Excited Penguin]

It's an underlying meaning of the word atheist, it's not something dictionaries are pointing out.

I hate pedants. This is going nowhere. You're dumb and rigid. Nothing I can do about it. We're talking about different things all of the time. I'm thinking larger, you're thinking smaller. Maybe that's a good thing too, I don't know.

Good luck.

[Excited Penguin]

When you focus too much on proving someone wrong you'll always find a way. If you truly understood where I came from you would also see why I wouldn't have any problem at all with being wrong. You are very much an asshole to me, and you know it. You're just too dishonest to admit it because you have your reasons for doing it.

It wouldn't bother me if idiocy wasn't contagious. Well, it very much is. Nothing I'm going to say will ever make you consider the actual points I'm making because you don't want that. You want to point out things you can derive on your own from what I'm saying even though you know I never meant those per se. It's a smearing tactic and it's obvious as fuck. It's disgusting, perverted, and sign of a mediocre intellect as well and it frankly scares me. Thus my usual reaction to it.

[Edwardo Piet]

Not going to argue about what we were disagreeing about, you clearly can't be mature about it without flinging insults.

Oh, and I'm not dishonest, stupid, idiotic, disgusting or perverted.

If disagreement gets you this pissed off and causes you to fling insults and false accusations of "smearing" you, this shows why you absolutely are not worthy of debate with me. Grow up first.

And I don't see why you claim that "apparently" you're smarter than me... from your perspective maybe.

[Excited Penguin]

As long as I'm talking about it, this forum is filled with people of this sort. It's not necessarily their fault(in fact it isn't at all) but it's a very dangerous tool to stop free discussion of ideas. It may not be enforced by classic authority, but it's enforced instead by an authority of the masses. And even here, in this tight community, I've been seeing this internet-age mania's effects over and over again. I hate it very much, but I have no choice but to try and fight it. I could very well go to a more open-minded forum, but that would be for nought. The problem would still remain.

[Edwardo Piet]

I don't even know what you're talking about now, you're just ranting.

Out of us two: You stopped the discussion of ideas by resorting to insults, because you're not mature enough to disagree civilly.

These forums' are very open to discussion. In fact that's their primary purpose.

If you want to discuss ideas with me, then discuss ideas with me. Insulting me and raging is not discussing ideas.

[Excited Penguin]

There are things far more dangerous, like infinitely so, than my petty remarks about how I perceive your behaviour on an emotional basis. Like... your behaviour.

[Edwardo Piet]

My behavior is dangerous? What on earth are you talking about?

You're the one resorting to insults and getting aggressive. I didn't wish to discuss with you anymore because you kept calling me an "asshole" over and over and it was getting no where, and then you just fling a bunch more insults at me and falsely accuse me of "smearing" you.

Massive projection. I stop arguing with you and you use that as an opportunity to fling even more insults at me and make two consecutive posts ranting about me after I stopped arguing about what we were disagreeing about... and I'm the one smearing you?

If anyone is smearing it's you. Insults, false accusations, ranting, getting pissed off, getting personal. It's ironic that you call me idiotic and an asshole while displaying idiotically immature and assholish behavior.

[Excited Penguin]

If you want to discuss ideas with me you first have to wish more to understand me correctly than to refer to your initial take on what I'm saying, which is wrong more often than not.

[Excited Penguin]

Very well, I've said my bit. Do with it what you like.

None of it was ranting. It's very serious and you should think deeply about what I said. You're used to dealing with obvious things, but the world is far more complex than that.