Is it just me or has this site become a Believer/Atheist warzone?
by BU2B 288 Replies latest jw friends
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FlyingHighNow
Cofty, I don't feel superior to anybody. I struggle everyday with my own shortcomings and battling being pushy with my ideas, beliefs and feelings.
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FlyingHighNow
This is your pat reply to a reasonable suggestion from someone who is not an atheist or fundamentalist of any religious persuasion? I've seen this meme here and there. Another sarcastic barb is basically what this is:
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FlyingHighNow
Why does anyone have to be superior? Live and let live.
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cofty
A "reasonable suggestion" eh?
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cofty
Why does anyone have to be superior? Live and let live.
Who said it has anything to do with superiority?
This is, among other things, a religious discussion forum. Its where people debate beliefs and evidence.
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DJS
Flying Hiigh,
Well stated. I have made multiple comments about atheists staying out of clearly theist discussions and vice versa, unless there is a rational, meaningful argument to be made. Theists have a very narrow range of 'rational' and 'meaningful' arguments, such as AB and ID. Otherwise, they are defaulting to their beliefs, which are screen clutter and background noise at best (to be ignored) and deserving of ridicule at worst. I will plead guilty to being a smart ass and using sarcasm. It is my style and I will give it up when Rev. Tammy and the Thundercats (sarcasm alert) stop the nonsensical comments you refer to below. Repeating mantras, as if repetition makes the argument any more sound, or referring to the bible as the authority (I mean REALLY) is so effing annoying on this forum when the topic is science, the age of the universe, the fossil record, sub-atomic particles, the Big Bang Theory (the theory not the TV show, which rocks), etc. Simon referred to this a few days ago. I rarely post and do not, as I stated, enter theist discussions (they make me want to hurl), but when I read or participate in very good non-theological discussions that become contaminated by the theists with their mantras, I respond with sarcasm. I try not to, really I do. But I seem to have a need to do so. Again, well stated.
What is war, is the boasting, the nastiness, the name calling, the exchanges of mile long, bulleted tit for tat back and forths, from either side. It's childish. It adds nothing to the forum. Need every expression of belief or of non belief in any kind of topic or thread be met with nastiness from either or both factions? Example, on a thread discussing Evolution or the Big Bang, need fundamentalists pop up to argue whether God exists or not? Need they pop up to try to save everyone who does not hold their same views or beliefs? Second example: on a thread discussing the beauty and varities of trees, need every comment about Evolution or the wonders and genius of God be met with nastiness and name calling from anyone?
To me, to suggest that someone is not saved because of their disbelief, different belief, or condemned to hell for same reason, is unwise, ineffective and insulting. Equally ineffective, hurtful and insulting is to tell call someone's god The Flying Spaghetti Monster or to tell the person he or she is delusional and listening to voices in their heads that don't exist. Name calling doesn't help, nor does it convince the person that you are addressing, of your viewpoint. Name calling just makes the person the butt of your jokes and an object of laughter to you and others. Name calling can bring deep hurt and rifts that, otherwise, are so easily avoided.
The truth is, theists can't prove atheists wrong. Atheists cannot prove theists or diests wrong either. The battles might be deafened to a tiny roar if people would agree to disagree, in a respectful way.
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FlyingHighNow
Cofty, you know as well as I do that being caustic does not help your argument or mine or anyone's. You can throw around the old "passive aggressive" phrase that's been beaten to death on these threads, but you still cling to using sarcastic barbs thinking it will make your reason clear. You'll get laughter and eye rolls from those who agree with you, sure. If you want to truly reach people who don't agree with you, then why continue the barbs?
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cofty
The truth is FHN I and others do "truly reach people" regularly.
Almost all of the time my sarcasm is good natured.
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FlyingHighNow
To be fair, Cofty, I haven't been here a lot the past few months and I haven't read hardly any of these threads. You probably are being good natured, I just have missed most of everything anyone has posted.