HopeEverLasting writes:
Giles Gray, you are hateful. You saying I deserve the hate because of what I believe in. You are exactly the type to spew all that hatred. Talk to my hand.
You see, to someone who disagrees with your position, this attitude that you-disagree-with-my-beliefs-therefore-you-are-hateful is so counterproductive to honest dialogue.
How a discussion (that's what this board is for: discussion) works is like this:
Person who starts a thread [OP]: "I think (insert topic here), and here's why: (insert statements/assertions here)"
Person 1 who replies: "Well, I disagree with you, and here's why: (insert counterpoint/evidence here)"
Person 2 who replies: "Those are very interesting ideas, OP. Could you please clarify what you said [insert quotation]? and please explain how it relates to the counterpoint/evidence Person 1 posted."
OP: This is the part where, when your opinion / beliefs are challenged, you support your previous statements with actual evidence. You don't get to go on the defensive and call people "hateful" or "stupid" or whatever, simply because they disagree with you, or ask you to provide support for your claims. When you stoop to the level of ad hominem attacks (ie, name calling - attacking the individual rather than the ideas / evidence they present) you weaken your position in the discussion.
Frankly, as an atheist, I take exception to your out-of-the-gate accusation that "atheists are hateful on this site". I haven't said one hateful thing to you, ever, yet you lump me in with people you claim are hateful to you or creationists, when actual "hate" is not even close to what is actually happening. What is actually happening is that people are trying to show you an alternate position to one that you hold to be true. That's not hateful, it's not even unkind.
Let me put it another way: Suppose you know someone who is teaching their children something that is patently false, for instance that there are fairies living in their garden, that can't be seen because they only come out at night to cover the plants and spider webs with dewdrops, when the children are sleeping. It seems like a harmless enough make believe story for children to believe in, but what if this child grows up and still holds to the belief that everyone's back garden has fairies living there? What if it was your workmate? Would you feel at all compelled by kindness and wanting to spare them embarrassment to try to relieve them of their false belief? Would you show them scientific evidence of how dew ends up on the plants?
Let's say you try this. Let's say it doesn't go well. Your workmate feels their beliefs have been unjustly attacked by someone who "hates" garden variety fairies. Would that reaction seem absurd to you?
Anyway, I'm not here to try to dissuade you from what you believe. Please do me and the other atheists the courtesy of refraining from trying to shove your beliefs down our throats. Most of us (the atheists of JWD) are ex-JWs and feel that we've had enough preaching in our lifetimes. You are very welcome to discuss creationist points of view with other creationists here and on other forums, but please note that other people (other creationists included) are equally welcome to hold your feet to the fire and challenge the truth of your claims.
Thank you, and good night.
Moderator Scully
