I Guess I'll Take My Crack at It
Offline So I notice a lot of "theists" here who make these giant long text posts about how they're proud of God and they're standing up for what they believe in and how all of you people are going to burn in hell and you'd all change your mind if you'd just listen. And then the poster of said topic disappears. I'm not going to theorize as to why because I did my own disappearance and eventually when college starts back up I'll probably do it again what with needing to spend my free time with people and not computers and all. But hey, I figured I'd say my little piece. This way atheists can have fun, and theists can read how you SHOULD approach people. (Some of these "Christians" posts infuriate me)
I am a Christian. I gladly say Premillennial Dispensationalist, Calvinist, Free Grace(ist?), non denominational. I say that because I A) believe it and B) find that it's a hard line to walk in theology, and not that many theologians let alone people do. But hey, back on point. Yes I believe that God created us, we messed up, Jesus came to save those who believe, and so on and so forth. Yes I am proud of it. Yes I'm sure that many of you will in fact go to hell (or maybe not, who am I but man?). HOWEVER, in all of my Bible studying and so forth, I have yet to find where Jesus and the twelve disciples made signs, pamphlets, and took their kids to parts of Jerusalem simply to yell at people "YOU'RE GOING TO HELL". So, it's not my job to do it and it is NOT the job of any theist or self proclaiming Christian here.
I'm almost done, since I barely have the attention span to type this and I know some people have already stopped reading by now. I just want to say to all you atheists, I'm sorry for the wackjobs you see here. In my experience here, most of you are more versed on the Bible than anyone here trying to preach it to you. While that doesn't mean you're going to heaven, it does mean that the people who come on here to judge you are bigger fools than they treat you like. I don't feel like it's my job to get on this forum and bash your heads in with scripture. I do think it's my job as both a Christian and a logical thinker to supply you with accurate Christian viewpoints instead of the judgmental dribble you get from many posters here. I'm not the smartest guy and I can't answer every question. But for Christ sakes, if I never visit this forum again after this post...the next time some theist gets on here and posts their "you're going to give satan a blowjob" crap...please, will SOME ONE please inform them that even Christians wish they'd just keep their mouths shut, Bible open, and asses off forums like this. You should have an IQ test before you can post here. Make this required reading for any theist who wishes to post here. If I was a mod I'd set rules for the theists, in place only to keep them from making us all look like idiots.
My Master has no desire to be merely victor in a debate: he did not come into the world to fight a battle of logic just
for the sake of winning it. --Charles Spurgeon
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Dear Mods:
I would please you not to impose any restrictions on theists other than those which apply to all participants of this forum. The way I came to this forum was through a couple of Christian forums from which I was banned for basically being an atheist. If this sad action should ever happen on this forum, in my opinion, this will greatly hurt the spirit of atheism on this forum.
100%
Dear Crossover:
I am sorry for your fellow Christians. It is not just IQ or lack of education. Even a tenured professor will be 100% supported by a major TV network as CNN to spread the message that atheists must SHUT UP. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPHnXrU5JzU&feature=related
Also, I am glad to see that you begin to recognize the problem. We, atheists, are a minority in the U.S. And we need YOUR help to get protection from your fellow believers. I think it is great that this website can be used for Christians as a mirror.
Best,
100%
In all reality I agree that there should be no rules imposed on theists beyond the rules that apply to everyone. I said that to show that I wish there was more theist moderation of theists so that we can keep these idiots shut up. Christians are called in the Bible to keep each other in check. That being said, I'm very much against overgovernance on any level. Besides any good done of this forum to shut up the idiots, only puts a small bandage on the problem. It's just an issue that really bothers the piss out of me.
My Master has no desire to be merely victor in a debate: he did not come into the world to fight a battle of logic just
for the sake of winning it. --Charles Spurgeon
That will give us all great comfort while we roast in hell
I agree with 100% though...many well spoken and well read theists come here and try to convince us that the 'whack jobs' are not representative of 'true' Christianity, but I really don't think that is accurate. There is a very large segment of the American Christian population that behaves this way. In my area it is bad enough that I would probably lose my job if I 'came out of the closet'.
Honestly though I don't see how it can be any other way...Christians tend to raise their kids to believe that non-Christians are so sullied they will be tortured for eternity and atheists are even worse... Certainly there are exceptions to every rule but I'm not sure how anyone can truly have respect for an individual in the face of that kind of indoctrination. Most theists I know would rather have their kids around a reformed Christian ax murderer than a moral atheist who spends their spare time doing charity work in the Congo. That isn't hyperbole either. It is immensely discouraging and it makes me want to move to a first world country that isn't so extremist when it comes to religion.
Parts of the U.S. are only about 50 years ahead of Iran when it comes to theism. (I'm riled up though, every time I see a headline about California's proposition 8 I die a little inside and it makes me lash out.)
Everything makes more sense now that I've stopped believing.
I am not sure what this post is all about. Maybe it is just me and I am simply out of the loop because I am more focused on certain threads than others, plus I am not a mod, just a member, so I wouldn't be privy to any actions taken by the owner or it's mods.
As far as I am aware theists get treated exactly the same as atheists. In fact I do know of one atheists that was banned from this board for abusing others and making threats and sock puppets. But that is pretty standard for most websites beyond any special rules a website might set up.
I think the rules here are hardly restrictive at all, other than the "Kill em With Kindness" section which is pretty direct in stating how dialogue will be conducted.
My personal take is simple, and I only speak for myself, maybe others will agree, maybe they wont.
You can say whatever you want to me. I have heard it all before. Atheists have been called immoral. We have been threatened with hell. We have been equated to monsters like Hitler and Stalin. None of that offends me. What does offend me is that they don't base it on any credible logic.
That being said. I take a very Jeffersonian approach to my dialogue. We should all be able to be unfettered with our words, and agree that we also have the common ground of not wanting physical harm to come to ourselves as a result of mere words.
What we have in common as a species, is not that we agree on religion or politics, what we have in common is that we like to bitch about things we don't like. I do it, they do it, we all do it. But we also want to be free from harm. So the words shouldn't matter if we can agree that words do not have to come to blows.
Blasphemy is nothing. The debate is what matters, the fight for the truth is what matters. If I want to speak freely, then I can only allow others to do the same, even if I don't like what they say.
What is more important to me is not what they say, BUT WHY THEY SAY IT and why one holds a position and the evidence they have for that position.
The best boards I have been on are the ones who only step in when a member is threatening violence or flaming the board or spamming the board. Other than those obvious rules all websites should have, I am not afraid of anything a theist has to say. Let them say what they want.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
His point was just to write a sort of open letter to the drive by theists we get, telling them to stop being morons.
Everything makes more sense now that I've stopped believing.
Despite what some might think I DO appreciate the theists brave enough to jump into the ring and stick around a while, but yea, the hit an run people are morons and intellectual cowards.
"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog
I agree. I just think that many of the theists I've seen here are morons. To get on here, make 3 posts and one topic saying "you people are evil and will burn in hell. But it's not too late!" is at very least misguided passion (thats VERY least) and mostly idiotic, cowardly, and a disgrace to other theists.
My Master has no desire to be merely victor in a debate: he did not come into the world to fight a battle of logic just
for the sake of winning it. --Charles Spurgeon
Yes, it is all their (morons) fault.
Seriously, if not they, I would be going to church(es) with my family, talk about history and traditions, enjoy religious holidays, etc. Instead, churches (in the US, especially) look pretty much as closed clubs to me, and the entrance ticket is my reasoning, and my mental freedom.