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I've been here over 4 years. In that time I've seen the same basic themes presented in the forum, just worded differently. Also, the same basic reactions. The believers start threads, the atheists take it apart, the believers deliver their potshots and abandon the thread. Atheists start threads, believers offer up their usual bible quotes, threats of hell, then depart. Basically, each side calls the other stupid.
Generally, posters (the faithful ones) often avoid tough questions. Aren't you tired of the usual evolution/creation theme? Or the existence/non-existence of god? Same old arguments, over and over.
Then we have the 'scholarly' types (even atheists), that refer to biblical characters and situations (as if they were true), something to study for people who have nothing else better to do.
The R&P forum runs in circles, but gets nowhere. No progress can be noted.
The strange part is that religion and philosophy are on the same forum. The two are not compatible. Religion is riven by dogma, philosophy is (as done by philosophers) open to everything in existence and is subject to change according to new knowledge gained by research. Religion sticks to the original, and insist it's the truth, oblivious of any and all knowledge gained in the last 2,000 years. The difference between philosophy and religion is as wide as the Grand Canyon.
Philosophers have to think and not be afraid of any questions, even if their own theories may dissolve in the process. Maybe a new, and better theory may result.
If you're an atheist, you may write a thought provoking post. But the believers will pick a small part and attack, intentionally disregarding the whole of the post. So why write a thought provoking post?
When I first joined City Data, the R&P forum did not have any sub-forums. Since then two have been added. Christianity has it's own, to keep out "the atheist nonsense" as one poster noted. Now, they are well sheltered in their little bubble. Keep Out, it's forbidden territory for an atheist to tread.
The R&P forum is sophist at best, but can be a source of entertainment.
I wonder if anyone else on the forum has similar thoughts.
When I was a christian my beliefs were challenged by atheists in a chat room I frequented. That was really when my serious questioning began. I will forever be grateful to those anonymous people and that is the reason why I continue to post. There may be one person out there who is influenced by my story and needs to hear something I have to say.
The other reason I post is to articulate my thoughts. It's good for me.
Thanks for starting this thread. I've been here a couple months, I guess. Maybe one month. The first week, I took it a bit seriously. I stumbled into this forum because I really was looking for answers. I had a specific question that I was searching and I found a discussion in this forum.
I should have know by the tone of that one particular discussion, what I was going to encounter.
It didn't take long though, to figure out "the characters". It really isn't so different from every day life. There are different types of personalities. You did a great job of describing some of the scenarios.
I have been a little disappointed lately in the topics being posted. I can't say I am doing a great job introducing topics either. Compared to some of the members here, my life has been fairly limited.
But, despite what some members think, even a person who hasn't traveled the world or gotten much "higher education" can still do quite a bit of thinking and questioning, reading and researching.
It could be that people don't bring up more topics or ask more questions for fear of being ridiculed, but if that's the case, it's a darn shame.
Seems no better than the schoolyard in some ways. The bullies shame the more timid ones into silence. Oh well, I guess that's life.
The other reason I post is to articulate my thoughts. It's good for me.
Yep me too. Apparently my articulation is worse than I realized. Some folks have made sure to point that out for me. It hurt my feelings, but I guess it's a good think in the long run. I'm a little more conscious of it, though I still have a long way to go, I guess.
Yep me too. Apparently my articulation is worse than I realized. Some folks have made sure to point that out for me. It hurt my feelings, but I guess it's a good think in the long run. I'm a little more conscious of it, though I still have a long way to go, I guess.
Don't worry about it, it's a process. I struggle with it at times as well.
I didn't come here to convert people to my way of thinking. I came here to learn how other people think.
My discussions with an orthodox Jew in the "Ask a Jew" thread taught me some amazing things. Scary, but amazing.
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Some folks have made sure to point that out for me. It hurt my feelings, but I guess it's a good think in the long run. I'm a little more conscious of it, though I still have a long way to go, I guess.
