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Well to provide a brief history, Mr5150, (and BTW, since you're relatively new here, welcome aboard to C-D!) many of us came here initially with the thought that folks would honestly post their ideas and concepts and make them available for open debate.
If theists don't want their pet theories or personal beliefs subjected to such open discussion, knowing full well that there are us danged atheists out there, lurking as we're known to do, like evil spirits, then perhaps they should not partake of this communication opportunity. It's optional. But if they do arrive and put their ideas out there, they can expect to have them reviewed as vigorously as we choose to.
But then comes the awful truth: that most Christians do not want their life-long ideas discouraged, reviewed or critiqued. They only want to proselytize and demonstrably cannot accept any alternatives to literal biblical interpretation in many cases. Example: in general, we atheists are not welcome over on the Christianity sub-forum. When we do go there and post, our questions or commentaries are, for the most part, ignored as if we didn't even exist.
Hardly how you're treated here, right? In fact, we welcome open discussion and commentary from Christians, Muslims, Buddhists,Shintoists, etc.
So we have a theist positing his or her ideas, and they are discussed and possibly criticized, and then all h$ll breaks loose in the form of slanderous, insulting, combative returns from the Christians, followed by the obviously defensive and equally insulting and hostile comebacks from us honest open-mined atheists.
And thus it goes; it all devolves into scat-fighting.
Would you, for instance, welcome a point-by-point logical review of your ideas on, say, Evolution? AS though it were adjudicated by an unbiased panel of judges who would determine a "winner" and a "loser"?
As in: I ask one question, you answer it, yes or no, or with a simple answer. Then you ask me a question and I answer it likewise. And so it would go. I'd warn you though: I think I might logically corner you, and possibly you know this, so wouldn't want to be placed in such a position.
Unless you're actually ready to change your mind about God's existence. Yes? No?
Well to provide a brief history, Mr5150, (and BTW, since you're relatively new here, welcome aboard to C-D!) many of us came here initially with the thought that folks would honestly post their ideas and concepts and make them available for open debate.
Would you, for instance, welcome a point-by-point logical review of your ideas on, say, Evolution? AS though it were adjudicated by an unbiased panel of judges who would determine a "winner" and a "loser"?
As in: I ask one question, you answer it, yes or no, or with a simple answer. Then you ask me a question and I answer it likewise. And so it would go. I'd warn you though: I think I might logically corner you, and possibly you know this, so wouldn't want to be placed in such a position.
Unless you're actually ready to change your mind about God's existence. Yes? No?
Oh.......you would get very far with this theistic evolutionist.
You honestly don't know? It has nothing to do with "the subject of God". There's many of us who can discuss spiritual topics, yes even with the atheists, without it turning nasty. So what is the problem?
It's simple really. There are Fundamentalist/Evangelicals here. They will vehemently oppose ANYTHING outside of the box they have created for the Unseen. Add Fundamentalist Islam in there too. Heck, I've even observed it turn nasty on the Christian forum when Fundamentalist/Evangelicals "discuss" with those who believe in universal salvation. Wow.
I have found that others can co-exist. Though the atheist obviously will not believe in my Comanche spiritual traditions and have and will question it, we have never come to "internet blows". I have seen the same with moderate/liberal Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, Jews and so on. Why is that?
Well, again, simple. None of these other beliefs have a requirement that others believe as they do....or else.
Last edited by Fullback32; 05-11-2010 at 10:37 AM..
Well then... good on yah, Mr5150. If you do agree with the obvious (Evolution), I can't argue with that. Even I allow for a possible theistic (or, I prefer the more logical alien..) beginning, though it's sorta unlikely and totally unnecessary. But how would I know for sure at this point? So I remain open-minded, unlike the literalist and denialist Christian counterparts here. Who, BTW, will NOT engage in any such honest debate.
And who stubbornly deny logical, provable Evolution in favor of a 6 day "Insta-Event". Now that's just silly!
Spoken as a Christian....because many creationists here refuse to deal honestly with the evidence presented them and throw back ridiculous ideas and insults as rebuttals,which drives atheists who have a hard time grasping people willing to remain ignorant of scientific facts nuts,and sometimes to insults also.
Witness the creationist who,when I asked how kangaroos got from Oz to the ark,linked a site showing that a mouselike ancestor of kangaroos lived in China 125 million years ago,and then proceeded to use that as proof that kangaroos where on the mainland to get to the ark 2500 years ago.The fact that he or she just used evidence of an old earth and evolution to try and support a young earth and Noah's Flood was totally lost on said person.And this type of "rebuttal" is commonplace here.And when shown this ridiculousness,they are often driven to insults in response.
I often wonder how people in other countries feel about Christian missionaries being there trying to change their cultures?
You don't have to go to another country; you can find out right here in the US. Just ask any Indian!
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how it goes here.
