Originally posted by Rajk999 An easy way to see what is the main purpose of people here is the compare two things - the # of games and # of posts.
In my case I have over 100 games going on and I post like 10 posts on average per week. Although Im still tempted to engage in a bit of harmless 'mocking' when the opportunity arises.
So theists come mainly here to play chess and inbetween games bother other people with their personal beliefs whereas atheists don't care about chess that much but have such an interest in spiritual matters that they continue to come back to this place. As that what you're saying?
Originally posted by divegeester I think (many, but not all) atheists is this forum come here to mock theists; I find this pretence that they have a form of intellectual interest in theism (especially as represented on this board) a little comical. Or perhaps they come here for another reason, something more profound, who knows.
Would you say that you have a bigger "intellectual interest" in the religion of the JWs than the average atheist has in the average theist's religion?
Originally posted by divegeester Stop deflecting, I've admitted it, sometimes I mock people, it is rare but sometimes I do it in moments of weakness which I'm not proud of. Most atheists here won't admit that they come here to mock theists.
Originally posted by divegeester My apologies, I did use the phrase 'are worthy of mockery', I should have said 'could be deemed worthy of mockery', I.e. by those willing or taking pleasure from mocking others.
No I am even more confused about your stance. Presumably anyone who takes pleasure from mocking others can mock anyone they want. So when you say someone 'could be deemed worthy of mockery', you appear to be saying that if someone chooses to mock them they are justified in doing so even though you personally would choose not to do so. Is this what you mean?
Originally posted by Great King Rat Would you say that you have a bigger "intellectual interest" in the religion of the JWs than the average atheist has in the average theist's religion?
I don't come here to mock JWs, many atheists many reason for visiting this forum is to mock Christians/theists.
Originally posted by twhitehead No I am even more confused about your stance. Presumably anyone who takes pleasure from mocking others can mock anyone they want. So when you say someone 'could be deemed worthy of mockery', you appear to be saying that if someone chooses to mock them they are justified in doing so even though you personally would choose not to do so. Is this what you mean?
I'm sorry you are confused. My point is that many atheists' motivation for visiting this forum is to mock Christians.
Originally posted by divegeester I think (many, but not all) atheists is this forum come here to mock theists; I find this pretence that they have a form of intellectual interest in theism (especially as represented on this board) a little comical. Or perhaps they come here for another reason, something more profound, who knows.
The problem is you are seeing it as a dichotomy, either we are here to learn your religion and get converted, or we are here to mock. You are totally dismissing all the other reasons that have been given in great detail over the years in response to being asked many times why we come here. I fully admit I have no 'intellectual interest' in theism of the sort you desire me to have. I think your beliefs are ridiculous and think it unlikely that I would ever change my mind. I am however interested in the psychological aspects of why you believe something so ridiculous. I also find it interesting how people react when you push their buttons with regards to their beliefs. I find it interesting how often people make stuff up rather than admit ignorance, and how people make up justifications for their beliefs that have nothing whatsoever to do with their real reasons for believing. I consider this intellectual interest in the phenomena of theism, not intellectual interest in the content of theism.
I am also interested in knowing if anything can be done about the God delusion.
Originally posted by divegeester I'm sorry you are confused. My point is that many atheists' motivation for visiting this forum is to mock Christians.
I know what your point is, what I don't know is what you really meant when you said some people were worthy of being mocked. Is there a level of ridiculousness of belief that makes mocking justified even though you, yourself would not do so?
Originally posted by divegeester Yes it's rare. At least I'm honest about it, unlike some atheists here trying to intellectualise away their own motives. Come on guys show some gutz and just admit it, you love to mock the theists.
Originally posted by divegeester I think (many, but not all) atheists is this forum come here to mock theists; I find this pretence that they have a form of intellectual interest in theism (especially as represented on this board) a little comical. Or perhaps they come here for another reason, something more profound, who knows.
All you are presenting are your claims, you are not parading any sort of smoking gun in front of us. Please supply examples of posters for whom the majority of their posts are of a mocking nature.
Hint 2: If this search is proving difficult, you might wish to search posting histories prior to when you started your thread here - perhaps we're all on our best behaviour!
Hint 1: There is a difference between mockery, and analogy - You may think you're being ridiculed because you agree that belief in the comparison is ridiculous, and don't like it being compared to your own - even when in structure, the two beliefs are similar!
I tried to get him to answer that question more or less as well. He's been very vague about it, but from what I can gather the following posters were not the ones he was referring to in his OP:
twhitehead
proper knob
sonhouse
agerg
stellspalfie
wolfgang
googlefudge
rwingett
So far only Joe667 appears to be it ruining it for the rest of the atheists.
Originally posted by Great King Rat I tried to get him to answer that question more or less as well. He's been very vague about it, but from what I can gather the following posters were not the ones he was referring to in his OP:
twhitehead
proper knob
sonhouse
agerg
stellspalfie
wolfgang
googlefudge
rwingett
So far only Joe667 appears to be it ruining it for the rest of the atheists.
He's being very vague indeed, I might be paranoid but given the way in which he has responded to me so far in this thread I'm not so convinced he would have put me in that list - as such he has a good point to begin his search.
Of the 3992 posts I have made since joining this site (including this one), the majority of which being in this spirituality forum, if it could be shown that 50% or more of any reasonable subset of them (lets say a search page - i.e. 15 posts) were of a mocking nature against one or more theists then I will hold my hand up (thus sparing him a scan of all my posts - he needs only stop when he finds a mocking subset).
You know, to get back to the OP, I suppose this whole thread rather nicely sums up one of the reasons why discussions with and between theists fascinate me so much.
It's the often outrageous mental gymnastics theists have to do to make sense of their theism. Robbie Carrobie once had to come to the conclusion that he wasn't sure anymore if he believed in Santa Clause or not all so that his theistic card house wouldn't come crumbling down.
While divegeester's current reasoning isn't nearly as... mindboggling as that one I do think him victimizing the theists and... what's the opposite of victimizing?... demonizing the atheists is part of protecting his theistic views.
Indeed, I too wonder what a psychoanalyst would make of this.
Originally posted by Great King Rat So theists come mainly here to play chess and inbetween games bother other people with their personal beliefs whereas atheists don't care about chess that much but have such an interest in spiritual matters that they continue to come back to this place. As that what you're saying?
How is it relevant to this thread?
Nope .. not differentiating between beliefs. Im saying that you can get an idea of someones main purpose. It is likely that the more time spent playing games means less time spent on the forums or less time spent posting. I gave myself as an example. If I spend 4 hrs here per day I would estimate that 80% or more is playing chess. So on average I dont get time to get so involved in a thread as to start mocking a poster. Not sure how mocking is defined as yet. But there are exceptions as I have gotten involved with certain threads to the point where I get frustrated and start using a tone that could be considered mocking.
I know it has been asked many times...
24 Sep '13 06:02
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