Is Richard Dawkins afraid to debate the best?

^ And you wonder why atheists have a PR problem - your approach does not help to put it mildly. Even Richard Dawkins had to shut down one of his forums as some were really nasty. Sadly it's quite common for people like you to quarrel so badly. (not all, though....) That and the vast bandwidth you put on this topic is far more appropriate in beliefnet dot com or PHOP.

If your objective is to promote your viewpoint effectively:

- Avoid insults. Do you really expect an constructive exchange on any topic while charactarizing the other side as evil or stupid?
- Avoid emotional terms like magic, fantasy, mythology, fairy tales. You say you are logical, rational - speak that way please.
- When Bible quotes are used, put them in context. For example: Paul was addressing women being disruptive in church, and the snippet was misconstrued to say they have no role in the church.
- Actually research what you attack first. Of course you don't agree with Christianity and religion, but if you don't try to understand it you are both ineffective and frustrating.
- Are you overstating? To speak as if the church is one of the greatest evils ever is incendary. Frankly, I doubt most would think of them like facism, communism, slavery, etc. I also find it a contridiction for many secularists to bristle about the church judging things as evil and immoral, yet you will call the church evil and immoral.
- Don't dump a bunch of issues all at once. Anyone can drop ten issues in five minutes that could take months or indefinitely to sort out. ​

So consider the suggestions if you want to be more effective. For a moment this past weekend I thought you were.




Airportkid, you have had quite a few questions for me - I think it's time to ask you one:

Airportkid, prove to me there is no God


.

 

hyo silver, why am I obligated to answer religion questions in a car forum?

If I did that to you - I would not expect you to be very happy with that. I'm sure some might say you would be taking things personally, dodging them etc.

It's a logical fallacy I can't proselytize (and have not) but airportkid can.


Anyway, I can ask questions just like airportkid, so let him answer my question:

Airportkid, prove to me there is no God

 

hyo silver,

I own up to the involvement on religion topics this year, but I did not always do that. On other forums I've moderated or admined, I've seldom gone beyond an occasional "Merry Christmas" or praying for the sick - i.e. have not pushed my beliefs on others. In fact, I had to ban a n00b that joined simply to proselytize.

This topic is just as divisive as the political threads in PHOP for all the same reasons....if most of the religion topics can't go to a private forum, then it would only be consistent to move all the PHOP threads back to public view.


Anyway, my question was for airportkid - give him an opportunity to answer it.

 

Please let airportkid have an opportunity to answer, but I will respond to this.

So xs650, you are telling me your viewpoint requires no defense - no proof - just accept it on "blind faith?" Yes - I realize my use of "the other F-word"....I'll try to watch my language.

 

Why do I think one of you would gripe if spiderman or Treb answered for me?

Back to my question: airportkid has declared himself to be an atheist....xs650 you just declared yourself an agnostic (that's what you implied last post), so you butted into a question not intended for you....it's about as appropriate as talking about your best trip in a hybrid Camry when in fact you drive a Prius.

This is one of those disingenuous dodges that cause so much trouble...someone like me directs a question at an atheist, and someone else says: "Invalid! I'm an agnostic. Or a freethinker, etc"

You can take a higher road that that.

 

It amazes me how quarrelsome people never miss an opportunity to disagree.

Regardless, the question was for an atheist and you identified yourself as not being one. In your "reasoning", you would respond to a thread named "My drive in the Chevy Volt" even if you never drove one?

I'm sure airportkid will be here in a few hours.

If you are so certain of your beliefs, why are you hijacking my question to airportkid?

 

^ xs650, you just gave a textbook example of hiijacking while denying it.

 

PriQ,

I'm sure there will be time for that shortly - I'm just taking this step by step.

Thank you for being civil.

 

Definitely - you nailed the root problem of threads like these.