Discussion, Debate, and just plain Dissing Off (page 4)

Oxnard Hamster

This is an example of where you should be a big boy and either walk away

I thought about that, but was afraid if I left people's questions unanswered, then I would've been labeled either a snob, or too ignorant to defend myself.

StinkyPantz

Ox-

Faith: Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence.

Accepting something without proof is unsafe in my opinion. Before I married my husband I wanted to see his credit report. I needed some sort of proof that he was financially stable and responsible .

Swan

Prisca,

Well said!

This board is primarily a place to receive and offer help, but there are those here that want to debate topics. The point is, you don't HAVE to join in any debates, no matter how much some may try to egg you on. Just post on the threads that interest you, and if you don't feel like backing up any statements you make, then I don't think you should have to. Afterall, it's YOUR time that you're spending online, and how you use that time online is YOUR choice, not someone elses.

Tammy

:: you demand that other posters quietly accept from you the very things they actively reject on the part of the Watchtower. : No, you've misunderstood me. I don't expect anybody to accept anything, other than the fact I have the right to think and feel a certain way. I never intended to force my beliefs on anyone else. I only wanted to share that despite the JWs, I still believe in God. If you don't, then that's your perogative. You're being thoroughly disingenuous here. No one here questions your right to think and feel any way you please. That is NOT an issue on this board. What is being questioned is, not your right to hold opinions, but whether those opinions are valid. Furthermore, you're not just expressing them in a take-it-or-leave-it way, but in a way that begs -- even demands -- that readers accept the opinions as valid. For example, your statement to me in an earlier thread, " I don't know how you could possibly be happy as an atheist knowing you are going to die and never be resurrected", doesn't sound like a simple question, but a challenge to my own disbelief. Therefore, as a member of this discussion board, I have every right to express my disagreement with your implied challenge and to challenge you to back up your belief. If you don't agree with any of this, then do post your corrective thoughts. AlanF

Oxnard Hamster

Some people object to being "force fed" certain ideas. Well of course, no one on a discussion board is being force fed anything. Posters can read or not read posts -- their choice.

And you reprimand me for alledgedly "demanding" that people quietly swallow my beliefs?

For example, your statement to me in an earlier thread, " I don't know how you could possibly be happy as an atheist knowing you are going to die and never be resurrected", doesn't sound like a simple question, but a challenge to my own disbelief. Therefore, as a member of this discussion board, I have every right to express my disagreement with your implied challenge and to challenge you to back up your belief. If you don't agree with any of this, then do post your corrective thoughts.

No, not a challenge to your disbelief, but a challenge as to how you can act so nonchalant about death. Maybe you can be, but I didn't understand how one could be so calm so I wanted more information about how you find happiness in your disbelief.

czarofmischief

Look at it this way, Ox, if people respond to your ideas, even harshly, it means you hit a nerve, said something worth responding to.

What do you want? A discussion board where everyone nods politely to everything anybody says? That's kind of boring, don't you think? the whole point is to exchange ideas and information, including research others have done on various topics.

I concur that if I have to scroll through another fourteen page Trinitarian manifesto, I'm going to scream that people do too MUCH research. But when people post links to sites on various scientific or news topics, then I check it out. It doesn't take too much time, and it gives me food for thought about my beliefs.

Take politics, for example. I'm an American, a republican, and a conservative. Hamas is anything but. But when he posts links to topics about the palestinians or Iraq, topics on which we have sharply divided viewpoints, I check out those links. I challenge my own beliefs about America. why? I'm curious!

Now, if you aren't curious, which seems to be what you are saying, you aren't obliged to respond or even to read what people say. If you just want to toss your ideas out into the ring and then walk away, fine. but you won't have learned a thing. You'll have just started a discussion that will continue without you.

All that being said, some people are kind of jerks, and thusly you might be advised to learn the subtle art of troll-bashing!

CZAR

Oxnard Hamster

Look at it this way, Ox, if people respond to your ideas, even harshly, it means you hit a nerve, said something worth responding to.

True.

All that being said, some people are kind of jerks, and thusly you might be advised to learn the subtle art of troll-bashing!

Heh, actually I have resorted to this very tactic before.

And no, I don't expect everyone to just nod in agreement. But it shouldn't degenerate to the point of "Well, I disagree with such and such a person because he/she isn't rational in my ideas, therefore he/she is a moron" either.

AlanF

Oxnard said:

Some people object to being "force fed" certain ideas. Well of course, no one on a discussion board is being force fed anything. Posters can read or not read posts -- their choice.

: And you reprimand me for alledgedly "demanding" that people quietly swallow my beliefs?

Right. But you still don't seem to understand a very simple concept: Demanding that people blindly swallow your beliefs on a public discussion board is in no way comparable to force feeding them. Force feeding requires control, and on this discussion board no one controls anyone else. What don't you understand about this? Obviously this lack of ability to understand simple concepts is directly related to your extreme disinterest in "intellectual research". Why am I not surprised?

For example, your statement to me in an earlier thread, " I don't know how you could possibly be happy as an atheist knowing you are going to die and never be resurrected", doesn't sound like a simple question, but a challenge to my own disbelief. Therefore, as a member of this discussion board, I have every right to express my disagreement with your implied challenge and to challenge you to back up your belief. If you don't agree with any of this, then do post your corrective thoughts.

: No, not a challenge to your disbelief, but a challenge as to how you can act so nonchalant about death.

Same thing. Do you want me to explain why?

Clearly you have no facility for understanding analogies. Perhaps developing a bit of interest in research could help rectify that.

: Maybe you can be, but I didn't understand how one could be so calm so I wanted more information about how you find happiness in your disbelief.

Your question is much like that posed by the Serpent to Eve: "What! God told you that?!" I just can't believe it!"

Do you understand now?

If all you wanted was information, and had no intention of making a Serpent-like challenge, you could have found plenty of neutral ways to do it.

AlanF

Cassiline

This is an example of where you should be a big boy and either walk away

I thought about that, but was afraid if I left people's questions unanswered, then I would've been labeled either a snob, or too ignorant to defend myself.

Hello Ox

Welcome to the board!! You're above statement is a prime example we can't please everyone all the time. Sorry I missed welcoming you first go round.

You, most likely have already noticed that most are set in their belief systems and are quick at times to take offense when someone may disagree or have a different base for our beliefs. I think a good reason for this is the fact for so long ( those who were in quite some time or raised a JW) we were handed information and told to believe without reasearch on our own. In fact denied access to materials to do so.

Soooo the first thing many of us tend to do here is ask for proof. And when none ( to our satisifaction ) can be supplied it may rub a few the wrong way.

Just wanted to say hello and welcome, and perhaps interject the above which you may already be aware of but perhaps one reason for our constant request for backing of some sort.

Cassi

rem

But it shouldn't degenerate to the point of "Well, I disagree with such and such a person because he/she isn't rational in my ideas, therefore he/she is a moron" either.

Being irrational is not synonymous with being a moron. That is a connection you yourself have made.

rem

Discussion, Debate, and just plain Dissing Off

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