what if...
- Thread starter radvermin
- Start date
I already pretty much do that. I quietly classify specific people here as cartoon people in my mind, once they prove to be such. Once I classify them in this way, I almost never reply to them again, and when I do occasionally reply to them I expect some kind of nonsense in response.
It works well, and I think everyone should try it. Most CARM posters don't.
I'd respond to every thread.
Tried it, couldn't really stick to it. I think I've mentioned that my wife has threatened to have "Somebody is STILL Wrong on the Internet!" carved on my tombstone
Furion
Well-known member
lol
It's fascinating watching these atheists try to act like they are here for serious discussion.
Some are so deep in their own stuff they think they are right because they don't respond.
C'mon atheists, just admit why you are here. Honesty is far better than acting like you are above it all.
Eightcrackers
Well-known member
Why are we here, then?
Engaging with nonsensical responses works well? Try the "Ignore" button. It works perfectly.
I've lost count of how many people I have on "Ignore". Trust me, this site is infinitely better. The only hiccup is that there are a few people who we're not allowed to place on "ignore" which forces me to adopt your position. Fortunately, they are very few.
Furion
Well-known member
Eightcrackers
Well-known member
I want to know why you think we are here.
Which is why I am certain that you will not give the answer.
Furion
Well-known member
So then you are entertained, ok.
So for you, coming here for your entertainment, I always know your posts are just for jollies.
Embrace it fella.
Did I answer your question or will you be like some what's it's face and post a thousand "why won't you answer the question" posts?
For your entertainment....if an atheist question falls in the forest, will anyone hear it?
Electric Skeptic
Well-known member
Yeah, pretty much the same. I've given up on finding a forum where Christians legitimately want to engage with non-Christians and actually discuss issues related to Christianity. I've kinda settled here because at least (some of) the 'Christians' are entertaining, even if they're not what I'm looking for.
Electric Skeptic
Well-known member
lol
It's fascinating watching these 'Christians' try to act like they are here for serious discussion.
Some are so deep in their own stuff they think they are right because they don't respond.
C'mon 'Christians', just admit why you are here. Honesty is far better than acting like you are above it all.
Furion
Well-known member
Christians are here because of the great commission, it's not a secret, silly.
Are you afraid to say what's on your mind atheist?
I mean you tried to flatter me by your post, but I am not easily flattered.
Got any answer, atheist?
Whateverman
Well-known member
I'm a stickler for details, so I'm going to change your question - because it's too limited. For example, the vast majority of threads here are not started by people asking questions. I would reformulate your OP as follows:
What do you think would happen if you only responded to the threads where those posting the OP actually wanted a discussion?
I honestly think not much would change.
The people not interested in discussion would continue to post/troll, and the people looking for genuine conversation would simply drift away (or otherwise look for it elsewhere). Now, there are Christians who want conversation with Christians, so that wouldn't stop, and there are atheists who want their ideas tested, so they would still be here - and there are a small number of Christians who want to discuss things with atheists (and vice versa). In other words, people would continue posting here.
To be fair to you, the bitter back-and-forth would probably diminish, so maybe the level of heated rhetoric would be lowered a bit. As others have already said here, they actively work on responding only to sincere posts/questions, and I personally admire their contributions in this respect.
---
Speaking for myself, there's some utility in responding to trolls. There are theoretically Christians lurking here (ie. reading but not posting), so I find I think it's important to respond to trolls, to point out where their claims/ideas don't withstand scrutiny. Still, I concede (and have actually been saying for more than a decade now) that there isn't much conversation going on in the secular forums.
As long as trolls are allowed to troll with impunity, there's nothing we can do to improve the quality of discussion here.
Electric Skeptic
Well-known member
No, they're not.
No. Never have been.
No, I did not.
To what? You asked one question in your post, which I answered.
I think you misunderstood, my question, but I deduce from your reply that you currently don't respond to every thread
Actually, I notice that both Christians and Atheists tend to ask questions that they don't want an answer to... we're all human.
But how many questions, in the Atheist forum, are Christians asking more of a "gotcha" question as opposed to seeking honest discussion? It may be a false interpretation on my part but I find Christians tend to be here to prove their point as opposed to having a conversation about a topic.
Might I suggest reading more books of people you disagree with? I do it from time to time; I'm still fighting people, but now it looks like I'm educating myself
I didn't know there was an ignore button. Does it hide posts from people? Wouldn't that make it difficult to follow certain threads if you can only see one side of the conversation? Or does it hide your posts from the other person?
It's interesting because I had a debate with my sister over evangelism. I'm all for cold call evangelism but she saw that as... basically abuse.
I could understand her point because I remember a person militantly trying to evangelize to her (he literally had camo clothing on). She was afraid of the guy. I still hold, however, that Jesus did not abuse the woman at the well in John 4 when he talked to her about the water, welling up to everlasting life, true worship, that he was the Messiah, and turned her into an evangelist.
But your response made me think of something...
I'll give you a thought to ponder. "People don't hear what they can't see (unless they're looking for it)." We tend to tune things out. If people can't see the love of Christ in Christians, will they hear John 3:16?
I think one of the basis for dialogue and conversation on here is to demonstrate the love of Christ, so that they will hear it (and also forgive us when we mess up... just confessing my own flaw at this moment).