Thieving Magpie

I'm sorry, I was busy throwing up behind a dumpster.. what did I miss?

Yellum Notnef

116 people have viewed this poll,but only 10 people have bothered to click a simple radio button. And now it`s been derailed by Christians who are quibbling about the definitions of my categories and misunderstanding what I was referring to when I used the word respect. This question wasn`t even for the Christians since I knew what would happen if they got involved.


Maybe I should have asked which position is more noble? Which one makes more sense? Which is more consistent?

Maybe my questions about atheist views on the different flavors of Christianity might get a better response if asked in a private forum,but alas,I have no idea how to get in there.

pz

Sorry, but I don't vote on any polls. I think they encourage shallow thinking, and the comments are much more useful. Also, your poll didn't include my preferred choice: to respect neither of them.So ignore them.

Although...it would be nice if we had the option to request that all theists refrain from contributing. Actually, I suppose we do have the option to ask, we just don't have any way to enforce the request -- and I do wonder if they'd be able to restrain themselves voluntarily.

Jayjay

The fundamentalist/literalist types only think they have it all figured out, even though they're picking and choosing whatever suits them just like the liberal christians are. At least the latter group is a little bit more intellectually honest about it, and that deserves some respect. So I voted for #2.

Yellum Notnef

It would never happen. I`ve seen people try it in the past and it never works.

it is quite understandable that they would barge in in order to defend themselves against perceived misconceptions about their postion even though it is incredibly annoying.

Luiseach

Put this way, the poll is more approachable, and the question less loaded.

In which case I say that neither position is more consistent than the other...absolute adherence to one (or even a few) written texts as a source of 'truth' is senseless, because it leaves out the issue of empirical evidence; at the same time, however, picking and choosing from a written text quotations that seem to prove the truth of something behind it/beyond it (whilst ignoring or down-playing any contradictions in the self-same text) is also inconsistent.

(by text I mean, of course, the Bible in this instance)

Sabine Grant

Maybe then you should ask the Administration if they wish to restrict the public forums use to only atheists under certain circumstances.
Then assumptions, prejudicial comments, generalizations and stereotyping would not be challenged. Probably theists as myself would feel that the ongoing complains from atheists that some christian forums will restrict their freedom of expression are not justified any longer. Why being critical of something that would be imitated?
If Fenton wanted to restrict the access of this thread to only atheists, he could have asked theists to refrain from any comments.
This thread is under General Religious Discussions and one has to expect that any religious individual will participate into the threads.
Contrary to your analysis of how theists would not comply to a polite and non offensive request from Fenton such as " this is not to muzzle theists but my interest is genuinely to see how other atheists percieve christians so I am asking that theists reserve their comments for another thread. If some of the comments are to be challenged please open up your own thread and I will gladly discuss them with you" I maintain that it would have been welcome. Especialy since the very freedom of expression of theists would still be respected by his willingness to respond in another thread.
See... no big deal. Just a matter of finding conciliatory ways to keep the dialogue open.
On those words, I rest my case. And "all those christians who have derailed that thread "will now cease to express their opinion.... at least in this thread.
The bonsoiring Ballerine.... ( one of Ronin's endearing terms)

pz

Fenton has since clearly stated that he found the christian contribution distracting and irrelevant, and would rather they were not involved (although he also notes that he feels helpless to restrict them).

My doubts that you'd be able to voluntarily restrain yourselves from commenting have been confirmed.Yes. There is no policy to enforce any limitation of who may contribute to a thread here. It's just that I can also see why some people might prefer that certain specific individuals would just shut up at times.

lisarea

I didn't vote, and can't honestly pick one.

My respect is based more on the path one took getting there than the ultimate conclusion.

That is, I have a basic respect for anyone who has honestly assessed their ideas and come to an understanding based on a fundamental intellectual integrity.

I do NOT respect those who make their choices based on fear, laziness, or convenience, and you just can't tell based on the conclusions alone.

I am certainly not friends with Bible literalists, primarily because I think they're insane. However, I've often asked myself, if I were religious, what would I be like. The inevitable conclusion: Insane. I can't fathom how someone could accept religious doctrine as the truth, and not be completely obsessive about it. If I actually believed that stuff, I'm sure I'd be a raving fundie. I'd be terrified all the time, I'd probably wear weird clothes and be preaching all the time. I understand less the mindset of the sort of liberal ecumenical types, and that sect I like to think of as "kitschianity." You know, that sort of Oprah religion, where people believe in the Bible, but also make up new stuff, like where people pray to their dead relatives and believe that they take the literal form of personal angels, and stuff like that.

As far as respecting people's decisions and the conclusions they reach, though, if they came by them honestly, I respect that. If they didn't, they suck. The only thing I consistently disrespect, in fact, is a lack of intellectual integrity.

And the band Chicago. So that's two things.

Maybe if you added a "Chicago Sucks!" option. Barring that, though, I can't pick one.

Yellum Notnef

Yes,but I didn`t say anything about it when I started the thread. It was early in the day and it didn`t cross my mind that the thread would be a Christian magnet.
I should have known better.

Amen.