Autonemesis

It's at times like these I like to remember that old saying from way back before the Great Split: Arguing on the Internet is like running in the Special Olympics. Even if you win, you're still retarded.

RED DAVE

Take a new tack. Try agreeing with the little bastard and tell him what great sex Satanists have. 18 year olds are so horny they come if the wind blows on it.

RED (NO LONGER 18, ALAS) DAVE

Straight Hate

I haven't had the benefit of reading the discussion in question, but have you tried calling him on it yet? It's unacceptable to respond to an argument with (religious) slogans - depending on what you want out of the discussion, you could use that tact to move it along, demolish his credibility, or as was mentioned above try a different tactic ("Yes, they are satanic and much better than X Christian band because..."). Whatever the case, most artists are actually Christian, so you could also try to dig up a quote of them professing their religious views.

Roland98

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Don't think I could use the "great sex" one though--that would surely get censored. As for pointing out bands that are even worse, that would only strengthen his argument (the site he uses for his "information" also lists Creed, N'Sync, Garth Brooks etc. as being "Satanic," so there's really no limit to their stupidity).

I know it's incredibly stupid if myself even to care, but it's just my damn pride and stubborness, plus the fact that this kid has been spouting on about this for months and everytime I have him on the ropes, he switches his argument. There are a few other people on the thread calling him on his defeat, so perhaps I can just leave with that--letting other people point out how stupid his argument is.

Roland98

That's been pointed out--most obviously, with Creed, but because of some events in the personal life of each artist (divorce, drug use, etc.), they're apparently not "Christian" enough.

Don't you love the hypocrisy??

Another one was that many other Christians on the site occasionally chime in to say how they enjoy listening to these artists and others like them. So again, their "Christianness" is put into question. :banghead:

gsx1138

Obey the Leader. The Leader is good. The Leader is great.

Talk about a cult mentality. I would just keep repeating the logic that he keeps ignoring. Call him on all of his Fallacies. I'm sure he's using tons of Appeal to Authority arguments. Otherwise, just drop out. I had a guy in my speech class give a speech on how Carbon 14 dating was flawed and the Earth was 6,000 years old.

diana

Hi, Roland.

One of my techniques for dealing with the evasive is to thank them for their input, comment on it as you wish (granting them any good points they make along the way), but continue to ask questions they aren't answering (or continue to make points they are ignoring), reminding them politely in each post that they haven't yet addressed these objections of yours--then list them again.

You aren't going to change his mind, of course. But you can embarrass his fellow Christians (if they aren't embarrassed enough already) by being politely ruthless.

I've done this for several pages with one particularly tenacious tapdancer, and I finally got to the point where I posted:

I asked [this question], to which you replied:

Quote:

Then I asked [this question]. Ever the quotable man, you replied:

Quote:

etc...

That seems to be a very good way to get banned from a Christian board, though. That and using the word "bastard."

d

Roland98

[quote]Ooh, that's a good one. I'll have to keep that in mind.

Well, another poster gave me an out. She was pretty new, and basically called him on how he'd avoided my (convincing)arguments, and if he continued to be so dishonest and evasive, she wouldn't post any replies to him. So I basically just seconded the motion, throwing in a few comments about honest, ethical debate tactics.

Thanks for all the advice! Appreciate it.

Defiant Heretic

Creed is a Christian band. A bad one, too. (Of course, as with nearly all music written since 1989 or so, this should simply be assumed.)