Theists, is MDB a hostile environment?

[_MrStakhanovite]

Theists of all stripes, please air your grievances about the environment of this board, I’m curious about what you think about the atmosphere various non-theists here help create.

[_Buffalo]

My immediate exile to Elba would no doubt solve the problem, given my unspeakable depths of depravity and combined with my intellectual vacuity and my propensity to threaten my Malevolent Stalker with homicide.

[_MsJack]

MDB, all on its own, is not a hostile environment. It's a free speech environment. It is what the people put into it.

So what do people put into it?

A lot of hostility to theism.

Ergo, MDB is hostile to theism.

I don't mind that there are so many people here who think theism is dumb, or even that theists are dumb. We're all entitled to our opinions.

What I mind is that so many threads seem to turn into a discussion along those lines regardless of the OP. It wears me down and makes me question why I spend time here anymore.

I respect Doctor Shades' vision. I really do. I understand why it's a good idea to have a place where anyone can say (almost) anything and not be censored.

But "telestial-quality" comments have little place in meaningful discussions on religion. There's a reason all of the good discussions take place in Terrestrial and Celestial with Telestial mainly functioning as a psycho-therapy forum for the butthurt. And I see plenty of "Telestial"-quality comments in Terrestrial which don't get moved because I lack the heart to hit my "report" button for the 400th time. The practice around here is generally that if it isn't reported, the moderators won't touch it.

I feel like the main things that make this environment feel "hostile" are:

(1) Posters who relentlessly criticize theism wherever they go, regardless of the OP
(2) The Telestial forum and Telestial-quality comments on the loose in the other forums

My two cents.

[_Ceeboo]

Hey Stak,

Theists of all stripes,

I think that means me!

please air your grievances about the environment of this board

I have none.

,

I’m curious about what you think about the atmosphere various non-theists here help create.

Simply put, I believe that when you create an enviornment where all voices are heard, then indeed, all voices are heard.

This board consists of people that offer beliefs that range all over the map (Theists, Atheists. Agnostic, those who are in the process of new beliefs, those that have left past beliefs behind, and those that aren't even sure what they believe anymore.) This, in my opinion, is exactly what makes this board rare. (It is also, without doubt, one of the biggest reasons that I enjoy being here)

Where else can you go to hear/learn such a wide variety under one roof. (Value? No question in my opinion)

Peace,
Ceeboo

[_Some Schmo]

Simply put, I believe that when you create an environment where all voices are heard, then indeed, all voices are heard.

This board consists of people that offer beliefs that range all over the map (Theists, Atheists. Agnostic, those who are in the process of new beliefs, those that have left past beliefs behind, and those that aren't even sure what they believe anymore.) This, in my opinion, is exactly what makes this board rare. (It is also, without doubt, one of the biggest reasons that I enjoy being here)

Where else can you go to hear/learn such a wide variety under one roof. (Value? No question in my opinion)

Peace,
Ceeboo

Fine assessment, Ceeb, and I feel exactly the same way about this board.

[_Morley]

MDB, all on its own, is not a hostile environment. It's a free speech environment. It is what the people put into it.

So what do people put into it?

A lot of hostility to theism.

Ergo, MDB is hostile to theism.

I don't mind that there are so many people here who think theism is dumb, or even that theists are dumb. We're all entitled to our opinions.

What I mind is that so many threads seem to turn into a discussion along those lines regardless of the OP. It wears me down and makes me question why I spend time here anymore.

I respect Doctor Shades' vision. I really do. I understand why it's a good idea to have a place where anyone can say (almost) anything and not be censored.

But "telestial-quality" comments have little place in meaningful discussions on religion. There's a reason all of the good discussions take place in Terrestrial and Celestial with Telestial mainly functioning as a psycho-therapy forum for the butthurt. And I see plenty of "Telestial"-quality comments in Terrestrial which don't get moved because I lack the heart to hit my "report" button for the 400th time. The practice around here is generally that if it isn't reported, the moderators won't touch it.

I feel like the main things that make this environment feel "hostile" are:

(1) Posters who relentlessly criticize theism wherever they go, regardless of the OP
(2) The Telestial forum and Telestial-quality comments on the loose in the other forums

My two cents.

As usual, MsJack: Well said.

[_Ceeboo]

Hello double S (Happy Monday!)

Fine assessment, Ceeb, and I feel exactly the same way about this board.

At this rate, my guess is that I will make you a devout believer within weeks. :)














Worst case, months.

Peace,
Ceeboo

[_MrStakhanovite]

My immediate exile to Elba would no doubt solve the problem, given my unspeakable depths of depravity and combined with my intellectual vacuity and my propensity to threaten my Malevolent Stalker with homicide.

Okay, I gotta give credit where credit is due, this is a really good DCP.

[_sock puppet]

Hey Stak,

Theists of all stripes,

I think that means me!

please air your grievances about the environment of this board

I have none.

,

I’m curious about what you think about the atmosphere various non-theists here help create.

Simply put, I believe that when you create an enviornment where all voices are heard, then indeed, all voices are heard.

This board consists of people that offer beliefs that range all over the map (Theists, Atheists. Agnostic, those who are in the process of new beliefs, those that have left past beliefs behind, and those that aren't even sure what they believe anymore.) This, in my opinion, is exactly what makes this board rare. (It is also, without doubt, one of the biggest reasons that I enjoy being here)

Where else can you go to hear/learn such a wide variety under one roof. (Value? No question in my opinion)

Peace,
Ceeboo

Yup.

[_sock puppet]

My immediate exile to Elba would no doubt solve the problem, given my unspeakable depths of depravity and combined with my intellectual vacuity and my propensity to threaten my Malevolent Stalker with homicide.

Okay, I gotta give credit where credit is due, this is a really good DCP.

It is so good, it makes one ask, is Buffalo a sock puppet of DCP?