Philotic Web

This is a place for:

*Learning and Discussing about the nature of beliefs that people may hold as dear and True
*Learning and Discussing WHY individuals hold those beliefs as such
*Discussing those beliefs and clearing up misconceptions for greater mutual understanding

This is not a place for:

* Bashing, Ridiculing, or degradation of anyone's system of beliefs
* Presenting links to websites that bash, ridicule, or degrade anyone's system of beliefs
* Blatant Proselyting to Your Way Of Thinking

Also:
*If you are not a member of a particular faith or belief system, do not set yourself up as an authority as to what that faith or belief system believes. Because you're probably wrong.

Any breaches of these guidelines will be subject to board discipline. These guidelines may be amended by any moderator at any time.

* Bashing, Ridiculing, or degradation of anyone's system of beliefs
* Presenting links to websites that bash, ridicule, or degrade anyone's system of beliefs

Is Scientology excluded from these rules?

Not here, it isn't. that would be a double standard, now, wouldn't it?

This is not a forum to discuss the validity of one's beliefs, rather, to try to understand what individuals truly believe, and why.

If you don't think you can swim without peeing, then we'd prefer you stay out of the pool.

Well, since athiesm is technically the absense of belief, then technically it's exempt from the rules and we can ridicule it all we want...

No. Atheism is the absence of belief in a religious deity, or perhaps even the belief in the non-existence of a religious deity. They have beliefs, just the diametric opposite of those held by theists.

I suppose that the only group that could technically be left out by those rules are agnostics, but the spirit of the rules is to respect everyone, so even the agnostics shouldn't be ridiculed here.

Agnostics have beliefs, kinda sorta.

Agnostics: the theological fence-sitters.

No. Atheism is the absence of belief in a religious deity, or perhaps even the belief in the non-existence of a religious deity. They have beliefs, just the diametric opposite of those held by theists.

I don't believe in atheists.

My experience with atheists is that they tend to believe, or perhaps assume, that the workings of the universe are comprendable through science. This is a belief I can share. I would say that scientific and religious institutions sometimes respond to expediency and personal ambition that risk corruption of their purpose.

Can I post about other philosophies here?

why not?

Just wanted to make sure it's not strictly religion and moral philosophy.

"Religion and moral philosophy" is a pretty broad umbrella. This forum is a place for people to discuss the guiding principles of their life, with a bit of extra protection on how personal it's allowed to get.

You can certainly post about philosophy in general here, but if it's just an academic thing, you might get better results over in Milagre. It's up to you.

This is EL-the-getting-fed-up-Mod speaking. I want EVERYONE to go and re-read the rules of the forum.

This is a place for:

*Learning and Discussing about the nature of beliefs that people may hold as dear and True
*Learning and Discussing WHY individuals hold those beliefs as such
*Discussing those beliefs and clearing up misconceptions for greater mutual understanding

Why do you believe that? Oh, that's interesting, have you considered this?

This is not a place for:

* Bashing, Ridiculing, or degradation of anyone's system of beliefs - calling someone or someone's system of beliefs brainwashed, brainwashing, delusional, stupid, or anything of that sort.
* Presenting links to websites that bash, ridicule, or degrade anyone's system of beliefs
* Blatant Proselyting to Your Way Of Thinking

Also:
*If you are not a member of a particular faith or belief system, do not set yourself up as an authority as to what that faith or belief system believes. Because you're probably wrong. This includes ascribing motivations.

Any breaches of these guidelines will be subject to board discipline. These guidelines may be amended by any moderator at any time.

This is the way it works, folks. The aim of these rules is not to allow you to express your thoughts as offensively as possible while still being within the rules. These are rules that are supposed to guide you to expressing your thoughts in the politest and most respectful manner possible.

Things have gotten pretty rude and nasty in here, and it will not be tolerated. I am lessening my participation in debates here for two reasons.
1. I am beginning to get really disgusted and I'm having a harder time keeping it out of my posts. I have to keep to the same rules, too, so I'm pulling back.
2. I will be policing threads much more intently. I'm not getting involved as much so that I can try to see the debates more neutrally.

People, shape up. This is getting ridiculous. It's possible to disagree without telling the other person that they're dumb.

This is your collective notice. I will be locking threads if they look like they are getting out of hand. (I will listen if people present good arguments to me - via PM - and consider re-opening them.) I will be handing down warnings.

I hate doing this, and I really hate posting this. But it's gotten out of hand and when I, as a mod, get multiple complaints from multiple posters that the environment in here has gone sour, it's my job to do something about it.

That is all for now.

* Bashing, Ridiculing, or degradation of anyone's system of beliefs - calling someone or someone's system of beliefs brainwashed, brainwashing, delusional, stupid, or anything of that sort.

Would you terribly mind acknowledging those quotes of mine?

get down with your bad self, eri.

Religion has always been a sore topic throughout the ages. This just goes to prove that people of different beliefs have a very hard time being amiable with a person of a religion that does not agree or goes against their personal beliefs. EL, you're perfectly within your rights to demand a safe environment where people can discuss, without attacking another's beliefs. I just hope that it can happen.

yeah... i give it a week

then someone else will be offensive. it IS kinda a losing battle...

Just look at religious history. How many wars have been fought because one religion didn't agree with another? Hell, it's partly why we're in this war. No matter what, no matter how many warnings you give or how sincere people try to be when debating religion, someone will get offended, even if the offender had no intention of causing a problem. It's a touchy subject, that's all.

Yea, BAG's on to something. You guys need to go old school and Crusade eriador's ass (in the least double entendre way possible).

so what you're saying is that religious folk need to grow a sense of humor?

Me? No I'm saying they need to don shield and sword and go hack eriador up into bloody pieces as proof of God's divine retribution.

Where d'you get that sense of humour idea from?

Would killing somebody really go along with the goal of the forum? That's the question I think we need to ask.

you egotistical ....

i was responding to BAG

Yea, BAG's on to something. You guys need to go old school and Crusade eriador's ass (in the least double entendre way possible).

We're not allowed to Crusade anyone's asses anymore.

No, just remember to take everything with a grain of salt. Again. it's a touchy subject, and we should probably stop and think a moment before we say something in this subject. I don't mean to say you don't think before speaking, but when it comes to religion, people are quick to defend their veiws, and don't stop and take a closer look. Someone may be saying something offensive without realizing it, or jumping to conclusions when the other person meant no ill will. It's especially hard to choose the right words when discussing beliefs. Sometimes what's right to one person is horribly wrong to another. But EL is completely right. Some people are taking things too far and (perhaps unknowingly) attacking others and their beliefs. It may be time for everyone to step back for a while, cool down, and come back with fresh perspectives.

You know, I have a feeling an atheist's crusade just wouldn't work

I think that tolerance and patience are in short supply in regards to any subjects regarding morals or religions. I wonder would these overblown seething discussions be better or worse in person? Maybe sitting in front of a computer looking at the threads gives people a clearer idea of what they actually believe without resorting as many swearwords (and touchy mentalities) they would have in a face to face discussion, though there are a few obvious exceptions on this forum.

Stop telling me what to do, you f****** christian

touche et tu? someone needs to mind their labelling and stereotyping of people.

Shouldn't you be busy firebombing an abortion clinic, or trying to make people convert to your religion you christian extremist?

Who said anything about my religious preferences? You are making blind assumptions without any grounds to say them, so cut it out. IT is a very obvious ploy to get me angry, so stop it.

This is a place for:

*Learning and Discussing about the nature of beliefs that people may hold as dear and True
*Learning and Discussing WHY individuals hold those beliefs as such
*Discussing those beliefs and clearing up misconceptions for greater mutual understanding

This is not a place for:

* Bashing, Ridiculing, or degradation of anyone's system of beliefs
* Presenting links to websites that bash, ridicule, or degrade anyone's system of beliefs
* Blatant Proselyting to Your Way Of Thinking

Does that exclude certain topics, or only certain styles of debate? For instance, is "Christians are delusional" bad because it uses the word delusional, or because it says that Christians are wrong?

I was under the impression that that was okay because I explained that it was to get interest, not to bash people. I might have wanted to put a ? on it though...

personally i welcome that sort of stand. it gives us a place to start a debate. expressing opinions, being offended, expressing more opinions, debating it... a debate can not exist if no one expresses their opinions. sometimes opinions are offensive, sometimes they are misled, sometimes they are just ignorant. but they all spark a debate. without opinions, offensive or not, expressed nicely or not... basically a board like this generally turns into a giant circle-jerk on god.