Just a thought on the recent influx of theists.

[dabees]

I have noticed the recent influx of theists here, not surprising considering the category but unusual all the same.

I float around many parts of the Internet that have a majority of Atheist users and have noticed many former Theists "coming out" to family and friends. Most of them seem to live in the USA and have faced a lot of persecution for their decision.

Some of them (younger atheists) have been kicked out of the family home and a few have even suffered death threats and condemnation to hell.

Question 1 to theists: Can you justify someone telling a child to leave the family home for not following your religion?

Q2: There are many religions and variations of those religions, what in your eyes makes yours the correct choice?

For everyone. I was wondering if the recent posts by theists are a way to combat this change and also if AB's change to a US server has facilitated this somehow?

[cazzz1975]

I think the AB site has been on a US server since a few months after the new ed arrived, it was one of the first changes implemented.

[AB Editor]

"and also if AB's change to a US server has facilitated this somehow?"

No, it's nothing to do with that!

"It has been on a US based server for a while Boxtops, but they should have let you know. Just out of respect."

We did tell you when we moved sever, two and a bit years ago! It's not a very interesting topic though...

[ludwig]

People can make themselves look very foolish and hypocritical trying to defend the actions of trolls and spammers, just because they happen to be trolling and spamming on a subject close to their own hearts.

If I were to start pasting nothing but chunks of text copied off say Richard Dawkins website under the guise of questions and answers without any acknowledgement to the source, I'd be waiting a long time for jno to step up and defend such a method of contributing.

I'm sure he'd be in the queue (just behind the atheists probably) telling me shut up until I had something original to say.

[Ankou]

q1. there are some on ab who are and aint religious who would kick their own children out for being gay or turning muslim, so i guess bigoted prejudice would be their basis for justification.

q2, it never is.

[venator]

====================================
CUT & PASTE NOTICE
====================================

By replying to this thread, you are encouraging the originator to produce more and more of the same.

They feed on protracted, largely illogical postings.

If you have rats in the cellar, stop leaving food around, and they go away

[naomi24]

Venator, I understand what you're saying, and have considered that, but in my view responding to their posts isn't a matter of trying to change these people - I don't believe anyone will ever do that - they're too far gone - but rather of highlighting the biblical errors and contradictions they promote as 'fact', and of challenging the deliberate misrepresentations they post. I wouldn't like to think that anyone who is perhaps at a low ebb in their life, or who is naive enough to fall for their doom laden, destructive nonsense would ever be influenced by them.

[jno]

eh? When have I ever told *anyone* to shut up until they had anything original to say, Ludwig? As far as I'm aware there hasn't been an original thought in R&S since AB was founded, but I'm perfectly happy for people of any persuasion to go rabbiting on as long as they want. If you want to cut and paste Dawkins, go ahead.

[wildwood]

I have no problem with people cut-&-pasting, as long as it pertains to the subject in question. Much of the drivel pasted by a few is just that.... drivel which makes no sense in the discussion.

[boxtops]

Ed, I don't remember that - possibly not (as you say) sufficiently significant at the time, although thanks for the clarification.

[dabees]

Was that directed at me Venator?

Sarcasm doesn't seem to translate to text Ed.

[naomi24]

dabees, I think Venator is talking about posts from Elderman et al. He's posted the same message elsewhere. That's why I responded as I did in my post at 19.30.

[Ankou]

"When have I ever told *anyone* to shut up until they had anything original to say"

oi. you've told me to shut up at least 3 times, and thats just this year. to be fair though it wasn't original. i copied and pasted it from r&s in 2002.

[jno]

well that's because you were cutting and pasting from Portnoy's Complaint into AB's CBeebies section and I was worried about plagiarism.