Post-thread anxiety.

Bob

I don't know who. That's why they're lurkers, silly. :P

Chagen

"It's mostly civil. And people calling you stupid, which is par the course for the site."

Are they calling me stupid and explaining why I'm wrong, or is it just "lol you dumb"?

"Well, one guy called you a troll, and the guy who linked them here said you weren't"

Not surprised. They call everyone who doesn't agree with them a troll.

ClockworkUniverse

^Seriously, just go look at it. Not a lot of posts, and almost everyone was pretty nice.

Bob

...Wait, so, you're not reading the replies?

Why'd you even make the thread if you weren't planning on reading it?

Chagen

Because I'm scared that everyone is insulting me. And I'm kinda ashamed of making the thread.

I talk big game, but I crumble when it gets thrown back at me.

snowbull

Did one of you guys register on there specifically to anonymously call him a troll? Really?

ClockworkUniverse

^^And as I said, they aren't, except for like one or two guys. Seriously, just go look at it.

Bob

^^^We know.

Don't be afraid. It's not too late to restate your points in a more polite, thought-out, non-strawmannish way.

Khwarizmi

>And I never said anyone else's opinion was false.

It seems that I wasn't clear, so fine, I shall be more explicit.

Chagen, time and time again you have posted a similar description of antitheists here and on TV Tropes.  Each time, you've had people who actually identify as antitheists, or have done so in the past, inform you that they are not like that, that they do not believe the things you claim that they believe, that "antitheist" is not normally defined as a person who hates the religious but rather a person who considers religion to be harmful, and so on and so forth.  You do not appear to have taken any of this on board, hence my perception that you disregarded such posts as automatically false.  If you do the same on FSTDT, you will likely turn many of the people there against you.

Although having read this thread, it's possible that I was mistaken, and that you aren't disregarding other people's posts as false, you're avoiding them altogether out of fear of being insulted.  In which case... don't.  Sticks and stones, right?  Besides, some people there actually took the time to type up long, thoughtful replies.

Old Saturn

Then stop talking big game.

^^Hahahaha

GLORIOUSLeader

Yes, people are insulting you. But try not to instigate it next time. 

Stormtroper

"But that matters not to the Antitheist, for he is too full of hubris to even acknowledge this."

You were doing OK until that line.

But yeah, their replies are not actually too bad, they've merely called you a troll.

Sammy

"You were doing OK until that line."

Oh no he wasn't.

"Also, nice way to dodge the argument."

I'm not even going to try to address your strawman arguments, Chagen. 'Twas a joke.

Stormtroper

^ "Fine" as in not "oh God this thread will inevitably explode in a sea of flames and shitposts, and rightly so."

jewelweed

Hello, chagen. I am an FSTDTer. I'm impatiens on there. I did post in your thread, and here is what I posted:

"I'm not convinced that this concept of an antitheist you constructed exists. It sounds too much like the imaginary feminists that men's rights activists construct. Yes, there are atheists who happen to be assholes. Yes, anti-theists do exist, although there are not as many here as you might think. However, most do not want to convert people to atheism on swordpoint, a la the Crusades. They seek to convince religious people to give up religion of their own free will through logical arguments. By their view, religion itself infringes on believers' free will. Giving up a religion willingly is not genocide. In any case, while most forumers here are agnostics and atheists (but not necessarily anti-theists; note how I use "they" and their in the above paragraph, and not "we" and "our"), there are quite a few regulars who are theists, including pagans and, yes, Christians. In fact, on this very board, we have a member who recently announced she was getting baptized. The response was overwhelmingly variations of "Congratulations!" Doesn't sound much like an anti-theist forum now, does it? I'm personally quite glad for said member, since I've seen her in her low points, and she seems happier now. Chagen, you can be a decent enough forum regular if you put aside these ridiculous notions you have of us, read, and see us as we actually are. That's part of the reason why I'm being nice and not currently picspamming this thread with snarky macros. Again, the forum and mainpage are two distinct groups, and this would be an unfair characterization of many of the mainpagers, let alone the forum members and the IRCers. How can you claim to be at all rational if you don't pay attention to what is actually written, rather than to whatever ideas of FSTDT you brought in with you?"

To some extent, I still do believe you can be a decent poster. Yet, the more I read your posts here (that is one difference between you and me: I read. I lurk. You do not.), the more I realize that you have a lot of growing up to do. Moreover, you claimed you were seeking a debate. Why are you not reading your opponents posts? Did you not really want an honest debate? Did you just want to get up on a soapbox and expect no opposition? I see you're avoiding us out of cowardice, as you admitted yourself. Yes, cowardice. Do you not have any strength of conviction? Indeed, that is one major reason why you need to grow up. Hiding is what children do, not young adults who claim to be rationalists. Do you skip classes because you fear getting in trouble? Are you going to stay home from work if you think your boss might be angry with you? Also, I have been kind to you in that quoted post. I'm still being relatively kind, even knowing what you are. Tell me, do I have any reason to continue being so kind, or are you a waste of my time?

jewelweed

By the way, I noticed WMDKitty also created an account. She is very aggressive, to the point of getting banned for a year on our forums, and she will not be as nice to you as I have been, chagen. Figured I give you fair warning.

ClockworkUniverse

Mod Hat On

Is this thread starting to violate the rule against importing/exporting drama?

Mod Hat Off

^Thanks for the warning.

Chagen

Thank you for the reply.

"I see you're avoiding us out of cowardice, as you admitted yourself. Yes, cowardice. Do you not have any strength of conviction?"

I remember reading that fundies quite often say these ridiculous things and are incredibly aggressive because they're trying to convince themselves that they are right. Perhaps I am like this in a desperate attempt to convince myself of the supposed superiority of my position.

Stormtroper

^^ Maybe it would be fine if we stick to talking about having forum conviction or stuff like that, as it would then be our own homegrown drama...

I wouldn't count on it happening.

jewelweed

So, is part of the reason you're not reading the replies is that you're afraid your post has been refuted (which it has, thoroughly)? It will do you no good to just admit your faults. It would be best for you just to read the replies, follow the links, admit that you were mistaken on that thread, and apologize. Not everybody's going to accept it right away, but if your behavior improves, and you honestly try to change, we will warm up to you. The reason I'm being fairly nice is you strike me as a child who is just starting to figure out what his own beliefs are, and forming beliefs outside of his parents'. I sympathize. A lot of the forumers would. Many of us used to be fundies.

I'm sitting at 665 posts now. I get the feeling post 666 will be in that thread. Whether it's a nice one or a harsh one is your decision.

INUH: It probably is. Once WMD gets involved, it certainly will.

Gelzo

I kind of wanted to post this in response to Bob's comment. I guess the timing's off, but, oh well.

snowbull

The hell? When I click that link there's an embedded image in your post...

Chagen

"So, is part of the reason you're not reading the replies is that you're afraid your post has been refuted (which it has, thoroughly)?" 

Yes. That, and I'm partially ashamed of making the thread.

"It will do you no good to just admit your faults. It would be best for you just to read the replies, follow the links, admit that you were mistaken on that thread, and apologize."

Reading through the replies would be soul-crushing, though. I'm too damn scared to try.

"Not everybody's going to accept it right away, but if your behavior improves, and you honestly try to change, we will warm up to you."

I'll try, if I must. But personal events in my life have led me to have a "the whole world is trying to hurt you, so never trust anyone, no matter how nice they seem" outlook on everything. So I have difficulty believing that you guys would warm up to me.

And the whole tone of the forums simply doesn't fit with me. I don't think me and FSTDT forums are a good fir for each other at all.

And the comments on the main site....they're the reason I made the thread. The less said about them, the better.

"The reason I'm being fairly nice is you strike me as a child who is just starting to figure out what his own beliefs are, and forming beliefs outside of his parents'. I sympathize. A lot of the forumers would. Many of us used to be fundies."

As was I.

I've changed, however. I went from a Christian Conservative Homophobe fundie to a Libertarian Liberal Christian Socialistic Capitalist (yes, I know those last two make no sense).

Central Avenue

Libertarian Liberal Christian Socialistic Capitalist

You're just stringing random words together now, aren't you?

Also, I read "Socialistic" as "Sociopathic". You needed to know this.

Bob

"I'll try, if I must. But personal events in my life have led me to have a "the whole world is trying to hurt you, so never trust anyone, no matter how nice they seem" outlook on everything. So I have difficulty believing that you guys would warm up to me."

Ironically, I can't help but think that if it weren't for this, there'd be no problem here at all. Please try to curb down on this. It's always the people that try to help you the most that you lash out towards the worst, and it needs to end.

Chagen

"You're just stringing random words together now, aren't you?"

The "Socialistic Capitalist" was just a really fancy way of saying "I believe mixed economies are the best kinds of economic models".

jewelweed

Yeah, main site is different. Most of the more aggressive commenters don't join the forums. I scared off one of the ones who did.

Even if you choose not to read the replies, it would be best to apologize in that thread and admit that you regret making it. If you didn't read the posts, say that you're honestly too scared to read the posts. If you choose not to hang around, that would be a more graceful way of leaving than just deleting your account and making it look like you ragequit. If you do hang around, then a lot of people will forget your early posts. It might not seem that way, but it's true. I can understand that whole "whole world trying to hurt you" outlook, considering that I and many of the other forumers have some form of clinical depression. I would suggest talking to a therapist, if you aren't already. If you have a decent counselor at school, s/he might be able to help, too, though I've personally had a very bad experience with my own high school guidance counselor. A therapist would be able to help you with your various hang-ups.

I do believe you have changed, but you still seem somewhat influenced by your parents' beliefs. For instance, your posts about climate change on your forums. Also, I've noticed that you're against sex with anyone other than one's spouse, but you also support porn. Those are very contradictory beliefs to hold, and I suspect the former is from what your parents taught you.

jewelweed

By the way, post #666 was nice.

"The
"Socialistic Capitalist" was just a really fancy way of saying "I
believe mixed economies are the best kinds of economic models"."
Most governments do, really. That's why 1st world countries tend to have a mixed economy. It's how mixed it should be that's debated.

ETA: If it helps, one member just said that she would be willing to give you a second chance if you are genuinely apologetic.

Vorpy

You should resize that to 480x640 Gelzo.

Gelzo

How?