I dunno, that depends on how you look at it. From a certain point of view it provides at least one point of evidence to the idea we may be close to our carrying capacity of under-educated people.

Why would I think this was worthwhile? You “Um Actually”-ed my post about the moral behavior of atheists who get religious about atheism.

This was only ever a long shot at best.

I’d think the War of the Triple Alliance would be my pick.

You stopped discussing things several posts ago, I noticed. I told you that you did so. Why are you repeating to me what I said to you over my last 2 replies as if it’s news?! I’ve been snarkily complaining about it. It’s not news!

It’s not tone, it’s absence of content. Once you need to make it about me, it means you’ve given up on discussing what I said. What’s true is true no matter who says it, even if you were right about everything you said it wouldn’t change a single thing.

Though if you could be polite too that’d be stellar. Manners and consideration are not weakness.

Though obviously I’d prefer a more civil exchange of ideas I can’t deny the ego boost of seeing someone give up. Once it’s down to name calling, it means you gave up on arguing your point.

When people have the faith in their ideas to agree to disagree, they don’t need to resort to name calling. People feel threatened and lash out. It’s understandable.

I’m honored that you conceded the argument, if not gracefully.

I think the curated front page is a death knell. It certainly was for Digg.

Thanks.

If whatever you believe means you feel you have the right to be unkind to people who believe otherwise, it’s problematic. Even if you want to hold onto a different definition of whatever it is you believe, if you use it as an excuse to be unkind it’s still a problem. It’s not the label that’s the problem, it’s the behavior.

If you end up acting just like them, why should anyone believe you’re any different?

Very “it’s not a warcrime if it’s not wartime” energy.

I get that you’re very sure you’re right. But you’re one person. If I was going to choose to believe things based on how many people were very sure they are right, I’d still be Christian.

I left the church because I saw no evidence it made people better. I see no evidence that any other religion or lack of one does either. It just changes the excuses people use to be cruel to each other.

A muscovy duck isn’t a duck. Technically.

But if someone complains about all the misbehaving ducks in the pond and your defense for your duck’s musbehaviour is “technically not a duck!” you’re not really saying anything of worth.

Vegans

I just don’t think that being right makes you more moral or compassionate. Those are separate vectors, there’s no useful kind/religious axis we can map here.

If it’s sauce for the goose, it’s sauce for the gander. Whatever your belief of lack of it, I want to see you respected and treated well.

Almost every religion has a tenant of the rejection of every other religion, and then goes on to persecute the other ones believers.

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck… it might be a duck.

I don’t believe in the magic of Religion to make people moral. I also don’t believe in its opposite. People use religion or tradition to justify what they wanted to do anyway.

It’s not actually the scapegoat’s fault.

Do you think it shows weakness to be polite to those you disagree with? I think it works better to approach people with respect if I want them to consider what I’m saying. It already feels like an attack when someone says you’re wrong, and I don’t want to harden minds against what I think is right.

I’m not always good at it, and I have spoken to people harshly often. It never produced anything but hard feelings on their part. I think it can be satisfying to be mean, and I was looking for an excuse to act in a way that’s less moral without feeling bad about myself. I think even if I was right, I usually didn’t need to be mean about it.

I think that it’s likely nothing I’m doing on this website is important enough to justify me being unkind about it.

There are enough of us that if we cared to we could solve it. We don’t.

If you ban all other public speech trying to sell me on anything, I might get behind it. Targeting religion specifically is a bit sus.

“Just give up your home, job, and family and likely become a refugee if you don’t agree with the prevailing religion. What’s the big deal?”