I've found, over the years of visiting forums, that the negativity for the sake of being negative doesn't bother me anymore. (even when it's directed at me ). I figure they still haven't gotten over having their teddy bear or blankie taken away from them and need to take it out on someone else.
I've often wondered this; If someone else gets all sputtery and angry over something I've said, 'how is it my fault that they have no self control?'
But I'm a firm believer in freedom of speech and do agree that when people censor themselves to saying only positive comments, they do a disservice to all involved. It's only when folks confuse opinion with fact that things start going to shit.
"The Bill of Rights says nothing about the freedom of hearing. This, of course, takes a lot of the fun out of the freedom of speech." - Pat Paulsen
My Art- http://www.facebook.com/williamallenrenfro -My Life
21st century hippies. star trek episode "heading off to eden yeah brother. hey spock ! do you play".
I regularly ask atheists or secular humanists as some like to be called, why they can't in their magazines, books, interaction discuss what they believe in and like or love rather than constantly attacking what they dislike and don't beleive in. And after many years of asking I've come to the conclusion that an atheist's raison d'etre is that s/he hates religion and must constantly write/speak out against it.
And Rand, I support that sentiment 99%, only 99% because in an unintentional way the current wording supports hating. I'd reword it to "Promote what you love and stop hating" I just don't accept hate & don't use the word. My kids swear, not severely, and to be honest I can live with that but they know not to use the hate word in front me.
It's a two-way street, as far as those discussions go. I used to frequent a spirituality forum that was really more like a "Christians vs. atheists" forum, and the believers routinely went out of their way to mischaracterize atheists and atheism. It was just like a typical political forum -- each side exaggerating about and demonizing the other. Actual debate was impossible. Which circles back to the beginning of this thread. I think sometimes we're losing our ability to discuss our differences without lashing out, and the safety and relative anonymity of the Internet make it easier to do so. People say things online that they'd never dream of saying to someone's face.
As for being "too polite," I get my buttons pushed just like anyone else does, but I try to remain as civil as I can in online discussions. I'd rather be polite and boring than divisive.
When it comes to music, there is no reason to hate. When it comes to religion or politics...I'm guilty. When religious people justify their amoral behaviour based upon the self-agrandizing cloack of "morality", I have a problem. I only hate when others hate first. Not productive, but this too is reality. Or at the recent conservative conference when the Governor or Florida said that just because you believe in the traditional definition of marriage it doesn't make you a bigot... YES IT DOES. You don't get to define the paramenters.
I can't respond to hate with love...can't do it...because the people who are hating think they are justified simply because they think they are...ad hoc propter ergo hoc...
"The woods would be very silent if the only birds that sang were those who sang best..." - Henry David Thoreau
While a nice sentiment it's not realistic. That said it's usually never appropriate to be venemous or attack people on here. I myself have been verbally attacked and have had people get personal with me. I've also learned that you can't win with these people. In other words you can never convince an asshole he's an asshole. That's one thing that makes him an asshole. It's similar to alcoholics. They won't get better until they admit they are alcoholics. A little sarcasm or snippiness is ok. That's what the smileys are for.
"heading off to eden yeah brother. hey spock ! do you play".
What was that harp/lute thing Spock played in that eppy? He rocked that thing .
I just don't see why people are getting all in a tizzy over soem negative opinions in threads. It just seems like it's either one extreme or the other. If you don't like that album, you muste HATE them. If you're not a liberal, well you must be a right-wing, reactionary, redneck nut. If it's not black, well then, it must be white. And this goes on all the time on internet forums. I like levity. I like balance. I like to read negative comments in album reviews, or discussions about bands. Hey everyone, I love AC/DC. I don't care if you think they suck. I don't care. But you can say they suck to your hearts content. I'm not offended by that, because I don't give a shit . Did any of this make sense?I'd reword it to "Promote what you love and stop hating"
I just don't get why people get their shorts in a bunch over this.
A good mental -& physical- exercise is not to respond as others would have you. In other words, don't give in to the dark side. You are supreme. That's not to say that you cannot learn from others. Just don't let your emotions, easily prompted by the actions or statements of others, get the better of you. Many years ago I stumbled upon an idea I expressed in a conversation that I've revisited many times. Love & hate are natural opposites. Love is the absence of emotion, including fear. Hate is the presence of all emotions, typically in a twisted, self-consuming mass. Love is surrender. Surrender gives you a sense of true bliss. In such a state you can peaceably listen to any discussion without getting sucked into the black hole of hate.
OK, we really shouldn't, but I'm not the one who started it... (my first intervention in this thread was mostly humour, brw)
I take it that the real subject is about some not wanting to read stuff that goes against their "religion"... and be contradicted in their beliefs
They don't want to read that group XYZ or film MNO is not as great they think - or even suck...
which means that they want to push the so-called positive-thread only >> enhance only what you love, and don't talk about something you don't like
Then you're not speaking to and of real atheists, because atheist don't "believe" and one of the only (or main) reason why they mistrust religions is that these sects (yes religions are big and official sects) are using their beliefs to impose their ways upon others by profiting of their fear of the unknown (life after death) and other superstitions... So sooooorrrryyyy, but the ones abusing freedom are those insisting that not believing in their ways are being blasphemic as soon as you dismantle their theories in a normal conversation.
Most/all atheists have no problems with agnostics or even people believing in a "creator"... but believing that the creator speaks to some "priests" (part of a clergy) as to allow them to carry out its voice and gain the power to tell others what to do, calling it moral or morale... Yes I/we can become allergic. (remember inquisitions??)
Most atheists are not agressive to mildly religious people (it's their "problem" after all, and in most case it's no problem to the atheist)... those who keep it to themselves and don't try to preach it and enforce it on thers, fine and no problems. It's when religions stop you from doing things THEY believe is wrong (for ex: divorce, euthanize, abort), calling it immoral, they infringe on freedom >> you don't wabnt to divorce, fine: don't ... but don't stop your neighbor from doing so
Atheism = freedom
religion = jail (and hate for those outside it, and apostasy for those who want to escape it)
Who's the intolerant here???
Of course, calling for blasphemy and discrediting those who don't follow your dogma and doctrine is the eternal way to keep the power... Have illusion, religions are a form of political power, much more so than spirituality . It's all part of the strategy all clergies ever had in the story of humanity, to discard those that don't believe in their "dogma stuff"... Constant misinformation about the oponents, dispelled by the priests in those black or white masses... Some even call atheism and agnosticism a "religion", and some fake atheists have even constructed a table of ten commendments to try to prove it...
And indeed, internet is facilitating the misinformation (while at the same time offering some real informations as well)
Ultimately.... YUP!!!!!
Sorry, but I'm not the one who started this thread, nor am I the one who turned it into a religious debate... I just contribute love (mostly) and even some hate
my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.
This.
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I want to dynamite your mind with love tonight.
Okay, not to get too perilously close to the precipice of religion talk, I have to agree with this. The only thing I'll say is that Catholics here in the US don't shove it down anyone's throats. That's been my experience my whole life. Mainstream Christians usually don't go on crusades to convert or condemn people. I'm only speaking from personal experience, so Peter please don't be offended. I'm not sure I'm an athiest. I prefer to be open minded about "God" or whatever, but the older I get, the more I experience life, the more I lean toward agnostic.using their beliefs to impose their ways upon others by profiting of their fear of the unknown (life after death) and other superstitions... So sooooorrrryyyy, but the ones abusing freedom are those insisting that not believing in their ways are being blasphemic as soon as you dismantle their theories in a normal conversation.
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