Why did "Why so many Atheists" thread got deleted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there were a lot of thoughtful replies and responses from Atheists.

It did devolve into "I don't believe you, here's why you're really here" completely ignoring those responses, and presuming bad intent.

There were at least a couple responses by people of faith that actually read and understood the atheist responses, but it was overrun by (some) people so insecure in their faith that they couldn't digest alternative ideas or viewpoints.

Please. The atheist responses on that thread are easily categorized.
1. Let me ignore the thread topic and tell you why I’m an atheist
2. Oh goodie, another chance to troll believers
3. If you don’t like my bad behavior, it’s because you’re insecure in your faith, not because my derailments and trolling are making it impossible to have a conversation (see above).
4. Some thoughtful replies by atheists that could be counted on one hand.

Only a tiny percent of the atheist participants on that thread actually wanted to join a discussion on the thread topic. Wish the moderator had left it up so this would be evident.

Case in point.

Exactly.

Wish the thread were still up so people could read exactly how you guys behaved on it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - Mr. Steele - if you are on the side of atheists and do not want to support balanced discussions and positive turn around in the Religion forum that could have resulted from the thread that you deleted, why don't you rename the Religion forum into Atheist forum?
Others, besides me, told you numerous times that atheist are derailing every topic on the Religion forum and you chose to ignore those complains. Most religious people of all faiths have left and the forum has lost its purpose. With you deleting this thread that could have been a turnaround in the way things are discussed, why simply not rename the forum to Atheism forum and open another forum called Belief forum where religious people of all faiths can congregate.

Yes!

I dr3ad going into the religious forum, especially around holy days like Easter or Christmas.

The atheists are awful and mean.

I posted earlier about Penguin Six. He was thoughtful, respectful and interesting. He is gone from the religion forum too.

Jeff says to just report, but that would be continuous and bothersome. The atheist trolls are almost as bad as the political trolls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Religious participants of the Religion forum had a frank conversation with atheists regarding them derailing religion topics. Many people on both sides provided extensive explanation and arguments. Why did it get deleted?

The question was not “why do atheists derail threads?” It was “why do atheists participate in the religion forum?” No matter how thoughtfully anyone answered that question they were either ignored, mischaracterized, willfully misunderstood, or stereotyped by OP and at least one outspoken critic of atheists. The entire thread devolved into nothing more than an ugly show of intolerance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Before it descended into name calling it had many, many useful posts. It was the first time that this kind of frank discussion that could have left positive impact on the Religion forum actually materialized. You have now destroyed the gains that could have been gotten by this discussion on the issue that has hogged the religion forum for a long time. Many people put a lot of effort into the thread. I think you should really reconsider your approach and not delete threads on a whim without understanding the whole context and history.

I did not read more than the first few posts but I appreciate OP asking the questions.

The atheists are so hostile, aggressive and evangelistic on the religious forum, way more than any other religion.

If they truly securely believe it is all nothing then a) why are they on the religion forum and b) Why do they try to so aggressively argue their points?

Gone are the days of Penguin Six. The dcum atheists of today are neither thoughtful nor rational. They are incapable of respectful or insightful discourse and are just mean and small minded.

Agree 100%. Many (not all) of the atheists adopt the smirking, nasty approach of kids gleefully vandalizing somebody else’s stuff. The aggressive proselytizing for atheism wouldn’t bother me if it didn’t take the form of trashing threads with insults and abuse with the apparent goal of making conversation impossible.

Does that justify the religious people trashing this particular thread with insults, abuse, and lies? An eye for an eye?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there were a lot of thoughtful replies and responses from Atheists.

It did devolve into "I don't believe you, here's why you're really here" completely ignoring those responses, and presuming bad intent.

There were at least a couple responses by people of faith that actually read and understood the atheist responses, but it was overrun by (some) people so insecure in their faith that they couldn't digest alternative ideas or viewpoints.

Please. The atheist responses on that thread are easily categorized.
1. Let me ignore the thread topic and tell you why I’m an atheist
2. Oh goodie, another chance to troll believers
3. If you don’t like my bad behavior, it’s because you’re insecure in your faith, not because my derailments and trolling are making it impossible to have a conversation (see above).
4. Some thoughtful replies by atheists that could be counted on one hand.

Only a tiny percent of the atheist participants on that thread actually wanted to join a discussion on the thread topic. Wish the moderator had left it up so this would be evident.

Case in point.

Exactly.

Wish the thread were still up so people could read exactly how you guys behaved on it.

I behaved fine in it, I responded to OP's question, I engaged in zero name calling. And now I'm being told again, "I don't believe you, here's what really happened" as pp proved by being dismissive again. Some people are so resistant to hearing differing ideas, that they immediately assume mal intent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there were a lot of thoughtful replies and responses from Atheists.

It did devolve into "I don't believe you, here's why you're really here" completely ignoring those responses, and presuming bad intent.

There were at least a couple responses by people of faith that actually read and understood the atheist responses, but it was overrun by (some) people so insecure in their faith that they couldn't digest alternative ideas or viewpoints.

Please. The atheist responses on that thread are easily categorized.
1. Let me ignore the thread topic and tell you why I’m an atheist
2. Oh goodie, another chance to troll believers
3. If you don’t like my bad behavior, it’s because you’re insecure in your faith, not because my derailments and trolling are making it impossible to have a conversation (see above).
4. Some thoughtful replies by atheists that could be counted on one hand.

Only a tiny percent of the atheist participants on that thread actually wanted to join a discussion on the thread topic. Wish the moderator had left it up so this would be evident.

Case in point.

Exactly.

Wish the thread were still up so people could read exactly how you guys behaved on it.

Please describe both “our” behavior and “your” behavior. Try not to make anything up this time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Religious participants of the Religion forum had a frank conversation with atheists regarding them derailing religion topics. Many people on both sides provided extensive explanation and arguments. Why did it get deleted?

The question was not “why do atheists derail threads?” It was “why do atheists participate in the religion forum?” No matter how thoughtfully anyone answered that question they were either ignored, mischaracterized, willfully misunderstood, or stereotyped by OP and at least one outspoken critic of atheists. The entire thread devolved into nothing more than an ugly show of intolerance.

Exactly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Religious participants of the Religion forum had a frank conversation with atheists regarding them derailing religion topics. Many people on both sides provided extensive explanation and arguments. Why did it get deleted?

The question was not “why do atheists derail threads?” It was “why do atheists participate in the religion forum?” No matter how thoughtfully anyone answered that question they were either ignored, mischaracterized, willfully misunderstood, or stereotyped by OP and at least one outspoken critic of atheists. The entire thread devolved into nothing more than an ugly show of intolerance.

Exactly.

+2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - Mr. Steele - if you are on the side of atheists and do not want to support balanced discussions and positive turn around in the Religion forum that could have resulted from the thread that you deleted, why don't you rename the Religion forum into Atheist forum?
Others, besides me, told you numerous times that atheist are derailing every topic on the Religion forum and you chose to ignore those complains. Most religious people of all faiths have left and the forum has lost its purpose. With you deleting this thread that could have been a turnaround in the way things are discussed, why simply not rename the forum to Atheism forum and open another forum called Belief forum where religious people of all faiths can congregate.

I agree 100% with this. Please rename it the Atheist Forum. PP is right that it’s impossible for believers to have real discussions there, give the atheist hostility and trolling, and most believers have fled the forum in droves.

As for a Belief Forum, I don’t have much confidence the atheists world refrain from trashing it. I think we just need to accept that DCUM is not a place for discussing religion, given the aggesssive hostility of its atheist participants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there were a lot of thoughtful replies and responses from Atheists.

It did devolve into "I don't believe you, here's why you're really here" completely ignoring those responses, and presuming bad intent.

There were at least a couple responses by people of faith that actually read and understood the atheist responses, but it was overrun by (some) people so insecure in their faith that they couldn't digest alternative ideas or viewpoints.

Please. The atheist responses on that thread are easily categorized.
1. Let me ignore the thread topic and tell you why I’m an atheist
2. Oh goodie, another chance to troll believers
3. If you don’t like my bad behavior, it’s because you’re insecure in your faith, not because my derailments and trolling are making it impossible to have a conversation (see above).
4. Some thoughtful replies by atheists that could be counted on one hand.

Only a tiny percent of the atheist participants on that thread actually wanted to join a discussion on the thread topic. Wish the moderator had left it up so this would be evident.

Case in point.

Exactly.

Wish the thread were still up so people could read exactly how you guys behaved on it.

I behaved fine in it, I responded to OP's question, I engaged in zero name calling. And now I'm being told again, "I don't believe you, here's what really happened" as pp proved by being dismissive again. Some people are so resistant to hearing differing ideas, that they immediately assume mal intent.

So many of you think that ”behave fine” means responding to every and all thread topics with, “I’m an atheist because...” and “religion is fairy tales.” Wish that thread were still up so we could see this in action.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - Mr. Steele - if you are on the side of atheists and do not want to support balanced discussions and positive turn around in the Religion forum that could have resulted from the thread that you deleted, why don't you rename the Religion forum into Atheist forum?
Others, besides me, told you numerous times that atheist are derailing every topic on the Religion forum and you chose to ignore those complains. Most religious people of all faiths have left and the forum has lost its purpose. With you deleting this thread that could have been a turnaround in the way things are discussed, why simply not rename the forum to Atheism forum and open another forum called Belief forum where religious people of all faiths can congregate.

Op here again - Mr. Steele, I stand by my request. Atheists have completely and I mean completely taken over the Religion forum. It is impossible to have a conversation from a believers' perspective with other believers. I just glancing at "Why I love God" topic and someone said that religious people have Stockholm Syndrome. These insults are daily and have become normalized and accepted. Coupe of months ago I tried having a conversation about role of Satan. After one page the discussion turned highly political because of atheists. I asked you to clean up the thread from political posts, which you kindly obliged. Atheist are either political, ideological, or aggressive, or all three. It would be nice to have conversations without having to request moderation all the time. I strongly suggest you give them forum of their own called Atheists: for political and ideological musings about religion. Religious people have expressed their wish to freely discuss their beliefs without being derailed and trolled. I suggest the forum called Belief: for matters of faith, for believers. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - Mr. Steele - if you are on the side of atheists and do not want to support balanced discussions and positive turn around in the Religion forum that could have resulted from the thread that you deleted, why don't you rename the Religion forum into Atheist forum?
Others, besides me, told you numerous times that atheist are derailing every topic on the Religion forum and you chose to ignore those complains. Most religious people of all faiths have left and the forum has lost its purpose. With you deleting this thread that could have been a turnaround in the way things are discussed, why simply not rename the forum to Atheism forum and open another forum called Belief forum where religious people of all faiths can congregate.

I agree 100% with this. Please rename it the Atheist Forum. PP is right that it’s impossible for believers to have real discussions there, give the atheist hostility and trolling, and most believers have fled the forum in droves.

As for a Belief Forum, I don’t have much confidence the atheists world refrain from trashing it. I think we just need to accept that DCUM is not a place for discussing religion, given the aggesssive hostility of its atheist participants.

I'd be all for a Belief Forum and an Atheist Forum, just as I would be for a Liberal Political Forum and a Conservative Political Forum - and for the same reason. It is impossible for conservatives to have real discussions, given the liberal hostility and trolling, and most conservatives have fled - or intentionally driven out from - the forum in droves. (I imagine there is overlap between the groups, since liberals tend to be more non-religious and conservatives more religious.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there were a lot of thoughtful replies and responses from Atheists.

It did devolve into "I don't believe you, here's why you're really here" completely ignoring those responses, and presuming bad intent.

There were at least a couple responses by people of faith that actually read and understood the atheist responses, but it was overrun by (some) people so insecure in their faith that they couldn't digest alternative ideas or viewpoints.

Please. The atheist responses on that thread are easily categorized.
1. Let me ignore the thread topic and tell you why I’m an atheist
2. Oh goodie, another chance to troll believers
3. If you don’t like my bad behavior, it’s because you’re insecure in your faith, not because my derailments and trolling are making it impossible to have a conversation (see above).
4. Some thoughtful replies by atheists that could be counted on one hand.

Only a tiny percent of the atheist participants on that thread actually wanted to join a discussion on the thread topic. Wish the moderator had left it up so this would be evident.

Case in point.

Exactly.

Wish the thread were still up so people could read exactly how you guys behaved on it.

I behaved fine in it, I responded to OP's question, I engaged in zero name calling. And now I'm being told again, "I don't believe you, here's what really happened" as pp proved by being dismissive again. Some people are so resistant to hearing differing ideas, that they immediately assume mal intent.

So many of you think that ”behave fine” means responding to every and all thread topics with, “I’m an atheist because...” and “religion is fairy tales.” Wish that thread were still up so we could see this in action.

LOL. I love how the thread has already been rewritten as “atheists behaving poorly”. You seem to have some kind of aversion to the “truth” and “facts”. Why is that? Do you feel that affects your ability to interact with other people?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think there were a lot of thoughtful replies and responses from Atheists.

It did devolve into "I don't believe you, here's why you're really here" completely ignoring those responses, and presuming bad intent.

There were at least a couple responses by people of faith that actually read and understood the atheist responses, but it was overrun by (some) people so insecure in their faith that they couldn't digest alternative ideas or viewpoints.

Please. The atheist responses on that thread are easily categorized.
1. Let me ignore the thread topic and tell you why I’m an atheist
2. Oh goodie, another chance to troll believers
3. If you don’t like my bad behavior, it’s because you’re insecure in your faith, not because my derailments and trolling are making it impossible to have a conversation (see above).
4. Some thoughtful replies by atheists that could be counted on one hand.

Only a tiny percent of the atheist participants on that thread actually wanted to join a discussion on the thread topic. Wish the moderator had left it up so this would be evident.

Case in point.

Exactly.

NP. I'm not religious. You atheists are acting like a bunch of jerks. Too bad Jeff deleted a thread that would have spoken for itself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - Mr. Steele - if you are on the side of atheists and do not want to support balanced discussions and positive turn around in the Religion forum that could have resulted from the thread that you deleted, why don't you rename the Religion forum into Atheist forum?
Others, besides me, told you numerous times that atheist are derailing every topic on the Religion forum and you chose to ignore those complains. Most religious people of all faiths have left and the forum has lost its purpose. With you deleting this thread that could have been a turnaround in the way things are discussed, why simply not rename the forum to Atheism forum and open another forum called Belief forum where religious people of all faiths can congregate.

Op here again - Mr. Steele, I stand by my request. Atheists have completely and I mean completely taken over the Religion forum. It is impossible to have a conversation from a believers' perspective with other believers. I just glancing at "Why I love God" topic and someone said that religious people have Stockholm Syndrome. These insults are daily and have become normalized and accepted. Coupe of months ago I tried having a conversation about role of Satan. After one page the discussion turned highly political because of atheists. I asked you to clean up the thread from political posts, which you kindly obliged. Atheist are either political, ideological, or aggressive, or all three. It would be nice to have conversations without having to request moderation all the time. I strongly suggest you give them forum of their own called Atheists: for political and ideological musings about religion. Religious people have expressed their wish to freely discuss their beliefs without being derailed and trolled. I suggest the forum called Belief: for matters of faith, for believers. Thank you.

Or...just remove Religion from Recent Topics.