Welcome to the Internet Infidels Debate Board (IIDB). Can we take a quick moment to welcome you and give you a brief intro to where you find yourself today? Please not I am posting this as a regular forum member who has been here more than 25 years, not as any official capacity. Other members are welcome to add their welcoming thoughts to this thread (please keep it friendly and inviting)
We are a bunch of mostly atheists, but also christians, muslims, deists and pagans who have a little community where we hang out. We have many fora for different discussion topics. One of the many fora topics is religion. We’re not here only to discuss religion, it’s just that we also discuss it and debate it in this here corner.
If you are here to preach and “do your time” talking to atheists to check off some box in your church, please know that you are stepping into a discussion thagt has been ongoing since before you were born. So be respectful of the members and know that you are not arriving with some new and revelatory truth that has never been heard before. Instead, please arrive with curiosity, and an interest to hear. You are coming to our house - plan to hear grandpa’s stories.
Which is not to say that we would kick you out if you show up with the same old first-year-missionary speil as a thousand young missionaries before you. It’s just that you should know we have heard that before, a tousand times, and it wasn’t convincing then, either.
So if you want to know why people are not convinced by your speil, you can ask, and we’re happy to tell you, in great detail and with friendly discussion. But if you’re going to show up and sling prejudices, broad stereotypes and superiority around our house, we will roll our collective eyes at you and know that we are not obligated to be gentle with the feelings of people who wear muddly boots in the house.
Come with curiosity about us, and we’ll have a lot to talk about. No one’s going to try to deconvert you, but you’ll learn a lot about the way we think and live. Come with a know-it-all “good news” one-sided monologue, and you will learn nothing due to your lack of listening. We’re not here to preach, we’re here to discuss within our community.
If you are here with what you think is a novel and compelling case for religion, do us all a favor and lead with that, “I am here with a novel and compelling case for religion that none of you have ever heard before!” And do us the favor of asking yourself really really honestly if you really think that’s true, so that when we tell you it is absolutely not true, you’re not surprised. If you’re here to try out your debate skills, just say that. We can accommodate you - but don’t pretend that’s not what you’re doing. If you just want us to serve as a foil for your missionary obligation, please consider donating to the site as you would for any scholarly tutor.
Also, coming here to preach without being willing to listen - to the same extent you want us to - is against the rules. We invite discussion, not preaching.
SWelcome to the Religion forum of the IIDB.
We are a bunch of mostly atheists, but also christians, muslims, deists and pagans who have a little community where we hang out. We have many fora for different discussion topics. One of the many fora topics is religion. We’re not here only to discuss religion, it’s just that we also discuss it and debate it in this here corner.
If you are here to preach and “do your time” talking to atheists to check off some box in your church, please know that you are stepping into a discussion thagt has been ongoing since before you were born. So be respectful of the members and know that you are not arriving with some new and revelatory truth that has never been heard before. Instead, please arrive with curiosity, and an interest to hear. You are coming to our house - plan to hear grandpa’s stories.
Which is not to say that we would kick you out if you show up with the same old first-year-missionary speil as a thousand young missionaries before you. It’s just that you should know we have heard that before, a tousand times, and it wasn’t convincing then, either.
So if you want to know why people are not convinced by your speil, you can ask, and we’re happy to tell you, in great detail and with friendly discussion. But if you’re going to show up and sling prejudices, broad stereotypes and superiority around our house, we will roll our collective eyes at you and know that we are not obligated to be gentle with the feelings of people who wear muddly boots in the house.
Come with curiosity about us, and we’ll have a lot to talk about. No one’s going to try to deconvert you, but you’ll learn a lot about the way we think and live. Come with a know-it-all “good news” one-sided monologue, and you will learn nothing due to your lack of listening. We’re not here to preach, we’re here to discuss within our community.
If you are here with what you think is a novel and compelling case for religion, do us all a favor and lead with that, “I am here with a novel and compelling case for religion that none of you have ever heard before!” And do us the favor of asking yourself really really honestly if you really think that’s true, so that when we tell you it is absolutely not true, you’re not surprised. If you’re here to try out your debate skills, just say that. We can accommodate you - but don’t pretend that’s not what you’re doing. If you just want us to serve as a foil for your missionary obligation, please consider donating to the site as you would for any scholarly tutor.
Also, coming here to preach without being willing to listen - to the same extent you want us to - is against the rules. We invite discussion, not preaching.
SWelcome to the Religion forum of the IIDB.
