AFA Totalitarianism

[Archimedes]

I’ve now been banned from every part of the AFA forums except Fantasy Island, and thus, it is unlikely that I’ll be posting here much longer. The rationale given for this is “in order to preserve the atheist/rationalist tone of discussion in mainstream areas of the site and prevent misinformation.". I had assumed that the AFA forum was set up to facilitate reasonable, respectful discussion and so I was anticipating having discussions around various topics of interest. But it seems my assumption was incorrect- the forums are only set up for discussion between atheists. People who hold competing worldviews are deemed ineligible for discussion everywhere except here. The forum leaders are clearly not interested in discussing their ideas, unless it’s with people who already agree with them. Consequently, my interest in this forum has dropped significantly.

However, I am interested in following up on a couple of discussions that started before I was banned, so you haven’t seen the end of me just yet!

[wearestardust]

I'll just give my personal perspective on this, not the official view.

This is a forum for atheists to discuss atheist stuff. There are plenty of other sites for people who want to debate. For those who want to discuss matters from a faith perspective, there is fantasy island. That's where you are. It can be as respectful or otherwise as you like. I say to the person who accuses me and others of dishonesty. As an aside, if you look around someone from Landover Baptist tried to be a big swinging dick here, telling us hwo to be better atheists, and he pretty much got the short end of the pineapple as well.

Some theist sites operate on similar bases as well. Christianforums.com actually strictly doesn't permit any sort of discussion from a non-believer perspective - the best it has is a page for non-believers to post questions to be answered by christians and only christians (noting also that christians aren't allowed to talk about their different perspectives on that page either). That doesn't stop non-believers trying to have a go, which I think is a bit disrespectful on their part, and in practice it allows some pushing of the margins.

So what was your problem again?

[NakedApe]

I’ve now been banned from every part of the AFA forums except Fantasy Island, and thus, it is unlikely that I’ll be posting here much longer.

Bit full of yourself, aren't you? If you don't want to post here anymore then don't. We don't need a message from you telling us you're leaving - I for one couldn't care less.

The rationale given for this is “in order to preserve the atheist/rationalist tone of discussion in mainstream areas of the site and prevent misinformation.". I had assumed that the AFA forum was set up to facilitate reasonable, respectful discussion and so I was anticipating having discussions around various topics of interest.

By "discussions" you mean regurgitating the same old rubbish we've heard (and refuted) from every other self-important theist who has visited this site while we sit in awe at your amazing intellectual prowess. You even make the same mistake as all the others in thinking that you're being original and clever. Sorry, we've heard it all before, it's not original and it certainly isn't clever.
As for respect, well I think you are entitled to as much repect as you have shown others - absolutely none. Demanding respect after describing other posters as "dishonest" and "arrogant" is quite frankly an insult that deserves to be repaid with considerable interest.

Consequently, my interest in this forum has dropped significantly.

Oh, boo hoo... :mad:

[Fearless]

Archimedes, you couldn't even give me the common courtesy of replying to my reply to your very first post, but did you see me running around crying about it?

I just assumed maybe you were a bit of a snob with an agenda based on your first post. Pretty typical of what we have come to know from people like yourself... only interested with what you want and stuff everyone else.

Now you are playing the victim card, what a surprise :rolleyes: yet you know if the tables were turned and I was an Atheist joining a religious forum and went on the offensive from the get go, how long do you think I would last?... try to be truthful in your answer.

There is a reason why you are confined to the Island... because you are talking crap. A handful of Atheists have ended up here too so don't feel too exclusive and oppressed. One of the few forums I have seen who have an exclusive area where people can talk about opposing views or utter nonsense and not be completely booted out... well unless you go too far of course. A number of theists have avoided the island, and that's usually because they can be civilised.

But, you have a beef with 'the forum leaders' as you put it so based on your demeanor up until now I can expect more of the same and you won't like what you read anyway.

Anyway, I hope you can sleep at night and haven't found the internet too cold and hard faced. You could have come here and been pleasant but you decided to be rude so I guess... well you know... treat others how you wish to be treated and all that jazz.

Peace... oh btw, go and read your bible a little bit more... you might find something in there about acceptance of others. It might have prevented you from coming here in the first place possibly I guess, but it might have also helped you fit in a little more snugly... unless you had no intention of doing so. I guess only you know the answer to that.

Good luck conquering the Internet of those nasty Atheist types.

[Fearless]

@Fearless: I may have found his missing Romans 12 if he'd like it back.

"For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." ~ various

Live in harmony with each other. Don't try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don't think you know it all! ~ various

Am I in the right ball park?

[Praxis]

Consequently, my interest in this forum has dropped significantly.
You had me at consequently :)

But seriously - what did you expect? This is an atheist forum. Fantasy Island is the area for discussions pertaining to belief, which seems more than fitting given your views.

So what's the problem? You know that if the situation were reversed, any of us wouldn't have lasted 24 hours on a theist site. Frankly, I think the people here have been very polite.

AFAIC, you're bloody lucky. You still have a place here where you can put forward your views and engage in dialogue.

Stop whining. Or, to put it another way, piss or get off the pot.

[Chrys Stevenson]

If this were a Labrador Dog Appreciation Society and you came in determined to promote the wonders of Chihuahuas you'd soon find yourself booted out.

This is an Atheist site - it is for atheists to exchange information, news and views.

As someone has already mentioned, there are countless places on the internet where you can debate atheists and, even here, we allow that within a confined area.

Just for the record, I know someone who got booted off a Christian website because he said, politely, there was no evidence that Obama was born outside the US and that Obama was clearly not a Muslim. "Poof!" he was gone. No questions asked.

You've come in with a great deal of bluster and with no content to back it up.

Do you think atheists have no knowledge of Christianity? Some of our members here are not only ex-Christians, they're ex-clergy.

If you have an argument to make, you have been given a forum in which to make it, but having said that your faith is based on the evidence of your 'personal experience' you're not even straight enough to say what that 'personal experience' is. You claim that Dawkins and Hitchens have made errors in their books. We ask you to elaborate - but you fail to provide even one example. And you accuse US of avoiding debate!

Like every other theist who comes onto this site, you underestimate the knowledge base of the members here, and overestimate your ability to come up with 'new arguments' that will convince us of the validity of your position.

And then you duck and weave and refuse to answer questions outright or avoid them altogether, because you simply have no evidence for your claims.

I'd suggest that you go away and do some study outside of Christian apologetics and come back when and if you actually have something concrete on which to base your arguments - but we won't hold our breath.

[Cosmic Teapot]

I’ve now been banned from every part of the AFA forums except Fantasy Island, and thus, it is unlikely that I’ll be posting here much longer. The rationale given for this is “in order to preserve the atheist/rationalist tone of discussion in mainstream areas of the site and prevent misinformation.". I had assumed that the AFA forum was set up to facilitate reasonable, respectful discussion and so I was anticipating having discussions around various topics of interest. But it seems my assumption was incorrect- the forums are only set up for discussion between atheists. People who hold competing worldviews are deemed ineligible for discussion everywhere except here. The forum leaders are clearly not interested in discussing their ideas, unless it’s with people who already agree with them. Consequently, my interest in this forum has dropped significantly.

However, I am interested in following up on a couple of discussions that started before I was banned, so you haven’t seen the end of me just yet!

Quite simply, you were shitting all over the forum so you had to be toilet trained. It's our forum, you're just visiting.

[Archimedes]

I completely accept the justifications given by the AFA forum leaders regarding my ex communication from the remainder of the forums. After all, it's your forum and so you can do what you want with it. Plus, I imagine that the confinement of faith filled visitors to one forum only will make your roles a lot easier! I had made an incorrect assumption regarding the forum, as I outlined in my original post, and that is no one's fault but my own.

Regarding the other posts in this thread-

Fearless- I've made something like 20 posts in this forum thus far. Many of them attract 3 or 4 replies or more- I simply cannot reply to every post so please don't accuse me of lacking "common courtesy" simply because I didn't reply to your post. It may have been that others made similar points and thus I thought it more efficient and productive to reply to them only rather than repeat myself, or it may have been that I only had time to respond to one other. Or, it may be that I found your response irrelevant and so I ignored it- ignoring a response is a more efficient act by me. many irrelevant posts are made in forums like this, where people miss other people's points entirely, and considering that I'm a rare religious type on this forum, it'll happen to me more than most.

In summary, don't expect me to respond to every point made against every point I make!

Kristy- You continually put words in my mouth and make assumptions about my beliefs that are unwarranted based on what I've posted on this forum so far. Shortly I plan to respond to a post in the definition thread where you made the same mistakes. (Although, you also made some good points- hence I will reply).

[wearestardust]

I completely accept the justifications given by the AFA forum leaders regarding my ex communication ...

I feel I should point out, as an ex-catholic athiest, that "excommunicate" is one word.

[Seamus]

I'm with Mr Black.

That Archie is still here probably says some positive things about the forum. An atheist with a similar attitude would last about 3 minutes on an average Christian forum and would receive death threats on a Muslim forum.

I also belong Atheist Nexus,as do some other members here. That forum is for non theists only and is the biggest atheist forum on the Net.

I would REALLY like all theists banned from this forum too. We owe them nothing. My respect is earned.People such as Archie earn only my contempt.

BUT this is a private forum.It is not a democracy.Rules are fixed arbitrarily by owners/moderators.Period. One has two choices; stick to the rules or leave.

Because irritating and insulting apologists are permitted,I do my best to simply ignore them. I'm getting better at it,but still have way to go.--I feel guilty when I have a go at them;it's like poking a Bedlam inmate with a stick.

[wearestardust]

And I, that it's "I before E, except after belief"... Atheist!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2487/4185910443_9b0402380d_o.jpg

as a mod you should know that if I didn't follow the rule that every spelling- or grammar-correcting post must itself contain an error, the universe would cease to exist.

Though perhaps it did, but only momentarily.

[tsiehta]

Quite simply, you were shitting all over the forum so you had to be toilet trained. It's our forum, you're just visiting.

This sums up why AFA members and others are hereby invited to an independent forum, to continue an earlier AFA discussion terminated by AFA members (who, thankfully, don't believe in censorship):

http://www.volconvo.com/forums/private.php?do=showpm&pmid=58190.

The topic is: Does atheism have a rational basis?

t
(or, "ovnoclov")

[Fearless]

Good luck with your personal crusade... come back with your own agenda have you?

[atheist_angel]

This sums up why AFA members and others are hereby invited to an independent forum, to continue an earlier AFA discussion terminated by AFA members (who, thankfully, don't believe in censorship):

http://www.volconvo.com/forums/private.php?do=showpm&pmid=58190.

The topic is: Does atheism have a rational basis?

t
(or, "ovnoclov")
Nah, I can't be bothered with joining another forum.
Just too much hassle, I belong to enough of them already. I know my limit..

Go talk to the people over there if you like that one better. I'm good. :)

-Angel

[GenericBox]

AFA members (who, thankfully, don't believe in censorship)

I'm an AFA member and I "believe" in censorship. Am I not invited?

[Iridescence]

Is it really censorship if we give them a space to expound their god delusions without sullying every other forum?

[Sir Patrick Crocodile]

Is it really censorship if we give them a space to expound their god delusions without sullying every other forum?Actually it is about testing their faith. Their god should get them out of this situation if their god exists right?

On a side note, all the loonies that end up in here makes me wonder if the name should be changed from "Fantasy Island" to "Mental Hospital" instead. It seems to me that those who blast around their wildest fantasies are not the only ones that end up here; there are a few trolls here too.

[Loki]

ovnoclov's thread is on to page two in that other forum and no one there has yet agreed with the basic premise, so off to a good start. ovnoclov, or whatever it was called here is being a lot more polite over there, so maybe a lesson has been learned.

[tsiehta]

ovnoclov's thread is on to page two in that other forum and no one there has yet agreed with the basic premise, so off to a good start. ovnoclov, or whatever it was called here is being a lot more polite over there, so maybe a lesson has been learned.

Dear Loki

Hi. Thanks for your concern about my current welfare.:)

t

[Cosmic Teapot]

This sums up why AFA members and others are hereby invited to an independent forum, to continue an earlier AFA discussion terminated by AFA members (who, thankfully, don't believe in censorship):

http://www.volconvo.com/forums/private.php?do=showpm&pmid=58190.

The topic is: Does atheism have a rational basis?

t
(or, "ovnoclov")

Judging by the forum name and your name there, it's your forum. How is that "independent"? I doubt anyone is interested in playing in your little sandbox.
Honestly, the topic was terminated because you asked a question then refused to acknowledge the answers that members took the time to post. You had a preconception and simply dismissed any answer that didn't support that preconception. Your attitude made it clear the thread wasn't going anywhere so it was put out of it's misery.
Why would anyone bother wasting their time with you, regardless of which forum it's on?

[Sir Patrick Crocodile]

He posted a link to a private message of some sort rather than a public forum. So if it is his own forum he sure as hell doesn't know much about it.

[Cosmic Teapot]

He posted a link to a private message of some sort rather than a public forum. So if it is his own forum he sure as hell doesn't know much about it.
Would that surprise anyone?

[Sir Patrick Crocodile]

It surprised me alright. I am surprised he even managed to be able to install the bloody thing!

[Cosmic Teapot]

It surprised me alright. I am surprised he even managed to be able to install the bloody thing!

Never underestimate an effective UI. ;)

[Loki]

Try

http://www.volconvo.com/forums/philosophy-religion/29112-does-atheism-have-rational-basis.html

One of the replies:

It's fun to think about isn't it? Try organizing your thoughts and write them down like a novel: edit them a few times until they make clear sense and if you can simplify the bigger words and concepts. This may help us communicate a little better.

[Sir Patrick Crocodile]

Judging by the forum name and your name there, it's your forum. How is that "independent"? I doubt anyone is interested in playing in your little sandbox.
Honestly, the topic was terminated because you asked a question then refused to acknowledge the answers that members took the time to post. You had a preconception and simply dismissed any answer that didn't support that preconception. Your attitude made it clear the thread wasn't going anywhere so it was put out of it's misery.
Why would anyone bother wasting their time with you, regardless of which forum it's on?Hang on a sec... I just discovered he registered LAST YEAR while a few other members (like for instance somebody called "Nono" registered in 2004 so it might not be his forum, but he has the habit of spelling the subject/name of the forum backwards and using that as his user name.

[Loki]

Ovnovolov has only posted in this single thread, and threads go back to at least 2003, so there is no personal connection.

Got jumped on pretty quickly by rational people and they have used some really nice arguments, which have been largely ignored. Thats a surprise.