Religious Debates Are Banned

[Balagor]

Discussions on the science of evolution are also disallowed, I believe (confirmation please?).

 

As far as I am aware we have some running right now. We can actually discuss everything except religion. Truth is, at least where I come from, all other subjects can start as much trolling and flaming as religion. It´s not the topic that starts the flaming, it´s the shortsighted sterotyped people, who need to learn that there are different kind of views in this world.

[InternetTherapist]

Mmm why should evolution be not allowed?

 

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• The problem with religion threads is that people who don't believe in it will debate the merits of it, and that is bad because some people cross the line, thus everybody should be punished.
   
  
• The problem with evolution threads is that people who don't believe in it will debate the merits of it, and that is bad because some people cross the line, thus everybody should be punished.
   
  
• The problem with fairy/unicorn/alien/conspiracy theory/monster/ghost/miracle/etc threads is that people who don't believe in it will debate the merits of it, and that is bad because some people cross the line, thus everybody should be punished, or at least that's the general logic of this rule.
   
  
• The problem with every possible topic of debate threads is that people who don't agree with eachother will debate it, and that is bad because some people cross the line, thus everybody should be punished, or at least that's the general logic of this rule.
   
  

 

 

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Evolutionists

believe that we evolved from smaller creatures, and threads about evolution or which imply evolution is real, like the big bang, are allowed.

 

Creationists

believe that the world was made by God, and threads about creationism are banned.

 

Some people believe we were made by aliens, should threads about aliens banned also? Can I say "I think its unlikely we were made by aliens." and list reasons why or is that too close to religion?

 

Point is that the religion rule should cover anti-religion or anti-creationist threads also, or the rule should be taken down, either one.

 

I just don't see why theists have to be tempted into replying to threads about evolution and science and such and how they can't make their own, and the only answer to allowing them to make those threads while keeping this rule in place is to keep people of opposing views from expressing them in said threads, thus making the whole point of any thread about those subjects kind of pointless.

 

 

It seems to me that if somebody makes a topic about religion or evolution they're deciding that they're willing to allow it to be debated, as this is the debate board.

 

If somebody doesn't want to see their religion debated then they shouldn't go into a thread about it.

If religion comes up in a thread not about it then that's changing the subject and isn't allowed anyway, no need for a new rule about it.

 

 

tl;dr

Topics which imply things like the big bang are true also imply that most religions are false, why should theists have to sit back and watch as people say their religion is false, whereas they can't say that theirs is true, it's a one sided jab and I find it cruel to them.

[Balagor]

Perhaps a change of rules might work. Once you cross the line in a topic, you can not post here anymore. Simple. Try to do so and you are banned. That will give room to serious debaters to debate what ever they want. :biggrin:

I don´t see anything wrong in debating whatsoever, as long as it is done nice and clean. I have no taboos. Those who have, don´t participate. Simple again. :thumbsup: :biggrin:

[Aurielius]

Perhaps a change of rules might work. Once you cross the line in a topic, you can not post here anymore. Simple. Try to do so and you are banned. That will give room to serious debaters to debate what ever they want. :biggrin:

I don´t see anything wrong in debating whatsoever, as long as it is done nice and clean. I have no taboos. Those who have, don´t participate. Simple again. :thumbsup: :biggrin:

 

Given the proportion of bans versus strikes (that are posted) it seems that the rules are pretty clear but evidently that doesn't seem to percolate down into many persons consciousness.Most of the individuals that get banned do not seem to know what the preview post button is for, a last chance to rethink their actions before going public. Religious debates rarely if ever stay clean and civil, sort of like real life. It's odd that people who would never think of insulting another face to face feel perfectly comfortable doing so on a forum. Existing rules are fine with me and fairly explicit.

[Maxwell the Fool]

@Balagor: "Serious debaters"? We only have one non-mod that does any real debating, and that's Trandoshan.

 

Why are you guys so arrogantly pretending that you know how the rules should be? If you're so confident, go set up your own debates board. Rules are rules. Follow them.

[Balagor]

I do not find my self arrogant, I simply made a suggestion in all due humillity. Sorry.

[InternetTherapist]

Why are you guys so arrogantly pretending that you know how the rules should be? If you're so confident, go set up your own debates board. Rules are rules. Follow them.

 

The reverse is true, I don't fully know how the rules should be, or rather, how they currently are, as they're not fully explained.

I've not come in here and asked for them to be changed, I have simply asked how they currently are, how much they cover, and given examples of how they could turn out to be if they were to be explained further.

 

The rules don't fully define what religion is, which leaves that totally up to interpretation, and can be offensive to people who's religion isn't a very commonly known one, such as ones which involve aliens and mythical creatures and such.

 

 

But yes, I have also questioned the motive and intent behind the rule at least once, but that wasn't my main goal in posting, I just don't quite see how something can be banned because it CAN cause inappropriate behavior, which only serves to punish and forbade legitimate debate or side-argument, whereas flaming, baiting and trolling already is banned as it is.

 

 

Although I can imagine how religion can spark more heated debates, maybe even flame-wars, but the cause of that is due to personal identification with ones religion or lack of religion to an extent where they cannot fully debate it, in other words, ignorance; we're banning debate because we find it acceptable or too common for people to be ignorant.

 

That's sort of like banning foreigners from entering a country because most citizens are ignorant; the reason they're ignorant is because there aren't enough foreigners.

 

 

If a bunch of ignorant people want to fight over something then I say so be it, nobody is being forced to go into a thread about it and maybe they'll learn something, although changing a thread not really about religion into a religious debate is changing the subject/going off topic, which is already against the rules, or at least I would assume so.

[bben46]

It seems that people have come up with a new way to debate religion by claiming to NOT debate it. And instead debating the debate itself. Our policy is, you are welcome to any opinion on religion you want, as long as you don't bring up your opinion here. That includes any opinion pro or con from atheists as well.

 

So, ANY debate on religion, including debating the reasons for the debate not being allowed, no matter how well intentioned is forbidden.

 

I'm locking this thread to try and keep people from getting themselves banned for attempting to get around a forbidden topic by attempting to debate the reasons for the topic being forbidden. I hope that is as clear to you as it is to me. :whistling:

 

@DagonTherais: the reason evolution debates are banned is the subject cannot be debated without bringing in religion. Any attempt to do so is bogus.

 

Bben46, Moderator

[NotAmerican]

Amen to that! THANKYOU Dark0ne, thankyou sehr sehr much!