Marketability of Your Religion Based On Your RF Contributions

[JustGeorge]

I didn't know Buddhists were into prayer...

What kind of weapon do you think he's hoping to be shot with?

A paintball gun might jazz up his wardrobe a bit.

 

[Secret Chief]

I didn't know Buddhists were into prayer...

Only in extreme circumstances.

 

[Secret Chief]

What kind of weapon do you think he's hoping to be shot with?

A paintball gun might jazz up his wardrobe a bit.

Hey, I've an idea - why don't you both talk about me like I'm not here.

 

[Secret Chief]

Based on your contributions on RF, how well do you think you represent your religion or belief system (or your atheism) to an outside seeker who is deciding what religion to follow or deciding to leave their religion for atheism?

I post little about such. Maybe it's quality rather than quantity?! My "representation" mainly consists of responding to misrepresentations and answering the occasional question, if able.

Do you feel the way you discuss or debate your beliefs and your behavior in threads would attract a seeker to your religion, your spirituality, or your secular views?

Do you set an example for your religion? If so, how?

I don't see attracting or example-setting being as much concerned with such. I don't post with this in mind.

Without naming names, do you feel an aversion to a religion/form of spirituality/secular worldview not based on the dogma associated with it, but by how a person or people of that group here on RF carry themselves or represent their views?

Not really. Any aversion is in response to what is presented, not in its manner.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

I have no desire to market my religion because it is only applicable for me and is for nobody else.

^ this

 

[JustGeorge]

Hey, I've an idea - why don't you both talk about me like I'm not here.

For once, you have a great idea. Sure!

 

[Heyo]

RF is read not only by the denizens who participate, but by lurkers and guests who do not.

Based on your contributions on RF, how well do you think you represent your religion or belief system (or your atheism) to an outside seeker who is deciding what religion to follow or deciding to leave their religion for atheism?

Do you feel the way you discuss or debate your beliefs and your behavior in threads would attract a seeker to your religion, your spirituality, or your secular views?

Do you set an example for your religion? If so, how?

Without naming names, do you feel an aversion to a religion/form of spirituality/secular worldview not based on the dogma associated with it, but by how a person or people of that group here on RF carry themselves or represent their views?

I don't know about the lurkers, but I haven't converted a single member (that I know of).
If my goal was to convert people, I'd have to conclude that I'm a total failure. (Fortunately it isn't.)

And Agnosticism isn't exactly a popular world view. It is totally rational, i.e. it doesn't care about your feelings. In fact, it hurts the feelings of people who have difficulties to say "I don't know". Unlike simple atheism, it also carries a burden of proof and thus requires more work. It's just not an easy sell.

 

[danieldemol]

I don't know about the lurkers, but I haven't converted a single member (that I know of).
If my goal was to convert people, I'd have to conclude that I'm a total failure. (Fortunately it isn't.)

And Agnosticism isn't exactly a popular world view. It is totally rational, i.e. it doesn't care about your feelings. In fact, it hurts the feelings of people who have difficulties to say "I don't know". Unlike simple atheism, it also carries a burden of proof and thus requires more work. It's just not an easy sell.

Why would saying "I don't know" have a burden of proof? Or did you mean something else?

 

[lewisnotmiller]

RF is read not only by the denizens who participate, but by lurkers and guests who do not.

Based on your contributions on RF, how well do you think you represent your religion or belief system (or your atheism) to an outside seeker who is deciding what religion to follow or deciding to leave their religion for atheism?

Do you feel the way you discuss or debate your beliefs and your behavior in threads would attract a seeker to your religion, your spirituality, or your secular views?

Do you set an example for your religion? If so, how?

Without naming names, do you feel an aversion to a religion/form of spirituality/secular worldview not based on the dogma associated with it, but by how a person or people of that group here on RF carry themselves or represent their views?

I hope people look at my posts and find them pretty balanced and non-aggressive. I hope I am representative of a basic secularism that is inclusive, rather than judgemental or self-aggrandizing.
But I also wouldn't kid myself that I'm sending a strong and effective sales message for atheism, nor would I particularly want to.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Still a terrible job.
I remain unconverted.
Or is that your intent, eh.

If I was starting a new religion, I could think of a few targets for conversion I'd be aiming at before you, mate...sorry...
Unfortunately, I lack the motivation, and we seem to have developed broadly similar religious beliefs in spite of that.

 

[Heyo]

Why would saying "I don't know" have a burden of proof? Or did you mean something else?

It's not the "I don't know" part that requires proof, it's "and neither do you".

 

[lewisnotmiller]

FWIW, I think you represent the tolerant fun atheist really well, certainly a lot better than Revoltingest.

It's just the French accent confusing you. Imagine her speaking like Donald Trump and see how funny you find her.

Spoiler

Actually, that made me chuckle, so perhaps you're right.

 

[Niatero]

RF is read not only by the denizens who participate, but by lurkers and guests who do not.

Based on your contributions on RF, how well do you think you represent your religion or belief system (or your atheism) to an outside seeker who is deciding what religion to follow or deciding to leave their religion for atheism?

Do you feel the way you discuss or debate your beliefs and your behavior in threads would attract a seeker to your religion, your spirituality, or your secular views?

Do you set an example for your religion? If so, how?

Without naming names, do you feel an aversion to a religion/form of spirituality/secular worldview not based on the dogma associated with it, but by how a person or people of that group here on RF carry themselves or represent their views?

I'm wondering, just curious, if this was inspired by observing counter-productive behaviour in people promoting religious beliefs or campaigning against them. I have observed that myself, but it doesn't affect what I think about people under one label or another in general, because I've seen from my experience offline that what people say and do under a label online doesn't correlate at all to what most people under that label think and do.

 

[Niatero]

I think you are still misunderstanding the intent of the OP. This isn't about the impression you make on those with which you interact, but the impression you make on a reader who is not participating on the forum...an outside seeker.

There might be some confusion because you're asking how we think we look to lurkers and guests not members, at the same time that you're asking how other members look to us who are members. There's nothing actually contradictory in that, but I for one misread it as asking how we think we look to other members.

(later) It seems to me that people would mostly not be aware if their aversion to a belief system or world view is more from the behaviour of people promoting and defending it than from thoughtful consideration of the belief system or world view itself. That would not be something that people would want to admit, even to themselves.

I'm thinking that in online discussions when people are conspicuously promoting and defending beliefs, or campaigning against them, they are mostly doing it for other reasons besides wanting to attract people to their way of thinking or to encourage people who might be interested, even if they think that's what they're doing. It doesn't really matter to them how bad they look to anyone outside of their mutual admiration circle. In fact, denunciation and opposition from outside is often considered as confirmation and something to be proud of. A better question might be "How much do you care about how your religion or world view looks to anyone outside of it?"

I'm also thinking that it would be very rare for anyone who is really trying to attract people to a religion or movement to be trying to do it in online discussions about religion. It wouldn't take long for anyone to see how futile that is.

 

[Viker]

Based on your contributions on RF, how well do you think you represent your religion or belief system (or your atheism) to an outside seeker who is deciding what religion to follow or deciding to leave their religion for atheism

Fairly well, actually. Not even trying.

Do you feel the way you discuss or debate your beliefs and your behavior in threads would attract a seeker to your religion, your spirituality, or your secular views?

It already has. Ever so often someone, usually not an RF regular, will message me. Most of these inquiries haven't lead to converting anyone however. Should I try harder?

Do you set an example for your religion? If so, how?

I suppose I do. Once again, without even trying. I just show up. Sometimes almost a lurker myself in the shadows. Sometimes I jump out into the light. Not all the time. I might melt or combust.

Without naming names, do you feel an aversion to a religion/form of spirituality/secular worldview not based on the dogma associated with it, but by how a person or people of that group here on RF carry themselves or represent their views?

No. Not really.

 

[Niatero]

LOL I am Catholic. But see what I mean? Since I don't use RF as a tool of any type, and am here basically for the entertainment, does it even matter?

I like your avatar. That's all that matters to me.

 

[SalixIncendium]

I'm wondering, just curious, if this was inspired by observing counter-productive behaviour in people promoting religious beliefs or campaigning against them. I have observed that myself, but it doesn't affect what I think about people under one label or another in general, because I've seen from my experience offline that what people say and do under a label online doesn't correlate at all to what most people under that label think and do.

You're actually quite close. It's more about observing behaviors and conduct of individuals when interacting with others here and considering what a reader might think when reading a thread, see these behaviors/conduct, checking the profile of an individual to see what their religious affiliation is, and thinking, "I wonder if the way this person interacts with their peers is indicative of the religion they follow."

 

[Niatero]

RF is read not only by the denizens who participate, but by lurkers and guests who do not.

Based on your contributions on RF, how well do you think you represent your religion or belief system (or your atheism) to an outside seeker who is deciding what religion to follow or deciding to leave their religion for atheism?

Do you feel the way you discuss or debate your beliefs and your behavior in threads would attract a seeker to your religion, your spirituality, or your secular views?

Do you set an example for your religion? If so, how?

Without naming names, do you feel an aversion to a religion/form of spirituality/secular worldview not based on the dogma associated with it, but by how a person or people of that group here on RF carry themselves or represent their views?

After going off on a few tangents, I'll try to respond to this in a way that might be more relevant. I'm not a follower of any religious or non-religious belief system, but I do have some ideas about how to live the best life we can, and what to do and what not to do about all the cruelty, violence and oppression in the world, and I would be glad if my behaviour in the forums would attract friendly attention to those ideas or encourage people who are already trying them or considering them.

Based on your contributions on RF, how well do you think you represent your religion or belief system (or your atheism) to an outside seeker who is deciding what religion to follow or deciding to leave their religion for atheism?

I don't know how to give myself a rating on that. I'm thinking that maybe feelings towards me are mostly friendly, but that might be true for anyone who's only been here for two or three days.

Do you feel the way you discuss or debate your beliefs and your behavior in threads would attract a seeker to your religion, your spirituality, or your secular views?

I'm guessing that any attention I'm getting is mostly friendly and possibly interested in what I think. I'm not sure how long that will last. I have a dark side that I'm hoping won't ever come out.

Do you set an example for your religion? If so, how?

I'm not promoting or defending a religion, but I do have some ideas about how to live the best life we can, and what to do about all the cruelty, violence and oppression in the world. Up to now, I've been setting an example by keeping my feelings and intentions towards everyone friendly, and resisting unfriendly impulses that I've had once or twice. I've been looking for conversations about topics that interest me, posting friendly comments and questions about what other people are saying, and mostly (I think) resisting temptations to use their posts as platforms for what I want to say. At least not only for that.

 

[SalixIncendium]

There might be some confusion because you're asking how we think we look to lurkers and guests not members, at the same time that you're asking how other members look to us who are members. There's nothing actually contradictory in that, but I for one misread it as asking how we think we look to other members.

(later) It seems to me that people would mostly not be aware if their aversion to a belief system or word view is more from the behaviour of people promoting and defending it than from thoughtful consideration of the belief system or world view itself. That would not be something that people would want to admit, even to themselves.

I'm thinking that in online discussions when people are conspicuously promoting and defending beliefs, or campaigning against them, they are mostly doing it for other reasons besides wanting to attract people to their way of thinking or to encourage people who might be interested, even if they think that's what they're doing. It doesn't really matter to them how bad they look to anyone outside of their mutual admiration circle. In fact, denunciation and opposition from outside is often considered as confirmation and something to be proud of. A better question might be "How much do you care about how your religion or world view looks to anyone outside of it?"

I'm also thinking that it would be very rare for anyone who is really trying to attract people to a religion or movement to be trying to do it in online discussions about religion. It wouldn't take long for anyone to see how futile that is.

It's not so much about attracting others to their religion.

We have people from all around the world on this forum...people of many different cultures and beliefs. Someone from the States, for example, may have limited exposure to Islam, only knowing about the religion and its followers from what they hear in the media. Out of curiosity, they jump on a religious forum and begin reading threads about Islam that have Muslim participants and realize, "Wow! These people are not at all the violent haters of anyone outside their religion that the media makes the out to be. They actually seem to be quite friendly." Or another example could be they may read a thread where an atheist is flaming a creationist (or visa versa) and wonder if this is what atheism/creationism is all about.

Whether intentional or not, to and outsider, all of us represent our religion/political affiliation, etc., and there is the possibility that we might influence the opinion of another unfamiliar with said affiliation about that religion or political affiliation based on our behaviors and conduct here on the forum. There may be those who are seeking a religion or political perspective that made decisions based on the conduct of individuals they see here.

 

[SalixIncendium]

It already has. Ever so often someone, usually not an RF regular, will message me. Most of these inquiries haven't lead to converting anyone however. Should I try harder?

I'm not talking about trying to convert someone. I'm talking about how your conduct here might inform a seeker's perspective on how Diabolism might influence one's behaviors in interacting with others.