Sometimes it's Time to Log Off

[JDMS]

I've been lurking and seeing a few people asking questions about whether they are hated, persecuted, evil, etc. for their faith. A lot of anxiety in general. There are members here who feel cornered because of their religious beliefs and how others perceive them. And I get it.

But I think it's important to remember that this is a religion forum with a massive focus on debate. The kinds of people this place attracts are those who are either looking for a diversity of opinions and thoughts to simply absorb (like myself) or people who are looking to discuss and debate religion(s) as concepts. Lots of passion. Very appreciable!

But for those who are not comfortable with debate, and can't handle just lurking and reading, maybe it's time to consider logging off for a few days and refreshing. No one wants you to feel hated here... but the purpose and climate of this forum still stands. There will be disagreement. If seeing that is making you feel miserable, why force yourself to continue? Take as many breaks as you need. Exist in the real world. Engage with your God or gods. Or, avoid threads you know will upset you. Post in your DIR forum. Look at the jokes and memes section. There are many options for you.

Please don't stress yourself if you don't enjoy it.

 

[Spirit of Light]

I've been lurking and seeing a few people asking questions about whether they are hated, persecuted, evil, etc. for their faith. A lot of anxiety in general. There are members here who feel cornered because of their religious beliefs and how others perceive them. And I get it.

But I think it's important to remember that this is a religion forum with a massive focus on debate. The kinds of people this place attracts are those who are either looking for a diversity of opinions and thoughts to simply absorb (like myself) or people who are looking to discuss and debate religion(s) as concepts. Lots of passion. Very appreciable!

But for those who are not comfortable with debate, and can't handle just lurking and reading, maybe it's time to consider logging off for a few days and refreshing. No one wants you to feel hated here... but the purpose and climate of this forum still stands. There will be disagreement. If seeing that is making you feel miserable, why force yourself to continue? Take as many breaks as you need. Exist in the real world. Engage with your God or gods. Or, avoid threads you know will upset you. Post in your DIR forum. Look at the jokes and memes section. There are many options for you.

Please don't stress yourself if you don't enjoy it.

I think that for those of us who have felt the heat (me being one of them) it become more of a quest to survive even it can feel crappy at times.

Yes it help to log off and refresh, but the " Problem" is still there when we coming back.
For me, I realized after a long long time that I was the only one who could fix my own problem in RF. So I had to put a few members on ignore, and it has helped me a 1000 times more.

I am now a happy RF'er again.

 

[Twilight Hue]

And us gluttons for punishment. ... oh vey!

 

[F1fan]

There are many strong personalities in this forum and a member has to have thick skin.

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

I've been lurking and seeing a few people asking questions about whether they are hated, persecuted, evil, etc. for their faith. A lot of anxiety in general. There are members here who feel cornered because of their religious beliefs and how others perceive them. And I get it. [snip] But I think it's important to remember that this is a religion forum with a massive focus on debate. The kinds of people this place attracts are those who are either looking for a diversity of opinions and thoughts to simply absorb (like myself) or people who are looking to discuss and debate religion(s) as concepts. Lots of passion. Very appreciable!

It seems to me that many of the theists are used to protected environments like church, where they are with like-minded people. Then, they enter the marketplace of ideas, and perhaps for the first time, encounter people who have different values, and who don't defer to scripture or faith. These are called militant atheists. They are doing what Christians have always done, but it's considered impudent and impolite by the believers.

The last few decades have seen the rise of the atheists in America, where they finally have a voice, and I think it caught the church off-guard. Go back a century, and a teacher like Scope's goes on trial for daring to challenge the theist majority, and loses his case. A few decades later, atheists were still so marginalized that they couldn't teach, coach, adopt, or serve on juries, and so remained closeted and silent.

Then came the wave of best-selling atheists (Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris) and other prominent atheist celebrities (Tyson, Nye, Carlin, Maher), which made atheism more respectable notwithstanding the church's attempt to keep atheists marginalized and demonized. Add the Internet, and now the atheists are communicating directly with the theists on a level playing field, and as you see, many believers are simply not used to that or prepared for it.

The critically thinking skeptics comprise an alternate subculture with a different agenda, values, and methods, and their debating is perceived by the faithful as attacking, their passion militance, their demeanor destructive, and their purpose motivated by a mean-spirited hatred of the faithful, rebellion, hedonism, or some other moral failing or character flaw. Many of course understand it in terms of malicious persecution as foretold in biblical prophecy.

What's the duty of the skeptic who sees the believer in distress following his words, words which he has carefully considered, sincerely believes, and offered constructively as working toward making the world a better place? Should he demur?

I think not. For one thing, this is good experience for such people even if unpleasant. It's a world they've been sheltered from, and learning how they are perceived gives them a chance to have a say in that. Also, for many, it's their first exposure to critical thinking and to evaluating evidence and arguments. They claim to reason and think critically as well, and have a chance to learn from more seasoned critical thinkers how their arguments fall short. Some are learning to identify and name logical fallacies. Some are being instructed in answering responsively, and the difference between dissent and debate. And, of course, a lot of science. Any amount of exposure to such things offers the chance to learn and grow. This is the academic tradition, the culture of academia and scholarship.

And if it becomes too hot for some, they have an escape valve. They are expected to determine if and when they need to take a break or put other posters on ignore or visit DIRs only or whatever they need for as long as they need it.

 

[JustGeorge]

There are many strong personalities in this forum and a member has to have thick skin.

Or just not engage with members they find grating.

 

[Fool]

I've been lurking and seeing a few people asking questions about whether they are hated, persecuted, evil, etc. for their faith. A lot of anxiety in general. There are members here who feel cornered because of their religious beliefs and how others perceive them. And I get it.

But I think it's important to remember that this is a religion forum with a massive focus on debate. The kinds of people this place attracts are those who are either looking for a diversity of opinions and thoughts to simply absorb (like myself) or people who are looking to discuss and debate religion(s) as concepts. Lots of passion. Very appreciable!

But for those who are not comfortable with debate, and can't handle just lurking and reading, maybe it's time to consider logging off for a few days and refreshing. No one wants you to feel hated here... but the purpose and climate of this forum still stands. There will be disagreement. If seeing that is making you feel miserable, why force yourself to continue? Take as many breaks as you need. Exist in the real world. Engage with your God or gods. Or, avoid threads you know will upset you. Post in your DIR forum. Look at the jokes and memes section. There are many options for you.

Please don't stress yourself if you don't enjoy it.

religion is a trap and some like the cage they live in. they have become comfortable in the routine. religion was made for man and not man for religion


some folks have a hard time discussing ideas and take them personal; especially someone who has an agenda or mental health challenges to begin with. those that come here wanting validation for their religion are going to be disappointed because somethings just don't cross cultural boundaries.

some folks just can't separate themselves from the appearance they want to convey to the basic human experience that everyone has. what's even more telling is that there are some who don't practice what they preach. they will don a religious persona while behaving like wolves in sheep's clothing. They're interested is in consuming, power, prestige,


looks are skin deep; especially when their is a dark shadow lurking just beneath that shallow surface.


so we can call ourselves this, or that, and change our religion every so often, but that isn't going to change one's behavior; simply because one changes their clothes, their looks.


pretty is as pretty does. it's a bittersweet symphony


“I guess a man is the only kind of varmint sets his own trap, baits it, and then steps in it.”

― John Steinbeck, Sweet Thursday

 

[RestlessSoul]

It’s just a pity that the tone of debate tends so quickly towards the toxic. Sometimes fruitful conversations break out between individuals with contradictory views, where neither party feels the need to belittle the other, but these are the exception, sadly.

 

[Shaul]

The problem is not that people are overly sensitive or can't handle strong debate. The problem is that some people go past civil debate to mean spirited provocations. Some even use the cover of this been a debating forum to "blame the victim" for not being able to handle it. But being a debate forum is no excuse for not being kind. And too many posts here are unkind, to say the least. If, as OP suggests, sometimes it is needed for someone to log off for a while, that says more about the forum than the one that feels a need to leave.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Let me take this opportunity to point out that staff here do not read all of the posts or even most of the posts, but any reported post is at least looked at.

What I suggest is to report any particularly mean post that is obviously mean that you think staff will agree is too mean to be in the forum. Most reports are generated by staff, however any member may do so. Then staff can, if needed, follow up with the person who made the post.

When you report a post only staff members know that you reported it, and the poster receives no notification that it is being reviewed unless staff notify them that it is under review or that it will be edited or in some way does not meet requirements to be posted where it is. We also do not tell them who has reported them.

We do not get back with you and tell you what happens after you report a post, because it is confidential and is no longer your problem to deal with. Several staff will see the post, however. You will at least insure that the post has been noted. We also do not typically tell anyone who has reported one of their posts. Very often matters can be resolved without hard feelings, and confidentiality is helpful in this.

Another thing you can do is to grab a link to a problematic post and start a site feedback thread about it in the site feedback section. Only you and staff will be able to read your particular thread if it is in that section. From most users the thread will be hidden. Simply reporting the post is easier for you, but you can start a thread in site feedback area if you prefer to.

Here is a link to that: https://www.religiousforums.com/forums/site-feedback.344/

Unlike many forums, our site feedback is not public by default. It is instead private by default, so you will not see the threads that other users have started in it. It will look empty.

 

[Alien826]

It surprises me that people find this forum to be unfriendly. You should get get out more, I respond. I came here from a site that was so toxic politically that I had to leave. It was simply getting on my nerves. Another (Christian) site I frequented in the past had a group of people who active attacked anyone who questioned their beliefs. The justification was that they were protecting their weaker members from losing their faith and going to hell. I think they just enjoyed being rude.

I like it here because it is so free from that kind of rubbish.

(Added: If anyone would like to point to some of these rude posts, I would be happy to see if I agree.)