Skeptic Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 I belong to a group on Facebook that deals with indoctrinating children into religion. We sometimes get xians in there, but they don't cause too much trouble. Well, this asswipe comes in today and starts flooding the wall with his crap, he can't argue his way out of a paper bag, and then he admits that the main reason why he's there is to evangelize. I fed the troll for awhile, but then he asked me if I was following god the "right way" and then all bets were off. I told him off and reported him. No one has done anything about him yet, but hopefully they ban his ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeptic Posted April 1, 2009 Author Share Posted April 1, 2009 Now he's started using emotional appeals and he even brought out the "are you god" argument. He's taking his techniques right out of the playbooks of Ken Ham and Ray Comfort. How pathetic. I don't think I could find a better example of religious indoctrination if I tried. I am glad, though, that he hasn't brought up Pascal's Wager yet. Hopefully gets banned before that happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anti-Christian Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 Do you feel comfortable posting some of his crap for us to read or is this too confidential? I am interested in reading the stories, however I am cool with the other way. But anyway I'm with you in hoping he gets banned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeptic Posted April 1, 2009 Author Share Posted April 1, 2009 Sure, I'll post it. It'll be a long post, though. This is how it started out: "Ok, so as I read through the wall posts, I came to some conclusions. First off, arguing about this over Facebook is really kinda sad. But that's just my opinion. Secondly, I am a student at Bethany Bible College in Sussex New Brunswick. I believe that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Saviour. I believe He died for my sins, and for the sins of every person on Earth. Now that you know that about me, please listen to what I have to say with an open mind. There are many misconceptions about Christianity that are evident, and also many misconceptions about evolution. I can not fully disprove evolution. It is not my belief for how we are here, but I accept that many of you do believe it. I am not trying to disprove it. So don't assume or accuse that I am. I do however, want to point some things out to you. Firstly, there is a difference between religion and faith. Religion is a man-made organization." And then he went into this huge thing about sin and persecuting xians and crap, and somehow started talking about homosexuality. He, of course, pulled out the line about hating the sin and loving the sinner, blah blah. Then I asked him how he could not think himself better than gay people because, according to him, they're living lives of sin and he's forgiven, and I told him that you can't accept someone and not also accept their lifestyle. I mentioned at the end that homosexuality occurs in nature and even animals do it. He said animals are different than humans. I said humans are animals, and gave him examples of how they are similar. He said "don't argue evolution vs. creationism with me." After arguing some more about god's perfect laws, he eventually admitted that he was there to evangelize. He accused me of not seeing it his way, and I got him with this: "I have no interest in seeing things your way because I've already seen it your way and have determined that your way is false. It's only based on some scribblings from an ancient tribe. You say that you have a book that says that everything you're saying is right. I'm sure there are books out there that say that the world is flat and that fairies exist. Should we listen to them, too?" Then he started on the emotional appeals I mentioned earlier and responded to another person with, "Are you the supreme ruler of the universe? Didn't think so. Only once you do become the ruler of the universe, and attain that supreme knowledge will simply telling me 'God does not exist" convince me of anything other than your hardened heart." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hereticzero Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 If they ban him, then there won't be anything to write about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeptic Posted April 1, 2009 Author Share Posted April 1, 2009 If you're curious about the emotional appeals, here they are. It starts out like this: "May I ask you something? Answer this as honestly as you can, in a message to me if you wish. Were you truly following God? Or were you following Him as long as what He wanted aligned with what you wanted? 'In this life, you will have trouble. But take heart, for I have overcome the world.'" I answered him with this: "No. I'm not falling for that trap. You can't tell me any more than the bible can, and to think that your way of worshipping god is somehow better than the way I was doing it or that the only way I can be an atheist is that I must not have been doing it right is offensive. Who do you think you are, Ray Comfort? I don't think you're worshipping the god of the bible. I think you're worshipping a god that you made up in your head. All you need to do is read the bible to figure out that god is unjust, sadistic, mentally unstable, genocidal, and definitely not worthy of anyone's worship. Your evangelist techniques aren't working on anyone here, and I'm not going to feed the troll anymore." He said: "It's not a trap, Amanda. It's a simple question. Were you following Him with everything you had? Did you trust Him with your life? The God of the Bible is the only one there is. I can see by the effect that that last question had that there is an effect on you. Call me a troll if you want, I really could care less about your perception of me. I just know that God wants you back. And I think that you know He can help you, and maybe that just scares you. Don't close out the idea." Then I told him that he was just using emotional appeals because it's all he had left and that his evangelizing wasn't welcome there. The end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurisaz Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 Wow I hadn't seen those "arguments" - before this thread - for all of, lemme see... some 15 seconds I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zaramon Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 I am glad, though, that he hasn't brought up Pascal's Wager yet. Hopefully gets banned before that happens. Why worry about Pascal's Wager? That is easily refuted by asking which god is the correct one in which to believe. There is security in numbers so religious believers are driven to add to their numbers. What does it benefit anyone to sway someone else's beliefs who they do not know or will probably ever meet? If successful it only serves to stroke the ego of the proselytite by validating their beliefs. Having no religious beliefs of my own, I don't engage the religious very frequently. I like to keep up my ex-apologetics for when the fresh meat comes knockin' on my door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neon Genesis Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 Firstly, there is a difference between religion and faith. Religion is a man-made organization."Where in the bible does it say that Christianity is a relationship, not a religion? It doesn't say that anywhere at all. And if Christianity isn't a religion, then is he saying the bible is lying in James 1:27? Pure and undefiled religion (BA)in the sight of our God and Father is this: to (BB)visit (BC)orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by (BD)the world.Even the bible says Christianity is a religion, so either he must admit that it is the same or he must admit that the bible is lying when it says Christianity is a religion. Then he started on the emotional appeals I mentioned earlier and responded to another person with, "Are you the supreme ruler of the universe? Didn't think so. Only once you do become the ruler of the universe, and attain that supreme knowledge will simply telling me 'God does not exist" convince me of anything other than your hardened heart."I can't understand this hypocrisy. Nobody would say you have to be Santa Claus to say Santa Claus doesn't exist and if you aren't Santa, then you must be hardening your heart. Going by such "logic", if you have to be God in order to prove or disprove the "evidence" for his existence, then he must think he's God if he claims to know God exists but if he's not God, he must be hardening his heart. Yet for some reason, the same argument doesn't apply to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeptic Posted April 1, 2009 Author Share Posted April 1, 2009 Why worry about Pascal's Wager? That is easily refuted by asking which god is the correct one in which to believe. I'm not worried about it and I know it can be easily refuted, I just hate hearing the same "what if you're wrong" argument. There's usually a lot of hubris behind the question, too. The person asking always acts like they're the first one to ask you and like this argument will stop you dead in your tracks and you'll repent right there and then. It also reminds me of when I asked my atheist Humanities teacher this question and displayed the same hubris. There is security in numbers so religious believers are driven to add to their numbers. What does it benefit anyone to sway someone else's beliefs who they do not know or will probably ever meet? If successful it only serves to stroke the ego of the proselytite by validating their beliefs. Yep. Exactly. Internet evangelizing is pretty pointless. He's just like the fundies who come into ex-c and act like they can change our minds with their truth because we must've been doing it wrong, when really, it's just the same old tired arguments again. Having no religious beliefs of my own, I don't engage the religious very frequently. I like to keep up my ex-apologetics for when the fresh meat comes knockin' on my door. Surprisingly, I don't get many of these. I've had one since I've lived here and that's it. We mainly get JWs here and my fiance was disfellowshipped, so he answers the door. Xians usually put those little leaflets on our door, or on our doorknob when we lived in an apt. They're too cowardly to actually talk to anyone. I will debate people just to sharpen my skills and because it can be fun, but I'll stop when it comes to what this guy did, or when it degrades into ad hominem attacks. When that happens, you know you've won anyway. The guy wasn't banned, but he was reprimanded by the owner of the group. I think we chased him away long before that happened, though. He hasn't been back. He joined another group that allows for debate and is debating there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centauri Posted April 1, 2009 Share Posted April 1, 2009 ...After arguing some more about god's perfect laws, he eventually admitted that he was there to evangelize. Ironic. Those are the same perfect laws that Christians claim were canceled by a human sacrifice. ... "Are you the supreme ruler of the universe? Didn't think so. Naturally, this believer is hotwired to the alleged supreme ruler of the universe, which amazingly always seems to agree with him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts