ebonileigh Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Hi Everyone, I have just watched a debate between Deepak Chopra, Jean Housten, Michael Shermer and Sam Harris (go Sam), the subject for debate was "Does God Have a Future". My rant is how annoyed I get when 9 times out of 10 the Religious spokesperson in the debate is always louder, obnoxious, arrogant and talks over the top of others loudly. I have found this to be the case in most debates that I have watched over the last few years. And yet it is they who accuse their opponents of being arrogant atheists. The majority of the time I find that the non-religious debaters are usually calm and gracious in their dialogue, I know that Christopher Hitchens is an exception, he often does talk over the top of others and sometimes louder, and I get annoyed sometimes when he does it, but I just love his knowledge and his oration. I get so mad at the religious debaters also for using pseudo science speak as if it gives credibility to their so called arguments. end of rant what do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebonileigh Posted March 28, 2010 Author Share Posted March 28, 2010 Don't get me wrong I just love Hitchens, I have read his book God Is Not Great How Religion Poisons Everything, several times, and I GREATLY admire the man and have watched him many times in his debates, I just wanted to acknowledge that he too sometimes tends to talk over people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Agree. I'd say there are good and bad arguers on "both" (all) sides. But I find most of the public debates to be more of a spectacle than informative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebonileigh Posted March 28, 2010 Author Share Posted March 28, 2010 Agree. I'd say there are good and bad arguers on "both" (all) sides. But I find most of the public debates to be more of a spectacle than informative. Yes, I would have to agree with you there, I think it's far better when atheists, freethinkers etc., just give talks and lectures. I find myself most of the time when I have watched debates that I get very frustrated and annoyed, I have actually avoided them lately, as I said I do prefer to watch lectures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Yeah. I prefer lectures as well. I get frustrated too when I watch debates. I hear my own mind counter argue all the religious points and feel that the opposite side never gets a chance to fully explain all the ins and outs. It becomes more a forum or advertising for religious and emotional appeals, and people eat that up easier than intricate and long-winding explanations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKR Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Most Christians are constantly projecting their own attitudes and behaviors on to others. It's even worse in forums than in formal debates. They'll claim that you're attacking them when all you're doing is asking difficult questions or offering civil criticism of their religion. They'll call you names and just post pictures and dumb crap and then go around calling you the troll. It seems like people on the right generally have a hard time controlling their emotions, while people on the left usually remain calm in a debate. It's just the nature of those who take the right wing/Christian stance. They let their fearful emotions drive them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebonileigh Posted March 28, 2010 Author Share Posted March 28, 2010 yes, I totally agree with you both, I don't think I'll bother watching anymore debates, it's just too frustrating, sometimes I think, how do the non-religious debaters stay so calm. I listened to a lengthy (old) debate once with Dan Barker and someone, a christian student if I remember correctly, and Dan was so calm and controlled, I was wanting to scream WTF, and I am not easily provoked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebonileigh Posted March 28, 2010 Author Share Posted March 28, 2010 Most Christians are constantly projecting their own attitudes and behaviors on to others. It's even worse in forums than in formal debates. They'll claim that you're attacking them when all you're doing is asking difficult questions or offering civil criticism of their religion. They'll call you names and just post pictures and dumb crap and then go around calling you the troll. It seems like people on the right generally have a hard time controlling their emotions, while people on the left usually remain calm in a debate. It's just the nature of those who take the right wing/Christian stance. They let their fearful emotions drive them. yes, I don't think I would get into a debate with any christians in any of the ex-c forums, I know exactly how they think and what sort of tactics they use, I would only be interested in encouraging someone who has very serious doubts and is on the pathway to their freedom and liberty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TelevisionKiller Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 Most Christians are constantly projecting their own attitudes and behaviors on to others. It's even worse in forums than in formal debates. They'll claim that you're attacking them when all you're doing is asking difficult questions or offering civil criticism of their religion. They'll call you names and just post pictures and dumb crap and then go around calling you the troll. It seems like people on the right generally have a hard time controlling their emotions, while people on the left usually remain calm in a debate. It's just the nature of those who take the right wing/Christian stance. They let their fearful emotions drive them. Exactly. They can also get away with attacking you (I've seen a Catholic member on a forum call an atheist a "fat homosexual" before) and receive no punishment or talking to, while if the atheist dares to question a Catholic's religion, they get labeled as a heretic and a troll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OpheliaGinger Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 You are not alone in your thinking. The religious know that their talking points have no merit would placed up against the arguments of the atheists, so they resort to name calling and talking much louder than the other side (the whole "might makes right" attitude). It's far more frustrating to be in the argument instead of listening to it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Valkyrie0010 Posted March 28, 2010 Share Posted March 28, 2010 I have found some skeptic to be the atheist equivalent as far as style goes like Fred Phelps But I figure I can just be different. Now I have had a worst time with fundies, one of my family got angry and said he didn't want to see me again. Luckily he repented, but I no longer want anything do with the asshole. When I talk to my family, the hate that i argue the points instead of just asking questions, when I have to pose the arguement alot of times to get a decent answer, because for example the concern might have came in the form of a argument. But they would have none of it and say I don't have a open mind. I nearly reconverted recently, and lucky I told them I reconverted, with legitimate at the time interest in being a convert. But luckily I could get over the dissonance, and it got them off my back, because I haven't told them I reconverted. And I followed it up with saying. I don't want to talk religion with you guys anymore. And haven't since, in any real meaningful way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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