What The Hell Is Wrong With Ex-c?

[Guest Zoe Grace]

Ok...i know you are all gonna think I've been doing shrooms or something, but I'm drug free, I swear it. I've just been doing a lot of thinking over the past few days.

 

I've heard many people off the board say "ex-c isn't what it used to be" blah blah blah. As if things don't grow and change.

 

We're a bigger board now. But consider these things:

 

1. We are a Large group of people with many visitors.

2. The vast majority of us had a REALLY bad experience with Christianity...some to the point where they're gonna attack ANYTHING that reeks of belief.

3. The vast majority of us are opinionated as hell.

 

 

One would think...things would be much different than they are now.

 

And yet...

 

1. Most people on this board don't hold a grudge. There have been people I've gotten into giant bitchfests with, the majority of them end up online friends.

 

2. While the board has it's quirks (i.e. ocassional thread deletion) any true censorship is rare. Threads get heated, and they can go on heated for awhile before a mod ever steps in in any capacity. There isn't a constant fear of banning, or being given some kind of "time out" or "reprimand." (some people complain that mods don't step in sooner, but I really think that TOO much micro-managing of grown adults and their issues is a barrier to growth, not an aide in it. Coming from a place where you COULDN'T truly express yourself...i.e. fundie christianity and christian message boards...it's important not to have that same thing again. We all have an ignore button.)

 

 

Overall, I think this is a great group and a great board. And so some of us clash sometimes. So what? We're mosly opinionated as hell and not afraid to share it. Plus we don't ALL hold the same beliefs or nonbeliefs now. I mean...you do the math.

 

But seriously, some of the people I now like the most, are people I couldn't stand when i first met them (and likely vice versa).

 

This site isn't Perfect but no site is...hell NO grouping of people ever is without it's drama/politics/whining/blah blah blah.

 

I guess this is kind of in vein of the thread started by someone once about: "let's talk about something good for a change."

 

So what do YOU like most about Ex-C?

[Knightley]

*cough* *cough*

 

Flirting.

[Ouroboros]

Thank you Zoe.

 

Sometimes it is frustrating to hear, "censorship" and the next "mods didn't do anything." There's never a perfect level of fairness to everyone at everytime.

 

What do I like most about Ex-C? That it is a very dynamic group of people, with completely different backgrounds and opinions, that actually manages to come together and talk about stuff. And many times the discussions are eye openers and make you think, feel, react and learn. Not necessarily I always agree to everything, and I know not everyone agree with me either, but we still can keep on talking. I've learned a lot about how different people are. And the more I learn, the less I see any absolutes or perfect 'truths'. Life just is. And we have to live with that.

[willybilly30]

I like it your able to express yourself on here without getting banned or moderated. This is the longest I have been on a forum without that happening This place has alot more freedom than alot of places I have seen.

[xrayman7040]

I like it your able to express yourself on here without getting banned or moderated. This is the longest I have been on a forum without that happening This place has alot more freedom than alot of places I have seen.

 

 

 

I love this place it its always so full of action. I have been to other Atheist message borads that haven't had a post in months. This one is always fresh and full of new shit. I love the freedoms we have to say virtually any fucking thing that is on our minds without being censored. I frequented a recovery site for a while that had moderators that were like nazi's. I had so many of my great threads deleted by the moderators. One in particular delt with the fact that I was bothered by the fact that Alcoholics Annymous insists that we call on a higher power. It was a great thread with a great heated debate until the moderators put an end to it. I was so pissed. One of thier rules was that fact that we were not allowed to criticize any recovery program what so ever.

[Amethyst]

I like the freedom of speech. Sometimes you just need a place to rant with people of like-minds to listen, and sometimes you need a private place, but this serves pretty well as the former.

 

I like the fact that there are a lot of people here. If you don't get along with one person, chances are pretty good that you'll get along with the next one.

 

I even like seeing the different opinions. We don't all have to agree on everything. And sometimes you can learn from a debate.

[ped]

whats different? when did this change take place? i know my stuff says ive been a member since december 05, but ive actually been coming here since like may or june 05. besides, doesnt the amount of posters and members tell you something. i love this board for its diversity outside of the main point o be here as well. we arent all only and simply a bunch of brooding athiests.

[The Sage Nabooru]

I love the intelligence on this board. On other boards where there are ex-Christians or non-Christians, they're all too often frequented by angsty teenagers with absolutely no capacity for logical reasoning.

 

For example, there's a news story out now about how this woman drowned her children. She was a paranoid schizophrenic and was under the delusion that she had been commanded by God to kill her children before they sinned too much to get into heaven.

 

And this was posted on a message board where all these kids are saying "OMG liek its all religons falt". I may not like Christianity but I do possess the ability to see the difference between religion and insanity. I know that the religion this woman claimed to follow is of little consequence; whether she'd been getting her orders from the mailman who communicated them to her via the television set or God who did it via Cheerios floating in a bowl, she'd still be insane. And most people here would be rational enough to come by that conclusion too.

[JeffXL]

I love the support and encouragement that everyone pours out for anyone who needs it. I especially love the brilliant minds that have helped me navigate the bizarre, contorted statements Christians make. The responses I have, uh, stolen from this site have been golden.

 

Thank you everyone!

 

Those empty slogans and sounded mighty impressive when I was Xtian.

[nirrti]

The fact that we have so many opinions expressed is what makes this board interesting. Wouldn't it be down right boring if everyone thought the same? No true debate could happen without diverse posters who aren't afraid to say what they think. You might as well be on Christian Forums with all the rated G conversation if people get banned for being honest.

[BlueGiant]

Hmmm...what do I like best? Good question. I have to go for people with a sense of humor, especially about themselves. Most here seem to be truly able to laugh at themselves when it is needed. As for those that aren't in that good a position, most here know when to lay off.

 

I see it as keeping some of us from swinging that axe we've ben grinding.

[Ouroboros]

I also agree that it's so great to be on a *beeping* site where we're not censored. We can say *beep* and *beep* you, and *beep beep beep beep* without being edited or deleted...

 

 

 

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What the *beep* happened to my post?

 

 

 

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[fortunehooks]

zoe, i don't know what's wrong with ex-c. personally, i feel it is very different. there are many new posters on here, who i haven't been introduced to, or haven't introduced myself to. by the way, i am fortunehooks. i think the differences that people are talking about has nothing to do with the boards at all, i think they just miss people who use to be here everyday. to name a few, ms.reach, moore, ibf, woodsmoke, spidermonkey, notblindedbythelight, and many more.

 

many people aren't here, who initially were here when i joined a few years back. i per se, don't see it as a negative, but i understand how things in life eventually change. there was a time when i was here everyday, but i have just recently started to show up on the boards again.

 

what i like best about ex-c will remain a mystery to me.

[pandora]

I think that things have "changed" merely because we are getting more members on the forums. Also, some of us have moved on with a lot of the issues the "newbies" are dealing with, so it's more difficult to stay tuned in, I suppose. Perhaps it isn't so much the nature of the board that has changed, but perhaps those of us that have been here for a little while have changed... no longer interested in talking and arguing about the same things anymore.

 

I do think it's a tad more clique-ish and a few prominent members are rather harsh and/or antagonistic towards those who are agnostic or theist. I may notice the clique-ishness more because I know more of the posters now, but the latter is something I think that was definitely not here before... I felt more free to post about my explorations of different worldviews a year ago.

 

Regardless, I still love it here, even though I don't usually participate in the newer threads that newbies start... don't take it personally, newbs... I just think I'd probably be repeating myself from a year ago!

I have no intentions of leaving, although my partipation may slowly decrease until I just lose interest totally or reach another stage in life, like finishing school and such.

 

I love you guys! *group hug*

[Knightley]

Yeah I get what you mean Pandora. Sometimes you feel that even though you are open to possibilities that its not okay to express that because I feel that I'll offend the atheists here but so far everyone's been mostly really nice.

Cliques, will exist anywhere. Its hard to avoid that. I just try to get to know other people and that seems to help. =)

[willybilly30]

I definately like that cause cusswords are so natural for me I mean it's my language winch often gets me in trouble on other forums. I'm glad this one don't mind.

 

 

 

I also agree that it's so great to be on a *beeping* site where we're not censored. We can say *beep* and *beep* you, and *beep beep beep beep* without being edited or deleted...

[Lunar Shadow]

I am sorry Zoe I am gonna have to disagree with you on this one I think the board has changed vastly since I got here I have already decided that once I hit 1000 posts that I am really not gonna spend much time here anymore. I think that this board is a great resource for new Ex-C's. I know it was useful to me in my "Detox from Xtianity" but it has come time for me to grow farther.

 

 

I am floored that Dave made this place and that he has been gracious enough to share it with us but the time comes when people need to move on.

[Knightley]

Well I'm posting both here and at Infidels.org both as Knightley. I guess some people feel exc is a great place to get "detoxed" and move on to other forums, is that what you're thinking of Lunar? I don't get into certain arguments because I've already been there as a xian and don't want to really get into it. When you've been there and done that then it does get old, but I also like exploring certain topics as an exc. I guess it depends on your viewpoint. =)

[pandora]

Oh yes, there will always be cliques for sure... I suppose it's just more evident now that we know eachother a little better, and honestly now that I think about it, it isn't bad here at all. It just seems a few posters get singled out or consistently ignored, and I'm always for the underdog.

 

I am pretty sure I don't even believe in a god of any sort, but when I am still reading up on possibilities, and I don't ever want to be closed to the idea. I guess on here, however, I guess I feel like I wouldn't get many "hits" on a post (or respect) where I just think outloud about these possibilities. I'm not sure too many on here would bounce thoughts back to me. It doesn't mean I DON'T (edit) think Xtianity is a mind-virus, though.

 

I am sorry Zoe I am gonna have to disagree with you on this one I think the board has changed vastly since I got here I have already decided that once I hit 1000 posts that I am really not gonna spend much time here anymore. I think that this board is a great resource for new Ex-C's. I know it was useful to me in my "Detox from Xtianity" but it has come time for me to grow farther.

 

 

I am floored that Dave made this place and that he has been gracious enough to share it with us but the time comes when people need to move on.

 

 

Very well-put. I must agree... I read at infidels a lot, but I am intimidated by the great minds on their forums. And I like the small community here at ex-c, we don't JUST talk about xtianity, we share our life struggles and we make friends here. However, I don't rely on this site for scholarly work, although useful links and suggestions are often offered.

[chefranden]

I am floored that Dave made this place and that he has been gracious enough to share it with us but the time comes when people need to move on.

 

Ya! I've moved on a couple of times already.

 

 

I like that people actually sometimes read what I write, unlike my stupid blog.

 

I don't like that thinking Christians hardly ever stop by anymore.

 

I do like that non-thinking Christians hardly ever stop by anymore.

[godlessgrrl]

I've certainly been enjoying my time here. Xianity did a number on me, as it has on many, and it's refreshing to be able to come to a place where I can freely vent about it. And use swear words, and talk about stuff that would get me banned if I were on certain Xian forums which shall remain nameless.

 

I haven't been around long enough to see huge changes. I do think it's a bit of a bummer that more Xians don't come here anymore, since the debate can get lively, but at the same time - it does also seem like they really don't have anything original to say anyway, so perhaps it's no real loss.

 

Mostly I just appreciate the support that can be found here.

[Ex-COG]

Ex-C was a great place to stumble upon. Without it and other internet resources, leaving and recovering from Christianity would be a much more daunting task. I'm glad you're all here; there's never a dull moment.

[Onyx]

I've been here close to 3 years now.

What do I like about this site?

The people!

 

There's so much great people here that I love and listen to.

Though I rarely take parts in debates, it's kinda nice to know that if there's a debate going on, I can chime in without fear of censorship.

That is, a blast of fresh air to me.

 

[Lizard]

I was linked to here in October 03..been a member since, across the three boards.

I do like the diversity here, and even though I post and have been around that long, I tend to at times fall into the category Pandora mentioned of one who gets ignored. However, I've never been ignored when I really needed to release pent up frustration.

[Vortex]

I am a newbie, and I have to say the response I've received has been a warm and welcoming one.

 

I have finally been open to folks about some of the problems I've been having and no one has freaked or been condescending.

 

I haven't been "targeted" by Athiests because I still have some beliefs. (Funny how they act in a more "Christian" fashion than many Christians I know.)

 

I think there will be a point at which I move on, but this has been a very supportive place to work through my issues.

 

Then there is the humor. Whenever I see a posting by Brigid, I know to cover my keyboard with plastic wrap because the milk/coffee/beer/martini/whiskey sour I'm drinking will shoot out my nose!

 

Thanks everyone!