Quote:
Originally Posted by Pet_Sounds
I'm not challenging rostasi's claims; in fact, I'm not even interested in debating. I just dislike what Lisna refers to as "slinging statistics," especially when they're cherry-picked. Actually, I thought his post was one of the best in this thread. Too bad he didn't write it or cite it.  |
^ That expression sounded good to me at the time, P_S, but to be honest I now rather regret using it. After all, how else do you back up a debating point but with statistics? So I feel perhaps I owe posters in general and rostasi in particular an apology on that point.
On the topic of religion, my own experience and attitude is very close to Trollheart's, esp when he distinguishes between his tolerance of inoffensive, faithful people and his dislike of their core beliefs. (At least, that's what I understand his posts to be saying.)
On the topic of bigotry, yes, it's distressing to see that some members are extrapolating rather too fast from a group of religious fanatics to huge swathes of people who are innocent, but somehow viewed as guilty by association.
In a thread that has its acrimonious low points, I thought these were some of the more credit-worthy moments so far:-
Quote:
Originally Posted by Frownland
I wasn't expecting anybody to bring up the Spanish Inquisition.
|
( ^ I hadn't seen that in years, so I was pleased to see that it still looks so good.)
Quote:
Originally Posted by riseagainstrocks
Thought of an analogy that might help separate the issues.
Guns are a tool that serves the purpose of its user. Whether it's to take a life or save one for instance. Guns can create a common bond and were important in enforcing order when civilization got a bit rocky. When a person uses a gun to kill a bunch of people, most rationale people blame the person who use a gun in a way that 99.9% of others never would. That person was probably crazy. After all, you know a bunch of people with guns and they would never do that. Hell, you have a gun and you'd never do that!
Replace the word gun in the sentence above, with religion.
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by rostasi
Take a flat-earther in a boat around the Earth and, at best, you'll convince him that the Earth is cylindrical. It's easy to give up.
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucem Ferre
Terrorist attacks are caused mostly by nerds that can't get laid.
|