Rave: Christians are ruining DU for me.

[Cobalt Violet]

One in particular seems to like to badger me. And HAS to disagree with everything I say. I HATE these fucks. I'm so pissed off. I don't know what to do with my anger. I feel safer here but I have a feeling this idiot will come along and fuck that up too. I'm so fucking mad. I have finally ignore the stupid shit but I really don't like to ignore anyone. I'm afraid I'll end up saying something that will get me banned.

[geomon666]

1. Don't sweat it.

It's really not worth getting worked up over some jackass on a message board. Just keep him on ignore and anyone else who's going to give you grief.

[Cobalt Violet]

4. It's just the first time I've used it.

I really don't want to go off spewing all kinds of stuff and pissing off all christians in anger.

[fshrink]

2. Naaaah! Not here.

You put too much in those stupid threads. We can't compete with these people: they have answers for everything and we don't. That's the bottom line. Read what 'Philosopher' had to say in one of our recent threads here, he's pretty much on target re. your aggravation. Personnally, I left GD and only occasionally go to LBN. I also try to launch political discussions here. That'd be so nice...

[Cobalt Violet]

5. Thanks for bothering with my rant.

I just was ready to say something I would regret.

[Philostopher]

3. Pretty sure I know who you're talking about.

I went back to the thread I think ticked you off (it's ticked a lot of us off, wonder if anybody alerted on it?) and had already 'ignored' the person I think you mean. Had to do the same thing during the primaries (with the same person, who didn't like my candidate and had a broad brush opinion of what all my candidate's followers were like, so of course I was like this poster thought, even when I wasn't) -- some folks just can't 'drop it,' even though it's clear you're never going to agree with them. Even on subjects where there can be no right or wrong, or that are totally subjective, they insist on hammering posters who hold a different view because they'll never be happy unless you tell them they're right and you're wrong.

I don't know what to tell you, other than to hop over here when they've driven you insane. If you don't link threads or call other posters out by their names, you're not breaking the rules -- and most of us in here know who the 'usual suspects' are. We've all dealt with them, and I'd be willing to bet at least half of us either have the same poster or posters on ignore or don't even open the threads.

Some people have no respect for different opinions -- it's that simple. There are as many of them here as there are anywhere else. And they're just as tenacious at DU as they are anywhere else -- it's worse, in a way, here because you don't expect to have to deal with as much of it as you would on a non-progressive message board.

'Ignore' is the best you can do. I'm about to hide that thread in GD so I stop opening it -- I Googled the original poster of the thread and found that s/he posts on a Christian board that was anti-Kerry before the election, so I already know the OP wasn't a progressive to start with. I'd also bet that anything that person has posted here has been similar to this thread -- and I wouldn't be surprised if the Christian board didn't encourage people to do it, though that board is now registration-only (so, I suppose, the people on the boards their members go and troll can't Google and see the messages where they encourage them to do this).

It's a wunnerful world we're living in, ain't it?

[Cobalt Violet]

6. I agree with what you said. All of it.

I am calming down by the minute. I'm so glad this group exists.
There may be hope for my sanity yet. I'm going to have to use ignore and hiding threads too.

[Philostopher]

8. Yeah -- it took me a while to understand in some cases ...

it isn't me. I don't have problems with most people here -- just a few. I think you have one bad incident or disagreement with some people, and they never forget it, and when they see your screen name it's off to the races.

My memory ain't that good -- I've had perfectly civil conversations later with people I've disagreed with about some things. It's not worth it, to me, to stay pissed off at somebody I'll never meet. I feel a little sorry for people who feel compelled to do that. So I just ignore them, and resist the temptation to look at what they've said even when they respond to me in a thread.

Judicious use of ignoring some folks and hiding some threads will keep you from going off the rails and saying something that will get your posts deleted and could even get you banned, if you let somebody get to you more than a couple of times. It's not cowardly -- it's for the good of all and yourself. I know some people who are proud to say they've never used 'ignore,' but either they never post anything anybody could disagree with, or they never enter a potentially inflammatory thread, that's all I can figure. I'd much rather not have everybody think I'm a jerk or get banned than brag I've never ignored anybody here.

[fshrink]

7. Violets grow better in the shade... nt

[Swamp Rat]

9. And some are ruining the Earth

[Longhorn]

10. The "ignore" and "hide threads" features really are fantastic.

I usually have about a dozen on ignore at any given time. Every now and then, I'll go back and "free" all of them and start over, just in case I was just in a "mood" the day I ignored them.

It's funny -- when I first joined DU, I put on "Ignore" anyone who used really foul language. Since then, I've come to realize that there are a lot more offensive posts than those who use some colorful language! :silly:

I haven't missed those folks or threads at all! Sorry some people can be so ugly but you know you are welcome and safe here! Atheists are so used to be judged that I find that, in general, we are far less judgmental than others.

[BurtWorm]

11. There is one poster on any thread critical of "moderation" and "centrism"

who has a giant chip on his/her shoulder. I'll bet you're referring to the same person. Alone, he/she is annoying but not enough to ruin the whole DU experience for me.

The rift between Christians (or religious people?) and secularists/atheists in GD is puzzling and more cause for concern. I suspect it has to do with a sense of guilt by association on both sides...we atheists maybe paint too broad a brush stroke when we (rightly) criticize the Christian mentality the Bushists rely on to do their electoral bidding but fail to differentiate among Christians as a whole, and leftist Christians maybe feel a little need to assert their own religiousness given the ludicrous spinning about "moral values" post-election.

[progressoid]

12. paint with broad strokes...I do that

I have two: The first is a fundi, moronic, idiotic, douche-bags of democracy, christian brush stroke. The other is a moderate christian brush stroke. But sometimes I pick up the wrong brush (they are often hard to tell apart) and start doing a Franz Kline on someone. Not so much on DU, but in my mind. Oh, its a beautiful sight!

[Cobalt Violet]

13. When I wrote about "ruining DU" I was fuming.

I'm not going to let this person ruin anything for me. I just had to vent and get some support from those here. In doing so I learned that many here have been there, done that with the very same person. I have searched this persons posts and this is the game he/she plays.

[BurtWorm]

14. I have even recieved some unsolicited PMs

from people who noticed my own tangling and wanted to share their stories. The behavior in question is starkly reminiscent of a lot of behavior on Usenet. You get the sense that the other person starts with the assumption that people who disagree with him must be humiliated into relinquishing their position.

[JNelson6563]

23. I got hate PMs when I sported Darwin fish avatar

Some of those "Christians" are pretty nasty. I'd have to say though there are some supporters of a certain candidate that are competing for top spot on the Nasty Column with their PMs too.

My posts are generally pretty innocuous too so I often wonder why I draw such ire.

:shrug:

Julie

[BurtWorm]

25. I don't think I've ever sent anyone a nasty PM

without having one sent to me first. It seems like a step over a line of civility to do that, closer to harassment. But once in a while I will PM people when I see them being attacked or stalked in a thread. (I almost PM'd you yesterday! ;) )

[JNelson6563]

26. I think my experience led to

the features they implemented during primary time. I shared some nasty stuff sent by a certain poster and demanded steps be taken. I was thinking along the lines of having poster banned but this particular poster, well that wasn't gonna happen. They did come up with features like blocking PMs or alerting on them so that's better than nothing.

You seem to have my back lately BW. :toast:

Julie

[BurtWorm]

27. I do

cause it's seeming an awful lot like primary season lately. :wtf:

[PassingFair]

28. Well, well, JNelson!

Seems we have something else in common! First geography, then Howard Dean, and now THIS forum! Is nothing sacred!

Are we living parallel lives?

PassingFair in SCS...

[Philostopher]

29. You two aren't the only Dean supporters in the A&A forum, either.

There are several of us in here. I suppose it shouldn't be too surprising. He was talking sense!

[PassingFair]

31. I distinctly remember leaping up from my chair the first time I heard

Howard say "I'm TIRED of fundamentalist preachers telling us what to do"!
He is definately the most rational candidate I've seen in my lifetime.

[Philostopher]

32. I wouldn't have cared, frankly ...

but Democrats generally seem to be so uneasy talking about such things because they're generally liberal Christians, too, and they feel that it's not something they should have to tattoo on their foreheads. I liked the fact that Dean not only didn't feel the need to do that, he was perfectly easy with saying he didn't feel the need to do that. You're right -- I think the pragmatism and rationality were the basic appeal for me (and my husband) too.

Edit -- of course, there's that famous anecdote about Adlai Stevenson, where the woman is said to have told him he had the thinking Americans' votes. He's said to have responded, "that's good to hear, Madam, but I need a majority to win!"

[lazarus]

34. If you ever get one of these again

Please forward it to a moderator or admin. Thanks!

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

15. on a somewhat related note, Christians almost ruined eBay for me

Over the years I have collected a lot of funny religious items - well, *I* thought they were funny. Eventually I needed the room and the money more than the collection, so I started selling them.

On eBay you can ask sellers questions before bidding, and I have answered all kinds of inquiries. But on auctions for religious items, people use the function to send me prayers! If one of my auctions makes note of the absurdity of the item - and c'mon, Jack Chick comics are ridiculous even to most Christians - I get messages from people praying for my soul and offering to talk to me about Jaysus.

I never reply, because until recently there was no way to hide e-mail addresses when answering questions.

Do these people bid? No. Do they try to buy the item to rescue it from blasphemers and heretics? No. They just waste my time and creep me out. So anyone who offers to pray for me gets blocked from all my auctions.

Feh!

[Misunderestimator]

16. Well, yuck... sounds like invasion of the body snatchers...

Invasion of the Soul Snatchers, maybe? :puke:

[Cobalt Violet]

17. Can't they be reported to ebay.

For abusing the email function. I'm also an ebay seller (when someone actually buys something) and I always thought that they were very strict about this type of thing.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

20. Hmm, never occurred to me to report them

But thanks for the suggestion - I'll do it if it happens again.

"I'm also an ebay seller (when someone actually buys something)" - ain't that the truth. I've had pretty good luck with some things, but with others...sigh. The only consistent winner on eBay is eBay itself.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

18. Hey if you have a Jesus Action Figure, I'll buy it

[fshrink]

19. Lol. A transformer wouldn't be bad either...

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

21. I wish! Here, watch this:

http://www.jesus-action-figure.com/

Archie McPhee - tops in bad religious toys - has a Jesus action figure:

http://www.mcphee.com/bigindex/current/10746.html

[fshrink]

30. Now I'm really confused!!!!!!!!!!

Is this serious or is this a spoof? I can't tell! Help!!!!!

[politicat]

22. Certain persons are worthy of ignore.

And I'm sure I'm on some S#$% lists, too because I refuse to be tolerant of the intolerant and accept the go along to get along into the afterlife methodology of religions. (Why should I be? They'd be glad to hold me under until I stopped struggling in an attempt to save my non-existent soul.)

For some, the "Talk to the Hand" icon is a great and wonderful blessing bestowed upon us by Our Lord and Master, Skinner, and his Prophets, Elad and EarlG.

Pcat

[Philostopher]

24. The ignore function is probably the only reason I'm still here.

Between the 'scorched earth policy' so many people undertook here during the primaries, and the 'God wars' in the past few weeks -- and, of course, the generation of this forum, where I can bitch about incidents without calling out other DUers and everybody here knows exactly what and whom I'm talking about without my having to risk being tombstoned by calling them out -- I'd probably have got myself tagged as a disruptor long ago. There's a lot of 'dogpile on the (atheist, agnostic, Catholic, too-far-lefty, DLC apologist, whomever we disagree with)' going on, right now, on all sides.

I don't know if it was in a back-channel conversation or if I posted it in a thread here, but regardless of the topic it seems the election debacle this year has made really talented button-pushers of some folks around here. It's not just religion -- though it does happen quite often in religious topics -- it's just about damned near everything. And I don't think everybody who stands on the line in the sand and pushes the buttons is a disruptor ... sadly, I think they're just garden variety disappointed fellow Dems who can't get those frustrations out any other way.

[Lithos]

33. Use the ignore function

Yeah, you said you don't want to, but trust me, it's saved many people from being banned for a momentary slip of reason.

L-

[FM Arouet666]

35. If they ruin it for you, they have won

I have had a few nut balls attack my threads, clearly christians. They often challenge me to prove what jc said or what the bible really states. All hogwash. Just relax and counter their nonsense with sound reasoning and they will let you alone. The key to be calm, they are just baiting you. And if that doesn't work, do what I do, ram your fist into the wall. :evilgrin:


Movie Quote. God hates me! Hate him back, it works for me....

[really annoyed]

36. Trying To Have Fun

I've already blown up on several people about religion, and I feel pretty bad about it now. It's hard to keep my temper when I see things I feel are inappropriate though. Seriously, somebody started a thread on Bible verses (it was in fun) and one guy just blew up at him about it. It seems you can't be a critic of those kind Christians on the right who are trying to take this country over either, which seems kind of odd to me. An attack on them seems to equal an attack on every liberal Christian here - which it isn't! I think that rant made sense... :)

Now, I am going to be tolerant and just have fun about it. Don't give up Violet. I always enjoy your posts!

I am a pretty tolerant non-theist in real life. I just seem to get hostile when I get in front of my computer. :D

I am just going to try and control my fat Irish self and just use the "ignore" feature.

ON EDIT - I really don't have anything against conservative Christians either. The First Amendment gives them that right. However, when they try to force their religion into law and such, then I might get upset!

[Gelliebeans]

37. I just don't post anymore

in LBN or GD

I only read those forums and quietly fume, then I come over here and feel I am among friends :)

[Name removed]

38. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Skinner]

39. I think I need to lock this thread.

The purpose of these groups is to provide our members with "safe havens" where you are not required to interact with people you disagree with. But we are concerned that perhaps there is a limit to what is appropriate use of these safe havens and what is not. I'm sure you would all agree that we should not permit members to use the DU Groups to post threads with titles like "Gays are ruining DU for me" or "Jews are ruining DU for me". And we also did not intend these groups to be used to complain about particular DU members.

It was only a matter of time before we were faced with a situation like this. I am going to lock this thread for now, as the admins discuss the appropriateness of such topics.

The mission statement of this group does include language about this topic. If anyone has any thoughts on this matter, please feel free to send me a private message.

I hope you understand.

Skinner
DU Admin