Believers VS Non-belivers

[edwardcullensotherwoman]

Why is it that if someone believes in something, they will talk about it as exactly that - something they believe in - and not portray it as absolute fact; yet if someone doesn't believe in something, they will say this as an absolute fact and ridicule those who believe?

It's almost as if those who don't believe (in whatever the subject: angels, God, reincarnation) consider themselves superior to those who do, and view those who do as stupid for doing so.

Surely everyone's beliefs are their own belief and opinion - nothing "woo" can be either proven or disproven, so therefore nobody is right or wrong.

It just seems that every thread that starts "Do you believe" on this board ends up in a bun fight with believes defending themselves against non-believers who tell them they're being ridiculous. The clue is in the title of the board - if you don't believe in anything that's likely to be discussed under that heading, just avoid the board!

I have never seen a Christian prayer thread "ambushed".

No but others are.

So are you saying that nobody should ever question anyone else's beliefs? That people of faith should be uniquely privileged and never be challenged? Certainly that's how it seems.

Support threads are not about challenging beliefs. Support threads are about support and that is why I've suggested we separate them out.

When it comes to debate there are ways of questioning and challenging that are not about ridiculing or assumptions that all people of faith are fundementalists.

I would find a person saying 'mummy only pretends god exists because she is evil and sick inside and wants you all to suffer' to a child horribly offensive and would happily challenge them on it. Just as I find 'I will ridicule the ridiculous' offensive when said about somebody else's faith or beliefs. That kind of proves the point that the problem is not the belief itself but is when anyone is so certain in it they have the arrogance to think they can impose it on others

I find myself unlikely to post on threads about faith or "woo" despite finding it interesting to discuss because of the nastiness that is allowed to happen time after time. I'm sure there are a lot of others who feel this way and think that is a shame

What i've gleaned over the past few days is that non believers have so much contempt for believers and so can't allow any chat happen 'just in case it turns into something else' I did find that amusing.. if we didn't allow threads just in case then there would be no mumsnet You cant reason with that level of arrogance who can't comprehend the words 'sometimes we don't want to debate, we just want to chat'.. it does not compute in their world of superiority.

So the only answer is:

make the title as boring as possible and fill the first page full of pushchairs or something in an attempt to make those on the hunt click off in search of something more interesting.

If said thread is discovered and the pile in starts.. we must make a conscious effort to totally ignore, do not engage in debate and if somebody cracks then we just go and start a new thread somewhere else.

tongue firmly in cheek

So the clue is in the title and a carefully worded first post so it can't be used as an. excuse for 'debate'.

I like it

"Support threads are not about challenging beliefs."

No, of course they aren't. And nobody does.

I'm not even looking for support, just a discussion in a supportive environment rather than bile. I'm quite happy to be disagreed with and really enjoy hearing different points of view, I do even change my mind on occasion after hearing something persuasive but do not appreciate me or my comments/beliefs just being ridiculed or insulted

"Why is it that if someone believes in something, they will talk about it as exactly that - something they believe in - and not portray it as absolute fact"

That is hilarious. There are countless examples of people seeking to impose their beliefs on others, even their bodily autonomy (remember the Indian woman who died because catholic Ireland won't allow abortion?). Christians even enjoy protected seats in the House of Lords, so get to disproportionately influence law making.

If religious and woo people could and would keep their fanciful beliefs to themselves, then i suggest there would be far fewer people seeking to ridicule them.

I do think some people have a very ....sensitive.... definition of "bile". Anything except agreement seems to be classed as disrespect.

I will ridicule a belief that is ridiculous. Ridicule is an important tool. It allows us to see untenable and absurd beliefs. Top tip. You can't ridicule something that isn't ridiculous.

I do not get involved in prayer threads, support threads and the like. I accept that they are a space for "believers" to talk. As I have never been on them I don't know whether other atheists go and give their perspective.

But when there are threads along the lines of "do you believe in..." Or "what do you think about" or "Ooo, something strange happened" then I feel entitled to join in debate.

And any time I see anything anti vax anywhere, because that shit is very dangerous.

I've not seen non believers post derogatory and personal attacks on the obvious support threads? There's loads of threads that are clearly not inviting debate.

Hak, head and Hermione I don't know how many times I have to say it. I enjoy a good discussion, I am happy to be disagreed with when it is a reasoned argument even when put 'robustly' but ridicule and insult, no.
Joining in a debate, in my opinion, means allowing for the possibility that the person you are talking to may have some validity to their view, not that you are 100% right and they are an idiot. If you feel you have excluded that and you are indeed 100% right then the key to debate is to educate and persuade rather than to insult

But everyone on that thread did as the OP asked.