Atheism Plus/Free Thought Blogs (FTB)

[Sledge]

I have no idea what the hell is going on here. Something about idiots trying to redefine atheism I think. But what's come through very clearly is the need for two questions to be answered.
1) Is this woman really a slut?
2) If so, is she free this weekend?

 

[Walter Ego]

Have to say, as a parent of grownup children (26 and 28) I have a lot of empathy for Jen Mc's dad. When I'm attacked or insulted, I can laugh it off, fight back, or ignore it; but attacks on or insults to my offspring actually bother me far more than when I'm the target myself. I would probably be tempted to leap to their defence, as he did - and they, in turn, would be embarrassed or annoyed at me for doing so, as Jen Mc was. I think it's pretty normal.

Parents defending their children. Children embarrassed by parental behavior. Normal as normal can be.

 

[westprog]

I'm not. Neither, do I think, is Hokulele. She and I are both simply saying that "Physical violence is an inappropriate response to this sort of taunt"- which is, I have to say, of an entirely different sort than the one offered to Aldrin (his response to which I heartily approve). The insult leveled at Aldrin was of a calcultated, specific and personal nature to him; the one offered the father about his daughter was speculative, random, and obviously rectally produced.

This has nothing to do with the character of the man, who I'm sure is a fine, upstanding, good person who is just defending his little girl, as Rebecca Bradley above describes. As I said, it is despicable he was even brought into this. I'm simply stating that when the rabid sub-primates start flinging poo, getting mad and shaking one's fist at them is the incorrect response.

Fair enough. I don't think we significantly disagree here.

 

[Piscivore]

Fair enough. I don't think we significantly disagree here.

I don't either.

 

[UnrepentantSinner]

I have no idea what the hell is going on here. Something about idiots trying to redefine atheism I think. But what's come through very clearly is the need for two questions to be answered.
1) Is this woman really a slut?
2) If so, is she free this weekend?

Stay classy Sledge.

 

[UnrepentantSinner]

Persons - allegedly reasonable, non-insulting levelheaded non-atheist-plus persons, mind - sought this man out to call his daughter a slut in order to get some reaction. Reaction gotten. Blame atheism plus for the reaction?

And you know this to be true how? I'm increasingly of the impression that these are 4chan, etc. trolls who send this stuff for the lulz rather skeptics or atheists who are so upset with A+ that we're sending death and rape threats.

I think the most harmful, tear-inducing behavior 99.9% of atheists and skeptics would engage in would be wearing a t-shirt at TAM.

 

[westprog]

I don't either.

No, you're wrong.

 

[Acleron]

And you know this to be true how? I'm increasingly of the impression that these are 4chan, etc. trolls who send this stuff for the lulz rather skeptics or atheists who are so upset with A+ that we're sending death and rape threats.

I think the most harmful, tear-inducing behavior 99.9% of atheists and skeptics would engage in would be wearing a t-shirt at TAM.

And that sums up the whole imbroglio.

 

[Wildy]

Wow, that "privilege" thread on their forums has been getting quite a few "trolls".

 

[chillzero]

I don't think a comment like

TheGillotine wrote:"Because I am a straight, white male, I am automatically expected to have priviledge"

is trolling.

 

[chillzero]

... and is it really abusive to say you do not pity someone? I have been pitied by many, in my life, and I fee that to be more insulting than if they did not pity me, and took time to see what I was doing about the things they felt needed to be pitied.

 

[Wildy]

I don't think a comment like

TheGillotine wrote:"Because I am a straight, white male, I am automatically expected to have priviledge"

is trolling.

If that were up to us to decide. I'm guessing that the definition of "privilege" used by the mod who is deleting all those posts is one where white males can not experience anything negative.

 

[Foolmewunz]

I don't think a comment like is trolling.

Albeit quite likely on the completely opposite side of the political spectrum, I wonder if they realize just how similar the moderation over there is to that at the old Loose Change Forums (Ver. 2.02) and Pilots for Truth?

 

[Wildy]

Well they are pretty similar. They're both safe spaces for people to discuss the things that they believe in without fear of people who oppose those ideas showing up.

 

[chillzero]

Albeit quite likely on the completely opposite side of the political spectrum, I wonder if they realize just how similar the moderation over there is to that at the old Loose Change Forums (Ver. 2.02) and Pilots for Truth?

That has crossed my mind once or twice as well. I certainly don't feel encouraged to join the forum ... or the movement it represents. I think they need to think very carefully about this fact - the forum represents the movement, as it is set up to enable those who align with it to congregate, and it is not shining a great light on it.

 

[Wildy]

Well it doesn't help that nobody can really say what A+ers are supposed to believe in beyond broad general topics.

 

[Checkmite]

And you know this to be true how? I'm increasingly of the impression that these are 4chan, etc. trolls who send this stuff for the lulz rather skeptics or atheists who are so upset with A+ that we're sending death and rape threats.

Maybe, but is it fair to insist that they merely presume that? The same people are getting the same treatment now that they were getting back before there was an atheism plus, back when it was just a set of "incidents" being discussed on a skeptic forum and a skeptic blog. Is there any reason to believe the people posting these same reactions are of a different demographic now as then?

PZ Myers and that one girl's dad are treated like they speak for the atheism plus because atheism plus hasn't been denouncing their statements. If we apply that same logic to the trolls, what do we have? I think I remember reading some suggestions by skeptics in this very thread that it would be a good idea to incite 4chan to attack the atheism plus forum. So what are they supposed to think?

It's unfairly out of context to point at the siege mentality of this brand-new group and it's brand-new forum; "atheist plus" was born out of the box with a huge anti-following already in place and going full steam.

 

[The Big Dog]

It's unfairly out of context to point at the siege mentality of this brand-new group and it's brand-new forum; "atheist plus" was born out of the box with a huge anti-following already in place and going full steam.

"atheist plus" created a huge anti-following already in place and going full steam was born right out of the box with their incendiary rhetoric and by labeling people who did not agree with them as misogynist etc.

You seem surprised by it. From reading what the A+ bullies say, they don't consider that a bug, they consider that a feature.

 

[Checkmite]

Tit-for-tat; not interested in joining the puerile "who started it" contest.

 

[qayak]

They're both safe spaces for people to discuss the things that they believe in...

So that's what they mean by "safe space!"

In all honesty, the Middle East seems safer at the moment.