Hi... I have a potentially contentious question/suggestion right off the bat...

(Feel free to look at my Profile for a bit about me and I'm an open book if ya wanna ask more.) That said, the reason I found you guys was a recent post on a United Church of Canada site called Wondercafe.ca. This post noted your (my?) Nexus home page proudly announcing your exclusionary practice: "As many of you know, we work hard to keep spammers and theists off of Atheist Nexus". The only reason I found was that plenty of other sites debated theism (or sumptin' similar). The post at WonderCafe (WC - lol) ended thusly:

"Isn't it interesting, that here at WC we welcome the participation of atheists in a reasonably well behaved and open discussion, while the largest atheist networking site obviously does not. So who is more open-minded?"

The idea of exclusion came up with obc before and my comment (I can likely find it) was something along the lines that wouldn't this make us like the worst of theists and that it painfully reminded me of:

“All three of our major religions in Britain -- Christianity, Islam and Judaism -- have a hateful idea at the very core. That idea is Exclusion: the "othering," if you like, of the unredeemed.” -- Matthew Parris

So while this is my first post, I'd like to suggest that you remove this restriction and if the real issue relates to talking religion, conversion or similar, that you make *that* the reason for banning. I'd also be interested in a more logical reason for banning ASAP, unless I get banned RFN. Thanks in advance. Brett (BrettA on pretty well any forum.)

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Permalink Reply by Little Name Atheist on July 12, 2009 at 5:05am
Atheist Nexus is mentioned on the WonderCafe website. It is not a website I've visited before.

Brett has the same profile there, and has had since May of this year. There, it seems a tongue-in-cheek joke. Here, where people are unfamiliar with him other than this contentious question/suggestion, it seems curious. Sometimes its best not to copy-and-paste profiles from one site to another. I read a wee bit of the forum discussion I've linked to, and see Brett making a case for atheists there.

Brett, if someone were to join any of the groups I'm a member of, and immediately suggest we change the major purpose of the group, I'd wonder why they joined. If they made comments to some of the members which implied they were stupid (e.g. "Duh!"), I might begin to question their purpose.

Personally, if someone says to me "Don't get angry, but..." I'm inclined to stop them in their tracks, because I know their intent is either to make me angry, or that they are "sharing" information that really ought not be coming from them. I view the subject of your post similarly.

Ultimately, your communication style for this post is not the main issue... the issue is that you joined a site that is intended as a "safe space" for non-theists, and then suggested it be opened up to non-theists. I suspect most people who joined this site did so because it is a safe haven.

It could be a haven for you too, but you must accept the purpose of the site, because that will not change.
Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on July 12, 2009 at 11:12am
This quote taken from the WC comments from your link

"while I've never heard of this one [A|N], I'll both 'join' (if required) and comment on this" - this being the policy of excluding theists from A|N.

From the WC posts, it appears that the purpose of joining A|N was to make this post, and make a point. Since it was necessary to join (and that was in quotes) in order to post, that is what happened. The purpose was not to join an online community of atheists, but to criticize that community with no more information than that "Atheist Nexus" is for atheists (duh). Mission accomplished.

Some people just like to get other people worked up, for whatever reason.

Brett actually does have a site where he can engage in debate with theists (WC), and is using it. For some reason, he just wants to stirr up the pot.
Permalink Reply by Little Name Atheist on July 12, 2009 at 11:32am
"while I've never heard of this one [A|N], I'll both 'join' (if required) and comment on this" - this being the policy of excluding theists from A|N.

Mea culpa. I didn't read that thread all the way through. Insomnia sucks.

I think Brett feels (felt?) that Atheist Nexus somehow reflects on him poorly as an atheist because we don't allow theists, and that overroad anything else. And yes... I suspect his reason was not to join, but to criticise. I like to give people the opportunity to change their mind.
Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on July 12, 2009 at 11:59am
You keep me honest. I agree that's it's nice to give people the opportunity to change their mind - in fact critical.
Permalink Reply by Kitty on July 12, 2009 at 11:14am
I read the Wonder Cafe site where A/N is being discussed. One person has mentioned it's a social networking site and that plenty of other sites are not exclusionary.
Brett is extremely more polite there than here.
interesting.
Permalink Reply by Jo Jerome on July 12, 2009 at 11:57am
Personally, if someone says to me "Don't get angry, but..." I'm inclined to stop them in their tracks, because I know their intent is either to make me angry, or that they are "sharing" information that really ought not be coming from them.

I was taught a saying as a child: "Everything before the 'but' is bullshit."

It does make me check myself big time before uttering a phrase like, "I don't mean to blah, blah, blah, but ..."
Permalink Reply by Little Name Atheist on July 13, 2009 at 12:10am
How true. "Everything before the 'but' is bullshit."
Permalink Reply by Shlarg on July 12, 2009 at 10:22am
This is an oasis in the midst of a theocratic desert. I'd personally like it to stay that way.
Permalink Reply by Andrew on July 12, 2009 at 12:46pm
A member of WonderCafe responded to the initial statement about A|N being closed minded with the following:

Reading from the same page you did, it's a self-described "community of non-theists". There are plenty of atheist-run places to discuss and debate religion. This is apparently not one of them. There are also places where atheists are not welcome. Comparing the lengths of those two lists would be interesting.

Perhaps Brett, you would be better off posting a question about inclusion/exclusion on WC for discussion rather than barging in like an ape throwing your shit around. you didn't get ANY support by members there. Try beating your drum, taking a poll, digging into the question and listening to people while expressing your view.

From your posts on WC you seem to enjoy talking about the bible and religion with theists so your are likely in the right place there. If you would like to experience discussions with non-theists stick around ya stupid ape...
Permalink Reply by Luke on July 12, 2009 at 7:04pm
I just read that page. I didn't want theists here before and I really do not want them here now. I don't want to come here if crap like that is going to be served up daily. I don't care if the bible says I'm a fool and whether the bible was slightly mistranslated. I don't want to talk to people who are standing around, doe-eyed, waiting to die. I want to talk to people who are living in this world and trying to make this world a better place. There should be more Jones Town cults so they can fu(#off to more quickly and leave me alone.
Permalink Reply by Krista on July 14, 2009 at 2:48pm
Many people get enough debate and proselytizing at home and work. It feels good to come home and have a place where you are guaranteed a break from it. There are SO many places where the atheist/theist debate is open, why should this place be too?
Permalink Reply by Shamar on July 13, 2009 at 4:35am
Y'know, I enjoy debating theists. I do it on many sites.
It's fun to tear their logic apart sometimes, and there are many sites where we can debate like that.

This site is specifically for atheists to meet and converse with other atheists, and I have no problem with that....if I want to debate, then I'll go to one of the other (and there are many) sites to debate theists.

I like this one being a closed community....it's the only one

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