Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tenken on January 12, 2012 at 5:37pm

Just out of curiosity, what do you believe qualifies this person as a troll?

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Permalink Reply by The Atheist Jew on January 12, 2012 at 7:09pm

I think a troll is someone who cherry picks replies where the answer to his or her questions have been given, and the fact that this person is vague about whether or not he or she is a theist.

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Permalink Reply by The Atheist Jew on January 12, 2012 at 7:56pm

Ok Dan, thanks.  I've posted it.

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Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on January 12, 2012 at 8:20pm

You're upset about comments to your blog? Dude, you actually expect everybody who comments on your blog to have an opinion similar to your own, and if they don't you think they're being a troll? Perhaps you are not ready for the rough and tumble world of free speech.

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Permalink Reply by The Atheist Jew on January 12, 2012 at 8:25pm

Ruth, I've been blogging for quite some time.  I have had rational disagreements, but this is not about opinions, unless you think that someone who states the world is flat is giving an opinion.

And what gives you the idea I am upset?

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Permalink Reply by Rob van Senten on January 13, 2012 at 6:39am

I don't see how the guy would be a troll. He is respectfully disagreeing without resorting to personal attacks. He's wrong, but that doesn't make him a troll.

I think that "Sara" is wrong partially but we'll have to agree that in the end we all base our lives on beliefs and we all have to make assumptions. For instance, a scientific materialist operates from the assumption that the universe is a logical place that can be understood which is why science is the tool to accomplish that.

The problem that I see with "Sara" her statement that atheism is also a belief is simply wrong because atheism does not entail a positive statement. If atheism is a belief that means that not collecting stamps is a hobby.

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Permalink Reply by The Atheist Jew on January 13, 2012 at 7:52am

I consider him a troll because although I've come back to him refuting his claims, he ignores the parts that prove him wrong.  Lets say he was stating the world was flat and I came back with replies to refute him, and he kept on asserting the world was flat and I was wrong.  To me, that is trollish behavior.

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Permalink Reply by Rob van Senten on January 13, 2012 at 9:02am

Well, I might be an asshole here, but what the heck ;).

Maybe you are frustrated because normally you've been engaged in rational discourse with fellow freethinkers. Now you suddenly find yourself in the situation where your rational arguments do not even seem to penetrate an inch into the wall of ignorance that this guy build around him.

I don't know if this is true for others, but for me as a bystander I don't really see this guy acting more trollish then an average internet theist. Maybe I've gotten used to theist trolls to such a degree that I wouldn't be able to recognize a troll if I see one... that of course would be a plausible explanation too.

When he ignores what you write, maybe he just doesn't get it? Don't attribute to malice that which can easily well be explained by stupidity, right?

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