I'm exhausted from taking on Mr. DoubleStandard in R/T

[Goblinmonger]

Just reading the rambling posts is enough, but holding back from saying things that would get me in trouble was even harder.

[laconicsax]

1. Wait...there's just one?

I can think of a good half-dozen regulars who fit that description and even more who don't post in R/T that often any more.

ETA: I think I know >who< you're talking about....."...".....and I'm not convinced he's not a sockpuppet.

[onager]

5. That was my reaction, too.

Several of the posters in there sort of run together in my mind. I often suspect Mr. Carpet and Mr. Stumblebutt are the same poster.

Then there's my absolute favorite:

-Post a quote or information from anyone - Schopenhauer, Flavius Josephus, Bruce Wayne.

-Response: "That's obviously wrong because bla-bla-bla/Google-Google-Google. And we should not be so quick to judge (except when we're judging non-believers, of course!)."

Jebus Effing X-o! Then go dig up Josephus and argue with him.

[laconicsax]

13. Interesting...

Mr. Carpet and Mr. Eucalyptus have struck me as one and the same as have Messrs. Eucalyptus and Stumblebutt. If not for certain idiomatic language things, I would probably still think that all three are of the same body--a head and two sock-adorned hands. Now I'm generally in agreement with your assessment.

[trotsky]

7. Same reaction here.

That whole forum is nothing but double standards. Atheists sit down and shut up. Believers, please broadcast anything you want about your faith. Atheists, you are responsible for the actions of Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot. But Hitler was NOT a Christian SO STOP SAYING THAT! Oh and anything else bad that was done by a Christian, well that person wasn't a REAL CHRISTIAN.

How's that for R/T in a nutshell?

[darkstar3]

10. Forget R/T, how's that for Christian apologetics?

Step 1. Dissociate your own self or if possible your own Church/denomination from the actions of those making Christianity look bad.
Step 2. Denigrate all other faith traditions, and be sure to slam non-belief most of all.
Step 3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 as many times as it takes for others to realize that you are better, wiser, and more righteous.

[skepticscott]

11. Or

morph your "god" into whatever (usually unrecognizable) form you hope will place questions of his existence outside the realm of rational inquiry, make your belief in him immune to criticism.

[trotsky]

12. Ooh, and as Silent3 always does the best job of pointing out...

once your god is safely outside that realm, feel completely free to reattach all the other nonsensical claims that you dropped in order to get it there, like belief in a savior god born of a virgin sent to redeem humankind. And so on.

[Rob H.]

14. "But Hitler was NOT a Christian SO STOP SAYING THAT!"

I actually had a poster in R/T (might be the one the OP refers to, I'm not sure) respond, after I posted a long compilation of direct quotes from Hitler talking about his deep religious faith, "Those quotes don't prove anything." :crazy:

[charlie]

2. Tell you a secret

That is a gen-u-wine troll. For 8-10 years, on every board and usenet group he's been on, it's the same as you see here. Exactly the same.

[darkstar3]

8. Good to know, thank you. n/t

[ZombieHorde]

3. Theists are in a really tough position in theist/atheists debates.

Some double standards are to be expected when defending the indefensible.

I would like to see more theist defenders on R/T, they make board more fun.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

4. I know which poster you're talking about

It's exhausting just reading the exchange. I'm not sure how I would survive it without my head exploding in a jumbled mess of illogic and fallacies.

[skepticscott]

6. One thing to take heart about

These few posters are the best the theists can come up with intellectually. Out of a half dozen relentless apologists in R/T, there isn't one good brain wave or honest, informed debater among them. They can do nothing but repeat the same tired, discredited talking points over and over.

[darkstar3]

9. I feel your pain, obviously, but if I may say so:

:yourock:


I ended up losing my temper and probably a good many sanity points while arguing with that troll, but you, sir, have exercised incredible restraint and patience while at the same time thoroughly exposing him for what he is. I doff my cap to you, fine debater, and rejoice in the fact that your work there, while ignored by the troll itself, has made it impossible for anyone to take him seriously.

[Goblinmonger]

15. Thank you, sir.

I usually play the bad cop to trotsky's good cop so I like to mix it up a little :evilgrin:

Clearly I understood going in that I was not going to change his mind but hoped to do just what you said and show everyone else what a clown he was.

On the sockpuppet note: arguing with this one was very much like arguing with Inland though the organizational style is somewhat different.

[trotsky]

16. You did a fine job, but I have to tell you...

putting him on Ignore was one of the best things I've ever done. He is a Grade A industrial-quality troll. He only ever argues with atheists - if we all ignored him, he'd have to find a different place to disrupt.

[Goblinmonger]

17. I currently have nobody on ignore

and have never had anyone on ignore. This clown may be the first. Usually I can ignore them for the most part and only jump into the fray when I have some time to kill (hey, it's summer now so my workload is significantly lighter).

[darkstar3]

18. I feel the same way.

I hate putting people on ignore. It chops up the conversation and makes for poor reading. Also, it makes it difficult to follow the really elegant smackdowns that some of you guys get up to. :)

[skepticscott]

19. And please don't forget

that you don't respond to people like that with the purpose or hope of changing THEIR minds. It still has to be done for the benefit of people not as familiar with this debate as some, who only read to try to inform themselves, but don't post, and who might otherwise get only the mucked-up point of view.

But yes, I have never put anyone on ignore, and can't envision ever doing so. I've never been able to fathom the people in GD who wear the length of their Ignore list like a badge of honor.

[darkstar3]

20. I try not to.

I am not always successful. Certain, shall we say, more ascerbic posters bring out the fire in me and off on a tear I go.

For the second time in a day, I have to quote West Wing. At one point later in the show, when Leo McGarry is on the ticket, he is counselled not to accept the premise of dangerously worded questions. Shortly after diving head-long into an answer he should never have given, McGarry looks at his aide as they're walking away and, with an eye roll, says "I accepted the premise on THAT one, didn't I?"

I identify too often with Mr. McGarry. But I'm working on it. :)

[laconicsax]

21. There is a certain upside to putting specific types of people on ignore.

Every once in a while you get to see a thread that looks like this:


What was said? Are they arguing, or agreeing? It's so exciting! Especially since I usually only put people on ignore if they show themselves to be unabashed homophobes or misogynists.

[pauliedangerously]

22. I admire your self-restraint

I used to post on RT occasionally many years ago, but my style is a little on the sardonic side and things got touchy.
Actually, I had the same problem in GD too.
Cheers!
:toast:

[Goblinmonger]

23. I'm opting for snarky

and mocking this time around.