# On the SDMB, why do atheists and theists have to be such utter dicks to each other? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 12, 2008, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207 "2008-07-12T02:31:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Fuji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a9a28c/32.png) [@Fuji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2008, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/281 "2008-07-13T23:09:43Z")
[QUOTE=Carol Stream] Ah, the expected response. Are you or any of the mods going to do anything about her flagrant violation of the rules? She just said she does it to annoy people. That’s being a jerk. Unless, somehow, it’s OK if you agree with the poster’s politics in general. What other reason could there be? [/QUOTE] Get a fucking grip. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/282 "2008-07-14T00:16:22Z")
[QUOTE=Carol Stream] Did you say the say the same thing to **Guin**? > **[Two and a Half Inches of Fun: can't we just ban his troll ass and have done...](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=475038)** > > Death for any felony: Let’s bring it back And Louisiana passes law to castrate rapists One wonders if his brain stem has been castrated. He’s been trolling since day one. There was the time he asked about lubrication for pre-pubescent girls. I... Why not? [/QUOTE] Guin was expressing her personal belief that the target of her ire was a troll. This is permitted in the **Pit**. You are attempting to make an actual formal and actionable accusation of trolling against another poster. This is frowned upon in the **Pit** and prohibited elsewhere. It remains true that a change in capitalization does not rise to the level of “making a comment” and none of Kalhoun’s actual comments appear to be posted to rile up the TM as she tends to believe the views she expresses regarding religion. (Just as you appear to believe the utter nonsense you have posted in support of the unethical and immoral behavior of the Bush administration.) ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/283 "2008-07-14T00:20:16Z")
BTW, oh clueless one, [QUOTE=Carol Stream] Unless, somehow, it’s OK if you agree with the poster’s politics in general. What other reason could there be? [/QUOTE] I am in complete disagreement with +90% of **Kalhoun** ’s views regarding religion, (and some undetermined percent of her politics–although clearly not nearly 90% of it). If you wish to make a claim of the staff favoring posters with similar views, you will have to do much better than that silliness. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/284 "2008-07-14T00:25:26Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] BTW, oh clueless one, I am in complete disagreement with +90% of **Kalhoun** ’s views regarding religion, (and some undetermined percent of her politics–although clearly not nearly 90% of it). If you wish to make a claim of the staff favoring posters with similar views, you will have to do much better than that silliness. [/QUOTE] So now it’s ok to post with the purpose of deliberately annoying people? ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/285 "2008-07-14T00:34:50Z")
[QUOTE=Carol Stream] Ah, the expected response. Are you or any of the mods going to do anything about her flagrant violation of the rules? She just said she does it to annoy people. That’s being a jerk. Unless, somehow, it’s OK if you agree with the poster’s politics in general. What other reason could there be? [/QUOTE] The notion that “being a jerk” is any kind of easily definable thing or that it’s in any way uniformly enforced on this board is a fucking joke. There are many regulars who are complete and utter douche bags on a daily basis and somehow escape suspension. That doesn’t bother me, really, but it does make it tiresome to see this rule suggested by a mod or anyone else as an explanation or argument for moderating some specific behavior. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/286 "2008-07-14T00:35:35Z")
[QUOTE=Carol Stream] So now it’s ok to post with the purpose of deliberately annoying people? [/QUOTE] We’ve let you do it for two years. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/287 "2008-07-14T00:38:12Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] We’ve let you do it for two years. [/QUOTE] Fucko off. Seriously now, why does **Kalhoun** get a pass here? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/288 "2008-07-14T00:54:02Z")
[QUOTE=Carol Stream] Fucko off. Seriously now, why does **Kalhoun** get a pass here? [/QUOTE] I am really beginning to think that YOU are trolling, here, as I cannot imagine that you are actually stupid enough to be attempting the argument you are making. However I will explain it in simple declaratory sentences that you might understand. This is the rule that you quoted > [@](#): > > By trolling, we mean the posting of **inflammatory comments** for the **sole purpose** of getting a rise out of people. Omitting capitals from proper nouns does not rise to the level of “inflammatory” among the general population of the SDMB. Changing the capitalization of a word is not posting a comment, so the “comment” portion does not apply. Her choice of capitals reflects of her actual personal beliefs regarding religious matters, so the “sole purpose” does not apply. Failing three important tests for the breaking of this rule, it would seem to anyone who is not hell bent on some personal vendetta that the rule does not apply in the manner that you would like to employ it. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/289 "2008-07-14T00:56:26Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] I am really beginning to think that YOU are trolling, here, as I cannot imagine that you are actually stupid enough to be attempting the argument you are making. However I will explain it in simple declaratory sentences that you might understand. This is the rule that you quoted Omitting capitals from proper nouns does not rise to the level of “inflammatory” among the general population of the SDMB. Changing the capitalization of a word is not posting a comment, so the “comment” portion does not apply. Her choice of capitals reflects of her actual personal beliefs regarding religious matters, so the “sole purpose” does not apply. Failing three important tests for the breaking of this rule, it would seem to anyone who is not hell bent on some personal vendetta that the rule does not apply in the manner that you would like to employ it. [/QUOTE] No, she admitted she does it just to annoy people. How is that NOT trolling? ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/290 "2008-07-14T01:04:32Z")
Do you have reading comprehension problem? Did you actually read what you just quoted? Doing something to annoy people is _not_ the same thing as making inflammatory comments, and therefore is **not trolling**. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/291 "2008-07-14T01:05:43Z")
[QUOTE=Carol Stream] No, she admitted she does it just to annoy people. How is that NOT trolling? [/QUOTE] Using a quirk of capitalization is not posting comments. (You are also assuming that she only changes capitals on the SDMB. She made no such claim, only noting that she uses lower case to annoy some people without bothering to note that she does the same thing in all correspondence on and off the board. (And given the tiny number of posters who are annoyed, there is no reason to believe she does it to annoy everyone.)) There are posters who get livid at the use of B.C.E. and C.E. in place of B.C. and A.D. There are other posters who get mad at the reverse. I am sure that we can find posters who, discovering that such actions irritate some group, make it a point to use one construction or another. We do not hunt them down and punish them, either. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/292 "2008-07-14T01:06:01Z")
By the way, “christ” isn’t a name; it’s a title meaning “the annointed one.” I figure capitalization is a matter of choice. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/293 "2008-07-14T01:06:07Z")
[QUOTE=LurkMeister] Do you have reading comprehension problem? Did you actually read what you just quoted? Doing something to annoy people is _not_ the same thing as making inflammatory comments, and therefore is **not trolling**. [/QUOTE] Yes it is. ---
**Author:** ![Pedro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Pedro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pedro)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/294 "2008-07-14T01:06:31Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] I am really beginning to think that YOU are trolling, here, as I cannot imagine that you are actually stupid enough to be attempting the argument you are making. [/QUOTE] It’s becoming painfully obvious. The conservative dumbfuck routine, throwing the rulebook around, the split personality, the slipping into mannerisms (“fucko off”). Furthermore he’s doing just to make me use in all seriousness the word troll for the first time here. It’s all about me, I know it. You can stop now **Carol**. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/295 "2008-07-14T01:07:39Z")
[QUOTE=Carol Stream] No, she admitted she does it just to annoy people. How is that NOT trolling? [/QUOTE] Just keep repeating yourself without reading anything. Maybe you’ll get a different answer next time. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/296 "2008-07-14T01:10:46Z")
[QUOTE=Carol Stream] Yes it is. [/QUOTE] No, it’s not. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_Stream](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@Carol\_Stream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_Stream)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/297 "2008-07-14T01:10:57Z")
[QUOTE=BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed] Just keep repeating yourself without reading anything. Maybe you’ll get a different answer next time. [/QUOTE] She said she does it annoy people. How is that not TROLLING? by your own definition? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/298 "2008-07-14T01:13:40Z")
**tomdebb** already answered your question in post #291, specifically the parenthetical in his first paragraph. ---
**Author:** ![Pedro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@Pedro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pedro)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/299 "2008-07-14T01:13:54Z")
[QUOTE=Pedro] It’s becoming painfully obvious. The conservative dumbfuck routine, throwing the rulebook around, the split personality, the slipping into mannerisms (“fucko off”). Furthermore he’s doing just to make me use in all seriousness the word troll for the first time here. It’s all about me, I know it. You can stop now **Carol**. [/QUOTE] I meant to add the one liners pushing all the hot button topics but missed the edit window. And picking on **Kalhoun** , the coolest lady posting on the SDMB. I’m done now. ---
**Author:** ![BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BellRungBookShut-CandleSnuffed)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2008, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207/300 "2008-07-14T01:15:18Z")
[QUOTE=Carol Stream] She said she does it annoy people. How is that not TROLLING? by your own definition? [/QUOTE] **tomndebb** gave you three (3) good reasons that it doesn’t rise to the level of trolling. like i said, just keep posting the same thing, maybe you’ll get a different answer next time. oh crap, i deliberately didn’t use capitals to annoy you. now I’M trolling. oh, and jesus christ. and i don’t like joe stalin either, so i won’t cap his name. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-sdmb-why-do-atheists-and-theists-have-to-be-such-utter-dicks-to-each-other/456207.md?page=16)