I didn’t miss a thing but evidently you did if you think I’m an atheist. Since you really and truly don’t care, I’ll feel free to respond whenever and however I please. Usually I don’t respond when people jump up and down and say “look at me, I’m a pecker head” but occasionally I do.
It’s someone else. I’ve been in this area for all but a year of my life.
Now this is why I joined Straightdope! Did anyone bring any popcorn? 
Cosmosdan, do you believe it’s better for people to come to their understanding of the world on their own or do you think it’s ok to raise children with faith?
No cheerleading, please. Pulling-up-a-lawn-chair-to-watch-the-fireworks posts have been forbidden for as long as I’ve been posting here, pretty much, since they just add a bunch of annoying filler to a thread.
I don’t see any evidence of trolling here. Kalhoun explained her reasons for how she writes various religious names. They clearly appear to be tied up in her personal views of religion and seem to be applied throughout her life, not just on the boards. The fact that many board members belong to a group that Kalhoun opposes and wants to protest against does not make her behavior trolling. Moreover, I think it would be a very bad idea for the staff to insist that someone obey certain religious customs, even ones as minor and mainstream as this.
To put things another way, let’s suppose Obama gets elected amid claims of electoral fraud. A longtime poster strongly feels that his election was wrong and states that they will never refer to him as President Obama, but only Mr. Obama or Barack. Further, they hope that doing so will remind Democrats that their man shouldn’t be president. Others are angry, saying it’s common courtesy to use the honorific even if you disagree with the man’s politics or how he was elected. Should we force the poster to use the phrase President Obama if we know that they’re deliberating avoiding it to anger people? Do we then force everyone to use the phrase President Obama?
Rules and mod intervention are not the right solution to these kinds of problems. (Graphic obscenities and inflamed rhetoric are.)
Damn! I need to brush up on my one-liners if I’m to pass muster on here, don’t I?
Fortunately many spiritual teachings are about doing our best right now without thought of reward.
Kudos to them. I’d love to see a lot more free inquiry in religion. When I was discussing things with a conservative Christian friend someone in her congregation said I was dangerous, even though she was doing more studying than ever.
I take the whole “you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” thing pretty seriously but I know seeking the truth winds differently for different people.
To show that some religions encourage this rather than indoctrination I’ll quote the Bahai’s again.
and
I think this kind of progressive thinking demonstrates religion can and is changing.
Be funnier, damnit! :mad:
No, you’re fine. I tried to put a friendly just-so-you-know tone to my post, but I can see when re-reading it that it’s not quite there. Anyway, yeah. Lay off the popcorn and everyone will be happy.
I think it’s better for kids {and adults} to be encouraged to investigate and think for themselves but it’s inevitable and a parental responsibility to provide some reference and structure. I think it’s a shame when people are afraid to let their kids entertain beliefs other than the ones they hold, but it’s certainly okay to teach them what you believe.
My conclusion on the whole truth setting you free thing is that we need to be true to our own heart and mind. Investigate, experience, and come to your own conclusions about what you think and feel is true. Understand that our knowledge is limited and the process of understanding the world continues. Discard beliefs as your understanding changes.
That also means allowing others to pursue what they think and feel is true whether it’s some other religion or no religion. I think there is ultimately one truth and one reality but millions of perspectives from which to view it. Each persons path will be unique to them although our shared humanity will have much in common as well.
Kalhoun, what if you met someone whose name was Jesus, as in “Hey-Zeus?”
Ah, it’s Kambuckta. They’re almost spelled the same… really.
I once called letour “out-of-body-boy”, confusing him for lekatt.
I think the answer to the OP is that “theists and atheists cannot agree on anything other than the price of tea in China, and even then, they argue about whether or not the tea is the result of divine provenance”.
So there.
Hey! I sold him an accordion once. That’s what I tell people that ask, “Do you know Jesus?”
Sure, I sold him an accordion.
So, basically, you are expressing a complaint that the world does not follow the arbitrary rules that you would like to impose on it.
That’s fair. I was only posting the Straight Dope regarding the name employed by people, today, and its relationship to the way the same name (with adjustments in changes for language) was employed 1900+ years ago.
Carry on.
Ok, I skimmed p. 1 and p. 2 of this thread. skipping ahead…
Regarding the OP: I would say that atheists on this board are far more likely to hurl abuse over the fence than theists do. (And for completeness, I’ll note that agnostics don’t seem to receive any flack at all, though I trust that this situation can be promptly rectified. 
)
ON EDIT: Er, I guess p. 11 proved me wrong.
Yeah, that’s right. The only arbitrary rules that count are the ones I like!
I can appreciate that position.
Understood. I’ll see if I could muster something up.