# 'Witnessing' should be in IMHO, not GD **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 22, 2012, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823 "2012-11-22T12:37:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/1 "2012-11-22T12:37:15Z")
Inspired by [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=672934) about “Natsarism”. The poster put it where it’s supposed to be by the forum description, but IMHO the instructions are wrong. The last thing ‘witnesses’ want to do is actually debate what they’ve witnessed. They want to TELL you, and explain why you too should be awestruck and fall in line with their revelation. That is clearly in the IMHO domain, IMHO. I expect you to be awestruck and fall in line with this revelation, so Jeez, maybe this is in the wrong forum too. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![iftheresaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@iftheresaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iftheresaway)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/2 "2012-11-22T12:51:03Z")
I’m obviously not a mod, but I think witnessing goes in GD not because of the expectations of the OP (I would imagine there are many “debating” OPs who just want you to lie back and take in their sweet, sweet wisdom), but because of the reactions of the membership. Dopers aren’t a passive crowd, and between the rigorous testing of their ideas and the occasional looniness of the witnessing OP, the conversation is likely to get a bit too bracing for IMHO. Or at least that’s my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/3 "2012-11-22T12:57:28Z")
You’re right in a sense, and I’ve posted my opinion before that GD shouldn’t even exist as a forum, as 90% or more of it is people shouting their opinions past each other. But witnessing is even further afield than most of the other stuff in there. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/4 "2012-11-22T13:02:08Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > You’re right in a sense, and I’ve posted my opinion before that GD shouldn’t even exist as a forum, as 90% or more of it is people shouting their opinions past each other. But witnessing is even further afield than most of the other stuff in there. There’s another form of debate besides people ignoring each other and hurling insults? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/5 "2012-11-22T13:19:09Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > There’s another form of debate besides people ignoring each other and hurling insults? Well, not _here_ … ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/6 "2012-11-22T16:30:47Z")
I agree 100% with the OP. The rules for what is actually a GREAT debate are extremely lax here. Why clutter up that forum with what is, by definition, OPINION when we have an entire forum dedicated to that idea? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/7 "2012-11-22T17:13:06Z")
You have to realize the board didn’t arrive fully formed in its present state. The forums available have evolved. Witnessing threads were originally being posted in General Questions. There were also various threads on ongoing arguments over issues like abortion or gun control. So Great Debates was formed as a separate forum for these threads so GQ could be kept for actual questions. Later, when there was a growing number of polling and survey threads in MPSIMS, In My Humble Opinion was added as a new forum for those threads. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/8 "2012-11-22T17:21:02Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > You have to realize the board didn’t arrive fully formed in its present state. The forums available have evolved. > > Witnessing threads were originally being posted in General Questions. There were also various threads on ongoing arguments over issues like abortion or gun control. So Great Debates was formed as a separate forum for these threads so GQ could be kept for actual questions. > > Later, when there was a growing number of polling and survey threads in MPSIMS, In My Humble Opinion was added as a new forum for those threads. I think most of us know that, and it doesn’t change anything. And when you consider the Elections forum, it makes even more sense to get that clutter out of GD. One might argue that there isn’t a whole lot of clutter, but then it’s trivially easy to change the rule, too. ---
**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/9 "2012-11-22T17:31:38Z")
Great Debates I think would benefit from stricter moderation than the rest of the message board. It used to be a long time ago, if I’m not mistaken. Anyway, upon thinking about it, I agree with the OP. Witnessing is pretty much by defintion _not_ debating and simply forcing your beliefs upon others. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/10 "2012-11-22T17:48:11Z")
> [@Covered\_In\_Bees](#): > > Great Debates I think would benefit from stricter moderation than the rest of the message board. It used to be a long time ago, if I’m not mistaken. > > Anyway, upon thinking about it, I agree with the OP. Witnessing is pretty much by defintion _not_ debating and simply forcing your beliefs upon others. …which is almost immediately followed with posts from others with opposing facts, opinions and cites, pretty much like most other threads in GD. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/11 "2012-11-22T17:58:59Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I think most of us know that, and it doesn’t change anything. And when you consider the Elections forum, it makes even more sense to get that clutter out of GD. One might argue that there isn’t a whole lot of clutter, but then it’s trivially easy to change the rule, too. ETA: Won’t someone think of those of us with OCD? Those witnessing threads are like seeing two clocks in the same room that show a different time. _It must be fixed!!!_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/12 "2012-11-22T18:19:12Z")
Maybe we should have one forum for those two subjects that aren’t supposed to be talked about in mixed company- Religion and Politics. This would encompass elections and witnessing. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/13 "2012-11-22T18:21:58Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > Maybe we should have one forum for those two subjects that aren’t supposed to be talked about in mixed company- Religion and Politics. This would encompass elections and witnessing. Would it include all forms of spiritualism? In the example from the OP, the poster insisted that what he was advocating wasn’t even a religion. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/14 "2012-11-22T18:29:56Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Would it include all forms of spiritualism? In the example from the OP, the poster insisted that what he was advocating wasn’t even a religion. There’d need to be a debate about that first. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/15 "2012-11-22T18:32:44Z")
> [@Alice\_The\_Goon](#): > > Maybe we should have one forum for those two subjects that aren’t supposed to be talked about in mixed company- Religion and Politics. This would encompass elections and witnessing. What would we call that one, Minefield? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/16 "2012-11-22T18:34:06Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > What would we call that one, Minefield? 🙂 Dizzyland. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/17 "2012-11-22T18:46:49Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Dizzyland. (laughing) That works too. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/18 "2012-11-22T20:02:35Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > …which is almost immediately followed with posts from others with opposing facts, opinions and cites, pretty much like most other threads in GD. Yeah, but… you can’t really counter opinions with factual arguements, particularly in ‘witnessing’ or faith based posts. You can try, but it usually doesn’t work. These threads become a ‘fight against ignorance’ about an opinion, feeling, or belief. Facts vs feelings. And the whole thing quickly becomes a shout down. So I agree with the OP. Some of these posts about faith can be quite interesting, but suffer in the debate forum which requires cites as factual back up. Of course, others are just crazy, but entertaining too. Let them ramble on in the opinion thread. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/19 "2012-11-22T20:05:40Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > Yeah, but… you can’t really counter opinions with factual arguements, particularly in ‘witnessing’ or faith based posts. > > You can try, but it usually doesn’t work. These threads become a ‘fight against ignorance’ about an opinion, feeling, or belief. Facts vs feelings. And the whole thing quickly becomes a shout down. > > So I agree with the OP. Some of these posts about faith can be quite interesting, but suffer in the debate forum which requires cites as factual back up. > > Of course, others are just crazy, but entertaining too. Let them ramble on in the opinion thread. It’s a rare witnessing thread that doesn’t also make factual claims, though. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823/20 "2012-11-22T20:12:30Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > It’s a rare witnessing thread that doesn’t also make factual claims, though. True dat. It just seems like a waste of space in the Debates forum to debate things that cannot be proven with any number of cites or facts. Just my two cents worth. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/witnessing-should-be-in-imho-not-gd/641823.md?page=2)