Starting to wonder if there are mental health problems with this one.
I'm addressing this to yourself, Mr Vat, because I have the greatest respect for you (and you're not one of the Red Guards I'll allude to below).
Since joining this site just a brief few weeks ago I've watched happen what
always happens on sites like this that are predominately directed towards science. That is, anyone who does not -- obediently and unthinkingly -- join in the chorus of songs of praise about science, repeating the same hoary, vacuous mantras of the Ministry of Propaganda (Dawkins
et al), is singled out for special treatment by the Red Guards. The bullying then proceeds and is quite merciless, ending only when the dissident has been harassed off the site.
It's already happened to myself, though has diminished somewhat lately, presumably since the Red Guards finally overcame their paranoia and accepted that I wasn't a closet Creationist. Within days of joining, the C-word was thrown in my direction (by exchemist). Since then, I've been called a liar (Pinball), a troll (various Red Guards), accused of being pretentious (sorry about these polysyllables!) and numerous other slights on my character. If anyone objected to any of this,
not a voice was heard. Meanwhile, people like Revelation are subjected to a kangaroo court for calling someone a "dumb asshole".
The person Revelation refers to as a dumb asshole gives every indication of being just that. His/her posts are typically devoid of any substantive content whatsoever, consisting mainly of "one-liners" which mock or insult, and on the rare occasions anything substantive is contained, it is so naive as to be painful reading. Any rationally and carefully constructed refutation will simply be ignored, not understood, or reacted to with more insults and ridicule. Revelation surely knows this. Aside from ignoring his tormentor entirely, the only sensible response to an abusive dumb asshole is to call a donkey a donkey; anything else is pointless.
My own view of Revelation for what that's worth, though to repeat I've only been here a short while, is that he's one of the most intelligent posters on the site, certainly far more so than the mindless Red Guards who harass him relentlessly, and a free thinker with valuable insights to offer, whether anyone ultimately accepts his conclusions or not. You don't have to be persuaded! He is
thinking; his tormentors are not. I've seen him respond to courtesy with courtesy, and I've seen him respond to contempt with contempt. Why shouldn't he? And there are a lot more of
them than there are of him.
I've watched the same treatment dispensed to another member, Trek. All the usual: impugning of his/her honesty, intelligence, and rationality from his tormentors -- and there are always a
group of them -- compounded with what are typically abysmally lame arguments, both laden with fallacies and factual inaccuracies.
And what's the reason for all this endless nastiness, bullying, and stupidity from the Red Guards? One word will do:
heresy! Heterodox views will not be tolerated here. Heretics are just not "Baird men". Of course, when Trek and Revelation disappear from the site, if they do, the Red Guards will congratulate themselves on their superior powers of ratiocination "We sure showed that dumbass a thing or two about the power of critical thinking!"
What a sham! What kind of a show are you guys putting on here today? Hurt this boy and you'll be Baird bums, the lot of you.
There! Someone had to say it. I may not agree with Trek and Revelation but I will defend their right to say it
without fear of intimidation.
P.S. Voltaire never said that. James Cagney never says "You're building a dirty rat ship here" either.
That is not acceptable fella. We are disagreeing all the time but if it gets to that point you can ignore.
I am only ignoring one fairly recent member on here after over a year and I think that is a sign of a decent site.
That one fairly recent member is me. This was after Pinball, along with fellow Red Guards (Dave
et al) repeatedly impugned my character, and
that was after their abject incompetence was exposed. It just will not do around here to correct the "Old Boys" when they announce that 2 + 2 does not equal 4 (Dave), and that the unfalsifiable has been falsified (Pinball).
Ignore all you like; just don't kid yourself as to the reasons. As Revelation correctly notes, you debate at the level of a child and are appallingly misinformed. Same applies to your fellow Red Guards. Isn't ignorance bliss!