Gettin' Banned - Our favorite moments

WILLOW got a little rabid on TWeb, too. He sounded like complete loon. Fascinating to watch, though.

If you think Willow and Fred are a few beers short of a six pack...check out good old John Davison at talkorigins. He is threatening everyone that he will give their names and addresses to the FBI and declare them terrorists or dangers to the state. He has an entire thread on "liberalism" being a genetically linked defect. He also has an almost masturbatory thread dedicated to Anne Coulter.And ironically, the day you posted your definition of a crank in the boot camp...he wrote that he published the PEH in Revista di Biologia so that his name would be attached to it when "as he is predestined" he will single handedly destroy the theory of evolution...of course the lucid and self deprecating comparisons of himself with Einstein continue. Terry is personally egging him on as well i.e. banning people who respond to him in kind but letting Salty roam free.There are two evolutionist regulars there who do a pretty good job...but I really wonder why they stick around, other than the comic value. Most of the site posts consist of two parallel monologues..one by Terry himself and the other Salty.

Do we have any members with qualifications in psychology? It worries me, sometimes, when we press people`s beliefs as we don`t know the fragility of our opponent. It`s one thing to say we are only challenging their belief structure by pointing out the inconsistencies, but many might feel it an attack on them personally and feel their world is coming apart. With possible severe consequences not only to themselves, but to folk around them. Am I stretching the possibilities too far? Willowtree and JAD seem like they are reaching some crisis point in their lives by the intensity of their postings. Should we back off? Or does the taste of victory count more than the well-being of another human?

I have had this concern on some other posters on another site, where they seem to unravel verbally.I think they are headed for trouble,but I don't think modifying our behavior would help significantly as they appear to be looking for this kind of confrontation and will find it elsewhere, perhaps in person and perhaps with violence.The lightbulb has to want to change.

Sort of like our old friend Borger, no? Anyway, most people I know who've actually read Rivista say its coverage of biological topics compares favorably with the way National Inquirer covers news: "Michael Jackson's Four Headed Alien Baby"; "I Was a Mutant Teenage Werewolf", etc. Personally, I've never seen much point in confronting the wackos on their own turf. If someone wants to, more power to them. Talk about masochistic tendencies...

To be honest, Night, my opinion is "caveat emptor". After all, no one and nothing is forcing someone to post. Those who seek out confrontation as a manifestation of some psychological problem are facing more difficulties than just a message board. In some sense, it might almost be better for them to vent their spleen on a message board than to run naked down the middle of their neighborhood street waving an ax (for instance). Although I don't really know whether anyone has studied abnormal psychology and the Internet, AFAIK that hasn't yet been used by the defense in any criminal trial (aka, "the internet made me do it"). Unlike, say, religion...

I just googled that literal phrase and it came up with 802 results. I haven't looked at all of them, but even if there is no mention of actual use of the phrase as defense in a criminal trial, I think you can safely hold your breath.

---

We are all atheists about most of the gods that humanity has ever believed in. Some of us just go one god further. - Richard Dawkins

I never thought to do that. I came up with 765 hits. A glance over the first few pages show most of the hits are discussions, rather than news. Interestingly, I did find one news story: Schoolgirl killer got angry at being called goody two shoes from Japan Today of last June about some 12-year-old who's claiming that insults posted on a message board caused her to murder her classmate.

quote:

---

Saturday, June 5, 2004 at 04:00 JST
SASEBO An 11-year-old girl who admitted to killing her classmate at Okubo Elementary School in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, told police that the victim, 12-year-old Satomi Mitarai, posted a message on an Internet bulletin board taunting her for being a goody-goody, investigative sources said Friday.

​

The girl told her lawyers that she killed Mitarai because she had written a message calling her a goody two shoes last Friday, four days before the incident. That message and a couple of others criticizing her weight and appearance made her angry and decide to kill her classmate, she was quoted as telling police. (Kyodo News)

---

I'm not sure if she used that as a "defense", but you're probably right: it's only a matter of time. I guess I just don't understand the mindset that can abrogate personal responsibility for an individual's actions by blaming it on some inanimate object...I mean, barring insanity from other causes.Humans are weird.

One key thing to note is that these people tend to take the exact same arguments and try them on every available medium. These people post the same discussions on board after board. They recieve the same results at each board and their premise is shot down royally. They then use those results to support their claims, that the simple fact there are those who disagree proves the correctness of their claim.It's a win-win situation for them. If they post and no one responds then their allegations are correct since unchallenged. If their allegations are challenged then those challengers are atheists and crazy (and unamerican to boot) and persecuting them for their beliefs. They have their world and seem quite comfortable therein. They hear the voices and those of us who are hearing challenged simply don't understand.

---

Aslan is not a Tame Lion

Fred Williams posted this message today in a subject entitled "forum growing pains""Several have recommended EvCForum. I DO TO! By all means, feel free to go there if you don’t like it here. Since I last participating in forums regularly, of the evolutionist-run forums EvCForum was the best, IMHO. The board chief Admin and creator, Percy, is someone I have always respected, despite the fact he worships at the alter of evolution and will go to hell if he doesn’t repent! No one can be 100% fair, we all have our biases and make mistakes, but I believe Percy does a good job overall and tried to be fair to everyone, at least while I was there."This message has been edited by docpotato, 02-01-2005 17:43 AM

I just got myself banned from Fred's site :-)...Along with two dozen other people. And he wants respect?

Nice to have you here, Xeriar. No doubt an admin will be along shortly to invite you to read through a number of links in his or her signature.

---

Keep America Safe AND Free!

well, welcome home Xeriar. It's possible to get banned here as well but you really have to work at it. So far no one has ever been banned at EvC for their beliefs, only their behavior. We do expect posters here to remain civil and to abide by certain rules of engagement.As you might expect, we do have a few rules and some guidelines. Can I suggest that you start by reading through the Post of The Month forum. It will give you a great idea of what we value here.And at the bottom of this post are some links to other tips and tricks that will make your stay more enjoyable.

---

Welcome Xeriar.What a great avatar you've chosen, it's really mesmerizing!

Well welcome, Xeriar! I've been around EvC for a couple of years. I am a Christian--yet I am not a strict creationist. I DO believe that God started it all, however!You will find that lots of people here have lots of different views.
I still lock horns with some of the atheists from time to time, but I always remember the forum motto: Knowledge and Understanding
through Discussion . Welcome!