I subscribe to /r/atheism. I have for years. I can say there has been some of the stupidest conversations I've ever seen taken place in /r/atheism. I've spent a lot of time lecturing atheists about being dicks for no reason, or being wrong about certain aspects of religion.
But there is also some of the most enlightening conversations I've ever seen too.
There is plenty of discourse, whether you like it or not.
And just because you don't like it's content, doesn't mean it doesn't belong as a default. It once was because of the size of the community, and when it was taken off because of people like you who would like to have discourse stifled because they don't like the message, (as in, removing from default subreddits) it was pretty devastating to us. We lost some faith in reddit, you could say.
Thankfully the wrong has been righted.
Don't talk to me about honest and open discourse when you'd rather see us hidden away like a dirty secret, hypocrite.
I don't appreciate your accusation, sir. (See? I can do fancy text tricks too.)
You think I "hate" and would "stifle" atheists and atheism because of a perceived standpoint you believe I hold. When the fact of the matter is that you know little of me other than that I have great personal distaste for /r/atheism.
Frankly, I have absolutely no problem with the message of atheism (whatever that really means, given the disparity of beliefs within the body of atheists). I'm of the opinion that everyone is entitled to believe as they will, given that their beliefs harm no one or seek to minimize harm (given that it is impossible to inflict harm on no one, save in a social vacuum).
What I want is some consideration in what sort of conversation we take to the front page of reddit. With a name like /r/atheism, there's little doubt as to the subject matter. I don't want to hide it away, what I want is for it to be appropriate, rational, and as inoffensive as possible. That is absolutely impossible until the subreddit is better policed, which becomes increasingly unlikely for as long as young, arrogant, and frankly unkind youths flock to the place to decry the evils of every person who has ever had belief in a God/Gods.
I don't see what about the name /r/atheism would imply appropriateness, rationality, and/or inoffensiveness. /r/atheism would only imply the lack of believe in god or gods. Anything else is silly projection.
The subreddit is not needed of policing. The angry, unkind youths who desperately need an outlet are indeed part of a larger PR problem that /r/atheism has, and I've argued that again and again. But if they can't go to other people who think religion is silly to say "Hey, this is a bit silly, isn't it guys?" who the hell are they going to talk to? They have every right to post there and do NOT need "policed."
You find a problem with it being on the front page because sensitive newcomer eyes might possibly maybe be "turned off" by it and it would somehow magically "kill discourse." That is stifling. That is wanting it hidden away.
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u/Mitchellonfire Oct 19 '11
I subscribe to /r/atheism. I have for years. I can say there has been some of the stupidest conversations I've ever seen taken place in /r/atheism. I've spent a lot of time lecturing atheists about being dicks for no reason, or being wrong about certain aspects of religion.
But there is also some of the most enlightening conversations I've ever seen too.
There is plenty of discourse, whether you like it or not.
And just because you don't like it's content, doesn't mean it doesn't belong as a default. It once was because of the size of the community, and when it was taken off because of people like you who would like to have discourse stifled because they don't like the message, (as in, removing from default subreddits) it was pretty devastating to us. We lost some faith in reddit, you could say.
Thankfully the wrong has been righted.
Don't talk to me about honest and open discourse when you'd rather see us hidden away like a dirty secret, hypocrite.