One of the reasons I joined HAF was due to its diversity of it members whilst generally managing to maintain a high quality of debate and discussion that doesn't fall into the negatives found on other belief based forums.
As somebody who would class themselves as a liberal atheist with humanist and taoist tendencies my reason for wanting to participate in HAF rather than just observe is to have my views challenged without people retorting to the idiocy of offending (mainly what I was referring to earlier).
This question is aimed squarely at theist members as its relatively straight forward for a fellow atheist to understand why another would join.
Why did you join HAF over another forum that may be more aimed to your own belief system?
I have wondered this myself, so I'll tag along for the read.
I just assumed they were bored teenagers.
I asked this question a while ago: http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=7368.0
I'm not a theist but I've come across quite a few on this forum or others. The reasons they come here include:_
Testing their faith. They see it as a rite of passage.
Their faith has been shaken and this drives them into our arms, but I think these are mostly lurkers.
They see it as an intellectual challenge and come here with a smug, superior attitude. They try out tired old arguments that have been demolished gazillions of times but assume we've never seen them before.
They want to save our souls.
Curiosity.
I'm sure there are other reasons too.
Quote from: Maria on May 12, 2011, 08:50:05 AM
I'm not a theist but I've come across quite a few on this forum or others. The reasons they come here include:_
Testing their faith. They see it as a rite of passage.
Their faith has been shaken and this drives them into our arms, but I think these are mostly lurkers.
They see it as an intellectual challenge and come here with a smug, superior attitude. They try out tired old arguments that have been demolished gazillions of times but assume we've never seen them before.
They want to save our souls.
Curiosity.[/list]
I'm sure there are other reasons too.
And not doing a very good job.
I'm ostensibly a theist, really I'm an agnostic leaning toward apatheist but I believe in the possibility of the divine and that if I pray (which I don't.) that something somewhere would hear it. (Even if it's just my neighbour, who I strongly suspect is a telepath... or an empath, or some sort of spy.)
I hang out here because I find opposing view points to be intellectually stimulating. That and I don't particularly like pagan or agnostic forums.
Agnostic forum debates/arguments almost always always end with "Yes and no", or perhaps "maybe".
Pagan forums have there own problems, usually related to the fact that "pagan" is a very broad term.
I'm a Roman Catholic.
Quote from: Cecilie on May 12, 2011, 07:11:12 AM
I just assumed they were bored teenagers.
This is reason one of my reasons. LOL
Quote from: Maria on May 12, 2011, 08:50:05 AM
:_
Testing their faith. They see it as a rite of passage.
Their faith has been shaken and this drives them into our arms, but I think these are mostly lurkers.
They see it as an intellectual challenge and come here with a smug, superior attitude. They try out tired old arguments that have been demolished gazillions of times but assume we've never seen them before.
They want to save our souls.
Curiosity.
Those too.
Sadly I did come here with a slightly cockey attitude, but now that I'm getting to know some people, I relise I'm not much different then them, other than our beleifs. And I no longer feel that I am better that any of them just because I am "saved". I have much to learn from the folks on this forum. And I respect them more now that I have spent some time here.
I am a member of a Catholic forum too, so this is more of my "secondary" forum.
I actually first came here with the intention to possibly cause a ruckus, but apon spending a little time here, I relised my origional goal was a D-bag thing to do.
I am atheist and started out on the website Christian Forums, to talk to theists and show that atheists can be rational and respectful and have good advice. Then I came here because I was told that the sections I was posting in were "christian only" and that there were other places I could post my hogswollow, they sent me a link to here and I have to thank them for guiding me further away from their beliefs. So much for trying to bring me the word of god huh.
Quote from: thedport on May 14, 2011, 12:42:17 AM
I am atheist and started out on the website Christian Forums
I want there too, not long ago, I wanted to find out what Christians talk about.
I found it really odd that most of the site was Christian only. I felt as if I was in the foyer with all the other non Christians, looking through the window and wondering if I would ever be allowed in.
In the "everyone section" they started talking about homosexuals and I found it interesting that most of the Christians were against persecution of homosexuals, they were actually quite tolerant, the thread was going well, but then the moderators locked it and stated that it was against the forum rules to even talk about homosexuals unless you were one and were seeking help to solve your problem.
I was aghast, left a message about it in my Welcome thread that I refused to participate in such an intolerant forum. I've never been back there.
I had an account on Christian Forums a long time ago (probably still do if I could remember what login I used). If I remember correctly the atheists use to have more range but then they made the range even smaller. That coupled with no standards that discouraged dumb people from screwing up otherwise interesting conversations made it not enjoyable (ie you couldn't have a nice conversation with some christians about the place of evolution in a biblical understanding without some dumbass butting in about how evolution is false and the devil planted dino bones). I don't know how the atmosphere is there now but also don't have any desire to try it out again since I really don't care much for arguing about religious topics anymore (just will on occasion if something I find interesting comes up)
I don't even need to go on a Christian Forum to talk with Christians. But I still do. But I don't visit very often, I got tired of being 'prayed for.'
Actually I've started posting on the phatmass forum (where all the recent influx of catholics are coming from) and so far so good.
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on May 15, 2011, 09:59:07 PM
where all the recent influx of catholics are coming from
I was wondering about that seemed really strange for there to be so many in such a short space of time.
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on May 15, 2011, 09:59:07 PM
Actually I've started posting on the phatmass forum (where all the recent influx of catholics are coming from) and so far so good.
I've been noticing you posting!! I think it's great!
Though I havnt seen Stevil in a while...hope we didnt scare him away.
Quote from: PapistItalian16 on May 18, 2011, 01:11:06 AM
Though I havnt seen Stevil in a while...hope we didnt scare him away.
Maybe the threads I have been involved in haven't been your cup of tea?
I'm still going strong, have made 33 posts so far, just trying to work out where I can learn or add value, obviously the threads with heavy base on scripture or theology are a bit hard for me to contribute on. But I feel most people are quite civil and open to discussion, much different experience from most theists seeking out the HAF.
Love reading xSilverPhinx's contributions over there, very thought provoking.
Quote from: Stevil on May 18, 2011, 08:09:21 AM
Quote from: PapistItalian16 on May 18, 2011, 01:11:06 AM
Though I havnt seen Stevil in a while...hope we didnt scare him away.
Maybe the threads I have been involved in haven't been your cup of tea?
I'm still going strong, have made 33 posts so far, just trying to work out where I can learn or add value, obviously the threads with heavy base on scripture or theology are a bit hard for me to contribute on. But I feel most people are quite civil and open to discussion, much different experience from most theists seeking out the HAF.
Love reading xSilverPhinx's contributions over there, very thought provoking.
I'm confused...33? You've made 641....
edit....are you talking about the catholic forum rather than here? I had to think for a bit; it's late where I am.
Quote from: PapistItalian16 on May 18, 2011, 01:11:06 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on May 15, 2011, 09:59:07 PM
Actually I've started posting on the phatmass forum (where all the recent influx of catholics are coming from) and so far so good.
I've been noticing you posting!! I think it's great!
Yeah, the odds of running into one of my posts is higher than running into one of Stevil's since I have a count of 156 so far. So I'm contibuting quite prolifically even though a good portion of those are on the word association thread and other pointless but otherwise engaging stuff. :)
Quote from: Stevil on May 18, 2011, 08:09:21 AM
I'm still going strong, have made 33 posts so far, just trying to work out where I can learn or add value, obviously the threads with heavy base on scripture or theology are a bit hard for me to contribute on. But I feel most people are quite civil and open to discussion, much different experience from most theists seeking out the HAF.
Love reading xSilverPhinx's contributions over there, very thought provoking.
Thanks :)
And I changed my tag from 'non religious' to 'ignostic atheist', because you do have a valid point when there should be no reason not to use the word 'atheist'. I figure that all the people that would've put me on ignore have done so by now. ;)
Quoteedit....are you talking about the catholic forum rather than here? I had to think for a bit; it's late where I am.
Yes :)
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on May 18, 2011, 08:59:48 AM
And I changed my tag from 'non religious' to 'ignostic atheist', because you do have a valid point when there should be no reason not to use the word 'atheist'. I figure that all the people that would've put me on ignore have done so by now. ;)
Woohoo, somebody does listen to me. I think you are representing Atheists very well over there. I am pretty sure you are commanding much respect.
Quote from: Stevil on May 18, 2011, 09:20:10 AM
Woohoo, somebody does listen to me. I think you are representing Atheists very well over there. I am pretty sure you are commanding much respect.
That's an important thing, representing atheists (especially dispelling what atheists are
not), which is what you're doing very well. I read one reply of a poster called Socrates to your post, in which he asked if 'Stevil' was supposed to rhyme with 'evil'...I think I would've handled that situation a little differently.
Do you post on any other theist forums?
Quote from: Whitney on May 15, 2011, 03:30:57 AM
I had an account on Christian Forums a long time ago (probably still do if I could remember what login I used). If I remember correctly the atheists use to have more range but then they made the range even smaller.
Yep. The site changed hands a few years back (maybe 2-3?, my memory is bad), and the new owners wanted it to become more for Christians than for the interaction between non-Christians and Christians.
^ Hope this doesn't border on necro-posting. Just thought I'd second that since I was a mod on CF for a while.
Quote from: enrinteft on May 26, 2011, 05:59:46 AM
Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! However, how could we communicate? I'll just check back at www.happyatheistforum.com for you later.
I just read through all this, but I'm very confused by this post... Did I completely miss something?
Quote from: ThinkAnarchy on May 26, 2011, 06:08:02 AM
Quote from: enrinteft on May 26, 2011, 05:59:46 AM
Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! However, how could we communicate? I'll just check back at www.happyatheistforum.com for you later.
I just read through all this, but I'm very confused by this post... Did I completely miss something?
Could it be a bot?
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on May 26, 2011, 06:24:00 AM
I just read through all this, but I'm very confused by this post... Did I completely miss something?
Could it be a bot?
Of course it is, it used an "a" before a vowel, a sure sign.
Quote from: The Magic Pudding on May 26, 2011, 06:44:08 AM
Quote from: xSilverPhinx on May 26, 2011, 06:24:00 AM
I just read through all this, but I'm very confused by this post... Did I completely miss something?
Could it be a bot?
Of course it is, it used an "a" before a vowel, a sure sign.
Ah, but it's not the vowel that matters, it's the vowel
sound. It's possible that it/s/he (damn you, English language) meant for it to be pronounced "A 'musement," in which case that particular aspect of what it/s/he wrote would be correct. I'm stil trying to decypher the overall meaning, however.
I am interested in finding answers to my questions...
To the op:
To be challenged.