Gransnet guidelines

Atheism; a non-prophet organisation

"closes the door on informative and intellectual debate"
Smileless: I always thought that any sort of debate required at least two parties! To shut one side down simply because the other side takes offence and refuses to debate is tantamount to censorship and denial of free speech!

Did you mean omniscient , Trisher?

There's no 'reason' why you shouldn't call the Christian God a name trisher if you feel you have too, although it does IMO beg the question why someone can't have a reasonable and intelligent debate without doing so. There's no reason why, if what you call Him is offensive to some, they shouldn't be able to say so.

I think it's a pity that someone would regard asking to be respectful and sensitive to another's feelings as being restricted in "any activity or communication".

A non Muslim going to life drawing classes wouldn't necessarily be offensive to a Muslim. That's hardly the same as using an offensive term when speaking of Allah. Where as any representation of humans and animals is viewed by many Muslims as sacreligious, it is not done so by all.

If he/she is omnipotent, he/she doesn't even need to read Gransnet to know what we are thinking, let alone what we say publicly. Who then would 'scape whipping?

We'd better all buy some fireproof underwear.

That's a lot of our future destinations in question then Gonegirl. I suppose as he/she is omnipotent they will know our real identities. Maybe we should start praying now (just in case).
The problem is that although I respect a person's right to worship as they wish I cannot take on board all the restrictions that belief might make on my freedom of expression. So if I want to call your God a name why shouldn't I? Muslims believe any representation of the human figure is sacreligious because we are made in God's image, and they are entitled to believe and act accordingly, but does that mean I shouldn't be permitted to go to a life drawing class? You are entitled to your belief you are not entitled to restrict any activity or communication for me.

and though I believe God could see where he /she was coming from

God reads Gransnet?!!

Shite!!!

Greenfinch I didn't see that reference to Gnostic being banned from other sites. So much for those of us who were offended being "pearl clutchers".

No trisher I can't type that word in reference to God, it's too offensive and I certainly wouldn't use it when referring to the faith of someone else that I don't believe in.

Gnostic wishing to discuss his/her beliefs wasn't an issue Alexa, but the expression of his/her opinions of other faiths, and those who believe in them was.

Gnostic wasn't discussing "man's religious quest as history or in some other objective style", there was nothing objective about his/her posts.

I agree with MawB that the language used was "designed by Gnostic to offend (and) shock".

I don't see myself as a "pearl clutcher" either but if I were, that's preferable to being someone who is unwilling or unable to express themselves without deliberately insulting others, and having no care or thought for the feelings of others.

MawB I think that offend and shock was exactly was Gnostic was trying to do.He / she mentioned being banned from other sites and I think he was trying to see how far he could go here.That is just my opinion of course.

I do think it is possible to have discussions about religion in a polite way; I do it all the time!

But I can see that it is hard for those who have some sort of faith not to get offended at times, because their faith is about fundamentals, so is inevitably central to their lives.

For those with no faith, this tends to be less central to their lives - it is just a given.

I do however find great chunks of scriptures unacceptable and tedious, because they block discussion rather than open it up - it is possible to pick up bits of scripture to support just about any (and even opposing) stances on life.

For me, the fact that those of faith can become so offended is one of the things that makes me fear religions - their fundamentalist nature can be a trigger for fundamentalist behaviour in an attempt to defend their stance.

This is amply illustrated in the concept of blasphemy; which is a meaningless (and potentially dangerous) concept to those who do not have a faith. But it is wheeled out to defend believers as if they have a superior right to have their views defended.

I hope that these discussions can continue on gransnet - they are often interesting.

PS I do not see myself as a “pearl clutcher” which I would have hoped you would have realised.

I was not the person who brought age into it Anja look elsewhere for that.
Monday 23.58.25
surely at our age we can tolerate rude phrases

I still think it is inappropriate language designed by Gnostic to offend , shock, or whatever and make no excuse for saying so.

For heavens sake Maw we have had this discussion before and I support the full use of our language without censorship from pearl clutchers.

What is abhorrent are those whose vocabulary are limited to one or two swear words and who use them ad nauseum. I’ve not come across any of that sort on GN so far.

So any suggestions that us wrinklies should know better than to use swear words I find ageist. Or is it a pseudo intellectual argument you are putting forward?

I just thought gransnet may be peculiarly well suited to providing the sort of religious fellowship that some people can no longer access
I can’t imagine what gave you that idea Alexa - GN does provide online fellowship at many levels, a forum for advice, for sharing joys and woes, a “sounding board” aka the chance to have an occasional rant and sometimes a giggle.
What were you looking for?

I have looked at it Rosecarmel. Thanks for suggestion. It's very good with a huge selection of topics. I just thought gransnet may be peculiarly well suited to providing the sort of religious fellowship that some people can no longer access .

Alexa, have you tried reddit?

I don't either , face to face, Doodle. However you must surely know the internet has lots of rude people posting in it. Few of those do any actual harm, and it's possible to extract good from a message despite when the language is not so good.

I have a high tolerance of Anglo Saxon words in fact I like them better than long Latin words. Social context matters. It is difficult to estimate who you are addressing on an internet forum, and it's perhaps a mistake to presume everyone is polite.

That was in reply to Alexa’s comment that surely at our age we can tolerate rude phrases

You may at your age, Alexa I have no such intention at mine.

Need we?
Why?
I thought that sort of language had been left behind in the boy’s toilets. .
Courtesy costs nothing.

It was a bit more explicit than that Alexa and the person it was directed at had not said anything to deserve it. No sorry I do not talk like that to people face to face and age is nothing to do with it. I suppose if you live your life talking to strangers like that then it’s acceptable language but it isn’t to me I’m sorry. If that makes me a delicate little flower then so be it but I’d rather be polite to people than offensive. I see no point in rudeness just because you can’t put your point across without being offensive.

"shove it up ...etc" is that what the problem was! What a storm in a teacup! Surely at our age we can tolerate rude phrases!

Could your discussion not have continued without resorting to being offensive about others beliefs.
I also objected to Gnostic telling another poster to shove it up ...etc when there was absolutely no need to say such a thing about someone else posting a comment.

I was really enjoying the discussion unfolding, I have to say.

I never saw the p word though, but its a pity it offended people.

There is a problem about a forum entitled 'Religion/Spirituality.
The forum's title should include an unambiguous indication that the forum is for religious devotions and fellowship.
Obviously some members want this facility, and considering some grans are housebound and can't get to their places of worship this sort of forum would be a benefit which Gransnet is excellently well placed to provide.

This would mean of course that grans such as me or Gnostic who want to discuss man's religious quest as history or in some other objective style would have to go to another forum. It's not acceptable that anyone feel upset so needlessly.

So you can't even type the word prick? That's what I was referring to. What was said about your God you may or may not find acceptable but I find it very odd that you can't type a word that has been used as slang for a penis since Shakespeare's time.