h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I like the Dawkin's thread because I think of it as fundamentally based on atheist turf. People refer to it as the Dawkins thread, not the god thread. Admittedly of late we've strayed a fair bit onto the god turf, but we do still usually return now and then to the idea that atheism is the default position, I suppose because it's predicated on Dawkin's book, The God Delusion.

And another thing I like about it is that although the usual wars and bother happen on it, there's loads of silly humour from time to time. 2legs has even joined us lately which has been fun.

I don't know much about the history of this thread, only having posted here for the first time this week. I looked at some of the early posts, which was interesting. Crikey SoRB was really calm and pleasant back then. But then I suppose that was before the dreaded Della wars.

I keep wondering if she's got a yearning for that again, judging by her recent posting style on the Dawkins thread. I even find myself drawn into that mode from time to time.

Who knows?

Yup, I made my first friends on h2g2 here, in the God thread. (If I can be presumptuous, and call az a friend.)

When you join your first online community, it can take quite a while for the names on the posts to stand out, as you gradually work out that these are different people, with different perspectives. Az was, I think, the first person I managed to get some sort of grip on. I think she mentioned some details of her personal life, which gave her name some meaning, and I then managed to associate some opinions with it, so she ceased to be a mere voice.

Then I started to work out others. And now I feel I know people on hootoo. To some extent, at least.

Lil once called me a "seasoned researcher". Odd, that, given that I sometimes still feel like a newbie. Perhaps all post-Rupert researchers sometimes feel like newbies.

The God thread attracts many more newbies than others, because of its location. That has affected the mood of the discussion. The Moral Majority conversation in The Forum has covered much of the same ground, but there's a different atmosphere to it. And now the Dawkins/TGD conversation in Ask is discussing some of the same issues. And that one's spawned two more conversations in Ask: Did Jesus Rise from the Dead? and How Reliable is the New Testament? Both of these have stayed remarkably on-topic for Ask conversations.

TRiG.

Well, it isn't actually a 'competition' Effers, and yes, the Dawkins thread is what it is, and the God thread is also exactly what it is. Thing is, after it's all said and done (and really it *has* pretty much been mostly said and done) you just end up with a bunch of people wondering what, if anything, they have in common.

<> (TRiG)

Oh yes please. Heck, even Della knows I'm a friend, though she likes to challenge me from time to time.

And if not for this thread I might not be with Nog now ... I remember him first posting on my PS after I'd made the typical newbie mistake of replying to the first post. Duh...

This thread means a lot to a lot of people, and that's not the sort of thing that happens overnight.

*waves to Jez*

az

Though, if I can use phrases like /post-Rupert/, I can't be really a newbie.

A632431.

>>Well, it isn't actually a 'competition' Effers<<

No I absolutely wasn't meaning to insinuate that. That would be silly.

Just that it fundamentally feels like a breath of fresh air given the myriad of 'religious based' threads I've seen form on h2g2. I sometimes contribute to them like here. But I find I soon get bored. But that hasn't happened to me on the Dawkin's thread, for some reason. And it's been great to get to know new people like Gif, who I hadn't met before, and get closer to Roy and learn a lot from his excellent atheist links, not to mention having a fellow poof, to have a bit of fun with.

I suppose if you have a lot of positive experiences on a thread, it helps to some extent, to cope with the periodic irritations.

The Dawkins thread, like the Moral Majority thread before it, is going through the usual phases (much like the 'grandaddy' God thread has done).

If anything new and amazing has been worked out on any of these threads I'd sure like to see them put up in neon for us all to acknowledge and appreciate.

A breath of fresh air is always welcome, but I don't actually see any real debate going on ... just different people spouting from their own personal belief pulpits whilst they close their own ears and sing 'lalala'...

az

except for those who don't operate on belief.
I gave up posting anything meaningful there after several indepth posts about my reasoning were completely ignored by everyone with differing view points. I even went as far as to say that I wasn't saying 'this is so' but rather explaining my reasoning so that others could pick holes in it. None did.

I miss Justin the Preacher, the only guy I ever knew who could make you feel the spittle as he declaimed and cursed us all - ah the good old days.

This was my first serious thread on H2G2 so I do recall it fondly, though at the time it drove me mad. The funny thing was I'd find myself on the atheist's side half the time , especially when Andrew S., Della and JtP were on form.

Blessings,
Matholwch the Apostate .

Hang on, you lot - you mean there are /other threads/??

--

Jez

az

First off, this is merely towards the end of absolution. Such as I seek to be absolved for my previous actions and violations of the freedom of others. I can remember a great number of years ago abusing this forum in my immaturity, I realise now that this asinine foolishness was a complete injustice to the people who use this forum to discuss and to educate. 'twas on this very thread, if memory serves, that I caused such distress, though I shall not give out the name of my previous account (scarce is my recollection of it anyway) I would like to apologise to any and all who may have been detrimentally affected by this.

Yours sincerely - M.

P.s I'm an atheist.

I guess you grow kind of silly attachments to people you know for a long time, even as you learn and get tired of their flaws, and even if they're just a blob of text.

I kind of feel I've said all I have to say about God(s) and spirituality for the moment, and heard all I'm likely to hear. At least for a while. And so its kind of annoying to hear people jump in with the same old stuff. But also perhaps a bit challenging when they're 'on my side' - so much as anyone is, don't think I've ever let anyone be on my side really - but obviously not making much sense.

Having said that, despite all this conversation I'm not very happy with my position. I've checked and doubted and double checked my thoughts over and over and always come back to religion being madness. It seems very strange whenever I find people otherwise very like myself in thinking so very certain of their faith, or even just having these very confident (yet surely utterly baseless?) ideas of interconnectedness of everything.

I'm happy being in opposition to someone, but I still don't understand why I am in this case? What makes people have these feelings and experiences? Doesn't it all look like a load of Dungeons and Dragons taken too far to them? What is it that is so convincing?

meaning. that's what is so convincing. knowing there is a reason, a greater plan, some method to this madness we call life. And wrapped up in that is justice and fairness and revenge and equality. All those things that many do not find in this life, but if there is an explanation which says it all turns out OK in the end then that is a very compelling story. sOmething which makes the hardships seem worthwhile, something which makes the injustices and inequalities bearable because there's damn all most of us can do about them.

Blatherskite's guide entry on Christianity has been yikes.

F55683?thread=4887381


az

It doesn't surprise me, Math. I sometime found myself thinking the same about the last of that trio, and I'm presumably the first.
I'm sorry to read that anyone should yikes a piece by Blatherskite.

You've always been polite and decent, I'm not sure entirely what Math is getting at - presume it must be some particular doctrine he dislikes which I have forgotten.

Whereas Justin the Preacher was, well, not Christlike in any sense. Except he once said 'God bless you' to me? Its strange to think of someone who mostly seems so angry and hateful on here as having a kind, human side to them.

I tend to think of it like rugby - a fun game, played by some thoroughly decent people, but you wouldn't want the team to be drinking in the same bar as you.

<< Heck, even Della knows I'm a friend, though she likes to challenge me from time to time. >>

Correction, az... I thought you were until a few weeks back, when I happened across a conversation where you said that you had been lulling me into the proverbial false sense of security! I'm sure you find it hilarious that my feelings were actually hurt by that...

For starters, if you were any kind of a friend, you wouldn't call me Della. It's a name I've tried to get rid of for 4 years! It's like me revealing your real name here in this thread, which don't worry, I'd never do... but you take my point, I hope?

Della isn't my real life name, but it is based on it!

Vicky

<>

LOL Matholwch! (Well, you are having a laugh, aren't you?) Lumping a fairly liberal Catholic like Andrew S, and a Christian Universalist and *political* liberal like me, together with a very uptight Calvinist like JtP!

I don't need to point out, but I will for benefit of total noobs, that this is like putting a Hindu, a Muslim and Shirley McClain (sp?) together in a room and insisting that as they're all "religious" that they'll all be in perfect theological harmony.

Man, you know better!

Vicky (not Della.)

Hi Della

"LOL Matholwch! (Well, you are having a laugh, aren't you?) Lumping a fairly liberal Catholic like Andrew S, and a Christian Universalist and *political* liberal like me, together with a very uptight Calvinist like JtP! "

No. Hands up which one of you isn't Christian? Doesn't believe in the Bible? Doesn't believe that they are saved? Hmmm... though so

"I don't need to point out, but I will for benefit of total noobs, that this is like putting a Hindu, a Muslim and Shirley McClain (sp?) together in a room and insisting that as they're all "religious" that they'll all be in perfect theological harmony."

Really so you're saying that the differences between you and Andrew are as great as those between a pantheist, and monotheist and a lovely actress? I think the Christian Box fits all three of you, besides waht I was saying - if you care to read it - was that I often found myself on the Atheist's side of the argument when debating with each or all of you three.

"Man, you know better!"

So it seems

Blessings,
Matholwch the Apostate .

Btw I don't single you out for using the same name all the time. Eddie the Bonbobo is still Eddie to me no matter how many name changes he implements, as SorB is still Hoovooloo. I'm not bothered how many times people change name they are still the same person I met back in the day.

Hi Andrew

I was reminiscing back to the auld days. When you and I would have long and convoluted debates on Church History and Doctrine.

Playing with JtP was a community pastime, though I think that you and one or two others were more concerned that he not tar all good Christians with the nutter brush. I wasn't grouping you with him, or Della for that matter.

The thread on the deletion of Blatherskite's piece has descended into farce so I have left it to stew.

Strange times. I wonder when they will begin deleting articles by Christians in case they upset Moslems?

Blessings,
Matholwch .