Why are topics on religion allowed on The Escapist?

[bikeninja]

I have been visiting the escapist for a long time, but do not post often. I am usually content just reading the articles, and occasionally checking the forums. I will post if I have strong enough view of something, but one topic I avoid is anything that is based on religion.
Any other forum I go to has rules against threads on politics and religion. I can understand the escapist being okay with politics, its a thread based on a large industry and politics are bound to get involved.
But religion topics? Really? They do nothing but descend into flamewars, or provoke large arguments that leaves everyone in the same position, but slightly more angry at each other. Chances are, if someone believes in a religion, a simple forum post is not going to change their minds, and vice versa is you don't believe in them.
I also believe that having topics that degenerate religion or its people is much the same as racism. Its a persons way of life and who they are,their are entire communities and even countries where they all believe in a religion, so one comment against that group of people would hurt them all.
I have nothing against any group of religious or NON religous people, I just wish that they did not fight over their views. I understand that that is next to impossible to ask of the world, but knowing that religion topics are only going to start fights, why is it allowed on the Escapist?

 

[Jack and Calumon]

The Escapist is a place for all opinions, but that will inevitably mean that there will be places of religion discussion on it.

 

[anNIALLator]

Meh, so what? It's a good for a laugh.

 

[AndyFromMonday]

Well it is indeed a gaming forum, but there's the "off-topic" again, where you are allowed to express crap other than gaming. Inevitably, religion threads will arise. Thing with these religion threads is that they usually end up in "flame wars".

 

[Lukeje]

Because banning topics about religion would mean that any topic would have to be stopped as soon as religion is mentioned (a sort of bastardised Godwin's Law). As nearly every topic comes round to religion eventually, there would be nothing left to talk about.

 

[bikeninja]

I'm not saying banning anything at the mere mention of religion, but when the bulk of the topic is religious (or anti-religious as the case usually is) then there is going to be a problem. I have seen religion arise in topics and nothing bad has come of it,merley another point of view.But when the topic starts and ends with it, flame wars do start, banning and suspensions usually abound, and no one ends up happy.

 

[cuddly_tomato]

Because banning topics about religion would mean that any topic would have to be stopped as soon as religion is mentioned (a sort of bastardised Godwin's Law). As nearly every topic comes round to religion eventually, there would be nothing left to talk about.

The thing is it is destroying the forum, or at the very best changing it from a gaming forum into an anti-religious hate forum. Look at this...

Spoiler

Those are from this month alone. The escapist, for some reason, doesn't want to deal with the problem in their own back yard. I guarantee this thread will be locked very soon without much in the way of explanation, but all of those hate threads will be left wide open.

 

[Hippobatman]

-Snip-

I partially agree with you.

I tend to avoid religion threads as well, but that's mainly because I feel I have nothing to contribute to the discussion, as I'm not religious myself.

However, I find nothing wrong with religious debates, but this being the internet, someone is bound to show up and cry "Omg, ur wrong. I is atheyist and their is no Gawd!!" which I, and I guess every factual human being on earth, dislike.

As long as the participants maintain a factual and serious tone, I find nothing wrong with discussing religious views, I myself have no issues with explaining my own choice, and I'm going to go out on a limb here and think that most people share this opinion too.

 

[Anarchemitis]

Also, "banning religion" would promote an 'ideal stereotype of the average Escapist' that is one particular relgion or beleif, which is unacceptable in this Escapists' mind.

 

[GiantRedButton]

I also believe that having topics that degenerate religion or its people is much the same as racism.

The difference is that, unlike skincolour, it is your choice and freedom to follow a religion.
And one should want and be able to defend his decisions.

 

[cuddly_tomato]

I also believe that having topics that degenerate religion or its people is much the same as racism.

The difference is that, unlike skincolour, it is your choice and freedom to follow a religion.
And one should want and be able to defend his decisions.

No it isn't. Belief isn't a choice, anyone who thinks it is hasn't really thought about it. Besides, anti-religious people are essentially racist anyway. White racists in the USA say the same thing:- "it isn't the skin colour, it's the culture". The anti-theists are doing the exact same thing. They hate the other side because of the way they lead their lives.

Secondly, nobody has to "defend" their religion to anyone else as long as they aren't shoving it down anyone elses throats. No religious people here are doing that, only the anti-religious nut jobs we have infesting the place.

In any event, it needs to be reigned in by the staff here, because it has seriously gotten fucking stupid and is turning the forum into a joke. A thread on nudity turns into an argument about the flying spaggeti monster?

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.103564?page=1

Seriously, some people need to get a fucking grip on their hateful urges to bash religion at every chance.

 

[rottenbutter]

They don't ban them on the off chance they don't descend into a flame war. They give the members a chance to be civil, and if if they think that the thread will go, is going, or has gone too far, they will lock it.

 

[Insomniaku]

By allowing the speak of religion, the site promotes freedom of speech... but hate crimes aren't allowed and the site is fairly well monitored and reporting certain individuals isn't hard... Religion is and always should remain an opinion (IMO God exists) not (God is there, no questions)... certain religious people that are convinced there has to be a certain overlord and that there could not possibly be any other explanations are ignorant. Because there is not any way of telling for sure. IMO I think that religion was made up when there was an absence of a morale system, to keep people in check by warning them of hell and spreading the word of heaven thus people would act in the name of "good" to better society.But I don't think for a second that here is no possible way of disproving my theory... it's all opinion.

 

[cuddly_tomato]

Belief is a choice, of course it is. It's just fraught with so much temptation and nurturing through growing up in certain lifestyles that it's a little blurry and marred to think of it as a choice. Granted, everyone's chance to make it a choice isn't going to be the same, but that doesn't mean that it isn't there at all.

Easy experiement:-

I want you to believe in god for ten minutes. Go on. Don't just say you do, I want you to actually believe.

You not heard about the "god area" of the brain? About the God gene?

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn7147

Also don't forget that if you follow reductionism to it's conclusion then there is no such thing as free will or choice - everything happens as a result of chemicals in the brain. So which ever way you look, belief isn't realistically a choice.

 

[bikeninja]

I don't want this to be about religion, but about other topics that are about religion (if you get what I mean... /convoluted) About how talking about religion normally goes bad.
Yes, and educated and civil discussion can go well, and much can be gained from it. I personally enjoy them myself. But it's hard to find that here with out half the people cutting in "lololol! Religion doesn't exist noob! got off the internetz!"

 

[Doug]

Because there is an "Off Topic" section, not a "Off Topic but not religion" section.

 

[Perryman93]

i think they are allowed because they make good debates, but i think the do get outta hand sometimes!!!