We need to set new rules on debates

[mooeypoo]

Specially religious / pseudo-science ones.

 

I just feel that lately too many low-intelligence pro-creationism bored antisemetical rude racists people join as members just to trash whoever they feel like that doesnt fit their notions.

 

And no, I don't mean that all creationists are low intelligence, so all you creationists out there don't throw words into my mouth.

 

We're not a religious site, nor are we political one. I love religion/science debates but I like them when they're used by LOGIC and REASON and when the sides actually CARE what the other thinks.

 

I seriously think that we have too many posts that end up being ruined 'cause people just ignore the fact they're here to DEBATE and not to throw one's opinion on someone else.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, it's just a general feeling i get lately.

 

I'm all for debates but what goes on lately is just insane.

 

~moo

[Dave]

No matter what scientific forum you're on, you're more than likely to get people with quite frankly idiotic opinions on anything varying from religion (trueLove) to life on Mars (ExtraSense). There's nothing that we can actually do about it other than to stop them when it gets to a certain point, and I believe that we're doing that atm. It's just a necessary bi-product of advertising the forums to attract people of a more scientific nature, I'm afraid.

 

(By we, I refer to the mod team)

[mooeypoo]

I don't mind 'stupid opinions' -- I mind people not using logic. Ther'es a difference.

 

And I mind people not being fair by patronizing, ridiculing and trashing other people here, whether I agree with their opinions is an entirely different matter.

 

I think that if we set rules on (oh, say,) against exessively patronizing, or against trashing or against repeating arguments withou tlistening.. we might have better debates.

 

I agree that this is a "gray" zone -- the need for rules that will allow a debate and yet not drive away people that might have excentric views (because it's still why we're here: to debate). What I mean is that we should make DEBATING rules.

Regardless of an opinion.

 

A person can argue about whatever view he pleases -- the trouble begins when he starts attacking, rediculing and trashing other people that try to debate with him.

 

~moo

[admiral_ju00]

uhm, hey mooey, you weren't thinking of me as one of those to whom you dedicated this thread, or were you?

[Dave]

Well we already have rules in place to defend against that sort of thing; it's just that in order to make sure that they're blatently trolling we need to let them post for a bit first. Banning a person after one post is a bit recless imo, and it does lead down a slippery slope.

[mooeypoo]

admiral: HECK NO!! I might disagree with some of your view, but you know how to debate, and you make great points. The world would be boring if everyone agreed with me

 

I was talking about other people in general, some of them you can see banned just recently.

 

dave: You're right though, I guess. Still, since recently we see SUCH an incline in those things maybe theres a place to concider how to get rid of this before it will become a complete takeover by the forces of ultra-religious-biggoted-creationists who has nothing to do but destroy perfectly interresting SCIENTIFIC questions in a science forum.

 

~moo

[Dave]

You're always going to get these kind of people on the forum. Basically, the best way to deal with them is after a few posts when they've convinced us they're just trolling - ban them from the forums, close/lock their threads and forget about them.

 

The recent incline in the number of muppets to register probably has something to do with the fact that we're advertising the site around - however, there's been significantly more users signed up who aren't trolls than who are.

[mooeypoo]

Yeah, I know.

 

I just thought that if there's such a mass, we should concider solving in masses.. but you're right, I guess I just needed to let out some steam.

 

They seem to destroy perfectly good threads and it's just annoying.

 

~moo