I'm done here.

Vastet's picture

For the last couple of years I've been coming to this site mostly out of a sense of responsibility. I was made a moderator and I was the only one of that group who generally frequented the site even on a monthly basis. As such I felt it was my duty to come by at least once a day if possible to ensure a spam wave or something illegal wasn't happening. Due to my reasoning, I would look at every updated topic; even Brian37's poetry. And I hate poetry. Edgar Allen Poe himself could have been posting and I'd have been equally unimpressed.

For quite some time there hasn't really been a need for the level of supervision I was providing, the spam levels are and have been extremely low for quite awhile; and noone in my tenure went so far as to break any laws, at least not that I saw or recall. I can't actually identify the last time I cleared some spam out.

Recently my actions have mostly been restricted to removing duplicate posts, if I saw them before there were responses anyway. Deleting posts here results in all response posts being deleted as well, so I'd leave them be if people had responded. There was no way to tell if someone had clicked reply on the offending post or on another, and I'd rather see a double post than delete content just to clear doubles out. Anti-censorship has always been a prevailing ethic here, which was why I was so drawn to the site to begin with.

But it was still my volunteered job and I took it fairly seriously.

Because I forced myself to check every new activity, I would often see something that I couldn't let stand unchallenged. Any regular visitor will know that I frequently would challenge certain individuals and their arguments. Enough so to put me in the bracket of most frequent commentators on the site. But those peoples and arguments I would challenge did not challenge me. I haven't had a detailed and rational discussion on any topic here in quite some time. I haven't learned anything in at least as long. I kept coming more out of a sense of duty to the responsibility I'd been entrusted with than anything else. I can reach more people with my arguments on facebook or other social media than I can here, where for the most part I have two opponents who are both broken records who never say anything new or interesting.

But now I no longer have that responsibility. Due to a conflict between myself and one of Brian Sapients friends or colleagues on facebook, and subsequent disagreements; Brian Sapient decided for whatever reason to remove me as moderator. Which is well within his rights as the owner/operator of the site. It's quite possible he viewed me having moderator powers as a potential threat following the disagreement, and due to the nature of random people you don't know in real life, I can't fault him on that. Often in the history of the Internet, a disagreement between parties who have the power to manipulate the content of a site, things have gone disastrously bad with content being erased or altered or worse. So Brian did the safe and smart thing in order to protect his investment. I would never partake in such activity, but who am I? Noone knows the answer to that question except me. It's too risky to take a chance on, and I quite likely would have done the same thing in Brian's position.

While it leaves a bad taste in my mouth, I have no real motivation to push back on it. Mostly because of above, but also because a moderator hasn't really been necessary here in recent times anyway, and I certainly wasn't exercising the powers of a moderator on anything like a regular basis.

Without that responsibility, however, the only real reason i have to come here is to engage the same idiots repeatedly. On the same subjects. With the same arguments. Indefinitely. Until the site fades away or the participants die, whichever comes first.

That is not appealing to me. And so I take my leave.

I may return occasionally, I may even post occasionally. But so far I've had 0 motivation to do so. I don't know if that will ever change. Time will tell. I wish anyone reading this the best for the future. Maybe we will meet again some day.

Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.

EXC's picture

 Part of me want to lash

 Part of me want to lash out in anger. But the reality is you are a victim of political indoctrination. You were fortunate to be born in a country with very low population density and very high natural resources. Unfortutely, a lot of lazy people used this wealth to create an entitlement society complete with an education system designed to keep the working man a slave.

The only thing that could ever make you realize this would be travel and living in other countries. But the system is designed to keep you from exeriencing anything but more political indoctrination and tax slavery if you work. You have traded freedom for the perception of security. So now, only Canada becoming just another overpopulated third world shithole could possible get you to reconsider your beliefs. But even then, you'd blame it on people like me, someone noone ever listens to, someone that had to escape USA to find any freedom from taxes, cost of living and political correctness. Good Luck.

Taxation is the price we pay for failing to build a civilized society. The higher the tax level, the greater the failure. A centrally planned totalitarian state represents a complete defeat for the civilized world, while a totally voluntary society represents its ultimate success. --Mark Skousen

Vastet's picture

I'll always remember your

I'll always remember your permanently indoctrinated stupidity coupled with your infinite lies, retard. And I'll be happier to never see them again.

Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.

todangst's picture

Vastet wrote:For the last

Vastet wrote:
For the last couple of years I've been coming to this site mostly out of a sense of responsibility. 

 

I am amazed that anyone stuck it out this long. I had to leave the site about a decade ago, not out of any negativity toward the site, solely due to the  demands of my professional life. The site seemed to disapear not long after, an unusual coincidence. 

 

I would agree that the arguments never change.  

 

Sorry that there seems to have been some drama connected to the change you discussed.... it seems to have been a rash decision from what little I am able to glean from what you wrote.

"Hitler burned people like Anne Frank, for that we call him evil.
"God" burns Anne Frank eternally. For that, theists call him 'good.'

 Vastet, Quite a rational

 Vastet,

 

Quite a rational post you just made.  I'm so thankful to you for the many years that you were here and shared your words of wisdom on this site.  You've got a great mind and I'll always be thankful that I had you around as an internet friend and ally.  Your assessment is correct, I don't really want to get into the weeds with the issue because I don't want it to devolve into the realm on non-constructive.  I was suprised at the incident that led to my feeling forced to remove your moderator power, and you're right, it was only done because I couldn't be sure that you'd have the temperament necessary to not break stuff.  I have no reason to believe that you ever abused your moderator power.  

I was sad that I felt that I had to remove your mod power.  Just the previous week I was telling my wife how I had a great conversation with you about Canada and how I really can trust your opinion because of how rational you are.  I know that's the bulk of you, and we all have our moments, and if I don't have the chance to see you around much, I'm gonna remember the guy that reminds me of me.  Shit... even the outburst reminds me of me.  But you're right, it's so hard to really know someone through text alone even if we do have a ton of history.  Because real life pulls me from the site sometimes for a week at a time, I'd much rather err on less moderation than worry about if someone is moderating in a heavy handed manner.  

 

If you stick to the plan and I don't see you going forward, thank you for the years, and I wish all the best.


 

TODANGST: I miss you! I hope you're doing well.  Are ya?

 

 

ProzacDeathWish's picture

 Now Brian37 can have this

 Now Brian37 can have this web site all to himself. 

Brian37's picture

EXC wrote: Part of me want

EXC wrote:

 Part of me want to lash out in anger. But the reality is you are a victim of political indoctrination. You were fortunate to be born in a country with very low population density and very high natural resources. Unfortutely, a lot of lazy people used this wealth to create an entitlement society complete with an education system designed to keep the working man a slave.

The only thing that could ever make you realize this would be travel and living in other countries. But the system is designed to keep you from exeriencing anything but more political indoctrination and tax slavery if you work. You have traded freedom for the perception of security. So now, only Canada becoming just another overpopulated third world shithole could possible get you to reconsider your beliefs. But even then, you'd blame it on people like me, someone noone ever listens to, someone that had to escape USA to find any freedom from taxes, cost of living and political correctness. Good Luck.

Vastet and I had a falling out, but between him and you, it is night and day.

 

Anyone who thinks no taxes at all is a posibility, regardless of political/economic views is too far gone.

 

I'd side with him every day and twice on Sunday if push came to shove.

 

And you are a complete fucking moron. The orange turd is so insistant on his wall, that the shutdown is fucking over even the gullible morons who voted for him.

 

 

"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog

Brian37's picture

ProzacDeathWish wrote: Now

ProzacDeathWish wrote:

 Now Brian37 can have this web site all to himself. 

Um no, the lack of traffic has nothing to do with me. 

Brian has a life outside this website, a job that pays the bills. There are tons of websites in our flooded market of social media that have drawn people away from mom and pop shops.

Unless you think Brian Sapient has the same money as Facebook and Twitter, which also host pleanty of atheist pages.

 

 

"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog

ProzacDeathWish's picture

 You just proved my point.

 You just proved my point. Buh Bye.

todangst's picture

 Brian! Could hardly make

 Brian! Could hardly make out your name at the top of your post.

 

Good to hear from you too. Yes, I am doing fine, I am in Florida right now with a pretty solid practice working with geriatric patients.  My work would be of interest to this site for one interesting reason: You all would be surprised with the number of people in the 80s and 90s who raised doubts about 'god' with me. 

 

And to make things very clear: As a psychologist and a white middle aged male, EVERYONE assumes I am a theist and I NEVER discuss my views on religion unless a person announces that they are an atheist.

 

So when these people are raising doubts, they often believe they are about to get a sermon in response....

 

I assume you found a career that took you away as well.

"Hitler burned people like Anne Frank, for that we call him evil.
"God" burns Anne Frank eternally. For that, theists call him 'good.'

todangst's picture

Um no, the lack of traffic

"Um no, the lack of traffic has nothing to do with me. "

 

What ever did happen? I would imagine sites like Reddit have taken over as focal points for discussion, but I've never seen a debate on reddit... unless you count some of the endless back and forths within threads.

 

I am Docwyoming on reddit. 

 

"Hitler burned people like Anne Frank, for that we call him evil.
"God" burns Anne Frank eternally. For that, theists call him 'good.'

Todangst, that's interesting

Todangst, that's interesting that so many people of old age express their doubts.  It's the opposite of what we've always been taught by the theists, eh? 

 

todangst wrote:

What ever did happen? I would imagine sites like Reddit have taken over as focal points for discussion, but I've never seen a debate on reddit... unless you count some of the endless back and forths within threads.

The biggest reasons the site is visited less today is that we stopped doing the radio show and broke up the band.  Secondarily many people took their online time to major social media companies like facebook.  Had the band stayed together I would've needed to migrate the site to a format that allowed facebook/twitter/google account logins to post.  That might've been enough to make this place very active, but it's too hard to know.  So many people use the larger social media networks for their online time now.  That's the reason I created Atheism United and have a list of links to every atheist site on the web, it was an attempt to support the atheist site owners out there.   

For what it's worth, we still have 150-200 unique visitors per day that stumble on various arguments/pages on this site, they average 2-6 minutes per day on the site depending on the day.  Many of those readers are first time users.  I view this site mostly as an archive of every argument someone would need to abandon belief in god.

 

 

EXC's picture

Brian37 wrote: Anyone who

Brian37 wrote:

 

Anyone who thinks no taxes at all is a posibility, regardless of political/economic views is too far gone.

 

You think this way because you are such a total loser and lazy. You need a man with a gun to steal from others to give you what you need to survive. But people like you eventally become dinosaurs.

Taxation is the price we pay for failing to build a civilized society. The higher the tax level, the greater the failure. A centrally planned totalitarian state represents a complete defeat for the civilized world, while a totally voluntary society represents its ultimate success. --Mark Skousen

EXC's picture

Vastet wrote:I'll always

Vastet wrote:
I'll always remember your permanently indoctrinated stupidity coupled with your infinite lies, retard. And I'll be happier to never see them again.

Enjoy Canadaistan!

Taxation is the price we pay for failing to build a civilized society. The higher the tax level, the greater the failure. A centrally planned totalitarian state represents a complete defeat for the civilized world, while a totally voluntary society represents its ultimate success. --Mark Skousen

todangst's picture

Sapient wrote:Todangst,

Sapient wrote:

Todangst, that's interesting that so many people of old age express their doubts.  It's the opposite of what we've always been taught by the theists, eh? 

  

 

Yes! And there is even some awareness of that expectation as some of them approach confessing their doubts with an apology.

Again, as I am a middle aged white male the expectation is that I am theist. Who knows how many more would be open about their doubts if they were free to assume otherwise?

Whenever any of my patients express theistic beliefs I tend to use biblical references with them. If they express doubts, I first do what I can to help them bolster their belief. The theists I debated with over the years would be shocked to learn that I do what I can to help them hold to their theism.   

The only time there is a dilemna is when they express frustration with their theism... saying it doesn't work for them, or that it actually even prevents them from just facing their loss realistically. 

In that case, I can smile and just say "You're not alone."

I literally met with such a patient this morning. She was an evangelical. Finally is free to talk about feeling like she was handcuffed and shackled by their expectations and demand on her. She asked me my opinion as to why they would do that... I suggested that they did so because it was their own way to manage their own doubts.


That, she liked. 

"Hitler burned people like Anne Frank, for that we call him evil.
"God" burns Anne Frank eternally. For that, theists call him 'good.'

digitalbeachbum's picture

I quit posting early last

I quit posting early last year, I couldn't take the lack of interest from others. There was a core of three people posting, with a few stranglers showing up from the past every few months.

I did the same thing ten years ago and stopped posting because I got bored. Not enough to keep me interested.

Blame YouTube. The need for a BBS style system is limiting unless you have a lot of people joining in the discussions.

I'll be around every once in a while to see what is new, but the site needs to have the cobwebs dusted off and new blood added.

There is plenty of need for the continued efforts to inform others that religion is poison and that people can survive with out it.

 

Atheistextremist's picture

Agree

 

Whenever I bounced off the site the same 3-4 people seemed to be going at each other over personal differences. Still, having spent some time arguing on twitter, I think the website format is still a good one. It's more personal, allows a deeper argument and requires engagement with more opinions. At its best, this site gave a sense of community that social media does not have. 

 

 

 

"Experiments are the only means of knowledge at our disposal. The rest is poetry, imagination." Max Planck

EXC's picture

Atheistextremist

Atheistextremist wrote:

 

Whenever I bounced off the site the same 3-4 people seemed to be going at each other over personal differences. Still, having spent some time arguing on twitter, I think the website format is still a good one. It's more personal, allows a deeper argument and requires engagement with more opinions. At its best, this site gave a sense of community that social media does not have. 

 

When irrational people have their beliefs challenged, they resort to ad-homeniem insults and name calling, they have nothing else. One of these types has left the site, the other can be ignored.

It would be nice if the world had one site for rational people having a rational discussion. Not sure if it is possible.

What would you like to see here? I'm into the video series 'Closer to Truth' and would like to discuss with others.

Taxation is the price we pay for failing to build a civilized society. The higher the tax level, the greater the failure. A centrally planned totalitarian state represents a complete defeat for the civilized world, while a totally voluntary society represents its ultimate success. --Mark Skousen

Tapey's picture

 I am amazed you guys stuck

 I am amazed you guys stuck around for as long as you did. Came back to check on how this palace was doing checking the threads, its the same people who were here when I was here and I stopped coming like a decade ago. I would be surprised if anyone remembered me since I left close to a decade ago if I were to guess. Anyway always thought you and capt pineapple were the least dumb even if you could be kind of a dick as well. All the best.

Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
No animal shall wear clothes.
No animal shall sleep in a bed.
No animal shall drink alcohol.
No animal shall kill any other animal.
All animals are equal.

Brian37's picture

 Well damn. I gues that

 

Well damn. I gues that means the end if the universe doesn't it?

"We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers."Obama
Check out my poetry here on Rational Responders Like my poetry thread on Facebook under Brian James Rational Poet, @Brianrrs37 on Twitter and my blog at www.brianjamesrationalpoet.blog