No offense, but what is the pull for so many non-members and athiests on this site?


sweetiepie
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Please, really, no offense intended. I am new, and as I read, I have found amazingly intelligent people sharing insights on here. I just wondered what the pull is for those of another religion or the athiest viewpoint to come to and share on this website? Anyone is welcome, I know, but this is an LDS based website and message board.

It is sometimes difficult as a member when we ask for advice for certain situations, and get conflicting advice (those gospel oriented, and the world's view). It is hard to determine which advice is which.

I wonder if someone is obviously LDS and asking for advice and guidance on an LDS based site, if those offering advice would at least state if they are not LDS, but here is what they think?

I am not trying to start anything, just wondering. :wub:

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It is sometimes difficult as a member when we ask for advice for certain situations, and get conflicting advice (those gospel oriented, and the world's view). It is hard to determine which advice is which.

Most of the atheists on this board have a background in the LDS faith, and can understand a lot of where members are coming from when they ask questions. Our resident atheists offer outside-the-box thoughts, and I find their contributions valuable and thought-provoking.

I wonder if someone is obviously LDS and asking for advice and guidance on an LDS based site, if those offering advice would at least state if they are not LDS, but here is what they think?

I understand it can be hard for a new person to straighten out everyone's situations, but most posters who have been around for more than a month or two already know that Elphaba, Godless (duh), Soulsearcher, and Mute are the resident atheists on the board. (Did I miss anyone?)

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I understand it can be hard for a new person to straighten out everyone's situations, but most posters who have been around for more than a month or two already know that Elphaba, Godless (duh), Soulsearcher, and Mute are the resident atheists on the board. (Did I miss anyone?)

I know I don't post as much as I used to, but I feel left out :(

Personally, I come here because my wife is LDS and I like to see the LDS point of view on many issues because I live in Utah where many LDS congregate.

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I came here about five years ago, mostly out of curiosity. We had a school board election in which one candidate made an issue of the fact that two of the five board members were LDS, and her opponent was also. She used the diversity angle. I wrote a letter to the editor saying that, as an evangelical minister, I was appalled that a candidate would resort to religious bigotry. I then offered that the LDS guy would at least understand the faith community better than someone who saw religious affiliation as a negative.

Anyway...that whole incident got me curious, so a googled "lds chat," and came upon this site. I came to ask questions, learn, and over time, to share my own thoughts on issues.

As for your suggestion, I chose my avatar, in part, to highlight that I am non-LDS clergy. Also, if someone strikes you as perhaps not a member, you can always click to see their public profile. It usually shows whether they are members or not.

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Please, really, no offense intended. I am new, and as I read, I have found amazingly intelligent people sharing insights on here. I just wondered what the pull is for those of another religion or the athiest viewpoint to come to and share on this website? Anyone is welcome, I know, but this is an LDS based website and message board.

It is sometimes difficult as a member when we ask for advice for certain situations, and get conflicting advice (those gospel oriented, and the world's view). It is hard to determine which advice is which.

I wonder if someone is obviously LDS and asking for advice and guidance on an LDS based site, if those offering advice would at least state if they are not LDS, but here is what they think?

I am not trying to start anything, just wondering. :wub:

sweetiepie:

One should always be careful with advice over the internet. If you are wondering about the kind of advice you are getting - check the profile.

If this is the worse problem you have faced on the internet - you do indeed lived a charmed life and I would so like to be like you.

The Traveler

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Well I love people thinking of me, I'm not really atheist, probably closer to agnostic :)

I didn't think you were and I also understand Mute is agnostic and not atheist as well.

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The atheist that I've come across have this hankering, for some reason, to prove God doesn't exist and that religion is a crock of feces to the point of being extremely argumentative and filibustering. To that end, atheist have left a bad taste in me. The pathological need to prove everyone wrong and themselves right may be one reason they gravitate to these types of forums.

If there are atheist on this board who regularly contribute in a thoughtful debate without ideological fanaticism, well, I guess I'd have to rethink my thus-far life experiences (for what it's worth) and eat my hat.

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The pathological need to prove everyone wrong and themselves right may be one reason they gravitate to these types of forums.

Sounds like a lot of Christians i constantly run into. If I'm not 100% behind exactly what you believe I'm evil and going to burn is something i hear a lot. Funny how we only see it when the other side does it, but when we do it it's for the good of others?

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The atheist that I've come across have this hankering, for some reason, to prove God doesn't exist and that religion is a crock of feces to the point of being extremely argumentative and filibustering. To that end, atheist have left a bad taste in me. The pathological need to prove everyone wrong and themselves right may be one reason they gravitate to these types of forums.

If there are atheist on this board who regularly contribute in a thoughtful debate without ideological fanaticism, well, I guess I'd have to rethink my thus-far life experiences (for what it's worth) and eat my hat.

Then may I introduce you to Elphaba and Godless. Meet slamjet.

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I just wondered what the pull is for those of another religion or the athiest viewpoint to come to and share on this website?

For a lot of people on the board, certainly not just the non-members, this place is a community. They probably have different reasons for showing up in the first place but heck, I'm a member and why I stick around isn't particularly tied into my religious beliefs. It's because it is a social experience (of sorts).

It is sometimes difficult as a member when we ask for advice for certain situations, and get conflicting advice (those gospel oriented, and the world's view). It is hard to determine which advice is which.

You'll run into the same issue even if it was just members showing up.

I wonder if someone is obviously LDS and asking for advice and guidance on an LDS based site, if those offering advice would at least state if they are not LDS, but here is what they think?

All of the advice here is simply what people think, even amongst the members you find people offering advice that doesn't jive with other's ideas of what gospel orienteted advice should be. As PC notes, when in doubt you can usually check the profile and one can certainly ask. Even with members if some advice sounds like it doesn't jive with what your idea of the Gospel is feel free to ask them how their advice takes X or Y into account? Or why they suggest Z in the face of Q.

Edited by Dravin
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Please, really, no offense intended. I am new, and as I read, I have found amazingly intelligent people sharing insights on here. I just wondered what the pull is for those of another religion or the athiest viewpoint to come to and share on this website? Anyone is welcome, I know, but this is an LDS based website and message board.

It is sometimes difficult as a member when we ask for advice for certain situations, and get conflicting advice (those gospel oriented, and the world's view). It is hard to determine which advice is which.

I wonder if someone is obviously LDS and asking for advice and guidance on an LDS based site, if those offering advice would at least state if they are not LDS, but here is what they think?

I am not trying to start anything, just wondering. :wub:

I stumbled across this site originally when looking for answers to questions I had. I later found an lds apologetic forums that is very helpful but I enjoy reading a lot of posts on these forums. I usually don't state I'm not lds before offering advice but I do try to say it's simply my opinion. I don't believe I've given anyone advice that would make them not believe in their faith though.

I may not be lds but I have a lot of friends who are. 2/3 of my siblings and both of my parents are lds. I grew up in the lds faith so it's familiar to me. I also tend to interpret the Bible in many of the same ways the lds do. If someone is curious as to what someone believes, most people have it labeled in their profile what religion/faith they are. So if you could always just do a quick check if it concerns you. Regardless, I never try to dissuade someone from believing in their faith. Good advice is still good advice no matter who it comes from. Take it for what it is. I do my best to give good advice but of course I may not always have the best solutions. I'm only human after all.

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From a moderator pov..take a look at who is not lds..look at the date they joined. If they have been here for quite some time they have remained respectful to our beliefs. If not they are quickly gone.

While they may not always agree with LDS doctrine or perspective at least they can respect where we are coming from. And it goes the other way too.

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So Elphaba and Godless are atheist, and Soulsearcher and Mute are agnostic. I got my wires crossed. I think the OP's question still applies to agnostics, and Pam's comments directly above (and others in the thread as well) still apply.

Just had to give ya a hard time Wing, i don't see you in chat so have to give ya a shot now and then.

I'm here cause i have LDS people in my life. Understanding how to best approach communication with them is important to me.

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Guest Godless

I'm here because I was raised in the Church (my parents and siblings are all active still). I enjoy discussing religion and it makes sense to participate on a forum dedicated to the faith that I'm the most familiar with.

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Pam, it would be really really cool if we can add Religious Affiliation to the post header - you know the thing that shows Join Date, Location, Age, Posts, and all those other stuff.... then we can always put the post on the perspective of where it came from.

They have it on the Catholic Forum and it's cool to know that my posts are taken as LDS even if I do say a lot of Catholic stuff from my Catholic background. Know what I mean?

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So Elphaba and Godless are atheist, and Soulsearcher and Mute are agnostic. I got my wires crossed. I think the OP's question still applies to agnostics, and Pam's comments directly above (and others in the thread as well) still apply.

I respond to either atheist or agnostic since the exact definitions of both words are rarely understood among theists and even atheists/agnostics debate the specific connotations.

My personal philosophy is that the ultimate truth of where we came from is not knowable from a human perspective, but I also believe that there is not sufficient evidence for me to follow any of the current religions.

If there are atheist on this board who regularly contribute in a thoughtful debate without ideological fanaticism, well, I guess I'd have to rethink my thus-far life experiences (for what it's worth) and eat my hat.

I am open to the possibility of a religion having truth and enjoy discussing philosophical matters without putting down or trying to disprove the other side. I certainly don't have any pathological need to disprove God or specific religions, in fact it's quite the opposite; I truly wish there were overwhelming evidence that there is an afterlife and we will all be judged for our works in life, but I simply don't find any religion convincing enough.

I have definitely met atheists that I don't agree with and in general I think are jerks, but I have also met theists that are just as bad. Some people are just jerks; this is true regardless of theological beliefs. I'm sorry that you have met some atheists with a chip on their shoulder and that has colored your view of us in general, but I assure you that we are not all like that.

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Pam, it would be really really cool if we can add Religious Affiliation to the post header - you know the thing that shows Join Date, Location, Age, Posts, and all those other stuff.... then we can always put the post on the perspective of where it came from.

I agree. If this forum platform will support it, I think that would be very helpful.

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