In another forum, I made a thread long ago about the fate of the universe. The fate as SCIENCE has researched it. So heat death, entropy, the cyclic theory, etc… were all discussed. Until someone came out and posted about what his religion thought about the scientific “hoo haa” and what he really thought about the subject (in religious terms). Then the thread transformed from an intelligent discussion to a science vs religion thread that completely derailed my post. My first post on that forum was locked as a result (though I didn't get a ban since I didn't contribute to the flames and even tried to put the thread back on track). It can get really frustrating when all you want is an intelligent discussion and all you get is something burnt…

Now I'm seeing it on YouTube as well. I recently looked at a video about spacetime. I should never have looked at the comments. Extremely religious posters talking about THEIR religion on a post about a scientific subject. And they bring about a flame discussion about science vs religion instead of talking about the subject that the video is presenting. It's weirding me out…

I'd like to know the reason for all this. Probably trolls, probably people who feel that the subject violates their religion in some way and they have to rectify it. I guess I'll never understand since now I've learned never to look at the comments and just enjoy the video for what it is.

It is because religious extremists believe that they have to convert everyone to their religion in order to save their souls from some kind of doom.

When I say “religious extremist” I am also referring to those that like to cloak their religion in “science”.

You know, people like David Suzuki and Greenpeace and their whole man-made global warming theory they want to shove down our throats in order to tax us (Note: they're still at it in spite of the failure of Joke-enhagen and Climategate).

You know, people who believe Evolution THEORY like its pure dogma without even questioning it.

You know, people who believe that we need to get shot up with all kinds of drugs and totally dismiss the natural, alternative medicine that sometimes proves more effective in treating ailments.

You know, people who believe that through sacrifing children and drinking blood, psychic abilities awaken or something like that.


Religious extremism is a fact of life, unfortunately.

But the most dangerous religious extremists are the ones who have thugs in black uniforms at their disposal and have access to taxpayer funds.

Those are the ones I'd worry about rather than some random religious nut on youtube.

Well if you were all discussing what you thought about something, and those religious people have views about the subject that involves their religion, then of course they will want to say what they think.
I mean if there was a thread with people discussing evolution, and there's someone there who's a creationist, then he's gonna come and tell you his views.

Of course, usually they're complete arseholes (Not that I mean religious people are arseholes, just that sometimes arseholes are religious.) so they basically tell you you're wrong in the most douchebaggiest way possible.

But really, if there was a thread about the book of Genesis, you can't honestly say there won't be at least one dickhead atheist who will come in and say “Nope! It's all wrong, evolution!”
(Because youtube is full of atheists posting videos about how religion is wrong, with no provocation, they just feel like telling them their beliefs are wrong)

But I dunno, I try not to get involved, nothing's really ever solved, religious people won't change their beliefs because of some prick on the internet, and atheists won't change their beliefs because of some wanker on the internet, and it just goes in a circle.

Yeah okay I can see that was written like a piece of crap, but whatever, you get the idea - They were just discussing what they felt relevant.

Because all people have personal agendas. The particularly passionate and vocal ones will take any opportunity to promote their agenda whether it is related to economy, politics, religious beliefs, charitable organizations, or anything else. This can include steering topics toward their own interests even if the topic has very little to do with that particular cause. Just as religious discussion enters scientific discussions, so does political debate enter a discussion on art or parenting. It is the nature of internet forums (and real life conversation).

I find myself doing this with environmental topics all the time. I can't help it. The mere hint of a possible connection to those types of issues, and before I know it, I'm on my soapbox typing paragraph after paragraph. Most of the time, I catch myself and cancel those rants before I add it to a thread. Although I am passionate about the causes I care about, I am also non-confrontational, and I feel that becoming the ranting activist will hurt those causes more than help them.



There are the trolls too. The scary thing is, many of the people who seem like trolls are actually sincere. I don't engage in any online debates because it becomes a bunch of walls yelling things at each other that are barely connected or relevant.

Both the religious view and the scientific view have their weakpoints.

The premise of the religious view is that there is an invisible superbeing who influences things. Many of us feel that's inadequate as either an explanation or a useful tool.

But the premise of the scientific view is that everything worth knowing can be measured. And that can be inadequate as an explanation, even when it functions well as a useful tool.

people always have an axe to grind.
It's just how it is.
Religious and scientific.

Lonnehart
Now I'm seeing it on YouTube as well.

You're first seeing that NOW!?! Youtube is the flame central when it comes to topics like that. A word of advice. Never, EVER, look up a clip that discusses dinosaurs in ANY way and look through the comments. It's a guarantied ten point drop in your IQ level. In fact, stay away from the comments in videos that have anything to do with space travel(moon landings in particular), Nazism, Poor people in Africa and the Hadron Collider. Trust me, I'm doing you a favor.

There are some people who are borderline evil when it comes to their anti-science propaganda. A guy in America takes kids on tours through the archeology sections in museums. Explaining to the kids why and how the scientists are lying about these so called “fossils”. He wants those kids to ask paleontologists questions like “Where you there, when it happened?” “How can you know that, if you weren't there?”. To that guy there is only word that contains the truth and that is the word of the bible. Since God was there when all of this happened and he wrote the Good Book then we should obviously believe his side of the story.

I was once a scientific extremist in my past. A now distant friend of mine, who is a registered Atheist, still has that overwhelming desire to squash any religious viewpoints that he comes across with. In his youth he came under attack by religious nutcases who wouldn't leave him alone so they kinda permanently damaged his opinion about religion. The word religion can never come up in a conversation with him or the topic of the night will solely be about that.

Then there are those who are even worse then him. There are obnoxious people who hate religion and won't hesitate to make statements about how brain dead and moronic religious followers are. They are the ones who don't wait for someone to bring up Jesus and his pals. They seek out such discussions, start them themselves, and yes, posts youtube videos about it. One such example is the guy who makes the “Why do people laugh at creationists?” videos. While I agree with most of his stuff, he tends to go over the top in underlying how stupid these people are, providing examples of people who are just like him, only religious.

My point? Assholes exists in all circles. We just tend to take the side of the assholes who hang around our circles and thus tend to not see how obnoxious they themselves are.

It works both ways, you know. Threads intended to discuss issues from a religious standpoint are invariably derailed by someone who feels it's their duty to point out that all religious belief has been rendered meaningless by advances in science. I blame Darwin (the evolutionist not, not the DD webcomicker!)

As a forum for serious discussion, the internet is about as useful as a debate down the pub. The longer a discussion goes on, the less coherent it becomes and there's always a drunk at the slot machine who feels they have to chip in!

I take the view that, whatever side of the divide you're on, state your opinion if you feel so inclined and then beat a hasty retreat. If someone counters your argument it might be worth replying once but, if you feel stung into responding a second time, the discussion is probably already on the way to becoming heated and vitriolic. At that point you might as well walk away before someone gets nasty and wheels out the smilies!

I believe the main reason religious people invade scientific forums (fora? fori? I dont know) and internet videos is because they are scared. Everyone has their own opinions and everyone believes that all other opinions are wrong.

(that's the only reason discussions exist, even though you can be persuaded to believe others you start every conversation believing you yourself are right)

If you KNOW something you know is true and you happen to come across a large group of people who believe something else this is intimidating (, how can all those others be so wrong?)

of course you try to make them see reason. they are secretly scared of other opinions and try to convert them to your religion/opinion. the more people stand with you the more people would back you up in a fight.

DAJB
It works both ways, you know. Threads intended to discuss issues from a religious standpoint are invariably derailed by someone who feels it's their duty to point out that all religious belief has been rendered meaningless by advances in science. I blame Darwin (the evolutionist not, not the DD webcomicker!)

As a forum for serious discussion, the internet is about as useful as a debate down the pub. The longer a discussion goes on, the less coherent it becomes and there's always a drunk at the slot machine who feels they have to chip in!

I take the view that, whatever side of the divide you're on, state your opinion if you feel so inclined and then beat a hasty retreat. If someone counters your argument it might be worth replying once but, if you feel stung into responding a second time, the discussion is probably already on the way to becoming heated and vitriolic. At that point you might as well walk away before someone gets nasty and wheels out the smilies!

This. I've only come across one forum where topics dealing with religion don't turn into massive flame wars; but then, it is a forum that essentially mocks fundamentalism on both sides, so yeah.

Damn opinionated assholes trying to shove their own beliefs down our throats.

*Gathers together a group of people who hate opinionated assholes who then clash with the opinionated assholes that think we're wrong, a war breaks out and everyone dies*

I suppose you're trying to make an ironic statement about the fact that gathering a group of people who dislike opinionated assholes, you would in fact, be gathering a group of opinionated assholes.

Really, there's nothing more to add to this discussion, except perhaps that religion and science should really have absolutely nothing to do with each other and not even be discussed in the same conversation as the only real link between them is ego.

Lonnehart
I'd like to know the reason for all this. Probably trolls, probably people who feel that the subject violates their religion in some way and they have to rectify it. I guess I'll never understand since now I've learned never to look at the comments and just enjoy the video for what it is.

Have you never entered a conversation that was mostly about religion/creationism and put in your own say? I have. It's just part of discussion, and the same thing… different people have different views. if someone doesn't “believe” in science (ridiculous as that sounds) then they're not going to see the issue with debating its validity.

Also, “religious idiots (no offense intended)” is about the silliest line I have ever read haha. I have NO idea how someone can use the word idiot without intending offense with its use. Why apologize for it if that is what you intend?

Theskunktrainer
Also, “religious idiots (no offense intended)” is about the silliest line I have ever read haha.

I'm just apologizing in advance to any religious forum members of DD (I should've made that clearer, so that's my fault). It is pretty silly now that I think about it… :)

There are people who's just unable to understand that some people don't have the same mindset than them.

Also, there is a great deal of people who is just unable to disassociate the religious point of view from their every day lifes, so, for them, everything deals with God, so those people feel threatened by scientific progress.

And, like DAJB said, this also happens during a religious/spiritual discussion (and not only on Internet, it also happens in real life), when some fellow needs to point the uselessness of religious beliefs in sight of rescent scientific discoveries,forgeting that religion also deals with philosophical and moral standviews.

As a personal note, I don't think that is impossible to have both a religious point of view and a scientific mindset, and there are people that think that it's a matter of pick a side…

I suppose their Gods have revealed to them how to build a computer and connect to internet.

Fanatic people tend to have very narrow viewpoints and can't allow others to think for themselves.

The internet seems to bring out the worst in people.

Some seem to enjoy wrecking other people's fun. You see plenty of this in forums and online games.

Best is to ignore flamers.