As a new member, I'd say no. Most believers are not interested in honest discussion about their claims, and simply run away when they find they have nothing to support their beliefs. They get upset when no one is willing to blindly agree to their claims, demand respect when they have not earned it.

Since I do enjoy debating theists, if we could limit them to a very small area, I'd have no problem with that. But if they are goingto be seagulls and try and poo on everything, no.

I think it is a bad idea

Could be a good thing if we can convert them to reason instead of superstition

I'd be ok with believers joining, but only if their argumentative posts were limited to one "message board" for debate.

Hopefully they'll learn something. It is a little strange though maybe they're agno-curious and losing faith.

I don't want them on here. This is our private club house. Like the old treehouse sign "no girls allowed" I don't want believers in our clubhouse. We have to listen to them enough outside our club. Get out and go away buttinski.

I am new. Only if the believers are questioning. I like to be somewhere where my beliefs/lack of beliefs are not challenged. I am so tired of answering hateful statements caged as questions on Qoura.I think I have graduated from "logical arguments that are not listened to by closeminded people"

In order for this site to have meaningful and complete discussions, all sides should be given the opportunity to say their piece. I'm certain that very few if any folks here will be swayed by the arguments they have already heard their entire lives. Discussion is the way we all can be heard. Don't fear them, let them have their say and then respond.

A few days ago on this site I ran into a level 7 fellow who has a major problems with "science" and "atheists". I spent a great deal of time demonstrating his objection against atheists and science, if he valued truth, (demonstrable) were inferior to the non-science method (faith (belief without evidence)) based claims . One of his rebuttals (before telling me (more then once) he did not like me and to quit "harassing" him (by pointing out problems in his assertions), he included in context "We" (members of agnostic.com (all agnostics)) agreed with his assertions and (implied) did not include atheists or those that respect science.

As much as I wished agnostics and atheist were the same, there are some that believe in the supernatural and devalue science that consider themselves agnostic.

Do I wish people like him did not exist on this website. Yes.

I have also run into many theists that pose question such as "What happened to you to make you not believe in god?" When I explain their loaded question was dishonest and give examples of why is question is flawed as we have no evidence that a god exists, the what I can only guess was is a theist got really annoyed - - - . Do I wish his type did not exist on this website? yes.

I was also in hopes people that failed to use evidence to support claims or believed in un-testable supernatural events would not be a part of this community. Sadly this is not the case.

I joined this group to get away from religious people.

If they are here to meet people and understand our though process, no problem.

I was happy and excited to find this website. I felt like I was coming home...that I am speaking with friends. There are few individuals in my life with whom I can freely discuss any subject in its entirety. There are entire subject areas that I cannot mention in discussions and social engagements. This is exhausting and frustrating. I would prefer not having people of faith on this site. PS...I really liked the suggestion of 'acknowledging' someone's beliefs as opposed to respecting them.

Flame wars... only if folks can be civil and not preach. I do not see the point. But I am happy to debate their "beliefs" with my facts any day.

I vote we welcome any and all and not try to be an exclusive club. Consider, that believers that come to this site may be on the fence and need some logical, scientific dialogue instead of the constant preachy bromide that they are stuck with in their lives.

I wouldn't care if they are here, just so long as they don't prosthelytize. I'm not even really enthusiastic about all the atheist rants either, but I guess there has to be a place for that somewhere. I was really hoping for a safe space from being preached at or otherwise having the theistic culture bashed over my head, and there would be a lot of topics that would have nothing to do with religion.

No one has any idea why they believe, nor the ability to discern what they believe from reality. Agnostics may believe but have doubt, humanists a general belief in the nature and goodness of man, etc. We all believe in something, so your question is null and deserves no answer. But if you're using the term believer in a highly prejudicial way, I.e. placing all religionists in the same basket(the way most non religionists are called atheist) then my answer is; why not?? Are you afraid that you might hear something useful from a believer, that your assumed ideas at infallible, afraid you might "drink the kool-aid". Pretty closed minded from where I stand

If it becomes to many theists here insisting to share their delusions, we may at some point need a block button. It is not about safe spaces it is about avoiding getting annoyed by the same nonsense many already have to face everywhere else.

If the believer is belittling Atheism, and just being toxic I'm sure the individual would be flagged and maybe admin would step-in. It is pretty easy to ignore posts/comments that do not add value to a discussion, therefore I'm not worried about it becoming a problem.

However if the individual is asking rational questions and wants an atheistic point of view then I'd be more than happy to share my thoughts.

Maybe gluten's for punishment?

I'm new here, but my first inclination is to encourage productive discourse. That requires respect from either side.

I'm all for everybody joining. I'm not for assholes wasting my time and energy.

A-Gnostic =Lacking a certain KNOWLEDGE of any God.

A-Theist = Lacking a belief in any Gods

It is possible for a person to be either agnostic Atheist or Theist.

What I would ask of believers who are agnostic is, since you realidly admit you do not have evidence of your God (by being Agnostic, not having direct knwoledge of that God, ie proof), what makes you think your reasons for believing in that God are valid?

By what Method did you determine your beliefs, absent that knowledge, are valid?

There are plenty of other sites for debating theists (I'm active under this handle on two of them, TheThinkingAtheist.com/forum and city-data.com/forum (the latter has a pretty active atheism & agnosticism form and a generic religion & spirituality forum, although in my view the moderation is a touch heavy-handed and intrusive).

I rather like the lack of theists (especially theist trolls) here, it's not so much a desire for a "safe space" as for exchanging ideas with like minded folks without having to be girded for battle all the time. Sparring is fun, to a point, but just having a discussion is a breath of fresh air.

It's a little like the now-defunct site my current wife and I met on, tbd.com (stood for "to be determined" ). It limited membership to people over 40 (and it wasn't a dating site, either). Man, did THAT elevate the discourse, just eliminating all the youthful angst. This site feels a little bit like that to me -- it's like unbelievers are way more intellectually honest and mature and centered.

Personally I would not want believers on here, it's one of the distinctives of this site that set it apart. There are relatively few knuckle-draggers among us. I'd like to keep it that way.

Another thing I'm discovering about this site is that I feel somewhat more open about discussing my life and thinking on certain topics when I know it's not going to be seized on and distorted by someone who is looking to have them some confirmation bias about some atheist stereotype. If believers think atheists are depressed, nihilistic and miserable, you don't feel like be honest about your personal pain points. Just a thought.

Just take a look at TheThinkingAtheist.com/forum as a guest, look through the threads and you'll see lots of really brainless theists get on there, thinking they have an original argument that is going to slay us, getting shot down in flames and just not quitting. Some of them aren't even coherent, or are outright mentally ill. It's fun, in a shooting-fish-in-a-barrel sort of way, to nuke them, but it quickly wears thin. Life is about way more than anti-theism.

It would kinda be like if I were to walk into Church on Sunday. Pointless ? Unless they're just truly interested or thinking maybe they're more like us and want to check it out ?

Like Dillahunty said about their debates. I don't want just you fellow atheists to attend. I want Christians, other religious. The point is to share and bounce ideas, educate. You can't educate if they are not listening.