I either ignore them , either I let them have it when they start preaching . And they always do . I have said this b4. Religion is not a matter of philosophy for me . Either u accept that religion harms humanity , either u understand that silence = approval , either not . I will never be ok w people who see nothing wrong w the crimes that are daily in the game Bcz of religion . Ask any boy who was raped by a catholic priest to tell u if he wants to talk w religious people on a internet site . Ask any young girl who was given as bride to fulfill religion traditions if she wants to talk w religious humans on a web site .
I stand w the victims and I stand w humanity . Humanity and religions are night and day in my book .
I am not here to teach anyone either how to escape religion or y I am an atheist . There are libraries , and book stores and internet . I am here to enjoy the company of other like minded humans . I don't visit the religious web sites .
This place is not my home . I am a guest . Like all of u . It's very clear to me that trolling , religious trolling is not permitted on the name of any hospitality . If I am wrong and rules have changed , I ll be glad to leave . If I am right , and religious people join to preach or praise their gods , they won't find a friend in me .

I think it depends on their intentions. If they are honestly looking to learn what we think, or they themselves are questioning their particular faith then that’s fine. If they are here to proselytize and are looking to “convert” us then block them.

OK as long as they don't go crazy with their preaching from some "holy" book and end up sounding like trolls.

Shit this blew up.

You already lock access to certain shit behind gates, right? (the leveling system) Just lock believers to certain topics or forum groups. Those that come here to get away from them can, and everyone else can share opinions or whatever.

Obviously anyone can join. Any of those believers who would join in hope to ensure their place in heaven and be spared the eternal fire of hell would have any better luck than those who would preach for Zeus to be spared from Hades. It's just mythology. Ancient peoples making up stories.

Doesn’t matter to me

The issue gets brought up quite frequently, although it has been a minute since the last time.

The believers who have joined tend not to last long on the site.
The scammers get weeded out fairly quickly, and those who join just to troll,
don't last very long either.

That said, I will not support any effort to prevent believers from joining the community. They could be questioning. They could be in the beginning stages
of coming to rational and logical thought. This could be the place they need to come to in order to find out that atheists are NOT baby-eating, satan worshipers.

I've been on this site for over a year, and I have yet to engage with any believer who came to argue or convert anyone.
Even if I had, that's not reason enough to bar the inclusion of anyone.
Seriously, if we can't support our own positions, we're pretty lame.
If you don't want to argue with someone, keep scrolling. If someone contacts
you and starts shit with you, block them. It's not that hard.

If you can't bring yourself to keep on scrolling, and can't handle engaging with some of them, maybe the problem lies with you.
I don't like the whole concept of being an "exclusive club".
I think that's bullshit. Just like religion.

Censorship sucks. No matter who is doing it, or why.
Being exclusionary is basically the same as censorship.

I’m fine with it so long as they don’t start trouble.

Believers are welcome. I doubt they will stay very long. The truth can be offensive to them.

Not bothered

They are usually scammers like these dudes. Even if they weren't I see ZERO reasons for them to join anyway. I have never crossed paths with a believer that in any way benefited this site, have you?

"I'm getting too old to argue." Then don't argue. It couldn't me more simple.

Let's hope it's not like opening the door for a Jehovah's witness.

Fodder for my snarkiness! Come on down!

initially I though, who cares, but thinking about it a little more...no I am not in favor of it. Why would a believer join except to preach to us, speech I am not interested in hearing.

Why not, then we can have a bit of fun with them and just maybe ( that's a very BIG JUST MAYBE btw, de-religify a few as well.

Honestly, I don't have a problem with it at all.
I figure that if they are here, that can only ammount to two things.
One, the have a seed in them that questions their belief, and seek to hear the perspective of those that don't believe.
Which, I have to applaud, it really takes some courage to questions ones core belief system.

And then there are those who just want to so called preach to others about their missbegotten ways. but instead find that the so called "misbegotten" actually give not only good arguments, but pose some logic that the believer might just not have thought before.
And that is prone to make one think about their stance, or farther, question their possision.

Then again, there are always trolls where ever you go on the internet, so meh.

I like the fact that most, not all, but most. retort to those who still cling to religious beliefs, meet with calm, concise, rational, non abusive replies to them.

I think as the zietgiest of dis-belief, is in question, we, and I use the "we" loosely" need to put aside anger and frustration, and meet these honest questions about belief, or non- belief civil and comforting.

For what I've seen and learned from "believers" is that they have been indoctronated into think that non believers are essentially a product of satan.
So to show them compassion, and understanding, rather than in your face hatred, will give them pause, and also have them question what they have learned.

Some times baby steps is the way for some.

No! Let them go to church.

I wouldn't mind if they were restricted to one group and couldn't dominate the agnostic fellowship on all of the other groups. Once in awhile I find it interesting to read alternative viewpoints (both political and religious) -- It's interesting to get a take on where they are coming from, but I doubt I would ever be convinced to change my own viewpoints.

If they join there are closer to the truth. so lets welcome it

For most of this life I tried and failed at believing in a god, but was gifted with the desire to read, as I've grown older that hasn't changed. I'm on the last chapter of c.h. book gawd is not great for me a great read. I have a tendency to take a break for a day or two and read a different book, which right now is Jack london's autobio. john Barleycorn. It's also good and him i relate to more than I care to admit, wine,women, and song. when I finish that I plan to read the history of prohibition which i find interesting because the 18th admendment so far is the only one to be repealed. I do spend a lot of time by myself so i have tendency to talk to much or write more than needed so a little or of guildence would be helpful. when I have free time I'm a servant to my dog and 8 cats which means a chief cook and bottle washer. By the way not knowing anything about a subject has never stopped me from expressing an opinion on it. being a hoosier we sometimes think we know more than we really do.I hate getting old I get dumber by the day.

That's an interesting question. I was unaware believers couldn't join, and I see pros and cons to your question. The biggest con would be posts either trolling other members or trying to convert/save them. Good luck with that. There is at least one argument on the pro-side, and that's let them observe that we're not the evil satan worshippers they imagine us to be... AND some may be here because they have genuine questions and doubts that we can help them with. I guess, I'd come down on the side of letting them in, but having a very strict policy about removing them if they are not respectful of others beliefs or lack thereof.

As long as it's more of us than them. I don't want them taking over this group.

I think it is wise to recognize the possibility that those who label themselves as "believers" may be questioning their own faith. From my own experience no religion except Reform Judaism tolerates this skepticism. This forum provides an outlet for exploration they can't find elsewhere. Those who rant, reasserting their held beliefs are, sadly, trying to drown out the voices in their own heads beaten into them over the years. If we seek to hold them high ground then we need compassion. I have no problem with inclusiveness. Their rants also inform my own explorations: "Do I have this covered?". All religious denominations seek theological purity nd dismiss all others as heresy. We must be different.

The more the joy! If this platform would ever prohibit or discriminate anyone no matter the 'belief' then I'm out of here ! Agnosticism, Atheism, Freethinking,,, are nothing but an answer to a widely spread drug called religions and ideologies. It is unfortunately a necessity to distinguish yourself these days among/from the hurd(s). The problem is that most people with 'holy scriptures' and 'ideologies' (who they mostly know little about) are blinded by their own nonsense. They mostly tend to be 'open' to 'join and discuss' as long as they don't have the upper hand. Once they do have the upper hand they can't even stop themselves vandalizing anything else. And once they killed 'em' all they start killing each others! I would though advise any theist to read their own scriptures/gospels/nonsense well before engaging (at least with me) cause otherwise you'll only make a fool out of yourself and your own belief!