As a person who prefers to be inclusive rather than exclusive, I think anyone should be able to access any & all information. That said, tolerance can lead to submission. Let anyone in & the waters get muddy. I fully encourage anyone who is questioning the world in which they live to reach out, be curious, ask questions but for the love of Pete, keep the judgements to yourselves.

I joined this site to get away from the religious mumbo-jumbo found on other sites. I have joined many online dating sites where this nonsense takes place all the time. I found this site to be a refreshing delight. No, the religious do not belong here.

I like how the admins have set this up. New members can't post anything without a review. Trolls can usually be identified and booted based on their initial activity on the site. Nothing can prevent a believer from creating an account, but they can't do much damage to the community with the safeguards currently in place. Does anyone feel the current safeguards are insufficient?

No, i don't think that they should be here. One of christianitys' prime motivations is to convert the masses, and I don't think that is in the spirit of this group. Besides the site is called agnostics.com not anyone.com.

No, no trolls needed ! They have thousands upon thousands of churches filled with like-minded people.

There are many online forums where believers and nonbelievers slug it out. That's fine, but the flaming and attacking is alienating. I joined here so I could hear the voices of non believers, the agreements, disagreements, common views and dissenting ones. I don't mind if fellow non believers disagree with me, or have different views, but I really don't want to read the same old religious arguments that I have heard for decades dredged up here. There's a kind of shared consciousness here, despite differing views, and that's not easy to create in an online forum, and I think it works really well as it is. That's my ten cents worth.

Judging from the wording about this site, I tend to agree with CatByrd's reply. This site is not really about being an open debate site. It's more about meeting those if like minds and enjoying interesting conversation and sharing of ideas. There are plenty of sites that are set up just for the debatng of the differences in beliefs and ideologies. But being very new o this site I may not have a good idea as to what mist on here are here for. Just putting in my 2 cents.

I'm agnostic about it

While I like open discussions generally, I hope they're not permitted. I am also tired of listening to their vitriol and these types of forums just give them space to vent and push their theories even harder. I would like to think of this group as a safe, comfortable space for those of us who have had to deal with religious persecution all our lives. If they are permitted to invade our space here, I will withdraw.

I just joined thinking this site would be for like minded individuals. If I see a lot of believers crowding it I guess I'll just go back to obscurity

No,they tend to be over bearing and have closed minds. Also it’s usually the hateful fanatics that visit these sites .They are not a good example of believers. They often make inflammatory remarks

Its a free world and their entitled to their opinion however wrong it may be...lol

I find myself sympathizing with your desire not to have to engage with clumsy attempts to lure you back to the ranks of the believers, but I'm not comfortable either with the notion of this as an "exclusive club". If a mainstream believer of any denomination wishes to engage in a respectful dialogue with me, I'd like to think I would be open to it. While people are often praised for having "the courage of their convictions", it can also be a useful exercise to challenge one's own convictions on occasion, and hearing the argument from "the other side" can do that. Some comments or arguments from particularly unsophisticated believers are obviously not going to be worth responding to, and that is the tactic that should be employed in response. There is no need to sink to the level of name-calling or "flame-out wars", as you said.

If they're theists, why would they want to come here other than to lead us out of the dark? There are plenty of xian boards out there, if they need to show off their superstitions.

If a believer wanted to join I would want to know why? If they want to join because they are searching for how non-believers think on various topics, I would have no problem; however, if the person is wanting to join so that he/she can try to convert via argument, biblical/Koran or other religious reference, or was not just wanting to learn how we think, then I would hope that the person would discouraged to not join.

I just joined, but I joined so I could socialize with other Atheists, Agnostics, et. al. in a somewhat restricted forum. Most of my friends and associates are either Christian or Pagan, and I really want to kick it with people with whom I share a common non-religious view and shed some of the irritability that accumulates from dealing with religious people wherever I turn.

I joined this site to avoid the debates and to be among like-minded people in this regard. It is most likely that although we agree on this one aspect of life, we will have enough disagreement in other areas that it will never be boring. It seems against the stated purpose of the group to let believers join. It is perfectly alright to be exclusive!

What is the point of them joining? I really hope this doesn't turn into a debate group. I'll have to exit.

OK with me if they can fade the heat. Most believers don't realize that many atheists were raised in the church and have heard all their arguments and apologia and find them full of holes.

I agree to an extent with Draco's post above. But I do not resent believers joining, for two reasons:

1. I need to explore both sides of this issue and if I am not willing to listen to the side of believers I will likely miss a clue, a piece of the puzzle, or at least some resolution that they might offer. I am not gullible, however, and I do not just take anyone's word for anything. That's one reason I am agnostic. I will not be swayed by the type of religious fantasy that is rampant, the extreme and traumatic statements that I am just wrong, or it is all so simple, or that I am evil. I would like to get some clues or even borderline evidence - either way. And in order to do that, I feel I must listen to the logic both sides definitely have. I'm stuck in the middle. I want to be un-stuck. I am not going to fall for elementary and fanatical arguments either for or against this issue. I am looking for resolution.

I was so excited to join a community where I wouldn't have to be shamed all the time. I mean, maybe it'll convince one to see reason, but I believe they are only here to feed their agenda and I've had about enough.

I think it would be a good idea if people would behave themselves. Admittedly that's a big whopping improbable if. I enjoy debate, I do it all the time, and as long as it stays civil, it can lead to beneficial conversations. I know how to control my discussions, and I never let them get to the point where it turns from a debate into a fight.

I have no objections about anyone joining this group. But it should be listed on the application page what criteria is valid for membership. It is totally up to the discretion of the site administrator. As for me, I do not believe in ANY form of censorship.

Why not? Healthy debate is the most important aspect of searching in the unknown, regardless of the topic.

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.