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Being on the net as often as i am, i need the civility-fixes here at agnostic.com.

The last two days have been especially abuse-ridden. After two days of being attacked and name-called for my socially conscious, anti-racist/bigotry approaches to society, life, and living, it is a pleasure to come back here where civility and respect for others is honoured and demonstrated.

Agnostic.com is a breath of fresh air on the increasingly abusive internet. Unfortunately, our leaders are setting the example for such behaviour.

I thank you all.

josephr 7 Sep 7
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Enjoy being online again!

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22 comments

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6

We are an Oasis in a desert of sewage. Keep away from them.....feel the love here instead!

I need the love, whether it's here or elsewhere, but i can't avoid the realities existing in our world without trying to be a change agent. Anything worth doing can be difficult, but that's what i need to do.

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I guess I'm kinda spoiled because this is the ONLY social media site I visit. But kudos to you for fighting the good fight.

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This is not the only oasis. Much as we grease squeaky wheels we tend to forget that the number of thoughtful and civil people is much higher than you will see with a cursory glance. They are merely drowned out by the petulant children screaming at shadows.

The percentage of civil people is simply higher in a bastion of free thought and acceptance.

Note: If you are one of these people please don't forget to vote. If you are not, then yo... OMG look at that bug!

If i didn't believe that i'm not sure what i'd do. We just haven't reached the tipping point where the functional speak louder than the dysfunctional, but without the yelling.

@josephr The tipping point is ever closer. The balance is on the number of public individuals who don't feel the need to conform, once it is not taboo the floodgates will open. Worldwide many countries have moved past the need for religions and the world is better for it. Tolerance and civility tend to follow.

For example, the vast majority of people who take issue with LGBT rights in the US do so due to "religious conviction". When that goes, so will much of the problem.

@ThisGuy That's the way i see the future evolving also. And if history continues to repeat itself, any such changes will be accompanied by societal stresses like the many we're seeing again. I am optimistic though, and i don't believe my optimism is misplaced.

4

True dat

4

Tiresome and exhausting to fight the fight. I am repeatedly accused of being unpatriotic. We must stand up and carry on. I am new to this site and I agree it is a breath of fresh air. ✌

Welcome, and you're right; it gets tiresome and exhausting but we can't give up; or what will we be left with.

Welcome Serenity!

4

I have better things to do with my time than put up with rude, crass, revolting, repulsive, arrogant, crude people who think they know who I am & what I'm about. Off, delete, ignore, or leave works well for me.

I know what you're saying because i've felt that way myself. Nevertheless, if i can turn an acrimonious discussion during which i've been name-called into a civil exchange of ideas i believe that i have accomplished something meaningful.

@josephr it’s work! It can wear us out, trying to help others see there are many ‘ways,’ in the world!

3

Well.....what did you expect?
How dare you be a decent, thinking person, by supporting such things as anti racism/bigotry and social consciousness and well...just human decency really, with the expectation of civility!
I mean...really. ? 😀

I know, i know @patchoullijulie, and i am trying to improve. But my emotional competencies are inhibiting me. hahahaha

3

"Woe to the land that’s governed by a child.” Shakespeare Richard III

As relevant today as it was then.

3

Not perfect here either - but I agree, a vast improvement overall !

Oh ... and you're welcome !

3

It is tough to listen to the leader of a country call down almost every friendly country and then claim to be a Christian is very troubling! It gives a lot of people license to do it to others and makes the world a more dangerous place but here there is good will and peace.

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I thank you too xx

2

At first I thought the last 2 days of abuse were happening here! So glad for this site and like minded people ❤️

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You're so very welcome! Is this abuse on your job? Social media? In your home?

Not my job since i no longer work in any traditional sense; but in my home, yes @LucyLoohoo. I've been a change agent in several professions for most of my life, and for the last 4 or 5 years, i've used social media to write, comment, editorialize, negotiate, and to build relationships with a diverse group of people around the world. The abuse has been one consequence of my political and societal views. Fortunately, most of the time, the experiences are positive and uplifting, and loving what i do, i take the good with the challenging, for therein i know lies the balance. Thanks again.

@josephr is it abuse or are your opinions simply being disagreed with?

@LilAtheistLady Good question! How do we define ''abuse?" Is this something which results in libel against you? Economic problems?

@LilAtheistLady @LucyLooHoo, what i've been referring to is two things; The first personal experience is when my opinions are being disagreed with using expletives, name calling, and abusive language. I call that abuse. The second is how verbally abusive people are to each other, to groups, to groups of religious people, to people of one political persuasion or another, on and on.

As for the legal questions, in Canada, it would be libelous and actionable if it affected me in some measurable way. Here, proven physical, verbal, and psychological abuses are illegal and the perpetrator can be charged under Canadian Federal and Provincial laws; and are increasingly.
[lawcentralalberta.ca] [canadianlawsite.ca]

But that's not what i'm getting at. Internet abuse demonstrates to me how many people still react violently when their beliefs are challenged. And the more truth there is in the challenge, the more abusive and verbally violent the responses can be.

I know it stops many from speaking their truths, but it won't stop me from doing what i need to do, always respectfully and civilly. But it can be wearing down so i do have to take a break from the acrimony periodically. LLOL

PS: You ask a short question and i give a lengthy answer; maybe that's what pisses some people off. LLOL

@josephr I think that ‘abuse,’ has merged into free speech for some! I like to give a person an opportunity to express anger, when at first presented with my ideas! But, if that continues, it is meant to be either ‘hateful’ or to devalue my opinion or to ‘put me in my place!’ I consider that abuse!

@Freedompath I agree; that's the way i see it too. I also know that people always get angry when they're afraid of losing something important to them; like you say, putting us in our place or devaluing what we say can be expressed hatefully because egos often hate to lose. And sometimes, when the fear is insurmountable, escalation seems inevitable and resolution impossible, so self-extraction is the only peaceable option for me.

@josephr ...extraction...me too!

@Freedompath, @josephr "Self-extraction." Well-put! Just fold your tent and slip out....

@LucyLoohoo @Freedompath, We all have this escape hatch when we feel emotionally trapped or drowning. Suffering is optional. LLOL

@josephr "Suffering" just isn't acceptable! If it's not a good thing....leave! (Funny...I just remembered "Steal away....steal away....steal away to Jeeeeeesusssss....." )

1

ah but preaching to the converted, to use an oddly appropriate phrase, doesn't do as much good as countering the widespread crap.

g

@CoastRiderBill fair enough, that!

g

@CoastRiderBill, perfect analysis. Sometimes it's complicated balancing passions, needs and wants.

1

They not bees my leaders.

1

Seems that so much of the divisive commentary on social media aren't even real citizens, but spammers whose goal is to create chaos for the opposition. But yes, it's so sad when normal people we know and like otherwise, succumb to the name calling and spreading of lies and cruel comments. This is surely a safe haven from that!

1

❤???????

1

Good for you for standing by your beliefs.

1

I'm new here, tomorrow makes one week , I have met sooo many nice people here, both men and women, which is surprisingly not reflected in the real world. And respectful, very much so. I love it here. It's what heaven would be like if it really existed lol

1

What sector of the planet does most of the abuse derive from, if I may ask? (I think I know, but would like to hear it from you)

It is often difficult to tell, but i from what i have been able to discern, no geographical location, political persuasion, gender, religion, or anything else has a monopoly on abusive behaviour. Sadly.

@josephr yeah, that sucks. That's why I almost never go on FB anymore, or make comments either there, or on news articles. Stupid fascists and trolls have ruined any chance of civil discourse, by and large.

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It is tough to listen to the leader of a country call down almost every friendly country and then claim to be a Christian is very troubling! It gives a lot of people license to do it to others and makes the world a more dangerous place but here there is good will and peace.

I honestly think that people believe that guy reads a bible, or any book, then there is no hope for them. I have a running bet that he won't make it to the midterms.

@ThisGuy I bet the under on 18 months, and I lost. I hope you win!

@Anne209 I hope so too, for all our sake.

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