The number of posts arguing about the difference between atheist and agnostic have increased. It's absurd.

We are not in conflict. Under Learn on the tab above, click on About Us:

Agnostic is a non-profit and non-prophet community for people who are naturally good without any gods. Our members have a wide range of views about what the site should be about. For some, it's a place to nurture humanist or non-religious principles. For others, it's a place to recover from a religious past or to reaffirm one's non-theism.

We hope to provide a safe place for people to share their thoughts and opinions, get involved in secular causes, keep up with news, and even meet others. We are not an anti-religion website.

CORE PRINCIPLES

We want to be defined by principles and not what we don't believe. The following are core principles we agree with:

Be open-minded and be willing to alter your beliefs with new evidence.
Strive to understand what is most likely to be true, not to believe what you wish to be true.
The scientific method is the most reliable way of understanding the natural world.
Every person has the right to control of their body.
A god is not necessary to be a good person or to live a full and meaningful life.
Be mindful of the consequences of all your actions and recognize that you must take responsibility for them.
Treat others as you would want them to treat you, and can reasonably expect them to want to be treated. Think about their perspective.
We have the responsibility to consider others, including future generations.
There is no one right way to live.
Leave the world a better place than you found it.

The only battle lines were drawn by the right wing religious conservatives, and we aren't the only ones . These same conservatives are also battling those of different races and creeds , including those who oppose the current President . The lines also include those who are liberal people who want freedom from oppression . Oppression from the ultra rich who destroy the environment and oppress the poor and disadvantaged . Who want a religious state, oppose abortion unfair taxes on the wealthy. As a veteran who took an oath to defend the constitution and it's people from oppression I will gladly stand against this oppression, we are guaranteed freedom from religion as well as those who wish to believe as they wish . Does that clarify how I feel as well as others .

I have posted several times noting the influx of trolls, using various tactics to try and get us to fall on our knees & start singing Hosanna! The smarter ones post stuff that requires you to posit a gawd in order to discuss their post. The others quote extensively from the babble, or twist any replies to "leads to the light". They are on a mission, and earning points in heaven! Do not hesitate to call them on their claptrap! Done right, it can be fun!

Your experience can vary greatly depending on what Groups you are in and which you hide.

Same with the Forums. I choose not to view all the politics - there's too much hate there. Now and then I dip a toe but that's it.

Sometimes it's necessary to take a break from the fray and just watch cat videos....
Or a bit of art or whatever floats your boat.

Get a second wind and realize some people make a shit ton of noise because they can. They don't represent all of humanity.

Pay attention it's likely the same people over and over again.
And if someone shows you who they are once? Believe them!

I put up with it for a solid year before my first block. I'm in double digits now and I don't have to listen to the nasty people constantly.
If I know it's a bad time for them? They get more chances but pure asshattedness is out.

Life is too short. YMMV.

The religionists have become more demanding, and way stupid, in recent years.

The support for islam is the most disturbing, because it comes from the "progressive liberals." . . . Islam is the worst set of ideas ever. It is anti all the best ideas ever: free speech, equal rights for all, NO religion,...

I wouldn't say battle lines but I did comment the other day there were a lot of god questions for an Agnostic site. It was postulated that this is because we have had an influx of members who might have been heavily indoctrinated or felt the need to talk it out as they were making their move out of religion. If that is what you mean... I have seen it too.

I never see any religionists (if I understand your term) on this site. Some of the scammers claim to be believers, but they don’t last more than a few days.

I can’t say it’s much different. I stick around only because of a few people, and you are one of them.

Lately? I've been battling this stuff since the mid 70's. But yeah. I am amazed that this topic is still being talked about. My most potent thought is that, where the internet is a viable source of information that any one can gain knowledge. It is also a fountain of mis-information. My biggest beef is that way too many can't tell the difference. That to me is paramount towards education.

A lot of trolls have infiltrated this site trying to push their religious beliefs onto this community. I blocked one that just would not stop. Others I just ignore. If they come in here with their fairytales, and try to shove it onto this community, I don't see why we should not stand up for ourselves and fight back.

There's quite a lot of venting. I accept many people have been hurt very badly by religion. I think I'm very fortunate that even though I have huge respect for the Bible and the Judeo-Christian culture and often voice it, I get very little negative feedback from it. Fingers crossed we continue to read opposing opinions in a friendly way!

I think our social-media space is being invaded just like every social-media space. The goal is to sow discord, erode trust, and make us waste our time.

Nothing stays the same. Nothing.
The site has been evolving since it's inception.

I think what you're noticing most is the push-back of non-believers
against the increasing demands that the believers have felt emboldened
to make since 45 has taken office.

It has less to do with actual politics than it has to do with them wanting to
force as many people as possible to live the way they want them to.
They've gotten far more overt about it.
With 45 in office, they feel like this is their opportunity to make things the
way they want them.
It's not like the DoJ is trying to stop this incursion into public policy.
Or anyone else who should be upholding the Constitution.
We're seeing it, and reacting to it.

It's got nothing to do with "regressive leftists".
That line of "reasoning" is completely full of shit.

It's the FB invasion. Imbeciles that have no sense of decorum. Don't feed the trolls. let them languish on their posts.

Hmm. Is it really battle lines? Maybe it is just me, but I'm ok with some dialogue and back and forth. And, I haven't noticed any real religionists staying for very long; they are usually smited. There may be more "spiritual" folks, who get under some people's skin. I call myself an agnostic, although, for those who have read my thoughts I come across as a pure atheist. I believe in science and math (even though I love literature, etc) and until I see any proof of something I expect there is nothing after death. Zip nada, zero. That is what science says. I wrote a novel about a ghost. Do I believe it to be possible? No. Do I believe there are things as of yet explained? Yes. And, those things will, most likely, have scientific explanations or be put hoaxes. That, I don't doubt. Even if a body is brought back from the dead, long after it is possible - I'll still believe in science and not any ramblings from a disjointed brain reanimated.

I consider it less a "fight" than either a tsunami engulfing old-style thoughts, attitudes and beliefs, or a gradual "evolutionary tide" of same.
Whether in a more dramatic watershed moment, or in a lesser, slower erosion, the beach cliffs and shores of antiquated, obsolete ideas and assumptions will inevitably be washed away, exposing new ground.
If you want to think of it as a fight, it is a one-sided one.
Viewed through the lens of history, old ideas always give way to updated information.

I have seen an invasion of spiritualists who are very vocal because they confuse the expression of awe for the vastness of the universe, art in general, poetry, music, etcetera as proof and evidence of the human soul, the human spirit, when you call them out by telling them that these expressions are 100% physiological and have nothing to do with souls or spirits, ergo not spiritual at all, by golly they go increasingly bonkers defending their idiotic pov, especially in a site like this. Are those the religionists you talk about?

We don't have to go to every fight we're invited to.

Lonely posts die lonely deaths if we allow it.

Not the same site that I joined. It has become infested with regressive leftists.

Bring em on! ..keeps me off the streets hunting them down

Your are right. I have noticed the same and am holding back from commenting until the wave has crested. I have blocked 14 people in the last month, none the years before that.
So I am bobbing along in the water, not waving,but drowning. (With thanks and admiration to Stevie Smith)

Maybe you're in different chats than what I'm seeing

I sure do wish animated GIF images could be viewed here.

Anyone know the movie? lol

I don't play nice with people who shoved religion down my throat for most of my life...especially when I was a kid and could not do much about it.