We're all entitled to our opinion, but if someone says something that is out and out disrespectful they should be called on it. There's a fine line between being opinated and being offensive and we all cross it at times. A decent person will own it and apologize; for anyone where it becomes their M.O., I say they should be dealt with appropriately.

Sticks and stones, babe; sticks and stones.

Good post! Here's some stats. We're getting more comments than ever and had a slight uptick in the number of blocked members in the last 3 days. When a member has a few blocks in the last N days (N is our secret number), their comments go into a queue that gets looked at more closely for personal attacks. Less than 2% of comments don't go live for a number of reasons including proselytizing (tough one to spell), random text, and personal name-calling.

I’ve never been a member of any group where everyone agreed on everything. One would think that the logic people apply to become an atheist would hold true on other topics. it’s rare but I have seen a lack of critical thinking applied to veganism and meditation. Both are areas on my radar. But I can deal) it’s certamly a much bigger issue on FB.

I see call thewm out or block.flag them received the most votes - HURRAH!! I f the majority will continue to stand for the respect ideals that are the purpose of this site I think the abusers can be weeded out.
Disagreement with anothers believes is fine but personally attacking another for their beliefs is NOT welcome or appropriate or necessary.
On this site I've not encountered any problems in that regard.
On facebook, yes, I simply tell the person I refuse to name call, It's my opinion, or go check the facts before trying to attck me.

On the whole i find this site really good compared to most online "forums" or sosial media. I have onyl encountered dissagreement personaly and seen a few "attacks".. However if doing so i put them right.. IF need be i am ready to tear people a new universe lol .. But i always give benfit of the doubt as easy to misunderstand people in text, rather than face to face. Sorry to hear people are getting grief. Call it out .. flag if unnaproriate. .. if need be take it further.

I don't mind legit points of view. What I can't stand are personal attacks. I have a hard time ignoring statements that are patently false, mean spirited, misinformed or in poor taste. Most of the time it's better though to just ignore/block/unfollow someone, because the worst thing you can do is continue give them attention. That being said, I have one major hot button topic....abuse of men and false allegations against men.

Confront then block. No one has been rude to me in a post, just in the messanger. Would not take no for an answer.

I've enjoyed reading and responding so many posts here, including yours, @akfishlady! I can't pick just one of your poll questions as they all apply on certain days, with certain people, and certain posts. Others have already said everything I would say, so I'll just echo with Keep Perspective, Block Trolls, Be Kind (Or, in the vernacular - Don't Be A Dick). Or to paraphrase the famous words of the forgetful Dory - Just keep scrolling!

This isn't something I have had problems with, but I haven't been here very long. Sometimes I feel that people are a bit abrupt or rude through lack of education or social experience, rather than because they want to be unpleasant, so I am in favour of talking to them about it and giving them a chance to behave better..

I have my good days and my "total bitch" days. I try to be respectful to most people, but I have limits and when I hit them you won't like me.

Those who take pleasure in insulting and berating others deserve to enjoy the other end of the spectrum themselves.

If I'm really only seeing complaints about a problem, but not the actual problem, maybe I am part of the problem.

I have been on this site for a brief time but know whereof you speak. My method has been to shore up the feelings of the person who was criticised.
It's not easy to always be aware of how words can cut. I have a natural affinity for sarcasm, but I try to keep it in check because I know it can be harmful.
Criticism is easy.

I've noticed a lot of unkind comments here and there. For the most part, people are pretty decent, but even on a site like this there are the "self-righteous" kinds who like to revel in their superiority. I call them out every time.

The option that is not there, is what some have considered or are doing--coming here less, and participating less.

A post like this pops up at least once a week. It is there. It happens. SOME people are intentionally or carelessly dickheads. I won't hesitate to block somebody, so I'm not even seeing a lot of what others are seeing. HOWEVER, it does bother me that rarely does anybody in this community stand up and say "Knock it off, asshole!"

I do not believe that "Ignoring them" makes them go away. They find their victims, they behave like dickheads and on and on it goes.

I am now somewhat apathetic about these posts. Not about you, personally, Ask -- it's just I think people want to "drop their two cents and keep scrolling."

So, I'll keep blocking the assholes; other people will keep disappearing or not participating; and everybody's happy and it's all butterflies and rainbows, right?

Yes as we have grown in number of members I am noticing that @Akfishlady. There are some new members that like to argue a position. We also have some good intelligent debates. We can block/report them if they are hateful towards any ethnic or racial or religious group. You had a couple of good ideas that I liked. Creating a group for Level 8 members might be the way to go. We have been here the longest and it would create a forum to discuss the community and our concerns about safety and respect. I do tend to call someone out if they are posting comments that are anti LGBTQ, racial, ethnic and disabilities. Who wants to head the group? I'm in 10 groups right now and feel stretched to the max.

I haven't seen what you mean, or maybe I didn't find it rude because I agreed with them. This is a science site, (why am I equating science and agnostic opinion? Good question. I assume everyone does, but that's not true.) and I have seen people being a little sarcastic when people bring up non evidence based concepts as real. Is that what you mean?

OK, I just read a quite rude response that said that homelessness is caused by laziness. I think that I generally ignore such things and move on to the next comment.

Engaging someone who can't expound beyond insults is the equivalent of picking your nose with mittens...

I am well aware that on the law of arithmetic averages every opinion that I hold will be disagreed with by fifty percent of people. That does not necessarily make either of us wrong nor is there valid reason to disallow either the right to say their belief. The more complicated the issue the greater the likelihood that agreement will not be reached.

It particularly fascinates me that since participating in discussion and reading others opinions on this site I have become far more intolerant of what some are taking to be correct procedure. The above questionaire is a case in point. I understood this site to be for non believers and for people to find suitable partners. However how inducive is it of tolerance and equality to say "not only do I not agree with what you say, I do not want to hear your argument, I simply want to ban you and censor your voice!" How childish and snowflake is that? ... LOL. I have a memory of two people caught censoring parts of a psychologist's lecture on how to achieve good relationships by cutting out all mention of sex because they did not think it necessary or want to be embarrassed by hearing his comments as they believed that it wasn't the cause of their marital breakups! The lecture was to be listened to by a group of mainly dysfunctional people unable to hold their relationships together.

I have also noticed that there is a propensity by some members having identified the folly of previous religious belief through indoctrination to have a void in their lives that they can only fill by now carrying on ad nauseum about the nonsense of religion. Please what are you trying to achieve by preaching / arguing with the converted? Please get a life and move on to create new bright better lives for yourselves instead of harping on about the same old same. At times I'm reminded of God botherers in a church singing the same hymns year in year out, saying the same prayers and listening to the same proselytising fairy tale stories. I wouldn't care but few are willing to actually pay back for their wasted years by going out and evangelizing to get others to come to reason.

So as I said to someone recently "we disagree, I don't waste my time having taken a horse to the water forcing its head in the trough, you go your way , I mine".
If however as this person said they "despised" a cultural art form that I love and that art forms a large and important part of my life reflecting as it does life in general and specifically I will challenge their ignorance and failure to recognise what far superior minds than mine or theirs have considered to be the heights of human achievement. Snowflakes melt away when the Chinook blows.

Not my experience... My starting point always is, treat as I like to be treated. Works just fine for me. Again, cannot emphasize enough, this is me speaking for myself.

Censorship sucks. No matter who is doing it, or why.
The more people there are on the site, and the more interaction there is, the more we're going to see some people "behaving badly". Some folks are better at expressing themselves than others.
Some folks don't feel compelled to engage in thoughtful discourse, or tolerate contrary opinions.
Personally, I'd prefer no one be censored. If someone says something I don't like, I'll either ignore it and keep scrolling, or, if it's particularly heinous to me, I'll call them out on it.
That said, I have noticed an influx of believers to the site. So far, I haven't caught anyone proselytizing, but I'm sure that'll happen eventually, too.

the only problem I see with censuring is that others of us might not get to see the issue and those in question could return behaving their bad selves under another guise.
I've only blocked a couple who seemed to have an obsession about certain topics that would just drag on to infinity so instead of notifications blowing up was just easier.

I don't mind a sharp keyboard tongue here and there when warranted and think I'm guilty of that myself at times.

I've written kind of a manifesto on this which I have now linked from my profile. It's called "DON'T BE AN ATH-HOLE".

[agnostic.com]

So far I haven't encountered this, but I'm relatively new. I hope it doesn't become a problem. It's one reason why I hardly ever do FB anymore. I'd hate for this place to get filled with trolls. I do think the old adage "Don't feed the troll" is a good one; these people want it, whether it's good or bad. That being said, if they really cross a line they should be flagged.