5 ms·

What, speaking my mind as a theist?

• dang 10y ago
  What you describe that way, others might call a religious harangue. Usually when people say "speaking my mind" they mean venting. Venting is bad for civil discussion because it doesn't take others into account. It's only concerned with discharging one's own feeling. That hits others, who happen to have different associations than you do, with unexpected force, provoking discharges of their own—and so on and so on. Everybody feels justified because it always feels like the other hit first. This is how we get religious flamewars and other degenerations, so it's important that we all learn to inhibit our ventings and transmute them into civil, substantive discussion.
  • paxcoder 10y ago
    I disagree that my comment was uncivil and without substance. My question is honest. My provocation is meant for the soul. I am sorry for not being kind.
    • dang 10y ago
      Please provoke souls somewhere else.
      • paxcoder 10y ago
        I was meaning to ask you about that "here" from your original context. Because I suspect your "somewhere else" to be out of sight and out of mind.
        • dang 10y ago
          "Here" means Hacker News. Please stop posting unsubstantive comments.
          • paxcoder 10y ago
            Why do you think I should not "do this" on HN?
            • dang 10y ago
              It's against the rules. Continuing will get your account banned, so please stop.
              • paxcoder 10y ago
                You're not telling me what is against the rules. What rules am I breaking by continuing to talk with you that you're not?