What an Apology means to Athesits.

 a Poster apologizes for his behavior but what's he really saying? This is on CARM

This poster is not an atheist his screen name is "not an atheist" but his "trick apology" is lauded by the atheists.

 

A CARM Secular Forums apology...

... for my behavior. Maybe you don't particularly care as to how I've behaved, or as to my reasons for it - but I do. If for no other reason, I'm apologizing to set the record straight, rather than to ask for forgiveness.

I recently tried to match the sheer volume of contrarian opinions posted here. In particular, I tried to match the responses of one specific poster (may she remain nameless) for a single "work day" - that is, an 8-hour period from 8:30AM to 4:30PM EST. The task involved responding to every post made by this person with just as much sincerity as they put in to it.

Several things happened during this period. I went through a number of emotional changes which slowly evolved over time. They included dull amusement, anger, wonderment and bitter self-loathing of a type I'd not experience prior to this experiment. I also found "anticipation" at the prospect of coming up with a snarky dismissal of this person's post, and though I shudder to admit it, this is what kept me motivated for the entire time period.

I also found that after roughly 3 hours, I got nauseous. There was a noticeable feeling of disgust at my own behavior, even though part of me was enjoying it. I'm sure both Christians and atheists might impart significance at this, but for me it simply was. I disliked treating people the way I was being treated, and knowing I'd have to keep it up for a full work-day made me feel bad.

At the end of this period, I stopped responding to the person. Perhaps significantly, I noticed the person had stopped posting a half hour before I did. We'd both spent the day posting as soon and as often as we'd seen the other person respond. I attribute this synchronicity to our effort required to maintain the acrimony.

After only a single day of matching her behavior, I've concluded that my antagonist is mentally unstable. No healthy person could maintain the sheer volume of contrarian bigotry without being negatively impacted by it. While I was able to keep this up for an entire day without any lasting affects, I can't imagine the same behavior day-after-day being indicative of a healthy mind.

I apologize to the Secular Forums posters, independent of their theology. I wont repeat the experiment, both for their sake and my own.

 Shtop who is an athist says:

I know exactly what you mean. In an effort to gain understanding of such a mindset, I've attempted something very similar, with the same poster I'm sure. I simply couldn't last.

Noticeably, others have been doing the same. The level of discourse on these forums has never been very high, but it's being dragged to an all-time low.



what he's really saying is "I can prove this person is sick and disgusting becuase trying to think like her makes me sick." That is disguised as an apology.

I call them on it with my own post "do Atheists have sincere feelings?"

they are always upset that we imply they can't be moral. O it wounds them so! then they make a false apology that's about as subtle as saying "I'm sorry my opponent is so evil. I really deep have deep compassion for him because he's so evil." That's suppose to be this big sincere apology that they all glam onto. Do they do they really think they are fooling. They even call it 'cam apology." What's a "Carm apology?" An apology that's as insulting as most of the posts on the board?

If they mock and ridicule stuff like apologies and feelings, when do they ever get sincere about real feelings?

 They feel no shame. what did is prefectly acceptable.


 Diest:

I guess we see the hubris and hypocrisy of Christians contending they have a moral compass when that moral compass includes killing men, women, children and puppies and stoning those who don't believe as they do.

 what the immorlatiy this Chsritian is doin gis never stated explicitly and I'm not sure what it is, but I think it's like supporting the OT or something.


Madmax:

You seem to be confusing an apology regarding a person's view of their own behavior towards a person and their personal assessment of that person. They aren't the same thing.

wow! as though he didn't even couch it in terms of an apology.