Saturday, February 19, 2011

Giving up online debate.

Several years ago Dave Armstrong gave up online debate. He stated that life was too short and he had run out of patience. For the last several years I have taken part in the online debates over at CARM. At first they were edifying and enlightening, I even made some good friends there of all different theological slants. (Ric, Julie, Paul, Fr. Pomeroy). Lately though, it has just become downright nasty. Personal attacks replaced critiques, there is not a single anti-catholic myth or conspiracy theory that isn't promoted as truth.

It has brought out the worst in me on many occasions. So, after thought and prayer, I am returning to my blog to put out my thoughts.

9 comments:

Dave Armstrong said...

I didn't give up all online debates (I've had several with atheists in recent months): only attempted ones with anti-Catholics, because I have found that true dialogue or debate with them is impossible. People have to know at least the basics of an opposing position before they can have an actual dialogue, and these guys don't.

Sounds like you have learned this, too, at CARM! I lost patience with that place many years ago.

Ken W said...

Actually, I'd love to participate more. You have no idea how much I have learned about the CCC this last year, just by reading their (CARM-ites) assertions and then weighing those assertions against the actual source. 2 basic reasons I do not participate much:

1) I cannot type that fast. Gatecrasher's posts can easily be torn to shreds, but he is obviously either a great typist or he has ridiculous amounts of free time on his hands. I'd love to engage him, but I always have to ask myself: It's going to take me an hour to do this. Do I have an hour to give? If I did, is Gatecrasher worth that hour? Is the jury section straight out of the movie "Idiocracy" going to stop their cheerleading of the self annointed master debater after I give that hour? My wife says that I may as well be arguing with the wall, and she is correct.

2) I felt convicted to get my own ducks in a row (my confirmation), first, before participating too much more. Because of my own unique hurdles, I expected this to take years, but it turns out that my priest is an expert at taking what seems complex and making it very simple. In short, Sacrament of Reconciliation has already happened, and barring any catastrophe, I will be confirmed Sunday morning. Please pray the Holy Spirit to keep my path clear between now and then.

Ken, aka, Seraphim

Unknown said...

But you never really left!

http://forums.carm.org/vbb/showthread.php?97810-quot-Giving-up-on-line-debate-quot&p=2858123#post2858123

kmerian said...

True, I did allow myself to get sucked in again. A mistake I have now rectified.

God bless you Gatecrasher, I hope you find peace and happiness.

Mechanized said...

To Catholic Texan:

Indeed. These numerous and paranoid conspiracy theories are so omnipresent that one scarcely knows where to begin. Perhaps that can be remedied by viewing two videos I posted (with prior permission), debunking Jack Chick's "The Attack".

As follows:

CTBC Jack Chick's The Attack [P1]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DA0wfYE-l8&feature=plcp

CTBC Jack Chick's The Attack [P2]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZxEjqBjxzo&feature=relmfu

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your patience. It is not our victory that we fight for, but for the salvation of others. Peace, bro.

James said...

My favourite paranoid Catholic -bashing so far is this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjMIwBoeT98

Title: "The New Jesuit Pope Prepares to Welcome Lucifer As Christ!!"

It turns out to be a Seventh-Day Adventist video - SDA anti-Catholic paranoia is always (in my experience) of high quality. As a non-American, I've lost count of how often I've wondered whether there is something in the US environment to account for the outright loopiness of so much US anti-Catholicism.

CARM is sad - I used to participate quite a lot some years ago, but the tone of some posters was so viciously anti-Catholic & so irrational I gave up. Life is to short to spend in a cesspit. The sad thing is that CARM is capable of being so much better. One can only suppose that there are a lot of deeply traumatised ex-Catholics at CARM. IMO they deserve pity more than anything.

James said...

to short = too short

Unknown said...

CARM is a rabid anti-catholic site, absolutely no doubt.
A large proportion of the discussion group on the rcc forum are ex-catholics, and very hostile ones at that.
They have given a virtual green light to say anything they like, ad hominem, snide insults etc.
Challenge them and you are either banned or made a secular forum member.
They are welcome to their prejudice and bigotry on their own.