Christians aren’t one big amorphous glob, anymore than atheists are.  Your own experience was very negative, and whether you admit it or not, that colors everything you say here and no doubt everywhere else.  “Some of my best friends” is never terribly convincing, no matter how you finish the sentence.  

It’s nice of you to say you don’t have a problem with people being religious when you can’t do a damn thing about it.  It’s about as convincing as Damian saying he doesn’t have a problem with atheists, then talking about how oppressed he feels by them.  It’s precisely the same thing.  Talking about equal time when what you really want is to dictate the terms of the discussion.  

Where atheists are the majority, they dont’ tend to be tolerant at all.  Everybody at my workplace had to take a harassment webinar.  One of the real-life cases we had to answer questions about involved a woman working at a lab.  She wore a crucifix to work.  She was mocked and belittled for her private beliefs that she never at any time tried to push on others.  She sued and won.  Now you don’t have to tell me atheists have had similar problems in places like the bible belt–but that’s the point.  It’s the same exact thing–the majority harassing the minority–demanding conformity.  It’s wrong no matter who does it.  And sadly, it’s human nature, and would be if religion had never existed.  Don’t change your beliefs.  Change your behavior.  

Why aren’t atheists well-liked on the whole, even though fewer and fewer people identify as part of a specific religion?  Because many of them act like they’re already the boss of everything, and expect to be treated as if only they know ‘The Truth’–which is precisely what is driving people away from religion.  See the problem?  Of course not.  So let me explain it–atheism is a shadow of religion.  An overreaction to it.  So rather than avoiding its worst problems, it imitates them.  Like an abused child growing up to be an abuser himself.  

And speaking of changed behavior, didn’t you just offer to stop posting here if I did?  Was that for real?

Nor would I.

But honestly, you greatly overestimate my attachment to this place I had never posted at a few months ago–if you want to blame someone, blame bren, who invited me here. 

You know the guy you have spent untold hours of your life arguing Greek and Hebrew with?

This place isn’t a discussion forum.  It’s an asylum.  Congrats on busting out.  But something tells me you’ll be back. 

As for me, I’m not renewing my subscription when it lapses next year. 

I’ve learned a lot at this blog.

But all I’ve learned at this forum attached to it is that there’s a lot of nutty people obsessed with early Christianity, and they come in all different flavors.  All with the same weird aftertaste.  Which is known as ‘dishonesty.’

I think you greatly overestimate my influence, not to mention your own.

And this is a discussion forum, not a blog.  We have never clashed in the blog comments section, that I recall.

It’s weird that you didn’t see your fights with religious people here as a problem. I think you actually liked having them around, because you wanted somebody to take shots at.

I was a tougher problem, and you’re walking away from it.  Your call.  Forum’s going to have about the same amount of activity, with or without either of us.  

It’s been a busy few days, and I think I missed the full implications of Stephen’s farewell.

He finds this lightly populated unmoderated forum with a paywall too abrasive because I’m here.

So his remedy is to go to a Reddit forum?

I’ve never visited one of those.  He has no need to fear my ever turning up there.  So there’s that.

But based on what I’ve read, Reddit is not without its problems.  

Anyway, hope it works out for him.  My guess is he knows people there, and he’ll feel better with a posse at his back.  

I see somebody just started a topic there inquiring why if Noah had all the animals in the ark with him, there’s no Hebrew word for kangaroo.

Sounds–stimulating.

🙄