Quote Originally Posted by rasoforos View Post
I feel like this thread will devolve into the same sort of endless argument even though it is meant to be a posted statement.

Unfortunately every time a religious topic is created people will come to claim it is bashing their religion in order to drown opposing arguments.

On the other hand, making sure you do not pi$$ on anyone's tea is a very difficult task when discussing religion so we often end up hurting people's feelings with our posts.

I think that even the mods are a bit confused at the moment.

Your statement is noted and I think it is very fair and if you want my 2 cents I believe you did very well to quote his human name and not involve the church or a god.
No blame attaches to Mouza's original post and the early discussion was well conducted and constructive.

I may well be confused (this is a permanent state of affairs according to my wife) but on one thing I am crystalline in my clarity: treating others with respect is the cornerstone of this Backroom and its future.

Religious topics have been, and are, discussed in this forum to great interest and with mutual understanding. All it takes is to respect one's opponent and their viewpoint, however misguided it may seem to your world view. There are plenty of examples where members disagree but do so in a learned, constructive and respectful manner.

There is absolutely no need to make generalisations, barbed commentaries, or be downright insulting just because one has a diametrically opposed world view. People with religious faith genuinely hold that faith to be sacred and are not unthinking because of that belief. People with no faith can develop very genuine moral systems and are not unethical just because they don't have a supernatural guide.

All sides can learn a great deal if they just get past the baiting and trolling and listen. I long ago lost my faith, but find some of the theological discussions held here illuminating to my own ethical philosophy. When one knows a subject is very sensitive to others in one's community, good manners dictates that one behaves with care and understanding.

That's all we ask for: good manners in all things, be it religion or octosquids.

Thank you kindly.