This weekly roundup thread is intended for all culture war posts. 'Culture war' is vaguely defined, but it basically means controversial issues that fall along set tribal lines. Arguments over culture war issues generate a lot of heat and little light, and few deeply entrenched people ever change their minds. This thread is for voicing opinions and analyzing the state of the discussion while trying to optimize for light over heat.
Optimistically, we think that engaging with people you disagree with is worth your time, and so is being nice! Pessimistically, there are many dynamics that can lead discussions on Culture War topics to become unproductive. There's a human tendency to divide along tribal lines, praising your ingroup and vilifying your outgroup - and if you think you find it easy to criticize your ingroup, then it may be that your outgroup is not who you think it is. Extremists with opposing positions can feed off each other, highlighting each other's worst points to justify their own angry rhetoric, which becomes in turn a new example of bad behavior for the other side to highlight.
We would like to avoid these negative dynamics. Accordingly, we ask that you do not use this thread for waging the Culture War. Examples of waging the Culture War:
-
Shaming.
-
Attempting to 'build consensus' or enforce ideological conformity.
-
Making sweeping generalizations to vilify a group you dislike.
-
Recruiting for a cause.
-
Posting links that could be summarized as 'Boo outgroup!' Basically, if your content is 'Can you believe what Those People did this week?' then you should either refrain from posting, or do some very patient work to contextualize and/or steel-man the relevant viewpoint.
In general, you should argue to understand, not to win. This thread is not territory to be claimed by one group or another; indeed, the aim is to have many different viewpoints represented here. Thus, we also ask that you follow some guidelines:
-
Speak plainly. Avoid sarcasm and mockery. When disagreeing with someone, state your objections explicitly.
-
Be as precise and charitable as you can. Don't paraphrase unflatteringly.
-
Don't imply that someone said something they did not say, even if you think it follows from what they said.
-
Write like everyone is reading and you want them to be included in the discussion.
On an ad hoc basis, the mods will try to compile a list of the best posts/comments from the previous week, posted in Quality Contribution threads and archived at /r/TheThread. You may nominate a comment for this list by clicking on 'report' at the bottom of the post and typing 'Actually a quality contribution' as the report reason.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Notes -
If you consider that evangelizing, instead of bothering me, tell /u/NelsonRushton off for suggesting that Palestinians would probably be kicked out of hell. I wasn't the one to raise to topic
If one person is 'allowed' to bring up a topic (hell) other people are 'allowed' to participate
It was literally a figure of speech, it wasn't an invitation to treat on religious dogma and for you to tell people they are going to hell for rejecting christ. Which is just rude really.
Okay, but you don't go to hell for being rude you go for rejecting Christ
No one goes to "hell" because it isn't a real place...It is just very rude to go around telling people that if they don't believe in the same imaginary world that you do they will be tortured for eternity. It is bullying people. Why would someone want to buy what you're selling?
Hell is very real, it's just not the 'fire and brimstone' wasteland created by the western protestant zeitgeist of the last few centuries. Either we are all just slightly hairless apes (shoutout, where are you buddy?) on a rock in space that exist for no reason, or there is a god and we were created. I might be wrong about my beliefs, and we might be the monkeys, but if so, the consequences are...........I live better anyway
Ah yes, the "So what if I am wrong? It still is better to believe due to my lifestyle choices because of that belief" step of any religious discussion. You don't have the intrinsic self motivation and direction to act in a kind way and do nice things for people without religious dogma?
Also; how do you know one imaginary hellscape is real and one is false?
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
The fact that someone mentions "hell" does not mean it's an opening for you to start preaching.
Casually asking someone who starts talking about hell if they reject Christ isn't 'preaching' and it's insidious (though unsurprising) that you'd suggest it was
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link