I recently took a poll asking for religion and number of people blocked.
I was surprised to find that atheists and believers are equally likely to block.
I was even more surprised to find that those who blocked the most people were actually Wiccan.
So, I want to break this down a bit more and find out the reasons why people block other people.
Anonymous
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i dunno, i'd say they just dont like them .. it serves no other purpose than keeping them from answering your question with that particular account .. i dont block anyone its juvenile ..
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Those who "blocked the most" were actually Wiccan? You had like 2 answers from Wiccans...
As I said, I blocked 3 people a long time ago, and it was because they were sending me harassing emails-- nothing to do with actual discussions; it was multiple name-calling, insulting, ranting emails. By the time you get about a dozen or so of these from one person, even when you just delete them and don't answer, it gets annoying.
And for the record, only 1 of the blocked people were bugging me about my religion. The other 2 were liberals raving at me because I am a Republican. It was an election year.
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Some people are ignorant of the subject they are "answering" and have nothing of true value to say other than taking advantage of the opportunity to bash, to shore up their failing self esteem by attacking another person about their beliefs (or lack of).
It's needy, it's kind of creepy and it's tiresome to the rest of us. What could be a forum where within the context of the mythology of various religions, those who are theists or those who have an interest in comparative religion (despite not being religious) have an opportunity to learn about things and help others learn about the religion and it's various aspects.
Instead we deal with garbage and it's pitiful and pathetic that some are so needy, regardless of their ideologies, to behave that way here.
So we block them and rightfully so.
No one owes them a hearing.
Some opinions are truly worthless and some people prove that's all they have to offer.
WOOWHO
I blocked a few Theist one for calling me a WHORE another for calling me a BITCHAZZ another claimed i was a immoral Slut . none of the questions had to do with morals or sex but religious doctrine
they all three expressed they held the belief Being an Atheist makes one IMMORAL so they made assumption ,, yes a 63 year old women could be a Whore . But How do you know What my sexual activities are you do not know me
but Morals are not only a result of religion they are self evolving thought experiences learning and evaluation of circumstance Man does not change if man is never questioned or confronted or challenged . it elicits THINKING and REASONING
I have also blocked Totally Irrational people whom after a Number of Emails and exchanges saw that the individual was so FIXED nothing was going any where and it was clear the INTENT was to convert a person who had been there done that Been a theist myself for 30 years it was their Goal to Convert a 33 year ATHEIST as a Proud mark on their belt of Covert Conquest
if all you can do is send me SCRIPTURE you just PARROTING other people thoughts and words I am more interested in YOUR THINKING PROCESS and your words I can read the bible anytime scripture is not a CONVERSATION
Sagan Ritual
I can think of four people I've blocked. One was a guy who would respond to my every post with a personal attack and a non-sequitur of one kind or another. The nonsense answers I could put up with, but the personal attacks were difficult to take. That kind of thing doesn't usually bother me, but he somehow found my buttons and pushed them hard.
Two others I've blocked were women who kept posting mind-reading comments on my answers, telling me (incorrectly, of course) what's going on in my own brain. Another big button for me.
The last one was recent. There is a woman who frequents this forum and vocally disapproves of my answers. I have tried twice to start a conversation with her via email, hoping we could find some common ground, or at least agree to disagree. But she prefers to stalk me and fling arrogant assertions at me, saying I've misinterpreted the bible (as though she is superior to me in the art of "interpreting" scripture), that I've gotten Satan confused with God, and I'm doing great harm by misinforming people. Like the others I've blocked, she also got into the habit of reading my mind and issuing psychological analyses of my motivations.
The sad thing is, although we disagreed sharply from the start, I had quite a bit of respect for her, certainly more than I have for the average Christian I come across. But when she traded rational conversation for childish stalking, I lost all respect. That's when I blocked her.