When asked a simple poll question?

I haven't been given thumb privileges yet :-(

I don't know exactly what religion I am yet so who knows how I will thumbs? I wish they had a peace sign...sounds much cooler.

The atheists are the only ones who bother with the thumbs up and down thing

Cinn, I think you are spot on but can we just get a little distinction between atheists and anti-theists? I don't think they should be lumped together. They may go hand in hand sometimes but not every atheist is an anti-religion Christopher Hitchens-like clone.

It really depends on who stars your question and the audience that is drawn towards it and answers.

I ended up with a roaming party of Fundies one night who were trying to out-do each other in making me feel bad for posting what was essentially a perfectly straightforward question and in a respectful manner.

Fortunately, as a wiccan I would never lump them in with all Christians. They are only a noisy extremist minority that do not represent any majority.

What is actually accomplished by the thumbs-down sentiment,blocking others or reporting questions?....

Am I the only secure person,that participates on this entire religious forum?

Personally,I am provoked to both listen and investigate,when presented an opposite or dissimilar belief. (Especially when well articulated and in genuine humility)...When I see a thumbs-down,I see a coward,that doesn't really know,why they believe,what they believe..

or one who can't emotionally accept,that others have a different idea..

I am a pro-life Christian,for example...I am capable of and will,defend my position,beliefs and convictions...I am not however called to punish others,who are not convinced..

I'm a (pan) theist. They thumb me sideways, I bet. Actually , I never check. Everybody has a right to an opinion and a vote.

You make a good point Cinn and I never really thought about it before now,but as I said "you make a good point".

Sounds like there are alot of people that don't have a sense of humor and that is too bad !!

Atheists seem to be a strong majority on Y!A. Even so, everybody thumbs-up what they agree with and thumbs-down what they disagree with.

I got a thumb down, as did other atheists.

Also, if you notice, there are a good majority more atheists answering the question than theists. Odds are, a few of them are childish. Considering just how many atheists answered, though, most did not thumb down anyone.

Just for honesty sake, the same poll would have shown different patterns depending on the time of day or day of the week it was asked. The "winds of RS demographics" are fickle and ever changing.