Anyone else here a member of CARM also?

[Sidbob]

Hey guys and gals,

I came to this forum after a long (and sometimes tedious and annoying) stint on CARM, or the Christian Apologetics Research Ministry. Its a fundamentalist Christian site but they allow anyone, including Atheists and "Evos" to join for the purpose of better defending themselves against them or some such nonsense.

Anyway, have any of you been lucky enough to test your sanity talking to fundies on CARM? It can be great fun sometimes and some of them are really genuinely nice people but some of them are so far off the chain its a wonder how they can get through day to day life.

[tacoma_kyle]

Do they censor you posts?

[Will]

I don't usually look for people to educate, but if they're inviting it.

[Squid]

If I wanted that kind of frustration I'd give a lecture on the wonders of psychiatric drugs at a Scientology convention.  Posting at CARM would seriously have me pounding my head on the wall...literally.

[Sidbob]

Do they censor you posts?

They allow everything up to, and including, aggressive discussion but outright name calling is not allowed. You cannot discuss other posters openly either and since they removed the PM system, its gotten quite common to see people get temp-bans for it.

Oddly enough you can:

-Give sweeping generalizations i.e: "All Christians are morons"

-You can outright insult Christianity: "Christianity is a religion for the weak and helpless"

Although it can be frustrating, it can be good fun also. Such as the user called Supersport who is a regular on the Evolution/ID board, his science knowledge is, "lacking", to say the least. He thinks that individual cells think for themselves and that a human being can literally cure themselves of illness by thinking it. He also had this bizarre theory that the eyes "look-out" towards objects rather than viewing reflected light. He got a serious flaming for that one.

[tacoma_kyle]

Well it doesnt sound that bad----but that doesnt mean I am tryin it. I have have enough webboards I frequent and the last thing I need is somethin to start getting me surprised in the stupidity potential of humanity. I'd rather just know it than know and experience it .

[SteveS]

Hi sidbob - welcome to the forum!  While I enjoy the occasional debate, I primarily came here to be among other atheists.  I haven't checked out CARM at all.

[bitter_sweet_symphony]

Welcome Sidbob. I am on a temporary break from debating Muslim apologetics. Debating theists can be an exhausting job, isn't it?

[Sidbob]

Welcome Sidbob. I am on a temporary break from debating Muslim apologetics. Debating theists can be an exhausting job, isn't it?

Yes it can be absolutely hair-tearing at times, some of them are great people but my reasons for going on there was to observe the worst that theology has to offer in its natural environment...and thats exactly what I got.

-Catholics are constantly ridiculed for worshiping the Pope and not God

-Theistic evolutionists are accused of being false Christians or being there solely to try and tempt the TRU-CHRISTIANS away from their precious bibles

-Atheists are accused of being rebellious and trying to replace God, how can someone who does not believe in God try and replace him? I have no idea

-Evolution is held up to be some kind of religious belief unto itself, all evidence to the contrary is completely ignored.

All in all its a wonderful place, full of hypocrites and hateful people claiming to be spiritually enlightened.

[Whitney]

Oddly enough you can:

-Give sweeping generalizations i.e: "All Christians are morons"

-You can outright insult Christianity: "Christianity is a religion for the weak and helpless"

They must have made a few rule changes since about 5 years ago....maybe it's not as bad as the last time I read through there and spoke to others who tried to debate on CARM.

[Mister Joy]

I've joined but I don't know if I'll stay. I can't stand the posting system, for one thing. Also, if there are many members as mentally impaired as you've described, sidbob, then I may not be able to conjure the necessary amount of masochism needed to endure their crap. Also, it's too fast moving. I can't stand forums with too many active members because they always wind up taking away too much of my spare time keeping up.

[Sidbob]

I've joined but I don't know if I'll stay. I can't stand the posting system, for one thing. Also, if there are many members as mentally impaired as you've described, sidbob, then I may not be able to conjure the necessary amount of masochism needed to endure their crap. Also, it's too fast moving. I can't stand forums with too many active members because they always wind up taking away too much of my spare time keeping up.

In your user control panel there should be an option to change the posting format from the stupid branching system that on by default, to a more normal linear system like the one we are using here.

I try and use CARM as a source of comedy, for example, read any Posts by Supersport on the Evo/ID board, they are pretty damn funny. On their Atheism board try reading through posts and topics by Metacrock, he is completely off his rocker and seems to have a serious God complex, it can be really funny when he snaps and rants at everyone. CARM even has its own webpage dedicated to rebutting Metacrock's blog, despite him being a paying member.

[Whitney]

....I have run into Metacrock on another forum....let's just say the last part of his name is an accuate reflection of his ideas.

[Mister Joy]

I'm finding Scarlets79 very entertaining, actually. His arguments, no matter what the topic, all have the exact same material and format: "The fact that you can't acknowledge I'm right and you're wrong sickens me. I'm not even going to attempt to support or justify my wild claims and relentless accusatory attitude because your mum's face is a big fat gay, quite frankly. :x " That but with more apparent anger and frustration. Gotta wonder why he bothers.