Rules of Atheist Debate

(or, How to Participate in HolySmoke)


(Note: This page is a satire of sorts. HolySmoke is a message board offered via FidoNet, of which most local bulletin board systems (BBSes) are a part. It's dominated primarily by atheists and agnostics, many of whom seem to follow the following rules of debate.)


NOTE: this is not true of ALL atheists, or of all of those who debate over HolySmoke. This listing is derived from my experience with several atheists such as Fredric Rice and David Worrell.

1. Ignore any evidence. This includes opinion by any expert, no matter what discipline the expert comes from, and no matter what his/her level of expertise is, unless that opinion agrees with yours.


2. Call all Christians Nazis. Do this regardless of how many good works they have done, or how much community service they have performed. Remember that they, of course, are the MOST EVIL ENEMY that mankind has ever faced.


3. Heave as many hurtful personal insults as you can. Do this at every Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, or for that matter, any non-atheist that you can.


4. Ignore facts. Ignore logic. Especially when logic says that modern Christians can't be held responsible for the sins of their predecessors.


5. Rewrite history, and do it without citing credible sources. Tell people that Adolf Hitler, Josef Stalin, and whoever else you want to name (throw in Mr. Ed if you want to) were all good Christian boys. Tell people that the Klu Klux Klan members were all good Christian people.


The sad part of the story is not that these tactics are followed. The sad part is that these people are so misled that they can't see any other way through life than life without God. One day, however, their atheism will come to an end.....one way or another. Need examples on each of these? Click here to see one such example. This is the Web page of the Skeptic Tank BBS, on which I shall have more to say in the near future.