Points to ponder about posting here

Points to ponder about posting here:


1. Burden of proof lies with you.

If you make a claim, that claim should have a basis, and we're asking you to show that basis.

Prior to entering into a discussion, please ensure that you are willing to concede that the source of any claim you make is unreliable if your claim is shown to be incorrect.

The burden of proof has been accepted as a fundamental part of debate for thousands of years. We don't care if you can't or won't accept this.


2. Questioning your belief is not a personal attack.

We are interested. Of course we may disagree, since we are skeptical, and we will question why you believe this or that thing, in order to better understand your motivation and thought process.

If an idea appears to be stupid in our view, it doesn't necessarily reflect on you.

Ideas and claims are robustly discussed here, to determine whether they have any credible basis. Objection to a poster's choice of language is not a relevant excuse to avoid dealing with the content of the discussion. Strong or colorful language used to attack ideas, does not equate to attacking the poster.  


3. Circular reasoning means we get annoyed.

Of course whatever holy book underpins your favorite theory is going to support your ideas. But "the bible says god is real, and god wrote the bible, so the bible must be right" is a circular argument. 

We're not going anywhere if we cannot find some starting point all parties agree upon, at least to some extent.


4. Read your holy book and get to know it.
 
If you cite something, you must be sure of what you're citing.


5. Answer questions.

This is a forum, not your pulpit: please learn the difference as it appears cruel of us if we have to demonstrate what that difference is.

We don't like boredom; if you don't respond to questions, particularly repeated ones, or resist any sort of meaningful dialogue we will assume you don't really want to be here. You aren't expected to have answers to everything but we do expect some sort of response, particularly if the question is itself prompted by something you have said.

Avoidance is futile. Repeated avoidance is not only rude, it also looks dishonest.


6. When it comes to crap theories, each of us is an equal-opportunity debunker.

Just a forewarning.


7. Don't go all "free speech" on us. You are our guest.

Again, our forum does not equal your pulpit.

You are here with the purpose of conversing  with like-minded people. To do this properly, you need to be able to communicate.

This list was made to help you talk to us: if you're seeing it as an obstacle, it's possible you're not actually here to communicate, but for another reason, like pride, or leaving a stain on the wall.

You will not be censored except for illegal images, hate promotion or publishing information deemed likely to lead to harm.

You may also be taken off the soap box and asked to leave: that is not censorship, any more than ejecting a troublesome interjector from any meeting is censorship.



8. Post evidence, not excrement.

When posting evidence in the form of articles or citations, be sure you understand, and can fully explain, everything that you post.

Don't steal information:  Where possible, when posting regarding specific research or theories, ensure that you give credit to arguments that are not yours - if you paste in a quotation from some other source, where possible please include a reference to that citation so the source is acknowledged. This is a general rule of thumb and probably won't apply to just general "back and forth". Using common sense is all we ask. 

If you cannot understand the origins of your evidence, please acknowledge same. Likewise, if your evidence might work more than one way - even in a way that is opposed to what may prefer - you should acknowledge those alternatives.

Longer is not always better.

 
Used with permission and adapted from the AFA.