Numbers

midlandsmissus

Hi,

I find it really interesting to go into the Religion&Spirituality forum and see how many people are currently viewing the Christianity and also the Atheist forums. Any time I've looked, the atheist forum always has about treble the number of viewers. Do you think this is representative of society?

brianthebard

No.

midlandsmissus

Let me phrase it better. There is alot more interest in atheism than christianity on this board, do you think that's the way we as a society are headed? Do you think Ireland will become an atheist majority? The majority of people I know would now consider themselves atheist. i just think it's interesting to watch the viewer numbers....maybe i have too much time on my hands:)

Dave!

Well I suspect (dunno how true it is) that the trend is for religiosity to increase with age. So the younger you are the less likely you are to be religious. Most boards users are in their early 20s AFAIK...

Actually, there was a thread made in After Hours a while ago and it had a poll asking about religion. As far as I can remember, the vast majority were actually atheists. Which surprised me! I'll try dig it up

ChocolateSauce

Could it have something to do with internet geeks comma prevalence of?

AtomicHorror

ChocolateSauce wrote: »

Could it have something to do with internet geeks comma prevalence of?

Probably that plus the age bias.

Dave!

BOOM
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055380182&highlight=God

Dades

I don't think the opinions of internet board dwellers can be taken as indicative of society in any general way.

But I guess it is indicative of the thinking of maybe the younger third of the population.

Besides, you'd never see a thread about cannibalism in Christianity!

c0rk3r

I do this aswell, Currently there is 13people viewing chistianity vs 11 people viewing Atheism & Agnosticism forum. Doesnt mean anything, reckon half the number of people viewing the Christianity forum are miltant atheists just waiting to spout crap, likewise with the christians lurking around here. When i check the numbers theres usually more on the christianity forum. /shrug read into that what you wish.


The cycling forum overtaking the soccer forum on viewer numbers, now theres something.

brianthebard

All you are going on is who is viewing the forum at any one time Op. it could just be a load of bots, we don't know. Both forum's seem at least as busy as each other to me.

ChocolateSauce

Dave! wrote: »

BOOM
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055380182&highlight=God

Just because they don't believe in god doesn't mean they're (gasp) atheists!
:pac:

Dave!

God forbid

Tim Robbins

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Let me phrase it better. There is alot more interest in atheism than christianity on this board, do you think that's the way we as a society are headed? Do you think Ireland will become an atheist majority? The majority of people I know would now consider themselves atheist. i just think it's interesting to watch the viewer numbers....maybe i have too much time on my hands:)

I thought this thread was referring to a book in the Old Testament but of course it has an atheist connotation. Definetly a sign of the times!

I find it hard talking to some of them at times as I think they rely on ad hominens, oh tim you're such a... instead of working through the logic of an argument.

lostexpectation

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Let me phrase it better. There is alot more interest in atheism than christianity on this board, do you think that's the way we as a society are headed? Do you think Ireland will become an atheist majority? The majority of people I know would now consider themselves atheist. i just think it's interesting to watch the viewer numbers....maybe i have too much time on my hands:)

midlandmissus is just trying to paint herself as an oppressed minority when she clearly isn't :rolleyes:

Galvasean

It would be interesting to see how much the 'no religion' bracket increases in this country by the end of my life time.

DapperGent

midlandsmissus wrote: »

Let me phrase it better. There is alot more interest in atheism than christianity on this board, do you think that's the way we as a society are headed? Do you think Ireland will become an atheist majority? The majority of people I know would now consider themselves atheist. i just think it's interesting to watch the viewer numbers....maybe i have too much time on my hands:)

I think the forum's popularity has to do with nothing more than the intelligence, humour and writing ability of the average poster on A&A being higher than any other forum on boards.

Galvasean

DapperGent wrote: »

I think the forum's popularity has to do with nothing more than the intelligence, humour and writing ability of the average poster on A&A being higher than any other forum on boards.

I R aGRRE!

DapperGent

LOLS nice post M8s!!!

Dades

DapperGent wrote: »

I think the forum's popularity has to do with nothing more than the intelligence, humour and writing ability of the average poster on A&A being higher than any other forum on boards.

And humility! Don't forget that!

Dades

Just found the results of the most recent Boards census (2007) here.

DapperGent

Dades wrote: »

And humility! Don't forget that!

I didn't mean to sound arrogant and I certainly wasn't talking about myself.

I don't know why this forum is so good, I don't think it neccesarily has anything to do with it's stated purpose. When I first joined boards the soccer forum was a great read, a couple of years ago the poker forum was brilliant. So I'm not saying that athiests are smarter and cooler than other people and that's why this forum is captivating, I am thinking it, I'm just not saying it.

From past experience this place will turn into a shítheap too at some stage if it continues to get busier. I don't think anything can compete the fact that a human being when faced with a crowded room will tend to shout something inane rather than say something interesting.

ChocolateSauce

DapperGent wrote: »

I don't think anything can compete the fact that a human being when faced with a crowded room will tend to shout something inane rather than say something interesting.

Don't jinx it! It doesn't have to be a self-ful....eh, never mind.

midlandsmissus

lostexpectation wrote: »

midlandmissus is just trying to paint herself as an oppressed minority when she clearly isn't :rolleyes:

I nearly choked on my diet coke!!! WHAT!! I mean COME ON! you read way too much into things

The Mad Hatter

midlandsmissus wrote: »

I nearly choked on my diet coke!!! WHAT!! I mean COME ON! you read way too much into things

I think he was joking.

midlandsmissus

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

I think he was joking.

I somehow don't think so. When they put in the rolling eyes smilie, you know they're being serious. joke

The Mad Hatter

midlandsmissus wrote: »

I somehow don't think so. When they put in the rolling eyes smilie, you know they're being serious. joke

Does that mean I was joking?

Dave!

Oh lordy this web of jokes is confusing! :eek:

Whispered

ChocolateSauce wrote: »

Just because they don't believe in god doesn't mean they're (gasp) atheists!
:pac:

Help me out here please, coz I'm really confused. Is an athiest not someone who does not believe in god?

sink

helena.ryan wrote: »

Help me out here please, coz I'm really confused. Is an athiest not someone who does not believe in god?

*whoosh*

midlandsmissus

sink wrote: »

*whoosh*

is that you wetting yourself?

sink

midlandsmissus wrote: »

is that you wetting yourself?

Nah it's just my snide atheist side coming up for air, I try and not let it out very often.

ChocolateSauce

sink wrote: »

*whoosh*

LOL

Whispered

Yeah, I also have been told not all athiests are snide sarcastic bastids. Is that also false?

midlandsmissus

helena.ryan wrote: »

Yeah, I also have been told not all athiests are snide sarcastic bastids. Is that also false?

Good on you helena.ryan!

To answer your question, no they are not all like that on here, but some are extremely snide and sarcastic when you ask a question, and you just have to give them as good as you get.

Sink let me say *whoosh*! That's a big laugh coming up out of me at your strange computer lingo........;)

The Mad Hatter

helena.ryan wrote: »

Yeah, I also have been told not all athiests are snide sarcastic bastids. Is that also false?

Yup.

midlandsmissus

The Mad Hatter wrote: »

Yup.

The mad hatter. she was saying that in response to some-one being snide and sarcastic on here! (just in case you missed that bit, i know you didnt but )

Instead of saying 'yup' why not be nice to the girl and answer her question!

sink

midlandsmissus wrote: »

The mad hatter. she was saying that in response to some-one being snide and sarcastic on here! (just in case you missed that bit, i know you didnt but )

Instead of saying 'yup' why not be nice to the girl and answer her question!

ChocolateSauce was making a joke. The joke was that some people do not believe in god but do not call themselves atheists when in reality that is exactly what they are. They don't call themselves atheists because that term rightly or wrongly has many negative connotations attached to it such as we're all snide sarcastic bastards. "*Whoosh*" was also a joke, it was the sound ChocolateSauces joke made when it flew over helenas head. The fact that it was snide added to the comedic value as it was stereotypical snide atheist comment. It's not really that funny and probably shouldn't have said it.

The Mad Hatter

sink wrote: »

ChocolateSauce was making a joke. The joke was that some people do not believe in god but do not call themselves atheists when in reality that is exactly what they are. They don't call themselves atheists because that term rightly or wrongly has many negative connotations attached to it such as we're all snide sarcastic bastards. "*Whoosh*" was also a joke, it was the sound ChocolateSauces joke made when it flew over helenas head. The fact that it was snide added to the comedic value as it was stereotypical snide atheist comment.

Just to add that 'yup' was also a joke, because I like paradoxes.

Dave!

Jokes aren't funny when you have to explain them

Whispered

Ah see I came on here when i joined, thinking I'm not an athiest even though I don't believe in god and Dades and co took the time to explain that I am in fact, horror of horror, an athiest. My athiest education took a giant leap back when i read the sarcastic comment and missed the sarcasm. (CS - you don't do saracsm very well btw)

oeb

helena.ryan wrote: »

Ah see I came on here when i joined, thinking I'm not an athiest even though I don't believe in god and Dades and co took the time to explain that I am in fact, horror of horror, an athiest. My athiest education took a giant leap back when i read the sarcastic comment and missed the sarcasm. (CS - you don't do saracsm very well btw)

Sarcasm that the target misses is the best kind of sarcasm!

Whispered

oeb wrote: »

Sarcasm that the target misses is the best kind of sarcasm!

because it's all the more snide & nasty that way?

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.

oeb

helena.ryan wrote: »

because it's all the more snide & nasty that way?

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.

I think you will find that wit Is the lowest form of wit.

The Mad Hatter

helena.ryan wrote: »

because it's all the more snide & nasty that way?

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.

I've always had issue with that comment. Surely bad puns are the lowest form of wit?

Malari

Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the recipient who doesn't get it...

Galvasean

helena.ryan wrote: »

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.

I love saying that in a sarcastic tone.

PS: Your sig is outdated. time to get over it.

Galvasean

At the risk of straying vaguely back on topic i spotted this in AH:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055437899

Basically a topic on the census and how many people are actually Christian.

lostexpectation

midlandsmissus wrote: »

I nearly choked on my diet coke!!! WHAT!! I mean COME ON! you read way too much into things

thats exactly what your were doing, creating a situation where christians were a minority so you could act oppressed and run back complaining about (non)nasty atheists to the catholic forum, like you did with your first post here.

midlandsmissus

lostexpectation wrote: »

thats exactly what your were doing, creating a situation where christians were a minority so you could act oppressed and run back complaining about (non)nasty atheists to the catholic forum, like you did with your first post here.

Lostexpectation, to be honest, think whatever you want, I couldnt care less at this stage. I know 'a repressed minority' couldn't have been further from my mind.

And yes I did complain when I first joined, (I wonder why). Obviously I've toughened up now and can deal with spiteful messages like this one, by saying, what you just said in that message says far more about you than it does about me.

ChocolateSauce

sink wrote: »

ChocolateSauce was making a joke. The joke was that some people do not believe in god but do not call themselves atheists when in reality that is exactly what they are. They don't call themselves atheists because that term rightly or wrongly has many negative connotations attached to it such as we're all snide sarcastic bastards. "*Whoosh*" was also a joke, it was the sound ChocolateSauces joke made when it flew over helenas head. The fact that it was snide added to the comedic value as it was stereotypical snide atheist comment. It's not really that funny and probably shouldn't have said it.

Sarcasm is great wit when used properly. Anyway, it is more important to avoid pissing people off unnecessarily than it is to keep a joke funny by not explaining it.

In addition to what sink says above, my joke was also a reference to an anecdote in The God Delusion, where Dawkins relays the tale of the young woman who tells her family she is an atheist, and the mother goes "Not believing in god we can accept, but an atheist?!"

It is a famous anecdote these days. Didn't mean to upset anybody?

Whispered

I know you didn't! I didn't get the sarcasm, I hadn't read the thread fully TBH so when that quote popped out at me I asked about it. Thats all.