Is it insulting for an atheist to voice his dissent?

Question

A theist has been emailing me saying about how offensive and how intolerant I am.

I asked him to copy and paste one of my intolerant questions and he said that if I can't see it then it doesn't make sense for him to post it.

I have over 2000 questions and over 5000 answers. If I'm so intolerant couldn't he have at least provided 1 example of this?

Answer 1

Is it insulting? No, as long as there are no insults in the dissent. We can disagree without being unpleasant. I know this is a very novel idea. Some of your questions are, how can I put it, a bit tortuous and I can understand how it may be taken as offensive. But, as long as you are nice to me, I'll be nice to you. By the way, I am an agnostic. I have never seen anyone give me conclusive proof one way or the other. I'm not sure we can use anything we can understand to define whether there is a divine being or not. And even if there is a divine being, how could our limited intellects hope to understand.

Answer 2

He should be able to provide an example within 10 minutes. That is more than enough time to scan through 100 questions to find an intolerant one.

Its funny that his defense is to try to make you defensive. First he says you are intolerant, then places the burden of proof on you.

Answer 3

No. Dissent (when presented rationally) is not insulting, at least to anyone in possession of half a brain. I'm a Christian; you're not. We disagree on this fundamental point, and can discuss it calmly like sane human beings. Anyhow, if your opponent can't openly prove your purported intolerance, then forget about it and move on.

Answer 4

I don't usually answer your questions, but do read most of them that I see. Personally, I don't have a problem with honesty & don't consider your dissent to be offensive because from what I've seen, you don't seem to be trying to be offensive--sarcastic perhaps. Entertaining, frequently, though most of the time we're on opposite sides of an issue. At least you're not flaming obscenities & slurs @ us. Peace to you.

Answer 5

I have learned a lot from several chaps on this chat group. The only thing I have learned from (some, or most )Church Parrots is that they think time was frozen once the Bible was compiled in 325AD. I think of Jesus and God as still alive and doing things on their home planet. (And to some degree here on Earth.) We are promised eternal life, what else do we want from God?

(of course, what do I know? I am just a dumb Orangutan here in the Zoo.)

Answer 6

You'd think he could pull out at least one.

I don't find you offensive or intolerant and I'm not an Atheist

Answer 7

No it's not insulting to voice dissent. I don't think you are intolerant. I think you's a funny guy.

Answer 8

I love people that take such offense to the crap on Y!A. I'm here to have fun and voice my opinion. What's that saying?
"If you can't handle the heat, get out of the kitchen?" I'll revise it for Y!A:
"If you can't handle the intolerance, go f*** yourself" HAHA

Answer 9

Dissent, from anyone, can be a good thing. What have you been saying that he/she claims is intolerant?

Answer 10

He's just lazy.

I would have provided proof if I were him. Even when things seem obvious tou you, you have to provide proof. Otherwise, you aren't worth listening to, right? He should have provided proof. C'mon, it's not like it would have been hard. You've said lots of intolerant sounding things (so have I).