Hello all! The Forum community is growing quickly (over 700 posts in the last 30 days!) and with this growth comes an increasing need to be specific about what sort of dialogue we want to happen here. I’m very proud of this community. To my knowledge, we are one of the few places on the internet where people of all perspectives talk about origins without immediately devolving into shouting. I’m also proud to say that I have only had to ban people on very selective occasions. That speaks very highly of the community.
However, over the past six months I have noticed some bad habits beginning to form, and I want to proactively address them. Instead of just writing a diatribe, instead I’m going to model what I mean. Below is a conversation with myself. Each post reflect one of the negative habits I’m noticing. Hopefully, you will be able to see what I mean without any further lecturing.
If you see a post like the ones below, feel free to bring it to my attention by flagging it. We will need to work together as a community to moderate the discussion as we grow. I’m not inclined to use a heavy hand (in most occasions), but certain habits have a way of dragging a community down.
Hmm, interesting post. Here’s my personal theory about science and faith, which I have posted basically word-for-word in every topic. I will now hijack the discussion by encouraging people to comment about my own theories, rather than the topic at hand.
Also, here’s a link to my self-published book and/or personal website.
Whoa, @BradKramer, do you know anything about science? Here’s ten links to dense journal articles. I don’t want to talk to you again until you’ve demonstrated that you have a brain.
To be, or not to be, that is the question:
Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer
The Slings and Arrows of outrageous Fortune,
Or to take Arms against a Sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them: to die, to sleep
No more; and by a sleep, to say we end
The Heart-ache, and the thousand Natural shocks
That Flesh is heir to? 'Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep,
To sleep, perchance to Dream; aye, there’s the rub,
For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There’s the respect
That makes Calamity of so long life:
For who would bear the Whips and Scorns of time,
The Oppressor’s wrong, the proud man’s Contumely, [F: poor]
The pangs of despised Love, the Law’s delay, [F: disprized]
The insolence of Office, and the Spurns
That patient merit of the unworthy takes,
When he himself might his Quietus make
With a bare Bodkin? Who would Fardels bear, [F: these Fardels]
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovered Country, from whose bourn
No Traveller returns, Puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have,
Than fly to others that we know not of.
Thus Conscience does make Cowards of us all,
And thus the Native hue of Resolution
Is sicklied o’er, with the pale cast of Thought,
And enterprises of great pitch and moment, [F: pith]
With this regard their Currents turn awry, [F: away]
And lose the name of Action. Soft you now,
The fair Ophelia? Nymph, in thy Orisons
Be all my sins remembered.[4]
I will now continue for another 2000 words which nobody will read…