Clarification on challenging Beliefs or opinions

[AgnosticBoy]

I received an email from someone who says they will not join here because of my guidelines on challenging beliefs. Apparently, he didn't like the idea that beliefs can't be challenged. I included some of the information below in my reply and will use it as clarification for our guidelines on challenging beliefs.

Here's a recap of why I don't want skeptics or others to challenge someone to support their beliefs:
The main reason is that beliefs and opinions can sometimes point us to truth or at least give us a deep understanding or perspective on things. On other sites, these views are dismissed or seen as valueless when skeptics hound members for demands of proof for their beliefs.

Of course, I have no problems with skeptics and invite them to join, but I also would like those who aren't as fact/science-driven (but are still insightful and articulate or just good writers of ideas) to join.


Here are the do's and don'ts when it comes to dealing with beliefs:

• In the debate section, skeptics can deal with beliefs by ignoring it, discuss/debate it (take it as hypothetical truth) or ask questions about it, and lastly, you can present evidence against it to show that it's false (if disproven, poster is obligated to discontinue posting it). You can also start a topic on the belief and address it to everyone to prove or disprove it. I'll at least allow that because you're not challenging members in the same area that they posted their belief, and it's no different than creating a new topic to discuss any other belief.
• What a skeptic can't do is challenge someone to support their beliefs and dismiss a belief (the only exception is if it's disproven).

 

[bbyrd009]

i would ask what is meant by “beliefs,” as the implication is usually “about the future/after we die” rather than about herenow. Not that i am seeking any clarification of policy there, as i studiously avoid talking to ppl who hold beliefs about the “afterlife” anyway

 

[AgnosticBoy]

i would ask what is meant by “beliefs,” as the implication is usually “about the future/after we die” rather than about herenow. Not that i am seeking any clarification of policy there, as i studiously avoid talking to ppl who hold beliefs about the “afterlife” anyway

I take beliefs to be views or ideas not supported by evidence. Another good way to think about it is the difference between 'opinion' and 'fact'. Belief would go with opinion, whereas views backed by evidence would go with facts.

 

[bbyrd009]

I take beliefs to be views or ideas not supported by evidence.

“men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest”
which i dont really believe (present tense, supported by evidence iow) bc imo there is a way to…disengage from “men,” only i havent quite found it yet
close tho

also idk why that quote came to me in this context…just the prevalence of relatedness of “belief” to “tomorrow” now, i guess?

Another good way to think about it is the difference between 'opinion' and 'fact'. Belief would go with opinion, whereas views backed by evidence would go with facts.

well, per the above example, there are also beliefs that can be tested real time, might be better to refer to them as “i think?” but anyway, imo “views backed by evidence going with facts” becomes a fail when other evidence that supercedes the prior evidence is reveal blahblahblah i can give you the Scripture for this if you want tho lol

change is the only constant

 

[bbyrd009]

ps this site is about to blow up, fwiw
im getting that tickle again
take this as a warning, ok
websites can be a colossal pita lol

 

[AgnosticBoy]

well, per the above example, there are also beliefs that can be tested real time, might be better to refer to them as “i think?”

I'm not against that. The way I see it is if someone had evidence for their belief, then they wouldn't call it a belief or he or she would be more than happy to present that evidence. But too often I've seen someone flat out say this is what "I think", and skeptics still challenge them left and right.

ps this site is about to blow up, fwiw
im getting that tickle again
take this as a warning, ok
websites can be a colossal pita lol

To get things going it would probably take at least 5 active members and some interesting topics and interactions. Someone reminded me about posting videos on Youtube to draw in that crowd. I'll have to start planning for that. Earlier I planned on doing that, and felt I didn't have time to commit, but I'll have to make time.