Comments on: Ask Richard: Tried to Stop an Anti-Religious Rant Among Friends http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/07/05/ask-richard-the-reckless-ranter/ by Hemant Mehta Mon, 28 May 2012 09:57:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Scotty B http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/07/05/ask-richard-the-reckless-ranter/#comment-326297 Scotty B Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:09:59 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=13322#comment-326297 Excellent advice from Richard, but the Gordian Knot solution is just to not invite that guy if he can't comply with the groups norms. Not always the best solution, but it should work! Excellent advice from Richard, but the Gordian Knot solution is just to not invite that guy if he can’t comply with the groups norms. Not always the best solution, but it should work!

]]> By: Greg B http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/07/05/ask-richard-the-reckless-ranter/#comment-325980 Greg B Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:07:22 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=13322#comment-325980 When these arguments deteriorate into comparing theist atrocities to atheist atrocities (or whatever ideology)... its important to remember that the common denominator is people. We are the best and worst humanity has to offer. When these arguments deteriorate into comparing theist atrocities to atheist atrocities (or whatever ideology)… its important to remember that the common denominator is people. We are the best and worst humanity has to offer.

]]> By: Victor http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/07/05/ask-richard-the-reckless-ranter/#comment-325948 Victor Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:00:01 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=13322#comment-325948 Sound and even handed advice from Richard. Sound and even handed advice from Richard.

]]> By: Quester http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/07/05/ask-richard-the-reckless-ranter/#comment-325777 Quester Sun, 05 Jul 2009 22:48:34 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=13322#comment-325777 Thank-you, Richard, and AJ. This gives me a fair amount to chew on. Thank-you, Richard, and AJ. This gives me a fair amount to chew on.

]]> By: Aj http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2009/07/05/ask-richard-the-reckless-ranter/#comment-325744 Aj Sun, 05 Jul 2009 20:20:42 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/?p=13322#comment-325744 I often encounter rants that I completely disagree with. As Richard says, you can't shorten someone's rant by arguing it. I let people rant the majority of the time, even if I'm not listening or don't care, I think it's polite, and people need to rant sometimes. If you're doing it to protect theists then regardless of whether you agree with the rant or not, you're just reinforcing their already special position that makes them like spoiled babies. People have opinions that are different to yours, people need to deal with that. Two tactics to stop a rant work pretty well: jokes usually in the form of non sequiturs, and bluntly ignoring what they're saying while talking about something else louder than them. Both tend to make people lose momentum, but a joke can emotionally calm them down as well, perhaps even ingratiating yourself to them, otherwise they'll probably be pissed off at you. Describing someone's rant as blaming "all the world's problems is caused by religion" sounds a lot like a strawman, one that is often ignorantly used against Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens from people who decided to read the title of a documentary or book, but not the content, even though everyone knows that titles are often provocative on purpose. I often encounter rants that I completely disagree with. As Richard says, you can’t shorten someone’s rant by arguing it. I let people rant the majority of the time, even if I’m not listening or don’t care, I think it’s polite, and people need to rant sometimes. If you’re doing it to protect theists then regardless of whether you agree with the rant or not, you’re just reinforcing their already special position that makes them like spoiled babies. People have opinions that are different to yours, people need to deal with that.

Two tactics to stop a rant work pretty well: jokes usually in the form of non sequiturs, and bluntly ignoring what they’re saying while talking about something else louder than them. Both tend to make people lose momentum, but a joke can emotionally calm them down as well, perhaps even ingratiating yourself to them, otherwise they’ll probably be pissed off at you.

Describing someone’s rant as blaming “all the world’s problems is caused by religion” sounds a lot like a strawman, one that is often ignorantly used against Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens from people who decided to read the title of a documentary or book, but not the content, even though everyone knows that titles are often provocative on purpose.

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