I've never had that happen to me. Of course... that's probably because I am willing to see debate points to "the end"... or until one or the both of us fizzle out and the "debate" degenerates into us both saying we simply can't accept the other's positions... or worse, it becomes a veiled-insult match instead of any actual debate.
You, on the other hand... I've noticed you're very willing to just duck out when things get heated. You just stop replying - which makes it seem very much like you just can't hold up your end of the debate - or you're in a corner, at a point where you're going to have to admit something uncomfortable about how far your trust in God goes (likely even to the detriment of your fellow man). That's more than likely what gets you into these troubles you talk about.
This is an excellent response! It's a very accurate criticism and, to an extent, I must admit, it bothers me that this has always been true about me in a 22 year history of discussion and debate on forums like this. I relish the opportunity to talk about it. Kind of odd, because I don't know you except for a couple of posts today. You must have been following my posts for some time. Let me explain why I think I do this.
1. I get bored really quickly, and secondly I don't know about you, but I have a lot of different people coming at me with all sorts of different responses and I want to get to as many of them as I can, but let's be reasonable. I can't. So to a certain extent I have to pick my battles. I would think that this applies to everyone else as well.
2. I think a discussion should be over in 2 or 3 exchanges per person. If you can't make your point and move on by then, give it a rest. To me, this is fair and reasonable. I presented my case, each of you presented yours, why labor it for weeks? Move on to the next topic.
3. Many people who disagree with you will simply vilify you by putting you into a category. Well, you're just an atheist, or Christian, Jehovah's Witness, or Jew, or Racist, or Bigot, or uneducated, or any other thing, worst of all . . . troll. I'm none of those things and that sort of argument doesn't mean anything to me. That has nothing to do with the debate or discussion. I'm not here to attack or defend anyone. What I am or am not isn't the subject, what I say is the subject. People will use sources or attack sources you use like this as well. Who said a thing and what they are isn't the subject to me, the subject is what is being said about the subject. I ignore those sorts of responses because they are irrelevant.
4. Often a person who disagrees strongly with you will start peppering their commentary as if to manipulate the people reading their responses that something about your position is failing or questionable when it isn't and they haven't given any evidence that it is. They'll say something like "You've already lost the debate." or "You've already proven your ignorance." or "You still haven't refuted my claims." When nothing remotely similar has occurred. This is often combined with #3. Maybe, for example, I would post something like "[Genesis 1:11] The Biblical kind, from the Hebrew leminoh, Greek genos, and Latin genus, differs from the Evolutionist kind. The Biblical "kind" can be defined as divisions in which cross fertility can occur, a boundary between these kinds is drawn where fertilization ceases. Apple trees, for example, don't produce broccoli, squirrels don't produce horses.
"In biology a kind applies to animals and plants which possess one or more distinctive characteristics, meaning the biological term kind may contain several varieties within a Biblical kind."
A good response to this would be something like: " No, the Greek genos and Latin Genus is more in agreement with the biological term etc. etc."
A bad response would be: "You've shown your ignorance again, probably due to your uneducated Christian upbringing, here's a link I found in a quick search, a 45 page dissertation on Strawman arguments, don't I look clever with out having actually said anything at all. " Repeat, reapeat, repeat. I guess they are so obtuse they think that if they repeat it often enough it must be true, or at least the readers might think so.
My position is if the reader or the poster of responses like that are so obtuse to think that is impressive then there isn't anything I would waste my time to pursue further molestation in order to clarify anything with. I just ignore it because I don't want to have that same discussion for a month or more.
