I'm new here, but my first inclination is to encourage productive discourse. That requires respect from either side.

I'm all for everybody joining. I'm not for assholes wasting my time and energy.

A-Gnostic =Lacking a certain KNOWLEDGE of any God.

A-Theist = Lacking a belief in any Gods

It is possible for a person to be either agnostic Atheist or Theist.

What I would ask of believers who are agnostic is, since you realidly admit you do not have evidence of your God (by being Agnostic, not having direct knwoledge of that God, ie proof), what makes you think your reasons for believing in that God are valid?

By what Method did you determine your beliefs, absent that knowledge, are valid?

Not a problem, I will either ignore them or ridicule them depending how they come at me like I do on all the other social sites, anymore it is easy to pummel them with quotes from their own holy book.

I find it mildly amusing to spot the trolls that pose questions that require you to posit a Gawd in order to discuss the ostensible premise....like sniffing out Russian trolls on FB before the elections.

I find it mildly amusing to spot the trolls that pose questions that require you to posit a Gawd in order to discuss the ostensible premise....like sniffing out Russian trolls on FB before the elections.

Okay, but there should be a disclaimer such as: This is not a safe space for faith. Believers may encounter reality, facts, and logic. In the face, of these things theists may have to make extra effort to close their minds to reason and maintain a relationship with their imaginary friends.

Personal opinion is that they should stay on their own forums or join forums created in which believers and nonbelievers can discuss things.
I did not join this site to have to worry about believers coming on here and antagonizing those of us who want civil discourse with those of like mind.
Just my opinion.

I don't mind debate. But I thought this place wasn't for debate.

They are already on Quora asking annoying questions to atheists trying to troll, they have also hijacked NASA's Facebook comments section, they are really annoying and there must be atleast one forum without them purely for atheists.

Why would they want join, unless it was to point out the error of our ways. This should be a safe place for us

Well, my co-workers signed me up here to eliminate having to wade through possible matches on other sites to find a non-believer, so if the search function is improved enough that it can not even put percentages by faces of believers the way they don't for dudes, then sure, but I don't know what they'd want here.

If I remember correctly when I joined the site there was an option for theist or believers when describing your religious position. I think we should welcome anyone on this site as long as they are participating within the site guidelines. If you are not interesting in interacting with believers you don't have to, just ignore them.

Feel the same . I’ll arguments are for fb wasn’t coming here for them

I guess poke at.them until they go away or see how silly they are. Only if they're trying to "save" me though....if they are at a point were they're trying to figure things out and want to open their eyes I say come on in!

I think this would no longer be a safe place for us non believers as the believers would use this platform to push their beliefs on us and attack our positions. there are enough forums out there now that allow this and this one is one of the few where we as non believers can talk freely and not worry someone will try to engage us in nasty confrontations.

I enjoy a robust debate (so robust it scared MVSS-O) BUT this is a space where we can debate a multitude of things from a purely non-religious PoV. The religious have the whole world in which to play, they can let us have this bit to ourselves.

I don't mind occasionally engaging with a believer who is respectful, thoughtful, and who is willing to acknowledge when the value of what's being exchanged has been exhausted. This describes a minority of my interactions online in most places, but the number of such exchanged I've had is greater than zero.

There are already plenty of other places where that sort of thing can happen.

My understanding of this forum is it's a place for non-believers to meet one another to form friendships or possibly romantic relationships with one another.

Put another way, you won't find my profile at ChristianMingle.com.

I would welcome them with open arms. We do have a good thing going here and it is awesome to have a intelligent group of people who are mostly on the same page as I am to discuss things with but I think that it would be a good thing for theist to join in and possibly see for themselves that we aren't evil terrible people who ought to be burned for our beliefs.

Also, I sometimes feel as though I am , pardon the expression, preaching to the choir. For the most part, we agree about stuff so debates would be more interesting if those who think differently were included.

If a believer joined, it would only be for contentious reasons and I'd think the suffering party would be laughed right out of here.

Not one to shy from debate or discussion, however, I welcome any and all to tap at my door on a weekend morning, hangover be damned, or an inbox exchange where one desperately wishes to save my soul.

Bring. It.

It's a free country but my caution is when people live to troll and pick debates all day long negatively when they could be contributing in a positive way-less confrontationally based.

as a not atheist, I would assume that any dogmatic certainty based person would be a huge bummer here.

I joined because I have my own spiritual reality but I fucking hate classical theism and the anti science bullshit of most of America. but I assume my oprahesque woo woo will be tolerated with derision and I am fine with that. but an actual believer? fuck them. they have like a million places to be.

catbyrd is right. fuck certainty. I just want to think well and love well before I die and no longer exist.

Part of me says "hell no!", and part of me says "whatever". They can join, which strikes me as pointless, but the moment they 'start', gotta bounce 'em. I live in South Georgia. I get enough of that bullshit in my daily life. I joined this site to get away from that garbage, and it's been nice interacting with like-minded (for the most part) folk. I'm going to leave it to Admin to weed out the religutards.

My first reaction was to say, "hell no" but then, I realize perhaps that is hasty. I think it may be beneficial for those who are considering why they believe. They may learn to open their minds and recognize it is okay to take the driver's seat, heal cognitive dissonance, or,whatever! I know I didn't suddenly decide I know longer had beliefs in Christianity. It was a process. As for those who may come here to "preach".... lol, I think they will be weeded out swiftly. Also, I would give them kudos for trying. I am not vulnerable to them.

" Too old to Argue" ?. Can I please point out that you do not HAVE to argue. You just have to be right. If you are getting tired then you are doing something wrong. It is possible to view each conversation with a religious person as an opportunity for improving your responses and getting THEM to change their minds. Please google Jennifer Hancocks website to find out " How to win an argument without actually arguing" .

One technique is to give up debating - which implies TWO sides when there are multiple sides . Just call it discussion and keep looking for things upon which you do agree. Plenty of other contentious points will arise though.

Here in Henley on Thames UK we have a Meetup group called " Skeptics and believers" where the two sides amicably meet to have stimulating and refreshing discussions. 20 minute 'primer' talks from one side or the other followed firstly by group Q&A and then smaller group table discussions. It is sometimes difficult to get people to leave. This is the way that society should evolve. Example of a talk " Is logic and reason the only way to know?"

Please remember that religious people, by their very nature, never give up, never go away always want to convert you. We will have to wait for them to die and just make their last years comfortable. Please do not wear yourself thin though.

You can't be annoyed if you don't participate with their challenges. Personally, I like a little challenge because it makes me think and sharpens my reasoning. Too often though their cognitive dissonance gets boring and I simply end the discussion, because it is pointless to argue about the color of the teapot in orbit around the Earth.