Discussion or Lynch mob - why can't we have a proper debate on Sheffield forum?

[Heyesey]

But, this is only IN YOUR OPINION.

 

No. It isn't. There's ten thousand years of scientific evidence to bring to bear on many arguments, and anyone starting a thread in contradiction of all that evidence IS wrong, no matter what anybody's opinion might be.

[shullie]

You can't prove a negative.

We can't prove that fairies don't exist, but most people will be comfortable with accepting that they don't.

 

Hmmm I know a few fairies....

[shullie]

I am a Medium, originally from London, working as a Medium, Healer, Teacher of Psychic stuff and Writer now living in Sheffield on Parsons Cross and I am also a witch. So according to recent discussions I guess that makes me a Cockney fraud, fakester, false hoper, dole scrounging, cheating, weirdo, no good scum of the earth, living in a scruffy dirty pigsty. What hope have I got of having a decent discussion on here?

Thanks

 

Hi Brenda, I bring tend to bring my own firelighters, wood and matches when I go into a debate ... saves time...lol I am also a witch, a Medium, Writer, and a darn good cake maker . I'm married to a Southerner, though he's from Surrey, not London, though most up here can't tell the difference. I am the grandaughter of a Romany, of which I am proud, but which makes me, according to some, a pikey, a ****, a theif as well as fraudster, delusional, etc.... I am in Lower Arbouthorne area, (which magically has, according to some estate agents,now become Heeley), I just wanted say hi!

[handypandy]

Awwww! Cyclone, I can't believe what you just posted! You mean you don't believe in fairies? Not even a little sneaking, teeny-weeny, bit?

 

I'm so glad you posted this reply, as this makes my point.

As no proof exists then its an issue thats still up for debate:hihi::hihi:

[wolfstalin]

You can't prove a negative.

But you can fail to prove it so many times, find so complete a lack of evidence for something that the most sensible course is (barring further evidence turning up) to treat is as false.

We can't prove that fairies don't exist, but most people will be comfortable with accepting that they don't.

 

Yes, common sense also plays a part and I would have thought if someone was a professional in such a controversial area one might have thicker skin. I realise heysay did go at it a bit but frankly I didn't see anyone posting in agreement in even an analogous sense with the OP.

 

Personally I think posting about your services doesn't belong anywhere other than adverts and if the OP had posted in the correct place she wouldn't have attracted the same amount of open hostility.

 

Sometimes it how you say things, rather than what you say.

[Squiggs]

I am a Medium

 

Phew.

 

When I read that first, I thought you said you were a Muslim!

 

I'm an XL. Must go out and do some exercise :-d

[Squiggs]

though I am in Lower Arbouthorne area, (which magically has according to some estate agents is now become Heeley) , just wanted say hi!

 

Not just estate agents.

 

Have a mate who lives there, took him a while to "admit" it was Arbourthorne and not "Just on the edge of Heeley"

[Rich]

The problem with debate threads IMO is policing the hardcore of posters who can't enter into sensible debating without getting all mardy about teh subject matter, especially if it's BNP related or some other "sensitive" issue.

 

Others just post "sensitive" material on purpose because they know it'll wind people up, which could be interpreted as trolling by some people, *cough* Shoeshine's Aspergers/Dyslexia thread *cough*

[Jabberwocky]

I post tons of stuff and have never been the target of any lynch mob. Its how you choose to accept the responses to anything you post thats important, and if you respond rationally and sensibly to anything thats aimed against you then it takes a lot of the power away from the "Attacker" for want of a better word.

I said before that 99% of the people on sf are intelligent people with a lot to give IF you choose to accept and take on board what they type in good spirit.

 

I see no lynch mobs here, just a lot of misunderstandings that get out of perspective.

[Fivetide]

No. It isn't. There's ten thousand years of scientific evidence to bring to bear on many arguments, and anyone starting a thread in contradiction of all that evidence IS wrong, no matter what anybody's opinion might be.

 

Yes, that's very similar to what the church's attitude to science used to be. (Oh, and there's only about 250 years' worth of scientific evidence for anything.)

 

Here's a point which fascinates me - true science is based on hypotheses which have not yet been disproved. If the hypothesis is 'God exists', this has not yet been disproved. True science does not postulate negative hypotheses (ie 'God does not exist') so an alternative hypothesis could be 'Science can explain everything' which it is incredibly easy to disprove.

 

I do think there's a difference between putting forward valid arguments against something you don't agree with and attacking someone's beliefs and even though I don't believe in a single nubbin of god or spiritualism I'd only get into a debate on the point with someone who wanted that debate.

 

If someone wants to believe in fairies I'm quite happy for them, as long as they don't expect me to waste my time running round the bottom of the garden with them.