Interesting how perspectives are so subjective. Having followed both boards for the past year, I don't think there is any comparison between the two when it comes to anger, rage, and paranoia.
Well, that comment pretty much exemplifies how subjective perspectives can be.
Those three elements are frequently seen here, and seen but seldom on the MAD board.
Paranoia?
The MAD operator said she wishes she could control the entire internet. Who is paranoid
here? I see nothing remotely comparable to this statement. The only person, who pitched a fit about anyone using his real name, is Pahoran, who as we all know, is a long time favorite at MAD.
Anger and rage?
I don’t see any of that
here, but I understand that the Mormon attitude is conditioned to interpret all forms of apostasy and criticism as a fruit of anger and rage. This makes it easier to dismiss. Anger has certainly been demonstrated here by MAD posters, such as David Bokovoy. All I did was provide an email from Ritner and he went ballistic, accusing me of foul play. When I proved I had not lied, he left for good and then started a thread at MAD attacking me. He insists that apologists who leave the tribe, do so for the attention. Yea, I’m basking in so much attention! Go figure.
But this forum is divided up into three, so there really is no excuse for anyone complaining about vile comments. That kind of thing is not allowed in the celestial forum. The Celestial forum seems to be everything that’s good about MAD, with a plus: the moderators stay out of the discussions.
The reason why heavy hitter critics prefer to post at MAD has nothing to do with preference of the pleasant atmosphere. It probably has more to do with the fact that MAD advertises to a broader audience, and there are more TBMs to debate with. Also, they do not have to worry about people like Dan Peterson, Pahoran, or David Bokovoy fleeing the scene, as is so often the case on this forum. They make an appearance just to tease us with the idea that a real discussion will ensue. And when things don’t go their way they run back to MAD, and then they end up recanting their recent experiences from the dreaded “dark side.”
The MAD board welcomes critics like Chris Smith and The Dude and Dan Vogel who don't get all riled up and frothy-mouthed like the "now-banned" tended to get.
MAD has never “welcomed” critics. It
tolerates some, and doesn’t tolerate others. People like Vogel, Uncle Dale and CK make a mess of things and they don’t like it - their silence shouldn't be interpreted as approval - but they really have no just cause to do anything about it because these guys bend over backwards to make their points while constantly trying to be as nice about it as possible. I was banned and I don’t think anyone in their right mind would have considered me “frothy-mouthed.” Over the past year I have seen Madites recreate the history and make up different reasons why I was banned. First it was because I called Hauglid a "liar"(which I didn't) then it was because I had used sock-puppets (which at that time, I never did) and then it was because I "broke" a promise.
I have never had to worry about this kind of disingenuous nonsense from any other forum.
I can understand why the majority of the TBM-type MAD posters would never post here. They can't understand or deal with the depth of hostility that manifests itself frequently on this board.
Again, why don’t they try the Celestial forum?
Plus, it is not a place (for the most part) where one can engage in any truly serious discussions about substantive matters. Why? Because it always quickly devolves into a rabid-dog-pile on anyone attempting to argue in favor of a conventional believer's point of view.
Again, why don’t you go to the Celestial forum? You’re characterization seems to be narrowed to the telestial forum. There have been many decent discussions on both the terrestrial and celestial forums. I wold say discussions that could have
never taken place at MAD because the mods would have stepped in the minute David Bokovoy or Peterson got flustered.
I will gladly engage The Dude or Dan Vogel or Chris Smith or Don Bradley in a discussion about something of substance. But when we do engage in substantive discussions, we always do it on the MAD board instead of here -- presumably because they also sense that it's a better environment for that kind of discussion.
Methinks you’re speaking for too many people without asking. Again, what possible rationale could there be for not holding a debate here in the Celestial forum, if not for the lack of audience?
I won't engage in discussions of substance with people who seriously think that believing LDS are brain-damaged Morgbots, or something of the sort.
Oh come now. Mormons consider all critics spiritually defective, so there is no room for playing victim to prejudice here. They go in with that presupposition from the get-go, so let's don't pretend they don't. Dan Peterson has even indicated publicly that this is a reason why he will not engage me on Islamic issues (even though he has done so on many occasions since making this comment).
Having said all this, there is no realistic expectation for any critical forum to match FAIR as far as popularity and dedication go. MAD is defending an organization of millions, and is constantly being advertised at Church events across the globe – it is also well funded. Whereas, Dr. Shades is hosting a forum that consists primarily of his dedicated followers from over the years, and sometimes we all wonder if the board will be shut down again due to failure of payment.
“All knowledge of reality starts from experience and ends in it...Propositions arrived at by purely logical means are completely empty as regards reality." - Albert Einstein