[garygreen]

i should clarify that i agree with saddam in that i had a similarly visceral "that's a super uncool thing to say" reaction to tom's initial kill-people-then-yourself post, but i probably don't think it deserves an action. it's just tommy being 3edgy5me.

[AATW]

It's such a stupid suggestion anyway, so it really does not bother me.

It is interesting to note, though, that the two people that condone suggesting a stranger on the internet commit a mass murder/suicide are religious.

And they think atheists lack a moral compass.    Fuck me.

Are you counting me one of those people?
Tom’s suggestion was ridiculous.

It was along the lines of “if you don’t believe jumping off high buildings could harm you or other people then push someone off the Empire State Building and then jump off yourself”.

No one is going to take that seriously or do an experiment like that.

Tom is simply saying there is a way to tell if the message of the Bible is true. Do something where you die and do so in a way which would condemn you to eternal damnation. Who is going to do that?

His suggestion can’t be taken seriously. It’s a stupid thought experiment. Do you condemn Schrodinger for animal cruelty?

[rooster]

It's such a stupid suggestion anyway, so it really does not bother me.

It is interesting to note, though, that the two people that condone suggesting a stranger on the internet commit a mass murder/suicide are religious.

And they think atheists lack a moral compass.    Fuck me.

Are you counting me one of those people?
Tom’s suggestion was ridiculous.

It was along the lines of “if you don’t believe jumping off high buildings could harm you or other people then push someone off the Empire State Building and then jump off yourself”.

No one is going to take that seriously or do an experiment like that.

OK but, seems a tad risky to assume the people on the illustrious tfesdotorg are 100% stable and would never commit violence. Probably they won't, but why say something so gross for a nonsense debate tactic?

His suggestion can’t be taken seriously. It’s a stupid thought experiment. Do you condemn Schrodinger for animal cruelty?

Schrodinger didn't tell people to go kill cats. Also, maybe you can stretch your imagination a bit here, but school shootings are a horrible reality of living in the United States so we're a bit sensitive to jokes or bad faith arguments referencing them.

For the record, I'm with Gary. It's a gross thing to say but not worthy of discipline. Just Tom making a bad argument because he's bad at debate.

[Pete Svarrior]

Putting my moderator hat on for a moment: there isn't an obvious correct course of action. We have 2 conflicting arguments here:

• Saddam's usual manufactured outrage
• Tom's bizzare argument

Neither is made from the position of good faith, and neither should be taken seriously. However, continuing that line of questioning is not helpful to the discussion, and at this point it only serves to be unproductive. So, my suggestion and polite request is that both sides drop this line of inquiry and focus on something more productive.

Tom - it seems to me that you've made your point, and that the sum total of people's responses to it has been exhausted. It seems that some people are finding the subject of mass muder and suicide to be sensitive, so could you please them do the courtesy of dropping it?
Others - please could you make it easier to drop the subject by not fuelling it further?

I hope we can all reach a consensus on this. There is no other solution here that would keep everyone happy, and any forceful action from the mods would set an uncomfortable precedent for the future. Let's just move on, okay?

[honk]

• Saddam's usual manufactured outrage

Neither is made from the position of good faith, and neither should be taken seriously.

I honestly don't know what I've said or done to deserve a response like this. I never said that I was "outraged," I'm not asking for anyone to be banned, and this is a perfectly reasonable concern to have.

However, continuing that line of questioning is not productive to the discussion, and at this point it only serves to be unproductive. So, my suggestion and polite request is that both sides frop this line of inquiry and focus on something more productive.

Tom - it seems to me that you've made your point, and that the sum total of people's responses to it has been exhausted. It seems that some people are finding the subject of mass muder and suicide to be sensitive, so could you please them do the courtesy of dropping it?
Others - please could you make it easier to drop the subject by not fuelling it further?

I hope we can all reach a consensus on this. There is no other solution here that would keep everyone happy, and any forceful action from the mods would set an uncomfortable precedent for the future. Let's just move on, okay?

Like, I agree with all this. I think it's more than fair enough to ask this weird argument to be wrapped up. You didn't need to come in here swinging and taking weird, unnecessary potshots at me.

[xasop]

Like, I agree with all this. I think it's more than fair enough to ask this weird argument to be wrapped up. You didn't need to come in here swinging and taking weird, unnecessary potshots at me.

Please stop. There is nothing to be gained by perpetuating this discussion any further.

[AATW]

Probably they won't, but why say something so gross for a nonsense debate tactic?

Tom is as Tom does...

But Pete's suggestion seems sensible, so I won't labour the point.