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People.  We are weird creatures. Given the ability to choose, too often we choose unwisely.  Most seem to prefer to be told what to think rather than to reason through issues themselves.  Over the years I’ve participated in various internet forums and e-mail lists, acting as moderator on a few.  In that time it has been my privilege to observe humans interacting with each other.  I was reminded today about something my friend Jim Taylor said years ago.  “The internet is a great place to talk and a poor place to communicate.“  That pretty much sums it up right there.

And it is interesting to hear folks talk on the ‘net.  Over the years it has been my pleasure to visit various internet friends in person.  And getting to talk with someone over a cup of coffee or a meal is a great way to get to know them a bit better.  Sometimes one forms an opinion about folks because of the way they “talk” on the internet. But once you get to know them personally you see a different face entirely.  And then there’s the voice.  Am I the only one who forms an “image” of what someone’s voice must sound like by reading what they write?  The first time I talked with various people was an experience – because they didn’t sound like I’d thought they would.  And what about SEEING them? That reminds me of my dad and a story he told about someone he used to talk with on the phone all the time.  He built up an image of the person based on their name and their voice. But when he met that person in person he was in for a surprise.  From physical stature to race – everything was different.

As a moderator on various forums I get to interact with folks all the time – but too often it is in situations where one would rather NOT have to deal with people.  My forum browsing time is limited so having to deal with people who insist on dragging bar room behavior into a respectable forum is not my favorite use of that time.  But someone has to to it. Lately I guess folks have been itching a lot due to the weather and the season.  And they seem to want to take it out on the world.  All to often they sink to using  ad hominem arguments.  It is so much easier to go after a person than it is to argue for or against an idea.  One area in particular is an area where I see a lot of heat generated – religious views.  It seems that folks too often believe something based on ??? instead of knowing the facts behind their beliefs.  And so when someone comes along with an argument they’ve never heard before they find it easier to be nasty than to do the work necessary to find the answers they need to substantiate their position – or to change their mind.

“Evidence That Demands A Verdict” was written by Josh McDowel. As I understand the story, Josh set out to prove Christianity was wrong and the Bible was a bunch of myths.  But he did the work.  He dug down and examined the evidence – and then wrote a book about it.  He was honest enough with himself and the evidence that he looked into the matter and changed his position.  But folks like Josh are few and far between.