Welcome to the lifeboat, all you survivors!

[Matt H]

Well, here I am. First things first, I think apologies are in order. I was a tad sanctimonious with you lot during the last controversy, with my 'good riddance' comments and the like. It was because I was intensely loyal to RichardDawkins.net. It was Dawkins himself who made me 'come out of the closet' in regards to my atheism and I enjoyed the discussions on the forum, so I felt a connection to the site. Call it faith, but I had a feeling the forum would always be there, and I felt the loss of feral OT would be a positive thing.

Obviously, you guys saw this shitstorm coming. The closure of feral OT may have been supported by the forum staff but it was instigated by Dawkins, Josh and the others at RDFRS. Now they've gone the whole hog and are going to clear out the forum completely. I don't understand what their intentions are, or what kind of site the new RD.net will be, but I've had enough. I think the website and forum were great as they are and didn't see the need for any improvements. The forum staff didn't get paid for their work so it can't have been a financial decision, and they must get plenty of money from donations (and Dawkins' wallet) to pay for server space. Servers really don't cost much these days.

I've always avoided websites that require authorisation before you make a topic. I think it is crazy that they want to do that on a place like RD.net. If they are so much in favour of reason and free debate, why are they stifling it like this? As I said before, I don't know, it just doesn't make sense. But I no longer care.

I might have stayed to give the new thing a go were it not for the attitude displayed by the RDFRS staff toward the forum staff and the community as a whole. Apparently, Richard has been told about the changes and is in favour of them, but is far too busy off on his travels to tell us directly. Funny timing, eh? Couldn't they have waited until he was back in Oxford (or maybe LA, with Josh) so he could be on hand to answer the forum staff's concerns and maybe post a vid on the site explaining why he's done this?

I feel he's always had a contemptuous attitude to the forum. He seemed to think all the sex talk that was going on in feral OT, together with some sinister threads (that were always binned, regardless), represented the forum as a whole. Obviously he couldn't be arsed to look in the Faith & Religion, Debunking Creationism, General Science, Book Nook and Politics forums, where there has been some really good discussion and opinions raised. That is what I want from an internet forum, open dialogue. I don't want to have to wait for my posts to my approved by someone more important than me.

Anyway, enough of my whingeing. Hello Rationalia!

[Xamonas Chegwé]

Welcome to all the new folks. The forum rules here are, 'Play Nice!' - pretty much. As long as you have cheez to feed the adminz, everything will be fine.

Enjoy our little nest. And mind your step, there are a few around here with less than efficient personal sanitation procedures.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

"I'm With Stupid", , you'll do.

Hello. I'm expecting this sort of reaction from the regulars though:

Don't let the "rational" part of the name fool you.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Somebody post Dev's boilerplate since he's "not here" right now?

[cowiz]

I don't want to have to wait for my posts to my approved by someone more important than me.

Sorry, approval denied.

[Don't Panic]

Well, here I am. First things first, I think apologies are in order. I was a tad sanctimonious with you lot during the last controversy, with my 'good riddance' comments and the like. It was because I was intensely loyal to RichardDawkins.net. It was Dawkins himself who made me 'come out of the closet' in regards to my atheism and I enjoyed the discussions on the forum, so I felt a connection to the site. Call it faith, but I had a feeling the forum would always be there, and I felt the loss of feral OT would be a positive thing.

Obviously, you guys saw this shitstorm coming. The closure of feral OT may have been supported by the forum staff but it was instigated by Dawkins, Josh and the others at RDFRS. Now they've gone the whole hog and are going to clear out the forum completely. I don't understand what their intentions are, or what kind of site the new RD.net will be, but I've had enough. I think the website and forum were great as they are and didn't see the need for any improvements. The forum staff didn't get paid for their work so it can't have been a financial decision, and they must get plenty of money from donations (and Dawkins' wallet) to pay for server space. Servers really don't cost much these days.

I've always avoided websites that require authorisation before you make a topic. I think it is crazy that they want to do that on a place like RD.net. If they are so much in favour of reason and free debate, why are they stifling it like this? As I said before, I don't know, it just doesn't make sense. But I no longer care.

I might have stayed to give the new thing a go were it not for the attitude displayed by the RDFRS staff toward the forum staff and the community as a whole. Apparently, Richard has been told about the changes and is in favour of them, but is far too busy off on his travels to tell us directly. Funny timing, eh? Couldn't they have waited until he was back in Oxford (or maybe LA, with Josh) so he could be on hand to answer the forum staff's concerns and maybe post a vid on the site explaining why he's done this?

I feel he's always had a contemptuous attitude to the forum. He seemed to think all the sex talk that was going on in feral OT, together with some sinister threads (that were always binned, regardless), represented the forum as a whole. Obviously he couldn't be arsed to look in the Faith & Religion, Debunking Creationism, General Science, Book Nook and Politics forums, where there has been some really good discussion and opinions raised. That is what I want from an internet forum, open dialogue. I don't want to have to wait for my posts to my approved by someone more important than me.

Anyway, enough of my whingeing. Hello Rationalia!

Welcome aboard Matt, I for one can say bygones, and enjoy your time here.

[Don't Panic]

I don't want to have to wait for my posts to my approved by someone more important than me.

Sorry, approval denied.

He said more important, not more impotent.

[Bella Fortuna]

Hi Matt. Thanks. Don't beat yourself up about the past... let's all settle in and see how everyone likes it here.

[cowiz]

I don't want to have to wait for my posts to my approved by someone more important than me.

Sorry, approval denied.

He said more important, not more impotent.

Nice burn. I set em up, you knock em down

[I'm With Stupid]

I've gotta admit, the "charitable status" reason they were constantly giving always sounded like bullshit to me. Just an excuse to push through any changes they want without having to (ironically) come up with a rational reason for doing so.

Ooh, look at all these new smileys!


Ssoooo, are you the boss around here then Gawdzilla?

[Bella Fortuna]

The charitable status excuse WAS bullshit, I had from a reliable source.

[cowiz]

The charitable status excuse WAS bullshit, I had from a reliable source.

We know that you "had it"

[klr]

Well, here I am. First things first, I think apologies are in order. I was a tad sanctimonious with you lot during the last controversy, with my 'good riddance' comments and the like. It was because I was intensely loyal to RichardDawkins.net. It was Dawkins himself who made me 'come out of the closet' in regards to my atheism and I enjoyed the discussions on the forum, so I felt a connection to the site. Call it faith, but I had a feeling the forum would always be there, and I felt the loss of feral OT would be a positive thing.

Obviously, you guys saw this shitstorm coming. The closure of feral OT may have been supported by the forum staff but it was instigated by Dawkins, Josh and the others at RDFRS. Now they've gone the whole hog and are going to clear out the forum completely. I don't understand what their intentions are, or what kind of site the new RD.net will be, but I've had enough. I think the website and forum were great as they are and didn't see the need for any improvements. The forum staff didn't get paid for their work so it can't have been a financial decision, and they must get plenty of money from donations (and Dawkins' wallet) to pay for server space. Servers really don't cost much these days.

I've always avoided websites that require authorisation before you make a topic. I think it is crazy that they want to do that on a place like RD.net. If they are so much in favour of reason and free debate, why are they stifling it like this? As I said before, I don't know, it just doesn't make sense. But I no longer care.

I might have stayed to give the new thing a go were it not for the attitude displayed by the RDFRS staff toward the forum staff and the community as a whole. Apparently, Richard has been told about the changes and is in favour of them, but is far too busy off on his travels to tell us directly. Funny timing, eh? Couldn't they have waited until he was back in Oxford (or maybe LA, with Josh) so he could be on hand to answer the forum staff's concerns and maybe post a vid on the site explaining why he's done this?

I feel he's always had a contemptuous attitude to the forum. He seemed to think all the sex talk that was going on in feral OT, together with some sinister threads (that were always binned, regardless), represented the forum as a whole. Obviously he couldn't be arsed to look in the Faith & Religion, Debunking Creationism, General Science, Book Nook and Politics forums, where there has been some really good discussion and opinions raised. That is what I want from an internet forum, open dialogue. I don't want to have to wait for my posts to my approved by someone more important than me.

Anyway, enough of my whingeing. Hello Rationalia!

Welcome Matt!

It used to be Matt7985, usedn't it?

[Bella Fortuna]

The charitable status excuse WAS bullshit, I had from a reliable source.

We know that you "had it"

Isn't it time to use the long knives on you yet?

[cowiz]

The charitable status excuse WAS bullshit, I had from a reliable source.

We know that you "had it"

Isn't it time to use the long knives on you yet?

That was cutting