What is your Motivation to Discuss/Debate Things Online?

Pepperdoodle · Thursday at 10:01 AM

I saw this question asked on another platform.

I find those who's opinions truth disagrees with, that they live in another universe, one of their own making and can't be reasoned with in any way. They think point blank that their reality/opinions are not optional regardless of the truth that opposes it. They bulldoze truth and don't adhere to it or respect it.

In most situations people already have their minds made up. And that's fine if that's where they sit, since we all are like that in general.
Even those I've found who like to make it sound like they are "undecided" eventually reveal their bias, side, they lean toward.

I've been online "discussing" things with people for many, many years in various platforms.
Not one person in those years has ever said in any of those discussions that I've been in or witnessed.....oh, ok, I get it, thank you all for sharing that. It's caused me to change my mind on that. I appreciate you all sharing the truth and showing me I was wrong.....or something to that leaning.

Platforms are just ways for all of us to voice our opinions, just like we did before the internet when we'd talk face to face with others, but online it's to a broader audience.
One thing we forget to keep in mind...we shouldn't expect to change anyone's opinion anymore than they will change our opinion!!

So what is your motivation to discuss/debate things online?

Michie · Thursday at 10:12 AM

I like the fellowship, the info, seeing the commonalities and oddities of others etc. I really do not debate much and will only go so far with it as it turns into some very unhealthy form of entertainment after awhile. Conversations are either productive or they aren’t. But it’s nice to have a community to participate in and observe. All types of personalities.

Rescued One · Thursday at 10:46 AM

Unmotivated due to incessant pop-ups!

PloverWing · Thursday at 10:46 AM

Here are the main reasons I participate on CF. (I've walked away from other social media platforms, as they don't seem a productive use of my time.)

1. It helps me get out of my bubble. I attend a mainline liturgical Protestant church in the United States, but there are many other kinds of Christians out there. I need to hear other Christian voices.

2. Sometimes people ask informational questions that I have the knowledge to answer.

3. Sometimes people say "The only Christian answer to X is Y", and I step in to say "Actually, some Christians think Y, but others think A, B, C, or D." This is mostly for the benefit of lurkers, who may not realize the breadth of Christian opinions.

4. And sometimes, once in a rare while, someone says something that really does change my perspective on something. It doesn't happen in the closed-minded food-fight debates, but it can happen in genuine, open conversations, which do occasionally occur on CF. Right at this moment, I can recall conversations with @Paidiske , @FireDragon76 , @2PhiloVoid , and @Bradskii that changed my perspective on something, that made me see some issue in a totally different way. There have been other conversations like that on CF that I could remember if I thought for a while longer. These are the moments that make CF the most worthwhile.

Lost4words · Thursday at 10:50 AM

Marrow bones. That is my motivation towards anything!!!

JustaPewFiller · Thursday at 10:58 AM

Because unless I'm talking about treats, my cat isn't very interested in my ramblings..

2PhiloVoid · Thursday at 11:47 AM

Pepperdoodle said:
I saw this question asked on another platform.

I find those who's opinions truth disagrees with, that they live in another universe, one of their own making and can't be reasoned with in any way. They think point blank that their reality/opinions are not optional regardless of the truth that opposes it. They bulldoze truth and don't adhere to it or respect it.

In most situations people already have their minds made up. And that's fine if that's where they sit, since we all are like that in general.
Even those I've found who like to make it sound like they are "undecided" eventually reveal their bias, side, they lean toward.

I've been online "discussing" things with people for many, many years in various platforms.
Not one person in those years has ever said in any of those discussions that I've been in or witnessed.....oh, ok, I get it, thank you all for sharing that. It's caused me to change my mind on that. I appreciate you all sharing the truth and showing me I was wrong.....or something to that leaning.

Platforms are just ways for all of us to voice our opinions, just like we did before the internet when we'd talk face to face with others, but online it's to a broader audience.
One thing we forget to keep in mind...we shouldn't expect to change anyone's opinion anymore than they will change our opinion!!

So what is your motivation to discuss/debate things online?

My motivation for being on CF has been, or originally was, to encourage those struggling with the Christian faith to find a Trinitarian path toward Christ they find helpful and/or reasonable. Of course, taking this tact was a little easier 15 years ago when folks we're seemingly less polarized and emotionally disaffected by all of the various political controversies and anti-religious rationalizing we seem to be stuck in these days.

Now, I just kind of assume most people who I may talk to online, for whatever purpose, will likely be disagreeable about 75% of the time.

ChubbyCherub · Thursday at 11:51 AM

No motivation to debate at all. I am not interested in 'articles' posted for general interest, I'm not interested in news or politics.

Discussion about the bible is good because I learn a LOT of things. I learn about how people think about God, why they think the way they do and I like challenging my own views with others perspectives.

Interesting question! Thanks for posting it!

eleos1954 · Thursday at 12:35 PM

Pepperdoodle said:
I saw this question asked on another platform.

I find those who's opinions truth disagrees with, that they live in another universe, one of their own making and can't be reasoned with in any way. They think point blank that their reality/opinions are not optional regardless of the truth that opposes it. They bulldoze truth and don't adhere to it or respect it.

In most situations people already have their minds made up. And that's fine if that's where they sit, since we all are like that in general.
Even those I've found who like to make it sound like they are "undecided" eventually reveal their bias, side, they lean toward.

I've been online "discussing" things with people for many, many years in various platforms.
Not one person in those years has ever said in any of those discussions that I've been in or witnessed.....oh, ok, I get it, thank you all for sharing that. It's caused me to change my mind on that. I appreciate you all sharing the truth and showing me I was wrong.....or something to that leaning.

Platforms are just ways for all of us to voice our opinions, just like we did before the internet when we'd talk face to face with others, but online it's to a broader audience.
One thing we forget to keep in mind...we shouldn't expect to change anyone's opinion anymore than they will change our opinion!!

So what is your motivation to discuss/debate things online?

There is always hope ... all one can do is try. Being silent certainly isn't going to change anything.

RamiC · Thursday at 1:05 PM

Pepperdoodle said:
In most situations people already have their minds made up. And that's fine if that's where they sit, since we all are like that in general.
Even those I've found who like to make it sound like they are "undecided" eventually reveal their bias, side, they lean toward.
So what is your motivation to discuss/debate things online?

The purpose of participating in debate anywhere, not just online, is that it is a good way to find out if I can defend and explain my own opinion, not to change someone else's mind.

"always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect," 1 Peter 3:15 ESV

Tuur · Thursday at 4:54 PM

Pepperdoodle said:
So what is your motivation to discuss/debate things online?

To interact. Really, to interact for entertainment. No one's going to change any minds. Nothing more lofty than that.

d taylor · Thursday at 5:12 PM

-

To learn different perspectives

Pepperdoodle · Monday at 1:31 PM

Michie said:
I like the fellowship, the info, seeing the commonalities and oddities of others etc. I really do not debate much and will only go so far with it as it turns into some very unhealthy form of entertainment after awhile. Conversations are either productive or they aren’t. But it’s nice to have a community to participate in and observe. All types of personalities.

In the years I've been online, I've found more of the convos to not be productive sadly.
Those who are on the wrong side of a topic I've never once seen their mind changed, anymore than they would change my mind.
If views aren't changed toward a right, even godly view for those who claim to be Christian, then they just stay the same or get worse in their views. We are seeing some of that in the last 15+ yrs especially where wrong things prevail and more follow it.
This isn't surprising to me, it's just sad.

Yes, we each have different personalities which are interesting to observe and interact with.

Michie · Monday at 3:21 PM

Pepperdoodle said:
In the years I've been online, I've found more of the convos to not be productive sadly.
Those who are on the wrong side of a topic I've never once seen their mind changed, anymore than they would change my mind.
If views aren't changed toward a right, even godly view for those who claim to be Christian, then they just stay the same or get worse in their views. We are seeing some of that in the last 15+ yrs especially where wrong things prevail and more follow it.
This isn't surprising to me, it's just sad.

Yes, we each have different personalities which are interesting to observe and interact with.

We used to have lots of conversions to the Faith but things seem to just be political anymore. Not much interest in Faith based discussions. I see more Christians here critique Christianity more than not.

com7fy8 · 2025-11-04T16:56:49-0600

Pepperdoodle said:
So what is your motivation to discuss/debate things online?

There are trolls who are said to try to mess up things, just to entertain themselves.

Yes, there are ones who sneak in, in order to misrepresent and confuse things and to promote some group and its cause.

It can be certain writers are on drugs or are under the influence.

There are ones, maybe, who want practice with their debating skills.

And others might be starting a topic so ones of us will do their homework.

One person thinks he can write to anyone, but say something that God is able to use to help the person.

Plus, we have readers who might never write but who can benefit from what is written to ones who refuse it.

For a while, I had a Skype companion, and we did not agree on something > it was something like this > she made her case, that God can use online activities, and I made mine, I think, how you need to share in person; then I decided she had a point how God is not limited . . . right when she decided I was right!

What is your Motivation to Discuss/Debate Things Online?

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