Obstacles to the pursuit of truth... your opinions please!

Hi All,

I'm a newbie poster, long-time lurker with a chip on my shoulder. To cut to the chase: for a site which self-designates as a forum for logical rational discussion of paranormal and extranormal phenomena, why are so many thread posts allowed which defy any rational basis whatsoever?

Take for example the most prominent thread on the front page today (December 7th 2007): entitled I ask you to read? Will you.
Essentially yet another troll claiming to be a visitor from another world giving us a warning for the world of tomorrow.

I'm not picking on this one user, because I've seen a hundred of these on the boards (and I've seen them done better!). For example, this specific post makes the initial claim that the correspondent comes from a sister Earth on the other side of the sun (hardly an original concept - instantly disprovable by the fact that we have plenty of observational satellites currently orbiting the sun) and then dribbles out some poorly written English about being a renegade with a cause, being watched by his superiors (yet again, hardly original). But it is one of many similar works of creativity to have done the rounds before.

I'm sorry if my indignance sounds like flame, and I certainly don't want to question ATS's admirable policy of allowing free discussion, but if the purpose of ATS's existence is to make progress towards the understanding and elucidation of truly mysterious and fascinating events and phenomena, why is blatant fiction of this kind tolerated?

That's my two cents - I promise that this shall be my one and only rant like this!

I look forward to hearing what everyone has to say...

SR

Welcome to ATS.

You certainly have a valid point in asking your question.

Would you have the mods check each post as to it's validity before allowing it to be posted? I believe that is our job as members.

If every post that is obviously not factual were not allowed to be posted it would be a very dull forum.

Some posters are seemingly certified nut cases. They are allowed the same courtesy as those of us who think we are sane and our posts to be the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

And then there is the pure entertainment issue. The loony posters do give us something to talk about.

Peace

Welcome to ATS mate.

There are a lot of people on this website that are just here to seek attention, and exploit what ATS is about. Not much that can be done about it because if the topic adheres to the ATS guidelines, its usually allowed to be posted.

But yeah, I agree with you, some people are just complete loonies, but at the same time its good for a laugh.....and a healthy argument in some cases