My only problem is, debates here on the BB have monitors (and thank God for them!) but no judges. We never know who wins the debate, officially! They're wide open, so anyone can claim victory. The Internet means that absolutely anybody can debate and feel good about their skills.
But I think in a formal (judged) debate, the judges are looking for logic and proof, and can even be prejudiced against a debater through the debaters attitude.
Being abusive and/or abrasive indicates, to me, that the person participating in these negative activities knows they have a weak position and are trying to divert attention away from their weakness.
I have just about stopped posting here because of the ugliness and abrasiveness in so called 'debate.'
I try not to be ugly, but I can be abrasive and I know it is not right.
I suppose that by "abrasive," you are actually referring to the insulting or arrogant remarks that are made.
Those have no place in a debate at all, they are used in an argument - and an immature one at that.
The problem on any forum is that some opinions are so strong, there is never room for debate. At that point, it is probably better for the participant to resign with the claim that it is fruitless to persue any farther. If that happens early enough, nobody gets insulted.
It is just so easy for someone who shares an opinion to respond to those who offer different ones to sink into an argument.
Well, in what is called team debating, with judges and strict rules, there are winners and losers. But I think you're right about Internet debates. I've seen websites that tried to have competitive debates, complete with propositions, rebuttals and the like, but it didn't seem to fly well.
Arrogance and rudeness are a turn off.
In the short time I have been a member of the board I have often thought about posting the verse from 1 Corinthians :
8:1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.
8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.
I know what you mean. It seems easy to get in the flesh in an Internet debate. I quit the debate forums for awhile myself, but now I occasionally participate if it is about something I strongly believe in.
Luke posted a definition of "abrasive" on another thread to defend his position. Maybe he'll post it here. What I remember in particular in the definition is the word "belligerent." I don't find anywhere in the Bible that commands us to be belligerent.
This is a good point. There is a clear difference between an argument and a debate that some on the BB don't seem to understand. My simplistic way of telling the difference is that in an argument, neither side is listening to the other anymore.
That is the way I take someone using strong or abrasive words. When someone uses strong or abrasive words, I assume his position is weak and he needs some way to cover for himself.
Also, exaggerating or misrepresenting the other person's position is another sign of weakness.
This occurs on BB quite frequently.
Remember the old saying: "The stronger the words, the weaker the argument."
As to who "wins" a debate (euphemism for argument) depends on who is stronger willed and who gives up or gives in. In my opinion, it has little to do with who is right or wrong, but who is willing to surrender.