Are you an unmitigated hypocrite?
No, I did not notice it until you pointed it out. I can't speak for TXnMA, but if you wonder why scientists in general get frustrated on these threads, my suggestion is to look back on this and other similar threads and see how people with real science backgrounds are treated. It isn't very well.
Here's a fun, but painfully authentic representation of how these threads run.
Note: I refer to You and Me in this example. I am not referring to either one of us in real life. In the example thread, both You and Me are composites of a lot of people.
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You are a strong Christian and have been educated as a mathematician. You have multiple degrees in math, a long career in math, have written mathematical articles for publication, and have taught a couple of semester of math classes at a local junior college just for grins. You have been exposed to a lot of other science disciplines through your career as well.
Me is also a sincere Christian, but I know nothing about mathematics and have been taught by Pastor Bubba in Lower Podunk, Oklahoma, that zero does not exist.
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Me: This article by Dr. Rusty Humps proves that zero does not exist. The Bible never mentions the number zero, which was invented by non-Christians. The Bible talks about plenty of other numbers, but not zero. Therefore, the number zero is atheist science and anybody who believes in zero is a boot-licker at the Temple of the Cult of Quickbooks.
You: Just because the Bible does not mention zero does not mean that zero does not exist. I use the number zero every day in my work. If you don't believe in the number zero, prove to me that it does not exist. Dr. Rusty Humps leaves out facts, manipulates facts, and completely fails to prove his point.
Me: LOL! You show your ignorance. Rusty Humps is a genius. And yet you call yourself a mathematician. Yeah, an atheist mathematician inspired by Satan. Here is proof that 1=2.
Zoobie: Zero is not in the Bible. Only atheists believe in zero.
Doobie: Yeah, real Christians don't believe in the number zero.
You: No, that's not a proof at all. It's incorrect because you are dividing by zero. You cannot divide by zero. 1 does not equal 2. That's nonsense.
I am a deeply committed Christian. You guys don't know what you're talking about.
Me: Zero does not exist! And 1 equals 2. You've tossed your lot in with Satan using your atheist mathematics. Why won't the scared little Albert Einstein debate with Dr. Rusty Humps?
You: That is not true. I am a strong, conserevative Christian. Quit posting things that are not true and that are easily proved false. Prove to me that zero does not exist. Why won't you do that? Dr. Rusty Humps says that he will only debate Einstein in front of an audience of 3-year olds. Einstein wants to debate Dr. Rusty Humps in a forum with other mathematicians but Humps refuses.
Me: Zero does not exist because the Bible does not mention the number zero. You don't believe in the word of God. You're not a real Christian -- you're just another bootlicker at the Temple of the Cult of Quickbooks trying to impress your atheist friends. Your little atheist Einstein is too scared to debate with a real mathematician.
You: Cut out the name calling and the lies. You and your ilk are posting things that are completely false.
The sad thing is that everything I said in my example is all too real. Now do you understand why people with a science education and career ultimately lose patience on these threads?
I assume you are referring to my use of the perfectly fine term, "ilk" from my ancestral Scottish.
"Ilk" has no negative or pejorative connotation whatsoever. It simply refers to membership in a group, family, class or clan. In fact, we Scots use it fondly when referring to a kinship-group. For example, I even refer to myself as "Macpherson -- of that ilk"... (I am descended from members of Clan Macpherson through three of my grandparent-lines. And, yes, I wear the kilt in Macpherson tartan with some degree of pride...) Note: Scots clanship is an allegiance to a common Chieftan -- not a genetic grouping...
Thesaurus: ilknoun
A class that is defined by the common attribute or attributes possessed by all its members: breed, cast, description, feather, kind, lot, manner, mold, nature, order, sort, species, stamp, stripe, type, variety. Informal persuasion. See group.
I don't recall exactly how I used "ilk" here, but I probably did so in reference to a shared belief system or persuasion.
So -- no foul, no harm intended...