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PaperclipPerfector  1d ago (text post)   1195 thread views

Small-Scale Question Sunday for April 12, 2026

Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?

This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.

Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.

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Did you know that Christ is risen from the dead, putting down death by death?

I never found faith. Hopefully God can forgive that little design flaw in my wetware, if He is indeed out there.

I keep coming back to the thought that He could at least announce himself loud and clear if He actually cares to be heard.

As is, I'm willing to believe in a creator and lord over all that is, I just find it much harder to believe that He actually has any interest in us humans.

What constitutes 'loud and clear'? Genuine question.

I have a budding(but never actually written up) ten thousand word effort post on miraculous evidence for the truths of Christianity. Unfortunately, I would be unable to handle the blasphemies surely uttered against it, probably I would get an AAQC and a permaban in the same thread. This is why I avoid faith topics/proofs in general(my dm's are open to inquirers, sure). But this stuff... exists, even if I'm not the person to make the argument. What constitutes sufficient evidence?

What is this place?

This website is a place for people who want to move past shady thinking and test their ideas in a court of people who don't all share the same biases. Our goal is to optimize for light, not heat; this is a group effort, and all commentators are asked to do their part.

The weekly Culture War threads host the most controversial topics and are the most visible aspect of The Motte. However, many other topics are appropriate here. We encourage people to post anything related to science, politics, or philosophy; if in doubt, post!

Check out The Vault for an archive of old quality posts. You are encouraged to crosspost these elsewhere.


Why are you called The Motte?

A motte is a stone keep on a raised earthwork common in early medieval fortifications. More pertinently, it's an element in a rhetorical move called a "Motte-and-Bailey", originally identified by philosopher Nicholas Shackel. It describes the tendency in discourse for people to move from a controversial but high value claim to a defensible but less exciting one upon any resistance to the former. He likens this to the medieval fortification, where a desirable land (the bailey) is abandoned when in danger for the more easily defended motte. In Shackel's words, "The Motte represents the defensible but undesired propositions to which one retreats when hard pressed."

On The Motte, always attempt to remain inside your defensible territory, even if you are not being pressed.


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