Burden of proof is on the claimant. Simply put, this means that if you claim something as factual, then it is up to you to provide proof when questioned about it.(* see below)
I am a moderator in a group (Hellenic Pagan) on FaceBook. Generally, folks are fairly well behaved and have quite intelligent discussions even when they disagree. However, recently a self-professed expert disagreed with several members and launched personal attacks (including racist attacks). This is not proper adult behavior. When called on it, he attempted to be all dramatic and indignant but I closed the door on that shit and banned him. Of course, he attempted to threaten and intimidate me via private message – more the fool him.
Just because someone questions you is no reason to take it as a personal attack. If you make claims, you will have to prove them to the satisfaction of your audience – or go elsewhere.
Moral? Don’t open your bag of shit if you don’t want it to spill out.
—Enzo
P.S. For those of you who are interested, this was his group introduction:
“Good morning/evening all and thank you for accepting me into your group.
My name is XXXXXXXX XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX. I am Greek, born in Greece to a Thessalian mother and a Spartan father. My father hails from a long hellenic lineage that goes so far as we know as far back as the last Greek Emperor of Byzantium before the Fall of Constantinople. My mother, a Christian woman, has a documented line extending from the plains of Thessaly to Sicily and as far up north as Philippoupolis, as well as East to modern day Izmir (former Smyrnê).
I grew up in a mixed religion house. My father’s side were all pagans, most of them belonging to the Stoic school with a few of my clan also holding Platonic and NeoPlatonic views and interpretations of the Gods. Our practices are NOT reconstructed 5th century Athenian, city rites but what has actually survived the test of time and the hundreds of migrations and population exchanges that took place in Greece.
It may differ somewhat from what is being taught today through books and modern stoas and other groups but it is a genuine tradition that has been preserved through much sacrifice and pain, surviving centuries of Christian and Muslim persecution.
I am looking forward to discussing Hellenism with those of you who are interested and I would also greatly appreciate if you looked up my community page called Hellenismos where I begin with an exegesis of the Greek cosmogonies in a logical way. Most people looking at the Greek myths today see them as simple narratives or take them as literal historical events but rarely go beyond that. I will be attempting to show that the Greek cosmogonies were imbued with reason and described the world logically but with enough poetic license in order to inspire awe and reverence.
Thank you all in advance.”
P.P.S. And here is the PM exchange:
LOL You are very funny. You agreed to the abide by the group description. I simply held you to it. Go away before someone drops a house on you too.
My response – Rev.
I pray to all the Gods that I WILL be rewarded in kind. That’s the thing with people like you. You just don’t get it. Too bad. You had some interesting things to contribute despite you’re prejudice, xenophobia, and unearned chip on your shoulder.
- – Burden of Proof – When two parties are in a discussion and one makes a claim that the other disputes, the one who makes the claim typically has a burden of proof to justify or substantiate that claim especially when it challenges a perceived status quo.[1] (1 – Cargile, James (January 1997). “On the Burden of Proof”. Philosophy. Cambridge University Press. 72 (279): 59–83. )