Why are stupid questions answered but mine are not?

[Maximilian928]

I have noticed that a lot of people ask the same questions without bothering to see if their question has already been answered. I have also noticed that while new and interesting questions are ignored, the most ridiculous questions are answered. Such as “Are dolphins people?” Really? Questions such as this are an obvious waste of time, yet are answered in a timely manner. Both myself and others are constantly asking questions and calling only to leave messages which go ignored as this one probably will.

 

[Michelle_Arnold]

I have noticed that a lot of people ask the same questions without bothering to see if their question has already been answered.

Repeat questions are usually answered by the Ask an Apologist forum docents, who point people to links where the questions were previously answered. Most of the questions we receive in the AAA queue are repeats, and our docents help to make sure that more questions are answered than otherwise would be.

Maximilian928:

I have also noticed that while new and interesting questions are ignored, the most ridiculous questions are answered. Such as “Are dolphins people?” Really? Questions such as this are an obvious waste of time, yet are answered in a timely manner.

What constitutes a new and interesting question is in the eye of the beholder. What may seem to be “an obvious waste of time” to some may seem to others to be helpful. In the case of the dolphin question, I liked the quirkiness of the question and felt it would be helpful for readers to understand that what separates humans from the rest of the animal kingdom is not intelligence but a spiritual, rational soul. This kind of information is needed when dealing with animal-rights activists who will sometimes equate eating meat with “murder.”

Maximilian928:

Both myself and others are constantly asking questions and calling only to leave messages which go ignored as this one probably will.

This one did not go unanswered because we occasionally do answer procedural questions about the AAA forum. As for calls to Catholic Answers’ business office, we strive to see that they never go unanswered. When a message is left on an apologist’s voice mail, the apologist usually will get in contact within one to three business days, depending on current backlog.