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Christians have it easy: there is a Protestant church at every other street corner in the south.
That church standing there means what in your mind? Religious follow a much stricter code in life, a whole other set of laws in addition to US law. Don't confuse those in church who joined a god club with those who follow the path in earnest. I have no hatred in my heart toward you. You're angry at someone who is doing something wrong and to presume I've done it to you is equally wrong.
Yes, and when some people are too brittle to handle any criticism whatsoever, they are only betraying their own sickness. This applies to all humanity, including our mere mortal Pope who should not be considered God in anyones mind. That statement is not meant to remove the rightful teachings from their proper place, but to question wrongful teachings committed to spiritual and intellectual honesty. Nothing more, and no need to remove the mortar of any congregation save for when it has rotted and is in need of repair. Attacking the mason fearfully by calling him a 'termite' of the Church... I am speechless. Radical right needs a mirror badly. They're a mess.
When someone disses the Pope do they have to go in hiding ?
You have made it clear you are anti Christian and anti Right.
But at least recognize that Christians aren't out killing and stalking people who talk against their religion..at least not as the norm.
Did I say or insinuate I was angry at you or at anyone? I said Christians don't have it tough: there is a Protestant church on every other street corner. They have it good.
Quote:
Originally Posted by harborlady
That church standing there means what in your mind? Religious follow a much stricter code in life, a whole other set of laws in addition to US law. Don't confuse those in church who joined a god club with those who follow the path in earnest. I have no hatred in my heart toward you. You're angry at someone who is doing something wrong and to presume I've done it to you is equally wrong.
Actually far right authoritarian Christian groups do "gang stalk" their victims in hopes they (the victims) die off or leave town. It's a throw back to the paternalistic olden days.
I disagree. Again if you shut down the shock jocks and Westboro, what is to say the next step wont be Glenn Beck and Islamic groups? Then what if one party wins in a landslide and has the votes and mandate to ban the other party because a majority doesn't think they are being sincere, or constructive? You have a right to ignore these people, you don't have a right to silence them. No one says you don't have the right to vote with your feet. You don't have to tune into shock jocks, Fox news, MSNBC etc. but if you start silencing them because you don't think they have valid criticism then we will inevitably start down the road of quashing dissent. People in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia are fighting for these freedoms we shouldn't be quashing them here.
As to running people off the road that has nothing to do with freedom of speech and there are already laws preventing people from reasonably inducing others to commit crimes.
No SCOTUS won't allow me to ignore these people. I have to raise my children in the attic like veal because people aren't willing to be responsible for themselves in public spaces respectfully. Not Madison ave, not corporations, not men, not women; not anyone worshiping themselves at the expense of all others around them. It's not dictating to you what you want to believe. Tolerance & respect is a two way street plain and simple.
No SCOTUS won't allow me to ignore these people. I have to raise my children in the attic like veal because people aren't willing to be responsible for themselves in public spaces respectfully. Not Madison ave, not corporations, not men, not women; not anyone worshiping themselves at the expense of all others around them. It's not dictating to you what you want to believe. Tolerance & respect is a two way street plain and simple.
But you are you are insisting that you must have dominion over public spaces. You want people with ideas and practices that you find odious to be silenced so you can enjoy those public spaces how you like. Tolerance & respect are two way streets, but you are arguing that others must respect you. The first amendment does and must protect peoples rights to not respect each other so that the mantra of respect is not used to shut down legitmate debate.
The fact of the matter is organized religion is nothing but a con game, a ponzi scheme developed long ago to keep the masses enslaved. The fact that religion lends itself so easily to tyranny and oppression speaks to the nature of religion itself. If you can convince a man that god told him to do something he will stop at nothing to accomplish it and will use "god told me to" as an excuse for the most depraved of acts.
Religion is a virus on mankind and the sooner we ditch the better. I don't agree very often with Karl Marx but when he said religion is the opium of the masses he was dead on.
I can agree with you up to a point but I mean to point out a whole other layer of the Bible, advanced academics so-to-speak. Inherent in the teachings, the deeper meaning behind the moral tales, is the instruction for psychological self defense. If a Christian can walk their talk, they are happy and not easily manipulated by malevolent forces. When they are prohibited from doing so they run the risk of falling in service to evil or good unwittingly. It is a very difficult path if followed sincerely.
That said witnessing with horror how the GOP animated themselves as King Herod outraged many for a reason. Those peace marches were Christians who saw something hideous going on in foreign policy. Give them credit where it is due. Their vehement rejection of Bush was in large part raised in traditions of Judeo-Christian ethics. I don't think anyone gives them credit for how hard it is to do the right thing in a secular world dangling 5 million twinkies in front of young minds. I give you Lady Gaga, Beyonce and Gangsta rappers as an example. This music is tripe and teens are encouraged to follow their lead to feel important and 'cool'. When no music of worthy content is published, only tripe on every channel and every centimeter of the radio dial, we are a civilization in intellectual decline.
Do I advocate for harsh censorship? NO! But please don't think all things are well and good because a complete absence of censorship is being supported by law presently. You have no idea the ramifications.
Actually far right authoritarian Christian groups do "gang stalk" their victims in hopes they (the victims) die off or leave town. It's a throw back to the paternalistic olden days.
When someone disses the Pope do they have to go in hiding ?
You have made it clear you are anti Christian and anti Right.
But at least recognize that Christians aren't out killing and stalking people who talk against their religion..at least not as the norm.
Can't say the same for Islam.
Well it's Islam right now, but it was Christianity not too long ago. You know witch trials, Inquisitions, Crusades, the "Reign of Terror" all of that fun stuff. Well it was fun if you were a male owning white Christian. Otherwise it wasn't so fun. Then we have the Christian group arrested just last year for preparing for an overthrow of the US government.
But no, no you're right Islam is EVIL and BAD and Christianity is GOOD.
The problem is no one can tell me what a "good Christian" because that answer depends on what denomination your talking to. Or if you're not into denominations that answer can very by the person. There is zero objectivity in religion, everything is subjective. I love the subtle way you called me ignorant but trust me I've done my research. I've spent the better part of my life researching various religions and spiritualities throughout the world. I used to be addicted to the drug of religion and it took me a long time to recover from it.
Pardon me-- humility goes a long way here. Lets agree that as individual human beings we are ALL ignorant to one degree or another. It's the nature of being human. This includes myself, and the Pope of the tradition I was raised in, and yourself. Some are more learned that others on one specialty or another. Stop trying to make this out to be a supremacy contest. You're blaming the dog catcher for the dog, the very same habit of faux christians. Blanket accusations for all becomes another form of prejudice/ injustice.
Zero objectivity in religion--- see the wisdom behind having 12 separate eye witness accounts (apostles) of one human being. It is an admission that there is bias in the eyes of each of us trying to make sense of the world as children. Owning our bias we see better. Confronting our own ego's is a healthy thing even if it's scary to imagine just how wrong we were. Own your bias, I'll own mine, then we speak respectfully to one another. I have no intrinsic hatred of you. My heart will not allow it. I have no desire to diminish you in any way to satisfy some BS supremacy. What's equality about? Equal rights? Think again who you are talking to and know that prejudices do exist when you ignore the individual you are talking to. The same is true when an honest black man has to listen to someone annoyed at black criminals and taking it out on the honest. It's an injustice. Competing brands of injustice- how's that working out for you?
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