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I quit going to our HOA annual meetings due to the loooooooong prayers that our former HOA president did.
"...and Lord, please keep thy bounteous sunlight from fading our window coverings to non-approved shades, and limit the beauty of thy rhododendrons to the prescribed three feet..."
The above is extraordinarily one sided. Apply all your questions to the believers...why can't they make big adjustments to respect the sensitivities of the non believers? How does this work, whoever is in the majority, then the minority has to pretend that they believe the same things?
And you of all posters to be advising others to just go along. Why have you not turned your advice on yourself and dropped your unique positions on the cosmos rather than continuing to pester the atheists who participate in this forum?
You have this uncanny knack to lecture others on a series of shortcomings that you astonishingly are never able to detect in yourself.
And you have this uncanny knack of not recognizing the difference between expressing views on a discussion forum where they are expected and just accepting your friends and family without upsetting them.
I think one would need to employ the elements of respect, common decency, selfishness (inasmuch as you would not want to open up a volatile can of worms that could cause you stress, time or even danger in non-belief revealing) in a case by case basis in choosing to be upfront with one's beliefs.
Recently I have seen some Atheists form a raiding party, mount their horses with the flag an sword of Atheism flying and swinging and go charging into the Christianity Forum to rattle the Christian Apologists.
Maybe the C.A.'s raid our forum too, but I am slowly coming to the understanding that maybe that is what computer forums are for and it's an appropriate and acceptable venue for this. Anonymity can be kept, no one really gets hurt, many enjoy the battle, and some learning/understanding might come out of it once the dust settles.
Outside of a situation where belief is an implicit or explicit expectation/requirement, I don’t think there is anything unethical about not disclosing. My personal stance is this: my irreligion is my business; the only person I choose to be open about it with is my husband. I don’t care what anyone thinks of me, but I don’t want it to reflect poorly on him (he’s a minister) because of it. Even though his church is a progressive denomination, I still think it would be an unpleasant shock. Consequently, because even in overcrowded NY everyone knows everyone, I choose not to discuss it; not with friends, not with extended family, hell, not even with our kids yet. I won’t lie if someone comes right out and asks, but at this point, people just assume I’m a christian.
I will tell you why. It's because I have two moral red-lines, and one of them is that I believe it's harmful and repugnant to me for the helpless mind of a child to be indoctrinated into a religious belief. Any child, any religion. And a christening, in this case, is the beginning of that process which I happen to abhor. A process which I will neither appear to condone by my presence, nor be hypocritical enough to appear to "celebrate."
And I put this to you: Would YOU, if you knew that someone you love felt THAT strongly against a particular activity or event or scenario, expect them to "show how much they care about you" by being part of it? Or would you consider them "self-centered" if they choose one of their deeply held principles over their "loyalty" to you?
Who appointed you the arbiter of how anyone else raises their children? Your view on child-rearing applies to you and your children. Absent illegal practices, mind your own business. It is not necessary that everyone know what you think about anything.
And you have this uncanny knack of not recognizing the difference between expressing views on a discussion forum where they are expected and just accepting your friends and family without upsetting them.
I've stated elsewhere that away from this forum I never raise the issue of religion with anyone, that if asked I am honest in a low key, non provocative manner. If that upsets them, that is as much their problem as it is mine.
That does not mean that I am not being annoyed, and I am especially annoyed in situations where someone decides that all of us should pray, which is the example I contributed....in this forum...where such things are expected.
That sound like I do not know the difference? I am questioning the idea that the atheist is always the person who must remain silent so as not to upset matters. Why does the theist not share such an obligation to me? You have an answer for that other than....majority rules?
I've stated elsewhere that away from this forum I never raise the issue of religion with anyone, that if asked I am honest in a low key, non provocative manner. If that upsets them, that is as much their problem as it is mine.
That does not mean that I am not being annoyed, and I am especially annoyed in situations where someone decides that all of us should pray, which is the example I contributed....in this forum...where such things are expected.
That sound like I do not know the difference? I am questioning the idea that the atheist is always the person who must remain silent so as not to upset matters. Why does the theist not share such an obligation to me? You have an answer for that other than....majority rules?
Yes, Love rules, NOT the majority. What is it you would like to do that you would want theists to suck it up and be quiet about?
Yes, Love rules, NOT the majority. What is it you would like to do that you would want theists to suck it up and be quiet about?
Your first sentence could mean anything, which means that it actually means nothing. Your second sentence is of the "Are you still beating your wife?' school of juvenile sophistry.
You must be so proud of your posts. That genius is always shining through to prove your claim.
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