A two and a half legged stool (punishment, philosophy, people)
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I may have mentioned this before, but the topic is the nature of God. But yet again it has become a thread for the Usual Suspects to do some atheist -bashing. Just sayin'.
Talking about the nature of god requires us to talk about evidence for a belief. And we know where that ends ... time outs.
And it is not atheist bashing. It is type of atheist bashing. Its basically saying fundy-think-types are the problem on both sides. they force us into binary answers, avoid evidence, and we can't talk about modifying the god claim to talk about anything but the deities of their choice.
Some of us feel that is exactly what some religious people do ... "religionist-type" people have beliefs that match a two and a half legged stool. weather its deny-everything or my-god-only isn't really the issue.
The part you put in bold (The problem with your statement is that the atheist is the one that decides whether he is treated as a real American or not. ) is obviously not true.
When an atheist objects to a public body performing Christian rituals, he is highly likely to be told that this is a Christian nation and if he doesn't like it he can just leave and go somewhere that isn't a Christian nation. Obviously, that is not the fault of the atheist. These people are routinely told they aren't "real" Americans because they aren't Christians.
This has happened over Christian prayers at city council meetings, football coaches gathering all the players together for prayer, schools distributing gift packs with religious messages inside, and religious exhibits on public property placed their by elected officials.
If you are interested in how Christians object to the enforcement of the 1st Amendment, go follow the Freedom From Religion Foundation on Facebook. Every week they publish the mail they receive, calling it "CrankMail." Most weeks they get at least one thoroughly profane cussing from a Christian.
Is activism as the primary goal fit a religious and spirituality forum. Does activism using a religion and spirituality forum as a method to achieve the social end game promote an unbias and reliable method to discuss the best truths we have in spirituality and religion.
Can activism actually stunt the growth of people not suspecting that we are here for activism when they are just seeking some truths to fit their spirituality.
The problem with your statement is that the atheist is the one that decides whether he is treated as a real American or not. This is highly subjective and a very steep slippery slope. IN the same manner Mormons, Jews, Agnostics, Evangelicals, + may feel they are treated less than American.
Obviously this has been hashed out already and as expected there are unhappy campers.
But, what remains disturbing about your post is that you feel the ultimate word is with the offended party.
In 1838, Missouri Governor, Lilburn Boggs, put out an official order proclaiming that "the Mormons must be treated as enemies and must be exterminated or driven from the state, if necessary for the public good." The Mormons living in Missouri at that time were law-abiding citizens. Roughly a decade later, they when living in the town of Nauvoo, which they'd built from nothing, on the banks of the Mississippi River, they were again driven from their homes, this time in the dead of winter. When U.S. citizens are literally expelled from the country for no other reason than their religious beliefs, that persecution is in no way "subjective."
In 1838, Missouri Governor, Lilburn Boggs, put out an official order proclaiming that "the Mormons must be treated as enemies and must be exterminated or driven from the state, if necessary for the public good." The Mormons living in Missouri at that time were law-abiding citizens. Roughly a decade later, they when living in the town of Nauvoo, which they'd built from nothing, on the banks of the Mississippi River, they were again driven from their homes, this time in the dead of winter. When U.S. citizens are literally expelled from the country for no other reason than their religious beliefs, that persecution is in no way "subjective."
I just want to emphasize the word used in his executive order: exterminated.
I had actually been reading about this historical disgrace just a few weeks ago. Shocking in a country that supposedly believes in freedom of religion.
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