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... The issue with kids is hard, all I can say is that it gets better as the kids get older and learn when to keep opinions in the family...
Most do improve, some dont. In fact, I have had a parent stand on the curb while he sent his 2 kids to my door to preach. Talk about marketing! I doubt any signs would have kept these kids away. A vast majority of religious people (including my almost-religious but agnostic wife) are fine and respectful - it is the radical 5%(??) that are worrysome and keep stretching the limits in every religion.
I don't think you were that worked up about the use of God and religion before yesterday. I was thinking more of the folks who were. Fight Back Against the Use of God in the Inauguration | Friendly Atheist by Hemant Mehta
A couple weeks ago, Barack Obama picked Rick Warren to deliver his Inauguration’s invocation prayer. The gay community was (rightfully) mad. At the same time, Obama announced that Rev. Joseph Lowery would give the benediction prayer. Lowery is a little better on gay issues, but he still opposes gay marriage.
Atheists were mad that prayer was being used in the inauguration in the first place: Why was he mixing church and state? (We even filed a lawsuit.)
What has Obama done to respond to our frustration and anger?
He’s brought on two more Christian pastors.
The above is from the link
Remember there were lawsuits to prevent the use of the word God so those folks were certainly worked up.
You do realize that the vast majority of America is religious and does not support gay marriage and think religion should be a part of their lives, don't you?
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Originally Posted by Tom Lennox 70
You do realize that the vast majority of America is religious and does not support gay marriage and think religion should be a part of their lives, don't you?
And the truth of that statement very much depends on the definition of "religious".
I've known far too many Sunday Morning Christians who spend an hour in church Sunday morning while they happily lie, cheat, and steal when the opportunity presents itself during the week. They consider themselves "religious".
Besides, the majority of people are some form of Christianity so it only makes sense. And Warrens prayer was quite nice, and while I don't believe in the 'big guy' I completely agree with the sentiments of the prayer itself.
One last thing.......did you catch Obamas 'shout out' to the unbelievers in our midst? I did, and I appreciated that as well.
I found Warrens prayer very overboard. If your going to give an invocation for an event which is for many people of many faiths, I think it should be kept simpler. If Obama wanted a prayer before from Warren he had the chance. He was not preaching to a room full of fundamentalists and did not need to preach.
I found the "shout out" okay, but as one who is neither an unbeliever or one of the offically named faiths felt as if my own was not "real". Just adding "and other faiths" to his list would have fixed it.
I hope that Obama does not make decisions based on his chosen religious base as it has no place in our government. Personally I would have prefered only a simple and very generic invocation and such without name figures. That would help keep church and state seperated.
I am glad that Obama is illustrating that religion and faith is present in democrats as well as republicans. There are atheists and theists on both sides of the aisle, and it was a false claim of the right that religion belonged to republicans. If the religious aspects of the inauguration bring more people into the Obama fold, all the better. Personally, I am an atheist.
The truth is, we can't really know what a politician believes. They all (well most) have to go to church and be seen with a bible. Very few people who are atheists will be elected, due to the unfounded belief drummed into theists that atheists are rudderless and possibly amoral, despite the fact that the self-alleged Christian politicians seem to have a knack for crooked behavior.
With God and faith being so evident over the last two days in all of the events the there is no God folk must be pondering what they are missing. The there is no God folk who objected to the use of God in the oath must be stuck in bed from their melt down. The last two days have been joyous as we as nation shout that faith plays a major role in our national identity. We are a nation of immigrants but we are also a nation of faith from around the world. Are there others celebrating the recognition of God in our lives by our national leaders?
Not really. If the incoming president wanted to have his faith as part of the ceremonies yesterday, fine. If not, fine.
To have a meltdown there has to be something to melt. Those of of no faith live in a spiritual void, and you can't melt something that is empty.
We really need to show more tolerance for the beliefs or non-beliefs of others. Let's all hope that the Obama presidency will help to bring that about.
I do not hope Obamas presidency will bring out more equality and tolerance because I know it will.
Under George Bush and Sarah Palin (had she won), the Christian Right would have/have gained more power and thrown more illogical arguments for why there should be prayer in school, Bibles in school, Roe Vs. Wade overturned and etc,etc.
The majority of the twenty percent that still approve of Bush are probably the real religious people.
At least I can give Bush one thing. He was not so focused on his religion. He seemed to be more tolerant toward people of other faith minus Islam and Pagan religions. Sure, he did not like those faiths but he did not go around pushing Christianity anywhere. I do believe Sarah Palin would have pushed for so much more against gay people, against people of other faiths, and more for Christianity.
In a country where all faiths and everyone else are supposed to be equal, there is no reason why the people of the Christian religion try to hard to be the only recognized religion. There is no reason to denounce other religions and call other religions "Satanic". Respect them and you'll get respect back. I respect Christanity but sometimes the followers get on my nerves.
Under George Bush and Sarah Palin (had she won), the Christian Right would have/have gained more power and thrown more illogical arguments for why there should be prayer in school, Bibles in school, Roe Vs. Wade overturned and etc,etc.
Do you mean McCain and Palin?
I'm a liberal, and this actually was my fear when GWB first took office eight years ago. But Roe v. Wade is still here, etc. So I'm not as nervous as I once was that hyper-religions ultra-conservative leaders really can effect drastic changes like that easily.
I keep trying to rep you, JerZ but I can't. I've seen this cycle, too. Reagan didn't get Roe v Wade overturned, neither did W. Bush. (I don't think his dad expressed much about that issue.) The Supreme Court nominees have not turned out as bad as some of us thought, even the ones that seemed quite right-wing at the time.
Which, actually, should offer some comfort to those who think that Obama is going to suddenly take us into socailism (even though he's not a socialist himself)! Things just go on, little changes here, little changes there, some big earth shattering ones infrequently.
The religious folks , like the Java Wittiness , are told to go out and harass the public. Its part of their job , or requirement to be in the fold. They know not what they do, when they came 2 miles back on a deserted road deep in snow ,..to see me !
Seems like such people should be required to register first , sort of like the Moonies at the Airport.
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