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so its not ok for them to shove their beliefs down your throat, (which im not exactly sure how they are doing so) but it is ok for you to shove your beliefs down their throat by telling them that they shouldnt redefine the meaning of a civic issue (one that has been redefined time and time again, which is also why women like you arent considered property anymore). interesting.
i guess its only ok to redefine civic terms when it helps the majority. well in my book, it is ok to redefine civic institutions in order to offer equality to ALL citizens. im glad the courts exist to protect the minority form the tyranny of the majority?
in this case we are not talking about beliefs. we are talking about peoples civic rights. its about equality. we are all free to believe what we want. but you shouldnt use those beliefs to limit your neighbors rights.
thats what makes me uncomfortable.
what you are saying, and what im hearing people say is:
its ok for people to be black. but when they start acting black (whatever that means), then it makes me uncomfortable.
its ok for people to be gay, but when they start acting gay, then it makes me uncomfortable.
what the heck does that mean?
they really have that much power over you? wow. some weak people around here.
i dont feel threatened or uncomfortable around gays, athesists, cristians, looney tunes, other religious zealots, nazis, celibates, (well maybe a group of them), or others.
what makes me uncomfortable is intolerance and unacceptance.
you can beleive what you want. just dont use those beliefs to limit an upstanding citizens rights.
Quote:
Originally Posted by momonkey
I think the question is ill posed. My neighbor's rottweiler doesn't make me uncomfortable since she is on her side of the fence most of the time. She doesn't really affect anything I'm doing. She'll bark at me if I go into my backyard and technically I could file a complaint with the city for my neighbor having a noisy dog but I won't do that since that would create a problem for my neighbor. One morning about three years ago, my neighbor left her gate unlocked after she left for work and the dog got loose. Still not a problem for me since I was going to work anyway. The problem was that the dog was now laying on the front porch at a time when school kids were walking through the alley adjacent to her house. The prospect of the dog coming into contact and likely attacking a child was unacceptable. I staked out a spot in front of the alley with my car between myself and the dog so I could warn anyone coming down the alley about the dog. As I was in the street attempting to get animal control on the phone, my other neighbors began showing up to lend their assistance. When we had enough people together, we simply approached the animal thereby chasing her back into her own yard locking the gate behind her. The dog not seeing anything wrong with what she was doing doesn't mean that it isn't an issue for others and for good reason. If you're an atheist, I don't care as long as you don't try to force it on my kid or ostracize him at school because of his beliefs. If you're gay, don't try to redefine the meaning and definition of marriage for everyone else. Both groups play the victim well, but since others are effected by their deliberate actions, this is not the case.
I don't think so. I don't even want to know what my straight friends are doing behind closed doors or discuss their sexuality, why would I accept otherwise just b'c someone's gay? You've got a partner for that.
I don't think you understand. msconnie has stated that her definition of "private" means that gays should not even mention their partners/spouses' names at work. She claims that heterosexuals shouldn't do it either because she considers it "private".
I hope you're not drawing conclusions on what is a very large group of people based on some idiots that would want a nuclear war.
So true, so true. It's hard not to do it, but so many of us (myself included) sometimes are very quick to judge an entire group of people based on the actions of a few. (gays, Christians, blacks, even huge groups like women)
The reactions to gays after Election Day was like nothing I've ever witnessed. Suddenly, there were comments everywhere suggesting that all gays were a bunch of whining, protesting militants. It showed me how little we all really know about each other. A little sad, I think.
Figured I'd chime in here and see where it goes. I am not threatened in any way by Homosexuals. Do I condone thier behavior? Thats not for me to say. I cant judge as my CHRISTIAN beliefs tell me that all the judging should be left to God...not me. I've met very likeable people in both categories. I think where most straight folks have the problem is when a flamboyant Gay person is so obnoxious that it draws attention to them. Much like that screaming fool in a straight club acting like an idiot, you become repulsed by thier behavior and tend to place ALL gays into that category. I neither dislike them or am bothered by them so long as they respect my rights as I respect thiers.
Athiests are of a different category for me. Being from a catholic background and always trying to do the right thing based on my religious faith, I have a hard time understanding where they are coming from half the time. I've read alot of ugliness spewing from those who hate Christians and I cant understand why they hate us so much. God teaches humility, tolerance, and forgiveness. yet I see hatred and insults being hurled at us from all directions. I have a funny feeling that the majority of atheists who comment on this thread and others are doing exactly what I stated in my opening statement. They are taking the actions of a few and making them representative of all who consider themselves Christians. Tolerance starts with self evaluation.....
I have a general belief that there is good in all people, it just takes some work to find it. If you cant or dont want to, then by all means shy away from those types of folks.
Peace
Winter
Are you unaware of the hatred that is found on the Christian side?
Please don't act like atheists have a monopoly on hatred. There are more vocal Christians out there spewing their hatred than there are atheists who hate the religious. I'm sure atheists who do hate Christians have good reason to do so. They don't just hate for the fun of it.
Would you not be "taking the actions of a few and making them representative of all who consider themselves" atheists?
There are some groups of Christians I don't care for and I'm sure they don't care much for me.
I'm not uncomfortable with either. I do get very uncomfortable when I'm around right wing religious zealots who are uncomfortable with gays and atheists.
I was looking at a video on YouTube about Prop. 8 and couldn't believe how many comments were uninformed, ignorant about sexuality, etc., and how many said they were voting against same-sex marriage because they didn't "approve" of homosexuality - as if it's a choice. Not a surprise to still see that believe still believe sexual orientation is a choice, but it still makes me think, "What a bunch of morons."
It would be interesting to see a survey of adults in all of the modern countries in the world, showing their knowledge about human sexuality. I have a feeling that Americans would be at the bottom of the list.
Honestly, is there any modern country in the world where the overall level of sexual intelligence is as low as it is in the U.S.?
I was looking at a video on YouTube about Prop. 8 and couldn't believe how many comments were uninformed, ignorant about sexuality, etc., and how many said they were voting against same-sex marriage because they didn't "approve" of homosexuality - as if it's a choice. Not a surprise to still see that believe still believe sexual orientation is a choice, but it still makes me think, "What a bunch of morons."
There is a disproportionate number of morons posting on YouTube videos. I really don't think they represent the general population, and I think a lot of them are nine, too.
There is a disproportionate number of morons posting on YouTube videos. I really don't think they represent the general population, and I think a lot of them are nine, too.
Well, you're probably right, but many of these comments I saw were well-written, and I think that's why I took them somewhat seriously.
I'm okay with someone who argues for the traditional definition of marriage; it's the ignorance about sexuality that makes me shake my head (and smack my forehead! ), as well as the belief that was repeated ad nauseum: "If gays are allowed to marry, our schools will have to teach them about gay sex!" God forbid anyone even mentions the word "homosexuality" in a school! I guess these people are so afraid of gays that they believe the mere utterance of the word will turn their kids into little homos.
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), as well as the belief that was repeated ad nauseum: "If gays are allowed to marry, our schools will have to teach them about gay sex!" God forbid anyone even mentions the word "homosexuality" in a school! I guess these people are so afraid of gays that they believe the mere utterance of the word will turn their kids into little homos. 
