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Author Topic:   Atheism and freedom of speech
crashfrog
Member (Idle past 1467 days)
Posts: 19762
From: Silver Spring, MD
Joined: 03-20-2003


Message 5 of 108 (341374)
08-19-2006 12:03 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by sidelined
08-16-2006 12:00 PM


I try not to bring it up with my family, and they try not to bring it up with me. When they offer their religion as some kind of panacea for issues that I have, I politely decline.
It doesn't really come up at work. I'm not interested in targeting believers, and nobody at my job seems to be evangelical enough to take an interest in other people's religious status.
I did have to swear an oath to God in order to get my job, which I didn't particularly enjoy, but the advantage of atheism is that I don't have a deity breathing down my neck about feigned piety. I guess as a principle I could have asked to use different language, but it didn't seem very important at the time - less important than getting a job, I guess.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by sidelined, posted 08-16-2006 12:00 PM sidelined has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 6 by nator, posted 08-19-2006 12:07 PM crashfrog has replied

  
crashfrog
Member (Idle past 1467 days)
Posts: 19762
From: Silver Spring, MD
Joined: 03-20-2003


Message 7 of 108 (341376)
08-19-2006 12:08 PM
Reply to: Message 6 by nator
08-19-2006 12:07 PM


Pretty much.

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crashfrog
Member (Idle past 1467 days)
Posts: 19762
From: Silver Spring, MD
Joined: 03-20-2003


Message 41 of 108 (341762)
08-20-2006 4:16 PM
Reply to: Message 40 by Hyroglyphx
08-20-2006 3:43 PM


Re: Why not?
Its pretty straight forward. The gubment will not establish for itself a national religion, sanctioned to be respected, nor will it intrude upon the rights of those who seek to worship.
Sounds good to me. Where do you feel that's being violated?

This message is a reply to:
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crashfrog
Member (Idle past 1467 days)
Posts: 19762
From: Silver Spring, MD
Joined: 03-20-2003


Message 51 of 108 (341836)
08-20-2006 11:30 PM
Reply to: Message 48 by Hyroglyphx
08-20-2006 11:09 PM


Re: Why not?
Would anyone be willing to desecrate the burial site of fallen soldiers and their families wishes by removing thousands upon thousands of crosses and stars of David on military cemetaries?
No. Quite the opposite - we need to expand the number of allowable religious symbols in such instances. Currently the military doesn't allow pagan or wiccan religious symbols on grave markers, and that represents unconstitutional discrimination against religious minorities, don't you agree?
Nonetheless, its almost as if a Congressmen or the President can't have their own personal beliefs while apart of the government.
I don't for a minute think that's true, or that there's any kind of pressure on politicians to suborn their personal religious beliefs. In fact, you can't be a politician in America if you're an atheist.
But I do have a problem when a pol steps up to the podium and says "look, we're going to pass a law banning such-and-such because dammit, that's what God wants us to do." I have a big problem with that - and I suspect you would too, especially if his god was a different god than yours. I mean, democracy is about compromise - but how can you expect someone to compromise on God's will?
It's fine for all politicians to believe whatever they want. They're private citizens, too, and they have the same right to religious belief as I do. But they also have a public obligation, they hold a public office, and their religious convictions should be allowed to inflect their public actions only in so far as those actions can be supported by a compelling secular purpose.
But I notice that Christmas trees, which are rooted in paganism seem to be okay. But the second you put up a Nativity scene the ACLU comes a' runnin.'
They come runnin' when you put up Christmas trees, too.
It's not quite an equal thing, though. The Nativity is a specifically Christian religious emblem. You're right that Christmas trees originate in a pagan tradition, but "pagan" isn't a specific religion - it's a catch-all description of a number of loosely connected heritage spiritual practices.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 48 by Hyroglyphx, posted 08-20-2006 11:09 PM Hyroglyphx has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 52 by kuresu, posted 08-21-2006 12:00 AM crashfrog has replied
 Message 53 by anglagard, posted 08-21-2006 12:30 AM crashfrog has not replied
 Message 83 by Hyroglyphx, posted 08-22-2006 12:52 PM crashfrog has not replied

  
crashfrog
Member (Idle past 1467 days)
Posts: 19762
From: Silver Spring, MD
Joined: 03-20-2003


Message 54 of 108 (341843)
08-21-2006 1:15 AM
Reply to: Message 52 by kuresu
08-21-2006 12:00 AM


Re: Why not?
shit.
Can you name a single one?

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Replies to this message:
 Message 55 by arachnophilia, posted 08-21-2006 2:50 AM crashfrog has replied

  
crashfrog
Member (Idle past 1467 days)
Posts: 19762
From: Silver Spring, MD
Joined: 03-20-2003


Message 64 of 108 (341881)
08-21-2006 9:00 AM
Reply to: Message 55 by arachnophilia
08-21-2006 2:50 AM


Re: Why not?
george w. bush.
Jeez, why not start with the Pope?

This message is a reply to:
 Message 55 by arachnophilia, posted 08-21-2006 2:50 AM arachnophilia has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 66 by arachnophilia, posted 08-21-2006 11:07 AM crashfrog has not replied

  
crashfrog
Member (Idle past 1467 days)
Posts: 19762
From: Silver Spring, MD
Joined: 03-20-2003


Message 69 of 108 (341906)
08-21-2006 11:29 AM
Reply to: Message 67 by ohnhai
08-21-2006 11:16 AM


Re: Why not?
you have already surerndered your freedom to the christian fundamentalists in your once great nation.
True. On the other hand? The food is great.
I'm curious - what's the Australian constitution like?

This message is a reply to:
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Replies to this message:
 Message 70 by ohnhai, posted 08-21-2006 11:32 AM crashfrog has replied
 Message 84 by PurpleYouko, posted 08-22-2006 2:35 PM crashfrog has not replied

  
crashfrog
Member (Idle past 1467 days)
Posts: 19762
From: Silver Spring, MD
Joined: 03-20-2003


Message 71 of 108 (341923)
08-21-2006 12:08 PM
Reply to: Message 70 by ohnhai
08-21-2006 11:32 AM


Re: Why not?
and on the food thing... Mc Donnalds is nothing to write home about.....
Barbeque, though. For realz. Not "anothah shrimp on thah barbie", but real, slow-smoked, dry-rubbed, juicy succulent pork or beef brisket barbeque. Nothin' like it anywhere in the world.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 70 by ohnhai, posted 08-21-2006 11:32 AM ohnhai has replied

Replies to this message:
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