Republicans rally against 'war on religious freedom'

[RedskinRat]

Republicans rally against 'war on religious freedom'

JANESVILLE, Wisconsin — Life has gone from bad to worse since Donna Sturdivant's husband was laid off four years ago and now she feels that the thing which brings her the most comfort -- her faith -- is under threat.
"We're starting to see our religious freedom taken away. Our Christian faith is being stepped on. Like kids in the schools -- they can't talk about God," Sturdivant, 60, told AFP. "There's something wrong in America."
Republicans like Sturdivant are rallying against what they see as an insidious attack on Christians by Democrats in government, activist judges in the courts and secular liberals bent on eroding the country's moral values.

Well, WTF is THAT all about? I'm a secular Independent and I'm not trying to erode anyone's morals unless she's hot.

But seriously, the statement that made me laugh the most was this gem:

"Christians are persecuted in many other countries and I think this is the next one," said Dean.


Dude, you aren't being persecuted at all. You want persecution, look at the ME and how they treat the 'wrong' faiths.


Guaranteed this jackass wouldn't be fighting for moslems to have the same level of exposure.


Still:


Such fears come as the number of Americans who claim no religious affiliation has reached an all-time high, noted Geoffrey Layman, a political science professor at the University of Notre Dame.
"There is an anxiety about the status of religious life and more things to be outraged about as we become a more secular society," he said.
"On the other hand it's just good strategic politics to play up the idea of a threat."
The problem with stoking those fears, however, is that it makes it very difficult to reach a compromise, said Rogers Smith, a political science professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
Religious conservatives consider their opponents to be "sinful" while liberals think their opponents as "not just wrong but crazy," he said.


At least the Democrats have research in their favoras science is getting close to proving religion to be an addictive or flaw of the mind.

[NC_Skins]

They want to be able to push their religion on you, but they don't want you keeping their religion out of your life.


I've stated many times over that people don't give two shits about their fellow human rights unless it somehow affects them. THEN, they care.


People's civil rights being taken away?.....Who cares, they aren't my freedoms.
People in Africa slaughtered in mass genocide......Don't care. It's not my family.

[RedskinRat]

Thanks for the additional thoughts NC Skins.

I also found this, thought it worth a few lines although I don't agree with all of it, it adds an interesting perspective:

The Politics of Belief

The Politics of Belief | Disinformation

A tribal shaman was once interviewed by a skeptical anthropologist and asked whether or not he actually believed in the truths behind the spiritual medicine he practiced. The shaman’s reply was surprisingly candid, for he admitted that his technique was completely fraudulent, and yet he still defended it for the simple reason that it often seemed to heal the patients. This brief exchange cuts to the core of the issue of why some people are religious and others are not. It all boils down to two simple questions – “Is it true?” and “Is it good?”

An atheist is someone who answers “no” to the first question, and usually (but not always), “no” to the second question as well. As such, there are a variety of tactics that atheists will employ in promoting arguments against religion. Charles Darwin, for example, was supposed to have been nudged permanently over the cusp into disbelief after having studied the behavior of a certain species of parasitic wasp. This particular wasp injects its eggs directly into the body cavity of living caterpillars so that after hatching, its larvae are provided with a steady food supply as they devour their unfortunate hosts alive from the inside out. Having seen this, Darwin could simply no longer permit himself to believe that a kind and loving Creator would cause or allow such needless cruelty.

[NC_Skins]

There are many moral men that don't believe in god. In fact, I've met a higher percentage of moral atheists over moral christians.

Also, you have to really sit and think about the intelligence of people that believe in a god/deity that most likely doesn't exist. So when they go and say stupid things like this woman, you have to understand why. Ignorance.

...and before some of you religious zealots come in here trying to lay the smack down on me for bringing up intelligence, I want you to ponder this. What would you think about the intelligence of a man that truly believed in Santa Claus? Lochness Monster? Easter Bunny? Aliens? Big Foot? Would you not question his intelligence or sanity? I would almost bet my life you would, and most likely would be the punchline on many of your jokes.

They aren't the same? Yeah, they are. They are both works of fiction about entities that cannot be proven.

[JoeRedskin]

To prove the existence of God you disprove the need for faith. If God's existence could be "proven" through forensic evidence, then his existence couldn't be questioned and the choice to follow him/her/it would be removed. In essence, we would be nothing morre than pets of an benign omipotent being. Very simply, that is not the God I in whom I believe (I have been through this before but can't find the posts).

Fine, belief in an entity that escapes definition of finite minds is the same as Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. How could I be so blind?

As for the rest, aethist or religious, stupid is as stupid does. Judge not lest you be judged and he (or in this case, she) who can discern the ultimate truth underlying existence is either a far wiser person than I ever will be or an idiot.

For those who choose not to believe, fine. It is your choice, insulting the intelligence of all those with faith strikes me as the same intolerance of which you complain.

[mooby]

I don't believe in God, although I want to, not necessarily because I want religion in my life, but because I'd like to think when I die all my good deeds in life will take me to an awesome place where everybody has a good time all day every day. But I just don't see it, it being evidence of a higher power.

As far as religion goes, I don't really care what people believe in. If you are Christian and you believe in God and it helps you in your daily life, fine. I don't care about religion at all unless people try to push it on me, and that's when I get annoyed. I don't have a lot of tolerance for religious pushers. If I want religion in my life, I will put it in my life. Until then, leave me alone.

With all that said, this whole thing about Christians, or any other religion in America for that matter, being the next to be persecuted in America is crazy imo. I'm pretty sure the majority of non-religious Americans would leave religious Americans alone if the religious Americans left us alone. Sure there would be a few nutjobs hell-bent on destroying religion out there, but they will exist either way you look at it. And there's not enough of them to make a difference either.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by mooby

I don't believe in God, although I want to, not necessarily because I want religion in my life, but because I'd like to think when I die all my good deeds in life will take me to an awesome place where everybody has a good time all day every day. But I just don't see it, it being evidence of a higher power.

As far as religion goes, I don't really care what people believe in. If you are Christian and you believe in God and it helps you in your daily life, fine. I don't care about religion at all unless people try to push it on me, and that's when I get annoyed. I don't have a lot of tolerance for religious pushers. If I want religion in my life, I will put it in my life. Until then, leave me alone.

With all that said, this whole thing about Christians, or any other religion in America for that matter, being the next to be persecuted in America is crazy imo. I'm pretty sure the majority of non-religious Americans would leave religious Americans alone if the religious Americans left us alone. Sure there would be a few nutjobs hell-bent on destroying religion out there, but they will exist either way you look at it. And there's not enough of them to make a difference either.

Sounds boring as fck.

[mooby]

Originally Posted by saden1

Sounds boring as fck.

I think everyone has their own idea of what "heaven" is to them. If your vision doesn't agree with mine, have fun at yours.

[DynamiteRave]

Originally Posted by mooby

I don't believe in God, although I want to, not necessarily because I want religion in my life, but because I'd like to think when I die all my good deeds in life will take me to an awesome place where everybody has a good time all day every day. But I just don't see it, it being evidence of a higher power.

As far as religion goes, I don't really care what people believe in. If you are Christian and you believe in God and it helps you in your daily life, fine. I don't care about religion at all unless people try to push it on me, and that's when I get annoyed. I don't have a lot of tolerance for religious pushers. If I want religion in my life, I will put it in my life. Until then, leave me alone.

With all that said, this whole thing about Christians, or any other religion in America for that matter, being the next to be persecuted in America is crazy imo. I'm pretty sure the majority of non-religious Americans would leave religious Americans alone if the religious Americans left us alone. Sure there would be a few nutjobs hell-bent on destroying religion out there, but they will exist either way you look at it. And there's not enough of them to make a difference either.

Sounds like you're in the same boat I am, agnosticism. I'd like to believe that there's a nice place for me after I die, but I have no reason to believe one way or the other and my faith isn't strong enough to lead me to believe in something I have no evidence of.

My family is southern baptist, my gf is in the Salvation Army so I've got church all around me all the time but I have no personal faith.

Heathen.

[Daseal]

Originally Posted by mooby

I don't believe in God, although I want to, not necessarily because I want religion in my life, but because I'd like to think when I die all my good deeds in life will take me to an awesome place where everybody has a good time all day every day. But I just don't see it, it being evidence of a higher power.

As far as religion goes, I don't really care what people believe in. If you are Christian and you believe in God and it helps you in your daily life, fine. I don't care about religion at all unless people try to push it on me, and that's when I get annoyed. I don't have a lot of tolerance for religious pushers. If I want religion in my life, I will put it in my life. Until then, leave me alone.

With all that said, this whole thing about Christians, or any other religion in America for that matter, being the next to be persecuted in America is crazy imo. I'm pretty sure the majority of non-religious Americans would leave religious Americans alone if the religious Americans left us alone. Sure there would be a few nutjobs hell-bent on destroying religion out there, but they will exist either way you look at it. And there's not enough of them to make a difference either.

I agree with this almost completely. I don't care if you're religious, agnostic, or an atheist. Your beliefs are exactly that, your beliefs. Personally, I lean towards the agnostic side. I live my life trying to follow one simple rule, treat others as you would like to be treated. At the end of the day, I hope that the most important thing is being a good person and respecting others.

I don't feel as if Christians are being persecuted one bit -- I feel as if they're being treated like the minority religions. I don't want religion in schools. I don't want religion in government. I don't want my day to day life to cycle around one religion. This country was founded for religious freedoms. People can practice whatever they like in their own homes, churches, etc. I don't expect you to adopt my lifestyle, ideals, or beliefs, there's no reason I should be expected to adopt yours.

[Chico23231]

Originally Posted by RedskinRat

Republicans rally against 'war on religious freedom'

JANESVILLE, Wisconsin — Life has gone from bad to worse since Donna Sturdivant's husband was laid off four years ago and now she feels that the thing which brings her the most comfort -- her faith -- is under threat.
"We're starting to see our religious freedom taken away. Our Christian faith is being stepped on. Like kids in the schools -- they can't talk about God," Sturdivant, 60, told AFP. "There's something wrong in America."
Republicans like Sturdivant are rallying against what they see as an insidious attack on Christians by Democrats in government, activist judges in the courts and secular liberals bent on eroding the country's moral values.

Well, WTF is THAT all about? I'm a secular Independent and I'm not trying to erode anyone's morals unless she's hot.

But seriously, the statement that made me laugh the most was this gem:

"Christians are persecuted in many other countries and I think this is the next one," said Dean.


Dude, you aren't being persecuted at all. You want persecution, look at the ME and how they treat the 'wrong' faiths.


Guaranteed this jackass wouldn't be fighting for moslems to have the same level of exposure.


Still:


Such fears come as the number of Americans who claim no religious affiliation has reached an all-time high, noted Geoffrey Layman, a political science professor at the University of Notre Dame.
"There is an anxiety about the status of religious life and more things to be outraged about as we become a more secular society," he said.
"On the other hand it's just good strategic politics to play up the idea of a threat."
The problem with stoking those fears, however, is that it makes it very difficult to reach a compromise, said Rogers Smith, a political science professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
Religious conservatives consider their opponents to be "sinful" while liberals think their opponents as "not just wrong but crazy," he said.


At least the Democrats have research in their favoras science is getting close to proving religion to be an addictive or flaw of the mind.

Extremism can exist within Christanity as well. These people are just plain nuts.

[mooby]

Originally Posted by DynamiteRave

Sounds like you're in the same boat I am, agnosticism. I'd like to believe that there's a nice place for me after I die, but I have no reason to believe one way or the other and my faith isn't strong enough to lead me to believe in something I have no evidence of.

My family is southern baptist, my gf is in the Salvation Army so I've got church all around me all the time but I have no personal faith.

Heathen.

My mother told me not to talk to heathens. Humph.

Yeah, if I had to pick one section of beliefs to stick with, it would be agnosticism.

[firstdown]

I believe I'll have another drink.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by mooby

I think everyone has their own idea of what "heaven" is to them. If your vision doesn't agree with mine, have fun at yours.

Your idea of heaven is sadly the same as everyone else's and I can't help but notice you desire a painful existence. Have fun forever.

[DynamiteRave]

Originally Posted by saden1

Your idea of heaven is sadly the same as everyone else's and I can't help but notice you desire a painful existence. Have fun forever.

Lemme guess... Atheist?