The Pros and Cons of Banning Religion in the Public Life
Khallayne
11-10-2005, 23:41
Pros: It will keep people like George W Bush out of the White House for good.
It will break the illegal attempts of the Christian Right to turn America into the Theocracy of the United States of Jesus
It would kill the Bin Ladin argument of the "Christian Crusaders" in Iraq.
Con: We would be copying China, a totalitarian nightmare.
The South Islands
11-10-2005, 23:44
What defines "Public Life"?
Gymoor II The Return
11-10-2005, 23:44
I am not religious, but I will fight to the death for other's right to be. This is the only patriotism.
Rotovia-
11-10-2005, 23:44
Pros: It will keep people like George W Bush out of the White House for good.
It will break the illegal attempts of the Christian Right to turn America into the Theocracy of the United States of Jesus
It would kill the Bin Ladin argument of the "Christian Crusaders" in Iraq.
Con: We would be copying China, a totalitarian nightmare.
Pro: No more retarded "jesus fish" bumper stickers
Con: Violation of civil rights
Rotovia-
11-10-2005, 23:46
I am not religious, but I will fight to the death for other's right to be. This is the only patriotism.
I like the way you massacared my all time favourite quote.
Khallayne
11-10-2005, 23:47
What defines "Public Life"?
Anything outside of your House.
Pros: It will keep people like George W Bush out of the White House for good.
No, it would convince the moderate Christians that the neo-cons are right about the left trying to ban religion* and they would make Bush emperor for life or something.
*I AM NOT saying they are right, m’kay?
It will break the illegal attempts of the Christian Right to turn America into the Theocracy of the United States of Jesus
And this would infringe on freedom of speech, which is also illegal.
It would kill the Bin Ladin argument of the "Christian Crusaders" in Iraq.
So, I guess you wouldn’t be banning public displays of Islam, because that would piss them off just as much.
Con: We would be copying China, a totalitarian nightmare.
Even China isn’t this idiotic, they still keep the outdoor shrines and stuff open.
Gymoor II The Return
11-10-2005, 23:48
I like the way you massacared my all time favourite quote.
I didn't massacre it. I merely adapted it in an entirely appropriate way. After all, freedom of speech and freedom of religion are intertwined at a basic level.
The South Islands
11-10-2005, 23:48
Anything outside of your House.
Ok.
Total violation of civil rights, but ok.
Rotovia-
11-10-2005, 23:53
I didn't massacre it. I merely adapted it in an entirely appropriate way. After all, freedom of speech and freedom of religion are intertwined at a basic level.
I may not like the way you molest children. But I will defend to the death your right to do so.
See, massacared my dear friend.
Swimmingpool
11-10-2005, 23:56
Pros: It will keep people like George W Bush out of the White House for good.
It will break the illegal attempts of the Christian Right to turn America into the Theocracy of the United States of Jesus
It would kill the Bin Ladin argument of the "Christian Crusaders" in Iraq.
Con: We would be copying China, a totalitarian nightmare.
That's not really a correct con. China bans religion in private life as well as public life. I don't have a problem with some religion in public life; I don't insist upon my "right to not see anything religious". I am in favour of secularism, but against banning religion. (But if the local priest or imam is saying that gays should be thrown off the roofs, then I would make an exception.)
Banning religion in private life tends to do little to reduce fervour. In many former Soviet states, the people are now highly religious.
AllCoolNamesAreTaken
11-10-2005, 23:59
Pro: No more retarded "jesus fish" bumper stickers
I can still keep my "Darwin-fish-with-legs" bumper sticker, right?
Other pros:
No Hare Krishna's at the airport
No Bell-ringing Santa's everywhere
No "Honk if you love Jesus" sign wavers
No people knocking on my door trying to convert me
Eutrusca
12-10-2005, 00:13
Pros: It will keep people like George W Bush out of the White House for good.
It will break the illegal attempts of the Christian Right to turn America into the Theocracy of the United States of Jesus
It would kill the Bin Ladin argument of the "Christian Crusaders" in Iraq.
Con: We would be copying China, a totalitarian nightmare.
In the US this would be unconstitutional. If you want to submit an amendment for consideration by the States or the Congress, by all means do so. :)
Good luck! :D
Gymoor II The Return
12-10-2005, 00:13
I may not like the way you molest children. But I will defend to the death your right to do so.
See, massacared my dear friend.
The molestation of children is not expressly protected by the 1st Amendment. Also, even though I am not religious, I don't find the comparison between religion and child molestation to be particularly apt (the problems of the Catholic Church aside.) :D
The South Islands
12-10-2005, 00:17
In the US this would be unconstitutional. If you want to submit an amendment for consideration by the States or the Congress, by all means do so. :)
Good luck! :D
I have a feeling the majority of the nation would rise up in revolt if that was passed.
I know I would.
Khallayne
12-10-2005, 00:18
How about this for an amendment...
Freedom FROM Religion
Hereby out the Constitution of these United States guarantees that the all government elected officals, employees, etc. must not practise any and all forms of religious thought while working for the government nor should these employees, elected officals, etc. allow religious consepts to influence their line of thinking when shapping government policy.
cons: total violation of 2 aspects of amendment #1-freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
more ammo for terrorists since Islam is a religion
Conservatives would repeal a certian amendment, allowing for Bush to have a third term just so America doesn't become an atheist dictatorship nightmare on par with Nazi Germany and Stalin's USSR.
Militant religist people, ranging from Christians and Muslims to Jews, Hindus, Bhudists, etc., running around. By militant, I mean fully armed and everything.
A second American Civil War between bad atheists and everyone else would be imminent. Massive bloodshed would happen, leaving the good atheists and theists to scrape the bad atheists off the ground.
France might actually do something for once. Do you want the French involved in American affairs? I don't. I don't trust a nation that's been America's rival for a while. By while, I mean almost 200 years.
More ammo for theist fundies, your(stheists) most dreaded enemy.
Anything outside of your House.
Shouldn't happen then. Several religions require you to go to a place of worship [Catholocism being an example]. BY not allowing them to gather you are preventing them from following thei beliefs and can no longer say that there is freedom of religion.
The molestation of children is not expressly protected by the 1st Amendment. Also, even though I am not religious, I don't find the comparison between religion and child molestation to be particularly apt (the problems of the Catholic Church aside.)
color=purple]It happens in any place where several childeren are around adults for long periods of time. After school groups, catholic alterboys, other religious groups, school. If you compare by size it actually happens very little in the Catholic church compared to other faiths.[/color]
The South Islands
12-10-2005, 00:22
How about this for an amendment...
Freedom FROM Religion
Hereby out the Constitution of these United States guarantees that the all government elected officals, employees, etc. must not practise any and all forms of religious thought while working for the government nor should these employees, elected officals, etc. allow religious consepts to influence their line of thinking when shapping government policy.
So, because I'm a school teacher ( a government employee), I can't practice my religion.
Sounds the same to me.
The South Islands
12-10-2005, 00:26
cons: total violation of 2 aspects of amendment #1-freedom of speech and freedom of religion.
more ammo for terrorists since Islam is a religion
Conservatives would repeal a certian amendment, allowing for Bush to have a third term just so America doesn't become an atheist dictatorship nightmare on par with Nazi Germany and Stalin's USSR.
Militant religist people, ranging from Christians and Muslims to Jews, Hindus, Bhudists, etc., running around. By militant, I mean fully armed and everything.
A second American Civil War between bad atheists and everyone else would be imminent. Massive bloodshed would happen, leaving the good atheists and theists to scrape the bad atheists off the ground.
France might actually do something for once. Do you want the French involved in American affairs? I don't. I don't trust a nation that's been America's rival for a while. By while, I mean almost 200 years.
More ammo for theist fundies, your(stheists) most dreaded enemy.
Many more people than just the "fundies" would rise up. I know many athiests (my best friend is an athiest), but I know of no one that seeks to deny thiests the right of free worship.
I don't see why so many people have to be against religion. What is so bad about having a source of hope and happiness? Is it all about the "ideas that aren't mine are always wrong, evil, and should never exist" mentality?
The South Islands
12-10-2005, 00:29
I don't see why so many people have to be against religion. What is so bad about having a source of hope and happiness? Is it all about the "ideas that aren't mine are always wrong, evil, and should never exist" mentality?
It's about some people judging an entire religion on the actions and beliefs of a few people.
Khallayne
12-10-2005, 00:29
I don't see why so many people have to be against religion. What is so bad about having a source of hope and happiness? Is it all about the "ideas that aren't mine are always wrong, evil, and should never exist" mentality?
I'm not agianst religion, I am in fact a Buddhist, but what I'm agianst is the lunatic Christian Conservative Right that is turing this nation into a Dark Age Theocracy where I will be accused of witchcraft and after Anne Putnam declares in a court of law that my spector is raping her I will be burned at the stake to "save my Immortal Soul"
So maybe it would be a good thing if these lunatics are wiped out, at least it will keep me from becomming a human barbacue.
The South Islands
12-10-2005, 00:32
I'm not agianst religion, I am in fact a Buddhist, but what I'm agianst is the lunatic Christian Conservative Right that is turing this nation into a Dark Age Theocracy where I will be accused of witchcraft and after Anne Putnam declares in a court of law that my spector is raping her I will be burned at the stake to "save my Immortal Soul"
So maybe it would be a good thing if these lunatics are wiped out, at least it will keep me from becomming a human barbacue.
Being just a LITTLE sensationalist, arn't we?:D
Eutrusca
12-10-2005, 00:35
I have a feeling the majority of the nation would rise up in revolt if that was passed.
I know I would.
Tust me: it would never, ever, under any circumstances whatsoever, pass!
Khallayne
12-10-2005, 00:35
I just call'em like a seem'em South Islands!:D
Smunkeeville
12-10-2005, 00:37
okay this is about the most idiotic thing I have ever heard.
I am sorry to be so harsh but it really is.
separation of church and state goes both ways you know, we will not try to control the goverment as long as the government doesn't try to control us.
if you think the problem is bad now with all the religious nutjobs running around think how bad it would get if you pissed off the moderates and the liberal Christians too, I mean this really really would, look how upset I am getting and I know it isn't even a possibility.....
The South Islands
12-10-2005, 00:39
I just call'em like a seem'em South Islands!:D
Alright, It's your opinion. Whatever, man!:p
Godexpensiveland
12-10-2005, 01:39
We can't ban religion.
Not because of civil stuff or freedom of something.
Because we are migrating to atheism, inch by inch.
Every day science pulls out of the hands of any fukkin god that ever was imagined by humans a little piece of universe.
The dumbs that believe in creation, and not in evolution, will just loose the competition in a maximum time of a couple of centuries.
But ignorance will exist forever, because the half-knowledge is natural.
If everyone had the truth in his pockets, the life would be so boring.
So, religion is needed to fit the lack of knowledge of ignorants (or those who believe in things because their parents told them to be true)
You can't eradicate religion from someone's life unless you substitute it with knowledge.
And this is a logarithmic process, tends to fulfill itself if you consider infinity as horizon, but in reality you never reach 100% of success.
And the work to increase each percent is increasingly more expensive (in time, work, money)
So the role of every convinced atheist is not to fight religion, but to put the seed of knowledge.
Religion is a disease. Don't hate believers. Think at them as patients that need help.
Gradually the cancer of religions will die by itself.
Felix
Keruvalia
12-10-2005, 01:47
You can't eradicate religion from someone's life unless you substitute it with knowledge.
I am extremely knowledgable and extremely religious.
Go figure that one out, Mr. Black and White.
Nikkolavia
12-10-2005, 02:22
I'm not agianst religion, I am in fact a Buddhist, but what I'm agianst is the lunatic Christian Conservative Right that is turing this nation into a Dark Age Theocracy where I will be accused of witchcraft and after Anne Putnam declares in a court of law that my spector is raping her I will be burned at the stake to "save my Immortal Soul"
So maybe it would be a good thing if these lunatics are wiped out, at least it will keep me from becomming a human barbacue.
Erm, I understand your worry, but the Far Right Christians who would do that are a rather small yet vocal minority, and most gov't officials only give them lip service *cough* Reagan *cough*. Most Christians, myself included, respect your religion, and I'm already really annoyed at the Fundies for giving the rest of us a bad name. Some sort of anti-religion amendment would just piss off all theists, and in the end the Far Right would become more powerful. And believe me, if anything like this Dark Age Theocracy came to pass, I'd join you in fleeing the country.
We can't ban religion.
Not because of civil stuff or freedom of something.
Because we are migrating to atheism, inch by inch.
Every day science pulls out of the hands of any fukkin god that ever was imagined by humans a little piece of universe.
The dumbs that believe in creation, and not in evolution, will just loose the competition in a maximum time of a couple of centuries.
But ignorance will exist forever, because the half-knowledge is natural.
If everyone had the truth in his pockets, the life would be so boring.
So, religion is needed to fit the lack of knowledge of ignorants (or those who believe in things because their parents told them to be true)
You can't eradicate religion from someone's life unless you substitute it with knowledge.
And this is a logarithmic process, tends to fulfill itself if you consider infinity as horizon, but in reality you never reach 100% of success.
And the work to increase each percent is increasingly more expensive (in time, work, money)
So the role of every convinced atheist is not to fight religion, but to put the seed of knowledge.
Religion is a disease. Don't hate believers. Think at them as patients that need help.
Gradually the cancer of religions will die by itself.
Felix
Which explains why Einstein was such a big Theist, right? Ironic, many theists view atheists the same way (as people who need our help). You keep trying to cure the cancer of religion, I'll keep trying to cure the cancer of religiouslessness, and we'll call it even, 'kay?
As an Agnostic, all I can say is maybe.
You really intend to ban fundementalism, which is just about immpossbile to legally guage in a court of law. "Your honor, said suspect is in violation of being an asshole for telling gays to die." If you can turn it into written law without having a billion loop holes in it then by all means pass it.