I'm a centrist/moderate, my political views/positions tend to change based on the issues.

My atheism has very little to do with my politics, unless religioinistas are pushing their views into law.

(August 29, 2023 at 11:45 am)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: My atheism has very little to do with my politics, unless religioinistas are pushing their views into law.

Aren't they always?

(August 29, 2023 at 11:50 am)FrustratedFool Wrote:

(August 29, 2023 at 11:45 am)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: My atheism has very little to do with my politics, unless religioinistas are pushing their views into law.

Aren't they always?

No. Jews don’t try to legislate against the consumption of shellfish and Hindus aren’t clamoring to force other people to make sacrifices to Kali.

Boru

But orthodox Jews do try and advocate for positions on gay marriage, abortion, religious schooling, and Israel.

And maybe in places like France to be allowed to wear the kippur in state schools.

And they would be against any move to classify circumcision as genital mutilation. Or the banning of kosher meat under animal rights regulation.

Their religious values influence their voting and advocacy. And look at the power Judiasm has in Israeli politics (and therefore international politics).

It would be better if no ones political opinions was swayed by religion at all.

(August 29, 2023 at 12:40 pm)FrustratedFool Wrote: It would be better if no ones political opinions was swayed by religion at all.

Why? Doesn't everybody have a right to advocate for what they feel is best? Why should religion be an exception?

Because religion is founded on demonstrable falsehoods.

And since it appeals to people's innate predisposition, but is generally harmful and deleterious to civilisation, people need to be protected from it, the same way they need to be protected from racism, Nazism, gambling, and crack.

That's why we have things like hatespeech laws, restrictions on what can be taught in state schools, restrictions on advertising, restrictions on political.parties advocating for terror, and so on. We protect democracy and separate church and state for the greater good.

(August 29, 2023 at 11:50 am)FrustratedFool Wrote:

(August 29, 2023 at 11:45 am)Thumpalumpacus Wrote: My atheism has very little to do with my politics, unless religioinistas are pushing their views into law.

Aren't they always?

Not in my experience. Here in Texas, sure, they are goddamned pushy. But California, where I lived for a long time, no, they're not generally pushy. It varies.

I'm beyond liberal, and I also ascribe to the notion that the 'Murican guvment is extremely corrupt.

Wouldn't the influence of Texan religionists affect many things nationally?