So as time passes I find myself becoming less tolerant of religious BS and of religion in general. When I first came out I was around religious moderates and reasonable people. I told them I disagreed with them, but if they got something out of it whatever. It just wasn't for me. And they were all very understanding. And in my university, well it's a university. Such things are widely accepted there (even in oklahoma).

However recently some folks have been blathering on Facebook about the damn "war on Xmas" and how this should be a godly nation. And I try not to comment. Whatever. It's their page, they can believe what they want. But the oh-so-subtle attacks are starting to get to me.

I'm getting sick of hearing subtle jibes against me. I'm getting sick of people I care about thoughtlessly reposting and sharing such sentiments. And I'm nearly at the point of calling out some people publicly on it.

And I'm generally not an angry atheist. I love christmas. I like Easter. If you privately want a religious celebration on your personal property, or on church property, great! Go for it! I'm just sick of public officials subtly implying that to be a proper american I have to follow their beliefs.

(December 6, 2014 at 11:52 am)Natachan Wrote: And I'm generally not an angry atheist. I love christmas. I like Easter. If you privately want a religious celebration on your personal property, or on church property, great! Go for it! I'm just sick of public officials subtly implying that to be a proper american I have to follow their beliefs.

To be a proper american do you have to celebrate MLK day? I'm sure the KKK types are sick of public official implying that you do. To be a proper american do you have to celebrate Columbus Day? I'm sure some Native Americans types are sick of public officials implying that you do. To be a proper American do you have to eat turkey on Thanksgiving? I'm sure the vegan types are sick of public officials implying that you do. If American society should be sterilized of its religious/cultural heritage for the benefit of a fringe group like atheists....why shouldn't it be sterilized of other cultural beliefs for the sake of the other fringe groups?

(December 6, 2014 at 12:21 pm)Heywood Wrote:

(December 6, 2014 at 11:52 am)Natachan Wrote: And I'm generally not an angry atheist. I love christmas. I like Easter. If you privately want a religious celebration on your personal property, or on church property, great! Go for it! I'm just sick of public officials subtly implying that to be a proper american I have to follow their beliefs.

To be a proper american do you have to celebrate MLK day? I'm sure the KKK types are sick of public official implying that you do. To be a proper american do you have to celebrate Columbus Day? I'm sure some Native Americans types are sick of public officials implying that you do. To be a proper American do you have to eat turkey on Thanksgiving? I'm sure the vegan types are sick of public officials implying that you do. If American society should be sterilized of its religious/cultural heritage for the benefit of a fringe group like atheists....why shouldn't it be sterilized of other cultural beliefs for the sake of the other fringe groups?

So, to summarize: Heywood thinks that asking people not to be dicks about their beliefs is "sterilizing" America. Evidently, being a dick to everyone if they don't follow exactly his beliefs is core to Heywood's religion.

(December 6, 2014 at 12:34 pm)Esquilax Wrote:

(December 6, 2014 at 12:21 pm)Heywood Wrote: To be a proper american do you have to celebrate MLK day? I'm sure the KKK types are sick of public official implying that you do. To be a proper american do you have to celebrate Columbus Day? I'm sure some Native Americans types are sick of public officials implying that you do. To be a proper American do you have to eat turkey on Thanksgiving? I'm sure the vegan types are sick of public officials implying that you do. If American society should be sterilized of its religious/cultural heritage for the benefit of a fringe group like atheists....why shouldn't it be sterilized of other cultural beliefs for the sake of the other fringe groups?

So, to summarize: Heywood thinks that asking people not to be dicks about their beliefs is "sterilizing" America. Evidently, being a dick to everyone if they don't follow exactly his beliefs is core to Heywood's religion.

Evidently Esquilax believes that if you are a religious type and you hold public office you are a dick.

Look, you are dealing with a diverse public and everyone....including public officials, have a right to imply what it means to be a proper american. If you don't like the public official....vote him out of office.

(December 6, 2014 at 12:42 pm)Heywood Wrote: Evidently Esquilax believes that if you are a religious type and you hold public office you are a dick.

No, but if you're religious in general and feel you absolutely must be exclusionary to people who don't walk in lockstep with your beliefs, for absolutely no reason than to stoke the exclusionary tendencies of others, then yes, that makes you a dick.

Quote:Look, you are dealing with a diverse public and everyone....including public officials, have a right to imply what it means to be a proper american. If you don't like the public official....vote him out of office.

But I don't have the right to imply that such behavior is dickish?

(December 6, 2014 at 12:50 pm)Esquilax Wrote:

(December 6, 2014 at 12:42 pm)Heywood Wrote: Evidently Esquilax believes that if you are a religious type and you hold public office you are a dick.

No, but if you're religious in general and feel you absolutely must be exclusionary to people who don't walk in lockstep with your beliefs, for absolutely no reason than to stoke the exclusionary tendencies of others, then yes, that makes you a dick.

Quote:Look, you are dealing with a diverse public and everyone....including public officials, have a right to imply what it means to be a proper american. If you don't like the public official....vote him out of office.

But I don't have the right to imply that such behavior is dickish?

Large parts of the gay community exclude people who support the notion that marriage is between a man and woman or people who support the notion that homosexuality is a sin.

Does that make the gay community dicks?

We have got to a point in our society (USA) that our dick head politicians have to say the right things, meaning they have to act christian. I think the world would end if they didn't end their speech with "god bless america"

Christians are always saying god wants a personal relationship...KEEP IT THAT WAY

(December 6, 2014 at 12:59 pm)polar bear Wrote: We have got to a point in our society (USA) that our dick head politicians have to say the right things, meaning they have to act christian.

If they were truly acting Christian then this world would have been a scorched wasteland long ago. They are pretending to act Christian-lite.

(December 6, 2014 at 12:59 pm)polar bear Wrote: We have got to a point in our society (USA) that our dick head politicians have to say the right things, meaning they have to act christian. I think the world would end if they didn't end their speech with "god bless america"

That will probably change in the next 25 years.

(December 6, 2014 at 12:42 pm)Heywood Wrote: Look, you are dealing with a diverse public and everyone....including public officials, have a right to imply what it means to be a proper american.

Let me get this straight. Are you saying that implying or coming right out and saying what it means to be a proper american is a reasonable -perhaps even important- thing for serious people to be doing? Or, are you simply saying everyone gets to say all the shit they want because of free speech?

And atheists are a "fringe group"? Nice. "Minority group" wouldn't quite convey all that you had in mind then? I agree with the OP that what you believe is your business. What good is free speech if you don't get to be offensive? Bigots gonna be bigots.