Russia says it will arrest openly gay tourists

[DeistPaladin]

And this is why religion is superfluous fluffy nonsense in some cases and horrible bigot-creating hate-filled awfulness in others.

Very nice way of putting it. Mind if I use that in the future when I'm talking about all the religious crap that clutters our view of the moral landscape?

This is why I'm opposed to people who claim a divine source for their backwards-ass morals, even if it is secular to begin with.

In a way, all religious edicts were "secular" to begin with.

Religion, like all other aspects of culture, is an outgrowth of humanity's efforts to understand their world and survive within it. For example, edicts on dietary requirements, making certain foods taboo, likely stemmed from people dying or getting sick after eating these foods.

People see rainbows or there's an earthquake or flood and we like to find reasons why the gods are doing this or that. "Just so" myths get told to explain the mysteries of the world and motives are attributed to the gods for events or calamities. Even today, when an earthquake, flood, fire, etc strike, preachers will invoke the gods of wrath and scapegoat some group or other as the cause of the anger of the gods.

The obsession that Yahweh has with homosexuality dovetails with the admonishments of how married heterosexuals should have sex. The rules to wait seven days after her period has ended has to do with making sure that the couple's sex is more likely to produce offspring. Apparently, the ancient Jews were obsessed with population growth, causing the odd rules and taboos to be written.

[Doubting Thomas]

They cannot breed, so their relationships do not contribute to the future of society at all, so why would anyone consider their "PDA" to be somewhat in the range of heterosexual "PDA"?

So you're saying unless kissing can result in children, it shouldn't be allowed in public? What about heterosexual couples who can't or don't want to have children? Should they also be banned from kissing in public?

The anti-gay crowd is so desperate to latch onto any reason why homosexual this or homosexual that shouldn't be allowed, that they always bring up the "they can't have children" nonsense. Now we're seeing it used to defend banning gays from kissing in public.

[Faith No More]

I kind of start to like this Putin guy. His speech about minorities was quite inspiring, and the fact that he also puts value on traditional moral values in contrast to, "western liberalism", which I also stress when speaking about the recent moral decay in my country is a problem in many nations that refuse to be dominated by western cultural imperialism.

There's a surprise. :eyeroll:

Western cultural imperialism? That's a joke. We in the west can't help it if those culturally repressed in the east are finally realizing there is a stick up their ass and it's okay to remove it.

---

Right, who wants to meet me in Russia for some public lesbian action? How about we all go and have some kind of orgy in the street?

I'm a guy, but you tell me the when and where, and I will be there with bells on.

[Bad Writer]

And this is why religion is superfluous fluffy nonsense in some cases and horrible bigot-creating hate-filled awfulness in others.

Very nice way of putting it. Mind if I use that in the future when I'm talking about all the religious crap that clutters our view of the moral landscape?

Be my guest. I'm glad to see that what I write isn't completely wasted. I guess that's the good thing about a forum; everyone sees what you write, even if you are addressing one specific person.

[Anomalocaris]

They cannot breed, so their relationships do not contribute to the future of society at all, so why would anyone consider their "PDA" to be somewhat in the range of heterosexual "PDA"?

So you're saying unless kissing can result in children, it shouldn't be allowed in public? What about heterosexual couples who can't or don't want to have children? Should they also be banned from kissing in public?

The anti-gay crowd is so desperate to latch onto any reason why homosexual this or homosexual that shouldn't be allowed, that they always bring up the "they can't have children" nonsense. Now we're seeing it used to defend banning gays from kissing in public.

Indeed, some nominal heterosexuals like this "'kılıç_mehmet" here ought not be allowed to contaminate the gene pool with anything so forsaken by Allah as to be besmirched by his DNA.

[DeistPaladin]

Oh, and another thing...

But since you view morality on a very individual basis, you simply regard the very basic concepts as the only moral guidelines in your life. You do not value anything beyond the ego, the self, as a standpoint for your morals.

I have yet to meet any theists who don't see their god as a glorified self-image or who believe in a god that doesn't want all the same things that they want.

I've said elsewhere that Michael Moore and Fred Phelps both theoretically worship the same god, Jesus, and yet their versions are so radically different. It turns out that Jesus is liberal and conservative, a capitalist and a communist, an authoritarian and a rebel. He's all things to all people at the same time.

So any time anyone says "I get my morals from God", the unspoken conclusion to that sentence is "...and God just so happens to agree with me on everything."

[kılıç_mehmet]

These are a lot of replies, I don't have much time right now, but I will get to it tomorrow.

[Bad Writer]

These are a lot of replies, I don't have much time right now, but I will get to it tomorrow.

Oh joy. I can't wait.