Discrimination, oppression, and the War on Christianity

[tackattack]

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OK I can accept that I was applying unwanted pressure to the boy to conform by starting a ritual that his parent wanted no part for him. I still don't see it as discrimination as I defined. The difference, IMO if you look at the definition I stated was the intent. I wasn't intending to single him out, the intention was actually the opposite. I didn't intend for him to feel unwelcome, because people don't wear atheists signs on their foreheads. A few simple words, after the game, with what you believe and what you don't want for your child would have been all it took. I don't have any idea from experience what it's like to have to either pray or come out. Why do you feel the need to do something you don't want to do to fit into a group? Why do you feel the need to hide who you are and what you believe?

No, I’m sure you didn’t have any intent to discriminate against anyone. I just think Christians could do a little more considering of that type of thing. I agree that the mother could have come to you in private and discussed it with you and I do personally think that’s always the best first step. But I can understand why some people skip it. Usually if you don’t make a big stink about something nothing will be done.

As for last 2 questions, if you consider a you g child I think it’s pretty obvious why they would want to fit in and not be ostracized. Kids want to fit in. They don’t want anyone to think they’re weird.
Myself personally, I wouldn’t care at all to fit into a group that I don’t even want to belong to. I do care to hide my atheism from most people for the same reason I hide my sexuality. I don’t want to be treated badly because of negative views that come with being an atheist. A lot of people in my work environment and my community are idiots. They think atheism means I worship the devil and I hate god and I’m an evil person who sacrifices goats in my spare time for my own malicious purposes. And I don’t want to deal with that. I think that just like my sexuality, my atheism should be something that I get to choose when/if to come out about and to whom.

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On point 1 Losty - So what I gather is that I, from my place of blind privilege, am expected to infer that people could be offended by what I do. I am also expected to read minds because people hide that "being different" shit so they can seem to fit in better? How about this for a utopian thought of the day: Everyone stop pretending to be shit you're not just to fit in and find a group that accepts you for all of you.

I could have had a question on the registration form that asked his religious affiliation, but that's a whole different SJW cause. If I can't ask what your beliefs are so as not to offend you and you refuse to tell people so you're not ostracized, what should I do exactly. If I want to know your belief so I can be more inclusive and not offend you or treat your different than you deserve, and I encourage an open dialogue with no judgment, I can't see doing much more than that. If you want to assume that asking "hey, do you go to church" will be followed by a pressured sales pitch. If you want to assume that I'm asking so that I can be hurtful and discriminatory towards you. If you want always go balls to the wall drama queen to solve your problems, I have nothing for you. I want rational and non-judgemental discussion. I want fair and equal treatment. I want everyone to feel included. You can't have those things with people on both sides behaving badly. One side can be judgmental, bigoted and push their beliefs and lives on others. The other side can blow up every discussion, hide the truth, and demonize well intentioned people.

Bottom line for point 1- Totalitarians believe that everyone should see what they see and do what they do. That's irrational and unproductive. It's also irrational and unproductive to want a discourse but to assume talking is futile and make a big stink over everything while hiding those very same parts of yourself you want discourse about. Please outline a way out this.


On the other 2 points, just to play devil's advocate, you said "hide my sexuality. I don’t want to be treated badly because of negative views that come with being an atheist." So if you are treated badly unintentionally because someone assumes your sexuality, because you're obfuscating it intentionally, who's fault is that? It's not really like straight people go into gay meetings looking for someone to intentionally mistreat, normally.

What I'm trying to point out is the primacy of the responsibility lies on the action and the intent. Intentional discrimination, oppression, bigotry all of those things are very bad and should be hate crimes. Blindly discovering someone is trans after some locker room jokes is cause for a change in attitude, but not punishment, IMO.