RE: Why can't we accept it?
April 22, 2014 at 2:21 pm
(This post was last modified: April 22, 2014 at 2:23 pm by ElDinero.)
(April 22, 2014 at 5:57 am)Atheist And Proud Wrote: All i'm trying to say is people should be able to believe in what they want. Aslong as it doesn't affect other people around them. I mean I know a couple of religious people that are really nice people, they don't try to change my views or anything....
I'm coming in blind here, I haven't read the preceding replies so apologies if this is re-treading ground - it probably bears repeating though.
From my point of view, I agree with the paragraph I've quoted above. People certainly do have the right to believe whatever they like, even stupid, harmful, bigoted, dangerous things. It would be better if they didn't, of course, and through discourse I would seek to change peoples' views on any dangerous beliefs I felt they had. But people have for sure got the right to believe whatever.
The problem comes, AAP, when the religious attempt to make policy based simply off the back of being religious. I'm talking about religious attempts to encroach on legislation in fields like politics, health, and education, among others. I also am not going to be preached to, or allow stupid statements to go unchallenged. This may be where you and I differ, but if someone says something I don't feel is correct, I'm usually going to call them out on it.
So essentially, I agree that people can hold their beliefs. But if they're going to express them, or try and influence policy off the back of their stupid, unproven theories, I have the right to disagree. Loudly.
'Seek out argument and disputation for their own sake - the grave will supply plenty of time for silence'
