(June 26, 2013 at 3:13 pm)festive1 Wrote: 1: A more fair tax exemption system. Currently all a church has to do is say, "We're a church." And they get tax exempt status. Meanwhile, secular organizations have to jump through hoops to prove and maintain their tax exempt status. This is biased towards religious organizations. I would also like to see churches, but not necessarily their charitable organizations lose their tax exempt status. Dependent upon whether or not these religious, charitable organizations pass through the same hoops as their secular cousins.1. Yes church doesn't always = charity in my mind. I think Churches could be more honest there (presuming they aren't being already)
2: A complete separation of church and state. Of course religious people will still be elected to office, however the way they govern and/or their reasons for proposing/supporting legislation should have no relation to what religion they practice. Also, churches should be held to the no politicking from the pulpit rule, if not followed there should be enforced repercussions.
3: In a similar vein, I'd like to see an end to religious missions overseas. Helping out people is grand, teaching them evangelical dogmas, however, is not. Google: "gay persecution in Uganda" to get an idea of what I'm getting at.
4: I'd like to see some form of protection in place for kids. Both young kids to prevent/limit indoctrination and older teens who are closet atheists for fear of being kicked out of their homes. This is a tall order, I'm not really sure how this could be legislated and enforced, but it's on my wish list.
5: Religious, particularly Catholic, health organizations need to start working in the best interests of the patient population they serve, not simply adhere to their belief system. Performing abortions, tubal ligations, and vasectomies are necessary functions for many people. When a Catholic hospital is the only option in your area, you're screwed, whether you're Catholic or not.
6: That society at large shifts it's view of the meanings of atheist and atheism. As you so clearly show how these terms are confused with some form of religion.
2. Agreed
3. Disagree. You're talking about bad missions, which undeniably exist. Baby/ bathwater.
4. That would have to apply to atheists as well as theists of course. (My daughters friend has atheist parents who block her social interaction with my daughter. Our family don't even speak about religion socially. All of our wider family are irreligious, as are the vasty majority of our friends and aquaintences)
5. Agreed
6. Nothing to say on that one