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How Should We React When a ‘Militant Atheist’ Beats Up a Pastor?
October 24, 2013 at 1:16 pm
Quote:Over the weekend, a man named James Maxie went to church with his girlfriend… and ended up severely beating the pastor, Rev. Norman Hayes, after Hayes asked the girlfriend if she felt safe with him.http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyath...-a-pastor/
Now this Guy just a pure Dick and nobody should be beaten up for their beliefs. I do not condone this act of violence. And my heart does out to the pastor.
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RE: How Should We React When a ‘Militant Atheist’ Beats Up a Pastor?
October 24, 2013 at 1:28 pm
Who is 'we'?
Bullshit is bullshit. Physical violence is deplorable in almost every case it's used, so that's my answer.
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RE: How Should We React When a ‘Militant Atheist’ Beats Up a Pastor?
October 24, 2013 at 1:48 pm
While I don't condone violent behavior of any sort, the pastor isn't exactly blame free in this, either. Explicitly asking the girlfriend if he abuses her in front of both of them is a dick move and was most likely done to elicit an emotional response.
The atheist should never have resorted to physical violence, but my heart doesn't exactly bleed for the pastor.
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RE: How Should We React When a ‘Militant Atheist’ Beats Up a Pastor?
October 24, 2013 at 1:56 pm
I'm guessing the answer to the pastor's question is "no."
"Well, evolution is a theory. It is also a fact. And facts and theories are different things, not rungs in a hierarchy of increasing certainty. Facts are the world's data. Theories are structures of ideas that explain and interpret facts. Facts don't go away when scientists debate rival theories to explain them. Einstein's theory of gravitation replaced Newton's in this century, but apples didn't suspend themselves in midair, pending the outcome. And humans evolved from ape- like ancestors whether they did so by Darwin's proposed mechanism or by some other yet to be discovered."
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RE: How Should We React When a ‘Militant Atheist’ Beats Up a Pastor?
October 24, 2013 at 1:57 pm
I don't feel the need to react when an atheist commits a crime for the same reason I don't react when a dark-haired person commits a crime: the fact that we have a trait in common doesn't mean his actions reflect upon me and my group, and there's no need for a press conference about it.
Let the guy be punished according to the law, as he should be, and move on.
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RE: How Should We React When a ‘Militant Atheist’ Beats Up a Pastor?
October 24, 2013 at 2:17 pm
Are theists geared toward blasting atheists going to use this violent douche to generalize atheists in a public fashion to further their own "Atheists are the Devil's minions" propaganda? Probably.
Are some atheists going to try and blame the preacher in response or in a preemptive strike towards the the above question? Probably.
Is this really a case of atheist vs. theist? Undecided. Not enough information on the specifics, so this really seems like basic human on human violence to me.
The priest asked a question either out of genuine concern or to elicit an emotional response, and the attacker made the wrong decision either way. He'll be judged and punished appropriately for his actions, which is all that really matters in this.
