[split] Warm Greetings - The Not Welcome-y Stuff

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Hi there. Please set yourself on fire at your earliest possible convenience.

Boru

[TheRocketSurgeon]

I lived in Oklahoma City for a bit over a year (up on the Northwest Expressway, but my job was down by I-40, and my girlfriend at the time lived in Moore, so I drove a LOT). That entire state terrifies me. I had a Christian literally charge at me, forcing me to get off my motorcycle and fistfight him in traffic, because I laughed out loud at his anti-science bumper sticker.

My girlfriend and I had a running bet (loser bought lunch/dinner) when we drove to go out together, that there would be at least three cars in front of us at a stoplight that all showed Jesus Fish on the back. I rarely had to buy, and she eventually stopped wanting to play that game.

It is hardly surprising to me that, coming from such an insular society, in which everyone you know thinks just like you, that you'd have a hard time grasping why atheism makes any sense. However, if you really want to know, there was an atheist group that met weekly at a restaurant/bar in the Paseo Arts District (it's called the Picasso Cafe, now, but was called something else, back in 2002 when I was there). If you'd really like to get to know some nonbelievers as people, you might drop by some of their meetings.

According to their website, they now have a larger number of activities, with a schedule. You can contact them via the website, and attend the meetups scheduled on the site.

http://oklahomaatheists.com/

I think you'll find, when you actually meet and get to know some of us, that many of your preconceived notions about us are simply wrong, peddled by preachers who have an agenda in making us look like The Enemy™.

[Janice_Spokes]

It is hardly surprising to me that, coming from such an insular society, in which everyone you know thinks just like you, that you'd have a hard time grasping why atheism makes any sense. However, if you really want to know, there was an atheist group that met weekly at a restaurant/bar in the Paseo Arts District (it's called the Picasso Cafe, now, but was called something else, back in 2002 when I was there). If you'd really like to get to know some nonbelievers as people, you might drop by some of their meetings.

According to their website, they now have a larger number of activities, with a schedule. You can contact them via the website, and attend the meetups scheduled on the site.

http://oklahomaatheists.com/

I think you'll find, when you actually meet and get to know some of us, that many of your preconceived notions about us are simply wrong, peddled by preachers who have an agenda in making us look like The Enemy™.

"Insular Society" "God's country", call us what you will, but Oklahoma is one of the grandest places in the USA.

Atheists are not the enemy? Excuse me? You take prayer out of schools, want to remove "Under God" from our pledge, and want to forbid the putting up of nativity scenes and merry christmas. Why aren't you the enemy?

[Losty]

It is hardly surprising to me that, coming from such an insular society, in which everyone you know thinks just like you, that you'd have a hard time grasping why atheism makes any sense. However, if you really want to know, there was an atheist group that met weekly at a restaurant/bar in the Paseo Arts District (it's called the Picasso Cafe, now, but was called something else, back in 2002 when I was there). If you'd really like to get to know some nonbelievers as people, you might drop by some of their meetings.

According to their website, they now have a larger number of activities, with a schedule. You can contact them via the website, and attend the meetups scheduled on the site.

http://oklahomaatheists.com/

I think you'll find, when you actually meet and get to know some of us, that many of your preconceived notions about us are simply wrong, peddled by preachers who have an agenda in making us look like The Enemy™.

"Insular Society" "God's country", call us what you will, but Oklahoma is one of the grandest places in the USA.

Atheists are not the enemy? Excuse me? You take prayer out of schools, want to remove "Under God" from our pledge, and want to forbid the putting up of nativity scenes and merry christmas. Why aren't you the enemy?

Most of us don't care about your prayers, your god, or your nativity scenes. At all. You do you, Marcia, we don't mind.

[TheRocketSurgeon]

"Insular Society" "God's country", call us what you will, but Oklahoma is one of the grandest places in the USA.

Atheists are not the enemy? Excuse me? You take prayer out of schools, want to remove "Under God" from our pledge, and want to forbid the putting up of nativity scenes and merry christmas. Why aren't you the enemy?

By "insular society", I refer to the fact that your state is known have little diversity of people or thought. Oklahoma is notorious for this. The fact that you don't see that is an indicator of that fact.

Prayer is not out of schools. Everyone is still free to pray in school, individually and in student-led groups. What is not permissible is for public officials, paid by tax dollars, to lead the students in prayer, or to use the schools as "captive audience" locations for religious leaders to proselytize to. If you really thought about it, you'd realize that having officials leading school prayers is a Bad Idea™, the moment someone who is not your religion starts doing it. Do you really want Wiccan teachers leading their type of prayers with your kids in the room? Would you want an Imam asking all the children to kneel to the east and pray with him? Seriously, think about it. In order to have a pluralistic society, the government and ALL of its facilities must be neutral with respect to religion... including yours.

No one gives a crap about your nativity scenes unless, like the above, they are placed on land that is owned by members of all religions (and the Nones, like us). Then it becomes an impermissible use of my tax dollars to build a (temporary) shrine to your religion. Put up nativity scenes in front of your house, your church, and in the farm fields next to the highway (or wherever else my tax money did not purchase and maintain that land), and we have no problems.

I will happily say Merry Christmas to a person who is a Christian. No worries! But in respect for the fact that many people in this country are members of other religions that share a Winter Solstice holiday, I tend to say "Happy Holidays", and smart businesses are also apt to ask their employees to act toward customers of all sorts in a manner that respects every customer. It is a mark of your idea of religious privilege that you think the Christian faith should be deferred to simply because you are the majority faith... it is because you are the majority faith that you people should be taking extra caution not to marginalize others.

And yet you do, at every opportunity. Oh, not every Christian feels this way, of course, but your sort does. Because you feel that your faith is The Correct Faith™, you attack the wall of separation at every opportunity, in order to pressure people who are not like you. That makes you the enemy-- the enemy of pluralism and free society. You simply cannot see that because you've never really paused to consider anyone's perspective other than your own.

And that's why I call yours an insular society.

[TheRocketSurgeon]

Wait, she gets to call us enemies and lie about the nature of school prayer, etc... and that doesn't require a speedbump, but responding to one of the most vile things that can be said about us is what's over the line?!?

Congratulations, you just lost a forum member.

Enjoy your Christians.

[Jackalope]

That was not in response to your post, Rocket. It was a notice to everyone - the OP included - that this subforum has special rules.

[ignoramus]

Rocket? Relax man....we need you here.....

[Losty]

Wait, she gets to call us enemies and lie about the nature of school prayer, etc... and that doesn't require a speedbump, but responding to one of the most vile things that can be said about us is what's over the line?!?

Congratulations, you just lost a forum member.

Enjoy your Christians.

What? No. The purpose of the speed bump was just to remind everyone, hey this isn't the place for this discussion. It happened to come after your post but I am certain it was not directed at you.

[Gemini]

Congratulations, you just lost a forum member.

Enjoy your Christians.

 you Rocket. Please stay.

@Janice

You're a person! And you're here! Wow! Okay!