Random Thoughts Thread

[Nemoide]

Of course, but then again, in Oklahoma (for a lot of people, especially in the capitol since it is a more conservative state) Christianity pretty much is the endorsed religion there, despite the idea of separation of church and state. I also personally believe that, except for a select few, separation of church and state is a very hard thing to do. When you grow up with a certain set of values, that tends to affect your viewpoint on certain things, including political things, which can cause quite a few problems when trying to decide the laws and such. (Abortion anyone?)

Also, there was a group moving for removal of the Ten Commandments monument, and I believe there was a court case over it, although I can't think of the group at this time.

Excellent Salon piece on this: http://www.salon.com/2014/01/10/why_thi ... t_partner/

I think the article is mischaracterizing Satanism as a fake religion. This is true of Anton LeVay's Church of Satan, but for a lot of folks the "left hand path" a spiritual path they take seriously, especially where Baphomet is concerned. And the design of Baphomet came from Eliphas Levi, who once studied to become a Catholic priest and claimed to have never lost his faith.

[oxymoron]

edit: and i don't want to stay in the states so i would prefer to learn a european language.

Protip: Spanish is still a European language.

But is it as fun to shout in?

Is that seriously what your choosing a lauguage on? JOOC, where exactly do you want to move in Europe?

[Ack]

But is it as fun to shout in?

Is that seriously what your choosing a lauguage on? JOOC, where exactly do you want to move in Europe?

Well, Germany wouldn't be a bad place. It's absolutely gorgeous and has some wonderful people/beer/food.

[SamuraiMegas]

But is it as fun to shout in?

Is that seriously what your choosing a lauguage on? JOOC, where exactly do you want to move in Europe?

Well, Germany wouldn't be a bad place. It's absolutely gorgeous and has some wonderful people/beer/food.

My brother is planning on moving to Germany and I'm thinking of moving there or Sweden.

[Hobie-wan]

Woo, I had to turn my AC on. I keep it at 74, and it was warmer than that just from me and my PCs. Granted my work PC is kind of a heater but it reached the low 70s here today.

[Forlorn Drifter]

Yes, because whatever second language you learn affects how women will view you.

Have you ever traveled abroad?

Trust me, it does matter.*

And here I was trying to say something positive, suggesting people might care about more than what languages you speak besides the native language they would also speak, but apparently not.

Excellent Salon piece on this: http://www.salon.com/2014/01/10/why_thi ... t_partner/

Its a good article, and I understand the point and all, but I see it as a bit tasteless overall. We are talking about Satanists though. I feel like it would have presented the Satanic church better overall if they went through traditional legal options to argue against the placement of the Ten Commandments monument.

[Luke]

Yes, because whatever second language you learn affects how women will view you.

Have you ever traveled abroad?

Trust me, it does matter.*

And here I was trying to say something positive, suggesting people might care about more than what languages you speak besides the native language they would also speak, but apparently not.

Huh?

"Yes, because whatever second language you learn affects how women will view you. "

^What exactly in that sentence is positive?

[ZeroAX]

but if you want to speak another language that people actually speak, Latin and Greek are a waste of time.

edit: and i don't want to stay in the states so i would prefer to learn a european language.

Is that seriously what your choosing a lauguage on? JOOC, where exactly do you want to move in Europe?

Pro tip: Poland, Czech Republic and in 2-3 years Spain. The European countries with the most potential for growth. France is fucked by its politics, and Germany is going to be fucked by its politics and its horrible demographics (aka a lot of old people).

Also stay as far away as you can from Greece, unless you want to come here only for vacation. If you are here for vacation, give me a call

[Luke]

"Love is like a socially acceptable form of insanity"*- Spike Jonze

*or something close to that

[Gunstar Green]

Excellent Salon piece on this: http://www.salon.com/2014/01/10/why_thi ... t_partner/

Its a good article, and I understand the point and all, but I see it as a bit tasteless overall. We are talking about Satanists though. I feel like it would have presented the Satanic church better overall if they went through traditional legal options to argue against the placement of the Ten Commandments monument.

Legal battles like this over Ten Commandments monuments usually end with the area being declared a "free speech zone" where people can put up their own religious monuments in the name of fairness. The idea being that nobody will put up their own monuments and the Ten Commandments monument can continue to stand unchallenged as long as they give the lip-service of everyone being invited to do the same.

Stuff like the Satanist monument is calling that bluff. The ultimate goal is not to have a Satanist monument, but to spark a legal challenge when they're ultimately denied to get the courts to admit there shouldn't be any religious monuments on government property to begin with if, especially if the ultimate goal is to preserve the privilege for a Christian monument with no actual intention to allow other groups to put up their own monuments.

tl;dr traditional legal options have already been exhausted on this issue, this whole thing is a ruse to force the courts to rethink the issue and has nothing to do with actually wanting to build a Satanist monument.

American Atheists did the same thing not too long ago but their monument actually got built when Bradford County in Florida stuck to their guns. Unsurprisingly it's been vandalized a few times though people have left it alone for a while now. Satanism is taking it a step up from that, I'm interested in seeing how it plays out.

I think the article is mischaracterizing Satanism as a fake religion. This is true of Anton LeVay's Church of Satan, but for a lot of folks the "left hand path" a spiritual path they take seriously, especially where Baphomet is concerned. And the design of Baphomet came from Eliphas Levi, who once studied to become a Catholic priest and claimed to have never lost his faith.

To be fair the group involved in this are LeVayans but I agree and the article should note that.