Random Thoughts Thread

[Forlorn Drifter]

Huh?

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

^What exactly in that sentence is positive?

I'm suggesting that someone might care about something more than something as superfluous as what language you speak besides your native language, which is the most positive thing I've said about anything related to relationships in years.

[ZeroAX]

I'm suggesting that someone might care about something more than something as superfluous as what language you speak besides your native language, which is the most positive thing I've said about anything related to relationships in years.

I think he was joking man. As in "your wife might not care when it comes to marrying you, but she might care when it comes to "should I keep talking to this guy I just met or is he boring?"".

[oxymoron]

@Gunstar Green

I think they already called the bluff when the Hindus and I believe the Jews applied for their permit to build their monument and got denied. It's just that they are theists and this is satanists/atheists.

[AppleQueso]

@Gunstar Green

I think they already called the bluff when the Hindus and I believe the Jews applied for their permit to build their monument and got denied. It's just that they are theists and this is satanists/atheists.

First, the Satanist group had already applied for their monument before the Hindus and other groups did. Second, they weren't "denied" per se, but the state did basically say "uh.... we're gonna put a hold on these until we sort this out."

Lastly, I really dislike it when church/state separation is framed as an atheism vs theism issue. It's not.

[Forlorn Drifter]

But that's always how it gets applied, whether we like it or not. The militaristic atheists would have you believe that religion will be forced on you, and the extremists of the various religions will have you believe that religion will be taken away from you or you will be forced to a different religion based on such silly things as whether or not a monument is allowed to stand on the grounds of a state capitol.

[flex wood]

Now I'm curious as to what an atheist monument would look like.

I'm going to cross my fingers and hope for an empty pedestal with a blank plaque.

[Forlorn Drifter]

I imagine an atheist monument would be something science related.

[dsheinem]

But that's always how it gets applied, whether we like it or not. The militaristic atheists would have you believe that religion will be forced on you, and the extremists of the various religions will have you believe that religion will be taken away from you or you will be forced to a different religion based on such silly things as whether or not a monument is allowed to stand on the grounds of a state capitol.

While there are certainly atheists who are as dogmatic and evangelical as one might find in most religions, I think "militaristic" is a bit far. I don't see terrorist cells, holy wars, or purges done in the name of atheism per se (though obviously some totalitarian states have squashed religion through force - but not out of a "militant atheism").

The existing monument on the statehouse lawn is a state endorsement of judeo-christian beliefs, one that a government that claims to value legal equality regardless of religious beliefs should not have. So it isn't a "silly thing." They need to either embrace pluralism (which is silly) or return to an absence of religious statements.

Some of the Ten Commandments, for example, are an affront to someone who

A) doesn't believe in a deity
B) doesn't believe parents should be honored without reason
C) doesn't believe Sunday is a special day where behavior should change
D) doesn't believe cursing is immoral
E) doesn't believe that open marriages are improper
F) doesn't believe that wanting something that another has is immoral

....and I am sure you can think of other problems.

BUT when a government institution whose job it is to make and enforce laws puts such a document on their property and enshrines it in stone, it makes one feel needlessly uncomfortable doing or believing these things while in that jurisdiction. Frankly, it puts the justice system in a bad position too - couldn't a defendant argue, for example, that the state was treating them more harshly than they should (e.g. a longer jail term) because they committed their crime on a Sunday while cursing "goddamn you!" at their parents?

I actually find the Ten Commandments monument, because it has specific language included on it that sets "commandments" for people to follow to be MUCH more problematic than the satanist statue, which doesn't proclaim to sanction any kind of behavior in any way.

[Gunstar Green]

Now I'm curious as to what an atheist monument would look like.

I'm going to cross my fingers and hope for an empty pedestal with a blank plaque.

Well, here it is:

[oxymoron]

Lastly, I really dislike it when church/state separation is framed as an atheism vs theism issue. It's not.

Your right on all accounts but are you seriously going to tell me that all this media attention doesn't have to do with the fact that these folks are satanists?