-B.
> On 8 Jun 2005 at 19:37, B. wrote:
>
> > Here's a hint to all of you atheists: one, it's
not
> > your damn business what I believe; two, you might
do
> > yourself a favor by relating to religious people
(the
> > vast majority of the people on this planet) in a
> > language they understand rather than being hostile
> > towards their viewpoints.
> >
> > -B.
>
> Heres a hint to all you xtians. I don't care if you
believe the dead guy on
> a stick is going to come back and wisk you to Disney
World in the Sky.
> Whatever supernatural beliefs you want to hold are
none of my fucking
> business. I do however care when you claim city
council meetings,
> schools, courts, etc. are appropriate place to
codify YOUR beliefs. Why
> do I need to swear on a bible when I give testamony
in a court of law?
> Why not the book "Dianetics"? Why do we need to have
a prayer before
> a city council meeting? Why does the state pay its
employees to stay
> home for some religious holidays but not others? If
we have nonsensical
> religious rituals made mandatory in secular
functions by people who
> believe in Santa Christ then THEY have just made
their beliefs my damn
> business. When xtians stop cheapening their own
supposedly sacred
> texts and rituals and put them where they belong
I'll leave them alone.
> I've tried not being hostile but it doesn't work.
This country is more xtian
> now than it was 175 years ago in many ways. Being
nice to them doesn't
> work. It may be time to start referring to religious
beliefs as dangerously
> dogmatic and archaic and "people of faith" as
delusional.
>
> Maybe we should have a national holiday celebrating
the re-birth of
> Horus? Would most xtians mind if we did that? After
all, Jesus' followers
> stole most of Horus' gags for themselves so it would
only be fair to let
> Horus get a little limelight time. Close schools and
banks and business'
> and celebrate the re-assembly of Horus (minus his
penis unfortunately)
> with an orgy of Horus images and references with
state officials all
> declaring how important it is to remember the true
meaning of this most
> important holiday. "We would all do well to remember
the works of
> Horus and strive to live our lifes a bit more like
his, except for the part
> where he loses his package." We can make it during
the summer
> solstice. If we have a gift exchange maybe we can
get the business
> community to back the idea. It could increase sales
better than xmas in
> July specials. I'm sure xtians wouldn't mind letting
others have their
> beliefs incorporated into state functions and every
aspect of the public
> sphere. After all it is none of their damn business
what Horus
> worshippers believe is it?
>
> Incidentally I am aware that there are many xtians
and churches who
> support progressive causes. The people in them are
almost never the
> ones who insist on putting the 10 Commandments in
state buildings
> however. I have no problem with their beliefs in and
of themselves. I find
> I have no use for them at all. Most of the anti-war
demonstrators where I
> live are affiliated with one of three churches in
the area. It is partly their
> belief that makes them oppose the war. Mostly it is
because they think
> the war is wrong however. None of them want prayer
in school and not
> one of them has asked me if I have found salvation
in Jesus. I work with
> them just fine. They are a minority among the
followers of Jesus. I am
> only hostile to those who feel the public interests
are best served by
> adopting any of the codes, rituals, proscriptions,
whatever of their
> religion into public spaces. Why do I need to be any
MORE civil to them
> than I am to someone who favors school vouchers,
privatizing Social
> Security and doesn't believe in anthropomorphic
climate change? Those
> are all stupid beliefs and/or ideas and I have no
problem telling
> someone that I believe this.
>
> John Thornton