tdekeyser

I think the problem with Atheist, agnostics and freethinkers is that they are TOO understanding.

IMO, we are WAY too much open to hateful religions and the people that are members of these groups.

Everyone is afraid of being one of them and sounding biggoted or hateful. So it seems to me.

Being mad at religious groups and it's members is NOT "hate". It is just being mad at injustices.

It seems to me that some people in this free-thinking family are too fast at being 'understanding'. So let us sit back and be understanding while the religious groups remain biggoted and racist. Then we all can enjoy the new laws that our racist president and congressman put into action and should not complain, right?

It is people like M Newdow, Barker and I that will change things and protect our rights. I'm done with being 'understanding'. This is a war on our rights and I will have to be the first to stand up to fight for them. I want to be an activist for freethinkers. Is that possible?

[/end rant]

*note: this post is for entertainment purposes only. Today was a good day to bring it up *

seebs

Ah, yes. Intolerance, the cure for intolerance.

Have you ever stopped to consider who, exactly, is attacking you? Imitating the extremists will not solve the extremism problem; it'll just spread it.

Bookman

Off to Misc. Religion...

tdekeyser

GREAT. Intolerant. That is exactly it !

I am intolerant to groups harming others and teaching segregation to children.

I'm glad M. Newdow was "intolerant" and I want to join him in the fight....

Starboy

There does come a time when the only way to deal with intolerance is with intolerance.

Starboy

Acinom

Powerful quote, Starboy!

tdeyseker (sp?), I don't think the issue is so much intolerance versus too much understanding or as you see it, too much tolerance given those who are ignorant and hateful.

I think it's more about picking your fights when you're clearly in the minority. You weigh what you have to gain against what you have to sacrifice. I think in that other thread about your family problems, most people were just trying to help you solve them without creating too much trauma for your loved ones.

tdekeyser

Yeah, I appreciated the advice. I believe that the minority can do a lot, look at what just one man did and changed a law (m Newdow).

Puck

Hi tdekeyser,

Power to the revolution!

You wrote:
They are WAY too much open to hateful religions and the people that are members of these groups.

Do you know so, or do you perceive so? There is a difference between tolerance, and not getting excited about something you feel is wrong/dangerous which you work against. I am not the least bit open to hateful religions or their members, however, I will not bother to engage them in debates that will not change their minds. They are so delusional that they will not see/hear truth if it bit them on the ass. I would rather expend my energies living in such a way as to be an example of what honesty and 'right living' is all about.

I am open to discussion if someone wants to honestly know how I feel. I don't sugar coat my truth, nor do I use insulting their phoney beliefs. Reason, reason, reason. I have opened a few eyes by simply asking them if they were aware that the major christian holidays were created and placed on top of pagan holidays. If they are stubborn about it, I simply tell them to ask a preacher who has been educated in a quality theological school who will know about this. I don't have to argue or prove it to them, just plant the seed of knowledge. Asking them questions about their religion that lead to them really learning something is a gentle way of teaching them something without stirring up their defensivness.

Defensiveness = putting up brick walls. Knowledge cannot enter through a brick wall.

It's good to hear you speak of donning battle gear to fight ignorance. I've worn battle gear in my youth, as we all should. Now I prefer to use stealth tactics; both have their place in any battle. Just remember that yours is not the only way to make changes, it's only one of many ways. To insult your compatriots leaves you without all the knowledge available to you; knowledge you will wish to add to your armament in future.

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.

(oh, and you would do well to not clump everyone who believs in some religion in with the ignorant fundy types, choose your battles well)

Seeker196

But Galiel criticized the boards here for being cliquey and hypocritical intolerant, and 'bandwagon hopping on'....if freethinkers feel they have a basis for feelings like that, maybe we should be more tolerant.

And the Niemoller slippery quote is great....but it brings to mind a very extreme conclusion.

Do you really think that if the Religious Right became (if that's possible) more in control of America that they'd really start heavy duty Holy Inquisition stuff? You know, Nuremburg Laws against non-conformists?

I don't think it is possible in this civilized age.


Then again, even Einstein dismissed the nazis as 'clowns' the same way I do fundies....

tdekeyser

Maybe this will "fire" up some people. This is what we are fighting and I think we all need to stand up to these groups. They are targeting us, so we should 'defend' ourselves!