The tone of intolerance toward anyone or anything religious sings through rather clearly Tazio.
Wrong !
You read it so and interpret it in the same way. I may be passionate about it, but that is different.
I have said it many times, I am tolerant of religious people, but my tolerance ceases "ipsofacto", the minute I detect "preaching" and/or the intent to ignore clear facts that run against religious credos.
Given my personal experiences (no, they do not include any sexual abuse by priests, although yes, I have heard of the same), and historical precedent, in general I have no simpathy for the church. None whatsoever.
Once the line is crossed then I have no "consideration" for those who do the preaching or attempt to ignore the facts, coming with "faith" and "miracles" as their only explanation to their beliefs, in the face of the historical facts. (for the most part).
But what I find most interesting is the silence from others on this thread to call it to your attention.
I can not speak for others... Besides, why would they ? I am not selling them anything, I am simply expressing my opinion. Maybe they have me on ignore, or simply they agree with me but are more tolerant or civil than me.
I've noticed that "silent" acceptance of religious "hate speech" quite a bit around SI.
I do not necessarily agree with such statement, but let's assume (for a minute), that such is the case... I would assume that this conclusion represents a message. What do you thing it is ?
Let me give you an example...
We, the atheists, (btw atheism is no religion, at least not the way I am), all we rave and rant, most probably in an irreverent way is against the "belief in god" primarily.
I would not call the above "hate-speech".
We do not suggest that some invisible being coming from the skies is going to "judge" us and put us in a burning hell.
Hate speech is about burning someone, placing fear that in the future those who do not agree with whatever belief you happen to be selling, I will have "eternal damnation", or that such and such antiquated quotation, written by humans, certifies that we "infidels" will burn in the same hellish hole, and so on...
That is hate speech.
Change the name "christians", or "religious people" to black, jew, pole, homosexual, woman, or anything else, and the "silent acceptance" would evaporate like a cloud on a hot sunny day.
Again, I do not agree, but once again, assuming this is the case, the same question applies...
What do you think this conclusion represents ?
Don't you think is a reaction to years, even centuries of tyranical attitudes towards those people ? by who ? mostly Christian people.
Now...
Consider this...
I can guarantee you I am no ax murderer, in high school I even challenged many of my friends who used marihuana as if it was candy, to debate. They would not take me on. In college, I never got drunk (in spite of what Karen may think), and I stayed quite focused. I have lead a "clean" life. To this day, in terms of justice I consider myself a "fair" individual. In short what I am trying to tell you is that I think of myself an ethical individual, i.e. not evil.
Yet, since age 14, seldom have I put a foot in a church. I never needed religion, I always thought (with crystal clear clarity), that religion was a fraud. All I needed to do is analyze their attitude towards me and read a few historical events.
Most importantly, I hold no fear of any god or demon. You have no idea how GOOD that feels !
Perhaps the thing to conclude is that in the larger view of things, the time for religion has passsed and the reaction you are seeing (or even feeling), is simply the "pendulum theory".
This theory holds, (primarily in politics), that when a particular group of political power remains in power and practices its power in excess, the time pases and people switch sides... then the excesses are committed by the other side... and so on.
Under this light, the change in power between Democrats and Republicans seems easily explained (just take the period from the Nixon days on to today.)
Religion perhaps have larger cycles... and we are just entering the "downcycle" of religion...
Personally, I think religion is on the way out (permanently), thanks to science.
Science has taught us to dispel "miracles and mysteries" and view them more like "known facts, and managed risks". |
