Open Minded #fundie

Open Minded #fundie news.bbc.co.uk

(on the subject of laws passed in the Republic of Ireland which make blashpemy punishable by a $35,000 fine:)

The atheists' group should keep there views to themselves. There is no harm in religion - the harm comes when people knock the harmless views of others which allow them to live a relatively peaceful life. So the group should keep their views to themselves - no one is making them go to mass on Sunday or the mosque on Friday or the synagogue on Saturday. Just be considerate of those who choose to.

65 comments

old comment by Papabear

"The atheists' group should keep there views to themselves."

That's very open-minded of you, Open Minded. Freedom of speech for everyone who agrees with you that there is a God.

"There is no harm in religion - the harm comes when people knock the harmless views of others which allow them to live a relatively peaceful life."

Religion is not harmless. Religion diverts energy and resources from tackling actual problems and it discourages belief is facts in favor of fairy tales and wishful thinking.

"So the group should keep their views to themselves - no one is making them go to mass on Sunday or the mosque on Friday or the synagogue on Saturday."

If your position is so insecure that you need to silence opposing views, you should change your position.

"Just be considerate of those who choose to."

While I wouldn't try to stop you from attending mass or speaking out in favor of attending mass, I have no duty to be considerate of your ridiculous beliefs.

old comment by GigaGuess

I have absolutely no issue with the quiet, peaceful believers. It's the loud, ban-gay-marriage, force-Creationism-into-science-class, ranting, raving believers I have issue with.

Why, you ask?

because all they ever do is try and cram their beliefs down my throat. Here's the deal. You stop pushing, we'll stop pushing back.

[EDIT] Figured I'd go a bit more in depth.

The atheists' group should keep there views to themselves.
So...shut up while we yammer your ears off. Gotcha.

There is no harm in religion...
KKK, The Third Reich, the Crusades, the Salem Witch trials, just to name a few. Religion has been used to spur more people to worse atrocities than pretty much anything.

...the harm comes when people knock the harmless views of others which allow them to live a relatively peaceful life.
Then live a peaceful life. I won't bother you. It's only when you start expounding on why I am a hellbound soul because I don't believe like you that I fight back.

So the group should keep their views to themselves - no one is making them go to mass on Sunday or the mosque on Friday or the synagogue on Saturday.
No, you just ostracize and treat us as immoral scum for not doing so. But you don't FORCE us, oh no.

Just be considerate of those who choose to.
Fine. Just keep it to yourself, and we're all happy.

old comment by Anon-e-moose

And the religious fundies should keep their beliefs (and their views) to themselves. There is no harm in Atheism - the harm comes when the religious try to force their beliefs upon others, and insinuate themselves into political life and influence policy & thus force their 'morals' upon everyone else who just want to live a peaceful life. So the fundies should keep their religions to themselves - no-one is forcing them to recant their beliefs or close their churches, mosques or synagogues.

Just be considerate of those who choose not to.

@Professor M

"Except we're talking about Ireland here, so it tends to be Catholics on the left and Protestants on the right...because it just works out so well when religious and political divisions stack, doesn't it?"

Which is why I'm surprised there's Church of $cientology Orgs in Belfast & Dublin. Especially in the former. What does a Northern Irish $cientologist reply when he tells someone he's a $cientologist, and they ask 'Are you a Protestant or a Catholic $cientologist?!'

Do Catholic $cientologists go to Confession, or undergo additional Auditing?

And if they're Protestant $cientologists, do they sing "The Body Thetans My Father Wore"?!

old comment by Thejebusfire

The atheists' group should keep there views to themselves.

Why should they? It's not like all athiests are going around shouting "death to christians".
If you can express your religion, then why can't they express their lack of religion?

There is no harm in religion - the harm comes when people knock the harmless views of others which allow them to live a relatively peaceful life.

Usually it's Christians who do this. Like with the Native Americans, Hindu's, Muslims, Pagans, and even other Christians.

So the group should keep their views to themselves

Again, why should they? I don't like your views, why don't you keep them to yourself?

no one is making them go to mass on Sunday or the mosque on Friday or the synagogue on Saturday

Is why Christians keep going door to door or putting pappers under my windsheild wipers?

old comment by katie5000

(on the subject of laws passed in the Republic of Ireland which make blashpemy punishable by a $35,000 fine:)

Ah, I think I get it. So this whole thing is basically about punishing the atheists for not believing in a deity (which, in Ireland's case, is likely the Catholic God). Do I have to point out how shitty and unfair that is? You've apparently learned NOTHING from all the "troubles" that took place in Northern Ireland during the 20th century. Live and let live, people! Christians, don't proselytize, and atheists won't feel the need to say anything regarding belief or lack thereof.

old comment by Marc

To the people saying this isn't fundie (after all, it's claiming "live and let live"), consider this:

The OP is saying this in support of an anti-blasphemy law-that is, a law that will prohibit people from speaking out against religion (most likely, as others have pointed out, the Christian god).

1) He's saying that atheists shouldn't be allowed to tell Christians they're wrong, but it's obviously alright for Christians to tell atheists that they're wrong.

2) Again, as others have pointed out-who decides what's considered blasphemy? To the Jew or the Muslim, saying that Jesus is God is blasphemy, while to the Christian, saying that Jesus isn't God is also blasphemy. Since it would be impractical to fine everyone, which one do we decide is correct, and who makes that call? Since the law is in a Christian country, it's likely that the OP himself is Christian to be in agreement with it.

Essentially, the OP is arguing this: It should be illegal for non-Christians to criticize my beliefs. Anyone who disagrees should just shut up.

Does this really not sound fundie to you?

Open Minded #fundie news.bbc.co.uk

65 comments

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