Thought for the Day
Smoke=Fire
Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 682
Religion is like a penis.
It's fine to have one.
It's even fine to be proud of it.
But don't pull it out in public and start waving it around.
And DON'T try to shove it down my throat!
It's fine to have one.
It's even fine to be proud of it.
But don't pull it out in public and start waving it around.
And DON'T try to shove it down my throat!
Comments
One nation under God.............It goes back to our constitutional rights. This is A dangerous subject. Might I suggest you to consider A more suitable Thought For The Day.
Just my two cents.
I don't know if you and I share the same religious beliefs, but look at the bright side if religion is like a penis when it is shared consensually its usually pretty awesome.
NO HOMO
While I may not have your Knowledge on colonial history I do believe in our base freedoms including freedom of religion. I never stated that One Nation Under God was in the Constitution I just mentioned that we are A country founded on certain beliefs including freedom of religion.
There's so much dispute lately that I figure it's gonna pile up on this one. :-)
Bracing for the onslaught.
That being said, it's important to remember that even though SOME of the founding fathers were christian, they were, more importantly, almost entirely ubiquitously secularists (ie - they believed that church and state needed to be kept separate).
The reason American has so much promise is that conflicting opinions like deism and atheism are able to live side by side without worrying whether or not the other party will be able to force their opinions on the other.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
or prohibiting the exercise thereof - i - freedom OF religion
respecting
in respect
meaning in regards to
It simply states that no law shall be passed that interferes with our freedoms of the above mentioned.
Agreed. But doesn't it also protect the religious from having to constantly be bombarded with anti-Christian views. To many times we are forced into situations where were told we cannot share what we believe in. To educate. And society is the ultimate sufferer.
I am enjoying having an adult and civil conversation with you about beliefs and translations of the Constitution and amendments. By all means continue.
'Religion' is what's wrong with the world today. All manner of terrorists, dictators, and the like wage war on the free world, killing and repressing others with different 'religious' views and beliefs.
I am my no means 'religious'...I have FAITH that God sent His son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for my sins and your sins! (even if you don't believe in God, God believes in you!)
Here's one of the best videos I've ever seen on the subject of 'religion'
Why I Hate Religion
True but for total serenity I fee that we need to find A happy medium where we can have both.
The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom was drafted in 1777 (though it was not first introduced into the Virginia General Assembly until 1779)[1] by Thomas Jefferson in the city of Fredericksburg, Virginia.
An Act for establishing religious Freedom. Whereas, Almighty God hath created the mind free;
That all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burthens, or by civil incapacitations tend only to beget habits of hypocrisy and meanness, and therefore are a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, who being Lord, both of body and mind yet chose not to propagate it by coercions on either, as was in his Almighty power to do,
That the impious presumption of legislators and rulers, civil as well as ecclesiastical, who, being themselves but fallible and uninspired men have assumed dominion over the faith of others, setting up their own opinions and modes of thinking as the only true and infallible, and as such endeavouring to impose them on others, hath established and maintained false religions over the greatest part of the world and through all time;
That to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinions which he disbelieves is sinful and tyrannical;
That even the forcing him to support this or that teacher of his own religious persuasion is depriving him of the comfortable liberty of giving his contributions to the particular pastor, whose morals he would make his pattern, and whose powers he feels most persuasive to righteousness, and is withdrawing from the Ministry those temporary rewards, which, proceeding from an approbation of their personal conduct are an additional incitement to earnest and unremitting labours for the instruction of mankind;
That our civil rights have no dependence on our religious opinions any more than our opinions in physics or geometry,
That therefore the proscribing any citizen as unworthy the public confidence, by laying upon him an incapacity of being called to offices of trust and emolument, unless he profess or renounce this or that religious opinion, is depriving him injuriously of those privileges and advantages, to which, in common with his fellow citizens, he has a natural right,
That it tends only to corrupt the principles of that very Religion it is meant to encourage, by bribing with a monopoly of worldly honours and emoluments those who will externally profess and conform to it; That though indeed, these are criminal who do not withstand such temptation, yet neither are those innocent who lay the bait in their way;
That to suffer the civil magistrate to intrude his powers into the field of opinion and to restrain the profession or propagation of principles on supposition of their ill tendency is a dangerous fallacy which at once destroys all religious liberty because he being of course judge of that tendency will make his opinions the rule of judgment and approve or condemn the sentiments of others only as they shall square with or differ from his own;
That it is time enough for the rightful purposes of civil government, for its officers to interfere when principles break out into overt acts against peace and good order;
And finally, that Truth is great, and will prevail if left to herself, that she is the proper and sufficient antagonist to error, and has nothing to fear from the conflict, unless by human interposition disarmed of her natural weapons free argument and debate, errors ceasing to be dangerous when it is permitted freely to contradict them:
Be it enacted by General Assembly that no man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship, place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief, but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of Religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge or affect their civil capacities. And though we well know that this Assembly elected by the people for the ordinary purposes of Legislation only, have no power to restrain the acts of succeeding Assemblies constituted with powers equal to our own, and that therefore to declare this act irrevocable would be of no effect in law; yet we are free to declare, and do declare that the rights hereby asserted, are of the natural rights of mankind, and that if any act shall be hereafter passed to repeal the present or to narrow its operation, such act will be an infringement of natural right.[3] [edit]
Nowhere does it indicate anything remotely resembling a statement of freedom from religion. In fact, it says that " men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of Religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge or affect their civil capacities.
Great post.
Faith is a wonderful thing. I think that Religion though is all too fallible, as it is designed and administered by Man, who all too often is only concerned with his own aggrandizement; the belief of others is just the tool that they use to manipulate themselves into positions of authority and power.
Constantly bombarded? Really? Do tell. As an atheist, I won't even say I'm constantly bombarded with theist views. They are a bit too prevalent for my taste, but I'm not about to complain about it. IMO, if the flying spaghetti monster helps you be happy, cope with pain, sleep at night, etc., then by all means believe in the flying spaghetti monster. If he tells you to be a good person and you do that, even better. However, when he causes you to interfere with the lives of others in any way, that's a violation of those people's pursuit of happiness, another constitutional right, and I believe the one that trumps them all. Freedom should essentially boil down to the ability to pursue your own happiness, but never at the expense of another person's.
Everything in life is corruptible to some extent. But I feel that Faith, pure unadulterated Faith can overcome all obstacles and that those who profess to have faith although they be corrupt can and often do ruin to A great extent the word religion for most. Not me! Religion is not corrupted in itself but some who profess to be religious are corrupted. Religion, what A great sentiment to live by whatever denomination one is inclined or called to practice.