7th September 2010
“Peaceful acceptance of others' beliefs is expected in the United States, but until an olive branch is extended to atheists, religious toleration will remain an unrealized ideal.”
Alex Wolinsky
“Peaceful acceptance of others' beliefs is expected in the United States, but until an olive branch is extended to atheists, religious toleration will remain an unrealized ideal.”
Alex Wolinsky
September 7th, 2010 at 1:19
That’s why it’s important to keep a conservative government, almost always led by fundamentalist Christians, out of office.
September 7th, 2010 at 1:41
Been taking a bit of a back seat for awhile but thought I’d jump back in to the fray today.
Interestingly here in Australia we have a labour prime minister who has openly admitted to being an atheist whilst the leader of the conservative opposition is a deeply religious individual who studied to be a priest before moving into politics. That neatly reflects the quote, however…
we have just been through an election campaign and have ended up with a hung parliament. Unusually when questioned about the incumbent PM’s lack of religious belief the conservative challenger dismissed it out of hand as totally irrelevent in the political forum and not pertinenet to one’s ability to govern. It was never raised again during the campaign.
How refreshing is that? I hope one day you get to expereince this in the US.
September 7th, 2010 at 2:19
GK
I have always wanted to visit the land of kiwi’s. This only makes me want extend the stay. Here in the states, it is basically a pre- requisite for candidacy to be as overtly Christian as possible. It sickens me that politicians display their religion as their biggest selling point. I couldn’t give a damn less what you believe, as long as it does not conflict with your ability to uphold the law and promote equality.
The following video, though about gay rights, is on point. The senator is a Roman Catholic and she is fighting for the rights of everyone despite her religious convictions….
http://www.ted.com/talks/diane_j_savino_the_case_for_same_sex_marriage.html
Hope you all enjoy!
September 7th, 2010 at 3:03
It’s a shame that the Americans have lost their political right to a bunch of god shouting idiots!
Saying that, Tony Blair, formally Britains so-called left-leaning Prime Minister – is a converted Catholic nut job!
People who think that religeon festers only on the right are sadly mistaken. It fester everywhere and its never more lethat than when backed politically…
September 7th, 2010 at 4:32
What’s sad, is that many of us atheists are extending that olive branch already, yet nobody is taking it! Why? Because of all these priests running up and down the stairs shouting the “fact” that “atheists are immoral devil worshipers”. All it does is make me want to say is, “who’s listening to the devil more. The man extending peace, or the man instilling wrath?”
September 7th, 2010 at 6:49
In case anyone is interested here is the clip of the conservative challenger to the Prime Minister expressing his views on the place of religion in politics in Australia;
http://www.smh.com.au/federal-election/atheist-gillard-says-she-respects-church-20100729-10x3o.html
You’ll notice the idiot catholic priest whose comments started this debate. He just couldn’t help himself and ended up looking like a bit of a nut job.
September 7th, 2010 at 7:17
Newsflash:::
Julia Gillard has today formed a minority government here in Australia.
Julia Gillard is an openly atheist politician.
Can anyone else think of another openly atheist world leader? apart from Obama? 😉
September 7th, 2010 at 8:40
Nick Clegg, Leader of the Liberal Party in the U.K and Deputy Prime Minister in the coalition government is openly atheist.
September 7th, 2010 at 14:03
Preachers in my neck of the woods like to say that a nation that turns its back on religion will be punished. Every time America has a drought, hurricane, school shooting, or any other highly publicized tragedy, some religious nutjob immediately tells the press, “Yeah, this happened because Americans deserve it.” For example, the Northridge earthquake in California several years ago was said by the religious to be a punishment on America for pornography. Nevermind that the earthquake smote people who had nothing whatsoever to do with porn, nevermind that California is well-known for earthquakes. When Bible-Belt Georgia was hit with a drought, preachers waited several weeks to coordinate a public prayer, coincidentally around the same time the National Weather Service predicted a changing weather pattern was on its way. Hmmm. When Georgia got 0.25 inches of rain, the religiously-minded proclaimed it as proof of their Sky-Daddy’s super-duper hunkiness.
My point is that religion has instilled such fear in the minds of illogical believers, that many will never vote for an open atheist because they really do believe that they and this country will suffer divine punishment for offending their deity. Every bad thing that happens will be blamed on “the damned ACLU and those awful atheists” (Yes, that is what the believers in the Bible-Belt say). A school bus crash near St. Louis killed a teen girl and boy, and some idiot wrote into the newspaper to say, “they won the lottery to be with Jesus.” I am NOT making this up. “Won the lottery to be with Jesus,” I was utterly disgusted. 2 young lives snuffed out, and that is the response. Did the press condemn the moron, I mean, at the very least this was insensitve to the family of the 2 teens who died. Of course not. If anyone had condemned the outpouring of religiosity after this, then Fox News would have reported that the “liberal press is persecuting believers, an evil conspiracy.” Sigh.
I wrote the paper to express I was offended by the “lottery” statement, and then got responses condemning me for my “intolerance”. So much for the religious-minded interest in acceptance of other viewpoints. Oh well, I did my part.
September 7th, 2010 at 14:25
Margaret, I honestly don’t know how you can continue to live in the environment in which you do. I can’t imagine having the tolerance and fortitude to deal with all that the bible belt would throw at me.
Come and live in Australia, great weather, atheist PM!
September 7th, 2010 at 14:47
I would like to add, all I’m asking for is a budding limb to cling to. A branch would be great, but I feel that the majority of atheists in the south are latching to the bark with their finger nails.
September 7th, 2010 at 15:03
Actually, it didn’t sound like tolerence to me. In fact, it sounded as intolerent as the Christians did. For Christians during a time of sorrow and grief, they cling to their superstitiious rubbish. Who are you to say that they shouldn’t? In America, there is a right of freedom of/from religion. That doesn’t mean that you have to like what they believe, it means that you can’t go and kill them for it. Likewise the freedom of speech; you have to right to speak your mind (yes, there are a few limitations – common sense prevails here) and you also have the right to be offended at someone else’s opinion. What you don’t have the right to do is stop them from saying whatever it is that offended you.
If you don’t like the fact that the local area where you live is chocked full of religious ninnies – move. But the grass being greener thing is always the case. I live on the left coast – where there is still plenty of religious folk. There are also a bunch of left wing, envirowhackos, global-warming is my religion, tofu-loving, a few sandwiches short of a picnic sorts here too. I will take the religious folk (assuming they aren’t fanatical) everytime. They tend to be more – normal.
September 7th, 2010 at 16:16
Let’s hope Westboro Baptist Church does not decide to express their superstitious rubbish at one of Heretic’s loved one’s funeral.
Yes, the religious ninny had the right to celebrate the tragic death of 2 young lives as “Yay, you get to meet Jesus, lucky you!!!” Surely that is offensive, along the same lines as WBC being happy at the death of military personnel. Nobody suggests they be killed for their opinion. But by saying something about it, maybe, just maybe, it will make a few people be a bit more diplomatic. (writers to the editor, maybe, not WBC–they are beyond any human decency). I had the freedom of speech to point out to the readers of the newspaper that such statements would be painful to me had I lost a son or daughter in the crash. Not everyone finds comfort in religion. That is a new thought to many people.
September 7th, 2010 at 18:11
Looking for comfort in Religion is like taking the label of a tin of food and eating that label. Religion does not give comfort.But that being said, I find comfort in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Listen people He never lets me down. PRAISE THE LORD.
September 7th, 2010 at 19:39
Never lets you down, tech? We already know it is because you never ask him for anything real. If you do, then you will know real disappointment. Until then, play your mind games. Give him credit for what people do (the fireman got me out of my burning house) or make excuses for him (“act of god” clause on insurance policy to cover fire damage caused by lightning strike), praise the Gawd that burnt my house, I have insurance to cover the damage. Good grief, how dense can you be?
Samsonite, if it makes you feel good to imagine everyone but yourself in !!HELL!!, go ahead. Mental masturbation makes you feel special, huh.
September 7th, 2010 at 21:06
hey sol………… is that YOU calling yourself “samsonite” ???????
sure sounds like you !!
September 7th, 2010 at 21:08
margaret, you are wonderful. as always !!
September 7th, 2010 at 22:23
If you see a kiwi in Oz, it is lost. Sorry. I jumped in a bit late today so I am at comment three.
September 8th, 2010 at 0:34
Indeed it must be. Excuse me for being ignorant 😉
September 8th, 2010 at 3:14
That’s OK MG. i knew what you meant 🙂
September 8th, 2010 at 11:41
ozzy yoo:
It is. I hate to censor people but I’ll have to moderate sol to ensure he stays on topic and stops trolling.