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Yes, that's true of course. The disciples could be seen as practicing an early form of socialism.
Exactly. The "we demand respect for our beliefs" thing has by now definitely overstayed its welcome.
Many things people do, say or think have been established as criminal offences because of the threat they might pose. Holocaust denial and blunt forms of sexism and racism are clear examples. In fact, nowadays it doesn't matter how intelligent, powerful or 'useful' you are, if you look at a woman's cleavage or drop the N-word for whatever reason, you're out and several law suits come your way. Didn't you get the memo? You are so clearly a danger to society, sir.
However, when you absolutely and unconditionally follow the Bible as a rule book for literally everything, including sociological, political, ethical, moral, historical and scientific issues, you can still function as the CEO of a large company, the governor of an American state, a military leader and even a president. The N-word puts you in prison but loudly proclaiming that the word of god is where the truth is at, doesn't? I'm confused, for whenever I open the Bible, which for the sake of amusement I occasionally do, I read some of the most horrific examples of child abuse, racist slur and the total denial of women as equal to men.
Say I were to walk into my school, proudly stating that Hitler's Mein Kampf is the best book I've ever read and I shall henceforth use it to strengthen my political convictions and morally guide me through life, I bet that my teaching days are over and I might even be thrown in jail. But if I quote from the Bible left and right, no matter how insulting, humiliating, dangerous its subtext, I can just get away with it and probably get some praise from certain people too. Worse still, if I told my students that god was whispering in my ears last night and he told me to denounce science in favour of some creationist crap, I might even get away with it on account of my precious religious freedoms and whatnot.
Lastly, people seem to think that only direct deeds pose a threat. Because someone thinks a certain way, that doesn't make that person dangerous as long as it's only thoughts and nothing else, right? If citizen X does some weird jesus stuff in his backyard and teaches his children the ways of the Bible, but otherwise pays his taxes, goes to work everyday and brakes for stray dogs, he's okay, isn't he? Harmless, kind. And his beliefs are his, no? Private thoughts and all that? Well, maybe. Or maybe not. Because what if little Jimmy or little Jamal takes his dad's teachings just one step further and decides to speed things up a little by sending all infidels to hell right now instead of after they have died of natural causes? Hey, whatever someone thinks is their own business, right? Besides, we have more important matters to address, like not staring down a woman's cleavage or like publishing censored editions of Live And Let Die... Those two things really are going to make the world a better place, didn't you know?
Not quite sure the current incumbent of the White House is religious, he uses it as he sees fit, I would probably prefer a president who had a moral moral guidebook by his religion that the religion of me and how to make more money.
Then you might as well turn the whole Parliament into an insane asylum. Oh I see...
Trump is merely another pope, in a different brand of "religion" perhaps, but he too was elected on false promises and simple truths, by those who either feared the alternative or actually fell for the lies.
Amusing when the likes of Farron sneer at Trump for his ignorant tweets and proclamations but are happy to say they think a magic guy with a beard sitting on a cloud is running things.
Why is the idea that builiding a wall on the Mexican border will make America great again any more or less insane than thinking praying is the solution to any problem?
Tim Farron was the leader of a left leaning party. He says he's a moderate social democrat. Yet he abstained from voting for same sex marriage at the last vote on it and refused to say if as a Christian he considered homosexuality a sin. He was a hypocrite and betrayed the values he claimed to defend and was called on it and since then he's been whining about it.
I've seen that secularists and atheists get a similar beef from the religious (they are connected by a shared aim, of course) because the thought of some Christians is that they/we don't believe in anything if we don't 100% believe in God or that the churches of the world should have unwieldy powers to enforce their outdated viewpoints on their citizenry. I dare say that our sort have more to believe in and also more to live for, not only because we believe in what is real, but also because our acceptance that life is short and precious (and that there's no afterlife/heaven waiting for us) allows us to lucidly live cherishing each moment and doing so at our fullest capacity.
As for Farron voting for a conservative position while wearing a lib's skin, we have some of the same things happening in the states in more colorful ways. I couldn't count the number of congressmen I've heard about in the news who voted against gay marriage for their religious and party ties in the past, only for it to later be revealed that while they were rallying against the LGBT community they themselves were having gay affairs with men on the down low. It's dickish enough to excuse your lack of concern for human rights by leaning on your faith, but all the more ridiculous when you yourself are voting against the rights you should have as a gay man. Talk about denial and self-loathing!
He backed the wrong horse, in your view.
He backed the wrong horse claiming he backed the right one and had backed it up all along. We're not talking about a conservative caught in a gay bar saying he's there for the music. We're talking of a social religious conservative claiming he's a social-democrat.
He was a typical wishy-washy liberal then jumping from one bandwagon to the next to roll into town.
Hitch shared my view of the world, and I'm sure the view of many atheists (I know @DarthDimi would agree, for instance). Basically that the world we have is already full of infinite wonder and awe-inspiring processes and aspects that are natural and, more importantly, tangible. When one can fathom the power of a black hole and what lies beyond the black pit at its core, the need for disproven man-made texts of ancient origin is nil.
Awe inspiring stuff indeed. Almost brings a tear to your eye.
One of the best proofs for the existence of God I can actually think of is Hitch getting cancer. He truly was God's nemesis and the only way the petty guy could fight back was like any dictator does - forcibly silencing his critics by killing them. I think I might have just convinced myself God exists!!!
Also I had to chuckle at the beardy God botherer sat next to Hitch thinking 'Jesus Christ how am I going to follow this? Please God help me' and just getting to silence in return as God had no arguments to block the welter of blows from the master.
Sublime stuff.
I have his books to hand near the front door and offer a swap/lend for any religious loon who comes to my front door, peddling their fairy tales. The offer has never been taken up.
It's really hard for me to watch videos from when Hitch started to get really sick, and nearly tear up every time I see his latest public appearance where he enviously celebrated the wonders of the world that we'd all get to see advance or be discovered without him, but more can be said about him and how he handled his terminal condition than even any of his well constructed and eloquent diatribes about faith could.
Only someone with the reality and good humor (and also the incredible humbleness in his humanity) of Hitch could sit, stricken with cancer, and say, "I'm dying...But so are you!" We're a dimmer, less educated global society without him around but in some ways I'm relieved he didn't have to see some of the things that've transpired since his passing. He couldn't stand the Clintons so he would've been livid beyond belief about Hillary's continued attempts to get the presidential throne in 2015 and 2016 as if it was owed to her, and I'm sure he'd have been gobsmacked with intellectual bemusement in an effort to explain how a Trump presidency could actually happen. The cynicism and misanthropy that would've hit him would make me sad, but I'd still rather have him face that then him be gone.
https://www.amazon.com/Paladone-PP0562-Cheesus-Christ-Grater/dp/B00913KLVA
In the future I think it'd make for a fun gag gift for my atheist best friend.
Yes, it can sometimes be grating on the nerves.
It's my worst thread I think, but strangely one of my most successful in terms of views and posts. That, and the ghost thread. Both are non-Bond threads so maybe I should branch out more in future?
Well I did believe that, on both sides of the debate, we could at least be civilised. It was a gamble worth taking, in my view.