offended by the crib/nativity/etc

stevejazzx

Apologies poor attempt at being humorous.

I was trying to point out the triviality of being offended by something like the naitivity. I just reread my post, yeah you're right it's stupid, if it helps though it was a real naitivity.

Asiaprod

stevejazzx wrote:

Apologies poor attempt at being humorous.

I was trying to point out the triviality of being offended by something like the naitivity. I just reread my post, yeah you're right it's stupid, if it helps though it was a real naitivity.

Thanks, I really appreciate your understanding. It was just to easy to misread it:)
It was real:eek: Just out of curiosity, where?

Zillah

I thought it was funny in an appropriately light hearted fashion. Plus we bash religion all the time, is there any sort of hard and fast rule about in what context its ok?

Asiaprod

Zillah wrote:

I thought it was funny in an appropriately light hearted fashion. Plus we bash religion all the time, is there any sort of hard and fast rule about in what context its ok?

No, its just common sense. I am very easy going as is my fellow mod. It takes a lot for me to issue warnings since I have great respect for the posters on this forum. The problem was not one of context, but that the post was not clear and was open to a different interpretation.

stevejazzx

Asiaprod wrote:

Thanks, I really appreciate your understanding. It was just to easy to misread it:)
It was real:eek: Just out of curiosity, where?

Oh..It was in a school in Naas

Nevyn

pixs please

Beruthiel

Asiaprod wrote:

but that the post was not clear and was open to a different interpretation.

You must have been hungover Asia, I got it straight off

Mangers do not upset me, live and let live - course it would be a different story if you came along and tried to set one up in my front garden.

Dades

Thaedydal wrote:

pixs please

"In other news, a man was arrested today for taking pictures of children outside a school in Naas. When questioned he told Gardai he required pictures of the Navity scene for upload to an specialised internet forum".

Zombrex

The Atheist wrote:

"In other news, a man was arrested today for taking pictures of children outside a school in Naas. When questioned he told Gardai he required pictures of the Navity scene for upload to an specialised internet forum".

lol

anywhoo, back on topic. I was thinking about the Dawkins interview thread running along side this one. Theists seem to get quite offended that atheists publically state that they don't believe any of the religious clap trap, and even more offended when atheists state that there are more mundane, less supernatural explanations for the things theists believe in.

It did get me thinking thought that if we as atheists should be allowed publically state these things, theists should also be allowed publically display their religion. It would be rather hypocritical of an atheists to claim that religious symbolism such as the Christmas tree and the nativity should be removed from public display, while also publically denouncing religion as being nonsense. And I personally would like to publically state that I believe religion is nonsense.

The only problem I have with religion in public is when people who are not of the same religious persuasion are forced to participate in the religious actions or otherwise exclude themselves from a group. I'm pretty much in line with the American idea of seperation of church and state and the idea that no one should have to remove themselves from a public event as the only alternative to participating in a religious action they don't believe in (this counters the religious rights idea that anyone who doesn't want to pray in schools can just leave the class room and stand in the hall until the prayer is over).

But no one is forcing me into accepting the nativity or participating in events based around the nativity. No one is asking me to pray in front of the nativity. I am free to ignore it, or simply apprecate it as a representation of an old western myth.

We can't really get upset simply because theism exists, and that some people hold to these beliefs, any more than we would expect theists to be annoyed that atheism exists and that some people are atheists.

Asiaprod

Beruthiel wrote:

You must have been hungover Asia, I got it straight off

Mangers do not upset me, live and let live - course it would be a different story if you came along and tried to set one up in my front garden.

And what a story.
I just had an interesting thing happen, My wife, my Buddhist Boss, came home this weekend in a heightened state of happiness having just bought a box of English Christmas cards in a sale. Perfect for sending to our family in Ireland, I was informed. Much to my dismay, what she had bought, was a box of christian christmas cards from a local church. It took a long time to explain that "would it not appear a little strange to the receivers that a buddhist was sending out christmas cards with blessings and prayers." I am still not sure she got it, I was reminded, again, that they were in a sale.
I'll just get her to sign my name for me, a buddhist backdoor so to speak.