[Wafflepudding]

I remember I saw this on the news awhile ago, before joining this forum.

http://scienceblogs.com/effectmeasure/2007/02/freethinker_sunday_sermonette_34.php
http://ccannizzaro.com/2007/04/18/

And I did a double-take, just to make sure that I heard correctly. I did. And just to make sure people don't miss it, out of all the stupid bullshit said in that panel, THIS takes the cake:

Schlussel: Listen, we are a Christian nation. I’m not a Christian. I’m Jewish, but I recognize we’re a Christian country and freedom of religion doesn’t mean freedom from religion.

I don't even have words to describe how retarded (no offense to the mentally challenged) this is, but I suspect Schlussel is stupid enough to actually make people dumber by proxy.

The funny thing is while I was looking for a video of the panel, I also found this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_the_United_States

We are a minority on the nation. In fact, THE most hated minority in America, if we are to believe CNN's stats America as a whole hates us more than gays, muslims or illegal aliens. What have we done to warrant such hatred? Ask not to be forced or pressured to pray in public buildings. And then they wonder why there are agressive, militant atheists...

I'm inclined to believe their numbers for one simple reason: No one outside a few websites expressed even the slightest indignation at the so-called "panel".

I'm sick of being told what to believe, sick of hearing "I hope you find the lord and his forgiveness", sick of being told I don't belong here, and I'm particularly sick of religion being used as a synonym for ethics.

[MAGI]

I'm sick of being told what to believe, sick of hearing "I hope you find the lord and his forgiveness", sick of being told I don't belong here, and I'm particularly sick of religion being used as a synonym for ethics.

I wouldn't want to be living where you live................

I really get hostile listening to bush, most of all......... referring to God, telling US what a fine, religious (God fearing, loving ) man he is!

:twisted:

[Jennifer_SFBA]

wafflepudding, my very first paying job was in a small business warehouse owned by a truely wonderful Jewish man, Charlie Weisman in 1965. Charlie's heart was made of gold. That's the key, you know, the heart. All discrimination hurts the soul, not the least, the soul who does the discriminating and beneath which is hatred, hate, disconnect from spirit, separation, distrust, uncertainty, fear in vicious cycles. Personally, I'd prefer to be the hated, than the hater.

In my world, everyone of good heart and good will are welcome in.

I would not say that Jews are more hated than gays, or of anyone else. The experiences and expressions of hatred are the same regardless of who the other who is hated should be.

All major religions recognize demonic forces. Yes, they truely exist. Demonic forces do what they do to capture and to ultimately control the will. Victor Frankel's book, "Man's Will to Meaning" comes to my mind now as a clear case of that one man's victory of his will over the will of purely demonic forces who sought to subjugate and destroy his own. Victor Frankel kept his heart, love and the senses of awe and wonder within himself alive and breathing while being forced to live in a Nazi concentration camp. His book is about that.

Thank you for sharing, wp.

[Wafflepudding]

I'm familiar with the works of Viktor Frankl, incluiding logotherapy. I myself incline more towards rationality, perhaps because my intelectual aspect is more developed than my emotional intelligence. Either way I'm not mad at christians or theists. I'm mad at narrow minded people trying to fit the world into their narrow point of view and judging everyone else from their lowly baquelite pedestal.

Either way this isn't just about me. It's about atheists, it's about agnostics, it's about muslims who are also viewed suspiciously. Freedom of religion (or not to have one) is stated clearly and it's one of the principles this nation was based upon. This shouldn't be an issue.

[Jennifer_SFBA]

Nous etre d'accord, wp.

[Jane of Arc]

Excellent post, Puddin'! But may God have mercy on your soul!!! Just kidding! :D

I was raised Protestant. And I still feel the effects of that early brainwashing. The thing that twists people's brains the most, I think, is the built-in fear, guilt and sense of powerlessness. The big eye in the sky is watching you.

I don't have a religion. I just have my own beliefs that grow, fluctuate and develop. One of these beliefs is that we are not victims and we're not powerless. And I know this following statement is stating the obvious here at POL ... but I would get ostracized, no, publicly stoned where I live if I stood on a street corner with a sign saying: RELIGION IS THE OPIUM OF THE PEOPLE.

I'm not a Marxist, but the man had some good ideas occasionally. :thumbup:

[-V-]

blasphemous, commie bastard!

burn her, burn the witch...

:angry:

[Wafflepudding]

http://www.eeoc.gov/types/religion.html

"In Fiscal Year 2006, EEOC received 2,541 charges of religious discrimination. EEOC resolved 2,387 religious discrimination charges and recovered $5.7 million in monetary benefits for charging parties and other aggrieved individuals (not including monetary benefits obtained through litigation)."

http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/fs-relig.html

"Mandatory "new age" training programs, designed to improve employee motivation, cooperation or productivity through meditation, yoga, biofeedback or other practices, may conflict with the non-discriminatory provisions of Title VII. Employers must accommodate any employee who gives notice that these programs are inconsistent with the employee's religious beliefs, whether or not the employer believes there is a religious basis for the employee's objection".

http://www.religioustolerance.org/texas.htm

"The Bill of Rights of the Texas Constitution (Article I, Section 4) allows people to be excluded from holding office on religious grounds. An official may be "excluded from holding office" if she/he does not "acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being.

This would specifically exclude all Atheists and Agnostics from holding public office. It would also exclude: Most Buddhists, who do not believe in a personal deity.
Members of the Church of Satan; they are typically Agnostics.
Most Unitarian Universalists.
Some followers of the New Age who do not believe in the existence of a personal deity.

This form of religious intolerance is not limited to Texas. Seven other states (AR, MA, MD, NC, PA, SC and TN) all have similar exclusionary language included in their Bill of Rights, Declaration of Rights, or in the body of their constitutions.

In a few states whose constitutions include the text of the oath of office, the candidate must swear an oath to God. Such an oath would prevent ethical non-theists from taking office. Of course, non-ethical non-theists would have no problems with such an oath."

State sanctioned religious discrimination, in spite of being clearly and blatantly against the first ammendment.