Thread: NBC and the "Pledge of Allegiance"

Originally Posted by Unique POV

I have to disagree with that viewpoint. I remember as a young person that it was all too common to see christmas cards, window decorations, etc. that said "Happy Holidays." This was an all inclusive greeting. It said enjoy the season, no matter your religion or lack there of. Now many people consider it sacreligious to say ANYTHING other than Merry Christmas. You are accused of taking christ out of christmas.

From my view much of this started in the 80's with the onset of the multi thousand member mega churches. With numbers comes power, and many abuse this power. I grew up in the same neighborhood as one of these southern baptist churches, and they felt it was their god given right to bully all of the businesses in the neighborhood into doing their bidding. They were very successful because the businesses feared losing those thousands as customers. They made the local grocery store remove fitness magazines from the shelves because there were men and women posing together in bathing suits. They made the gas station quit selling beer. They caused a video store to move away all together because they had a porn selection that was kept in a locked room that one had to present ID to enter. The most rediculous example I can remember is when a friend and I were hired by the local grocery store to paint an easter display on the front window. We chose to use warner bros characters with baskets, eggs, etc. The church reps bullied the store manager into washing Taz off the window. Bugs, Daffy and Tweety were just fine... but the Tasmanian Devil was not to be associated with a christian holiday.

Perhaps much of the perceived fight against religion is just a backlash from so many religious people for so long taking it upon themselves to dictate to others what they should and should not have access to. If you think beer is a sin.... don't buy it. If you think porn is a sin... don't ask for the key to go into that locked room and you will never be exposed to it. If Taz and men and women in bathing suits offend you.... avert your eyes. It's horribly presumptuous to think that because you don't like these things... others who do not agree should not have access to them. (not saying "you" personally of course... but those who do these types of things)

As far as prayer in school goes... I have to object to that as well. I was not religious as a child, and that was always extremely uncomfortable to have to sit through. Do you join in on something that you don't actually believe just so that you don't stand out as strange or different? Why put children through that dilemma at a time when "fitting in" is so very important to them? I'm not against anyone's right to pray but what exactly is wrong with keeping prayer in the home, church, and other arenas where everyone asked (either explicitly or implicitly) to participate is actually a fully willing participant?

I guess because I've been in my town for 50 years, I've been able to observe the changes that have taken place. The town has always been a "bedroom community" of New Orleans, a place where people moved to because it was family oriented, crime was minimal, etc. Everyone knew everyone either from school or church and we took great pride in the "purity" of the community. When video poker came along, we quickly voted it out, not because we were "church" people but because with casinos and poker places comes things like pawn shops and considering what happened to Gulfport's and Biloxi's main strips, we really did want to have that here. Of course, the businesses that had poker machines in them were pissed, claiming that churches forced them out of business when in truth, it was just the people of the community who voted to remain family friendly.
In this same community, there were holiday greetings of all kinds, including "Happy Holidays", "Season's Greetings" and "Merry Christmas" but the point is that "Merry Christmas" is no longer written on shop windows for the fear of offending someone. Part of it, I blame on the parenting of today...kids don't learn how to handle being chosen last for the softball game, if one gets a Valentine's Day card in their little bag, they all have to get one, birthday party invitations can't be passed out at school because if a kid isn't invited, his feeling will be hurt....in other words, we raising a bunch of social wimps. I grew up in a time when it was "put your big girl panties on and deal with it" and we should go back to that instead of being offended by every little thing.
As for prayer in school, I don't think it's such a big deal either way but I see no reason to feel uncomfortable if one is not religious. Does it really hurt to sit quietly for a minute or two out of respect for others who do pray? I've attended Catholic services before and being raised in the Baptist faith, I disagree with much of the Catholic religion. I wasn't offended during their "prayers" which were nothing more than repeating Psalms 23 (I believe in praying from the heart, not reciting "God is great, God is good..."). Nothing they did "offended" me because I respect that they were following their beliefs so when it came to all the kneeling they do, I sat quietly in my seat and let them do their thing. I also don't believe in calling a priest "Father" but rather than show disrespect, I just don't address him by any name even though I dealt with them in nursing for years. I learned at a young age that one can be offended by the little things only if one allows himself to be.

I'll tell you what.

I'll sit quietly out of respect for your prayer if you sit quietly and let me talk with another guy about why God doesn't exist.

Originally Posted by Golden Cabal

I'll tell you what.

I'll sit quietly out of respect for your prayer if you sit quietly and let me talk with another guy about why God doesn't exist.

LOL. This is getting boring now. Isn't it?

Originally Posted by Golden Cabal

I'll tell you what.

I'll sit quietly out of respect for your prayer if you sit quietly and let me talk with another guy about why God doesn't exist.

I have absolutely no problem with anyone who is respectful to others, regardless of their beliefs.

Originally Posted by lutherf

It never ceases to amaze me how the atheists have managed to get so many people so scared of repercussions for evincing a faith in God. One can only assume that someone at NBC was so concerned that using the term "under God" would be offensive to so many viewers that they edited out the phrase.

I've often wondered what drives this fear of religion.

Here are a few things that just might be responsible for driving this fear of religion. How about hanging witches in Salem or burning people to death on the stake or suicide bombers, or jihad or stoning people to death or circumcision?

Originally Posted by Golden Cabal

I'll tell you what.

I'll sit quietly out of respect for your prayer if you sit quietly and let me talk with another guy about why God doesn't exist.

The problem with this is Christians dont stop you from expressing your belief yet atheists cant stop themselves from telling other they cant do it.

"Religion is a fairy tale for those afraid of the dark."

--Stephen Hawking

Originally Posted by jpn

"Religion is a fairy tale for those afraid of the dark."

--Stephen Hawking

I should care why?

Originally Posted by Redv

Here are a few things that just might be responsible for driving this fear of religion. How about hanging witches in Salem or burning people to death on the stake or suicide bombers, or jihad or stoning people to death or circumcision?

We no longer stone people or burn them at the stake. As for suicide bombers and jihads, you're talking about an extremely small group of extremists in comparison to the number of people who follow one of the many religions and it's silly to even bring it up. Afterall, should I reason that if one man is a rapist, all men are rapists?

Originally Posted by thanatos144

The problem with this is Christians dont stop you from expressing your belief yet atheists cant stop themselves from telling other they cant do it.

tell that to a screaming Baptists preaching on the street corner, or hauling a cross on wheels down the highway.

hate to tell the people that thinks that freedom of religion is the same thign as freedom from religion it is not. freedom from religion means that religion will be outlawed. freedom of religion means that you can pray as you like yes that even means in public where people can see you. if you are offended by someone praying you shold look at yourself and ask why are you so intolerant that you cant allow someone to pray

Originally Posted by Moonglow

tell that to a screaming Baptists preaching on the street corner, or hauling a cross on wheels down the highway.

How id a man expressing his faith stopping you from expressing yours? It isnt. If you dont like it dont listen. Shit I tell my kids this.

Originally Posted by thanatos144

The problem with this is Christians dont stop you from expressing your belief yet atheists cant stop themselves from telling other they cant do it.

You mean like this?


YouTube - ‪Michelle Malkin: Atheists Should Be Treated Like "Trolls"‬‏

Or like this?

YouTube - ‪The Price of Atheism‬‏

Or how about this?

YouTube - ‪Down With Atheism‬‏

Wait a minute. Maybe like this!

YouTube - ‪The Atheist Delusion‬‏

Okay, maybe this guy here is just being a kind Christian:

It's not often that Christians openly praise violence against atheists, but sometimes a few of them show their true colors. A story has been going around the internet recently describing an atheist professor who dares God to knock him off his platform and a student who comes up and hit him until he falls off the platform.

Christopher J. White is a good example of posting the more violent version:

His count down got down to the last couple of minutes when a Navy SEAL, just released from the Navy after serving in Afghanistan and Iraq and newly registered in the class, walked up to the Professor. The SEAL hit him full force in the face, and sent the Professor tumbling from his lofty platform. The Professor was out cold!! The students were stunned and shocked. They began to babble in confusion. The SEAL nonchalantly took his seat in the front row and sat silent. The class looked at him and fell silent...waiting.

Eventually, the professor came to and was noticeably shaken. He looked at the SEAL in the front row. When the professor regained his senses and could speak he asked: "What the hell is the matter with you? Why did you do that!?"

"God was really busy protecting America's soldiers, who are protecting your right to say stupid shit and act like an asshole!!! So he sent me!!"

Utterly Boring posts a slightly less violent version:

He got down to the last couple of minutes and a Marine just released from active duty and newly registered in the class walked up to the professor, hit him full force in the face, and sent him flying from the platform.

The professor struggled up, obviously shaken and yelled, "What's the matter with you? Why did you do that?"

The Marine replied, "God was busy; He sent me."

Thank God for Violence Against Atheists

Maybe this will do the trick and show how Christians are just poor poor victims of those dirty rotten atheists!

Discrimination Against Atheists in America:

Bigotry against atheists is not limited to theory and harsh language — anti-atheist bigotry can also lead to anti-atheist discrimination. After all, if bigots are convinced that atheists are immoral, untrustworthy, and perhaps even evil on some level, then it’s only to be expected that they will treat atheists unequally and as inferiors. Unfortunately, the reasons behind anti-atheist discrimination are no better than discrimination against Jews and racial minorities in the past.

Atheists are Discriminated Against in Politics:

Perhaps the most obvious example of how atheists are discriminated against is in politics: people are less likely to vote for atheists than they are for any other minority — women, blacks, Jews, Muslims, or even gays. No atheist is likely to be elected on any level anywhere in America and no politicians are likely to specifically appeal to atheists’ votes by defending their interests. Some even openly express bigotry against atheists, for example President
George H.W. Bush.

Atheists are Discriminated Against in Child Custody Cases:

Some may find it surprising, but atheists are routinely discriminated against by judges deciding child custody cases. There is a common assumption that religion — any religion — is necessary for properly raising children and that atheists are incapable of seeing to the religious, moral, and social needs of their own kids. Parents who regularly attend church are given great preference over parents who don’t believe in gods.

Atheists are Discriminated Against in the Boy Scouts:

It is well known that the Boy Scouts of America excludes atheists both as members and as leaders. Not so well known is why: the Boy Scouts of America asserts that atheists are incapable of being sufficiently moral or patriotic to deserve to be involved with scouting. As a private organization this is their right, however bigoted it is; so long as they receive public assistance and funding, however, their discrimination should be as illegal as it is unethical.

How Are Atheists Discriminated Against? Expressions of of Anti-Atheist Bigotry and Discrimination in America

I don't get it. Atheists number in the few thousands. How can Christians, who vastly outnumber atheists, be told to just shut up and sit down and take it like a man?

Oh, I know, like this:

People who deny that atheists are victims of bigotry and prejudice frequently insist that atheists are just "crying wolf" and suffering from a victim complex. This accusation can be directed at various groups objecting to discrimination and bigotry, and sometimes it may even be true. The mere fact that some people may seek the status of victimhood in order to feel special or be treated better does not, however, justify asserting that this is true in any particular case.

For religious theists to claim that atheists are only "crying wolf" and aren't really subjected to bigotry, prejudice, hatred, and discrimination, they would have to make an effort to offer some sort of direct, substantive response to all of the examples which atheists provide of such treatment. It seems implausible that anyone would be able to explain all of these examples away, including the statistical evidence of people's hostile attitudes towards atheists, but at least in theory it is possible.

Anti-Atheist Bigotry: Atheists are Developing a Victim Complex & Crying Wolf - Atheists Make a Big Deal of Nothing? Atheists Have No Reason to Worry?

Yeah. I can definately see how Christians are victimized by those dirty rotten tyrannical atheists.

It's so funny how just one person can impose their will on an entire populace of people who vastly outnumber him. Why, I feel like a small band of soldiers that have to hold a mountain pass against an invasion of ten thousand enemy soldiers.