California to teach gay history and rights in school

[Holycannoli]

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

Strange, he's usually used as an example of a christian terrorist here on the forums.

 

[Bill3000]

Strange, he's usually used as an example of a christian terrorist here on the forums.

naw, tea partier

 

[Lord of Elves]

But Atheists as a "hated Minority", sure arent that tolerant to the majority.

They actually disagree with you!

The sheer audacity is simply unbelievable. Someone get the President of Religion on the phone immediately.

 

[Wolfbeckett]

I dunno, gays and bisexuals are less accepted than atheists I think.

You'd think so but not really. Link to an article with various polls conducted on this. According to polls, more Americans would vote for an openly gay president who is completely qualified for the position, than an openly atheist president who is completely qualified. Approximately half of the US population sees being an atheist as a total deal breaker regardless of qualifications. Obviously numbers are higher among republicans, but even among the so-called liberals they're way higher than most would believe without seeing the numbers themselves.

They actually disagree with you!

The sheer audacity is simply unbelievable. Someone get the President of Religion on the phone immediately.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Many Americans think they never have met atheists, and think of people like Christopher Hitchens (PBUH) as a reference. Unknown is unloved

But remember folks, Stephen Fry is an atheist as well and he's the most awesomest person in the Youniverse! Atheists are like skittles. They come in all flavours and we can taste the rainbow!

 

[Formaldehyde]

Probably not, unless people are even dumber than I thought. There is no logical pathway from atheism to terrorism.

There is no "logical pathway" between Christianity, or Islam, and terrorism either. But that certainly doesn't stop many from thinking there must be one.

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

Ironically, that supposed atheist did commit terrorism in memory a quite militant Christian organization.

And, of course, there is nothing Christian about the all-Christian KKK:

t age 20, in May 1988, McVeigh enlisted in the United States Army.[12] While in the military, McVeigh used much of his spare time to read about firearms, sniper tactics, and explosives.[13] McVeigh was reprimanded by the military for purchasing a "White Power" T-shirt at a Ku Klux Klan protest against black servicemen who wore what he viewed as "Black Power" T-shirts around the army base.[14]

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Can't we simply state that some people are bastards by nature and whatever life philosophy they subscribe to just forms the way they let their inner bastard rip?

 

[Whiskey_Lord]

There is no "logical pathway" between Christianity, or Islam, and terrorism either. But that certainly doesn't stop many from thinking there must be one.

Here's one from Christianity:

Life starts at conception-------->Babies are being aborted--------->abortion is murder of the innocent----------->I must stop babies being murdered by any means necessary.

I'm sick of religious people saying that terrorism is done in the name of religion. I think it more likely that it is done because of religion. The reason most religious people don't commit heinous crimes is due to a (perhaps) innate, basic sense of morality which most people have.

 

[Formaldehyde]

You can't really blame the vast majority of peaceful adherents who properly understand their religion for the acts of a handful of zealots who falsely claim their religion somehow rationalizes it.

 

[JollyRoger]

You can't really blame the vast majority of peaceful adherents who properly understand their religion for the acts of a handful of zealots who falsely claim their own religious beliefs somehow rationalize it.

Slow down there, Tiger - first you need to tell us which religion you are talking about.

 

[Lone Wolf]

You can't really blame the vast majority of peaceful adherents who properly understand their religion for the acts of a handful of zealots who falsely claim their religion somehow rationalizes it.

Both understand their religion properly enough. It's just that their religions are different.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Not really. I think the similarities far outweigh the differences.

Both believe in essentially the same god with essentially the same disciples. Both have tiny groups of quite dangerous extremists who have deliberately distorted those religions as they are practiced today to try to rationalize their own acts of violence. Both groups have an overwhelmingly large group of believers who completely disagree with them in this regard. Both have groups who try to vilify and hate everybody associated with that religion based on the acts and views of those extremists.

 

[Lone Wolf]

Not really. I think the similarities far outweigh the differences.

I didn't mean Islam and Christianity, I meant the "fluffy" and the fundie versions of each.

 

[_random_]

Can't we simply state that some people are bastards by nature and whatever life philosophy they subscribe to just forms the way they let their inner bastard rip?

Well-stated.

Life starts at conception-------->Babies are being aborted--------->abortion is murder of the innocent----------->I must stop babies being murdered by any means necessary.

Well, your three original premise can be found among adherents to pretty much any religion or lack thereof. Your conclusion is pretty much antithetical to Christian philosophy, since there's nothing in any Biblical or Patristic writings promoting the idea that the ends justify the means, and quite a bit contradicting it. So yeah, no logical pathway there.

I'm sick of religious people saying that terrorism is done in the name of religion. I think it more likely that it is done because of religion. The reason most religious people don't commit heinous crimes is due to a (perhaps) innate, basic sense of morality which most people have.

trololol

 

[Whiskey_Lord]

So, do you think 9/11 would have been perpetrated by 19 secular humanists?

EDIT: the point is that people can convince themselves to do some hideous things if they believe they have god on their side.

"Gott mit uns" and all that.

 

[Lone Wolf]

Well, secular political terrorism existed since long ago. See Russian revolutionary terrorist groups of XIX century for a nice example.

 

[Whiskey_Lord]

Secular humanist terrorism? Please show me an example of that.

 

[Aegis]

Well, secular political terrorism existed since long ago. See Russian revolutionary terrorist groups of XIX century for a nice example.

E.L.F. would be a secular political terrorist group, as well.

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

 

[cardgame]

Clearly not humanists though.

 

[Aegis]

I don't think that really matters. The main point is that terrorism exists outside of religious boundaries.