Bashing Catholicism (and religion in general) is not a very progressive thing to do.

[UrbScotty]

[DURHAM D]

1. Really ? n/t

[Scout]

2. sez you n/t

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. "Sacred Cows make the best hamburger." - Mark Twain.

[NightWatcher]

22. ummmmm, Sacred Burgers

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

26. Look-Alike Jesus Onion Rings are extra.

[Swamp Rat]

77. LOL!

:rofl:

[struggle4progress]

105. If you grind up sacred cows with the wit of Twain, few people will object. On the other hand,

much of what occurs in this forum is "catholic = pedophile" and "pope = nazi" nonsense. It's not really comparable, say, to Twain's "Diary of Adam" or "Letters from the Earth"

[Davis_X_Machina]

4. You're challenging....

...an old and cherished DU tradition. Everyone knows all real progressives are secular.

[Chulanowa]

5. No, but rational, logical dismissal of superstition and mind-control are

[sazemisery]

7. What you said.

:)

[trotsky]

15. +1

:thumbsup:

[winter999]

48. Does that include

Astrology, Parapsychology, UFOs and Alien abductions, Feng Shui, Macrobiotics, 9-11 Trutherism, Vaccination-Autism link, Santa, Easter Bunny, The Great Pumpkin, Crystal Power, Soothsayers, Mediums, Ghost Hunters, Bigfoot, Yetis, Nessy, and Flat Earthers???

(Did I miss some?)

[SammyWinstonJack]

58. !

:thumbsup:x3

[jgraz]

86. Win.

[Lance_Boyle]

6. those old dogs can take a few kicks

given all the kicking they've done over the past 2000+ years.

Defenders of the decaying myths amuse me with their hypersensitivity. Wanna believe in superstitious nonsense? Fine - just shut up about it around rational people, or you're probably going to be offended. Word to the believers, though - your gods, if they are so powerful, most likely do not require your assistance in defending their godness.

[corpseratemedia]

8. torquemada

as a cashew, 'nuff said

wait I might add, all that pilfering of gold and decimation of indigenous people of the Americas

[UrbScotty]

12. If you have to go back centuries to try to prove your point...

...then it's probably not a good point. Like in this case.

[mitchum]

19. And if you have to go back millennia to justify superstition...

y'know the rest

[UrbScotty]

25. We don't have to. And it's not superstition, if you ask lots of prominent progressives.

[mitchum]

30. Sucker

[TexasObserver]

43. We only have to go back to passage of Prop 8.

Two churches spent tens of millions of church money to pass that monstrosity, the RCC being one of them.

[dmallind]

88. Ooh and all those secularists who rabble roused and got Tiller killed

AND all those atheist parents who prefer wishful thinking to medical care and let their kids die.

[ZombieHorde]

113. The answer to your signiture line is FR. Go over there and you will see he has few to no supporters.

[dmallind]

123. Yeah but if we applied ratios to the general public they would make up more than 18%

But it's an outdated sig line anyway. Another one will occur to me no doubt.

[roguevalley]

100. and how much money do you suppose Jesus would give those

poseurs to do what they did? You confuse assholes with followers of the Rabbi. That is what pisses me off the most. To a lot of people here, there is ZERO distinction.

[struggle4progress]

106. Can you provide links indicating how much various churches spent?

I doubt if either RCC or the Mormons spent "tens of millions of church money" -- though I know the Mormon contribution was substantial. I have not seen evidence that RCC underwrote the initiative, though I understand that they supported it

[rhett o rick]

112. What's your point? That without exact amounts the Mormons and Catholics get a pass? nm

[struggle4progress]

115. Poster referred to "tens of millions of church money." Facts matter. I asked for evidence

[rhett o rick]

116. I am going to guess that facts don't matter. You mind is set. You will defend these mega-wealthy

churches and their agendas. I say no tax breaks for mega churches that mess in legislation.

[struggle4progress]

118. There are several good reasons to cultivate a habit of getting the facts right: first,

a discussion based on facts is less likely to stray into nonproductive noise than a discussion based on fiction; second, political activity benefits from accurate analysis, and accurate analysis is unlikely if one proceeds from fictions rather than facts; third, for the purposes of swaying public opinion, a habit of promoting facts will confer a long-term benefit ("credibility") that a habit of promoting fictions will not confer

The post to which I responded claimed "tens of millions" of dollars spent. I asked for evidence supporting that claim. If you have such evidence, please provide it. Don't waste my time and yours with noisy accusations and junior high school psychologizing

[rhett o rick]

119. Ok, what is your opinion of churches spending money trying to influence legislation? nm

[struggle4progress]

120. Start a separate thread for that. Here I'm interested only in the claim "tens of millions"

for which nobody has produced evidence

[rhett o rick]

122. So you looked? What did you find? How many millions did these mega churches pay to

support prop 8? I know you looked, but you want me to give you a link. Churches have no business in politics.

[rhett o rick]

62. But you are not presenting any argument. You made a statement w/o any arguments. nm

[corpseratemedia]

91. how's this work for ya?

"condoms don't fight aids" The Pope

.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSLH936617._CH_.2400



"YAOUNDE, March 17 (Reuters) - Pope Benedict on Tuesday reaffirmed the Roman Catholic Church's opposition to the use of condoms in the fight against AIDS as he started a visit to Africa, where more than 25 million people have died from the disease in recent decades...."

pretty recent, huh?

a little less recent was his membership in the Hitler Youth, because the church couldn't find another suitable pope that didn't have jewish issues in his past

and his attempted reinstatement, although he backed out of it, of a holocaust denier

his stance on women's choice

[NC_Nurse]

9. No, but it's great fun.

:P

I do try not to be excessive.

[notadmblnd]

10. You'll never see me making an OP in regards to religion

However, when you bring it up. You subject yourself to all views. IMO, if you keep your relationship with your god where it belongs (that is between you and who you perceive your maker to be), you'll hear nothing from me. Try to preach it or teach it to me and you'll hear exactly what I think. Deal?

[madfloridian]

11. Most of us here "bash" bigotry and narrowmindedness...not true religion.

[UrbScotty]

13. Yes, in MOST cases

...but it seems that those who bash religion make the most noise.

[madfloridian]

20. I don't see much of that here.

I see people who are fed up with religious piety and bigotry.

I know I am.

We left our SBC church when they called us unpatriotic for not supporting the invasion of Iraq.

The churches are making themselves irrelevant by not standing up to the bigots and tyrants.

[mitchtv]

66. the Roman Church has alw.ays been steadfastly reactionary

the latest leaders have purged the liberal "liberation theologists" from the ranks and stand for the oligarchy, They are disgraceful along with their ass kissing bishopsYou don't have to go far back to find them supporting Pinochet , Franco, Stroessner, Batista, the group in Guatemala, Samoza. and many more Their WW2 behavior was shameful as is their meddling in US elections. As Pete O'toole said " I am a retired catholic"

[spoony]

83. Really? Have you read the rest of this thread?

Lol.

[TexasObserver]

45. No, those who insist everyone tippy toe around their superstitions are the problem.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

17. "Man is the only animal to have found the ONE, TRUE, GOD ....several of them" Mark Twain

[mitchum]

14. I'm confused...so we're supposed to support oppressive international corporations?

Or just the most longstanding one?

[UrbScotty]

24. Fallacious argument

[mitchum]

29. My, how...Jesuitical.

Frankly, I don't care what your fucking priest says; it's true.

[corpseratemedia]

92. oh i forgot the big one

all that institutional sanctimonious pedophilia

thats recent too

[Mythsaje]

16. Religion's fair game.

I don't believe in sacred cows.

I try not to bash decent religious people. I have no problem with what anyone else believes as long as they're not telling ME what to believe.

[closeupready]

18. Neither is promoting Catholicism or other superstitions.

n/t

[UrbScotty]

21. Biden, Pelosi, Kerry, the Kennedys - do you say they're superstitious? (nt)

[Bill McBlueState]

28. Sure, why not?

I don't find it the least bit odd that I would agree politically with someone who has some superstitions. Aren't we all superstitious to some degree? It's a natural tendency for humans; probably a product of natural selection.

[closeupready]

34. If they truly believe in all that hocus pocus, yes, absolutely. But I don't think they really do.

Further, seems to me that the Kennedy's, Biden, Kerry and Pelosi all keep a strict separation between their private religious views and how they govern. So far from promoting Catholicism, they keep it at arm's length, which is the right way to do it.

[Bluenorthwest]

36. Biden opposes my rights, openly, because of his faith

according to Biden. He loudly shouts his agreement withy Sarah Palin on that. So I'd say Biden is prejudiced by dogmatic thinking. Absolutely.

[TexasObserver]

46. No, they're politicians, and in this country, politicians have to have an acceptable religion.

I don't think any of those people really believe the stuff that makes up the core of the Catholic religion. They were born into it, and it's cultural and political.

[onehandle]

23. No, but it's the DU way.

A negative form of "progressivism" is practiced here.

[Joe Chi Minh]

27. Not wise, either and they know that. Hence the concentration on attacking on

the Mormons. They know they may win temporary battles against the Catholic Church, but they won't win the war.

[Bill McBlueState]

31. organized religions have many, many conservative features

The concept of authority flowing downward from some appointed fellow halfway around the world is one conservative feature of Roman Catholicism.

It's not at all surprising that progressives would reject the conservative aspects of religion, of which there are many.

[TexasObserver]

47. The RCC is an organization run by old men who adhere to centuries old prejudices.

[Bluenorthwest]

32. People who do not wish to hear their faith discussed in a political

manner should not allow their faith to become a political tool. Once a faith is organizing politically, they will be met with political rules. You do not get to declare political activists off limits because they hide behind a faith mask. They get to hold marches against me, in the name of that faith, but I can not answer, because of the sensitivities of those who remain allied with the oppressors as brothers and sisters in the faith? No, way, no how.
The Catholic organizations and others that raise funds and come after my people are political activists, not 'people of faith' in that context, and that choice is theirs. If you don't like it, take it up with them.

[DKRC]

90. Well said

:yourock:

[redqueen]

33. "Bashing" anyone or anything is not a very progressive thing to do.

[Bill McBlueState]

37. true

And it kind of bugs me that criticism of religious doctrine is described as "bashing," which became popular in referring to the act of, you know, actually bashing LGBT people with bats and stuff.

[redqueen]

39. Good point.

I understand that some may be sensitive to seeing comments calling religion a delusion and all that, but it'd be nice to use words that don't minimize true 'bashing'.

Anyway, this is a Democratic board, not a religious board. I see everything from cars to clothing to food choices criticized harshly... religion is no different.

[roguevalley]

101. I guess its hearing the negative shit that some do being applied to

absolutely everyone and hearing 'superstition' used every single time this topic comes up, used like a weapon. No one is going to know the truth until we die and we will all get the truth one at a time. Atheism doesn't do a thing for me any more than organized religion does. Following the teachings of Jesus because he was wise and laid a good path for people to follow to live ethical lives interests me. The concept of God and a vision of his love for everyone interests me. Notice I didn't say religion interests me because it puts a wall of bullshit between me and my maker. Religion is the work of men. Belief and ethics is what I have come to understand from the love of my God and the teachings of my rabbi. And there was never a more godly pair of people than my parents. That they are with my god waiting for me is all I need to keep on going. I don't care what anyone thinks of that. This is the ethics, taught to me by the ones I love -seen and unseen-that keeps me going and makes me try and do 2 or 3 good things everyday for someone, preferably anonymously.

[pnwmom]

117. There's a difference between criticism and insults/bashing. n/t

[HockeyMom]

35. How they want to live their lives

is none of my business, until they start telling Catholic legislators that they must legislate according to Catholic Church teachings. We are not a Catholic, or any other religious theocracy.

I parted company with them when I was 15 years old and still going to Catholic school.

Don't tread on MY freedoms.

[seemunkee]

38. ..

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/10/world/main3037922.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_3037922
Pope Benedict XVI has reasserted the universal primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approving a document released Tuesday that says Orthodox churches were defective and that other Christian denominations were not true churches.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/17/pope-africa-condoms-aids
Pope claims condoms could make African Aids crisis worse

http://uk.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUKTRE4BL2FE20081222
It opposes gay marriage and, in October, a leading Vatican official called homosexuality "a deviation, an irregularity, a wound."

[SidDithers]

40. Quit bashing the poor, poor Catholics!!..nt

Sid

[TexasObserver]

41. Catholicism, like the GOP, has a record that's not very progressive.

Slavishly putting religions above other forms of dogma makes little sense for thinking persons.

[anonymous171]

42. Very euro-centric worldview you got there. nt

[dem629]

44. It's really the last form of open and accepted bigotry.

[Bill McBlueState]

49. Given the history of Proposition 8,

that has to be one of the most ironic statements I've seen.

[TexasObserver]

52. Religion incorporates as part of its philosophy BASHING of all who disagree.

The poutrage of the religious is similar to that of the GOP. They bash all beliefs they don't hold, and then accuse those who point out their prejudices of bashing them.

It's the War on Christmas theme. It's the "why can't we thank God in prayer at the football game" theme. They're in everyone's business about everything from who you sleep with to what you eat, but pointing this out as irrational dogma based upon centuries old myths is bashing.

[roguevalley]

103. No. Jesus didn't bash anyone but the power structure that was

standing on the necks of the poor. Paul, pushing his bullshit in which "faith" replaced works made this possible. Since he never met Jesus and fought with his brothers and the Jerusalem Church that headed the religion at the time and taught what Jesus taught, he cannot be considered a real Jesus movement believer. He created a Christ, burying Jesus the man and his genius and goodness under this artificial mantle that calcified into the authoritarian church when the traditionalist-literalists won the war with the rest, the people who tried to actually practice what Jesus and the Messianic Movement actually taught. These things that you hate and the people who push then, they are heretics. They don't even know it. Don't blame the rest of us for this shit. I hate, loathe, deny Pauline Christianity.

[gaspee]

55. I'd go with

Most ignorant. Not ironic. Some people have no self-awareness whatsoever.

[dem629]

57. In the popular culture (media, entertainment, etc.) you see as much open

hostility toward gays that you do toward religious people?

[Bill McBlueState]

76. classic moving the goalposts

Your original claim was that bigotry toward the religious is "the last form of open and accepted bigotry."

Now you're moving the goalposts by suggesting that in the limited realm of pop culture, religious people take more abuse than LGBT people. Sounds like you realized your first claim was difficult to defend.

[gaspee]

81. You have got to be kidding me

And way to backtrack - you said last acceptable bigotry. Well, I'm sorry, but you and yours LEGISLATED your religious beliefs onto me and mine. So no, I don't care what's on the television. When I vote on your rights, then you can complain. I cannot express the outrage I feel at you trying, and succeeding, to rule my life based on your fantasies. Religious people didn't used to bother me even the slightest. Over the past 30 years, your behavior in the public sphere has changed that. Now I am absolutely fucking SICKENED when people like you try to cry victim. Get over yourself and your imaginary friend.

[Lance_Boyle]

67. you misspelled "idiotic"

or else you're just nicer than I am.

[gaspee]

79. I was trying

To be nice. But yeah, idiotic was my first thought too.

[TexasObserver]

50. Religion is the last form of open and accepted bigotry.

Like the GOP, most religions openly embrace and promote bigotry. Anti women, anti homosexual, anti freedom.

[Fresh_Start]

51. well, bigotry against atheist is also open and accepted in the US

after all, the atheists are trying to harm America by removing God from the classroom and the government

[TexasObserver]

53. Agreed. Atheists are hated by theists.

Theists control America so much, they are offended when they can't force YOU to listen to their public prayers, when they can't force you to live by their dogma.

[dem629]

59. I'm unaware of any group that is free of various forms and intensities of bigotry and hatred.

The most open and accepted form of hate and ridicule is directed toward religious people.

We'll just have to agree to disagree, I guess.

[TexasObserver]

60. The RCC has a 1700 year history of abominations in the name of God.

It's hardly a matter of a few members being a couple of bubbles off plumb. It's institutional.

[dem629]

61. Ok.

[Bluenorthwest]

89. Except you religious people make organizations against the rights

of others. You raise millions to deprive others under law of basic humanity. I challenge you to share what you see as 'hate and ridicule' directed at religious people in the mass media, you keep harping on how hard it is for you to live with that harsh televised oppression, so share what you see as hate.
I'd also like to point out the Jesus said his followers would be mocked and even persecuted for his sake, and he instructed you to rejoice in those circumstances. Please share your Scriptural basis for whining instead of rejoicing.
Oh ye of full legal protections. Back up the territory you are claiming please.

[tammywammy]

56. Don't forget fat people n/t

[Bluebear]

74. Yeah, those poor Catholics have it worse than gays, "illegals", etc. don't they?

[Bluenorthwest]

87. That statement right there is why your 'faith' becomes a freaking

football. Right there. The utter audacity. The very idea. There is not one form of law passed by anyone to oppress any religion, and certainly none passed by MY people against the ones you defend. What a vicious bit of shit to fling.
Prop 8 and the others across the country, promoted under the color of 'faith' against your own families and neighbors. For that and the arrogance behind your statement, it becomes difficult to carry any form of understanding for such inhumane humans. Out of town on a rail is too good for people who meddle in their neighbor's private business if you ask me, especially those who turn around and claim persecution.

[gaspee]

54. Oh oh

Are the poor christians being persecuted again? Damn majority, always being picked on - see Prop 8. Oh... wait -

[scheming daemons]

63. I don't really give a shit if you think it is "progressive" or not...

I'm a recovering Catholic.

I'm also a history buff.


I know the damage the Catholic church has done to the human condition over the past two millenia.



Religion is worse than the "opiate of the masses". It is the oppressor of the masses.

[Stellabella]

84. Yes, exactly.

n/t

[Fuzz]

64. There is nothing that is sacred and 'bashing' idiocy is my favorite pastime.

[rhett o rick]

65. I love me a good flamebait post. Trick is get in some zingers before the thread is locked.

I gotta hurry.

Since the Catholic Church has decided that spending millions of dollars fighting the rights of others, they open themselves for criticism. With millions of Catholics starving around the globe, they choose to spend millions on hate legislation. Which isn't as bad as spending millions trying to cover up pedophilia in the church.

[malaise]

68. Why is that

I am an atheist who was brought up Catholic, and they're fair game.
The Catholic church is the oldest multinational corporation on the planet.
You'd think they'd have given up this superior knowledge business after Galileo made fools of them but no - they're so special - NOT.

[Lyric]

69. I only bash religions that bash other people.

That pretty much means every religion that believes (and expresses to bystanders via witnessing or evangelizing) that "we're ALL sinners," as I consider the label "sinner" to be hateful, intolerant, and offensive. I'm not a sinner--never have been, never will be. Sin is a construct of the human mind, nothing more. There is right and there is wrong, but "sin" (an offense against God) is just an unhealthy concept all-around, and the enforcement of virtue/avoidance of "sin" has brought humanity nothing but misery, IMHO. Those are *my* beliefs.

If your faith doesn't call anyone else names, or condemn anyone else in any way, then I am totally cool with it--no bashing from me. However, if you're going to call me a religiously-inspired epithet, slur, or insulting adjective, then STFU and stop whining when I bash you right back.

:hi:

[Prophet 451]

80. We call people names

I'm a Luciferian Satanist and we have some really inventive insults for people like Robertson and Falwell and those who think like them. Don't have any problem with homosexuality, bisexuality, etc. Way we figure it, some are gay, some are straight, it's all just part of teh wonderous variety of humanity.

[timtom]

70. Overall, one of the less intelligent discussions on this topic

(all the replies, that is).

A couple of reasoned and thoughtful replies on both sides of the aisle, but the usual dog-pilers are merely loud and vituperative exhortations of their poorly-derived opinions.

[omega minimo]

71. .

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=5767293&mesg_id=5767293

[Iggo]

72. Bashing catholicism is what I, as an ex-catholic,...

...do whenever the hell I feel the urge.

Catholicism can take it. It's been around a long time, and it'll be around long after I'm gone.

[Bluebear]

73. .

[a la izquierda]

75. I'm a non-church going Catholic...

and I could care less about people bashing the Church. I bash the CHurch myself-umm, Prop 8, for instance? The Church deserves to be slammed for that. I could pick out many, many examples of terrible things the church has done (I'm a historian of Latin America and its indigenous peoples, so I have plenty of ammo, so to speak).
Why worry about something this small that you have no control over?

[Feron]

78. Religion is fair game.

If a religion harms people and/or tries to insert itself into government, then it deserves bashing.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

82. Look how it's always about MEEEEEEE. In liberal circles Evangelicals are more bashed than Catholics.

And rightly so, because they tend to me more extremist and bigoted.

But nooooo, for a Catholic fundie the poor victimized minority is ONLY Catholics. They throw in "and religion in general" as an afterthought.

Photons get in, photons come out.

[Javaman]

85. Perhaps, but

it feeeeeeeeeels oh sooooooo good. LOL :evilgrin:

[EvolveOrConvolve]

93. Pointing out the absudities in something that is thrown in our faces on a daily basis

is not "bashing". Why don't you ask Dr. Tiller's family what real bashing looks like? Or the family of Matthew Sheppard? Or the family of James Byrd?

No matter how badly you want us to just sit in the corner and shut up, you're not going to get very far at DU with your arguments.

[eridani]

94. Not only that, it's a swipe at epiphenomena rather than root causes

The root cause here is aggressive defense of in-group status, along with two sets of ethical standards, one for the ins and the other for the outs. "Lookame!! I'm in with the in crowd! I believe exactly the same stupid things that my relatives/neighbors believe!"

For one thing, most religious traditions have over time generated antibodies to this tendency in the form of universal ethical systems. Sad to say, most prophets or other spokespeople for the universalist stance always get co-opted and made into the tribal totems of the sort that they preached against.

For another, any belief system whatsoever can be used this way, regardless of how rational its intellectual underpinnings are. See atheism under the Soviets and Social Darwinism for examples.

[eridani]

95. Can we please focus on being on the same ground ethically?

You know, like believing that pre-emptive war against people who are no threat to you is vile? You may believe that because Jesus told you to turn the other cheek, or because Old Testament prophets told you to turn your swords into plowshares, or because Confucius told you that the superior man engages in warfare only after all other options have been exhausted, or because the Buddha told you to be compassionate, or because rabbinical tradition demands that you engage in repair of the world, or because the Prophet told you that Allah does not like those who commit aggression, or because the Wiccan Rede instructs you to harm no living being, and that what you do will come back upon you threefold. Or maybe no one told you anything and you came to the conclusion that aggressive war is a sucky way to spend the only lifetime that you get all by yourself. So what? Can't we focus on the basic agreement?

[Strong Atheist]

96. "Basic agreement" - Oh, you mean like GLBT rights, right? We all agree on that,

right? :eyes:

[eridani]

107. Most religious tradtions have pro-gay organizations affiliated with them

http://www.thetaskforce.org/reports_and_research/david_v_goliath
Some even have good relations with the official hierarchy.

[IndianaGreen]

97. Let me know when religion stops bashing and murdering people in the name ot its gods

Religion, the dominion of the human mind; Property, the dominion of human needs; and Government, the dominion of human conduct, represent the stronghold of man's enslavement and all the horrors it entails. Religion! How it dominates man's mind, how it humiliates and degrades his soul. God is everything, man is nothing, says religion. But out of that nothing God has created a kingdom so despotic, so tyrannical, so cruel, so terribly exacting that naught but gloom and tears and blood have ruled the world since gods began.

Anarchism: What It Really Stands For
Emma Goldman (1910)

http://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/goldman/works/1910s/anarchism.htm

[pennylane100]

98. Well it does provide a really feel good moment

and it is another way to upset the head ped, ex nazi.

[uberllama42]

99. I recently read a report

about the actions taken by Cardinal Bevilacqua here in Philadelphia. In addition to the very common practice of bouncing abusers around from parish to parish, the Cardinal once bullied a victim into getting an abortion and used money from the archdiocese to pay for it. For decades he consciously protected abusers, facilitated further abuse and did whatever he could to keep the victims from seeing justice. The only reason he is not in jail is because the statute of limitations in PA is not generous enough for any of his crimes.

I am from a Catholic family, I go to a Catholic school, and I am not shedding any tears for the Church, no matter what anyone says about it. I don't care if that makes me un-progressive in your opinion.

[DeSwiss]

102. Oh you silly boy, of course it is PROGRESSIVE!!!!

- Since religion is all BULLSHIT!!!!

[moggie]

104. Who starts a thread with a zero-content post?

That's just plain lazy.

[Nihil]

108. Someone who expects content-free replies?

(And who ended up with plenty of them)
:hide:

[rhett o rick]

111. Well the post got a lot of attention, lazy or not. I think it was flamebait but then I love flame-

bait.

[nichomachus]

109. I will oppose any group that spends millions to take my rights away. Screw them.

I believe that religion, generally speaking, has been a curse to mankind — that its modest and greatly overestimated services on the ethical side have been more than overcome by the damage it has done to clear and honest thinking.

* H. L. Mencken

[rhett o rick]

110. I do not want one cent of my tax money to go to religions. For the government to give

religions money via tax breaks is a violation of the Constitution. If the Catholic Church and the Mormon Church have tens of millions of dollars to use to influence legislation of any kind, they do not get any tax breaks. People are going hungry in this country as well as around the world and these mega rich churches choose to spend their money to support hate legislation.

[ZombieHorde]

114. Giving money to organizations which help keep known pedophiles safe

and in a position to keep practicing child rape does not seem like a progressive thing to do.

Do you believe the Catholic church spends lots of money on keeping pedophiles "on the streets"?

[Evoman]

121. I think the constant use of the word "bashing" is sort of offensive when it pertains

to discussions about religion, even if the discussion is unfair or insulting to the religious.

Bashing is when a gay person gets the shit beat out of them.

Bashing is when a minority get attacked for their race.


Saying mean things about religion? Not even close.

[james at 49]

124. Thank you! A rec from me is in your future when I have enough posts!

It totally confounds me how prevalent this attitude is on DU. I am guessing that many people have been victimized in some sense by organized religion and I feel for them. But you would think that such intelligent folk who post here would be able to have more objectivity and see beyond their personal experiences.