atheism against the law?

124

Comments

  • hippiemomhippiemom Posts: 3,326
    gue_barium wrote:
    I think Hippiemom made a good example of what she was stating, but at the same time those laws were voted on by the people that live there.
    We do not have the right to force our religious beliefs on our fellow citizens, regardless of the degree to which we outnumber them. Why should a merchant who observes his sabbath on Friday, or observes no sabbath at all, have to close his shop on Sunday?
    "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." ~ MLK, 1963
  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    hippiemom wrote:
    We do not have the right to force our religious beliefs on our fellow citizens, regardless of the degree to which we outnumber them. Why should a merchant who observes his sabbath on Friday, or observes no sabbath at all, have to close his shop on Sunday?

    If you consider that alcohol was prohibited in this country at one time, it doesn't seem as extreme to me as it does to you. And your interpretation that it is solely a religious matter is kind of short-sighted. That shopkeeper wants his employees to get out of bed Monday morning to get to work, too.

    So, actually, your example is not so good, but fair game.

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  • hippiemomhippiemom Posts: 3,326
    gue_barium wrote:
    If you consider that alcohol was prohibited in this country at one time, it doesn't seem as extreme to me as it does to you. And your interpretation that it is solely a religious matter is kind of short-sighted. That shopkeeper wants his employees to get out of bed Monday morning to get to work, too.
    I really don't see what prohibition has to do with it. We tried it, it was a miserable failure, and we amended our constitution to reflect that.

    The people who originally proposed the laws did so on religious grounds. It wasn't always just liquor stores ... in many places you weren't allowed to open any business at all on a Sunday ... but the liquor laws are the ones that have stuck.
    "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." ~ MLK, 1963
  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    hippiemom wrote:
    I really don't see what prohibition has to do with it. We tried it, it was a miserable failure, and we amended our constitution to reflect that.

    The people who originally proposed the laws did so on religious grounds. It wasn't always just liquor stores ... in many places you weren't allowed to open any business at all on a Sunday ... but the liquor laws are the ones that have stuck.

    Prohibition was brought about by a lot of angry housewives who were tired of their husbands becoming worthless slobs. It had the support of people like Jack London, a good American atheist. On the issue of liquor, I think it's lawful inconveniences are more rooted in health than religion, regardless of who (or what group of people) began banning the sales on certain days (or altogether).

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  • hippiemomhippiemom Posts: 3,326
    gue_barium wrote:
    Prohibition was brought about by a lot of angry housewives who were tired of their husbands becoming worthless slobs. It had the support of people like Jack London, a good American atheist. On the issue of liquor, I think it's lawful inconveniences are more rooted in health than religion, regardless of who (or what group of people) began banning the sales on certain days (or altogether).
    So why Sunday? Why not Mondays and every third Thursday? What is the non-religious justification for Sunday as opposed to any other day?
    "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." ~ MLK, 1963
  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    hippiemom wrote:
    So why Sunday? Why not Mondays and every third Thursday? What is the non-religious justification for Sunday as opposed to any other day?
    I don't have that problem in Washington. Cheers. :)

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  • Alex_CoeAlex_Coe Posts: 762
    At the bottom of each paragraph there is written:

    "There is not even one generally accepted theory for (Creation of the universe, origin of DNA/RNA, origin of matter, etc. etc.)"

    Now, by that logic I could disprove religion! Watch:

    THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE GENERALLY ACCEPTED FAITH AMONG RELIGIOUS PEOPLE.


    Yeah, now the shoe is on the other foot.

    THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE GENERALLY ACCEPTED GOD AMONG RELIGIONS.

    Let's do it again:

    THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE GENERALLY ACCEPTED EXPLANATION OF THE AFTERLIFE IN ANY RELIGION.

    Now, I'm not making fun of religion, but you can see how this logic isn't foolproof.
  • callencallen Posts: 6,388
    surferdude wrote:
    You are reading much into the law that is not there. The law prohibits alcohol sales during certain times. How does this either establish Christianity, or prohibite the free exercise of any other religion? Please stick to the actual law.
    I'm not sure you can justify the restriction of aclohal sales as a Christian belief. Seems like a far stretch.
    Sunday morning...coincidence???
    10-18-2000 Houston, 04-06-2003 Houston, 6-25-2003 Toronto, 10-8-2004 Kissimmee, 9-4-2005 Calgary, 12-3-05 Sao Paulo, 7-2-2006 Denver, 7-22-06 Gorge, 7-23-2006 Gorge, 9-13-2006 Bern, 6-22-2008 DC, 6-24-2008 MSG, 6-25-2008 MSG
  • surferdudesurferdude Posts: 2,057
    surferdude wrote:
    You are reading much into the law that is not there. The law prohibits alcohol sales during certain times. How does this either establish Christianity, or prohibite the free exercise of any other religion? Please stick to the actual law.
    I'm not sure you can justify the restriction of aclohal sales as a Christian belief. Seems like a far stretch.
    callen wrote:
    Sunday morning...coincidence???
    How does it establish Christianity?

    If it establishes Christianity then you'd have to argue that legalizing pot establishes Rastafariasm.
    “One good thing about music,
    when it hits you, you feel to pain.
    So brutalize me with music.”
    ~ Bob Marley
  • hippiemomhippiemom Posts: 3,326
    surferdude wrote:
    How does it establish Christianity?

    If it establishes Christianity then you'd have to argue that legalizing pot establishes Rastafariasm.
    If the only plausible reason you could come up with for legalizing pot was a belief in Rastafarianism, then yes, you would have to argue that. Fortunately for the legalization movement, it's rather easy to come up with other reasons.

    What is the non-Christian argument in favor of closing liquor stores on Sunday?
    "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." ~ MLK, 1963
  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    hippiemom wrote:
    If the only plausible reason you could come up with for legalizing pot was a belief in Rastafarianism, then yes, you would have to argue that. Fortunately for the legalization movement, it's rather easy to come up with other reasons.

    What is the non-Christian argument in favor of closing liquor stores on Sunday?

    You and that damn 'Sunday'. The economic reasons, historically, would favor a sober Sunday so Monday's workforce shows up.

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  • surferdude wrote:
    How does it establish Christianity?

    If it establishes Christianity then you'd have to argue that legalizing pot establishes Rastafariasm.


    A blue law, in the United States and Canada, is a type of law designed to enforce moral standards, particularly the observance of Sunday as a day of worship or rest. Most have been repealed or are simply unenforced, although prohibitions on the sale of alcoholic beverages, and occasionally almost all commerce, on Sundays are still enforced in some areas. [1] Blue laws often prohibit an activity only during certain hours and there are usually exceptions to the prohibition of commerce, like grocery and drug stores. In some places blue laws may be enforced due to religious principles, but others are retained as a matter of tradition or out of convenience. [2]
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

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  • hippiemomhippiemom Posts: 3,326
    gue_barium wrote:
    You and that damn 'Sunday'. The economic reasons, historically, would favor a sober Sunday so Monday's workforce shows up.
    And yet, oddly enough, no one used that argument when the laws were proposed.
    "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." ~ MLK, 1963
  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    hippiemom wrote:
    And yet, oddly enough, no one used that argument when the laws were proposed.
    Well, the calendar has been under religious influence for a long time. Our present day work week was made around it.

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  • surferdudesurferdude Posts: 2,057
    hippiemom wrote:
    What is the non-Christian argument in favor of closing liquor stores on Sunday?
    I don't see the prohibition of alcohol sales as being a Christian arguement. I think it's a silly law, I can't think of any reason to restrict alcohol sales or have closing times for bars. I can't fathom why government workers are normally given Sunday as a day off or are paid a premium for working on Christmas day. I can't fathom why unions opted for a Monday to Friday work week. But I don't rally around saying these are unconstitutional. They do not have government establishing a religion so to me they are just more silly laws.
    What the intent of the law was I don't really care about. What the actual ramifications of the law are I do care about.
    Prohibiting alcohol sales on Sunday mornings in no way establishes a religion. So at that point the law is constitutional (at least to me) but stupid.
    “One good thing about music,
    when it hits you, you feel to pain.
    So brutalize me with music.”
    ~ Bob Marley
  • corycory Posts: 736
    Hey everybody. Just thought I'd say goodbye to most of you before you all started burning in Hell.
    Revive the heart of the heartless...

    Why would you start was has no end?
  • hippiemomhippiemom Posts: 3,326
    surferdude wrote:
    I don't see the prohibition of alcohol sales as being a Christian arguement. I think it's a silly law, I can't think of any reason to restrict alcohol sales or have closing times for bars. I can't fathom why government workers are normally given Sunday as a day off or are paid a premium for working on Christmas day. I can't fathom why unions opted for a Monday to Friday work week. But I don't rally around saying these are unconstitutional. They do not have government establishing a religion so to me they are just more silly laws.
    What the intent of the law was I don't really care about. What the actual ramifications of the law are I do care about.
    Prohibiting alcohol sales on Sunday mornings in no way establishes a religion. So at that point the law is constitutional (at least to me) but stupid.
    It forces non-Christians to abide by a strictly Christian belief. I agree with you about Christmas. I think the reason you don't hear much bitching about Christmas is that no one minds a paid day off ... that's certainly the reason I don't bitch about it. Hell, they could have a George W. Bush Day for all I care, if I get to skip work and still get paid, I'm all in favor of it.

    I also don't go around crusading for loosened restrictions on liquor sales, since they don't affect me at all, but when I think about it I can't come up with a single reason to support them, beyond what the people who originally proposed the laws had in mind, and what they had in mind doesn't pass muster, in my opinion.

    Anyway, I thank you for a nice diversion from the most boring task I've ever had during my five years at this firm .... thank goodness this interminable day is over :)
    "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." ~ MLK, 1963
  • Gary CarterGary Carter Posts: 14,067
    callen wrote:
    but not Sunday morning....makes absolutely no sense...clearer now for you?
    its only till noon and if your getting beer before noon on any day, u got fucking problems and should go to aa.clearer now for u? and what lame ass way to bash the catholic religion
    Ron: I just don't feel like going out tonight
    Sammi: Wanna just break up?

  • callen wrote:
    what ever you want......if it works for you...more power to you.....but once you tell me when I can buy a beer...or force my children to listen to you prayers...or keep my wife from aborting a couple cells in her body. Thats the problem.
    this is called stereotyping. not all god-believing, bible-reading people think the same. i don't shove my faith in others. i don't agree with it, i'm entitled to that much, but i promise i won't get involved in politics and instigate my beliefs.
    This isn't the land of opportunity, it's the land of competition.
  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    hippiemom wrote:
    It forces non-Christians to abide by a strictly Christian belief.

    That is misinformation. That's like saying only Christians voted on it.

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  • hippiemomhippiemom Posts: 3,326
    its only till noon and if your getting beer before noon on any day, u got fucking problems and should go to aa.clearer now for u? and what lame ass way to bash the catholic religion
    Whether or not callen can get his hands on a 12-pack on Sunday morning is hardly the point. The point is whether or not the government has any business legislating religious preferences into law.
    "Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." ~ MLK, 1963
  • surferdudesurferdude Posts: 2,057
    hippiemom wrote:
    It forces non-Christians to abide by a strictly Christian belief.
    But there is no Christian belief about selling alcohol on Sundays. So how is it holding up a Christian belief or establishing a religion?

    I'm not saying not to abolish the law. I'm just saying trying to abolish it because it's unconstitutional seems to be a huge stretch in interpretting both the constitution and Christianity.
    “One good thing about music,
    when it hits you, you feel to pain.
    So brutalize me with music.”
    ~ Bob Marley
  • Gary CarterGary Carter Posts: 14,067
    hippiemom wrote:
    Whether or not callen can get his hands on a 12-pack on Sunday morning is hardly the point. The point is whether or not the government has any business legislating religious preferences into law.
    its been a law forever in this country, if ya dont like it then go to a 7-11 and buy beer. im pretty sure they dont really care. laws are laws, just like the law says its your right to have an aboration
    Ron: I just don't feel like going out tonight
    Sammi: Wanna just break up?

  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    hippiemom wrote:
    Whether or not callen can get his hands on a 12-pack on Sunday morning is hardly the point. The point is whether or not the government has any business legislating religious preferences into law.
    economic, health, and synchronicit preferences.


    I think I just invented a word.

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  • seanw1010seanw1010 Posts: 1,205
    that is bullshit. "god just is"-wtf!
    yes, i am an atheist
    they call them fingers, but i never see them fing. oh, there they go
  • Collin wrote:
    I'm just going to stop posting in this thread. It seems to me that you're not trying to understand the other side at all. You ask a question and when people give you an answer you don't like you just rely on the good old 'you can't prove me wrong'.

    What's the point in creating a thread like that? I'll create a thread with a story from evilbible.com and whenever a Christian tries to defend their faith I'll just say 'you can't prove me wrong' and 'you're being annoying'.

    And I didn't compare you. I compared beliefs and if it makes you feel any better I could have used people who believe in purple fuzzy bunnies, unicorns or dragons. It's not about you, it's about beliefs that are accepted and beliefs that aren't. You think your belief is above all others, fine. But when you're mind is already closed I don't see the point in creating a thread like this one.
    look dawg. it's cool with me if you share your ideas and i read them. i really do. but you're sneeding in little smart remarks and trying to sugar-coat it by trying to make me understand your intentions. you're intentions aren't bad. it's what you say that's really annoying. kinda like a high-school kid who's giving the teacher a hard time.

    but it seems to me that you are not agreeing with me either so then i guess you are guilty of the same thing. it seems to me that any i answer i give you that you don't like you just want to go on and make fun of my beliefs. i don't know. i really don't care.

    if you want to talk about dragons, unicorns and mickey mouse go right ahead. i don't care. in the first place i wasn't trying to argue. you butted into my conversation with ahnimus when he said that he was tired of being nice and tired of hearing all these god-believers shoving their faith in theirs. when that's not at all what i was doing. since he said that we couldn't prove anything i said, yeah that's true. we can't. you win on that one. so i said that it didn't mean that atheists couldn't prove anything either. so in a typical atheistic-condescending fashion you replied and made the comment on the beliefs and out of all the things you mention murderers and people who have psychiatric problems. if you want to share your ideas on beliefs i suggest you tone it down a little bit. cool bra? aight, late.
    This isn't the land of opportunity, it's the land of competition.
  • brain of cbrain of c Posts: 5,213
    read this... let me hear your input.

    http://www.anointed-one.net/atheism.html


    well.......god hates it.
  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    brain of c wrote:
    well.......god hates it.

    hehee...could it be...satan!?

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  • catefrancescatefrances Posts: 29,003
    gue_barium wrote:
    Well, the calendar has been under religious influence for a long time. Our present day work week was made around it.

    what i want to know is why the summer/winter season (dependent on what hemisphere you live in) is split across 2 calender years? i propose that the year begin on december the 1st. or march 1st. :D
    hear my name
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  • gue_bariumgue_barium Posts: 5,515
    what i want to know is why the summer/winter season (dependent on what hemisphere you live in) is split across 2 calender years? i propose that the year begin on december the 1st. or march 1st. :D

    I'm a being of the Seasons, myself. The week/month thing I don't understand.

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