Define the God you believe in, if you do believe in one (or more) -

[Meriweather]

It certainly does when religious doctrine is attempted to be made a part of the public school curriculum.

There is a difference between allowing religion in the public square and forcing anyone to take part in it.

 

[diver52]

It says the government can't establish a religion nor prohibit people from exercising their religion.

Precisely. Thank you.

Not exactly.



The bottom line is very common-sense related: if the government is free to exalt any one religion over another, then what do you do if someday that religion is not the one you believe in? What is the only way to ensure this does not happen? the only way I can see it is if the government is silent about all religious issues. That doesn't make the individuals in government atheists or irreligious -- they can believe whatever they wish. What it means is they are prevented from forcing their beliefs on me or you.

What is ultimately being derived here is that once you are not allowed to interfere in favor of one religion, you must again be neutral across the board because any favoritism to one religion must by definition be done so at the expense of another religion, or no religion.

It is precisely true. It is precisely what it says. The government can't enforce religion, but that doesn't stop a government meeting from starting with a prayer. That happens all the time. You can have religious displays on public land, so long as it is opened to all religions. Atheist groups have been doing Christmas displays for years.

 

[Hollie]

It says the government can't establish a religion nor prohibit people from exercising their religion.

Precisely. Thank you.

Not exactly.



The bottom line is very common-sense related: if the government is free to exalt any one religion over another, then what do you do if someday that religion is not the one you believe in? What is the only way to ensure this does not happen? the only way I can see it is if the government is silent about all religious issues. That doesn't make the individuals in government atheists or irreligious -- they can believe whatever they wish. What it means is they are prevented from forcing their beliefs on me or you.

What is ultimately being derived here is that once you are not allowed to interfere in favor of one religion, you must again be neutral across the board because any favoritism to one religion must by definition be done so at the expense of another religion, or no religion.

It is precisely true. It is precisely what it says. The government can't enforce religion, but that doesn't stop a government meeting from starting with a prayer. That happens all the time. You can have religious displays on public land, so long as it is opened to all religions. Atheist groups have been doing Christmas displays for years.

I don’t disagree with the above and I probably wasn’t precise in identifying public schools as opposed to public spaces.

 

[Hollie]

It certainly does when religious doctrine is attempted to be made a part of the public school curriculum.

There is a difference between allowing religion in the public square and forcing anyone to take part in it.

Yes. I noted in my response to diver52 that I muddied the distinction between schools and public spaces.

When it comes to religion in public schools, the lower courts and the US Supreme Court have been very clear on the constitutional precept that disallows religious education in those public schools.

 

[BreezeWood]

Faith in God leads to accountability.

Faith in God (christianity) leads to accountability.

one can not use a deity in distinction for a religion.

that is a distortion between fact and fiction, relying on a false messiah religion of perpetual sin initiated in the 4th century does not lead to accountability in the sense of a deity as by its disguised political objective being its true anterior motive - as an example.

I’ve never questioned how others perceive God like you do. Probably because I’m not a religious nut job like you who tries to impose his will on the faith of others.

Just to be clear here, the benefits of faith I am describing are not limited to any one specific religion. I’m not a religious bigot like you.

.

I’ve never questioned how others perceive God like you do. Probably because I’m not a religious nut job like you who tries to impose his will on the faith of others.

Just to be clear here, the benefits of faith I am describing are not limited to any one specific religion. I’m not a religious bigot like you.

if you can not take the heat you should not be in the kitchen - not to mention there was nothing said to substantiate your false accusations. nothing new there.

 

[BreezeWood]

No religion claims itself secondary in comparison to its competition. That would dismantle the authority of every religion ("Well, we're sort of right," said the Dalai Lama, "But you know, maybe those Christians are really right." Uh, not likely.) I’ve found it rare that believers will acknowledge an important component of religious faith: that the faith exaggerates the psychological concept of in-group/out-group bias.

The Catholic Church comes close. The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes that it only has the authority to assure people that those who follow the way of Christ will attain life eternal. It notes that God also has an everlasting covenant with the Jews; that while the Church does not have the authority to assure other non-Christians that the way they are following does lead to eternal life, simply because the Church was not given authority to make this declaration. Those who are not Christian or do not live under the everlasting covenant of the Jews are left in the care and love of a merciful God.

.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church notes that it only has the authority to assure people that those who follow the way of Christ will attain life eternal. It notes that God also has an everlasting covenant with the Jews; ...

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

the forgery written in your christian bible says otherwise than your quote. only one of countless instances inconsistent to the historical events for the times being referenced.

 

[ding]

Faith in God leads to accountability.

Faith in God (christianity) leads to accountability.

one can not use a deity in distinction for a religion.

that is a distortion between fact and fiction, relying on a false messiah religion of perpetual sin initiated in the 4th century does not lead to accountability in the sense of a deity as by its disguised political objective being its true anterior motive - as an example.

I’ve never questioned how others perceive God like you do. Probably because I’m not a religious nut job like you who tries to impose his will on the faith of others.

Just to be clear here, the benefits of faith I am describing are not limited to any one specific religion. I’m not a religious bigot like you.

.

I’ve never questioned how others perceive God like you do. Probably because I’m not a religious nut job like you who tries to impose his will on the faith of others.

Just to be clear here, the benefits of faith I am describing are not limited to any one specific religion. I’m not a religious bigot like you.

if you can not take the heat you should not be in the kitchen - not to mention there was nothing said to substantiate your false accusations. nothing new there.

Religious nut job says what?

 

[there4eyeM]

How could one think that an essentially undefinable "Being" could be contained in human, limited expression?

 

[G.T.]

How could one think that an essentially undefinable "Being" could be contained in human, limited expression?

you just did it. "limitless, undefinable."

 

[Hollie]

How could one think that an essentially undefinable "Being" could be contained in human, limited expression?

It’s done all the time. The gods are always slathered with human attributes because humans have invented the gods.

 

[Erinwltr]

Outta curiousity, how do you figure to know what I personally mean by sky daddy, ding -?

Because you believe that man made religions are for the gullible that need a sky daddy to massage their insecurities about the unknown. Because your standard response to God loves you is that Sky Daddy is not your thing. Because you constantly ridicule the accounts in the Bible saying things like "Sky daddy didn't tell him to kill anybody's first born otherwise we'd have another Son of Sam on our hands." Because you believe trusting the creator rather than created things is collectivist daddy worship. Because you have implied that people who have devoted their lives to a man-made sky daddy are played sheep.

Because you use this phrase even when you talk to people who you perceive have never insulted you.

The Belief That Life Was the Result of an Accident Is Unscientific

Why Religion Must Be Banished....

If There Is No God, Murder Is Not Wrong

Can Atheists be Moral?

Which Child Tells the World Her Life Has Been Stolen?

Does Saturn's "Ice Moon" harbor life deep in it's ocean?

A whole lot of bullshit right there in that comment. ding, you never fail at that, for sure.

 

[ding]

Outta curiousity, how do you figure to know what I personally mean by sky daddy, ding -?

Because you believe that man made religions are for the gullible that need a sky daddy to massage their insecurities about the unknown. Because your standard response to God loves you is that Sky Daddy is not your thing. Because you constantly ridicule the accounts in the Bible saying things like "Sky daddy didn't tell him to kill anybody's first born otherwise we'd have another Son of Sam on our hands." Because you believe trusting the creator rather than created things is collectivist daddy worship. Because you have implied that people who have devoted their lives to a man-made sky daddy are played sheep.

Because you use this phrase even when you talk to people who you perceive have never insulted you.

The Belief That Life Was the Result of an Accident Is Unscientific

Why Religion Must Be Banished....

If There Is No God, Murder Is Not Wrong

Can Atheists be Moral?

Which Child Tells the World Her Life Has Been Stolen?

Does Saturn's "Ice Moon" harbor life deep in it's ocean?

A whole lot of bullshit right there in that comment. ding, you never fail at that, for sure.

If only you could mount an argument against it your rhetoric would carry more weight.

 

[Erinwltr]

Outta curiousity, how do you figure to know what I personally mean by sky daddy, ding -?

Because you believe that man made religions are for the gullible that need a sky daddy to massage their insecurities about the unknown. Because your standard response to God loves you is that Sky Daddy is not your thing. Because you constantly ridicule the accounts in the Bible saying things like "Sky daddy didn't tell him to kill anybody's first born otherwise we'd have another Son of Sam on our hands." Because you believe trusting the creator rather than created things is collectivist daddy worship. Because you have implied that people who have devoted their lives to a man-made sky daddy are played sheep.

Because you use this phrase even when you talk to people who you perceive have never insulted you.

The Belief That Life Was the Result of an Accident Is Unscientific

Why Religion Must Be Banished....

If There Is No God, Murder Is Not Wrong

Can Atheists be Moral?

Which Child Tells the World Her Life Has Been Stolen?

Does Saturn's "Ice Moon" harbor life deep in it's ocean?

A whole lot of bullshit right there in that comment. ding, you never fail at that, for sure.

If only you could mount an argument against it your rhetoric would carry more weight.

BS is BS. You reek of it right through the interwebs. And let me not leave out arrogance on a Richter scale of 8.9.

 

[ding]

Outta curiousity, how do you figure to know what I personally mean by sky daddy, ding -?

Because you believe that man made religions are for the gullible that need a sky daddy to massage their insecurities about the unknown. Because your standard response to God loves you is that Sky Daddy is not your thing. Because you constantly ridicule the accounts in the Bible saying things like "Sky daddy didn't tell him to kill anybody's first born otherwise we'd have another Son of Sam on our hands." Because you believe trusting the creator rather than created things is collectivist daddy worship. Because you have implied that people who have devoted their lives to a man-made sky daddy are played sheep.

Because you use this phrase even when you talk to people who you perceive have never insulted you.

The Belief That Life Was the Result of an Accident Is Unscientific

Why Religion Must Be Banished....

If There Is No God, Murder Is Not Wrong

Can Atheists be Moral?

Which Child Tells the World Her Life Has Been Stolen?

Does Saturn's "Ice Moon" harbor life deep in it's ocean?

A whole lot of bullshit right there in that comment. ding, you never fail at that, for sure.

If only you could mount an argument against it your rhetoric would carry more weight.

BS is BS. You reek of it right through the interwebs. And let me not leave out arrogance on a Richter scale of 8.9.

That BS were direct quotes from GT.

What was BS about it?

 

[Erinwltr]

Outta curiousity, how do you figure to know what I personally mean by sky daddy, ding -?

Because you believe that man made religions are for the gullible that need a sky daddy to massage their insecurities about the unknown. Because your standard response to God loves you is that Sky Daddy is not your thing. Because you constantly ridicule the accounts in the Bible saying things like "Sky daddy didn't tell him to kill anybody's first born otherwise we'd have another Son of Sam on our hands." Because you believe trusting the creator rather than created things is collectivist daddy worship. Because you have implied that people who have devoted their lives to a man-made sky daddy are played sheep.

Because you use this phrase even when you talk to people who you perceive have never insulted you.

The Belief That Life Was the Result of an Accident Is Unscientific

Why Religion Must Be Banished....

If There Is No God, Murder Is Not Wrong

Can Atheists be Moral?

Which Child Tells the World Her Life Has Been Stolen?

Does Saturn's "Ice Moon" harbor life deep in it's ocean?

A whole lot of bullshit right there in that comment. ding, you never fail at that, for sure.

If only you could mount an argument against it your rhetoric would carry more weight.

BS is BS. You reek of it right through the interwebs. And let me not leave out arrogance on a Richter scale of 8.9.

That BS were direct quotes from GT.

What was BS about it?

You are just a very unlikeable twat. That's what.

 

[ding]

Because you believe that man made religions are for the gullible that need a sky daddy to massage their insecurities about the unknown. Because your standard response to God loves you is that Sky Daddy is not your thing. Because you constantly ridicule the accounts in the Bible saying things like "Sky daddy didn't tell him to kill anybody's first born otherwise we'd have another Son of Sam on our hands." Because you believe trusting the creator rather than created things is collectivist daddy worship. Because you have implied that people who have devoted their lives to a man-made sky daddy are played sheep.

Because you use this phrase even when you talk to people who you perceive have never insulted you.

The Belief That Life Was the Result of an Accident Is Unscientific

Why Religion Must Be Banished....

If There Is No God, Murder Is Not Wrong

Can Atheists be Moral?

Which Child Tells the World Her Life Has Been Stolen?

Does Saturn's "Ice Moon" harbor life deep in it's ocean?

A whole lot of bullshit right there in that comment. ding, you never fail at that, for sure.

If only you could mount an argument against it your rhetoric would carry more weight.

BS is BS. You reek of it right through the interwebs. And let me not leave out arrogance on a Richter scale of 8.9.

That BS were direct quotes from GT.

What was BS about it?

You are just a very unlikeable twat. That's what.

So no real answer to my question.

Go ahead and get it out of your system then.

 

[ding]

I didn’t realize this was a popularity contest.

 

[G.T.]

I didn’t realize this was a popularity contest.

Is that how you ratiionalize being a twat on the internet? It works as one!

 

[ding]

I didn’t realize this was a popularity contest.

Is that how you ratiionalize being a twat on the internet? It works as one!

I don’t rationalize acting like an asshole when I act like one.

I own it.

Unfortunately for you, me proving you use the phrase sky daddy as an insult for no other reason than people believe differently than you isn’t one of those times.

 

[G.T.]

I didn’t realize this was a popularity contest.

Is that how you ratiionalize being a twat on the internet? It works as one!

I don’t rationalize acting like an asshole when I act like one.

I own it.

Unfortunately for you, me proving you use the phrase sky daddy as an insult for no other reason than people believe differently than you isn’t one of those times.

I use it as an apt insult. You believe theres a conscious being that "experiences" things through you. An apt description of that from my personal purview is sky daddy, when I'm in "no-nonsense" mode...and "magical thinking" if Im being nice about it.

Its all faith based, lie based, or a mixture of both. Lying to one's self, or others....or...faith. Which is fine, its just not my level of discipline regarding "belief." I require more...and Im inquisitive.

That triggers you...also what triggers you is that I think you're an idiot that isnt even dime a dozen its like a nickel.

Who cares.