Christians attempt to silence non-religious messages at Christmas

[Agnapostate]

Makes it all the more interesting that Abolitionists were almost entirely Christian.

Essentially the whole country was entirely Christian at the time, and there was nothing uniquely Christian about the abolitionists any more than the fact that the Nazis were almost entirely German makes those of German descent any more prone to fascism. Their opponents stood on far firmer theological ground, as I have evidenced.

 

[AllieBaba]

Bullshit. Abolitionists were largely BAPTISTS and QUAKERS.

 

[Steerpike]

As was pointed out, almost everyone was Christian at the time. While you can find Christian groups int he Abolitionist movement, they are also in the pro-Slavery movement (often members of the same religious affiliation, in fact).

See, for example: Stingfellow, Thornton. Scriptural and Statistical Views In Favor of Slavery. Richmond: Randolph, 1856.

 

[AllieBaba]

However those Christians didn't participate in a movement which risked their lives. They simply supported a legal lifestyle with scripture.

Big difference, bucko.

 

[Steerpike]

However those Christians didn't participate in a movement which risked their lives. They simply supported a legal lifestyle with scripture.

Big difference, bucko.

Not really a difference. The point is that religious views were used on both sides of the argument. And the fact that almost the whole country was Christian means you'll be able to point to "Christians" as a central group in almost any movement of the time. So the categorization is meaningless.

 

[Agnapostate]

And more than that, the pro-slavery side had far more theological ground to stand on, given that they referred to Scriptural passages in favor of slavery.

 

[chrismac]

I heard about this story a few weeks back, and I thought it was pretty...yeah, whatever. This always happens. Atheists puff themselves on their whole outsider/minority status, go into the public square where religious people, for the most part, play nice, and try to shake things up. Then when religious people ding them for it, they roll their eyes and say it's funny how Christians are the biggest religious sect but always act the most put-upon.

No, it's that a lot of Atheists fancy themselves to be edgy iconoclasts and they feel their Atheism is nothing without some scathing critique of religious people. This isn't new or different. Atheists like being a minority; it means they can do and say a lot of messed up shit in the name of open-mindedness, and nobody can really call them out on it because all they have to do is point to their small numbers.

I'm sorry, but their sign wasn't Atheistic, it was anti-theistic. It wasn't, "we find fulfillment in non-faith-based, non-reverential logic", it was "you're all a bunch of suckers for believing in fairy tales." They wanted attention and they got it. I don't feel sorry for them.

 

[Agnapostate]

Strong atheism is essentially equivalent to anti-theism.

 

[YWN666]

I heard about this story a few weeks back, and I thought it was pretty...yeah, whatever. This always happens. Atheists puff themselves on their whole outsider/minority status, go into the public square where religious people, for the most part, play nice, and try to shake things up. Then when religious people ding them for it, they roll their eyes and say it's funny how Christians are the biggest religious sect but always act the most put-upon.

No, it's that a lot of Atheists fancy themselves to be edgy iconoclasts and they feel their Atheism is nothing without some scathing critique of religious people. This isn't new or different. Atheists like being a minority; it means they can do and say a lot of messed up shit in the name of open-mindedness, and nobody can really call them out on it because all they have to do is point to their small numbers.

I'm sorry, but their sign wasn't Atheistic, it was anti-theistic. It wasn't, "we find fulfillment in non-faith-based, non-reverential logic", it was "you're all a bunch of suckers for believing in fairy tales." They wanted attention and they got it. I don't feel sorry for them.

The religious people play nice? Let me have some of whatever it is you're smoking.

 

[chrismac]

OK. Come by around 1, and I'll hook you up.

Considering the contention was between atheists and Christianity, and not, say, Christianity and Judaism, I'd say they were playing nice. And considering the fact that I hear more arguments between religious people and atheists than amongst religious people, I'd say they can coexist without too much drama. Not everywhere, of course.

 

[FistyTheBadger]

OK. Come by around 1, and I'll hook you up.

Considering the contention was between atheists and Christianity, and not, say, Christianity and Judaism, I'd say they were playing nice. And considering the fact that I hear more arguments between religious people and atheists than amongst religious people, I'd say they can coexist without too much drama. Not everywhere, of course.

Christians play nice with Jews, too.

 

[Agnapostate]

Christians play nice with Jews, too.

Until they can knock that dreidel out of the way with the Holy Cross.

 

[Againsheila]

Until they can knock that dreidel out of the way with the Holy Cross.

You do know what a dreidel is, don't you? It's a toy. Most people call it a "top" We played with them all the time. I think you need a better analogy.

 

[FistyTheBadger]

You do know what a dreidel is, don't you? It's a toy. Most people call it a "top" We played with them all the time. I think you need a better analogy.

A better analogy would also be more honest.

 

[sky dancer]

An analogy like the symbols of cross and star of david? Or choo choo train and dreidel?

 

[Agnapostate]

You do know what a dreidel is, don't you? It's a toy. Most people call it a "top" We played with them all the time. I think you need a better analogy.

A better analogy would also be more honest.

I think you understood what I meant quite clearly.

 

[Againsheila]

I think you understood what I meant quite clearly.

I know you think you understood what you thought I said but I'm not sure you realize that what I said was not exactly what I meant.

 

[Agnapostate]

I know you think you understood what you thought I said but I'm not sure you realize that what I said was not exactly what I meant.

Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel
I made it out of clay
And when it's dry and ready
Then dreidel I will play!

See? I remember these things.

 

[FistyTheBadger]

An analogy like the symbols of cross and star of david? Or choo choo train and dreidel?

Is their some weird history of the choo choo train that makes in inherently Christian?

 

[FistyTheBadger]

I think you understood what I meant quite clearly.

Yes, what you meant. Now be more honest.