Why is religion above criticism?

[wonderboy416]

b) I never said my religion was more noble than anyone else's. Where I come from, people get killed for believing in other religions, so I take my beliefs seriously.

I'm not religious, but getting killed for not having the same beliefs as the mainstream to me makes your country one of the worst places on the earth in my mind. I'd rather live in complete seclusion in the arctic then such a country. It speaks volumes for how maniacal and barbaric certain members of the society must be to routinely kill others for simply being different. Get offended all you want, I truly feel sorry for anyone who doesn't have it within themselves to simply tolerate others for being different... it says that since they were born they never learned to think for themselves and simply assimilated into the masses just like everyone else. We're all born the same.. no matter what colour your skin is, what faith your parents subscribe to or where you are on the planet, we're all human, no different from one another at birth... it's how we're raised that helps shape us into who we are, and it seems as if some countries are really terrible places to grow up as an individual capable of forming their own intelligent thoughts without being some sort of sacrifice. It's truly a shame and speaks volumes for how little some members of the human race have grown and failed to learn from our miserable ways of the past.

Again.. more lives pointlessly lost due to intolerance towards religious beliefs, quite disgusting really. I really hope those suicide bombers don't think they're just moving on into the next life when they decide to take others out without them and are smart enough to think that maybe... just maybe their time on earth is all they have and that once they're gone... that's it. It may take courage to blow yourself up (cowardly courage if I can makeup a nonsensical statement) but it takes even more courage to question what you've been forced to think and believe your whole life.... it also takes intelligence.

 

[Brian69]

really?

What if someone asked "Is Hydrogen a serial rapist?"

You wouldn't see that as provocative?

You take my words out of context in attempt to prove your point.

a) I don't go whacking every idiot who says something I don't like. But I can perfectly understand someone getting upset and possibly violent when their core beliefs are under attack.

b) I never said my religion was more noble than anyone else's. Where I come from, people get killed for believing in other religions, so I take my beliefs seriously.

Falsely calling someone a serial rapist is a legal matter, and has nothing to do with proving or disproving a deity. One has definite ramifications in this world; the other does not (and if there are ramification in the next world then that's for god to decide).

a) More germane to the argument, if you decided it was time to tell your growing son that Santa Claus doesn't exist would he be within his rights to whack you on the head? Why not? If you tell a nationalistic Australian that Australia doesn't exist because you've never been there is he within his rights to beat you over the head with a didgeridoo?

What constitutes a core belief is different for everyone, and to make an automatic assumption that religion is a core belief that has precedence over all other core beliefs is inconsistent and fallacious, especially since core beliefs can be neither qualified nor compared. We should go around whacking people over any and all of our core beliefs since you appear to believe having core beliefs give one the right to use violence in their defence.

b) If people get killed for believing in other religions then I can understand why you become violent over it. But it doesn't excuse that behaviour in any way. If humans are endowed with free will then they should be allowed to express their free will in any way they desire as long as it doesn't lead to legal trouble. And as long as they aren't preventing others from exercising their own free will there is no reason why the exchange of ideas (no matter how offensive) should provoke censure or violence.

I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it.
--Voltaire

(does Voltaire get a whack?)

 

[fieras]

Again.. more lives pointlessly lost due to intolerance towards religious beliefs, quite disgusting really.

That was really my point, it seems intolerance is only acceptable when extended to religions. As evidenced on this board, it's okay for non-religious folk to smear religion and insult those with faith but they don't like it when their lack of values are brought into question and the same discourtesy is extended to them. Only then is it considered intolerance.

Why should I respect someone who has no respect for my beliefs? I would never bring up the subject and can discuss religion with an open mind. The line is crossed when people start needlessly slandering others' views.

 

[digi]

Why should I respect someone who has no respect for my beliefs?

Why should anyone respect you for your violent and hate filled beliefs? You've made it very clear that you have absolutely no respect for people who don't share your views, you call them infidels and condone violence, even death, on them.
You are a hypocrite.

The line is crossed when people start needlessly slandering others' views.

Something you've done many times in this thread, I guess you'd be OK with getting your ass kicked for it?

 

[wonderboy416]

Why should I respect someone who has no respect for my beliefs? I would never bring up the subject and can discuss religion with an open mind. The line is crossed when people start needlessly slandering others' views.

Having an opinion and having respect for a fellow human being are two completely different things. What you read on this board are opinions. No one on this board would ever threaten you with any type of physical harm (at least I'd hope) for your beliefs, however if any of us were in your country it seems the threat of physical harm would constantly be looming over head (Imagine being a gay athiest in such a place? Instant death? - keep in mind these ideas have been planted in my head based on what I've read in your posts, I'm assuming you know far more about it than I).

 

[gei]

b) I never said my religion was more noble than anyone else's. Where I come from, people get killed for believing in other religions, so I take my beliefs seriously.

Well there's your problem. You must have been brainwashed from a young age.

I don't know what crappy country you come from, but in Canada we're a little more enlightened.

 

[urbanboom]

Guys, can we cool it!? The self-superiority on this thread coming from all sides is really getting to me.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

urbanboom:

I think that's a wise comment. Perhaps a reflection of what have been said on this thread is helpful.

AoD

 

[digi]

Guys, can we cool it!? The self-superiority on this thread coming from all sides is really getting to me.

Actually it's the hatred and self superiority of the religious folk posting here that's getting to me. The others haven't threatened anyone with violence.

 

[ShonTron]

And with that we are closed.