Religion Religious painting hung in school

[sunrise]

What I don't understand though is why they have a problem with preying to the American flag? Are atheists anti America?

 

[CaptainObvious]

Well would it be appropriate if there was a religious symbol added to it, like a cross or Quran? The thing to understand here is that, to an atheist, faith (the very idea of faith) is against their "religion". The idea of a god or idle (perhaps apart from Darwin ) is anti-atheistic, and therefore so is prayer or messages associating patriotic symbols with religious acts (especially ones depicting children). They see it as promoting faith (albeit not a specific faith) and technically, they are not wrong. If it is inappropriate to depict in a public school imagery promoting a specific faith because it is offensive to those of other faiths, then how is it any more appropriate to use imagery that promotes faith at all when there are those whose beliefs exclude it? To say that people who don't believe in religious concepts (like faith) have a problem is a condemnation of the Atheistic belief system.


I am not defending anything here, only stating my rational perspective. As much as I detest these PC rules, when it comes to public spaces, they are a necessary evil. Without them we would soon see schools (and other public spaces) decorated with posters of boys kissing in front of a rainbow flag and/or posters saying gays are destined for hell, etc. etnausium. So mutual respect and empathy for those with different beliefs and lifestyles must be regulated and enforced. It's stupid because society is stupid (present company excluded of course).




- Chameleon

Technically they are wrong. There is no prohibition from promoting a faith, just like this is not prohibition from promoting no faith.
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What I don't understand though is why they have a problem with preying to the American flag? Are atheists anti America?

That's a great point. Are they against people praying for America? How is praying for this country offensive? If you don't want to pray for America so be it, but what is offensive about promoting praying for America? Don't we have the free will to pray or not pray if we wish?

 

[The_Chameleon]

I agree, people who want to be offended will find something to be offended about. But on principle, if an anti-faith or anti-religious sentiment were in any way promoted in a public space and most especially in a public school, it would not take but two shakes for someone to raise a supreme stink about it. An anti-atheistic message such as one depicting children engaged in the faith act of praying (regardless of to or for whom or what) is no different. Let there be no double-standard for stupid BS. The rules of stupid BS must be equally applicable to both sides.


- Cham

 

[CaptainObvious]

Really? Anti-faith is promoted every single day in American schools. We are taught evolution is 100% true, the Big Bang Theory is undeniable and proves the Bible wrong, prayer is taken out even in football games. Even if it's players praying with coaches after a football game. Anti faith is promoted constantly.

 

[dDave]

I graduated high school 3 years ago. I still know people that are in high school.

Anti-faith is promoted every single day. I can say for sure that evolution is taught as fact, the Big Bang is taught as fact. Where did it come from? Nobody knows but don't worry, it's true and God is a lie. I feel like half the stuff I learned in science class in HS was a lie that I had to memorize.


We used to have prayer meetings and people were actively working to get that shut down. People would tell terrible things at us at the annual See You At The Pole prayer meeting. I live in a very Christian/conservative city and that still happened.

I think a lot of people are scared of the reality that God is real and don't want to be reminded of it. But Dave, Religion is just a tool to control people. if you would look deeper than the surface then you'd find that's not true. That's not to say that some people don't have it wrong but that is not what God is about.

 

[The_Chameleon]

Well in order for there to be balance in the application of stupid BS, as I mentioned before, all publicly displayed references to evolution, big bang theory, and other theories commonly accepted by the Atheistic community as fact would have to also be removed and taken out of the classrooms as a subject. The belief that god doesn't exist is not backed by science any more than belief that god does exist, and therefore if theories that include sentient involvement in the nature and formation of life, the universe, and everything are to have no place in the classroom, than theories that specifically reject the possibility have no place there either. No monkey to man imagery, no big bang allusions, no kids praying, no religious symbols or acts, no lifestyle or belief system promotion whatsoever. This is the only way that stupid BS can be equally applicable to all sides. Even the word "singularity" should be taboo since, like god, it has never been empirically proven (and "Black Hole" is apparently racist so I guess they'll have to roll with "Gravity Well" or something like that).


I don't like the PC game, but being considerably smarter than those that created it, I can play the game much more proficiently than most. These are the rules. Either apply them equally or get rid of them entirely. These are societies rational choices. The 3rd option is perpetual legal and social turmoil, but of course this option is completely irrational, like the groups who choose it.


- Chameleon

 

[CaptainObvious]

I disagree that all these things should be taken out, I'm merely pointing out there is plenty of promotion of anti-faith in our schools. I'm all for giving all points of view and presenting all sides. I believe, to be as fully educated as one must be, all viewpoints should be presented fairly and respectfully. Without that, one's viewpoint is uneducated, whether that viewpoint be of faith or without faith.

 

[The_Chameleon]

I disagree that all these things should be taken out, I'm merely pointing out there is plenty of promotion of anti-faith in our schools. I'm all for giving all points of view and presenting all sides. I believe, to be as fully educated as one must be, all viewpoints should be presented fairly and respectfully. Without that, one's viewpoint is uneducated, whether that viewpoint be of faith or without faith.

In a perfect world that would be how things go. But there is a huge demographic of people who just LOVE their stupid BS, and another, partially overlapping demographic that consider the expression of any opinion that conflicts with their own to be malicious propaganda. Besides one must also consider that controversies such as these put their belief system in the spotlight, regardless of how the situation plays out. For some, there's no such thing as bad publicity. I think to be fair, the school should keep their poster and put up the monkey-man poster somewhere equally prominent. There, balance restored.


- Chameleon

 

[CaptainObvious]

Put up the monkey man poster somewhere? Have been in a school lately? Darwinism and Evolution are alive and well in our schools. They are everywhere. I'm not opining on whether that's good or bad, only pointing out what you suggest is everywhere.