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Originally Posted by Infinite_Loser
What kind of comparison is this? Christianity has been around for over 2,000 years; Atheism in it's present form has been around for around 150 years. During Christianity's first 150 years, it didn't go out subjugating other cultures.
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Christianity in it's current form is maybe 60 years old. I doubt you can compare Christianity 1500 years ago to Christianity today. No religion is consistant over that span of time.
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Originally Posted by Infinite_Loser
Nowhere did I say all atheists make it their goal to attack and disprove other religions. I did say, however, that this is the general attitude of most atheists. Anywho, with that being said, you stated that you were unfamiliar with such shows. I showed you one (Actually, it has about twenty or so broadcasts for you to listen to) and you instantly replied with "That doesn't count because it's not mainstream!" So, twenty or so non-mainstream shows in which you have a panel of atheists bash other religions is different than one show on a mainstream network bashing atheists how...? I'm still not seeing the difference, unless you're stating that it's A-OK to do the bashing as long as you're not on public TV.
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No where did I say that either. How about we compare audiences? Tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands watch network news. How many listen to these shows? Can't you find something on MSNBC or something where all atheists come together to bash Christianity? Of course not. Why not? Because you're grasping at straws.
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Originally Posted by Infinite_Loser
Great! You totally avoided the point I was making. If religion doesn't (And didn't) play such an important part in American society, do you think such a question would be continually posed in presidential debates? ...No? I didn't think so.
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This isn't about american society as much as it is about government. Prayer in public schools and removing 'in god we trust' are two main examples cited by some atheists. The office of the president may be heald by a religious man, but that man has to figure out how to keep his faith seperate from his decision making process. Unless we're a theocracy. Bush is a prime example of what not to do. He uses his faith to gain more support and then he claims he makes decisions based on his faith. The man should have 'theocracy' tattood on his forehead. And under that it should say 'closed until further notice'.
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Originally Posted by Infinite_Loser
It's an imposition only if it's forced on you. If you're not required to participate in any religious based activity, then there's nothing being imposed on you. All you're effectively doing is preventing those people who want to take part in those activities from doing so (Which, according to your definition, would be imposition).
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Wrong. It is imposed when it is supported by the schools. There is a reason I don't want my daughter going to a private, religious school. They don't have private atheist schools, anyway, but that's beside the point. Public schools = government, and a democratic government cannot be religious. Democracy is supposed to be an atheist system, as it is made clear by anyone who knows anything about basic government. Freedom of religion does mean, in part, freedom from religion. School is somewhere you're forced to go before the age of 18, therefore if you are forced to go to a school that clearly is run like a Christian institution, you're being imposed upon. It's really that simple.
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Originally Posted by Infinite_Loser
I promote Bible studies for anyone who wants them. I support Koran studies for anyone who wants them. I also support Torah studies for anyone who wants them. For the people who don't want them, I say move on with your life and stop acting as if you're being imposed upon because of what others do.
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Do what you want outside of government organizations.
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Originally Posted by Infinite_Loser
If you're not being forced into participation against your will, then you really have no room to complain.
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It's not about forced participation. It's about being surrounded by theism in schools. It's wrong, and it will stop because it's wrong.
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Originally Posted by Infinite_Loser
No. I wouldn't. But, you know, I would prevent others from doing it. I'd simply do as my mom did me when I was little-- Request that I be removed from the classroom while such activities are going on. It's rocket science, I know.
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Screw that. That's not how it works. That's what should happen in private, Christian schools. In public schools, there will be no prayer.
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Originally Posted by Infinite_Loser
You see, instead of having your child removed from the classroom, you'd rather inconvenience everyone else by restricting them from participating in such activities.
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The inconvenience is when people are too simple to learn about their own government. American Idol is on, and W. Bush is talking about jesus, so let's make the atheist kid sit in the corner while we ironically ask god to bless our social studies.
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Originally Posted by Infinite_Loser
First and foremost, you're not making the difference between group prayer and public prayer as described in the Bible. Group prayer occurs with more than one person; Public prayer is when you pray by yourself in public for the sole purpose of showing off. Hey, if you read the Bible you'd know that Jesus engaged in public prayer, too!
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No, I'm saying when people pray outloud in school, they are doing so to get attention. That's an affront to god according to your own book. It's a farce, it's an imposition, and it's not welcome. Grow up and wait until 3:00 to talk to god again like a normal person.
Jesus didn't go to public schools in the US to pray, because it has nothing to do with what we're talking about.