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Originally Posted by MSD
I also marvel at the absurdity of this kind of thing. To reduce religious belief to a bumper sticker slogan, or a little fake chrome badge, or a symbol and a pair of words seems like it's cheapening the belief. It also seems that that if someone feels a need to announce their beliefs to the world, that they are insecure in their belief and need to remind themselves as well as everyone else of it, and that they are broadcasting it to everyone to compensate for the fact that they aren't really so devout as they want the rest of us to believe.
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Perhaps it does cheapen the belief somewhat, but I don't think that they are broadcasting it to everyone to compensate, as you say. I think they do it more as a manifestation of Maslow's third need, in his hierarchy of needs. Belonging. They are broadcasting a need to affiliate with that particular group.
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Originally Posted by loquitur
yeah, it's absurd but it makes them feel better and doesn't hurt you, so what's the difference?
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It is..it probably does...but here's the difference...
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Originally Posted by roachboy
these things are free in some areas. either all vanity plates are free, in which case i go back to not caring, or none are, in which case i go back to not caring. it's the suspending of the fee that violates the rules.
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Mark this date on your calendar. It's one of the few times that I agree wholeheartedly with roachboy.
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Originally Posted by aceventura3
If I am, for example, invited to someone's home for dinner and they pray, I bow my head or do what they do out of respect.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Willravel
Would you pray to a tree out of respect? What about the 1st commandment?
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Why not? If it is done out of respect, where is the harm? Oh, that pesky 1st Commandment? Well, if God is in all places at all times, then couldn’t the argument be made that God is in that tree? Phhttt…whatever it takes to get through an awkward moment, that probably shouldn’t be awkward in the first place. We, with too much time on our hands, tend to over think most everything. Life really shouldn’t be that difficult. We just make it so.