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Wed, 26 Mar 2025 11:35:11 +0100

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

#USpol #religion

Mieke Roth wrote the following post Wed, 26 Mar 2025 10:38:48 +0100

RELIGION IS LIKE A PENIS It’s okay to have one It’s okay to be proud of it HOWEVER Do not pull it out in public Do not push it on children Do not write laws with it Do not think with it

I just saw the most perfect text I ever saw

politics religion

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Wed, 26 Mar 2025 13:43:57 +0100

randygalbraith@diasp.org

religion. noun. the belief in and worship of a superhuman power or powers, especially a God or gods.

So... I do find that a bit of a challenge because I neither believe or worship "God" or any supernatural power. I am atheist, but... I'm also religious. To make the make sense I go to word origin of "from religare to restrain, tie back". I've also seen "to bind" So... religion for me personally is that which creates the rules of the road I try and live by within the religious community of my choice. In that, it is absolutely personal and cannot and would not be something I'd demand apply to others. Even though, of course, I feel my "religion" has "good" rules. Given that most countries have freedom of religion laws, I see value in claiming this protection for myself. Cheers, -Randy

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 14:22:42 +0100

Momo

momo@social.linux.pizza

@hans
I knew that one but without the last two lines. And the children line was more explicitly (As in: don't stick it in the head) to make that point absolutely clear.
@kidayna

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 14:26:53 +0100

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@randygalbraith@diasp.org We see religion about the same, I think. I've always made a difference between faith (the belief in a god or supernatural power) and religion (the rules to live by). There's a big overlap, of course.

I have no problem with faith. It's not for me, but to each his own. Religion on the other hand is usually a bunch of rules laid down by a couple of old men. I follow the law, anybody's religious rules mean nothing to me.

I'm perfectly ok with "I can't do this because of my religion."
I'm absolutely NOT ok with "you can't do this because of my religion."

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 14:28:31 +0100

Hans van Zijst

hans@social.woefdram.nl

@Momo Yeah, I used it only a few days ago. Indeed with "you don't force it down other peoples' throats".

I think I first saw it when @Stephen Fry posted it, he mentioned forcing it on children.

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 14:44:34 +0100

randygalbraith@diasp.org

I actually like the definition of "faith" found in the Christian Bible (see Hebrews 11:1 below). I say I have "faith" that God does not exist. That is, I acknowledge I can not prove the non-existence of something. Although I lack 100% proof I have "confidence" in my atheist outlook. It is also what I "hope for" since the existence of a prayer-answering God leads to things I would hope are not be true. Such as God knowing the whereabouts of every missing child, revealing it in some cases but not others (Elizabeth Smart vs Mikelle Biggs). Such as physics generally being reliable, but not completely because a super-being can whimsically do whatever. All arguments can then be won on the basis of "God did it, we don't know how, and because of that you should remove the foreskin from your baby boys. Because I speak for God." Cheers, -Randy [1] Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.