Category: Let's talk
so, with all the uproar about muslem women wearing the vale in schools/in front of government ministers, and with a BA worker being suspended for wearing a crucifix, isn't it time we stopped public displays of religion?
After all, what I believe might not be the same as you, and vice versa, if religion was limited to your own home, and the temples/churches/mosqs built for the purpose, maybe there wouldn't be so much arguing over what is and isn't appropriate, and maybe people like jahova's witnesses and reborn christians wouldn't get such a bad name as they would no longer be allowed to knock on peoples' doors. discuss ...
Why don't you put a sock in it!
Claire, finally you've come back to add interesting topics to the boards.
I have to agree with you except for instances like the moslem vale. I don't see the wearing of the vale as a part of worship. It's a part of their culture, and something that they are expected to do by men. I understand that there are situations as in a class room, where it would be best to remove the vale, and she said she would unless a man was present. I can't see any valid reason why any men should need to be in her classroom.
I personally think a religious person shouldn't have to be only able to worship and express their beliefs in private. As long as it's not litterally hurting anyone, there's nothing wrong with people wearing something that symbolizes their beliefs, whether it's a veil or a cross/crucifix, or reading a Bible or other religious book around other people. Sure some things can be annoying to nonbelievers of certain faiths, such as a Moslim woman being covered up, or a Christian knocking on one's door or going up to someone, but that's part of what their religion is about. I think it should be up to the woman if she wants to wear the veil or not, and the religious person who knocks on people's doors or preaches openly to another person are taking a chance that the other person is not going to be converted or will turned the preaching person away. I'm curious. If religious people would only be allowed to express their beliefs in private, wouldn't it be fair that all differently opinionated people should do the same? I mean, say if religious people were discouraged from wearing something symbolizing their religions or openly expressing them. Shouldn't that also mean that people who don't believe shouldn't be allowed to talk about that? Or people who choose to dress/behave a certain way for fashion/lifestyle reasons (and assuming they aren't hurting others/themselves), not be able to do that either? To me, that would not seem fair. I'm also guessing that since people would not be able to express their beliefs openly, then this would also mean it couldn't be done on TV or radio either. Even if it were somehow a good thing, I can't see this working at all. That's my understanding/opinion on this. *smile*
I see your point, Sugarbaby. That being said, there's a whole lot out there these days that has the tendency to offend or insult, and I honestly don't see any problem with public displays of religion. If someone comes knocking on my door early Saturday morning, and believe me they have, all I need do is ignore it and they'll go elsewhere.
I know two elderly men who spent half of their lives in prison completely under the power of drugs and homosexuality and they give thanks to god for sending missionaries into their cells to offer them hope of freedom from slavery to vice. If one person can change by hearing what another has to say about god, then perhaps there ought to be more of these missionaries penetrating the depths of some of the most wretched ghettos of our world.
I believe in free speach, even if I don't agree with what someone has to say. I believe that not being allowed to express anything at all (where this could potentially go) is a much bigger price to pay than maybe offending someone. If someone is offended by something, that is his/her own personal choice. For example, if a blind joke is funny, I will laugh the hardest sometimes because it's truly funny to me as a blind person. If it's something lame like "bet ya didn't see that coming" or something like that, I may not laugh, but I don't have a problem with the person who said it. It just doesn't bother me because, if it did, it would only affect me; or, perhaps, it could affect others as it unfortunately did on 9/11. I come from the ghetto, and have seen some f*cked up sh*t to say the least, however this has only made me stronger. If someone could see some of the things I've seen and experienced, I don't think that something as trivial as what someone else chooses to do would bother them so much. I'm not talking about things like what happened at the world trade center, as I think we can all agree that should have never happened. What I'm talking about is someone else's personal choice as it pertains to religious affiliation, sexual orientation, and the like. Unfortunately, some people become so offended at these types of things that events like 9/11 happen, and I feel very sorry about that. I cannot understand why someone would have so much of a problem with others' beliefs, that they feel they need to kill thousands of innocent people who didn't do anything to them as well as themselves. It's hard to understand how the kids in Collombine could have done what they did, simply because they felt so bad inside about themselves and because they didn't know any other way took it out on their suposed "persecuters". Then again, these are my views... There is a lot of unfortunate things that exist in this world, like racism/intollerence/whatever, and I thank god (or Budah or my belly button lint) for whatever means someone finds to make the world ok for them. For example I don't have a problem with people using drugs to make them numb to the world; I tried that for a while, and found that it wasn't working for me, hence I've decided to come up with my own (and hopefully more affective) way of handling things. I feel that people who use drugs (it has been said that religion is the opiate of the masses) may be misguided, but that is their choice, and I believe that everyone should be able to be free and make their own choices whether I or anyone else agrees with them. As long as you're not hurting another person, which would impact their freedom to not be harmed, I don't have a problem with you. If we can agree to disagree, and can shake hands, I might even buy ya a beer... :-) Be well.
If people want to display their religious stuff in public, it doesn't bother me because as a blind person, I can't see it and I can only know about it if I'm told. Plus, like somebody else said, if I'm to defend freedom of speech at all, that extends way past my ability to speak and what I want to hear. I have to allow people that I disagree with the same rights as I think I should have. Now, I might express my disagreement, but that expression of disagreement does not mean that I want that person silenced. Also, I'm really quite tired of people acting as if being offended or even the potential of getting offended is the worst thing that could happen to them. Ask the people killed in the destruction of the World Trade Center about being offended. Yep, that's right, they got killed, which is a much worse fate than being offended in my book because you can't get over being killed, but you can get over being offended or better yet, work towards thickening your skin and curbing your temper so you don't have to be offended in the first place. How you do it is up to you, not me.
freedom of speach is nice, and while I can ignore a person preaching in the middle of the local shopping center, I am offended by people who believe they have a right to come to my home, and start preaching to me. Yes I can tell them to go away, andI do as politely as possible, but if they didn't come in the firstplace I wuldn't have to waste my time answering the door. They always come at obnoxious times when they believe you'll be in, so youre usually preparing dinner or watching your favourite tv show. If I want to know about your religion, I'll either ask, or read up on it. When I'm in my home, leave me alone.
I agree with that. But it's not an issue with me because we don't get people knocking on our door or wanting to perform a public prayer meeting or healing or exorcism or whatever over my fiancee and I while out in public. LOL!
I agree with post 1, it's common sense really, and no people shouldn't be wearing what they want at all. There has to be limits. If an Islamic extremist supported the flying of aircraft into American buildings and wore clothes with pictures of that happening on them, that would not be right. Nor would it be right for nazis to display stuff which symbolises their beliefs. People are still going to be able to worship their gods and follow their religions privately and in buildings designed for the purpose, so if they have no evangelical intentions, it shouldn't matter if they can't do all that in public should it?
...Senior, an English lad thou art I note by thou's profile/written,
Come to America! Be WELCOMED...All types of Military Clothing on the streets is available for wearing whether of military the personnel or no.. Gotts City Camo, Desert Storm Camo, Camo Fatigues of olive drab...you name it, we gotts it!
Nazis war emblems and the like are all the rage by some young folks who wears them in colors brilliantly black n- silver for the main...
Then too all the various "Colors of THE Streets," btw...you would have to live here in AMERICA, THE UNITED STATES in order to appreciate and give any hint to understanding.
wanna wear a Cross...go ahead...
wanna wear clothing of any nationality Country and... like for just an example..INDIA...go ahead... btw, I Think the apparel of the ladies of INDIA is so neat.. silky rich in swirls of colors diamond glisteningly beautiful.
Peace
Connie ~ Grace
I like the idea of kind of restricting things a bit because the islamic people in this country do not have tv stations like the christians. Wait no one butchristians are given a media outlit so, why should the christians? it is unfair to the pegans islamics and other religions of this country.
Well, I do agree with freedom of speech as well but to litterally force your oppinions on another is something I strongly disagree with.
I was walking one day and this man came and asked me if I needed help. I politely told him I was fine and he stepped up to me and wouldn't let me walk past until I took some pamphlets from him praising the word of God. It really scared me because there was no one around us and I felt trapped. He kept trying to engage me in conversation about saving my soul and such.
Another time, I was at college and was stopped by this other student who pittied me because I was blind. I was a bit annoyed because I was already late for class and she wouldn't stop talking till she handed me this piece of paper with a website for spiritual healing which was garenteed to make me sighted. She didn't even bother to listen to me when I said I had no problem with my blindness and am happy with the way things are. I wonder why people are always so quick to hand me things which I can't read anyway? *laughs*