Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences - This topic has 42 replies, 42 voices, and was last updated 20 years, 1 month ago by
.
- Posts
I don’t care. If a dollar bill says ‘In Allah We Trust,’ or ‘In Homer Simpson We Trust,’ does it change the value? If the pledge of allegiance includes a reference to God or not, who cares? Words mean what you decide they mean. Those athiests who take themselves so seriously that they form groups, campaign, protest are just parroting religious-group political behavior. I think that when I die, worms eat me and I cease to exist. This should not be something on which to found a Movement or a Rebellion.
User Detail :
Name : j21141, City : chicago, State : IL, Country : United States,i am an atheist and could careless about god references…our founding fathers came to this land to escape religious prosecution (at least in the beginning). but i do find it curious that they included the ‘seperation of church and state’ in the constitution yet then included the god references in the pledge, on money, etc. i think most atheists have total respect for anyone to believe whatever they want to believe and just want the same in return. i, for one, surely won’t boycott currency! as for the pledge…when i was a kid in school, i just mumbled during the ‘god’ part. i also believe that the VALUES that the bible (et al) spells out are valid for all regardless of belief…basic HUMAN values…funny that i see more atheists sharing those values that hardcore christians.
User Detail :
Name : mark a., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Religion : Atheist, Age : 42, City : nashville, State : TN, Country : United States, Occupation : retail management, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class,Many atheists, myself included, do not dislike or find offense at all in simply hearing or seeing a reference to God. But when God is included in the Pledge it irks me personally, only because it blatantly disregards a very basic tenet of our democracy. As far as the reference to God on money, that confuses me – ‘In God we Trust’, on money? If the trust was real, you wouldn’t need the money, or have I misinterpreted a basic tenet of Christianity? Please advise with any insight.
User Detail :
Name : Elizabeth T., Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 26, City : Coppell, State : TX, Country : United States, Occupation : Research Coordinator, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class,If you don’t care if I don’t beleave in God then I won’t care if you do. This country was founded by people who believed in God, therefor there are many references to God in our culture. As an Agnostic ( I don’t realy believe in athiests, do you.) I don’t mind hearing someone reference there believe as long as they don’t try to convert me. (I do not want to hear it for extended periods.) As long as they still take it at the 7-11 I don’t care what it says on a dollar bill. Atheist is not a synonym for bad person.
User Detail :
Name : Don B, City : Greeley, State : CO, Country : United States,I’m more of an agnostic, in other words I just don’t know. To me, the Pledge of Allegiance thing is a silly argument. If one doesn’t feel comfortable with the phrase ‘under God’ simply omit it. It is a personel oath to one’s country. After all the original pledge did not contain the phrase. Other than that I believe in total separation of church and state. Read your history and you will see why the founders of the USA insisted on this.
User Detail :
Name : Bud-N, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 49, City : Wood River, State : IL, Country : United States, Occupation : Operating Engineer, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,It does not pay to underestimate the evangelical movement, not necessarily the congregation, but the leadership. The evangelical movement is the perfect societal complement to the corporate influence on our government. Both are inclined to expand, seeking greater influence and wealth. I mean no offense to evangelicals, but here in Houston, Lakewood Church bought the Compaq Center, a basketball arena, for $85 million. How big do they have to get before they start ministering to the sick and needy? It strikes me as expansion for the sake of power on the part of the church leaders. I contend that when churches get that big, it is not so much about faith or worship, but the expansion of a business. These are the forces I see at work behind the ‘moral’ influences appealing to our federal overnment. I don’t think that most people would object if they thought it would stop with simple gestures, like printing ‘God’ on money, or in the Pledge of Allegiance, but, to me, it seems the most prominent proponents for the Ten Commandments in our courthouses and other elements are motivated primarily by a personal quest for greater wealth and influence, using peoples’ religion as tool by which they can accomplish these goals. It is difficult to impugn these spokesmen because they are quick to turn any attack on themselves as attacks on that form of worship. You have to catch them in a hotel room with a hooker for them to lose favor, and I think the smart ones have learned that lesson. Whew! You asked. I’ll save my argument for why smaller is better for another post.
User Detail :
Name : Chris Bruk, City : Kemah, State : TX, Country : United States,I’d rather not have to hear or see such references for a number of reasons. First, to me, it represents a break-down in the division between religion and government. Second, such instances exclude minority religious groups and atheists. Third, such instances also seem to imply that mainstream Christianity somehow deserves to be better represented and more widely promoted. On a related note, it is under these same principles, for lack of a better word, that some religious legislators and pundits feel that it’s justified to make or promote certain legal measures based on their idea of Christianity. Having ‘God’ in the Pledge and on money isn’t as important as invoking him and his word in laws.
User Detail :
Name : Betty, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Bisexual, Race : Asian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 17, City : Medford, State : MA, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class,If atheists believe there is no God or the Bible then why would they in a state of anger or frustration ‘Jesus Christ’ or my fiing God !! Do any of them name their children Judas ?! Just a thought.
User Detail :
Name : Andrew, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 47, City : Parker, State : CO, Country : United States, Occupation : Information Technology, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class,I think you’ll find that the attitude amongst atheists towards this subject varies person to person. I personally don’t care about the pervasiveness of religion in our culture. Our society was developed on a Christian platform, so I find it silly to object to it. I do, however, take exception to prayer in a peer-driven situation. For instance, I don’t like the fact that my local governmental body has a benediction before each meeting.
User Detail :
Name : Drew, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 34, City : Prattville, State : AL, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,I believe that you have taken that quote out of context. The question of what belongs to Ceasar and what belongs to God was a question of taxes, not separation of church and state. In fact, Israel at Jesus’ time was a church controlled state, subject to the Roman Empire. The Pharisees were the religious and political leaders, and no distinction was made between the two. As for the quote, Jesus was teaching them to understand that we should respect our leadership on earth and devote ourselves to God. Also, Jesus condemned many groups of people, but for their actions, not their affiliations. In point of fact, the apostle Paul was a Pharisee trained by one the leaders of that group. People Jesus condemned usually fell into categories like: sexual offenders, idolaters, blasphemers, homosexuals, murderers, etc. As a favor to Christians by definition, please check carefully to make sure you use the Bible in context. Thank You!
User Detail :
Name : Erin Gabel, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 24, City : Euless, State : TX, Country : United States, Occupation : Nanny, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class,As an evolutionist, I am more saddened by references to God than angered. I believe that generations of mankind have been misled by a work of fiction written centuries ago based on a few true events fleshed out by some fertile and egotistical imaginations. To see that so many people need such a crutch as religion to walk through life is terribly tragic. One can live a healthy, happy, and honest life without holding fast to a faith that has been misinterpreted and misguided since before the creation of the written word. When I see the word ‘God’ on money, or in the Pledge of Allegience, I am reminded that I am surrounded by people who have subscribed to a lifetime of outdated behavior, and saddened that the otherwise smart and capable people around me, deep down, need an emotional teddy bear to sleep soundly at night.
User Detail :
Name : Tina-S, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 35, City : Manchester, State : NH, Country : United States, Occupation : QC, Education level : Technical School, Social class : Middle class,This is bullsh*t! This country was started by Christians! If you don’t like it leave!!! Why should Americans change everything to be politically correct! I’m sick of people whining! Go somewhere else!!!
User Detail :
Name : Jean, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 44, City : Chicago, State : IL, Country : United States, Occupation : Office manager, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,For me, the references to god on money, in government, etc. is not angering, but the hypocricy of this country’s ‘freedom of religion’ ideal is exasperating. What does god have to do with our money or our government? Religion began a long long time ago to explain the unexplainable and to keep the lower classes under control. It is outdated and science and government have long since taken over those two problems. [note: I have much respect for the ideals of Jesus, Mohandas Ghandi, Siddhartha Gautama, and other spiritual leaders.]
User Detail :
Name : Alison, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 16, City : Elyria, State : OH, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class,Thank God I’m an atheist!
User Detail :
Name : CJ, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 50, City : Sacramento, State : CA, Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College,Not exactly on the point but an anecdote that may be of interest. During the 19th Century the Royal mint issued a new design of florin (two shilling piece) which showed the monarch’s head and the words Victoria Regina (Queen Victoria) As all other coins of the time said Victoria Deu Gratia Regina (Victoria, Queen by the grace of God) ministers were outraged and many people would not handle the ‘godless florins’. Years later in the mid 20th British money was decimalised and everyone was so busy trying to work out what prices in new pence were equivalent to in shillings and old pence that they didn’t notice that the word ‘god’ did not appear on the new coins in English or Latin. If people want to get rid of the IGWT on money, maybe they should wait till there’s a need to reorganise the whole currency or to radically redesign the bills for some other reason. 🙂
User Detail :
Name : Adrian Petyt, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 36, City : Hong Kong, State : NA, Country : China, Occupation : Drama/Writing teacher, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.