NOT cool... acceptance should be a two way street.

[Rockefeller]

why is it that society dictates I must accept other people's faith in whatever religion, but then it becomes an absurdity when they know I am an agnostic atheist. are we being taught growing up that we have to accept the choices of the "minorities" in such a way that we have lost ourselves and what this is really supposed to mean?

[urodacus]

Acceptance only fosters ignorance of the true path.

[sulavaca]

why is it that society dictates I must accept other people's faith in whatever religion, but then it becomes an absurdity when they know I am an agnostic atheist. are we being taught growing up that we have to accept the choices of the "minorities" in such a way that we have lost ourselves and what this is really supposed to mean?

You are being taught to be politically correct, and accept that even when an improvable, made up, falsehood masks a group of illogical, intolerant, bigots who support unequal standards for all, you should put a lid on your anger or frustration, and just accept the fact that these people are here to offer you salvation and an education which isn't based on fact. Oh, and to dodge taxes, opt out of fighting on religious grounds when they cause a war, and fiddle your kids from time to time.

Moderator edit: Removed inflammatory claims about readers of this post.

Anecdote time: I met a Christian a while back. Nice chap. You know. The kind who's always willing to share his summer house with you and your family, as he's very busy racing his Ferrari and building hotels and doesn't always have time to visit all of his properties. I imagine Jesus had exactly the same dilema..
So his lovely, young wife came down with cancer, and shocked everyone. It was several months later, and after therapy, that the good news was the tumor was no longer present. Great, I thought! I congratulated him. And then he tells me that its thanks to God that she got better. And then I think I upset him as of course I pointed out the obvious flaw in his thinking.

[Fortigurn]

why is it that society dictates I must accept other people's faith in whatever religion,

Since when did society dictate any such thing?

[Fortigurn]

sulavaca I'm going to give you 24 hours to edit that post before I edit it for you.

[sulavaca]

sulavaca I'm going to give you 24 hours to edit that post before I edit it for you.

Go for it. Freedom of speech baby. You'll only be proving the point about tolerance in my opinion. If my words hurt religious people, then what am I supposed to do when they use their mumbojumbo nonsense when talking to me. Perhaps we're both as offensive as each other. Then should we both have our words erased just to be fair?

According to forumosa, these words don't belong to me anyway, so you can manipulate the message as much as you like. It won't bother me, really.

And just to try and put this topic into context. It's a topic about acceptance. I only try to use a language similar to religious language when referring to religion or the practices of some of its followers. I can never accept religion with no evidence, and I have said that Ill still give its followers the benefit of the doubt.
I'm not damning everyone who believes in it. I'm not god after all!

Or put it another way. If god is omniscient, as most consider him, and he created me, then he knew what I would be saying now, a long time before I said it. So for a religious person I can be saying nothing wrong as it was God's will that I must speak in such a tone. It's all part of God's great plan. Either that, or he's just having fun with you all. Or perhaps he simply doesn't exist.

And if a religious person is reading this and is offended, then please forgive me!

Why can't I both accept that we all live together, but openly voice my opinion? I'm not a violent person. I have never harmed a religious person. I went to church from the age of about one to the age of fifteen or so. I was an alter boy, and even sang in the choir. It's not like I don't have an understanding of priests that have strange fixations with children, or disregard those who loose loved ones and are desperately trying to find an answer, using limited means or knowledge.

[Fortigurn]

Go for it. Freedom of speech baby. You'll only be proving the point about tolerance in my opinion. If my words hurt religious people, then what am I supposed to do when they use their mumbojumbo nonsense when talking to me. Perhaps we're both as offensive as each other. Then should we both have our words erased just to be fair?

You can say what you like about religion in this forum, and you're well aware of it. But when you call me a kiddy fiddler, that's quite another matter; it's a completely unsubstantiated personal attack which is in breach of Forumosa guidelines. Do you understand the difference? I don't want a repeat performance from you.

Edit: sulavaca, just so you know I'm being completely fair, I'm asking the other moderators if it's ok for you to call me (and other Christians who post here), a kiddy fiddler.

[sulavaca]

I think you removed the bit about me giving people the benefit of the doubt.

[Fortigurn]

I think you removed the bit about me giving people the benefit of the doubt.

No. Saying 'you're probably wrong' isn't giving people the benefit of the doubt, it's saying the exact opposite. I'm going to ask my question again; do you understand that calling another poster a kiddy fiddler, despite whatever sleight of hand you want to use to do so, is a breach of the forum guidelines? Yes or no>

[sulavaca]

why is it that society dictates I must accept other people's faith in whatever religion,

Since when did society dictate any such thing?

When they ask you to swear on a bible? Force kids to sing bible songs? Take religious studies? The Spanish inquisition? The pledge of allegiance? Anti abortion?