Cristiano

As the forum continues to grow and diversify, it is becoming increasingly important that this remains an environment where people feel welcome and not targeted for ridicule or persecution. Yes, there will always be drama and personal disputes, however, it doesn't mean that civility and respect should not be the goal here.

For the non-religious, please at least respect the fact that those who are religious, be it Christian, Muslim, Wiccan, or whatever faith and belief system they follow, it is something that they hold sacred. You don't have to agree with it, but it does not mean you get to openly scorn and ridicule it. They don't need to be told how clueless or silly they are to believe in something. It doesn't mean you can't have critical discussions of religion. It means to treat the people here as individuals. Religion is very personal to the individual.

For the religious, it is also important to recognize that there is a large demographic here that have experienced ongoing personal discrimination that has been perpetrated in the name of religion. No, you are not responsible for this as individuals (unless you are also involved in actively discriminating against people based on your faith), but be aware that people who are not religious often resent the implied or stated implications that they are lesser because they don't share your beliefs, and many have had quite painful experiences at the hands of the religious.

Ultimately, it comes down to showing mutual respect to each other. There are ways to discuss topics without using incendiary language and without painting an entire group of people with the same broad brush. There is a balance that is sometimes hard to achieve - some people will choose to read more into things and be offended, regardless. However, it is important to take steps to at least minimize the possibility. When someone does say "hey, that really upsets me", if it is not what you meant, then it is far better to just acknowledge that and restate it instead of stonewalling and telling people to get over themselves.

I'm not expecting political correctness, just a bit more sensitivity than I have been seeing over the past few months, across a wide variety of topics. This is a great community of people, and I do not want to see it start to erode in animosity and constant negativity. Please, start treating each other a little bit better. It's not that difficult.

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"At least he died doing what he loved most - blogging on the Huffington Post" - 30 Rock

* slu stuff *

Joshua Nightshade

Emo moderator is emo.

Cristiano

Wow, I am shocked this has not gotten any responses other than you know who.

Stankleberry Sullivan

Stop trying to force your beliefs about being respectful on me!

Briana Dawson

FINE!

I posted. Happy?

Joshua Nightshade

I know, that fucking Cris is everywhere.

Lucifer Baphomet

As a Discordian, It is my sacred duty to point and laugh at everything


























including myself

Aodhan McDunnough

I don't see any forum member named Yeenoghu

Cocoanut Koala

Cause I been spending all day in the other thread! Man, a thread like that eats up your whole LIFE!

coco

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Cristiano

Try having an entire forum

Clancy Sullivan

Fuck off, bitch!

I meant Josh.

You're words, Cris, were full of wisdom, awe, even.

Ned Easterwood

Thanks Cris.
Well said.

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Ned

Brig McD

We dub thee Saint Cris of teh Interwebz

Rooke Ayres

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Have a good one!

Fmeh

Sorry for my last religion thread.

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Chip Midnight

I think you hit the nail on the head there. It's really easy to fall into making unfair generalizations, often even without any premeditated desire to be inflammatory but just in an attempt to use an economical rhetorical device. When you offend someone, or get offended by someone, it can be an opportunity and something constructive can come out of it, but not when either side just starts hurling epithets and personal attacks. Once that happens it all goes pear-shaped and any chance for productive and interesting dialog tends to go out the window.

I've spent a lot of time in the past year reading and participating in the Newsweek/Washington Post "On Faith" blogs. It's been eye opening to read some of the truly brilliant bloggers and posters over there on all sides of the issues (not to mention the highly entertaining crackpots on all sides). For anyone who really enjoys religious debate, I highly recommend it. (On Faith at washingtonpost.com)

Asher Bertrand

I will.

You know, I thought about creating a "What I admire about faiths and worldviews other than my own" thread, but I'm so certain it'd become a mudfest that I haven't. And that's a pity, because there is so much good in every system of faith and philosophy that just about anyone could appreciate.

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Ned Easterwood

I am glad this has re-appeared, because obviously it's still needed.

Chill, people. Go find the Church of the Latter-Day Dude or Unitarian Jihad and take what they say to heart.

Vivianne Draper

feexed

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Psyke Phaeton

Maybe I am out-of-touch but in Australia religion is a non-issue. Most people is Australia don't care what the next person thinks. No one has ever asked me what I believe or based their opinions of me as a person on what I believe. I have never been discriminated against based on belief and nor do I know anyone that has. There has been or is a culture clash between Muslims and and non-Muslim Australians but otherwise it is a complete non-issue here.

Why does America seem as fundamentalist as the Middle East?

Once America was proud but on every front it seems to be in decline.

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Wildefire Walcott

It's still cool to make fun of Scientologists, though, right?

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Brenda Archer

I think we saw a lot of political religion in the past two decades because of a demographic shift toward the South and away from the Rust Belt and Northeast.

The thing is, this courting of the Religious Right by the Republicans has to be temporary, if they plan on any longevity. The core of the Religious Right is people over 70, with much fewer of them in the younger generations. In the same regions that are controlled by the hard right now, the young people are moving leftward and have a much more centrist set of attitudes.

It's this group of people that Obama has been going after. Even if he doesn't get elected, I think someone very much like him will run and succeed within a decade or two.

There's a big *if* here though. I'm making this prediction based on the idea that voting still works. There's been enough shananigans with Diebold voting and other problems to make me think that the neocons may have decided not to let go of power, no matter what. It could get messy.

In the region I'm originally from - northern New England - people's attitude is pretty much the same as it is in Australia, or most of Canada. I never came across real religious discrimination until I moved to Utah, then to Texas. In Utah it was aimed at outsiders in general. In Texas it's aimed at anyone who isn't their kind of Protestant, so I sometimes get grief for having once been a Mormon.

Siyu Suen

Corporations are fair game

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"Your reality, sir, is lies and balderdash and I'm delighted to say that I have no grasp of it whatsoever" -Baron Munchausen

I'm attempting to bring about the end of the world to usher in a new era of mask wielding overlords. This is how!

Siyu Suen

I definitely agree with the "it's regional" thing. I live in New England too, and when my father used to have us go to church when I was younger, I was a spicy whippersnapper who said right to my minister "I don't think I believe in your god" (I was big into classical mythology and fancied myself a pagan), and the minister just said "Thank you for being with us then, and being a part of our congregation today" without a hint of sarcasm.

On the other hand, when I went to my (future) mother-in-law's wedding in Georgia, all I had to do was introduce myself to one of her relatives to get my "faith" called into question. It went a little like this:

Him: "Hi, aunt Jean? This is my fiancee"
Me: "Pleased to meet you!"
Aunt Jean: "Ohhh nice to meet you too! So how did you get down here?"
Him: "We flew"
Me: "Yes we got in just a few days ago"
Her: "So where's your broomstick?"

*pause*
Uncle Joe: "Sorry about that, she always gets like this after a few drinks"

Paint me green and call me Elphaba, I guess I just have a sign over my head that says WITCH.

I find it hilarious and I love it

Cocoanut Koala

I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS.

NO NO NO NO NO.

THIS IS A STICKY THREAD ABOUT HOW TO BEHAVE.

I can't believe you guys are turning it into yet ANOTHER place where people are supposed to sit still and listen to crap

including about [removed cuss word] GEORGIA, even!!!!! And Texas!

This is a STICKY thread about how to BEHAVE.

NOT a thread about politics. NOT about the religious right. Not about [removed cuss word again] REGIONAL SUPERIORITIES.

Not a thread to come in and start WHOLE NEW stuff like that!

NOT a thread for little in-groupy smug comments back and forth about the RELIGIOUS RIGHT, the REPUBLICAN PARTY, OBAMA, SOUTHERNERS, how people's attitude is SO MUCH BETTER in NEW ENGLAND WHERE I COME FROM, or any of that!

This is the thread about NOT doing that!!!

Not kosher! Do not do!

coco