Why do atheists care about religion?

..... is that if the jihad against us were to be successful, and the USA became a theocracy (in direct opposition to the Constitution and Bill of Rights) demanding compliance, that would be a given. However, I doubt that there would even be a national pledge at all. I suspect also that the Constitution and Bill of Rights would be scrapped. Under that theocracy there would be a national religion... Islam.

Off the top of my head, and without researching it, the USA might be the only Western democracy that doesn't have a national religion.

Angeline
Speakeasy Moderator

about the tyranny of the majority so they put in safeguards for minority rights.

If the state wants to put in sidewalks and some of my property would be taken away to do so, the state should pay for the decrease value of my property or make it right. In Riverside, CA the city decided to widen a street. This made the houses closer to the street. A few of the owners got together and sued the city. The city had to pay to have their houses moved back on their property as well as the value of the property taken. Some owners moved their houses and some just pocketed the money.

What I'm worried about is the tyranny of the minority. Most people favor stem-cell research but one President doesn't so it goes nowhere. Of course they did re-elect him.

Diana

...... a couple of miles from me. There was a huge oak tree of historical value that would be taken down for it. A bunch of people got together and fought to save the tree, even hiring at their own expense what experts were appropriate. The reports showed that the new part of the road could be moved one foot, and the tree would be saved. The city refused.

They seem to stretch Eminent Domain here.

Re: the minority. I was a fan of books written by Vance Packard. (The Hidden persuaders, The Pyramid Climbers, The Status Seekers). One of my favorites was "The Silent Majority". Even though written well over 40 years ago, he opined that the majority is less likely to speak with as loud and as passionate a voice as the minority, and are more open to give the minority a chance to speak than conversely.

Angeline
Speakeasy Moderator

I didn't think so. I am more concerned with knee jerk junk science

what one person or group thinks is 'right'.

I dislike the prohibitions against testing pot for example. There are a lot worse drugs out there that have more side effects than pot and are freely available. Farmers can't even grow hemp for rope or clothing. There is a lot of potential there, but it is illegal to even test it. It might go nowhere and not be worth anything but we'll never know.

Of course, I'm of the mind of legalizing everything and taxing the hell out of it. Use the taxes to open rehab centers so anyone can walk into one and not have to worry about a bed or insurance. That seems more important than throwing people in jail for possession.

Diana

introduce in congress this year to exempt industrial hemp from the ban. Apparently it contains no THC anyway. I'm sure the legalization would spawn a new job force....that of inspectors to visit the known growth sites to make sure no secret stash was being hidden with rest of the crop and harvested separately.

"Most people favor stem-cell research but one President doesn't so it goes nowhere"

There is plenty of research going on. (Most of it wasted money on bad science)

until it's done and all the facts are in?

I'm sure a lot of science is down dead ends but you don't know that until you get there and say that didn't work, let's try something else.

I'm not saying stem cells or pot are the end-all but we won't know that until the research is done.

I've tried to do a lot of things that didn't work and a lot of things that did. I'm sure you have as well. Frequently you can't reason out the difference until you try them.
Diana

How many times would someone have to hit themselves in the head with a hammer before they figured out it hurt each time? Still waiting for alchemists to turn lead into gold?

to string a cable under the Atlantic Ocean? How may different types filiments did Edison's people try before the lightbulb went into mass production?

Diana

Same with the light bulb.

I am voluntarily ending this for myself as we have gotten of the original topic of the imaginary persecution of atheists.

It's not really imaginary but I do conceed it could be beyond your understanding since you probably can't really put yourself in our place or have any real understanding of our point of view....

??

that stem cell research is money wasted on bad science. If so it would be a leap of faith becauses there's no proof that stem cell research is bad science.

I said that and it is correct. Compare the RESULTS of embryonic stem cell research with non embryonic stem cell research and see which one has usable results. Again, one could argue "just a little more time" for it but, there is a hammer and a forehead waiting.

Thought. Can an atheist boy join DeMolay or an atheist girl Rainbow Girls? Their web sites appear to say that they require belief in a "Supreme Being".

They belong to the national scouting organizations as well so I would presume that special privileges that go with the original scouts apply as well. No Christians, Jews or atheists allowed.

http://www.pluralism.org/research/profiles/display.php?profile=74114

I would suppose there would be no law preventing atheists from chartering their own organization that provides similar activities for youth who have no religious beliefs. They could apply to a United Way supported group. See below

http://www.scouting.org/media/positions/unitedway.html

"In our pluralistic society, the strength of local United Ways has been their ability to bring together and support a mosaic of community needs. These needs are best met through a comprehensive mix of agencies, many of which serve exclusive constituencies.

The United Way does not implement a specific policy of nondiscrimination for individual charities so as to avoid conflict with charities that serve only specific segments of the population, including all-women's shelters, programs for persons of a certain age group, or programs for persons of specific cultural communities."

By their own choice.

Called "faking it"

That's what I did for the 4 years my son wanted to be a scout since they needed an extra scout leader. I shouldn't have had to do that though.

Start an scout club with your own requirements. The idea that a group must be all inclusive just because there is "government" money involved is absurd.

Private clubs should be able to make their own rules but, once they receive public funding they're not private anymore....

prove your claim

I simply pointed out that the video shows a number of states that constitutionally prohibit atheists from holding public office and/or testifying in court. I'd guess it unlikely that the issue of public office has ever come up to enforce since atheists don't get elected anyhow. The fact remains though that the prohibition exists in these Constiututions. The fact also remains that you cannot support your claim that none of these states have never tried to enforce that provision of their Constitution.