Today's News.

[MarkInTheStands]

:lol:

Don't want the religious police coming around to burn you at the stake! :lol:

FFS MITS. Go back the 15th century if you want to feel persecuted. As if anyone gives a f**k about alternative lifestyles any more. I reckon people like you would give your left nut to be persecuted by 'The Church'!!!!!! :shock:

Imagine the attention you'd get then!

If pagans cop any shit at all these days it's for being different. It's the same shit that Christians, Muslims, Jews and every other religious person deals with in our largely atheist, secular society.

Maybe, but there are faiths, like those that you mention, and indeed as a dictionary description, the only 3 non pagan faiths in the world that continue to this day to persecute others not of there faiths, why? The Atheist continue to do it as well. Why? for us Proselytizing, is the most disgusting thing I can think off religiously. Let us have our faiths as long as they harm none.

I don't like being persecuted for my faith, and yes it has happened, to me personally on more than one occasion.

If I was around in the 15th century, then I wonder what part of my faith I would be, those that died for there beliefs, of those that kept silent to carry them on in some form or another.

If your religion's got its own category on the census then you're already in - the government officially recognises you. What are you after now? Funding? Tax cuts? Or just more column space in the newspaper?

All we want is every other faith has, to be seen as a legitimate religious choice, which at the moment we are not. We know that the census will not deliver that, but we hope it will show the number of and to a degree acceptance of, other paths.

 

[Angry_eel]

Religion divides people, belief unites them.

Stick to fishing Aristotle

 

[MarkInTheStands]

I call bullshit on 'Oh I just want the other neopagans not to feel scared about writing their creed on the f**king anonymous census form'.

In light of that, what's his angle? What does he really want?

I came up with two possibilities - money (funding, tax cuts) or fame (media attention). If you reckon there's a third angle then spill your guts, otherwise you're the one picking the fight. And my name's not Pink, it's

Poupy

The Third path is simple That pagans can be pagans without the fear of being lectured at by people or indeed having our events placarded, or not be able to find a venue because you are a Pagan organization.

Now Funding, we don't need, what could we need funding for? I am the VP of an educational organization that is quite decently funded for what we need to do via our membership. Fame, maybe Stacey as that is how she sells more books, me I much prefer to be simply who I am and do not seek fame

Please note, I did not start this thread, and only answered two questions about the article. I was quite happy to not discuss it here, as to be honest I doubt this is a topic for a league message board.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Yeah fair point.

Anyway, I didn't intend to seem like I'm attacking you. I've got my own religious views and I don't begrudge you having yours. I think the biggest threat to the world today is militant atheism especially since most of the beefs the Islamic world have with the West are due to our officially secular outlook.

Ironically, they don't accept atheism as a possibility in the Islamic world so all our Western greed and decadence is blamed on Christians and Jews.

 

[Angry_eel]

Yeah fair point.

Anyway, I didn't intend to seem like I'm attacking you. I've got my own religious views and I don't begrudge you having yours. I think the biggest threat to the world today is militant atheism especially since most of the beefs the Islamic world have with the West are due to our officially secular outlook.

Ironically, they don't accept atheism as a possibility in the Islamic world so all our Western greed and decadence is blamed on Christians and Jews.

:lol:

So if they treat their women like cattle and "militant atheists" say thats wrong, thats the fault of the atheists/secularists?

For the record, I don't think our trouble with Islam has anything to with Christians/Jews/Atheists but the debate within Islam itself. There is a major fight within Islam on the interpretations of the Quran. Saudi funding in the last 30 years has changed the interpretations of Islam in almost every Islamic country. In Pakistan, a country founded on tenets of Islam, suicide bombers blow up Sufi Islamic shrines(Sufism is another interpretation of Islam) which has been preaching peace and love for a 1000 years and kill hundreds of fellow muslims. Where is the West and America in Sufi shrines?

 

[half]

look mate, i'm a god-fearing christian. i celebrate EASTRE and CHRISTMAS. i am not into crazy pagan rituals

 

[mickdo]

Militant atheism the biggest threat? Now I've heard everything

 

[Poupou Escobar]

:lol:

So if they treat their women like cattle and "militant atheists" say thats wrong, thats the fault of the atheists/secularists?

It is mate because according to them, when women (or anyone really) are given freedom you have social breakdown. I'm not saying it's right but that's the way they see it.

We would have a similar situation in the West, except we're rich enough (at the moment - a couple of years ago we began our decline as a civilisation) to hide the consequences of legislating against social interdependence.

Anyway, those women are treated like children, not cattle. They're certainly not equal but there's a big difference.

For the record, I don't think our trouble with Islam has anything to with Christians/Jews/Atheists but the debate within Islam itself. There is a major fight within Islam on the interpretations of the Quran. Saudi funding in the last 30 years has changed the interpretations of Islam in almost every Islamic country.

It goes back much further than that. The main split is over who is the legitimate successor of the prophet - the Sunnis say one thing and the Shi'ites say something else. There are even divisions within those main branches which go back hundreds of years.

In Pakistan, a country founded on tenets of Islam, suicide bombers blow up Sufi Islamic shrines(Sufism is another interpretation of Islam) which has been preaching peace and love for a 1000 years and kill hundreds of fellow muslims. Where is the West and America in Sufi shrines?

Come on dude. Everyone in Pakistan knows the Sufis are the puppets of the Americans. Just like the Shia are the puppets of Iran.

What mosque have you been attending that you don't know that?

 

[Poupou Escobar]

look mate, i'm a god-fearing christian. i celebrate EASTRE and CHRISTMAS. i am not into crazy pagan rituals

Pretty sure these are consumerist holidays.

Christmas and Easter haven't had anything to do with religion for a long time.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

Militant atheism the biggest threat? Now I've heard everything

Never been to China then?

 

[84 Baby]

Never been to China then?

You either. The majority of China is religious, mainly Buddhist or Taoist. Even though the government 'banned' religion, they still allow most mainstream religions. Whilst Buddhism & Taoism may not be as mythical (I use that word in a supernatural sense not a offensive sense)(although not saying I agree with religion) as Christian or Islam, but you may as well be calling India a 'militant atheist' state as well

 

[jono]

Taoism is one of the more interesting religions. It has a belief that you are born with a certain amount of air in your body , and if you don't expel enought it can then poison your soul . So the cleanest weay to get rid of it is to fart it out . So farting is not only acceptable Taoist behavior , it's essential .
Hence the classic doctrine , "if you don't fart , you die."

 

[Maroubra Eel]

Taoism is one of the more interesting religions. It has a belief that you are born with a certain amount of air in your body , and if you don't expel enought it can then poison your soul . So the cleanest weay to get rid of it is to fart it out . So farting is not only acceptable Taoist behavior , it's essential .
Hence the classic doctrine , "if you don't fart , you die."

Similar to - if you don't eat, you don't shit, you don't shit you die.

 

[Poupou Escobar]

You either. The majority of China is religious, mainly Buddhist or Taoist. Even though the government 'banned' religion, they still allow most mainstream religions. Whilst Buddhism & Taoism may not be as mythical (I use that word in a supernatural sense not a offensive sense)(although not saying I agree with religion) as Christian or Islam, but you may as well be calling India a 'militant atheist' state as well

I'm talking about any place that indulges in state-sponsored oppression of religion. Like China, for example.

 

[Eels Dude]

My theory on religion is simple. Follow your beliefs your own way. But don't ram your own beliefs down other people's throats. And separate your religious beliefs from government legislation. Because religion is becoming too much like that these days.

 

[84 Baby]

I'm talking about any place that indulges in state-sponsored oppression of religion. Like China, for example.

China haven't oppressed religion since the 80s. Their government is just separate from all churches (how it should be. I'm looking at you Messrs Abbott and Fielding). If you are merely talking about the past, then I take back my comments

 

[SDM]

Either get on board and worship my god or I'll kill you.

 

[84 Baby]

My theory on religion is simple. Follow your beliefs your own way. But don't ram your own beliefs down other people's throats. And separate your religious beliefs from government legislation. Because religion is becoming too much like that these days.

To be fair, religion has always had a massive say in politics. Realistically it wasn't until America's formation that the idea of secular governments found any real foundation. But at one stage the best way people knew how to light a fire was to bash two rocks together

 

[Gronk]

All of you - shut up.

Nothing pisses me off more than blah blah blah religion.

:BDH:

 

[Eels Dude]

To be fair, religion has always had a massive say in politics. Realistically it wasn't until America's formation that the idea of secular governments found any real foundation. But at one stage the best way people knew how to light a fire was to bash two rocks together

Exactly. And that's why we need to move away from these third world countries where the dominant religion influences government policies. And as multicultural as Australia is, having the five main religions attempting to influence policies is bad enough, let alone the smaller ones.