Comments on: If Christians in America are persecuted

By: Clint

Clint — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 09:24:09 +0000

You speak of persecution of Christians, and you ask why we aren’t scared to show our faith and share it with others? Why should we be?

And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD they God is with thee whithersoever thou goest. (Joshua 1:9)

By: Michelle

Michelle — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 21:15:21 +0000

jimbabb, there are a lot of religious people out there subjecting their kids to god-worship propaganda 24-7. It’s what they do in religious schools and even worse for kids home-schooled by religious parents. Home schooling, by the way, is the only way to be sure your kids are taught exactly what you want them to learn. But they learn other stuff anyway.

By: jimbabb

jimbabb — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 18:25:57 +0000

“Exactly what do you mean by “state worship”? Assuming you mean that it is the idea that the state is is an unquestionable authority figure that must be obeyed because it is the state, I can agree that it’s stupid to worship the state. Otherwise, I’m not sure what you mean.”

Yes, that’s a good description. Where I live, it is assumed that as a parent, I turn my kids over to the designated government authority for 5 days a week. I find the assumption as offensive as the author’s experience with those that assume participation in god-worship.

While religious people may subject their kids to god-worship propaganda for a few hours each week, state worshipers are content with all-day, all-week conditioning for state-worship, where children are “socialized” into accepting the welfare/warfare state. (Every war was for a good reason, capitalism is bad, government intervention is good, etc.)

I have no idea what the incoherent, anonymous attack of post 5 is about.

By: KC

KC — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 21:04:47 +0000

I’m not sure what you mean by “government run” by I mean a school that is funded by the public and is available to all students within the school’s district.

Exactly what do you mean by “state worship”? Assuming you mean that it is the idea that the state is is an unquestionable authority figure that must be obeyed because it is the state, I can agree that it’s stupid to worship the state. Otherwise, I’m not sure what you mean.

By: Mike Haubrich, FCD

Mike Haubrich, FCD — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 20:34:34 +0000

State worship? What the hell is that? Oh, you mean when citizens vote in representatives and choose through the form of government we have to pay to have our children educated so that it isn’t the privilege of the wealthy.

Perhaps Jim Babb would prefer to return to the days of serfdom, when you stayed in your class and dared not venture out. We could learn our trades as apprentices and stay in the trade until we died. I think that would be much better for society than the state worship he fears.

Perhaps he fears the ideal, which has not been well achieved I admit, of an informed citizenry. Libertarians, what a hoot. They are as tied to their ideology as creationists. Never want to let facts shake our tree, do we Jim?

By: Jim Babb

Jim Babb — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 15:41:59 +0000

When you say “public school” do you mean government run school?

I find state worship just as offensive as superstition.

Jim

By: Atheist Revolution

Atheist Revolution — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 15:01:00 +0000

My Religion Involves Screaming Gibberish…

Growing increasingly tired of hearing conservative Christians whine about how they are persecuted against by “secular progressives,” I thought it would be fun to see if I could highlight the absurdity involved in such claims……

By: vjack

vjack — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 17:56:56 +0000

Great post! Of course, we both know the answer is that they feel persecuted when we object to how they want to practice their religion. And just how to they want to practice their religion? By shoving it in other people’s faces and trying to convert everyone. By telling the rest of us how we are supposed to live and then condemning us for not doing so. By promoting their hatred and intolerance of anyone who does not believe exactly what they do.

By: Patti

Patti — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 23:22:07 +0000

This is one of the ways in which Canada differs greatly from the USA. I have never experienced what you describe in almost 50 years in this country. I’ve had to fend off the odd (in both senses of the word) Jehovah’s Witness at my door, but I have never experienced any preaching on the street, or any persecution or prejudice when I happen to mention I’m an atheist. Perhaps the reputed Canadian politeness is somewhat at play here. Most people wouldn’t dream of attacking someone else for something that, in this country, is accepted as a personal and private choice.