Some things makes me angry
October 14, 2004
Can I say something controversial here?
You know?
I'm getting a little bit tired of everyone mooing about the bible in schools and separation of church and state and Happy Non-Denominational Winter Festivus!
These people that pounce on everyone about tolerance are being *intolerant* about socio-cultural norms.
I say CULTURAL, because in this country (America) MOST people believe in God, and a LARGE amount are Christian.
So, it would not be a lie to say that the majority celebrate the traditional Christian holidays. Cool.
But the second someone says "Merry Christmas" on television instead of "Seasons Greetings" or "I Fuckin' Love Me Some Winter" or something, that person is closed-minded and politically incorrect and a thousand kittens and babies die.
After visiting a forum wherein people where hooting about separation of church and state, I watched a show about animals, and when they got to the snake, the narrator talked about Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden.
Unconsciously, I got the same "can they SAY this?" feeling I get when I watch South Park.
The old "it doesn't bother ME, but SOMEone's gonna be pissed" sort of feeling.
Then I realized that if he had talked about the Berenstein Bears during the grizzly section, I wouldn't have batted an eyelash.
But a bible story? For shame.
Then I was pissed off at myself for a while, and it got me thinking (when the show talked about piranhas prefering pumkins to meat) that Halloween is a religious holiday.
Aren't we dressing up to fend of spirits or some shit?
That's not very Christian, and yes, some churches are against it, but, the tolerant people celebrate it anyway.
Because it's not that big a deal.
Besides, I'm fairly certain there's trick-or-treating in heaven, and I *know* God doesn't give any of those shitty fun-size candies, he gives you the whole fucking Butterfinger.
My point is, why does it bother people that the prevailing religion comes up in life?
I don't by any means think that it should be *forced,* but what's the big idea if it's just there?
I went to preschool at JCC. This was in the early '80s, and I brought my lunch to school, and sometimes the stuff wasn't kosher or it was a Jewish fasting holiday or something, but did anyone care? No. That's fucking tolerance.
"Happy Passover!" "Happy Easter!" "Let's go on the see-saw!" We were kids! It was awesome.
When I went to Switzerland, they don't celebrate the traditional Halloween, at least in the town of Zermatt, where I stayed.
What happened was, this big dude dressed in a huge, black cape walked down the streets and whipped anyone who got in his way with a bunch of sticks.
This was almost ten years ago, and I can't remember much, nor can I find what the ritual was called on the internet, but he had something on him that you were supposed to try to steal.
Anyway, the point is, I was on fucking EXCHANGE in a foreign country, and walking home from the supermarket, I was BEATEN WITH STICKS as per a religious culteral ritual there.
Did I whine about how Switzerland is supposed to be neutral and tolerant to my views? No, I fucking went back and tried to steal the little thing again without getting whipped.
I am not making that story up.
So, my point is, why can't we all love each other?
If I say Merry Christmas to you, and you're Jewish, say Happy Hannukah back.
We all love each other.
It reminds me of that Simpsons where Kent Brockman promises a breaking news story of "Religion: Which is the One True Faith?"
The happiest things I ever see are some Atheist celebrating Christmas because presents are cool, or some Christian celebrating Halloween because candy is cool.
That gives me hope for humanity.
Tolerance: It's Not Just a Growth Spurt for Insects.
Posted by Kitsune at October 14, 2004 12:46 PM | digg this
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Nice. I completely agree with you. People are pig headed when it comes to the common good, and it's hurt society to the point where if you're not politically correct, you're massacred of flaggelated. Can't we all have a Merry Happy Channukah Christmas Azeroth Kwanza?
Posted by:
Likwidflame
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In defense, our biggest gripe was that while handing out bibles, (which by itseld isn't bad), people wanted to ban some books too. Church will always be a midnight bedfellow with State, but when it goes too far and gives it a handjob in public is when people bitch about it.
Posted by:
Apok
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Ditto to what Apok said. It makes me angry that in this day and age people are trying to shape the morality of other people's children by telling them what they can and cannot read. That's why I brought the story up in the first place.
Posted by:
K80K
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Azeroth?
Posted by:
Quab
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Quab?
Posted by:
Apok
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You will find that the people who bitch the most about intolerance are, themselves, the most intolerant of all. You can see that in any of your rabid "get God out of the pledge" folk, the people who complain the loudest about the 1st amendment till someone puts out something they don't agree with then BAN IT, and the nice folk who decide that no one should infringe on their rights, but its fine to shoot at/assault/destroy things that you don't agree with...(I am in no way saying anyone here is guilty of any of these, you all are very nice about hearing others ideas) One of the reasons I don't get into political discussions in class--Law School + NY = a certain prevelant attitude shall we say..
Posted by:
Shawn
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hey, as long as they don't try and teach Creationism in place of Evolution, don't matter to me none.
fuck, it's fun to sing Christmas tunes in elementary school. i don't even think you can do that now without getting suspended.
Posted by:
tu2
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Wow. I agree with everybody. And i'm CatholiC!
lol
Posted by:
Likwidflame
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I was thinking about this on my way to my brother's hockey game last night. I don't mind the bible being in school as long as it is only taught as a piece of literature when it comes to my own children. Joe and I had to read parts of the bible for our own public school english class. I think it is a beautiful piece of literature, I just don't put that much more into it than that. If my children decide that one day they want to believe this book then I want it to be their own decision. If they are going to try to hand out the bibles to influence someone's religious beliefs then I want them to hand out the Koran and every other piece of religious material out there, so that my child is aware and can make the best decision for them and not what someone else has told them is the best decision.
Posted by:
K80K
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It's exactly this touchy nature of religion that encouraged me to ban it from my LARPs. While I myself couldn't give a rat's ass about what anybody else does or does not worship, it seems like there are only two types of people. Those that don't care about anyone's religious practices but their own, and those who KNOW that everyone is wrong but them. I hate bigots.
Posted by:
Anthraxus
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Can I just get some props for that last sentence?
I am a pun GENIUS.
Posted by:
Kitsune
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It's really not Christmas in the mainstream media or in our culture in general that atheists and other non-Christians object to, it's having that religion promoted and supported by taxpayer-supported government institutions. I agree that it's just lame when people bitch about a town or city putting up Christmas decorations, or having a holiday-themed celebration in the town square, but it's a litttle outrageous when school officials try to post the Ten Commandments in the hallways, or hold prayer sessions during class.
Posted by:
SeaDour
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Umm... Azeroth is a continent on World of Warcraft. That's all I got. It might be a pigmy Yule holiday for all I know. I can't back that up with paperwork.
p.s. Kit, that last sentence is definitely pun-irific. Sadly, I had to read it twice to get it. I guess my pun radar (or Pundar) is slipping. Good thing I enjoy literature that benefits from multiple reads.
Posted by:
Kroy
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Yeah, Azeroth was just meant to be a random word strung in with the rest of the important holidays for most out there. I was thinking Azeroth from Soul Calibur, but hey... you got that Warcraft thing going down, good for you.
Posted by:
Likwidflame
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Azeroth--a demon first mentioned in ancient Syria...
Posted by:
Shawn
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(sorry, i have to continue shawn's story)
That battled with Mitsurugi for the political freedom that was held by the soul calibur...
Posted by:
Likwidflame
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Taller ants...fucking brilliant!
Posted by:
Scott
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Snaz-Bot. She added a link for email on the sidebar. :)
Posted by:
Kerjack
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In Isreal Hanukkah is also known as "Don't ride the bus day(s)".
Posted by:
pizza hut
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Azeroth was the place in Warcraft, was it not? Apok?
Posted by:
Quab
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I meant Astaroth, let the record be known.
Posted by:
Likwidflame
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Warcraft? Isn't that the holiday where we ride the bus all day long and tell Jew jokes?
Posted by:
Apok
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i used to celebrate astaroth, until people started whooping my ass with him in soul calibur 2.
Posted by:
Quab
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oh look, pizza hut posted. fun fact: i'm leaving in 2 minutes to go drop off an application at pizza hut. i fucking hate you, lack of jobs requiring you not to be dumb.
Posted by:
jed
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HAH! I initially assumed "tolerance" was merely some obscure entomology term that I'd never heard of. But that's funny shit right there. That's puntastic. I guess you have to read with an A-Merican accent to get it the first time.
But on to the religious stuff. Right on. If someone believes in stuff, that's cool. That's fine. As long as you don't try to push it onto anyone else.
Everybody, celebrate the 'other' holidays! Festivus! Christmukkah! Winter-een-mas! The holidays brought to us by the popular media! If Australia, New Zealand and the UK can get 'Jedi' sanctioned as an official religion for Census purposes, Ctrlaltdel-online.com can offer me an alternate New Year's celebration.
If they want to present the bible in school, it should be in stance of, "this is what a lot of people beleive," rather then, "this is what you should beleive," and everyone should be fine.
I really don't understand why non-christians put up such a stink over the bible. How exactly does it negatively impact One? Is it so hard, when little Johnny comes home from school saying, "today we learned how the world was created in 7 days," to pick him up, sit him on your lap and say, "yeh it's a nice story, but it's not true. Remember when I read you that story about King Midas? That was cool, wasn't it? But you know it couldn't really happen." Is that so much time out of your life?
Eeeh. Why do people have to feel strongly about things. Get some indifference, people :)
Posted by:
6-foot Hobbit
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Nice. I completely agree with you. People are pig headed when it comes to the common good, and it's hurt society to the point where if you're not politically correct, you're massacred of flaggelated. Can't we all have a Merry Happy Channukah Christmas Azeroth Kwanza?
Posted by: Likwidflame- - - - - - - - - - - - -
In defense, our biggest gripe was that while handing out bibles, (which by itseld isn't bad), people wanted to ban some books too. Church will always be a midnight bedfellow with State, but when it goes too far and gives it a handjob in public is when people bitch about it.
Posted by: Apok- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Ditto to what Apok said. It makes me angry that in this day and age people are trying to shape the morality of other people's children by telling them what they can and cannot read. That's why I brought the story up in the first place.
Posted by: K80K- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Azeroth?
Posted by: Quab- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Quab?
Posted by: Apok- - - - - - - - - - - - -
You will find that the people who bitch the most about intolerance are, themselves, the most intolerant of all. You can see that in any of your rabid "get God out of the pledge" folk, the people who complain the loudest about the 1st amendment till someone puts out something they don't agree with then BAN IT, and the nice folk who decide that no one should infringe on their rights, but its fine to shoot at/assault/destroy things that you don't agree with...(I am in no way saying anyone here is guilty of any of these, you all are very nice about hearing others ideas) One of the reasons I don't get into political discussions in class--Law School + NY = a certain prevelant attitude shall we say..
Posted by: Shawn- - - - - - - - - - - - -
hey, as long as they don't try and teach Creationism in place of Evolution, don't matter to me none.
fuck, it's fun to sing Christmas tunes in elementary school. i don't even think you can do that now without getting suspended.
Posted by: tu2- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Wow. I agree with everybody. And i'm CatholiC!
Posted by: Likwidflamelol
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I was thinking about this on my way to my brother's hockey game last night. I don't mind the bible being in school as long as it is only taught as a piece of literature when it comes to my own children. Joe and I had to read parts of the bible for our own public school english class. I think it is a beautiful piece of literature, I just don't put that much more into it than that. If my children decide that one day they want to believe this book then I want it to be their own decision. If they are going to try to hand out the bibles to influence someone's religious beliefs then I want them to hand out the Koran and every other piece of religious material out there, so that my child is aware and can make the best decision for them and not what someone else has told them is the best decision.
Posted by: K80K- - - - - - - - - - - - -
It's exactly this touchy nature of religion that encouraged me to ban it from my LARPs. While I myself couldn't give a rat's ass about what anybody else does or does not worship, it seems like there are only two types of people. Those that don't care about anyone's religious practices but their own, and those who KNOW that everyone is wrong but them. I hate bigots.
Posted by: Anthraxus- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Can I just get some props for that last sentence?
Posted by: KitsuneI am a pun GENIUS.
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It's really not Christmas in the mainstream media or in our culture in general that atheists and other non-Christians object to, it's having that religion promoted and supported by taxpayer-supported government institutions. I agree that it's just lame when people bitch about a town or city putting up Christmas decorations, or having a holiday-themed celebration in the town square, but it's a litttle outrageous when school officials try to post the Ten Commandments in the hallways, or hold prayer sessions during class.
Posted by: SeaDour- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Umm... Azeroth is a continent on World of Warcraft. That's all I got. It might be a pigmy Yule holiday for all I know. I can't back that up with paperwork.
p.s. Kit, that last sentence is definitely pun-irific. Sadly, I had to read it twice to get it. I guess my pun radar (or Pundar) is slipping. Good thing I enjoy literature that benefits from multiple reads.
Posted by: Kroy- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Yeah, Azeroth was just meant to be a random word strung in with the rest of the important holidays for most out there. I was thinking Azeroth from Soul Calibur, but hey... you got that Warcraft thing going down, good for you.
Posted by: Likwidflame- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Azeroth--a demon first mentioned in ancient Syria...
Posted by: Shawn- - - - - - - - - - - - -
(sorry, i have to continue shawn's story)
That battled with Mitsurugi for the political freedom that was held by the soul calibur...
Posted by: Likwidflame- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Taller ants...fucking brilliant!
Posted by: Scott- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Snaz-Bot. She added a link for email on the sidebar. :)
Posted by: Kerjack- - - - - - - - - - - - -
In Isreal Hanukkah is also known as "Don't ride the bus day(s)".
Posted by: pizza hut- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Azeroth was the place in Warcraft, was it not? Apok?
Posted by: Quab- - - - - - - - - - - - -
I meant Astaroth, let the record be known.
Posted by: Likwidflame- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Warcraft? Isn't that the holiday where we ride the bus all day long and tell Jew jokes?
Posted by: Apok- - - - - - - - - - - - -
i used to celebrate astaroth, until people started whooping my ass with him in soul calibur 2.
Posted by: Quab- - - - - - - - - - - - -
oh look, pizza hut posted. fun fact: i'm leaving in 2 minutes to go drop off an application at pizza hut. i fucking hate you, lack of jobs requiring you not to be dumb.
Posted by: jed- - - - - - - - - - - - -
HAH! I initially assumed "tolerance" was merely some obscure entomology term that I'd never heard of. But that's funny shit right there. That's puntastic. I guess you have to read with an A-Merican accent to get it the first time.
But on to the religious stuff. Right on. If someone believes in stuff, that's cool. That's fine. As long as you don't try to push it onto anyone else.
Everybody, celebrate the 'other' holidays! Festivus! Christmukkah! Winter-een-mas! The holidays brought to us by the popular media! If Australia, New Zealand and the UK can get 'Jedi' sanctioned as an official religion for Census purposes, Ctrlaltdel-online.com can offer me an alternate New Year's celebration.
If they want to present the bible in school, it should be in stance of, "this is what a lot of people beleive," rather then, "this is what you should beleive," and everyone should be fine.
I really don't understand why non-christians put up such a stink over the bible. How exactly does it negatively impact One? Is it so hard, when little Johnny comes home from school saying, "today we learned how the world was created in 7 days," to pick him up, sit him on your lap and say, "yeh it's a nice story, but it's not true. Remember when I read you that story about King Midas? That was cool, wasn't it? But you know it couldn't really happen." Is that so much time out of your life?
Eeeh. Why do people have to feel strongly about things. Get some indifference, people :)
Posted by: 6-foot Hobbit- - - - - - - - - - - - -