The Like/Hate Thread

[Super Buu]

Honestly, I think the ideal separation of church and state is sort of impossible as long as some people are religious. The law is based on what we believe is right. If you're religious, your opinions are going to be determined or at least affected to some extent by what your religion says (unless you happened to choose a religion that perfectly supported all your preexisting political/legal opinions). That's just logical, I don't resent anyone for it.

[Waffuru]

They should let gays marry then... =(

[Rafael]

and buy booze on Sundays in the sout'. I wouldn't even want 'cuz I don't drink often but I know I can't so I do

[Jarka]

and buy booze on Sundays in the sout'. I wouldn't even want 'cuz I don't drink often but I know I can't so I do

PA has blue laws, too.

[Ashe]

Honestly, I think the ideal separation of church and state is sort of impossible as long as some people are religious. The law is based on what we believe is right. If you're religious, your opinions are going to be determined or at least affected to some extent by what your religion says (unless you happened to choose a religion that perfectly supported all your preexisting political/legal opinions). That's just logical, I don't resent anyone for it.

I absolutely agree that someone is going to make their proposals on laws based on what they believe is best for the country, regardless of where those beliefs come from.

That said, where the separation comes in is that the courts are supposed to look at these proposed laws and figure out a few things, namely "Is there a secular purpose to this or is this entirely based on religious belief itself?" Whatever direction it goes, it is hoped that it would be in the direction of the one that is all inclusive and not the one that omits fellow citizens of a different religion or without a religion.

EDIT: Just a quick point, I would find a law that says "It is illegal to pray/meditate/worship/whatever on Wednesday" to be just as intrusive as a law that says "The government recognizes each Sunday as a day to pray, so for whatever gods you may believe in, or even if you don't, please just humor us and go along with it". Don't require someone to do or NOT do something based on belief.

If I were to believe in the process of evolutionary theory and you were to believe in the argument of intelligent design, then that's fine (even if we both find the other belief dumb or annoying). However, I have no right to walk into your church and require that you now speak only favorably about evolution, as that is not the podium for such an argument to take place. A church's belief system is based on faith and faith alone. If evidence supports it, that's cool. If evidence counters it, that's fine. To those of strong faith, the acceptance of arguments from personal experience, eyewitness testimony, and appeals to emotion are acceptable and all one needs, because they "know" it to be true. To those who do not, these arguments would be fallacious, but that doesn't change that within a church, they have the freedom to say whatever they feel to be the truth without the need to amend these beliefs based on other things. I similarly expect you to have no right to go into a public school science class room, where the definition of science equates to observations made regarding the known universe and testable/observable things, in which a theory of spontaneous existence does not fall. So of course we would not be expected to teach such stuff in a "Science" classroom as that class is to teach "Science". It would be just as ludicrous to come in and try to randomly teach math or language in the class, as that isn't what the class is about.

[Ashe]

I'm pretty certain that's true. I think it's more prevalent in America, but I think the worst (and most recent) was the creation myth being taught as science.

I'm confused by your statement (for non-obvious reasons), but that's more related to side topics.

Regarding the actual point of your post, things like the following image are pretty frustrating to me. I also am not going to just assume this is accurate, but given the statements made by our politicians and the beliefs of many people in my area of the country, I would say it would not be surprising if it was, without actually looking into it (in which I'd refine said assumption to whatever the data supports, as is the way of science).



I do find it curious that Australia is not on this list, which is one of the larger countries out there, and same with Canada and a few others. As I came across it independent of the source, I wonder what their reasoning for these specific countries is said to be? (A lot of times its "the top 15 economic countries" or such) It kind of leads one to believe that if its a top list then AUS and CAN would fall below Turkey in terms of belief, but without seeing evidence of such, I also have no reason to believe that.

[Orion]

I was referring to the last thing I remember hearing loudly from the fundamentalists in America, and that was a push to have Genesis 1-4 (?) taught in science class as the (or one of the) explanations for the formation of the universe. It's ridiculous on two grounds:

1) Science has disproved a young earth
2) The Bible is not a science textbook

Thankfully it was rejected, but good grief. I find it mind blowing that so many people in America put their hands over their ears and shout "la la la I can't hear you" when their beliefs are challenged.

Australia, converse to your list, is growing in secularity with each passing year. Less people are becoming (or staying) Christians, and I think it might be Islam that's growing the fastest, either that or secularism. Australia isn't a very religious country on the whole, though.

[Josh]

I'm confused by your statement (for non-obvious reasons), but that's more related to side topics.

Regarding the actual point of your post, things like the following image are pretty frustrating to me. I also am not going to just assume this is accurate, but given the statements made by our politicians and the beliefs of many people in my area of the country, I would say it would not be surprising if it was, without actually looking into it (in which I'd refine said assumption to whatever the data supports, as is the way of science).



I do find it curious that Australia is not on this list, which is one of the larger countries out there, and same with Canada and a few others. As I came across it independent of the source, I wonder what their reasoning for these specific countries is said to be? (A lot of times its "the top 15 economic countries" or such) It kind of leads one to believe that if its a top list then AUS and CAN would fall below Turkey in terms of belief, but without seeing evidence of such, I also have no reason to believe that.

59% in Canada accept evolution, it'd be more if you guys didn't try and drag us down with you.

Edit: We did manage to cockblock Fox News in Canada, lol. They tried to get Harper to drop the Radio Act but we wouldn't have it. The Radio act is a law in Canada that prohibits TV and Radio to call anything news unless it's factually correct.

[Rafael]

Holy shit how can we get one of those in the US?

Also like: http://www.flickr.com/photos/borgli/2532782469/

[Ashe]

Wtb Radio Act.

[Vad]

Wtb Radio Act.

NPR would go out of business.

*ducks behind wall*

[Jarka]

Like: NPR

[Piper Juunanagou]

NPR would go out of business.

*ducks behind wall*

Almost ever source of 'news' in our country would be unable to report anything as it's all crap.

[Ashe]

More or less. But watching Glenn Beck lose one podium (Fox News) and possibly another (his radio show) to make claims of the Japanese worshipping Gaea as their reason for the earthquake would humor me.

[John Doe]

Hate: There's a big essay due in three hours and I'm still sitting here doing nothing. WHY WON'T I WORK!? FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

[Belle Hibiki]

Oh Glenn Beck.

I hate you so fucking much it hurts.

No, you don't get to pull the 'I'm just asking questions' excuse when your insinuations are as clear as day. No, you don't get to pull the 'I never claimed I was a journalist' excuse - being a journalist has jack-shit to do with it. Though I hate it, millions of people watch your celebration of fearmongering and take what you say at your word because you're in the spotlight. They'll latch onto and believe even the craziest shit you say. As far as I'm concerned, when you have that kind of power, you have a responsibility and duty to your viewers to not mislead them and to not fan the flames of irrational hatred.

But he does. He does every single fucking day. As long as he gets his $$$, he doesn't give two shits how much he damages this country.

And yes I know this is kind of a theme at FOX "News" but holy fuck does Beck ever turn it up to 11.

[Psyren]

Oh Glenn Beck.

I hate you so fucking much it hurts.

No, you don't get to pull the 'I'm just asking questions' excuse when your insinuations are as clear as day. No, you don't get to pull the 'I never claimed I was a journalist' excuse - being a journalist has jack-shit to do with it. Though I hate it, millions of people watch your celebration of fearmongering and take what you say at your word because you're in the spotlight. They'll latch onto and believe even the craziest shit you say. As far as I'm concerned, when you have that kind of power, you have a responsibility and duty to your viewers to not mislead them and to not fan the flames of irrational hatred.

But he does. He does every single fucking day. As long as he gets his $$$, he doesn't give two shits how much he damages this country.

And yes I know this is kind of a theme at FOX "News" but holy fuck does Beck ever turn it up to 11.

Not gonna get into it with anyone but...I love him and fox news. Jussayin but whatevs.

[Ashe]

Oh Glenn Beck.

I hate you so fucking much it hurts.

No, you don't get to pull the 'I'm just asking questions' excuse when your insinuations are as clear as day. No, you don't get to pull the 'I never claimed I was a journalist' excuse - being a journalist has jack-shit to do with it. Though I hate it, millions of people watch your celebration of fearmongering and take what you say at your word because you're in the spotlight. They'll latch onto and believe even the craziest shit you say. As far as I'm concerned, when you have that kind of power, you have a responsibility and duty to your viewers to not mislead them and to not fan the flames of irrational hatred.

But he does. He does every single fucking day. As long as he gets his $$$, he doesn't give two shits how much he damages this country.

And yes I know this is kind of a theme at FOX "News" but holy fuck does Beck ever turn it up to 11.

They open their mouth and shit comes out.

You can't explain that.

Pinheads.

[Rafael]

[Celena]

Like: My goodness, Brunelly Fraga is my new media hotty!

I wish I could post pics of her in the Kame House.

Hate: Damn Server.