"Free Speech Versus Religious Intolerance" Topic

I've just been called to repentance by someone who is certain he is on his way to heaven (and, apparently, I am not).

Here on TMP, our policy is to allow as much free speech on the forums as we can. Just respect the forum rules, and don't insult the moderators.

We also have a policy that religious intolerance is not allowed on the forums.

It is understandable that people can have strong opinions about their own faith and the faith of others. In a public forum where members of different faiths interact, however, it is important to behave in a civil manner.

Blanket condemnations of an entire religious group are likely to get you tossed in the Dawghouse. Repeated intolerant behavior or refusal to obey forum rules will lead to an account being locked.

If you feel driven to proselytize for or against any particular religion, please adjourn to our sister website, thebluefez.com

Thanks

Bill, does that include wishing people a Happy Ramahanakwanzmas?

If you feel driven to proselytize for or against any particular religion, please adjourn to our sister website, thebluefez.com

If somehow I didn't have enough reason to never stray anywhere near the Blue Fez before, I absolutely do now.

Thanks for keeping TMP free of that.

Bill, does that include wishing people a Happy Ramahanakwanzmas?

I think that will be fine, as long as you don't get annoying about it.

This is a sound and fair policy.

"Here on TMP, our policy is to allow as much free speech on the forums as we can."

So there'll be no problems discussing Blast-tastic then?

I think that will be fine, as long as you don't get annoying about it. grin

Does that include the unnecessary injection of religion into a non-religion based thread?

Am I in trouble if I say 'Pesky Episcopalian' and 'chronosynclasticindifibulum' ten times real fast?:)

So there'll be no problems discussing Blast-tastic then?

Depends on Michael's behavior between now and then. He needs to lay off the sock puppets.

Does that include the unnecessary injection of religion into a non-religion based thread?

Yes

Good policy.

So ……
None of that " I'm a Monophysite and can kick the crap out of any Nestorian in this bar!"
Ten quatloos to whoever can identify that badly remembered quote. Zippy, you are excused.

Tell O'Reilly that the War on Christmas will not be tolerated here.

When we're given news that someone has died, is dying, is very ill or is in some other kind of serious trouble, is it okay to say we're praying for them?

Also, bearing in mind that some people take their faith seriously (I take my Christian faith seriously), are comments and jokes that make fun of all faiths, like "It's a festivus miracle" acceptable? Some folks think that's a scream. Me, not so much.

Some folks might say I'm thin-skinned. Truth is, I know what the world is like and I know I can't make others embrace my beliefs. But please consider the other side of the coin: the mockers and the atheists need to engage in respectful behavior here too, in my humble opinion.

Jeff

And yes, the Christians and people of other faiths need to behave here too. I will strive to be respectful of others myself.

Some folks might say I'm thin-skinned. Truth is, I know what the world is like and I know I can't make others embrace my beliefs. But please consider the other side of the coin: the mockers and the atheists need to engage in respectful behavior here too, in my humble opinion.

Don't worry, I'll stop making snide comments about religion, I'll just hit the complaint button every time someone mentions their beliefs.

Michael's last account was his real name, not sure how that constitutes a sock puppet?

Zargon on 26th Feb 'Let's do the job properly this time (1st get rid off the cheap tin badge running Big Eagle) then go in hard, and as they say in the Chronicles , "You keep what You kill"
See elsewhere here on TMP why I'm p--ed off about the towel heads. Right now these 'pious headmarked' shmucks are my number one target.'

that's pretty intolerant, 'towel heads' is quite a racist derogatory term, let alone pious headmarked schmucks – how is that, any of that rant 'tolerant'? Is it because it's those 'darkies/Muslims' in the ME so it's ok (and it was on the UM board of course….)

When we're given news that someone has died, is dying, is very ill or is in some other kind of serious trouble, is it okay to say we're praying for them?

Of course. It's done here on TMP all the time. I won't pray for anyone, but I have no problem if *you* want to pray for someone, for whatever reason.

As for mockers and atheists (raises hand), I'd say references to Festivus and the Flying Spaghetti Monster are fine, depending on the context. If it's a playful reference, no problem. If it's meant as an insult, problem. Push the complaint button and let Bill make the call.

I do think cracks like "invisible sky daddy" cross the line, though. I can't see how a reference like could be done playfully or respectfully.

Plus some people believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Should references to the Mormon church be banned because mainstream Protestants consider it to be derivative/a mockery of their belief system?

None of that " I'm a Monophysite and can kick the crap out of any Nestorian in this bar!"
Ten quatloos to whoever can identify that badly remembered quote.

"Lest Darkness Fall", IIRC.

How many quatloos to the Ningi, these days?

When we're given news that someone has died, is dying, is very ill or is in some other kind of serious trouble, is it okay to say we're praying for them?

Yes

Michael's last account was his real name, not sure how that constitutes a sock puppet?

I think the key word there is "last account" – remember how many sock puppets he had!

Zargon on 26th Feb 'Let's do the job properly this time (1st get rid off the cheap tin badge running Big Eagle) then go in hard, and as they say in the Chronicles , "You keep what You kill"
See elsewhere here on TMP why I'm p--ed off about the towel heads. Right now these 'pious headmarked' shmucks are my number one target.'

that's pretty intolerant, 'towel heads' is quite a racist derogatory term, let alone pious headmarked schmucks – how is that, any of that rant 'tolerant'? Is it because it's those 'darkies/Muslims' in the ME so it's ok (and it was on the UM board of course….)

That would be why he's in the Dawghouse at this moment…

Tell O'Reilly that the War on Christmas will not be tolerated here.

Damn. I was cleaning my weapons.

I find the necessity of the editor(on high) making this post…annoying.

we cant come here for discussions/jokes/historical insights without some pinhead getting their panties in a wad over who did or did not kill Christ, or what Bill does with the income generated by his website(s).

listen up creeps, if your name isnt on the mastheas… it's none of your rollying business.
ymmv.
R

Amen to that!

I am trying to think of any instance where a religious discussion on an internet forum has been pleasant.

Really irratates me when people pray for me or bless me. So please dont.

What about insulting Muslims on Ultramodern? Does that count?

Really irratates me when people pray for me or bless me. So please dont.

Why? Does it irritate you when people wish you well?
If it bothers you that much I'll take you off my list.

What about insulting Muslims on Ultramodern? Does that count?

Yes

What about insulting Muslims

Insulting Mulsims is insulting people which would fall under the [GROUP ATTACK RULE] already. Insulting Islam would fall under to this new nuance.

Really irratates me when people pray for me or bless me.

Why? Does it irritate you when people wish you well?

It doesn't irritate me, if they mean well. I just thank them and move on. (If they're using it as a cudgel, it's a different story.)

True story: Back in the early '70s I was sitting on a bench in a mall, reading a magazine. A really cute girl carrying a Bible walked over and sat down beside me. First words out of her mouth: "Hi! Have you heard the good news about Jesus Christ?" I answered, "Yes, actually," and showed her the magazine I was reading. The smile froze on her face and she stood and walked away.

The magazine was Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction # 6, featuring the comic book adaptation of Michael Moorcock's "Behold the Man." Doug Moench's adaptation was very well written, but Alex Niño's artwork was more Philippines than Middle East, and the cover, well, you can see for yourself:

"Why? Does it irritate you when people wish you well?"

that's begging the question. would it irritate you if frinstance you said your daughter was sick and a satanist said they were going to sacrifice a goat and ask satan to use his dark magic to heal her???

people who say they are praying for you are getting their religion all over you, often at a time of anxiety and weakness in your life. imo it's insufferably smug. this world is made up of lots of people with lots of different beliefs, and we can definitely all talk and get along without dragging out the religious stuff……

'That would be why he's in the Dawghouse at this moment… grin '

ah, he wasn't when I last logged on, fairs nuff :)

He's been in for 22 hours so far… hasn't cracked yet…

LOl Bill . I usually get annoyed when people use their belief system as to knock or mock another person's belief system. Be it atheists,monotheists,agnostics,pantheism,and polytheism.Does it really have an effect on you? Words on a screen Man. Words on a screen.

Really irratates me when people pray for me or bless me. So please dont.

Don't get in a fight with ME, then, Doug, because I WILL "bless your heart"!

HGA: Nicely put.

My opinion: Keep your religion to yourself and then you can't be personally attacked & insulted for it. As far as this forum is concerned, I'm only interested in religion if it is a motivating factor for wars and combats or dictates the dress (paint scheme!) of any of the combatants.

Insulting Islam would fall under to this new nuance.

I trust that Bill can distinguish between legitimate discussion of "force characteristics" in rules design and an actual insult.

Them I will pray for you behind your back and not tell you about it. That'll show you!!!!!

WS: He may make a blood sacrifice, burn an effigy, conduct some cleansing rites, mutter an incantation, cast some runes or just whistle into the wind for you, just to get even ;-)

Don't pray for me, Winston Smith.
The truth is, Madonna's grim.

See what I did there? How meta is that!

Really irratates me when people pray for me or bless me.

Oh, you'll pray for me. Thank you. Allow me to return the the complement; I'll think for you.

But we can still slam others over prior or implied military affiliations, right? For example:

Coming from the RAF, that's not a lot of thinking. I refer you to the RAF's Vulcan bombing stunt during the Falklands as proof. Just how much AV was burned to drop how many bombs?

link

Not much thought really…

I trust that Bill can distinguish between legitimate discussion of "force characteristics" in rules design and an actual insult.

No doubt about that. I was just pointing out that insulting a religious group was a different thing than insulting a religion. Both of which have been verboten, the latter taking new emphasis now.

The real key distinction being highlighted now is that the faith of atheism is no longer going to get a free pass on chucking insults at other faiths. I haven't seen a whole lot of people around here bringing up theistic faith or their theistic faith, except in response to insults.

So the real question is can we say "Godless Commies" to denote Marxist-Leninist communist based organizations? While the idea of religion being the opiate of the masses is not in the Communist Manifesto, and is borrowed from the Marquis de Sade a century or so earlier, state atheism is still an underpinning precept of that branch of communism and distinguishes it from theistic branches of communism.

the faith of atheism

That is an oxymoron. It's like saying the faith of nihilism.

Not really. It takes faith to believe there is no god. You can't disprove them so you have to make a judgment call and believe that there aren't any.

An oxymoron is Navy Intelligence!

Time to slam the Marines!

It takes faith to believe there is no god.

Lacking a belief in the supernatural is not the same as actively believing in the absence of your specific deity.

Is there a TMP cemetery? We could visit deceased TMPers there.

"You can't disprove them so you have to make a judgment call and believe that there aren't any."

Um, how does one prove that something doesn't exist? You cannot prove a negative!

Fine. Atheism isn't a religion. Suits me.

Does irreligion, then, get a free pass to mock religion?

I would argue, not.