God's a monster

[polyfrog]

Sort of where I'm going with this is the idea that your religion is your business, and not anyone else's.

If you are concerned with what religion I am or with making sure I know what religion you are, then you are in the wrong. You should not care what faith I do or do not follow at all and to whatever extent you are even curious about it or are

Comments

[tlunquist]

True as far as it goes, but again, much depends on context

[polyfrog]

The thought in my head is not yet fully articulated even to me, so articulating it to you is going to be difficult.

But to start with, I really did mean "public." Several of the counterexamples you and others have raised are really not public. If we're intimate, either in the current meaning or the more traditional "close friends" meaning, then we would discuss these things. But not in public.

The thing I'm aiming at is sort of...
A hell of a lot of things people do to each other, they blame on their relationship with their God. Which we as a society let them do, even at the same time we're telling them that their God doesn't agree with their actions. My feeling is that we should not be allowing each other to blame anything we do on God.

Shoot a bunch of brown people because they're brown? That's on you. Period.

Feed a bunch of hungry people? That's also on you. Period

[polyfrog]

That would be lovely. How might that happen?

[ashnistrike]

(Previous comment from this account was my wife; this is Ruthanna

[polyfrog]

"You are essentially saying that if laws are passed that target my religion, I should let my neighbors and community assume they know no one affected."

Not at all. I'm saying there should not be laws (including exemptions from laws) about religion. Because anyone's religion is not the business of the state. Or the public. Same as who I want to kiss: not anyone's business.

You want to wear a cross, or a star, or a colander? Whatever, man; go ahead. You want to walk down the street loving on your sweetie? Excellent. You want to accost me on the street to tell me about Our Starchy Master, may his sauce be upon us? You are wrong to do so. Last I checked no one is evangelizing QUILTBAG on streetcorners with a bullhorn.

[polyfrog]

And to be clear: This is not a legal discussion and I am not suggesting it is or should be illegal to bother people with your religion. The constitution is very clear about that, and I agree.

This is a discussion about the damage I feel public religion is doing and has done to human society throughout history and in the present day. Not "There oghta be a law!", but "We ought to treat each other better and respect each other's personal autonomy, and instead of attributing every good thing we do to our Imaginary Friend In The Sky we ought to take responsibility for our own actions and feel good for ourselves about the good things we do."