For Radar:P

[Radar]

Really? Prove it.

[capnhowdy]

Philosophy can only be proven to ones self.
Not that I'm a philosopher. Hell I am barely a philanderer.

[piercehawkeye45]

Originally Posted by monster

Love it, Dana. I think the "probably" is just fine ....to me it gave the message that it's Ok to be pretty sure it's all bollox and be happy with your decision -you don't have to be an atheist warrior. Over here, there are many atheists, but the majority of them keep quiet not only for political reasons, but because they don't want the atheist warriors to harrangue them to "join the movement" -they just want to non-believe in peace.

I think it works around the same, I honestly don't feel pressure from any group. I would think most atheists keep quiet because they don't really give a shit about negative identification. That is my reason and every atheists (which are the majority of people I am around) reason that I know of.

[wolf]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

We have religious billboards all over the South. I don't even notice them anymore.

Originally Posted by Radar

Maybe you do, but you don't know it. Our subconscious picks up everything.

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

Wrong.

It's just another ad. People are as likely to respond to it as any other.

I'm not planning on spending a weekend at Jack Frost/Big Boulder, either, and I see that billboard a lot more often.

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by Radar

Maybe you do, but you don't know it. Our subconscious picks up everything.

It's true.
I've been craving the taste of McSemen for days... [cellar link]

Dana I missed this originally, only catching the end of it on the news. I think it's great. In the quoted article, the one thing that made me laugh out loud - yes literally - was that the anti quote came from a Merkin! I bet they couldn't find an English person within walking distamce who was prepared to criticise it

[capnhowdy]

Merkin?

[DanaC]

I liked this bit:

the British effort has been striking in the lack of outrage it has generated. The Methodist Church, for instance, said it welcomed the campaign as a way to get people to talk about God.

[Mystic Rythm]

Doomsday is coming! Head for the covers!!

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Originally Posted by Pie

Why "for religious people"? Is there one truth for them and a different one for me?

Pontius Pie-late?

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Originally Posted by capnhowdy

Merkin?

1) A pubic wig
2) A mop for cleaning out a cannon

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Originally Posted by Radar

Very nice. If I tried to pull this off in America, I'd be attacked both in person and in the media.

Look, Paul -- that's probably less because of any ideas in here than your generally Michael Newdow tone. You know you'd come off like him.

[Radar]

I don't know who that is, much less come off like him. I am me. A defender of liberty and freedom and a man who recognizes the limitations on the powers of our government. A man who wishes freedom and liberty for everyone, but who demands that his government only champion that freedom for our own people. Others must earn it for themselves. That doesn't make me a tyrant, or a person who supports or condones tyrants. It makes me a true libertarian and a good American patriot, unlike anyone who supports the war in Iraq.

[capnhowdy]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

1) A pubic wig
2) A mop for cleaning out a cannon

I think it was a reference to an American, after some thought.

[classicman]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

your generally Michael Newdow tone.

I didn't remember him either, so I Googled him. . .

Judge dismisses attempt to ban prayer from inauguration

Attempts by an atheist to bar religious prayer from next Tuesday's inauguration were dismissed by a judge in Washington, D. C., yesterday.

At a packed U. S. District Court, Judge Reggie Walton said the plaintiffs "lacked standing because they failed to articulate a concrete 'harm' that would result from the practices complained of."

The suit was filed by Michael Newdow, a physician from Sacramento, Calif., on behalf of various individuals and organizations, including the Freedom from Religion Foundation and the Atheist Alliance International.

Defendants included the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC), John Roberts, the U. S. Supreme Court Chief Justice and the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. Dr. Newdow wanted to ensure the words "so help me God" did not form a part of Barack Obama's oath of office. The tradition is thought to date to the first inauguration of George Washington in 1789.

Got me wondering what the cellarites think of this. I know there is a large contingent of athiests/agnostics here.

[Phage0070]

Originally Posted by classicman

Got me wondering what the cellarites think of this.

The US treats religion from the standpoint of making sure free exercise is allowed, not removing every aspect of religion from the government. This means that the government will not establish an official religion, sponsor a specific religion with tax money, or prevent the free exercise of a religion. It does not prevent the mention of religion within oaths or other minor things like that. There is a valid argument that it prevents the construction of expensive monuments to fictional books with taxpayer money, but that is another issue.

I don't see any reason to change the oath.