Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Equality, tolerance, and freedom of speech and religion
Secularism: the freedom of religion, and freedom from religion, within a state that is neutral on matters of belief, and gives no state privileges or subsidies to religions.
Conventional wisdom says that secularism is the 'freedom' from religion. Is that really true? Seems right at first glance. But in actual fact, secularism itself is a system of thought not unlike a religious one. Secularists believe that by being free of religion, they are not confined to any one set of beliefs. That is, of course, erroneous thinking.
Even people who believe that they do not subscribe to any religion - they practice their own form of philosophy of life, and "religion". In fact, every secularist holds a set of beliefs - the difference is that they pick and choose what suits them, and this may change over time depending on circumstances and what's convenient.
With recent debates in the media, it brings up a question: What gives secularists the right to impose their doctrine on anyone else?
BA worker loses appeal in row over cross
Students sue over Christian rights at colleges
With the one related to Christian Unions on university campuses being discriminated against, this seems to carry an air of hypocrisy, perpetrated by secular-minded student guilds and university authorities.
The secular authorities are imposing their worldview and philosophy on the Christian Unions - but the irony is that they are doing it in the name of freedom of speech and religion. It seems like in their eyes, the freedom of speech and religion ONLY APPLIES if it agrees with their philosophy and way of life.
If there are groups (also includes humanists, freethinkers, aetheists) that reject what's written in the Bible about what is sin and what is not, then they should find some other book to believe in, or create their own religion that suits their needs. The Bible is God's word to man. You can reject it, you can walk away from it, but one have no right to say that other people (Christians and the Christian Union) cannot base their belief and lives on it.
It has become a strange world to live in....
Conventional wisdom says that secularism is the 'freedom' from religion. Is that really true? Seems right at first glance. But in actual fact, secularism itself is a system of thought not unlike a religious one. Secularists believe that by being free of religion, they are not confined to any one set of beliefs. That is, of course, erroneous thinking.Even people who believe that they do not subscribe to any religion - they practice their own form of philosophy of life, and "religion". In fact, every secularist holds a set of beliefs - the difference is that they pick and choose what suits them, and this may change over time depending on circumstances and what's convenient.
With recent debates in the media, it brings up a question: What gives secularists the right to impose their doctrine on anyone else?
BA worker loses appeal in row over cross
Students sue over Christian rights at colleges
With the one related to Christian Unions on university campuses being discriminated against, this seems to carry an air of hypocrisy, perpetrated by secular-minded student guilds and university authorities.
The secular authorities are imposing their worldview and philosophy on the Christian Unions - but the irony is that they are doing it in the name of freedom of speech and religion. It seems like in their eyes, the freedom of speech and religion ONLY APPLIES if it agrees with their philosophy and way of life.
If there are groups (also includes humanists, freethinkers, aetheists) that reject what's written in the Bible about what is sin and what is not, then they should find some other book to believe in, or create their own religion that suits their needs. The Bible is God's word to man. You can reject it, you can walk away from it, but one have no right to say that other people (Christians and the Christian Union) cannot base their belief and lives on it.
It has become a strange world to live in....
Labels: Current Affairs, Philosophies, Truth
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now that is ture so it just like that if you do not belive in aeny relogion you have one on your own that is pretiy werd but still ok
# posted by 
: November 22, 2006 3:04 p.m.
: November 22, 2006 3:04 p.m.
At least British Airways has demonstrated a little bit of common sense in reversing their decision and reviewing the policies.
BA backs down in cross row
It's nothing to do with religion. The Muslim hijab directly affects the way a customer check-in person interacts with travellers. Would customers be comfortable with a symbol that has come to be associated with terrorism (which may or may not be true)? Would the hijab prevent or obstruct effective service in terms of the customer's experience? The wearing of the cross doesn't, unless the person wears a cross that covers her whole face. So how did these two things get mixed up?
Incredible how the "lowest common denominator" thinking can produce such stupid intepretation of policies...
BA backs down in cross row
It's nothing to do with religion. The Muslim hijab directly affects the way a customer check-in person interacts with travellers. Would customers be comfortable with a symbol that has come to be associated with terrorism (which may or may not be true)? Would the hijab prevent or obstruct effective service in terms of the customer's experience? The wearing of the cross doesn't, unless the person wears a cross that covers her whole face. So how did these two things get mixed up?
Incredible how the "lowest common denominator" thinking can produce such stupid intepretation of policies...
# posted by : November 28, 2006 7:13 p.m.
: November 28, 2006 7:13 p.m.
I love how you Christianists set up your own definitions of how others conduct THEIR spiritual lives and then knock them for what you THINK they do, rather than what they really do.
But I suppose your own self-conferred sanctity keeps you from seeing how hypocritical you are.
But I suppose your own self-conferred sanctity keeps you from seeing how hypocritical you are.
# posted by : December 04, 2006 11:52 p.m.
: December 04, 2006 11:52 p.m.Post a Comment
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