Shut up, please.

His inauguration was disgusting in this respect.

Agree. Although at least he's including non-believers when he addresses religious issues.

My feelings on religion should be clear from my signature, but yes, any time he brings up his imaginary friend or whatever "god bless america" BS after he includes an empty shout-out to non-believers in a speech I'm saddened. I'd prefer if it were an act he kept up because Americans would speak in tongues en masse at the thought of an atheist/agnostic president but since he's been going to church for 20+yrs it's not.

I hate the term "non-believers"

He's still better off thean Bush, who ignored every religion except his own, or Bush's Dad, who said that atheists shouldn't be citizens.

Idiots are better citizens, easier to herd.

He's a religious man, respect his right to that belief as he respects yours. He is who he is, believes what he believes, that's what we elected, wishing him to be something he's not is just silly.

Tolerance becomes a crime when applied to evil.
- Thomas Mann

I don't approve of jails.

Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit.
- Gandhi

Fuck

Religion

- Shack

How so?

Seriously, who cares? Does the president lose first amendment rights after getting elected?

How is it against his first amendment rights for non-religious people to not love it when he talks about god?

I don't recall anyone in this thread saying he should be impeached or anything, it was just people voicing their own thoughts that they don't care for it. It's not like he's going to stop or anything based on what we say here.

People have such a bug up their ass when you say anything negative about religion. Isn't part of free speech and freedom of religion that you're allowed to voice your opinion and have your own views? Oh, right, that's only if you're religious and want the freedom to preach, but if you're not then apparently you have to keep your mouth shut.

How ironic that you mock a religious man for 'freedom to preach' and then preach away at every soap box you can find.

I don't approve of democracy either.

First of all, I'm an atheist. Second, the level of discourse in this thread is not such as to promote a serious debate about freedom of religion or non-religion.

My objection is to government money funding it.

Which is a valid objection for the most part, but it all goes to what constitutes funding. I personally think any religious entity should be able to operate tax free, but other than that, should get no funding from the government.

I didn't mock Obama. I said I was saddened any time he inevitably brought up the religion/god nonsense in every speech. That's not mocking, that's just me voicing my disappointment, and there is a difference. No one was tearing him apart or, again, calling for his impeachment or anything. We were just talking about how this aspect of him isn't our favorite.

You're the one who said the "He's a religious man, respect his right to that belief as he respects yours. He is who he is, believes what he believes, that's what we elected, wishing him to be something he's not is just silly." stuff. It doesn't count as disrespect to simply disagree with the prominence of religion in our government and say so. Just because we elected him (thankfully) doesn't mean all are required to love everything about him blindly and fall in line with every word he says.

How is this not a prime example of the double standard? It's okay to talk about your religion/your god/what it means to you/etc but it's not okay to say anything negative or even just not positive about religion because it's counted as disrespect or whatever such nonsense.

I would never, ever, vote to disallow people from practicing whatever nonsense they wanted to (except if it involved animal sacrifices or anything that caused harm) but I do think it shouldn't be government endorsed or sanctioned. Religious institutions should pay taxes like everyone else, there should be no special treatment. It should all be on an equal playing field so this undeserved blind "respect" (i.e.-shut your mouth if you're not saying something nice about god) isn't something I buy into, sorry.

I think religions should be treated as nonprofit groups when the actions they do are beneficial to the public. When they open amusement parks and restaurants then they should be taxes for that income.

But apparently this Obama appointee gets a government salary, which bothers me.

I would agree with that.

The point, Malcom, is that you're comments are intolerant, hurtful, and plain dis-respectful. You call god an imaginary friend, disrespect others beliefs and values on a whim because they differ from YOUR beliefs, and we find you complaining about Obama being religious and how he values that religion.

In short, you rant on about religion, then release the gem:



The irony here is magnificant! You are upset about someone 'preaching' their beliefs to others, while you are launching into your own religious tirade, forcing your beliefs and values on others, and showing an utter and complete lack of tollerance.

Then, you continue riding around on your high horse, explaining how you would let anyone practice their religion! Well good for you! Please take a minute, and realize that you 'allowing' someone and you being 'tolerant' of someone are two very different things. If you continue to go around acting like an intolerant moron, then you are no better than any other religious zealot. Learn to really respect anothers beliefs and then you can re-engage in this conversation.