Persecuting people because of their faith or lack of faith is criminal.

It had everything to do with his interfering with the removal of religious objects the State wanted to remove.

While we're on the same page with this story and how shitty it is that the State did this, let's be as factual as possible here. It wasn't his faith that got him arrested, it was his interference.

You only care because of the particular symbol in play.

They are claiming the removal is for aesthetics and safety. Which basically means 'I don't like it'.

Pretty much what HOA's do.
This wasn't in Tibet. This doesn't have anything to do with the occupation of Tibet.
I'll criticize China for this, when I'm done criticizing my neighbors for behaving the same way.

It's not apt. It's stupid.

That might work, if a local prefecture wanted to paint it, but the government said 'no', it's a contiguous neighborhood, and must conform to certain preservation rules.

It's clear you don't like it, I wish you'd be honest about why.

Basically, the amount of something can affect it's quality.

Superficially, but only superficially, there's a resemblance between a Home Owners Association and the Government of China. But when you add in freedom of thought and the use of state power to suppress that, you've left HOAs and crabgrass regulation.

In principle, I totally agree with you, people should be free to associate with and express as they feel they need to. I'm down with that.

And worse, a government is a little more inescapable than a HOA.

But in the abstract, the problem is the same; the many, as interpreted by a board/government, telling the individual what forms of expression are allowed.

oppression of his faith, not his interference with the rules.

To address the topic head-on would mean honesty and candor.

to make a snide remark about me without addressing me directly.

No "honesty and candor" there. Or the courage of your convictions.

Maybe you should simply stop talking about people.

Maybe a restraining order is necessary.

They view it as a cult, and as a vehicle for the dissemination of Western culture. It cannot be argued that members and the organization are not being targeted by the state.

I heard somewhere that American cults are our least favorite exports among foreign countries.

Is atheism a faith?

DU has safe haven groups.

Also, that's one heck of a non-sequitor.

Because you don't.

A safe haven that provides opportunities for people of all faiths, spiritual leanings and non-belief to discuss religious topics and events in a positive and civil manner, with an emphasis on tolerance. Criticisms of individual beliefs or non-belief, or debates about the existence of higher power(s) are not appropriate in this group.

You really don't know what the fuck you're talking about. Site has a search engine. Use it.

Couple did. They never complained about it.

Some of us didn't do anything in violation of the sop of that safe haven.

I've never seen your name around here and now you're acting like you know what's going on and really have no clue about any of it. Atheist Crusader used to get along well with the likes of Rug, Cbayer and Justin, we were a little worried about him at times tbh. Now though they wore him down with the same shtick you are using now. There is a long history in this group and the animosity is well established, and what you see from the "bad" atheists is the fruit the theists here have sewn.

So take your own advice here.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

"the likes of Rug, Cbayer and Justin"?

Meta, personal animosity and bullshit is not discussion; it is disruption.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Fri Aug 28, 2015, 08:08 AM, and the Jury voted 0-7 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Nope.
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: nonsense alert. poster was responding directly to the point raised. Stop trolling for hides.
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given

so naturally, to certain parties it warrants an attempt to hide it.

I knew I was risking a hide, which is sad since I'm only recanting some of this board's history, but so it goes.

There has been plenty of shit slinging initiated by both believers and anti-theists.

Let's see.

On Fri Aug 28, 2015, 08:00 AM an alert was sent on the following post:

Who are you again?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1218&pid=210809

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

"the likes of Rug, Cbayer and Justin"?

Meta, personal animosity and bullshit is not discussion; it is disruption.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Fri Aug 28, 2015, 08:08 AM, and the Jury voted 0-7 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Nope.
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: nonsense alert. poster was responding directly to the point raised. Stop trolling for hides.
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

Do you have something to say directly?

paranoid stalker.

Why don't you just come out in the open and say it directly to me?

I find it fascinating how you two are prone to talking about DUers indirectly.

Not even from the likes of those people. On the other hand as there is as much dialog with some people here as there is with a floor, there is simply no good reason to engage.

Qed sic ipso facto ceretis paribus.

Was a weak alert too, relied entirely on the jurors not reading anything in the thread, or even the whole post.

Man, imagine if I had said more about how salty AC had gotten, that could have set off some fireworks!

of mind.

It's actually kind of freaky how accurate.
There are other bit players, but that's the list.

Is that what you're saying? And it was DUers who did that to you?

I wonder if that's what Quinton meant.

I willingly talked to you. Post after post, long form, lots of data, constantly getting one-line subject only responses and maybe a smiley back.

It can be frustrating.

Isn't their mythology full of martyrs? Like starting with the alleged Jesus?



^ This stuff ^

Whats so is that you seem to be mocking that which you do all the time.

And drag you into this sub-thread.

This group wasn't created last Tuesday, there is a long history, and I actually used to admire the way you could so patiently handle things and seem to remain on good terms. It was kinda sad to see you reach out in good faith only to be constantly pushed around, but you still tried, for a long time.

I'm glad you stuck around though, Your patience is tenacity, the ability to ride out the storm and end up nice and dry, and still throw out life preservers to those who tried to drown you.

then when you make an assertion and are proven wrong, just admit it.

Set the example, Urb.

Did Obama promote Katrina? Did Obama write songs and prayers and sermons expounding why Cat 5 hurricanes are good and noble? Did Obama promise great rewards for hurricanes?

I see your disingenuous posts make as much sense as your sig line. None.

A metaphor is a figure of speech that highlights similarities between two or more things.

For example: Blaming Obama for Hurricane Katrina is absolutely pathetic and ignorant. So is blaming religion for violence.

We learn something new every day!

No.

It's called ridiculous, ill thought out bunk.

Ezekiel 9:5, god orders them to kill everyone in the city whose forehead isn't marked.
The book of Joshua chronicles the extermination of the Canaanite tribes, and the book of Judges covers hunting down the stragglers that got away.
Isaiah 14:21, god orders them to kill infidels.
Numbers 31, god orders them to kill all the men, all the mothers, all the male children, and all the women who aren't virgins, and haul off the virgins as slaves.
Deuteronomy 13, god orders everyone to kill anyone who suggests they worship a different god.
Samuel 15, kill off the Amalekites.
Battle of Jericho, leave no stone upon stone (exterminate!)

Yes, the bible has some nice 'love your neighbor' bits in it, but it's chock full of exhortations to violence. And that's just the Abrahamic bible.

Honestly, god comes off like a exceptionally and unreasonably angry Dalek.

Even when those who commit the violent acts credit their religion.

Where have we heard that before...?

And I did not enjoy banning people but i times I felt it was appropriate.

Don't take it personally.

But hey, you got the echo chamber you wanted. So there's that.

The entire soundtrack of Book Of Life was much better than Frozen.

If the answer is yes you're being a hypocrite if the answer is no then you need to publicly challenge the mods of A/A to change their standards for threat or ban.

Read the SOP for both groups.

Interfaith wasn't just for believers. There are other groups for believers of XYZ stripe.
Why don't you know that? Seriously, why are you so completely ignorant of the two groups and their purpose that you would even chime in with that stupid shit?

Some people are simply compelled to display their ignorance for all to see.

you knew that. Hypocrisy wins again.

It was never an inclusive group, was never meant to be inclusive, and never will be inclusive.

When one feels they own something, that it belongs to THEM, and acts like its their own personal kingdom....

More than one of those bans was total horseshit.

I got a thirty day vacation for actually attacking a sexist religious event that was posted, but I asked 'what is 'safety' to you', and I get a ban. It wasn't even a theistic question.

Look at it now, still an echo chamber, but the only noise is crickets.

which, for my part, I found hilarious, but it never got beyond the "talking about it" stage. Now no one will ever know if the third time would've been the charm.

My graddad used to call her Tammy Whynot