Atheists & Agnostics
Related: About this forumNFL star Benjamin Watson: Ferguson not a "skin" problem but a "sin" problem
Perhaps you saw the media fawning all over New Orleans Saints player Benjamin Watson recently, regarding Watson's Facebook post about the unrest in Ferguson, MO. In case you missed it, it can be found here.
The first 10 or so paragraphs were fine, IMO, but it's the last paragraph that really caused the media to fawn all over him, which I reprint here:
I'M ENCOURAGED, because ultimately the problem is not a SKIN problem, it is a SIN problem. SIN is the reason we rebel against authority. SIN is the reason we abuse our authority. SIN is the reason we are racist, prejudiced and lie to cover for our own. SIN is the reason we riot, loot and burn. BUT I'M ENCOURAGED because God has provided a solution for sin through the his son Jesus and with it, a transformed heart and mind. One that's capable of looking past the outward and seeing what's truly important in every human being. The cure for the Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner tragedies is not education or exposure. It's the Gospel. So, finally, I'M ENCOURAGED because the Gospel gives mankind hope.
Got that? People are only racist because they are sinners and haven't "accepted" the Gospel.
We rebel against authority because of SIN.
We are prejudiced because of SIN.
SIN is the reason many cops are assholes.
What bullshit. This kind of simplistic thinking is going to get us precisely NOWHERE.
MAYBE if today's pseudo-Christians actually took to heart Jesus' teachings, MAYBE some things would improve. Good luck with that. I guarantee you that many members of the KKK consider themselves to be good Christians. They even point to the Bible to justify the persecution of blacks.
Sorry, Benjamin, but in my humble opinion (which is just as valid as yours), the Bible and books like it is at the root of our problems today. The fact that so many people cling to the mythical concepts prevents their emergence into the modern world.
We don't need any metaphysical concept of sin to make us good people. I've seen atheists behaving much better than self-proclaimed Christians. We don't have all that Biblical baggage that today's good Christians have.
No, what we have is not a sin problem. What we have is an education problem.
GeorgeGist
(25,322 posts)Heddi
(18,312 posts)On Mon Dec 1, 2014, 07:05 AM an alert was sent on the following post:
What a maroon.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1230&pid=31743
REASON FOR ALERT
This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.
ALERTER'S COMMENTS
Calling a Black man a "maroon"? Seriously?
Let's avoid the racial slurs here at DU, shall we?
They have no place here at DU.
You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Mon Dec 1, 2014, 07:19 AM, and the Jury voted 1-6 to LEAVE IT.
Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Oh, alerter, you didn't expect an atheist to be on the jury for this one, did you? Go back to Interfaith, where you can ban people just because they're non-believers and leave our safe haven alone. Ask yourself: do you make God proud with this nonsense?
Juror #2 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: "Maroon" is Bugs Bunny's silly way of mispronouncing the word "moron." It's a very old joke, and there's nothing racist in its use. Chill
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: it is called an opinion - and calling someone a maroon is not an insult , the person my or may ot know the color of the man and just is using a mispelling for emphasis which I have heard before, perhaps thee objector was thinking of something else - here is a chart of insults - no maroon on it.
http://www.mix-d.org/files/resources/Terminology_Chart_09.pdf.
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Nice try, aleter. But we've all seen Bugs Bunny. lame alert.
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Seriously!
Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.
Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)However 6/7 of the jurors didn't fall for it. I'm so glad we have so many people watching over us.
RussBLib
(9,030 posts)I guess I will have to try harder.
Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)Our watchers love to find clever (or not) ways to bullshit a jury.
Act_of_Reparation
(9,116 posts)I think it is pretty obvious who made the alert.
The way things have been going for them, I hope they're looking forward to another forced vacation.
AtheistCrusader
(33,982 posts)Cartoonist
(7,320 posts)Michael Brown, Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner. God was too busy to intercede. Probably watching a sporting event. Must be nice to be able to lay down a bet and make sure that touchdown happens. Keeping black kids alive, where's the money in that?
onager
(9,356 posts)Warren Stupidity
(48,181 posts)AlbertCat
(17,505 posts)Could the alerter be too young to have never seen a Bugs Bunny cartoon?