Religious Displays in Public

[K.Snyder]

Originally Posted by RedGlitter

I find public displays of religion to be in very poor taste.
It belongs in private or in church.

Why do you feel that way RedGlitter?...

Shouldn't everyone have the freedom to do as they wish?...

You don't believe in free speech?...

[RedGlitter]

Originally Posted by K.Snyder

Why do you feel that way RedGlitter?...

Shouldn't everyone have the freedom to do as they wish?...

You don't believe in free speech?...

Boy, you're salty tonight, K.
You can't have people do everything they wish or you'd have chaos.
However as it pertains to this issue, does the bible not say "keep me in your heart?" There are those of us who take that to mean keep God a private matter. You may not get my logic here, but to me religion and displays of it are more private and personal than even sex. Deeply so.
Praying in public by the way is not about free speech. Well the vocal part may be, but it's freedom of action you're looking for and last I knew the Constitution didn't address that part.

For a lot of people it's how they are raised. That may be true for me also. It's not that we aren't religious, it's that our business with our God is that of no one else. Some things should be private and I think prayer is one of them.

[K.Snyder]

Originally Posted by RedGlitter

Boy, you're salty tonight, K.
You can't have people do everything they wish or you'd have chaos.

You most assuredly can have people do as they wish without creating chaos...It's dependent on the morale sanctity of those involved...I wouldn't expect to cage everyone because they have too much freedom...I would however cage someone who'd taken that freedom as an initiative to harm another...Praying does not harm others...

Originally Posted by RedGlitter

However as it pertains to this issue, does the bible not say "keep me in your heart?" There are those of us who take that to mean keep God a private matter. You may not get my logic here, but to me religion and displays of it are more private and personal than even sex. Deeply so.

Ok we can always discuss other religion without the use of the word "bible"...Why would you ban anyone from kneeling to the ground or conducting a burial service?...After all burial services are rituals...Just because one may claim it's not religious doesn't change the relationship...If so would we ban people from even being on the ground just because it resembles someone kneeling and praying?...

Originally Posted by RedGlitter

Praying in public by the way is not about free speech. Well the vocal part may be, but it's freedom of action you're looking for and last I knew the Constitution didn't address that part.

It has everything to do with free speech...Freedom of speech is freedom of action scarce of neighboring harm...There's no difference between a gathering of presidential elections and a Sunday afternoon at church...What's left is the discrimination of ones' beliefs...

Originally Posted by RedGlitter

For a lot of people it's how they are raised. That may be true for me also. It's not that we aren't religious, it's that our business with our God is that of no one else. Some things should be private and I think prayer is one of them.

I do not. However if one wishes to make their religious experience personal I completely would have no problem with that either...Nor would I if they do not...

[weeder]

When I see diners make a public display of praying in public, I always feel sort of sorry for them. To me its like they have to make an outward statement about their personal beliefs. Its like they have never grasped the concept of being examples in the way they live, or the qualities they project
to others without the showmanship. I have always been the most intrigued by people who never utter a word regarding what they believe. But their calm and kind demeanors draw mw to them, wanting to know more about them, and their views on spirituality.

Public displays of praying or worshiping always bring Tammy Faye and Jim Baker to my mind. The kind of people who drew public attention to their religious life, but who were really two snakes in the grass.

I avoid religious zealots like the plague. Anyone who preaches to me once, never gets a second chance to be in my company. And just as a side note....
the general rule for those of us who wait on public prayers......... they are always crummy tippers. The reason I mention this, is because it is an indicator of their lack of connection to other human beings.

[K.Snyder]

Originally Posted by weeder

When I see diners make a public display of praying in public, I always feel sort of sorry for them. To me its like they have to make an outward statement about their personal beliefs. Its like they have never grasped the concept of being examples in the way they live, or the qualities they project
to others without the showmanship.

Yes but they're not doing it to show others...The concept of prayer is to show ones "God" their faith and their concern for others' well being...It just so happens that others happen to see them doing it...

Originally Posted by weeder

And just as a side note....the general rule for those of us who wait on public prayers......... they are always crummy tippers. The reason I mention this, is because it is an indicator of their lack of connection to other human beings.

Ah but how do you know those "tippers" hadn't taken that money and given it to starving children?...I think it's safe to assume that an American upholding a job isn't in dire need of a few bucks so they may have the luxury of biting into a potato...

[RedGlitter]

Originally Posted by K.Snyder

You most assuredly can have people do as they wish without creating chaos...It's dependent on the morale sanctity of those involved...I wouldn't expect to cage everyone because they have too much freedom...I would however cage someone who'd taken that freedom as an initiative to harm another...Praying does not harm others...

Ok we can always discuss other religion without the use of the word "bible"...Why would you ban anyone from kneeling to the ground or conducting a burial service?...After all burial services are rituals...Just because one may claim it's not religious doesn't change the relationship...If so would we ban people from even being on the ground just because it resembles someone kneeling and praying?...

It has everything to do with free speech...Freedom of speech is freedom of action scarce of neighboring harm...There's no difference between a gathering of presidential elections and a Sunday afternoon at church...What's left is the discrimination of ones' beliefs...

I do not. However if one wishes to make their religious experience personal I completely would have no problem with that either...Nor would I if they do not...

To start with, where did you decide I thought it should be banned?? I never said that. I replied to Quinn that I thought it was in poor taste. I do. I make no apologies. Now where did I say it should be banned?

Nobody's caging anyone either. Society has a way of setting its limits and often times it uses ostracization. This is not caging anyone for their beliefs.

It's not about anyone's moral sanctity either. You're not supposed to make people uncomfortable in public. Its considered ill mannered. Praying in public makes some people uncomfy. If it's a quiet thing I have little problem with it. But if someone starts "spreading the word of God" to me, I'm going to get hostile at their presumption and I will put them right.

This idea that everyone should do as they damn well please and to hell with everyone who doesn't like it is partly why this world is so sh*tty today.

[RedGlitter]

Yes but they're not doing it to show others...The concept of prayer is to show ones "God" their faith and their concern for others' well being...It just so happens that others happen to see them doing it...

God already knows what's in a person's heart and the extent of their faith. God doesn't require everyone else be privy to it. But I'm probably talking about a different God.

[K.Snyder]

Originally Posted by RedGlitter

To start with, where did you decide I thought it should be banned?? I never said that. I replied to Quinn that I thought it was in poor taste. I do. I make no apologies. Now where did I say it should be banned?

Well one of my primary beliefs is that people are either for or against something...If you feel it's in "poor taste" and you upheld a job that dictated the law associated with said concern would you or would you not change that law to ban the practices?..."You're not supposed to make people uncomfortable in public." gives me every reason to assume you're against it and wish it to be banned...

Originally Posted by RedGlitter

It's not about anyone's moral sanctity either. You're not supposed to make people uncomfortable in public. Its considered ill mannered. Praying in public makes some people uncomfy. If it's a quiet thing I have little problem with it. But if someone starts "spreading the word of God" to me, I'm going to get hostile at their presumption and I will put them right.

This is a matter of opinion...It's the entire focal point of the thread...I can just as easily say public displays of religious beliefs do not bother most people...

Originally Posted by RedGlitter

This idea that everyone should do as they damn well please and to hell with everyone who doesn't like it is partly why this world is so sh*tty today.

You believe so?...I think it's what's holding people back...Think of how those of us with morale hearts could change the world if we all did as we pleased...I couldn't think of a better end result to humanity...In fact,..it'd never end...

[K.Snyder]

Originally Posted by RedGlitter

God already knows what's in a person's heart and the extent of their faith. God doesn't require everyone else be privy to it. But I'm probably talking about a different God.

I have to agree...But this is argumentative to the discussion...

One could just as easily say you have no right to judge their beliefs at the same time are wrong in your assessment...

What we're after is if public prayer harms others to the point of banning it all together...

[RedGlitter]

That's not what the OP asked, K. That's what you are asking. If i understand your first comment, if I were in a place to -ban- public prayer, I would not do it. For the simple reason there's no need to. I would wish that people would keep their displays at home but I have enough common sense and enough compassion to let them go their way.

No, I don't think that's what's holding society back at all. I know people who pray and attend church right now who would backhand me at the first offense so I don't buy that at all. And as for morals (as opposed to morale, different thing altogether) what does it say about the atheists? Is their Godlessness holding society back as they don't believe?

Edit: Everyone has the right to judge anyone else's beliefs. Anyone. But judging is where it stops.