Reply to: The Ten Commandments

[NotAllThere]

I would if it allowed me to claim something back on taxes

Oh it does. Any money you give to the moderators benevolent fund earns double tax deduction. It became law in the last budget.

[MyUserName]

I would if it allowed me to claim something back on taxes

[istvan]

Everyday is St. MyUserName day, I celebrate it, don't you?

[MyUserName]

My either. So much for the dictionary. Unless... there's a St MyUserName holiday, in which case you are religious under definition 1.

Ooooh - now that would be a fine holiday!! I would definitely vote for that

[NotAllThere]

It does not seem to fit according to Dictionary.com

re·li·gious
[ri-lij-uhs] Show IPA adjective, noun, plural re·li·gious.

adjective
1. of, pertaining to, or concerned with religion: a religious holiday.
Not really relevant

2. imbued with or exhibiting religion; pious; devout; godly: a religious man.
Not really relevant

3. scrupulously faithful; conscientious: religious care.
Not really relevant

4. pertaining to or connected with a monastic or religious order.
Not really relevant

5. appropriate to religion or to sacred rites or observances.
Not really relevant

noun
6. a member of a religious order, congregation, etc.; a monk, friar, or nun.
Nope

7. the religious, devout or religious persons: Each year, thousands of the religious make pilgrimages to the shrine.
Not really relevant

My either. So much for the dictionary. Unless... there's a St MyUserName holiday, in which case you are religious under definition 1.

[MyUserName]

Everyone is religious, all of you believe in some order, entropy, chance, chaos, evolution, gods, etc. Some say, let's enjoy life and get the most out of it for ourselves, some say love your neighbor, some say hurt those who are not like you, some say nothing matters - just do as you see fit, than again some say my religion is the only acceptable one.

It does not seem to fit according to Dictionary.com

re·li·gious
[ri-lij-uhs] Show IPA adjective, noun, plural re·li·gious.

adjective
1. of, pertaining to, or concerned with religion: a religious holiday.
Not really relevant

2. imbued with or exhibiting religion; pious; devout; godly: a religious man.
Not really relevant

3. scrupulously faithful; conscientious: religious care.
Not really relevant

4. pertaining to or connected with a monastic or religious order.
Not really relevant

5. appropriate to religion or to sacred rites or observances.
Not really relevant

noun
6. a member of a religious order, congregation, etc.; a monk, friar, or nun.
Nope

7. the religious, devout or religious persons: Each year, thousands of the religious make pilgrimages to the shrine.
Not really relevant

[istvan]

Everyone is religious, all of you believe in some order, entropy, chance, chaos, evolution, gods, etc. Some say, let's enjoy life and get the most out of it for ourselves, some say love your neighbor, some say hurt those who are not like you, some say nothing matters - just do as you see fit, than again some say my religion is the only acceptable one.

[MyUserName]

Believing something exists because you're told it and have no reason to doubt it is not the same as believing something exists and is communicating with you.

How can you tell if something is telepathically communicating with you as opposed to it just being in your mind because you have been told it will happen and have no reason to doubt it?

Also, if something is communicating telepathically with you, how do you know that it is what you think and not something else with telepathic abilities?

After all there are millions of people who think that they are telepathically communicating with something which we agree is not there!

[d000hg]

Believing something exists because you're told it and have no reason to doubt it is not the same as believing something exists and is communicating with you.

[NotAllThere]

..., my daughter believes in the sand man but I would not say she is 'mentally ill'. We have told her he is real and she believes us ...

You evil bastards! Wierd Tales. Vol. I. (Or possibly this).

[shaunbhoy]

Works great until you're a screw-up.

I'll take your word for it.

[MyUserName]

Doesn't that make you a narcissitic dick? You don't care if people are mentally ill?

Does believing in imaginary beings make you mentally ill? That is probably slightly harsh, my daughter believes in the sand man but I would not say she is 'mentally ill'. We have told her he is real and she believes us (she has also met him in the Efterling so she has proof he is real too).

If this is just because she is young then at what age does someone become mentally ill for believing in something which someone believes is imaginary?

Would you consider everyone who has every (and will ever) believe in a different God to you to be mentally ill?

[d000hg]

Religion is a choice, all the others are just who you are. If you have to respect what somebody chooses, then does that also mean you have to respect them if they choose to be a racist, or a socialist, or if they choose to believe it's okay to kick you in the nuts for a laugh?

Pah, disability is a choice. They're just too lazy to try.

[NotAllThere]

AndyW was real, so it's reasonable to assume his mother exists or existed at some time, scary though that thought is.

If your moral view on obedience to authority is as stated, then you've no reason to get irritated by followers of imaginary beings - they're simply living according to your view. They don't believe the object of their devotion is imaginary, and so their conduct is entirely consistent with their belief. Rather than get irritated, get a nice glow of smug satisfaction that at least you know what's real and what isn't. AndyW's mother notwithstanding.

Religion is a choice, all the others are just who you are. If you have to respect what somebody chooses, then does that also mean you have to respect them if they choose to be a racist, or a socialist, or if they choose to believe it's okay to kick you in the nuts for a laugh?

Precisely my view. You do not have to respect anyone for the choices they make - while still respecting their right to make those choices - so the inclusion of religion in this new set of commandments is just hippy-tulip.

[VectraMan]

Anyway, point 1 won't work:

You shall treat all people with respect regardless of race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, or national origin.

I'm not sure that everyone thinks you should treat religious people with respect.

Religion is a choice, all the others are just who you are. If you have to respect what somebody chooses, then does that also mean you have to respect them if they choose to be a racist, or a socialist, or if they choose to believe it's okay to kick you in the nuts for a laugh?