patrick.net

turtledove says

Can we just outlaw religion?

Religion is not the problem. People taking religion too seriously is.

Peter P says

turtledove says

Can we just outlaw religion?

Religion is not the problem. People taking religion too seriously is.

Perhaps, but the first enables the second.

We should end the automatic tax exemption for religions, for example, and discourage financial donations. Why would the representatives of an omnipotent deity need money? Couldn't they just ask their omnipotent deities to print money like the Fed? The money lures and empowers the worst con artists. A lot of Muslim violence results from Saudi financing of Wahhabi clerics, for example. Religion itself is protected in the Constitution alongside speech, but commercial/financial transactions can be regulated; newspapers pay taxes and churches should too.

sbh says

Then it's simply a matter of regulation. What's the tool to achieve that, I wonder?

1. Pastors are required to take improv classes and perform at comedy clubs.
2. Religious stories can only be told through parodies or other intertextual devices
3. prophets are required to give horse-racing tips

what else?

curious2 says

Why would the representatives of an omnipotent deity need money?

It's god's plan. Duh!

curious2 says

We should end the automatic tax exemption for religions, for example, and discourage financial donations.

Well, if you've been reading our other thread, you would know that sbh, PeterP, and I might be starting our own religion. So, forgive me guys for speaking for you, but we'd like to maintain the tax advantage for as long as possible. So, no more talk about eliminating our tax exemptions.

curious2 says

We should end the automatic tax exemption for religions

I believe I can rollover my tax deferred income into a religion and thus, be able to accrue my cap/div gains w/o the tax man.

Hence, the Chapel of Rin Worship will be setup so that Rev Rin the Great can continue to bolster the ego of the anointed one.

sbh says

turtledove says

So, no more talk about eliminating our tax exemptions.

Oh, the cracks begin to form already.

I'm an accountant. I can't help myself.

But you see, you need people like me. We push the envelope that slows the cash hemorrhage to your wallet.

The Chapel of Rin Worship has some very easy tenants for its parishioners.

1) The Father is Lord Rin Rockefeller the Great, unmanifested in the current dimension but ever present in spirit.

2) The Son is Rin; yes, that's me.

3) The Holy Spirit is the Rev Rin the Great, proselytizer of the greatness of the trinity.

It's very easy to join this organization ... donate a small amount of money to various legal brothels in Australia, Holland, Germany, New Zealand, Brazil, and Thailand, and you'll be given blessings.

Rin says

1) The Father is Lord Rin Rockefeller the Great, unmanifested in the current dimension but ever present in spirit.

2) The Son is Rin; yes, that's me.

3) The Holy Spirit is the Rev Rin the Great, proselytizer of the greatness of the trinity.

Are you a time traveller?

sbh says

Besides, we're an online church, brick and mortar is so old school.

But, but we need a private jet to do god's work!

Peter P says

Rin says

1) The Father is Lord Rin Rockefeller the Great, unmanifested in the current dimension but ever present in spirit.

2) The Son is Rin; yes, that's me.

3) The Holy Spirit is the Rev Rin the Great, proselytizer of the greatness of the trinity.

Are you a time traveller?

The Father clearly is. The Son, however, is struggling with the multidimensional conundrums.

What's most important are those donations. When the Son arrives in let's say Rio de Janiero, he need to hear that Mistress Gisele has 5-6 hours of credits. And then, he can have his body slide with her, possibly a nightcap. And then, his blessings will be enormous.

Religion,people believing in a myth.

"Numerous French media websites have gone down a day after warnings of a wave of Islamist cyber attacks... The French government said some 20,000 sites had been targeted after terror attacks in Paris left 17 dead."

sbh says

We push the envelope that slows the cash hemorrhage to your wallet.

But the tithe comes on a sliding scale. Besides, we're an online church, brick and mortar is so old school. You're also gonna have to deliver on my cholesterol too. This is a piece-work deal, darlin, you didn't think you were on salary? And BENEFITS?

How thoughtless of me... by "your wallet" I actually meant "my wallet." But look at how good at this I am, already. I was talking about how it would affect me personally, but I automatically knew to describe as an "us" thing. I should probably write the sermons. I could be the Peggy Noonan to your Reagan.

sbh says

turtledove says

sbh says

turtledove says

So, no more talk about eliminating our tax exemptions.

Oh, the cracks begin to form already.

I'm an accountant. I can't help myself.

But you see, you need people like me. We push the envelope that slows the cash hemorrhage to your wallet.

But the tithe comes on a sliding scale. Besides, we're an online church, brick and mortar is so old school. You're also gonna have to deliver on my cholesterol too. This is a piece-work deal, darlin, you didn't think you were on salary? And BENEFITS?

Online church? That's a great idea. You can have confessions by text, and accept credit cards for donations.

turtledove says

Well, if you've been reading our other thread, you would know that sbh, PeterP, and I might be starting our own religion.

I could be your first convert. So what is the religion called?

Strategist says

So what is the religion called?

Charlienity

Devout Iraqis, showing your tax dollars at work:

An Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim child gashes his forehead with a sword during a ceremony marking Ashura in Baghdad

The most unnatural act by far is organized religion. No other species pays a subset of its members to hold forth about invisible beings and their purported will. The damage can be observed in Forthood, who is trapped in a cycle of abuse that was inflicted upon him and that he inflicts now upon himself and others.

Pandering to Illegal immigration is the problem, not religion. The idiots that actually welcome unlawful entry into their country is the reason why the illegals never change once inside.

To win, we must encourage this type of behavior amongst isis.
Alter the rules a little to have them dig deeper...

curious2 says

Devout Iraqis, showing your tax dollars at work:

SoftShell says

To win, we must encourage this type of behavior amongst isis.

Alter the rules a little to have them dig deeper...

curious2 says

Devout Iraqis, showing your tax dollars at work:

Goddamn Muslims... who ever heard of people hurting themselves in a religious procession on purpose...

(Holy Week, Phillippenes. A long Christian Tradition of Mass Public Self-Flagelation going back to the Middle Ages. Let's not forget making yourself a eunuch for the sake of Heaven before that, see Paul's Letters).

thunderlips11 says

Phillippines...

don't forget the crucifixions, with real nails:

Still, there is a difference, related to what Patrick pointed out about the founding texts. The Shia ritual involves brandishing lethal weapons; though causing self-inflicted wounds, the message is to show aggression and readiness to draw blood - even their own. The Christian ritual involves reenacting the self-sacrifice of the crucifixion. The Koran exalts the prophet's violence and conversion of infidels by the sword. The Shia are marching as to war, armed and ready to kill or be killed.

People riot over soccer too. Perhaps it is the team sport mentality.

Alas, most are too lazy to have an individuality.

sbh says

These are all images of the American working-poor Republican voters leaving the voting booth.

If these wackos want more whipping I will be glad to help out.

carrieon says

Pandering to Illegal immigration is the problem, not religion.

I haven't seen evidence to support that view, and the available evidence indicates the opposite. The Paris murderers were born in France to legal immigrants from Algeria. The lethal rioters in Niger were in Niger, and I haven't found any indication that they immigrated there. Several European countries have allowed substantial legal immigration; the Charlie Hebdo attack and others have shown, Muslim immigrants' children are at risk of becoming jihadis.

Abrahamic religions promote slave morality. This is why we have problems everywhere: poverty, violence, entitlement.

Unless we start worshipping strength, this world is not going anywhere.

This constant comparison to Christianity is mainly bs. Yes, for the 50000000000000000000000000000000000000 time, we had the crusades a big fucking long time ago and very rarely we still have Christian violence today, probably far outweighed by a lot of good deeds, and a limited number of self-flagellation and punishment, which I don't care about (for any religion) as long as you don't harm others. Comparing this to the active invasion and terror that has been going on for the past years makes the weak, morally self-flagellating, feminazied West almost deserve itself being conquered. At least we wouldn't have to look at feminists once they have to be completely covered. Guilt complexes get you nowhere fast and eaten alive.

mell says

Guilt complexes get you nowhere fast and eaten alive.

Yep. Slave morality.

No need for these tomato soup rituals.
The nice thing about nukes is no bloody mess.

( well, at least in the main blast zone )

thunderlips11 says

(Holy Week, Phillippenes. A long Christian Tradition of Mass Public Self-Flagelation going back to the Middle Ages. Let's not forget making yourself a eunuch for the sake of Heaven before that, see Paul's Letters).

curious2 says

The Shia ritual involves brandishing lethal weapons; though causing self-inflicted wounds, the message is to show aggression and readiness to draw blood - even their own. The Christian ritual involves reenacting the self-sacrifice of the crucifixion.

The Flagellants aren't re-enacting the Crucifixion, though Easter is a popular time to "flagellate". They are practicing "Mortification of the Flesh" as an avenue to repentance.

The Shi'a are the ones slashing themselves with swords over the betrayal by the Sunni of Hosayn ibn Ali and the battle of Karbala. Hosayn was the "true" descendant of Muhammed, and should have been Kaliph in their eyes. However, Shi'ites aren't the ones responsible for 9/11, the Embassy Bombings, WTC #1, the attacks in India, etc. etc.

If anything, Shi'ites have their hands full dealing with Sunni oppression.

In any case, religion is stupid.

turtledove says

Can we just outlaw religion?

As well as Realtor's and NAR!

jvolstad says

turtledove says

Can we just outlaw religion?

As well as Realtor's and NAR!

Man will not be free until the last Realtor is strangled with the entrails of the last Imam.

sbh says

Strategist says

sbh says

These are all images of the American working-poor Republican voters leaving the voting booth.

If these wackos want more whipping I will be glad to help out.

Nice of you to offer, but no need. They blame you already.

This is the thanks I get for helping mankind. :(

turtledove says

Can we just outlaw religion?

When you outlaw religion then only the outlaws will go to heaven.

thunderlips11 says

Shi'ites....

including Iran, comprise only around 10% of all Muslims, so it doesn't say very much to say that most suicide attacks are perpetrated by members of the 90% of Muslims who are Sunni. Besides, consider the cruise ship hijackers, etc.

I don't mean to overstate matters: the vast majority of religious people including Muslims don't become suicide terrorists, but our existing strategies for containing violence depend on assumptions about deterrence, and those assumptions do not apply in some cases. JFK said, "we are all mortal." Some don't agree, and so the rules that govern everyone else don't really apply to them.

CaptainShuddup says

turtledove says

Can we just outlaw religion?

When you outlaw religion then only the outlaws will go to heaven.

There has to be a win-win solution here. If these ppl believe they are going to eternal paradise when they die, surely we should not delay them.

I have noticed though that many people who swear up and down that they are certain of going to heaven, are also terrified of death and insist that we must also pay any price ("no lifetime caps!") to postpone the inevitable. There seems a strong correlation in fact. In contrast, atheist Mark Twain had the opposite view: �I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it.� In other words, religion stunts people in the early stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining), preventing them from ever reaching acceptance. Certain clerics have learned to exploit the anger and bargaining stages, indulging denial by offering eternal rewards in exchange for suicidal violence.

CaptainShuddup says

turtledove says

Can we just outlaw religion?

When you outlaw religion then only the outlaws will go to heaven.

Dammit Captain, you are right. We will now need to send out the drones and bomb heaven all the way to hell.

BTW, for anyone who forgot, the Islamic violence about cartoons in Charlie Hebdo followed similar violence about cartoons in a Danish newspaper, as told in this little story about a teacher who had been arrested for naming a Teddy bear "Mohamed"

"The Sudanese police arrested a British schoolteacher and accused her of insulting Islam after she allowed her 7-year-old pupils to name a class teddy bear Muhammad, Sudanese officials said Monday.
***
A few weeks ago, the Sudanese authorities said that no troops from Scandinavia could serve as peacekeepers in Darfur, where the United Nations is trying to send an expanded peacekeeping force, because Danish newspapers published caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad two years ago.

His rejection of the Scandinavians complicates efforts to bolster the peacekeeping force with appropriate technical expertise."

"A Jordanian writer has been shot dead outside a court room where he was facing charges for sharing a cartoon which was deemed offensive to Islam and mocked Jihadis.

The publication sparked deadly protests in some Muslim countries."

I went trap shooting the other day for the first time in 20+ years.

It was fun. I need some more practice after my shoulder heals up.

People that kill because someone posted an image are quite deserving of death.

Browning makes a really nice 12 gauge. I'm glad I live in the US and not Europe.