So they don't have to spend an eternity in Hell, obviously.

Atheist Church.

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-21319945

It's been going on longer in the US.

You’re making an assumption that hell exists.

The notion of living your life in fear of some imaginary sky daddy sounds like an accurate description of hell, though.

That was the point of my joke, parnell. If they were all Catholics, and the very conservative type at that, I wouldn't even have joked about it. Sometimes it's good to challenge the stereotypes.

Btw - Tullamore should be made the capital of Catholic sausages and whiskey - made by virgin nuns at dawn. If, apparently, there's this stereotype, at least you should exploit it properly. ;-)

Hehe, what would the atheist hell look like?

Meantime, Christians in the Middle East* are becoming a rare species. Yet, nobody would talk about it, and by that I don't mean EF, really. Sad.But let us fight against imaginary "holocausts".

https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-mi...in-middle-east

Eh, anyone? "No, no, it's not true blah blah blah". Laughable. Marton, bring on all those links to prove those people are spoiled, whiney little liars, man. I'm expecting that from you.

*no, it's not only ME where Christians are persecuted, why single them out. The list is way bigger - Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan, Nigeria, Eritrea, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Maldives, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Myanmar, Laos and India and....but that would be all for the moment.

That was a joke, obviously. I suspect atheists don't believe in hell. lol

Of course I do - you get there over the Humber Bridge. Oh wait, no sorry - that's Hull.

Yeah, of course you get it.

Seriously.... if we talk about religious freedom, let's drop those double standards. Otherwise the discussion is losing any credibility.

I agree that Christians are being driven out from many areas in the world just like many of the Jews before them who had lived peacefully in those areas for thousands of years.

Which double standards?

My view is simple - I don't believe in any deity, afterlife or any of the messed up baggage attached to organised (or disorganised) religion. The same goes for any and all of the 3,400-odd religions around the globe (or "plain" for those flat-earthers).

If someone wants to believe in that stuff, they can, but that is and should be private to them. Those people should be protected to continue their beliefs or worship as a personal choice - emphasis on the "personal".

To paraphrase a well worn expression - treat it like your penis: it's fine to have one, it's fine to be proud of it but please don't take it out and wave it around in public.

Insecurity in your own religion of choice often brings overblown and shouty extremism which people often mix up with being "devout".

It's about as far from double standards as you can get.

I think it's the "F*** Christians and their backward religion" and "Islam? Well, all religions are equally bad" tripe.

Fundamentally, I agree with you. But then what about people wearing religious paraphernalia in public, like hijabs, yamakas, crosses, etc.? How about the churchbells that ring round-the-clock in Switzerland? And is Islam just a religion, or is it also a political structure? (See Islamic State, Sharia Law, Islamic Republic of Iran, etc.) Or a legal structure, the UK has 85 Shariah Courts according to Wikipedia. And what about traditions that have foundings in religion, like eg. Christmas?



In principal, I'm with you, do what you want and keep it to yourself, however, I'm afraid it's not quite as simple as that.

Well, if you had read my post correctly I was lumping all religions together as equally bad if they are hawking it onto people who don't want it. Most of the main religions are equally guilty over history of violently thrusting it on others.

I take it you are religious to some degree or other, right? Obviously your "team" is the right one, right?


All the bullshit baggage you mentioned above is fine so long as you don't have to subscribe to it under duress.

I don't even notice people wearing crucifixes or hijabs or whatever accoutrement makes them feel good about themselves. I don't live near a loud church (or maybe I'm deaf )

I celebrate Christmas but not from a religious perspective. If I could take Hannuker, Eid, [insert whatever religious festival] off work as a public holiday in the same way, I would. Not because I'm religious but I just appreciate the time off. Shamelessly cherry-picking the bits that suit me with no religious obligation - highly recommend it!

It all boils down to the person, too. I've had a lifelong friend who is a devout Catholic who doesn't give a toss that I'm atheist and yet the mother of another friend who is also Catholic doesn't speak to me and repeatedly tells her daughter to drop me from her social circle because "I have no moral compass". If only she knew - bahahaha!

The muslim, jewish, etc., friends also don't care what my own beliefs are(n't).

I have a feeling some people would be a colossal berk regardless of whether they are religious or not. They are probably the same about everything; religion is just an excuse.

The point about UK Sharia Courts is they provide arbitration that is voluntary but legally binding.
Nobody can drag you into a Sharia Court if you do not want to use that process.

In principle these are no different from any other form of arbitration procedure in UK which are also voluntary and also legally binding. These are covered by the UK Arbitration Act 1996, (except for Scotland).

England has several different kinds of ecclesiastical courts. These use religious law, such as the Islamic sharia, Jewish halakha and Christian canon law. Church of England courts are now restricted to internal church matters, but not the others.

Source

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It is naive to assume my posts are my own work

They are supposedly the most devout county in Ireland.
https://www.joe.ie/news/offaly-is-of...ireland-603586

Personally I am a Jehovah but I respect all the teams involved.

So now we are supposed to worship you?

I think he means "Jehovah's Witness"

Get on your knees marton

They are supposedly the most devout county in Ireland.
https://www.joe.ie/news/offaly-is-of...ireland-603586

A Jehovah? So there's a few if them then.