Me I Think Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 I just wanted to know if anyone has a similar situation or if not what do you think about this. I live in the southern part of the U.S.A. I am not christian and that makes it hard enough here. I have been noticing for sometime now that we have christian billboards and commercials on both T.V. and radio. This normally would not bother me. This is America and we do have freedom of religion and speach and I respect that freedom. However the part that bothers me is I remember just a few months ago when a local church started a stink about a local radio station playing a commercial for an adult book store. They succeded in having the ad removed from the radio. This gets better the station was a classic rock station (My Favorite one BTW) you know where it is mainly 60's and 70's rock the kind they call devil music and for years said contained subliminal messages that made you worship satan and stuff like that. I want to know something if the music is devil music how did they know about the commercial if they or their children do not listen to it. Also if porn is of the devil why not advertise it on the devils station. I also remember not too long ago when a local T.V. station did an ad for an upcoming Marilyn Manson Concert. Can you guess what happened they gripped and got it taken off the air many even protested to try to stop the concert I am glad to say the concert took place since I already had $280 in tickets. I can not count the number of christian concerts I have seen advertised here. So they can put their commercials on T.V. and radio and billboards no matter who dissagrees as long as no one advertises anything they do not like. I think thats what it boils down to. those are just small examples there are many like that here but one of the main ones that got me was. A church moved into a location near an adult book store. The store had been there for like 10 years or more. By local laws anything sold with age restriction is considered a controlled substance therefore it falls under all nonspecific controlled substance laws one of these just happenes to be that sell of controlled substance is illeagal within X distance from a church or school I do not remember the exact distance. Well where the church moved was within this zone. There is no law protecting the book store even given the fact they were already there. The church complained and the court rulled in favor so now the bookstore is closed because the owner said he could not afford to move. He also said in a public interview with a local news station that some of the members of that church were some of his best customers. They sued the station for airing him saying that. They won that lawsuit too. So what I am trying to say is if we have a seperation of church and state why is it the church runs the state. I understand that adult book stores, and rock concerts, don't really add into religion but it is our right in America to have these types of stores and concerts, if it is legal for them to be there why can't they be advertised. I respect others beliefs but I do have a problem with churches. Seeing as how I have been kicked out of 4 in fact. You know the place where everyone is welcome as long as you fit the profile. I do not hold my past experience with churches aganst all christians so I am not coming down on christians and I will apologise if it seems that way. I just think if we have freedom of any kind in this country then where ever they can advertise anyone else can and if a church moves in near a place they dissagree with there are two options move somewhere else or deal with it. I also know of cases where people here have tried to bring suit against a church what is the first things they yell Freedom of religion and Seperation of church and state. As far as I know no one has ever won a suit against a church here. I think churches in general need to wise up and figure out not every one believes what they do and the church would not like it much if someone started telling them to take their commercials off because it offends people or to remove their billbords or hows this take down those annoying creatasigns you know the ones you can change the messages on them. Here they have forced several bars to change theirs because the messages were offensive. Some people find christianity to be offensive too but we can't do anything about it because the law is on their side. That is not FREEDOM at all. Link to post Share on other sites
bluetuesday Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 yup, man is free but everywhere he is in chains. what you are describing is not freedom. it's state-sanctioned control excercised by one of the most powerful forces in america, a force which seeks to supress free speech and free will and doesn't see a thing wrong with it. you should be worried. you are not free in many respects. all christians are NOT like that, god be praised. some of us are even quite reasonable. i live in a country where the christian church has so little power that it's being forcibly supressed by the state under a banner of political correctness. over here, many children in school can't make 'happy christmas' cards for fear of upsetting people of other religions (although they CAN make 'happy diwali' cards and learn about other feligious festivals); one of the largest local government bodies tried (and succeeded one year) to get christmas renamed 'winterval' so it contained no reference to christ for fear of upsetting people of other religions; and where a 16-year-old girl was recently suspended from school from refusing to take off the crucifix necklace she wore as a symbol of her faith (it contravened the school's jewellery policy apparently) while her sikh classmates were allowed to wear bracelets to symbolise their faith. i live in england. where freedom, particularly religious freedom, is increasingly a concept, not a right. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Author Me I Think Posted January 22, 2006 Author Share Posted January 22, 2006 I know what you are saying it is that way here as well kind of mabee just reversed. But as far as I know Hanakha??? ( unsure of spelling) and Kwanza are somewhat equally respected. But once I had a bumper sticker that said Goddess Bless. My car was vandalised 3 times that is the only car I ever owned wich was and to this day remains the only one. But as I said I do not come down on all christians I know there are good ones I have met a few. In my line of work a fellow contractor I see at least 2 or 3 times a week is a devout christian but he is a really good person. He would never do anyone wrong I have known him for about 3 years and have never even heard anything bad about him. So I know there are good christians Link to post Share on other sites
slubberdegullion Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 What you're experiencing is state-sanctioned theocracy. In this case, it's clear that your location has more in common with fundamentalist Islamic republics than it does with a modern Western nation. I'd move. Link to post Share on other sites
d'Arthez Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 Careful Slubber. In the name of Freedom, you will be court-martialled, tried and executed for making such unpatriotic, and demonic remarks - who cares you are Canadian, you will be extradited for such heinous crimes. Link to post Share on other sites
a4a Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 Me, Well howdy neighbor! You must live near me. It is amazing to me that you hear "love" being preached and so much fear and hate show in the actions of those same people doing the preaching. a4a Link to post Share on other sites
HokeyReligions Posted January 27, 2006 Share Posted January 27, 2006 It's not state or government sanctioned at all. It's money and voice. Those who cry the loudest "we will not buy your products or services if you sponsor a radio station which advertises things we don't want" will get their way. The government doesn't enter into it. It pure trade and money and voice. The church that forced out the adult bookstore is another matter because they used existing laws to force out a business. Those who support adult bookstores, etc. would need to stand together with a loud voice and deep pockets and, and, well -- there isn't anything a church can offer that would harm it if it were put out of business, unless the members of that church - those who tithe and volunteer, etc. - would stand and say "we will not tithe to this church nor will we attend services or volunteer or do any of the many other things that keep a church afloat unless the adult bookstore stays" and that's just not going to happen. Not in the Bible Belt. I understand the principle of a church deliberately moving into a zone to force out an adult business - that is what churches do--try to eliminate as much sin as possible, but I also don't think it's right that they can do that. I don't know about the one you mentioned, but I do know of a church that did that very same thing, but for a year or more before they built the church they had people go around the neighborhood and get feedback on what the people who lived there and worked there wanted. The majority of people 'voted' in favor of the church with the express goal of getting rid of said bookstore. The church had to get permits and zoning permissions and the adult bookstore was notified well in advance. There were people protesting the church and rallying around the bookstore, but not near as many as were rallying around the church. I do think that whoever allowed the permits and zoning permissions should have been able or should have said "no" because of a previous commercial resident in that zone. It should have stopped there and if the roles were reversed (adult store moving into a 'church' zone) it would have stopped there. Link to post Share on other sites
penkitten Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 some people just want to complain and cause drama Link to post Share on other sites
Breed Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Christianity is one of the worst religions for intolerance and hatred. It has no place in such a free and tolerant western society, it does nothing but breed fear and intolerance of those who are different. It warms my heart to see it and so many similar religons slowly dying, one rebellious teen at a time. Link to post Share on other sites
Outcast Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Christianity is one of the worst religions for intolerance and hatred. This is an ignorant and intolerant statement, IMHO. There are a few BILLION Christians on the planet in over FORTY THOUSAND different sects. Only SOME of them are the ultra-right wing sort that are causing all the problems in your country. But, as with so many other things, unthinking people blame all the members of a group for the actions of a few. What's being complained about in this thread happens when the government colludes with the members of the ultra-right wing religions. It happened in Afghanistan. It's happening in Iran. And in the USA. If the American president would follow his own Constitution and keep religion out of politics, the religious right would not be as encouraged to try to force their philosophies on the rest of the country. Link to post Share on other sites
a4a Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 It is a shame that the "middle of the road/loving" Christians do not stand up to those Christians that spread hate and fear such as Robertson and Fallwell ect. a4a Link to post Share on other sites
Outcast Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 How? What could be done that wouldn't be considered 'discriminatory'? Got any ideas? Wanna start a movement? Link to post Share on other sites
hooghie Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Careful Slubber. In the name of Freedom' date=' you will be court-martialled, tried and executed for making such unpatriotic, and demonic remarks - who cares you are Canadian, you will be extradited for such heinous crimes.[/quote'] :lmao: ....why do you and Slub hate freedom??? Link to post Share on other sites
a4a Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 How? What could be done that wouldn't be considered 'discriminatory'? Got any ideas? Wanna start a movement? Perhaps by informing Robertson that saying Katrina hit NO because of the Fags ect living there would let them know that their approach is not christian like at all.......christians need to stand up to these hateful christian leaders. non christians cannot really make a difference here as our opinions would easily be discounted by them. a4a 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Outcast Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 Well, I've written and told him off twice; most recently when he said that STUPID thing about Sharon and looky here http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/7027/patrobertson.html and then there's this http://www.positiveatheism.org/hist/quotes/revpat.htm If you Google Pat Robertson, that first link comes up directly after Robertson's own site and the other is the sixth. Link to post Share on other sites
HokeyReligions Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 It is a shame that the "middle of the road/loving" Christians do not stand up to those Christians that spread hate and fear such as Robertson and Fallwell ect. a4a Probably because that's not what true 'middle of the road/loving' Christians are all about. They spread their faith by demonstrating the joy in their own life and by charitable giving of themselves (not donating $$) and do it selflessly and without thought of any reward, but because they love their God and do it to please Him, quietly and with love. Link to post Share on other sites
d'Arthez Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 :lmao: ....why do you and Slub hate freedom??? I do not hate freedom. But people tend to overestimate freedom, and forget about the unfreedoms in their life. Which, if anything, have only increased in the past 30 years. "It is by the goodness of God that in our country we have those three unspeakably precious things: freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the prudence never to practice either of them. " -- Mark Twain Link to post Share on other sites
Outcast Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 D'A - hoog was kidding. Link to post Share on other sites
hooghie Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 I do not hate freedom. But people tend to overestimate freedom, and forget about the unfreedoms in their life. Which, if anything, have only increased in the past 30 years. "It is by the goodness of God that in our country we have those three unspeakably precious things: freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the prudence never to practice either of them. " -- Mark Twain :lmao: :lmao: I was totally kidding/being sarcastic..- thanks for understanding Outcast The right wingers tend to use that phrase to anyone who questions the war(s), questions W, etc. and I think it's funny because THEY are the ones who are limiting & removing our and everyone else's freedoms. Link to post Share on other sites
a4a Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 Probably because that's not what true 'middle of the road/loving' Christians are all about. They spread their faith by demonstrating the joy in their own life and by charitable giving of themselves (not donating $$) and do it selflessly and without thought of any reward, but because they love their God and do it to please Him, quietly and with love. That is not my point, my point is : Why don't christians "police" themselves? Rid their establishment of the hateful greed filled hypocrites such as Robertson ect. And you certainly do not have to be a christian to give selflessly without reward. Nor do you have to be a christian or buddist or shoe worshiping human to be a whole person or worthy person. a4a Link to post Share on other sites
d'Arthez Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 I was totally kidding/being sarcastic..- thanks for understanding Outcast I thought so, but as I was not familiar with your political views, and I could read it otherwise, I just posted it to make certain that no misunderstanding would result. Link to post Share on other sites
penkitten Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 did anyone remind mr pat robertson that a very long time ago, god wanted to rid the world of such evils that god flooded the world and the only creatures that were saved were on an ark. then when all was said and done god said " ok im not going to do this ever again and i will remind you with this new rainbow i created as a symbol." it seems to me, in my own opinion, that hurricane katrina could not have been created to rid the world of "bad" people doing "bad" things as mr robertson suggests and that anyone that has ever heard or read of this childrens bible story would agree. the truth is simple: things are what they are and they probally do happen for some sort of reason, perhaps the reason is not "trying to rid the world of bad people " but rather " good people unite and help each other in times of crisis." Link to post Share on other sites
tinktronik Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 Me, Well howdy neighbor! You must live near me. It is amazing to me that you hear "love" being preached and so much fear and hate show in the actions of those same people doing the preaching. a4a Howdy to both of you then, sounds like where I live, either of you by chance living in Texas? Link to post Share on other sites
tinktronik Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 I was going to leave my earlier post as is and leave this whole post alone, but can't seem to. I don't know about the rest of you , most are older than me , so have a different experience of when you grew up .Im only 26 , so dident live through the womens movement or segregation issues. At my age,and memory span, the only true tragedy has been 911 . The last few years Ive watched my country change radically ,and most of this while I was becomming an adult. Ive watched our current president rally the right wing christian movement . And laws of church and state became issues as well as rights of marrige while the "real" issues our country is facing seemed to fall away from the media attention . Opression does seem in this country (the US) to be more opressive than Ive experienced before. Here there are laws that you must ID when asked for seeming suspicious "no def. " to police if you do not show them your "papers" you will be arrested and can be held up to two years without trial, If you are seen by police speaking to someone on the street you can be held for a drug related charge even if no drugs were exchanged or on your person, The jail here in D is infamous for prisoners being held without being charged , no medical treatment being given to the sick or mentally ill, and prisoners dying in their cells from things like the water being turned off by guards. The Large Christian groups seem to be the ones doing the work pollitically to keep the current president in office (thus his reelection) . I dont agree with republican views ( wouldent put myself firmly in the D camp either) , and Im not a christian ( a buddhist) .Nothing will change unless you as a single human being is willing to speak out about it , or me , or the next guy .Only if those are willing to work for change , and the society in which we live is so saturated in fast food and tv , video games , that this generation is largely lazy . Sorry if its not readable , Ive had too mch coffee today . 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Moai Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 CHristianity is the only religion that I am aware of whose members feel they are not fee because they can't force their beliefs on everyone else. That doesn't stop them from trying, of course. I could never live in an area I read some of you here describing. Where I live, prostitution is legal, liquor is available 24 hours a day, everyday, and there are adult bookstores everywhere. Even most mini-marts have pornography. I love it, love it, love it. Link to post Share on other sites
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