charlie5 0 #51 June 30, 2011 Quote I would argue that too. And I'm an atheist. On the other hand, if some Christian were offended by my not wanting a cross on my gravestone, tough shit for them. Pretty much my thoughts exactly, though I'm an agnostic not atheist. If someone died/risked their life for this country they could put an f'ing pentagram for all I care. It doesn't really make a difference to me what religious symbols a cemetery uses for people's beliefs as long as they aren't using tax money to prosthelytize. I look forwards to waxing philosophical with DanG at orange The feather butts bounce off ya like raindrops hitting a battle-star when they come in too fast...kinda funny to watch. - airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lurch 0 #52 June 30, 2011 "Every Athiest I'm aware of wants all signs of religion remove from public property" Well, thats easily fixed. I'm an atheist and I totally don't care. In some areas in fact, where others demand such removal I would demand it be left the hell alone. In fact, I don't even have a problem with...(gasp) Christmas decorations. In fact I even like them. The whole seasonal vibe thing, heavy religious freight and all. Including the corny christmas songs and stuff. Regardless of how I view the belief structures behind it, Christmas itself, minus the commercialized elements, is culturally self-justified just because people and especially kids, love it. So what if there is heavy tie-in to some silly myths. My lack of interest in Pokemon does not lead me to demand references to it be removed from my sight, why would the religion of others get harsher treatment? Amazing thought, this: being an atheist while being tolerant. Who'da thunk it was, like, even possible? Even more amazing are the lengths people will go to in order to come up with something to tweak out about. Yawn. How... boring. -BLive and learn... or die, and teach by example. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #53 June 30, 2011 Quote I totally don't care. Frankly, neither do I. But when Gravitymaster double-dog dared anyone to say "X", I couldn't resist, so I cut & pasted "X" into the next post. (I'd thought it was obvious from context; but whatever.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andy9o8 0 #54 June 30, 2011 Quotemy friend ended up conducting the funeral himself. I just thought it was interesting they had noone available. It's actually not that surprising. In our society, virtually everyone who is "in the business" of officiating at funerals are clergy. And it's doubtful that non-clergy with the speech-writing and public-speaking skills to do it capably and comfortably, like classroom teachers or trial lawyers, for example, would be part of most funeral homes' network of available officiants. Hm! Maybe you've identified a niche market. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gravitymaster 0 #55 June 30, 2011 Depends on your definition of "Aware". Perhaps I should have said the ones I know personally and have had a discussion about athiesim with. That doesn't mean I don't know any athiests who don't care, it just means that the ones that don't care are a lot less likely to bring it up. I would also point out that approx. 25% of the people responding to the poll, want all religious symbols removed from cemetaries. I imagine the number that want religious symbols removed from all public property is much higher than that. Are you surprised by that number? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #56 June 30, 2011 QuoteThat doesn't mean I don't know any athiests who don't care, it just means that the ones that don't care are a lot less likely to bring it up. just like all the other religions - just because the 1% are fanatics and loud and in your face and get 99% of the attention doesn't mean we treat the other 99% as identical. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gravitymaster 0 #57 June 30, 2011 QuoteQuoteThat doesn't mean I don't know any athiests who don't care, it just means that the ones that don't care are a lot less likely to bring it up. just like all the other religions - just because the 1% are fanatics and loud and in your face and get 99% of the attention doesn't mean we treat the other 99% as identical. I'm not sure in this case it's only 1% that are fanatics. Look at the poll numbers. And that's just the ones who want religious symbols removed from cemetaries. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanG 1 #58 June 30, 2011 You're assuming that everyone who voted to remove the symbols is an atheist. That's not necessarily true. - Dan G Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gravitymaster 0 #59 June 30, 2011 QuoteYou're assuming that everyone who voted to remove the symbols is an atheist. That's not necessarily true. How do you know that? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Southern_Man 0 #60 June 30, 2011 QuoteQuotemy friend ended up conducting the funeral himself. I just thought it was interesting they had noone available. It's actually not that surprising. In our society, virtually everyone who is "in the business" of officiating at funerals are clergy. And it's doubtful that non-clergy with the speech-writing and public-speaking skills to do it capably and comfortably, like classroom teachers or trial lawyers, for example, would be part of most funeral homes' network of available officiants. Hm! Maybe you've identified a niche market. Some funeral directors will do it themselves. Not all of them are comfortable or competent with that, though. It is very difficult for anybody, trained or not, to conduct a meaningful funeral for somebody they did not know personally. I say that having conducted many funerals including quite a few for people I had never met. In those cases I think the family is best served by doing most of it themselves. When I was approached to do one for somebody I didn't know that is (essentially) the role I tried to maneuvor into, with me acting as an MC of sorts and even doing some of the scripture reaing, prayers, etc. but hte family doing some of the substantive talking about the person's life and their memories. Sometimes the family wasn't comfortable even doing that much so you always work with what you have. In that case I tried to mine as many personal recollections and anecdotes as I could from them and include them in my remarks. For somebody w/out any faith connection I have no idea what sort of officiant they would want or what they want that person to do."What if there were no hypothetical questions?" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanG 1 #61 June 30, 2011 QuoteHow do you know that? Um, because you wrote this: QuoteI'm not sure in this case it's only 1% that are fanatics. Look at the poll numbers. And that's just the ones who want religious symbols removed from cemetaries. From context I thought you intended for "the ones" to refer to atheists. I'm not going to go back and reconstruct the entire back and forth, I don't care to get into a war of semantics. - Dan G Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #62 June 30, 2011 Quote I don't care to get into a war of semantics. it's less of a war and more of an arm wrestling match ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DanG 1 #63 June 30, 2011 You mean thumb wrestling? - Dan G Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gravitymaster 0 #64 June 30, 2011 Mental Jiu Jitsu Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Calvin19 0 #65 June 30, 2011 The illusion of tolerance is really trendy these days. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
charlie5 0 #66 June 30, 2011 QuoteThe illusion of tolerance is really trendy these days. Not true, I'll tolerate your beliefs as long as they fall in line with mine.The feather butts bounce off ya like raindrops hitting a battle-star when they come in too fast...kinda funny to watch. - airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Amazon 7 #67 June 30, 2011 Quote Quote The illusion of tolerance is really trendy these days. Not true, I'll tolerate your beliefs as long as they fall in line with mine. Is that Falling with the Great Sky-GOD in the sky Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
