World Economic Forum Speeches

[jstell]

Love thy neighbour, look after people in distress, support and whip-round for those who need it etc.

You don't need religion for this.  You just need a like-minded community to gather and address the local needs.  Religion is a stand-in for that for a lot of people, but the fairy tale part is completely unnecessary. 

What's "whip-round"?

[neurosis]

Overall, at local level, I now believe religion is 100% a good thing.
Love thy neighbour, look after people in distress, support and whip-round for those who need it etc.
The world needs far more of this IMHO....

Being the most vocal atheist on the forum, I agree.

The only problem I've ever had with religion are the hypocrites.

[jstell]

The only problem I've ever had with religion are the hypocrites.

That and the proselytizing. 

[jstell]

I once had a man with pamphlets show up on my porch on a pleasant afternoon, and because I was feeling good about the day, and because he had his middle-school-age son with him, I didn't reach for the broom to run him off.  His schtick was about the importance of honesty and truth in the face of lies, and how truth was the ultimate good, ultimate goal.  I had recently read Sam Harris' "Lying" and pointed out to this man that truth is almost always the best policy, but occasionally it is unwise.  Example:  when your wife asks "Do these pants make my butt look big?"  You should definitely not tell her "Honey, it's not the pants."  He got a chuckle, and his kid blushed.  And I recommended the Sam Harris book to him, saying "he's written a couple other books, but this one's a short read."  So I got my own ammusment at the thought of him looking up Sam Harris.

[CNCAppsJames]

...
The only problem I've ever had with religion are the hypocrites.

Come on in, there's always room for one more. 

 

[jstell]

Come on in, there's always room for one more.

Now this I like.  Proselytizing for hypocricy.  Come.  Join us.  We seek the truths.  We'll switch to whichever one we find convenient at the time.   

[neurosis]

Come on in, there's always room for one more.

I think you guys have enough hypocrites in the bunch? (I'm pro-life but if you try to take my guns i'll fuckin kill you!)  Do you really need one more? 

[neurosis]

Now this I like.  Proselytizing for hypocricy.  Come.  Join us.  We seek the truths.  We'll switch to whichever one we find convenient at the time.   

Your answer was better.  

[CNCAppsJames]

I think you guys have enough hypocrites in the bunch? (I'm pro-life but if you try to take my guns i'll fuckin kill you!)  Do you really need one more? 

There's always room for one more. ALWAYS.

[neurosis]

There's always room for one more. ALWAYS.

That's what the Jehovah's Witnesses keep telling me. 

[mowens]

You guys are taking a very large, very diverse segment of the pooulation and treating them like they are all the same. That's pretty ignorant for such "enlightened" people. And being very smug about it too.

There are 5 million United Methodists in the U.S.. How many have you seen proselytizing? How about Presbyterian  have you seen? Mennoties? Lutherans? Episcopalian? I'll tell you. Almost none. Unless you hear them talk about a fund raiser or charity event. Yet you have the hubris to look down on them with disdain and talk about hypocrites. Look in a mirror.

[neurosis]

You guys are taking a very large, very diverse segment of the pooulation and treating them like they are all the same. That's pretty ignorant for such "enlightened" people. And being very smug about it too.

I'm not sure who you mean by "you guys". Nowhere in my comments did I say "all". Most of my comments were made in jest, but I do have a problem with anyone who acts morally superior but their opinions or actions are contradictory, or they don't practice what they preach. If someone reads that and thinks I'm talking about them, maybe they need to take a look at themselves in the mirror?  I do see a lot of that in the "evangelicals" in government. If I do have any negative opinions of religion, that's where they come from.

Most of the conversations I've had about religion on this forum come from the direction of - if it helps you live a better life, I don't see a downside. As long as it doesn't affect me.

And of course when I talk about religion it's probably going to come across as smug in the same way that several people on this board have come across as being smug when they look down their nose at, or describe their opinion and criticism of atheists. If you want to talk about painting a group with a broad brush.

How many have you seen proselytizing?

For the record, I didn't mention proselytizing (I did joke about jehovas witnesses - my sister is one) but I did think that jstells comment was funny. I took it as a snarky joke. I'm not sure how anyone else took it.

[TylerBeer]

You obviously don't follow Canadian politics. Listening to the CBC isn't doing you any favours. It has been a biased news source for decades, providing crying rooms for employees.

https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/former-cbc-employee-lawsuit-toxic-workplace

I do follow Canadian politics and Pierre pollievre had zero policy - he's a whining career politician with no practical experience and no ideas other than complaining about others. He lost his seat and his kowtowing to American foreign policy at this point verges on being a traitor. Conservatives should be embarrassed that was their candidate and should do better. The cons weren't a bad party it's these radical right weirdos that are ruining it. 

[TylerBeer]

This is the most CBC-Tier take I have ever read.

What was his platform?

[Brian]

The cons weren't a bad party it's these radical right weirdos that are ruining it.

Wow-just like here in the good ol' US of A!

The word "conservative" doesn't mean what it used to 50 years ago (perhaps even 20 years ago, sadly). It's as if the sensible middle ground has disappeared and we've all somehow sorted ourselves into what would formerly be recognized as the "lunatic fringe."