OK, every time a front page article has anything to do with religion I think about posting it, but I'm usually too lazy or something to do so, but after this
one I figured I finally would.
First off, I consider myself a Christian. I love alcohol, titties, and swearing, but I still consider myself a Christian. Maybe I'm not a very good one, but whatever. Everytime a front page article about religion is posted the comments are full of statements bashing religion. Now this isn't directed at Jim, as he said "And for my part, what I said about glorification in the article was a joke. There's something to be said about insecurity there as well.", and I believe him. I can recognize a joke, and Jim treats everything with the same irreverence. But the problem is when commenters post things like calling religion a "antiquated, corrupt governing body" and "people "obey" and talk to thin air, and yet are so in the majority, that others who rely on the common sense needed to realize that you can't have a relationship with a non-responsive nothing are the ones who are "crazy" or "weird"" and "God I love when churches burn down".
The problem is when religion comes up, people are allowed to be outright hateful, when we would not allow this happen in other instances. Certain words here at DToid are censored from being posted, such as (extremely racial slur) and (extremely hateful homosexual slur). Say, if there was a story about someone of any race killing in a videogame related incident, and someone posted a comment saying "Well, that's a (whatever related racial slur) for ya." out of honest malice, that would not be OK. But when one of these religious stories happens if someone berates all Christians/whatever religion in malice, it's just business as usual.
I'm not saying free speech should be outlawed here, but I wish we at Destructoid, who I like to think for the most part are pretty forward thinking when it comes to sexuality, race, and the such, could move past the "all religious people are hypocrites and all religion is a farce".
Coonskin05's blog
Follow
RSS
Contact
I'm sorry if I offended you, but going into a religious debate, which is all it does,causes issues for others, is unnecessary.
Keep Religion of Destructoid. kthxbai.
Nah, I hear ya dude, sometimes it does get out of hand, but this IS the internet, and remember, anonymity gives you the freedom to be a jerk-off.
The problem is not religion, the problem is our religious leaders, they are the ones responsible for the portryal of different religions, and they are the ones failing at thier 'jobs'.
Wanna know how I know?
I'm a muslim, and by God, the religous leaders are shit, all fanatical, money hungry, power mongering, hateful bastards.
I think people pursue religion because it aims to be an easy answer to a very complex and ultimately indecipherable question: why are we here, where are we going, what place do we have in the big picture, etc. It's comforting and securing to have such a ready-made answer to such difficult questions, and although it might be seen as intellectually lazy, there's absolutely nothing wrong with having a belief system, or professing faith. 'Cos at the end of the day, people harbour these myriad feelings for the same reasons, right?
You said it best. :)
Also, in before assholes.
I see what you're saying, but I'll say the same thing here that I've said about pretty much every complaint people make on the Internet. You don't need to take it seriously. People talk shit online, and we let them get away with it because their inflamed opinions are entertaining, precious and harmless.
If you want to let it get up your nose, I won't try to stop you.
also I don't care for alcohol, but I do love me some titties
But I find it rather amusing that people here are making themselves the victims, because the atheists are criticizing their faith. Yeah, because no religious person has ever told us that we are going to hell for not believing in the great almighty lord.
Just saying, thats all. You're not the only ones...
And I agree, I don't diss religion unless it's jokingly dissing, within boundaries, or someone is just shoving religion down my throat.
Even then, I have boundaries. I have respect in others religions.
Also, Oreo's and Apple Drank are the best things ever.
you see this in the comments all the time: people are outright hating on something then someone says it's not so bad and the comments reflect that one.
You haven't noticed the lobster milkshakes on the front page?
Personally, I'm a mixed bag.
I'm christian. I went to sunday school and all that jazz although not of my choice but I digress
I believe in creationism and evolution. I beleive there is still a higher power, god. I beleive that Jesus existed but not everything he did was true to the bible. Those are my beliefs and I don't impose them on others like my opinion of videogames nor should they be peroid. I thought we were passed the crusades.
But enough of that; let's talk aboot videogames
videogames are swell.
Also, agree.
Also, religious doctrine helps no one, but believing in something positive (god, buddha, allah, whatever) can't be a bad thing if it helps you.
Race and sexual orientation are not related to our personalities or sense of morality, and are therefore nothing to be ashamed of and completely off-limits when it comes to mockery or insult. Religious belief, just like political belief or opinion of any sort, is indicative of someone's mind state and opinions and philosophies and should therefore be completely open to attack.
I'm not saying that it's not dickish and/or annoying to outright attack people about it in the comments every two seconds, but it's just as justifiable as talking about how much you hate certain politicians or ideas.
And I can confirm that God also digs alcohol and titties -- though He may require some appropriate context for said titties. :) I'm not so sure about the swearing, but in lieu of a definitive answer, I opt to have a somewhat controlled potty-mouth... little bit of both worlds.
Random thought: It'd be interesting if Dtoid had a Christian on staff, and that Christian took Sterling-like jabs at an atheism-related story. I wonder what the response would be like.
If a Christian staff member made jabs at atheism, all the Internet Atheists (TM) would get their panties in a bunch, because they're a load of crybabies who are no better than the people who try to force their religion of choice down the rest of the world's throat.
That being said, nothing pisses me off more than the douchebag atheists who have nothing better to do than post "LOL YOUR GOD IS A LIE" every time the topic of religion is mentioned. There are some legitimate concerns about any given religion out there, especially when it starts to become intertwined with politics. However, the vast majority of religious believers are normal people who prefer to keep their faith to themselves. So are the vast majority of atheists. It's the vocal minority on both sides that make everyone look like assholes to the other group.
1. Thou shalt not be a dick online, be it via Xbox Live or via Messageboard;
2. Thou shalt not act like a child when the media belittles gaming;
3. Thou shalt not engage in any fanboyish behaviour, and accept all criticism with humility;
4. Thou shalt get out of the house, be around real people, and have interests not related to gaming;
5. Thou shalt act at least slightly appropriately in public;
6. Thou shalt not own a wardrobe only consisting of slobby novelty t-shirts;
7. Thou shalt recognize that all gamers, and, indeed, all people are created equal, and treat them with respect;
8. Thou shalt find ways to express thyself without using words that disparage based on prejudice;
9. Thou shalt learn how to argue correctly, and accept when you have failed to do so with grace;
10. Thou shalt start treating games and, indeed, all topics as something where meaningful discourse is encouraged.
If motherfuckers would just read the ten commandments then they'd know. I mean, really, picking on religions? Who the fuck in their right mind thinks to themselves, "it's the right thing to do to pick out the spiritual legs on this person?"
Rev, you're cherry-picking. His core argument is that it's fucked up to say that kinda shit on this site. Whether or not his metaphor is apt is irrelevant.
Sometimes the internet makes me embarrassed to be atheist because we're pretty much the biggest piece-of-shit religion on the internet (and yeah, atheism IS a faith-- a faith that everything you "know" based on science is correct-- which cannot be grounded in any way).
Try being an Atheist in America.