New Blog

[csgray]

It was a member of a "traditional religion" who came through my closed gate this morning, letting my dogs out onto the road, and waking me up on one of the few mornings I get to sleep in, to try to convert me to his Christian religion. I wouldn't exactly call that being in the closet!

I have never had my privacy intruded upon like that by anyone except Christians out to gain converts; who have in the past gone so far as to look in my windows to determine if I was home (I was just getting out of the shower so they got an eyeful when they peered into my bedroom window) even though I had told them to never disturb me again. In spite of being told to leave me and my family alone, and in spite of the No Soliciting sign, they came to my home twice a year for 15 years until I finally told them that if they ever set foot on my property again I would let my dogs out to deal with them and charge them with trespassing. Then they just accosted my children out in the yard or playing in the street and tried to convert them. If I had tried to convert their children to my religious beliefs they probably would have wanted to have me arrested. If "traditional religions" want respect and sensitivity to their feelings they should start treating members of other religions with respect and sensitivity.

Carol

[mella l]

Well I'm dense, I didn't see the second cartoon, just the first. I do understand that it is offensive. And yes for real my cat has been blackballed from the entire state.

mella l

[missydog1]

Greg, I tried to leave a caption but it came out weird ... in large font and saying Undefined.
I just typed in the box ... I feel so pathetic ...

Thanks for the laughs!

oink, re your comment

quote:

---

Those that hold traditional religious beliefs have a right to be part of modern society too.

---

I agree. A PART. And when one is a part, and accepts that fractionality, one needs to let other people have their say and not complain that other person not of my faith didn't take MY religious beliefs into account.

[oink]

Carol, anybody from any religion (or no religion) who continues to bother you when they have been told not to is an AH. I'm polite to them the first time but not the second. After that they are trespassing. People of all flavors are capable of being asses. Not all groups of asses use the same methods. Some who are affiliated with certain religious groups use the method you described. Bottom line is it's not a religion issue it's an AH issue.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[oink]

Kathy, re your comment

quote:

---

one needs to let other people have their say

---

I agree with that part, but one has every right to speak out if they feel what was said was objectionable. It's a two way street. It should apply to religion, politics, sexual orientation, drug use, etc. If you intend to make a statement that you know or should know will be seen as insensitive or objectionable by some people, you should expect them to respond. You can then ignore it, discuss it, or if you choose, belittle them for having a belief or opinion that is different from yours.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[Jon]

Oink, You are also correct... Of course you can voice your offense, I am sorry if it came across that you should not. My belief is that you should not hold your beliefs against someone that may not believe the way you do. I see it simply as the right to attack or make fun of all things. I do not hold Damon's beliefs against him, quite the opposite, I want to understand how he came about them so I can reflect on my own.

Lets analyze the cartoon and see what is offensive...
it looks to me as though its a persecuted person being compared to Jesus Christ. The humor I get from it is that the person does not know how bad it can really be and the pointed end of the humor stick is really pointed at the person, not Jesus Christ. Basically what I see is a shallow person being confronted with how big life could really be.

But please remember that I also find the 3 stooges funny.




Sorry to keep picking on you Damon... but you are an easy target []...





-----------------------------------------------------------
I do not believe that America is better than everybody else...
America "IS" everybody else.
HBAT

[gtill]

I'm sure we'll see the same type of satire covering other religions who's laws allow the man to rape their women, and stone to death as a punishment. I agree to ignore, as it really doesn't bother me and I agree about the pushiness of some sects of Chrsitians, I tell them to leave and they learn, my wife used to get a kick out of arguing them, she liked to get em riled. Fact is all religions have their good and bad, but the efforts some put out negating only one, as if it is the only wrong one is pretty naieve. However you are in competition if you are a blogger, that seems to be the attitude of many of em. Please give us one at least as good about Mohamed, sign it, and I'll pay you to syndicate it. Preferably around Ramadan!

[oink]

I'm not a person that's really up on religious dogma. I do understand the irony intended as humor. I would assume a large part of the offense is the timing, although some offense could be taken anytime someone uses profanely what may be the most holy image in Christianity. A small demonstration of respect would limit use of such an anology to a season other than the one that celebrates what many see as the greatest of all sacrifices and the most holy of all events.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[csgray]

Oink,
If someone uses their religion to justify being an AH then it is a religion issue, in fact it is a religious AH issue. Religions of all kinds have been used to justify some of the worst behavior humans are capable of as GTill's post points out. The cartoon was poking fun at self proclaimed martyrs, not Christians; those who are so easily offended should maybe just avoid all attempts at humor. Humor is often offensive to someone. For those who are not easily offended I recommend the book I just finished by SciFi author Terry Pratchett, "Small Gods" he doesn't pick on any one religion, more on the whole concept of organized religions, how they come about, and their role in totalitarian political systems. Very funny stuff.

Carol

[missydog1]

you're right, oink, people can have their say and people will respond, and that's OK.

My own comment that got some attention here, was about how Christians believe that this time of year is their sacred time. I see this as being overly centric about one's own religion. Christianity appropriated two periods of the annual cycle that were important to pre-Christian celebrations.

Easter/spring is the time when the earth begins to renew itself and is born again, in terms of agriculture. Passover was already a major Jewish holiday, prior to the Crucifixion. It is a very symbolic time of year for all people. My objection was to the attitude that Easter time is the special province of Christians ... I am not a Christian, but I celebrate Easter.

I also celebrate the winter solstice, which symbolizes the ascendancy of light over dark in the annual cycle. This too was celebrated by other cultures before Christianity came along and turned it into the time of the birth of Christ.

My comment was simply that Easter belongs to everyone. I would hope it's good for people who are locked into their beliefs to be told bluntly that other people do not necessarily buy into the same rules as to what is tasteful or appropriate, at what times. To me it is a way of forcing beliefs on other people.

The Crucifixion was not being mocked here, in any case, as has been well-explained.