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I do think advertisers and politicians should be held to account.
Sure, they should be. And they are. (Of course, not always everybody is held to account the way we want, that's clear, the system sure ain't perfect.)
It's just, if in doubt (and there is often doubt), it's better to err in favor of free speech than it is to err in favor of censorship.
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"The more you cave, the more they're not satisfied."
Solium's best line ever
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Posted: |
Sep 29, 2023 - 12:29 PM
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By: |
Ado
(Member)
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In the modern world there's nothing inherently authoritarian about religion. Most religions leave open the option for one to do whatever one wants, while reminding one of the repercussions that follow disobedience. The severity of the repercussions really depends on the religion. If a Christian rejects Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, then he'll supposedly go to Hell. If a Jew doesn't keep kosher, then... nothing happens to him. The Talmud states that a Jew who doesn't keep kosher shall be subjected to thirty-nine lashes, but I highly doubt that rule is being kept anywhere in the world. Apostasy in Islam is punishable by death in some Middle Eastern countries, but that has more to do with structure of government than it does with Islam itself (though I do think that Islam is the most flawed of the Abrahamic religions).
In the modern world, where it's becoming increasingly difficult to believe in anything supernatural, most of these repercussions ring hollow. Religions have had to make many concessions over the years to society, which is shaped primarily by technological development. Religion (with the exception of Islam) is now mostly harmless.
The rise of Christian Nationalism is not harmless. The close association between white nationalism and christian nationalism is well established at this point. A lot of the rioters prosecuted for January 6 wore Christian iconography, and embellish their favorite political icon with religious symbology, which makes it more of a cult than a religion. Either way, it is certainly not harmless. Even after being prosecuted for crimes a lot of these people stick with the same ideology, that violence and the overthrow of democracy is perfectly valid.
I wish this was not the reality in the US, but.. it is
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Posted: |
Sep 29, 2023 - 2:09 PM
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By: |
ibelin
(Member)
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Ha! The moment religion is used to galvanize a group into war, it's no longer harmless. Wars – mechanized, cultural or both – are currently ongoing in every single country, county, state, province, territory on the planet.
How many of those wars were caused by religion? From Wikipedia: 'According to the Encyclopedia of Wars, out of all 1,763 known/recorded historical conflicts, 121, or 6.87%, had religion as their primary cause.' 6.87% is not nothing, but there are more important factors that lead to conflict or war. There have been terrible tragedies caused by religion, such as the attacks of 11 September 2001, but the existential problems facing us today—climate change, the prospect of nuclear war, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, etc.—have very little to do with religion. In the modern era, religion is mostly harmless in the grand scheme of things.
Besides, the only contemporary religious conflicts I can think of are the situations in Kashmir, in Northern Ireland, and in Israel and Palestine. There are certainly others, but, owing to my ignorance of international relations, I can't name them. But I bet most of them involve Islam in some way.  The Sunni and the Shia don't seem to be too fond of each other these days.
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Religion (with the exception of Islam) is now mostly harmless.
Ha! The moment religion is used to galvanize a group into war, it's no longer harmless. Wars – mechanized, cultural or both – are currently ongoing in every single country, county, state, province, territory on the planet.
If there is one state of being that seems most natural, it's war.
I don't mind.
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Posted: |
Sep 29, 2023 - 3:26 PM
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By: |
Col. Flagg
(Member)
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How many of those wars were caused by religion? From Wikipedia: 'According to the Encyclopedia of Wars, out of all 1,763 known/recorded historical conflicts, 121, or 6.87%, had religion as their primary cause.' 6.87% is not nothing, but there are more important factors that lead to conflict or war. There have been terrible tragedies caused by religion, such as the attacks of 11 September 2001, but the existential problems facing us today—climate change, the prospect of nuclear war, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, etc.—have very little to do with religion. In the modern era, religion is mostly harmless in the grand scheme of things.
Besides, the only contemporary religious conflicts I can think of are the situations in Kashmir, in Northern Ireland, and in Israel and Palestine. There are certainly others, but, owing to my ignorance of international relations, I can't name them. But I bet most of them involve Islam in some way. The Sunni and the Shia don't seem to be too fond of each other these days.
I think you have too narrow a view of "religion."
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If you need a simpler example, if someone sins without sincerely repenting to God afterward, then he'll go to Hell! So if you murder someone or if you play with your wiener, then you'd better pray to God to ask for His forgiveness.