NPR was doing a segment this morning on a very large Christian movement to have the new movie, The Golden Compass, boycotted. Of the three Pullman (a professed rejector of organized religion and atheist), this one (based on Northern Lights) has the least occurence of "anti-religion" themes - the last having the most. He is seen as being anti-Christian and anti-Catholic, but if you're familiar with him, he is much more anti-religion in the most general sense.

People are trying to stop their children from seeing this movie, out of fear that interest in the movie will generate interest in the books and *gasp* expose their children to themes of anti-religion.

I really don't understand this.

Why would someone be afraid that their child might learn that there's such a thing as atheism or agnosticism?

Why does the Harry Potter series terrify parents? Is it horrible if children know that there's a fantasy world of magic, or IF they can make the more cognitive connections, that witchcraft is out there?

As an atheist, I would not prevent my child from reading books which presented religion or a diety as a good thing, or books that presented atheism as a bad thing, or books that taught about ideas outside of whatever. If my child wanted to go to church, I would not prevent it. If they wanted to read the bible, I would buy them one. I would hope that my child understands there are different things that are right for different people, and eventually gathers the information needed to make the decision that is right for them... whether it aligns with my personal beliefs is irrelevant. What's right for me isn't right for everyone, and everyone includes my own family.

If we're looking for miracles, we can find any number of unexplainable events that we can choose to believe are miracles. History is full of them. If you are a believer in miracles, you don't find it hard to accept something that can't be explained by conventional wisdom or science, as being a miracle.

If on the other hand you aren't a believer in miracles, you don't find it difficult to believe that unexplained events are just that, unexplained.

Events that defy the norm aren't events that can't happen given the right circumstances. So it is understood by non-believers that they are not miracles, just random events that aren't expected. IMHO, of course.

I would define a miracle as something that defies the laws of the universe. Say turning Water into wine by passing your hand over it. Or resuscitating the dead.

I would call most medical "miracles" cool and happy occurrences, not miracles.

Ironically, the season-ending episode of How I met Your Mother was called "Miracles" and dealt with this topic... Marshal as calling everything remotely wonderful as a miracle and Robin was pooh-poohing them all.

*giggles* Ok, now before anyone gets upset, this is meant as a JOKE, ok? I saw this today and immediately thought of this thread and the opposing sides. Hope everyone has a sense of humour :rolleyes2:

That was funny Fanny, brandyII.

I REALLY want that on a t-shirt, but I don't think it would go over well here in Kentucky, lol!

laurend I'm afraid that tee shirt would get you shot just about anywhere in the U.S. Especially with the political climate of the past 7.5 years hanging over our heads.

But Fanny I see the humor and think it's a perfect post for this thread.

laurend I'm afraid that tee shirt would get you shot just about anywhere in the U.S. Especially with the political climate of the past 7.5 years hanging over our heads.

But Fanny I see the humor and think it's a perfect post for this thread.

Too true. :biggrin:

That was funny! I saw a bumper sticker on a car the other day that made me laugh...

"If Bush is a good CHRISTIAN President

Next time elect an ATHEIST!"

So true...

ErikMesa

(Not an Atheist)

I'd just laugh if I saw somebody wearing this shirt.....and secretly feel superior to them :sad:

Great attitude, plain!

Funny I should rediscover this thread now, because I saw something the other day that reminded me of it. On the rare occasion that I watch TV, I like to watch gratuitous TV. I'm watching it to get away from the things that make me think. So the other day I'm Trading Spouses...

Anyway, there was what I would consider a fairly fanatic christian woman on the show. She was a self-proclaimed GOD WARRIOR, whatever that means. She was actually REALLY obese, super morbidly and then some, and wanting to have gastric bypass surgery. Beside the point, but I do remember that detail. The family she stayed with was more new age - big into astrology, alternative medicine, but in their own right just as spiritual as she was.

She refused to do anything with them, but wanted them to go to church with her.

(long story omitted) I just found the video of her when she returned home, completely flipping out. Watch this and tell me there's not fear there: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCh2FXzD6R4]YouTube - Trading Spouses - Crazy Lady - "I'm a God warrior"[/ame]

Ack...I hate that my company blocks stuff.

I guess they hate it that I try to use their bandwidth for this stuff.

Bringing this whole thread back to the fear factor, I can only speak for myself. I don't fear athiests, or any other belief/non-belief.

Then again, I'm not a God Warrior, or a real "fanatic" about my faith. I'm not really fanatic about anything, really, and sometime envy people who are.

But, that may change once I go home and see the video.

I couldn't watch it all but all I could think was those poor poor kids. Somebody needs to get that woman some psychiatric help, because that is not the behaviour of a mentally healthy person.

Personally, that woman scared the bejeebers out of me! She looked evil and darksided. Wow, just, wow.

SHE'S NOT A CHRISTIANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!

That was one of my top favorite reality moments of alltime. But yeah I do feel a bit bad for her children.