[In response to Americans United's efforts to end Fort Leonard Wood's policy of giving Army recruits a day off base during basic training, if (and ONLY if) they attend a proselytizing, fire and brimstone, Baptist sermon.]
This is just an example of another way we are losing our freedoms. If we sit around and let this tiny group of people dictate how we live our lives and how we help others, where will it stop?
Also, if there is no God, why do these people care so much about stopping this program? Why are they so WORRIED about it if He does't exist? Hmmmm.
42 comments
We don't want to stop it.
That is, if you can provide a equal experience for other soldiers of other faiths.
This shouldn't be a problem if the base has a chaplin, for their spiritual needs.
This is in the adjacent town where Jesus Camp is set and filmed.
(Levi and Rachel)
If I understand it correctly, the issue is that only a certain group of people are getting the day off, to go to church. That doesn't seem fair. I don't think they want to stop the program, they just want to make sure everyone get gets time off and spend it as they wish.
Not everyone wants to spend a beautiful summer day instead a church getting yelled at by a fire/brimstone Baptist minister. I know I don't.
[This is just an example of another way we are losing our freedoms.]
What freedoms have you lost? Name one.
[If we sit around and let this tiny group of people dictate how we live our lives and how we help others, where will it stop?]
Which is exactly what some of us have been saying for years. Glad you could finally join us.
[Also, if there is no God, why do these people care so much about stopping this program?]
It's not an issue of God vs. no God. It's an issue of discrimination. Not all recruits are Baptist. Why is it a Baptist service? Why isn't there a Jewish service, or a Muslim call to prayer?
[Why are they so WORRIED about it if He does't exist? Hmmmm.]
Do you believe in the Flying Spaghetti Monster? No? Well, then you shouldn't have any problem attending compulsory FSM workshops every Sunday, should you?
"Boots" have been programmed by the Army's doctrinaire training strategy. The local preachers know this and are ready and willing to manipulate it to their own nefarious ends. A homesick recruit is an easy target.
My Town Pass day was spent with a pool table and pitchers of beer.
Navy boot camp at Great Lakes, 1966, every Sunday we were all forced to sit in church for an hour; no way out of it, unless you were lucky enough to stand watch during that time. 2 choices; catholic or protestant. Every single time the Blue Jackets Choir marched past the open doors singing Anchors Aweigh. There was one jew in our company, who was allowed to leave on Fridays for a couple hours, but Sundays, he had to sit with us. Even back then, in my ignorant youth, I wondered what the fuck interest the government and military had in our immortal souls. Dogtags were either cath or prot; jews got "protestant" on their tags. Imagine explaining you want "Muslim" or "FSM" on them, or just a blank space.
Riiiiiiiiight!
He goes from "absolutely correct" in the first sentence, to "Oh my God, I can't believe how badly you just contradicted yourself" in the second one, to "are you frickin' retarded?" in the third one.
My, how you have fallen...
"This is just an example of another way we are losing our freedoms. If we sit around and let this tiny group of people dictate how we live our lives and how we help others, where will it stop?"
"This is just an example of another way we are losing our freedoms. If we sit around and let this tiny group of people dictate how we live our lives and how we help others, where will it stop?"
OMNOMNOMNOMNOM This irony is fucking delicious!
Fort Richardson, Alaska, 1955. The only time I attended religious services is when, armed with a .45, I accompanied stockade prisoners. Talk about your good old days!
This is just an example of another way we are losing our freedoms. If we sit around and let this tiny group of people dictate how we live our lives and how we help others, where will it stop?
Also, if there is no God, why do these people care so much about stopping this program? Why are they so WORRIED about it if He does't exist? Hmmmm.
Because this program violates the right to equality under the law. You're not losing freedoms, you're losing favouritism. What you are asking for is for non christians to be second class citizens, and crying persecution if you don't get your way. Fucking grow up and deal with reality on reality's terms!
Also, if there is no God, why do these people care so much about stopping this program? Why are they so WORRIED about it if He does't exist? Hmmmm.
Because people slaughter other people over imaginary things all the time.
Tell me, fightforfreedom, how would you feel if this army base gave recruits a day off if they attended a Muslim seminar at a mosque? Or attended a Wiccan gathering? Wouldn't you perceive that as a REWARD for taking part in a certain religion's activities and as an indirect punishment for not attending that faith-based event?
The Mormon Church has stated that their proselytizing efforts work better on people whose "ramparts have fallen." This is a metaphorical phrase that means a person's sense of a coherent life has been disrupted. This mental dislocation makes people far more prone to religious conversion attempts. Going through the rigors of basic training and being isolated from family, friends, and home certainly qualifies as "fallen ramparts." Which is probably why this group wants to preach to these recruits.
Let's not even discuss the non-Christians. What about the Catholics, Presbyterians, Lutherans, United, Reformed, Mormons, and all of the other sects of Christianity that are out there. Why are they not allowed a day off for church?
That and the idea of fire and brimstone types with large weaponry scares the fuck out of me.
"This is just an example of another way we are losing our freedoms. If we sit around and let this tiny group of people dictate how we live our lives and how we help others, where will it stop?"
And this ignorant, lying theocrat sack of shit will never be honest or enlightened enough to see through his own bullshit. Fucking pathetic.
They're not "worried" that God exists.
They're worried about their Constitutional rights being violated in a governmental job and facility. I would be, too.
By the way, you're not "losing your freedoms." YOU can still go, if you want. It's just that the atheist bloke doesn't want to go, but still wants a day off base.
"Equality" doesn't mean "everyone forced to do something they dislike or disagree with."
So if, you force people to hear utter bullshit, whilst under service is dictating YOU?
I wonder how they said back there..
''You want what? FUCK YOU!''
Soldiers are cloistered on the grounds, unless they attend your sermon of choice. When we say we want to leave grounds just as you are, you're losing freedoms? The fuck?
Seriously, you lot are like five yeaqr olds. Oppression and persecution to you guys is when the government doesn't treat you as the chosen people you think you are.
So freedom now means the ability to force others to attend your sermon? Nice view of freedom there, bubba!
Why not separate the two things? Have the sermon for everyone who wants that, and the day off for every one who wants that.
As far as I understand it, no-one wants to force the Baptists to stop with their sermons, they only want to make them non-mandatory. It's not about whether God exists or not, it's whether to force people to listen to your version of that God.
Why not force on you the freedom to listen to a Catholic sermon in traditional Latin? Why would that WORRY you? You are sure that He exists, right? You will hear about Him in the Catholic sermon as well.
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
To post a comment, you'll need to Sign in or Register . Making an account also allows you to claim credit for submitting quotes, and to vote on quotes and comments. You don't even need to give us your email address.
