Gideons Christians

[MaddLlama]

A lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and a Muslim woman over the use of the Koran and other non-Christian texts for [North Carolina] state courtroom oaths should be allowed to go forward, the state Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.
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from Fox News

'fraid it's not hollywood.

I think you misunderstood. The state allows you to swear on a Bible if you want to, but it's not the only option for a legal oath. The woman in question wanted to swear on a Holy text other than the Bible (instead of none at all), and she's trying to get her own legally recognized.
No state, including California forces you to swear on a holy text. Not even when they're swearing you into political office - that's just for the pictures.

 

[Nanda]

Only if you answer "Yes" to this question:

"Is this the hill I want to die on?"

I'd rather quote Leutenant Warf and say "Perhaps today is a good day to die!"

I assume you mean metaphorically. I don't have a problem with metaphorical death. Bring it on.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

The Gideons don't make you take them, do they?

They certainly don't here.

We have a saying here in America: It's a free country.

They can offer you one and you can say no.



Yeah, it's called "freedom of religion."

I got one of my copies of the Bhagavad-Gita from my brother, who had it practically shoved on him by the Hari Krishnas as a "gift"...and then they demanded money. My brother sweetly replied that is ungracious to demand money in exchange for a "gift" and when he got home gave me the book.

The Gideons I've seen are nowhere near heavy handed, and they don't ask you to pay for your "free" Bible.

HAri krishnas are just annoying, they even treid it on my brother once. He just said no. But religion shouldnt come to schools, except learnin to tolerate. They really are missionaries is disguise, their real idea is to convert. I ahould read that bible, but im not bothered, and thats with any religious text. Im saying that gideons should be allowed to give out bibles in SCHOOL. You cant exactly say no either, my christian R.E teacher standing right next to me, no-one will say no. Gideons are putting bibles in bins by giving them to kids.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

You might want to actually read that Bible you got, Penguino. Read the Gospels and find the part where Jesus commands His followers to spread the Gospel.

They're being obedient to their religion.

You may argue about some methods being over the top, but to complain about Christians finding any *polite* way to be obedient to the commands of their religion is on a par with non-Hindus telling Hindus to practice their religion with no reference to murtis.

Obendience o their religion is wrong in this case. Children are still naive while young, many children are weak-minded. They can be asy to convert. God knows if they realise what happend to them at that age

 

[Gentoo]

Obendience o their religion is wrong in this case. Children are still naive while young, many children are weak-minded. They can be asy to convert. God knows if they realise what happend to them at that age

Even if they do convert, that's not the end-all. They could convert back or to something else as they grow older and gain new wisdom. There's a lot of good in Christianity, and every other religion too.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

Of course, very tru, i just think children should have the options on the table, let them think of the right one.

 

[Gentoo]

Of course, very tru, i just think children should have the options on the table, let them think of the right one.

Handing out Bibles is one of the Christian ways of getting their material on the table.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

Material in real doesent need to be there. A child knows of all the religions once there about 13ish. If your lucky. I dont think Gideons intend to put material on the table, they inted to put the ONLY material on the table, to convert.

 

[lunamoth]

I was handed a coule of little picket-sized copies of the NT + Psalms etc by the Gideons on campus a number of years ago and I was pleased to have them. In fact I still have them becuas they are such a handy size and I keep one right here next to the computer still. And I'm also thankful for the reading material in hotel rooms.

But...

I can see the point of people who protest. It does not seem right to give them out in a public school...a college campus seems more appropriate. I'd be happy to get whatever free material people hand out...I'm interested to read about any religion including Satanism or whatever, mostly out of curiosity. But I would not want someone to hand a Satantic Bible to my kids in junior high school.

 

[Bishka]

Material in real doesent need to be there. A child knows of all the religions once there about 13ish. .

Hardly. They may know a couple of the major ones, but there is so much out there it's almost impossible for a child to know that, plus there are several different denominations of Christianity, would the child know each and everything about them at age 13?

 

[Jaymes]

When you are a kid, you do what the teacher says, its standard, they say, take it and read it, theyll do it!!!

Really now? What school do you go to? Our teachers had a hard enough time when we were in 7th grade to get us to read our classwork, let alone something that's as dry a read as a Bible.

And your teacher instructed you to not only accept it, but go home and read it? Your story seems to have changed a bit from the beginning, when it was just that kids felt pressured to take it.

 

[Rolling_Stone]

Call me a skeptic, but I have a hard time swallowing that. Why are they handing them out, in your opinion, if not to convert people?

Well, if it isn't intolerance, it's paranoia.

 

[Jaymes]

Well, if it isn't intolerance, it's paranoia.

How is it paranoid when they state on their own website that it's their aim to convert people?

 

[Gentoo]

Hardly. They may know a couple of the major ones, but there is so much out there it's almost impossible for a child to know that, plus there are several different denominations of Christianity, would the child know each and everything about them at age 13?

I didn't know that people practiced religions other than the Abrahamic ones, Hindu and Buddhism until I reached high school. And even then, my knowledge of Christianity was limited to Catholic and Protestant.

 

[jamaesi]

Understanding (not necessarily believing in) the Bible is a key understanding a lot of Western culture, literature... If anything, it's a free educational opportunity. If you don't want it, just say "no, thank you" and keep moving.

I would be every happy if I could complete my collection of religious and holy texts for free by just walking down the street, LOL.

 

[Rolling_Stone]

Having read the Gita and other Hindu works, I can’t help but wonder why a Hindu would be bothered by someone handing out Bibles unless they were either insecure or unknowledgeable about their religion. After all, the great strength of Hinduism is its adaptability and versatility. And why are atheists so willing to go through the courts to impose their interpretation of the law as though it is a Constitutional right to not be offended? They don’t seem to mind when religions are offended. Or is “hypocrite” a term that should be reserved for religionists?

 

[MaddLlama]

Having read the Gita and other Hindu works, I can’t help but wonder why a Hindu would be bothered by someone handing out Bibles unless they were either insecure or unknowledgeable about their religion. After all, the great strength of Hinduism is its adaptability and versatility. And why are atheists so willing to go through the courts to impose their interpretation of the law as though it is a Constitutional right to not be offended? They don’t seem to mind when religions are offended. Or is “hypocrite” a term that should be reserved for religionists?

We're technically not talking about the US, as this was something that happened in the UK. So a discussion of US laws and policies is moot, and off the topic, as is your distaste for atheists.

 

[Booko]

A lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and a Muslim woman over the use of the Koran and other non-Christian texts for [North Carolina] state courtroom oaths should be allowed to go forward, the state Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.
​

from Fox News

'fraid it's not hollywood.

No, it is Hollywood...read the article:

State law allows witnesses preparing to testify in court to take their oath either by laying a hand over a "Holy Scripture," by saying "so help me God" without the use of a religious book or by using no religious symbols.

They have a valid legal complaint in that their holy scripture is not allowed, but they are NOT forced to swear on a Bible.

 

[Don Penguinoini]

Having read the Gita and other Hindu works, I can’t help but wonder why a Hindu would be bothered by someone handing out Bibles unless they were either insecure or unknowledgeable about their religion. After all, the great strength of Hinduism is its adaptability and versatility. And why are atheists so willing to go through the courts to impose their interpretation of the law as though it is a Constitutional right to not be offended? They don’t seem to mind when religions are offended. Or is “hypocrite” a term that should be reserved for religionists?

Im sorry for no being tolerant, im human, not hindu, i have human characteristics, not hindu ones, nothing changes what your born with. Im an individual. Im not a cluster of people.

 

[Booko]

I'd rather quote Leutenant Warf and say "Perhaps today is a good day to die!"

I assume you mean metaphorically. I don't have a problem with metaphorical death. Bring it on.

Well, 99.44% of the time it's metaphorical anyway, so close enough.

I tend to weigh whether a "fight" is going to make a difference. If it isn't, then fighting only harms me.

There are many things worth resisting, but no one person has the energy to fight too many of them effectively. Pick your battles where you can make the most difference.

"He will triumph who knows when to fight -- and when not to fight." -- Riker quoting Sun Tzu.