Flying Spaghetti Monster joins Festivus Pole and atheist signs in Florida Capitol.

You owe me a keyboard.

Simply having enough people say that they believe in it. Who am I to judge their professed beliefs?

truth by consensus?
fuck that, I'll stick with my individualized version.

Clearly you're not the best person to judge anything, if you think simply saying something makes it true.

That said, you seem to have a rage boner for religion lately, so I'm not taking your stance here at face value either.

I'm saying all religion is untrue so why arbitrarially draw a line between which untrue things people are allowed to claim they believe in? If someone says that is what they believe then its good enough for me. To do other wise is to attempt to claim you can divine what people really feel about abstract ideas like religions and I'd rather not get into that game and instead just accept their professed beliefs at face value.

What exactly IS the government's criteria for deciding what's a "real religion"?

Based on the origins of $cientology, it seems to be whomever can cough up the biggest fattest bribe.

I have no idea how the government does it.

Ask Ivan Stang I'm sure he knows.

When you say "accept their professed beliefs," are you the same guy that was demanding any police officer trying to wear a turban or hijab at work be fired on the spot? I see what you're trying to do here, and it's not nearly as clever as you think it is.

IMHO, it's something that should be purchased with blood. You or I might not personally believe in Christianity or Islam or Buddhism, but there are adherents of those faiths that have died for them. The day someone gets beheaded for refusing to renounce the Jedi faith, I'll believe they're legitimate.

There is a difference between accepting people's word about what their religion is and demanding not to wear the uniform required for the job they want to work. Especially if it is a government job and so such accommodations/special privileges could be construed as official endorsement. I'm against anything which can be construed as the government endorsing anyone one religion. Government officials are there to serve everyone so they should leave their sectarian beliefs at the door or at least keep them private while on the job.

Why aren't you at Kinko's?

"Special privileges" is one of those terms that's fun and easy to throw around when the society you live in was built from the ground up to accommodate one or two specific demographics.

How are you any different from someone claiming gays are demanding "special privileges," simply because modern society wasn't designed with their needs or wishes in mind? Or trans folks? Or minorities?

I would agree that gay people shouldn't get to alter official government uniforms as well. See how we're talking about official uniforms?

See how you're dodging the issue?

Why should trans people that work for the government be allowed to use the bathroom of their choice? Cisgendered people don't get to pick and choose! Special privileges!

Why should blacks be allowed to use the whites water fountain? It's like like whites are allowed to use the blacks fountain! Special privileges!

Why should gays be allowed to marry someone of the same gender? Straights aren't allowed to marry someone of the same gender, and they're not complaining! Special privileges!

Why should people in wheelchairs get their own ramps? Everyone else uses the stairs just fine! Special privileges!

The hell?

All religions are made up bullshit, who the fuck are we to judge one pile of shit superior to another? Is taking a headcount of those brainwashed enough to swear shit is shilene really the metric we're gonna use to determine what special privileges are granted?

Why not just cease to grant special privileges?

Who's actually suggesting a headcount?

Like I already said:

Sounds nice, but the fuck does it mean in real world, or in the context of this thread?

Should certain religions be allowed to have displays placed on public property without others being allowed the same access?

The topic of the thread has expanded past the situation detailed in the OP.

Depends. Is the display permanent, or for a specific holiday or observance recognized by those in the community? This ability to comment, will it only apply to religious displays, or any and all displays on public property?

While you might want to change the subject, that doesn't interest me.

Have you anything to add to the discussion at hand?

No one's forcing you to respond to me, at least that I'm aware of.

See above.

File this under religious fundamentalists are horrible people:

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/...icago-atheist-display-and-berating-onlookers/

Like I said....Christians are at their best when they're being opressed. When nobody's oppressing them, they start making up the opression.

"They're saying mean things about us!" Seriously? Would you be happier if they were impailing you?

Many centuries ago, my forefathers were quite busy impaling Christian invaders.

It's a shame they didn't win.

Right. Because it would be way better now if they had.

Of course it would! Surely every asshole in the world that uses Christianity to justify said assholery would instantly become a better person if Christianity disappeared tomorrow.

It's not that some people are just naturally awful, with or without religion. That can't be it.

There'd be pyromaniacs if petroleum products vanished, but man, does gasoline ever help.

I could get behind some Odin fundies.