General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Ben Affleck vs. Bill Maher on Islam: Bill's right. [View all]Ampersand Unicode
(503 posts)Christian fundamentalists should be ostracized just as Muslim fundamentalists and Zionists (Jewish nationalists). Religion is a PERSONAL belief that in no way is deserving of its own country or state protections or sanctions under the law. Israel is just as invalid a "nation" as Palestine or any of the other wannabe Caliphates. I don't even think the Vatican should be recognized as a valid city-state. We don't give official recognition to Buddhist Tibet, and we sure don't allow Mormons to declare Utah a "sovereign nation" or Scientology to declare California their own sovereign space pad, so why should we give official recognition or protections to any of the other religious nationalists?
Christianity is bullshit just like Judaism is bullshit and Islam is bullshit. I have no sympathy or tolerance for any of these belief systems and think "believers" deserve the same punishments for crimes as anyone else. An Amish guy who sabotages cars in the name of his interpretation of the Bible, and gets people killed on the highways, should go to prison regardless of what his holy book says. We shouldn't be giving tax dollars to Israel. We shouldn't allow pedophile priests to hide in Rome. I also don't think we should be allowing people to wear veils in driver's license photos either. Affleck and other PC liberals rightly condemn Westboro and Netanyahu while feeling boo-hoo for Hamas. Maher and Harris are saying that it's hypocrisy in the worst to give Muslims a pass or a slap on the wrist. He's not saying don't pick on Christians who pick on gays. He's saying put the Muslims' feet to the fire too and condemn the very notion that religion of any sort be given a seat at the legislating table.
If we could convince the APA that religion is a delusional mental disorder, we might have some hope of getting Shirley Phelps, AIPAC leaders and the Gitmo inmates sectioned on a 5150, but until then we as civilized Westerners have to remain vigilant in our criticism of ALL of them. Affleck is naive and doesn't know what he's talking about. He's just parroting PC talking points.