Stupid things the religious say

[Cavebear]

At the unironically-named "Rejoice Christian School", a 2nd grade girl told another 2nd grade girl that she had a crush on her. She was taken to the princpal's office for hectoring, then expelled from the school along with her brother.

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2021/01/29/us/re...index.html

This is bad enough, but WTF is going on with the girl's mother?

"(The vice principal) asked me how I feel about girls liking girls and I told her that I see no issue with it."

Shelton took Chloe home that day, and administrators told her to not come back Friday, she said.

The next day, the superintendent called Shelton, saying that the school was "ending their partnership" with Shelton's family, she told CNN, also expelling her 5-year-old son. When Shelton asked for specifics, he said her beliefs didn't align with theirs, she said.

"I was so blindsided. I was angry, hurt, betrayed, sad... so many different emotions. I just couldn't believe it," Shelton said. "I asked him to have a sit down meeting to discuss it and process it better and he refused, saying that 'nothing more needed to be discussed.'"

Blindsided? WTF did she expect? And didn't she read this?

The school's handbook states that "any form of sexual immorality" goes against its beliefs, including "professing to be homosexual/bisexual."

Students who do not "conform to the standards and ideals of work and life" at the school forfeit the "privilege" of attendance

How could she have been shocked -- simply shocked! -- blindsided! -- by this inexplicable outcome? I guarantee you she signed a bunch of documents agreeing in advance to all this crap.

Hard to see who is more deluded, really.

A second-grader professing a 'crush' on a friend is not sexual immorality.  The child is 7 or 8 eight years old which is prepubescent, for fuck sake.
I thought only Catholic priests thought children were sexually aware. But apparently the repressed and repressive Christian fundie nutcases think so.

Religious insanity.

A 2nd grader doesn't understand sex at all. It's just "liking". There are too many people misunderstanding situations and reading too much into them. Such people see communists at every streetcorner and sadists in every basement. Is there too much lead in their water?

[mordant]

A 2nd grader doesn't understand sex at all.  It's just "liking".  There are too many people misunderstanding situations and reading too much into them.  Such people see communists at every streetcorner and sadists in every basement.  Is there too much lead in their water?

Yeah but ... if you're a parent (and this mother appears to understand this concept you just pointed out) ... why in the world would you put your child into a school like that, and more to the point, why would you be shocked at this outcome? It was entirely predictable. Her incredulity amazes me actually more than the school's stance, which while execrable, is at least easy to understand.

[Cavebear]

A 2nd grader doesn't understand sex at all.  It's just "liking".  There are too many people misunderstanding situations and reading too much into them.  Such people see communists at every streetcorner and sadists in every basement.  Is there too much lead in their water?

Yeah but ... if you're a parent (and this mother appears to understand this concept you just pointed out) ... why in the world would you put your child into a school like that, and more to the point, why would you be shocked at this outcome? It was entirely predictable. Her incredulity amazes me actually more than the school's stance, which while execrable, is at least easy to understand.

I think sometimes we are too easily attuned to threats to our children and fail to understand normal childhood thoughts and actions. A 2nd-grader can say and do things innocently that would be inappropriate for a 12th-grader. I think the mother in this case (well-meaning) projected the situation into a more adult interpretation.

[mordant]

What the mother was shocked at was the attitude / reaction of the SCHOOL. She had no issue with her daughter.

The school was being retarded, but it's hardly surprising that they were being retarded. What was surprising, was the mother's surprise at the school being retarded.

[SYZ]

While first loves typically occur in the teen years, chances are your youngster’s first
crush will occur well before then and Toronto psychologist Sarah Radcliffe, author of
Raising Your Kids Without Raising Your Voice says the way you react will shape how
they interact with you about future relationships. "Kids even 4 years old can have
crushes on each other,” she says. "It’s just a natural development. First you love your
mother and then you can love other people, even when you’re a real little kid".

I agree; the school's attitude to sexuality belongs in the days of black and white TV.

[airportkid]

... the school's attitude to sexuality belongs in the days of black and white TV ...

Reminds me of the scene in "Pleasantville" when the Reese Witherspoon character goes into the bathroom and discovers it has privacy stalls - but no toilets! 

[Vera]

"The Sun also doesn't have its own light. It's just a mirror that reflects the light of God."

[trdsf]

All I know is that if anyone is damn fool enough to say to me at Dad's memorial service later this month that "he's in a better place", they better be prepared for a hostile reply.

[Gwaithmir]

All I know is that if anyone is damn fool enough to say to me at Dad's memorial service later this month that "he's in a better place", they better be prepared for a hostile reply.

The guy who had bought out my father's business said that to me at Dad's funeral, knowing full well that I'm an atheist. I merely shook my head in disgust and walked away from him without comment. 

[trdsf]

All I know is that if anyone is damn fool enough to say to me at Dad's memorial service later this month that "he's in a better place", they better be prepared for a hostile reply.

The guy who had bought out my father's business said that to me at Dad's funeral, knowing full well that I'm an atheist. I merely shook my head in disgust and walked away from him without comment. 

I don't object when Mom says things like she can feel his presence in the house still, stuff like that.  But my only answer to "he's in a better place" is "his best place is here with Mom".

[GenesisNemesis]

"You believe the Universe came from nothing!" 

No, I don't know how the Universe came to exist. Big difference. 

The other one that annoys the fuck out of me is "atheists pretend to know all the answers!" even though I readily admit I don't know how the Universe began, and I'm totally fine with not knowing things. 

[mordant]

"You believe the Universe came from nothing!" 

No, I don't know how the Universe came to exist. Big difference. 

The other one that annoys the fuck out of me is "atheists pretend to know all the answers!" even though I readily admit I don't know how the Universe began, and I'm totally fine with not knowing things. 

Unbelievers are consistently portrayed in scripture as arrogant know-it-alls and bullies, as hateful opponents to holy protagonists or the "people of god" generally. In addition, credulous and uncritical belief in asserted truth about the non-falsifiable is portrayed as wise and virtuous. So this situation should not surprise.

[GenesisNemesis]

And another thing. Those bullshit "miracle baby" stories you see on the news. How come they never talk about miscarriages or deformed babies? Fucking morons.

[trdsf]

The other one that annoys the fuck out of me is "atheists pretend to know all the answers!" even though I readily admit I don't know how the Universe began, and I'm totally fine with not knowing things. 

I'm not fine with not knowing things.  I hate not knowing how things work, at least in outline.

But, I even less want to just make up an answer.  Uncertainty is annoying, but I'd rather be uncertain than wrong.

[mordant]

The other one that annoys the fuck out of me is "atheists pretend to know all the answers!" even though I readily admit I don't know how the Universe began, and I'm totally fine with not knowing things. 

I'm not fine with not knowing things.  I hate not knowing how things work, at least in outline.

But, I even less want to just make up an answer.  Uncertainty is annoying, but I'd rather be uncertain than wrong.

Yes I talk about this a lot (that it's important not to make up stuff and to learn to sit with uncertainty). But that in no way suggests that I like or enjoy uncertainty. I'm human too. Given a choice, I'd prefer to have understanding and insight. It's just that it's not always obtanium, and you have to be willing to accept that rather than consider it so intolerable that you have to concoct an answer or impose certainty where none exists.

[SYZ]

Stupid things theists believe...

The Holy Bible; pages 1 to 1,150 inclusive.

[Gwaithmir]

Recent conversation I had with a Born-Again Christian (BAC) friend of my brother:

BAC: I don't know why you claim to be an atheist. There's proof of God all around us.

Me: Can you be more specific?

BAC: Just look around you (making sweeping arm movements).

Me: (looking out a window) Okay, I see the front yard and trees on the property line.

BAC: That's all the proof you need that there's a God!

Me: Nope! All I see is dead grass and a line of trees with no leaves. Can you be more specific?

BAC: Well, you have to really look around you. The proof is right there in front of you.

Me: 

[Cavebear]

Recent conversation I had with a Born-Again Christian (BAC) friend of my brother:

BAC: I don't know why you claim to be an atheist. There's proof of God all around us.

Me: Can you be more specific?

BAC: Just look around you (making sweeping arm movements).

Me: (looking out a window) Okay, I see the front yard and trees on the property line.

BAC: That's all the proof you need that there's a God!

Me: Nope! All I see is dead grass and a line of trees with no leaves. Can you be more specific?

BAC: Well, you have to really look around you. The proof is right there in front of you.

Me: 

There is no logic in the minds of theists. Great argument to the friend of your brother...

[Gwaithmir]

Recent conversation I had with a Born-Again Christian (BAC) friend of my brother:

BAC: I don't know why you claim to be an atheist. There's proof of God all around us.

Me: Can you be more specific?

BAC: Just look around you (making sweeping arm movements).

Me: (looking out a window) Okay, I see the front yard and trees on the property line.

BAC: That's all the proof you need that there's a God!

Me: Nope! All I see is dead grass and a line of trees with no leaves. Can you be more specific?

BAC: Well, you have to really look around you. The proof is right there in front of you.

Me: 

There is no logic in the minds of theists.  Great argument to the friend of your brother...

Truthfully, my brother is a faithful Catholic, but even he thinks this guy is a few cards short of a full deck. 

[trdsf]

The other one that annoys the fuck out of me is "atheists pretend to know all the answers!" even though I readily admit I don't know how the Universe began, and I'm totally fine with not knowing things. 

I'm not fine with not knowing things.  I hate not knowing how things work, at least in outline.

But, I even less want to just make up an answer.  Uncertainty is annoying, but I'd rather be uncertain than wrong.

Yes I talk about this a lot (that it's important not to make up stuff and to learn to sit with uncertainty). But that in no way suggests that I like or enjoy uncertainty. I'm human too. Given a choice, I'd prefer to have understanding and insight. It's just that it's not always obtanium, and you have to be willing to accept that rather than consider it so intolerable that you have to concoct an answer or impose certainty where none exists.

Pretty much.  There are a number of questions about reality to which the answer is (and may always be) "I don't know"... but that doesn't mean I'm fine with it. 

[mordant]

I'm not fine with not knowing things.  I hate not knowing how things work, at least in outline.

But, I even less want to just make up an answer.  Uncertainty is annoying, but I'd rather be uncertain than wrong.

Yes I talk about this a lot (that it's important not to make up stuff and to learn to sit with uncertainty). But that in no way suggests that I like or enjoy uncertainty. I'm human too. Given a choice, I'd prefer to have understanding and insight. It's just that it's not always obtanium, and you have to be willing to accept that rather than consider it so intolerable that you have to concoct an answer or impose certainty where none exists.

Pretty much.  There are a number of questions about reality to which the answer is (and may always be) "I don't know"... but that doesn't mean I'm fine with it. 

One inherent problem is that reality is a closed system by definition. We can't step outside it and observe it from a high level, and even if we could, it is probably too much data for our pea brains to properly absorb anyway. Instead we are inside reality and have to try to infer its structure and workings from what little we can observe, hobbled by all sorts of perceptual and intellectual short cuts that are more or less baked into us by natural selection pressure.

Some of this is overcomeable with proper instruments and increasing understanding of the natural world. But the perspective problem isn't.

Sometimes I wonder if the desire to see the universe clearly explains the appeal of god, who is posited as outside time and space (or above it if you will; SUPERnatural) and thus able to control it (conveniently, on our behalf, if we're good little boys and girls). It's true that god being outside the natural realm renders him conveniently unobservable and thus unfalsifiable. But it also renders him omnipotent and vicariously gives us an ability we lack through a potential ally: the perspective to understand a fundamentally baffling and incoherent and impersonal reality, to render it comprehensible and personal and imbue it with meaning in one fell swoop.

One must know one's enemy, and this is, I think, one of the key enticements of religion: it reduces our complex, impersonal and vast reality to something more manageable and displaces even what religion can't satisfyingly provide by way of explanations, to the supposed afterlife. Thus we have both a short term mental shortcut to understanding, and the promise of full understanding by and by. For most folks, it's clearly a powerful enticement.

[Vera]

"Hide yourself in God, so when a man wants to find you he will have to go there first."




Good thing I really *don't* want "a man to find me" then, ain't it

[GenesisNemesis]

"If emotions are just chemicals, there's no reason to feel love." 

If emotions are just chemicals, there's no reason to be depressed about god's non-existence. 

[Peebothuhlu]

"If emotions are just chemicals, there's no reason to feel love." 

If emotions are just chemicals, there's no reason to be depressed about god's non-existence. 

If chemicals are just emotions then why is/are LSD, Cocain, Marijuana, etc ruled as illegal, banned and other wise thought of as terrible substances?

After all, they certainly make one 'Feel' many things 'Love' just being one of.  

Not at work.

[Vera]

"Religion is not discussed, it's respected."

Says a lot about the strength of your faith, doesn't it. Pathetic!