Originally posted by Suzianne
So, are you saying that atheism is now a religious belief?

All "Pastafarians" are atheist. There are no people in that group who actually believe in a pasta "god". So there is NO "religious belief". It's all just another way of making fun of religion. I don't see why atheists get a pass for disrespect while racist groups are held accountable. I gues ...[text shortened]... ple who actually DO experience actual oppression and bigotry and minimizes what they go through.

he is talking about the principle.

so if turbans and hijabs are allowed in the driver license photo, so should pastafarian hats, whatever those may be. the actual intent behind a declared religion cannot be demonstrated and shouldn't be an issue.


however, pastafarianism isn't a recognized religion yet as far as i know, so this conversation is useless.

Originally posted by Zahlanzi
however, pastafarianism isn't a recognized religion yet as far as i know, so this conversation is useless.

Not recognised? All you need is one devoted follower of faith, and voilá (!) : religion. Otherwise, who should decide what is and isn't a religious conviction?

Originally posted by C Hess
Not recognised? All you need is one devoted follower of faith, and voilá (!) : religion. Otherwise, who should decide what is and isn't a religious conviction?

recognized by the state. to get tax exemption and to actually qualify for freedom of religion.


otherwise you're just the insane guy with a noodle hat (i guess that's how the hat looks like) and you can't sue the employer who will not hire you for discrimination against religion.


what you're describing is a personal belief system which, like opinions and bodily orifices, everyone has.

Originally posted by Suzianne
So, are you saying that atheism is now a religious belief?

All "Pastafarians" are atheist. There are no people in that group who actually believe in a pasta "god". So there is NO "religious belief". It's all just another way of making fun of religion. I don't see why atheists get a pass for disrespect while racist groups are held accountable. I gues ...[text shortened]... ple who actually DO experience actual oppression and bigotry and minimizes what they go through.

Atheism is a religious belief, albeit a negative one.

Pastafarianism is clearly not a religious belief in any genuine sense. Being told not to wear pirate clothing to school is not oppression. People are either involved to make some kind of point or for fun. I haven't followed the antics particularly, but I really don't think it's worth your while getting upset about them, it's just sillyness.

Out of curiosity, seeing as Agerg accused you of being a fundamentalist which I don't think is right and actually pretty rude, what denomination are you?

Originally posted by DeepThought
Atheism is a religious belief, albeit a negative one.

Pastafarianism is clearly not a religious belief in any genuine sense. Being told not to wear pirate clothing to school is not oppression. People are either involved to make some kind of point or for fun. I haven't followed the antics particularly, but I really don't think it's worth your while ...[text shortened]... fundamentalist which I don't think is right and actually pretty rude, what denomination are you?

Atheism is a religious belief, albeit a negative one.

no it's not. let's not bend words to the point they lose all meaning


at most you can say that some atheists preach atheism with religious fervor but even that might be pushing it.


"Pastafarianism is clearly not a religious belief in any genuine sense. "
except for the fact that it isn't recognized officially as a religion yet, it is one in every sense of the world. as far as sincerity goes, let's be serious. there are countless christians, muslims, jews who are only practicing out of inertia, completely dishonest about their beliefs. there are many others who go against their religion's principles on a constant basis.

do you think many high ranking scientologists actually believe hubbard is a prophet and they really have thetans inside? or do you think they view it as what it really is: a sect with the express purpose of making profit.

Originally posted by sonhouse
http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/us/2014/09/09/dnt-pastafarian-drivers-license.kfor.html

What is the world coming to anyway?

Perhaps it's just a case where the woman needs psychological counseling.

She looks a little wacky to me. It's a drivers license. Try to look normal. Try to be normal.

What is the world coming to? To the end I think. 😕

Originally posted by josephw
Perhaps it's just a case where the woman needs psychological counseling.

She looks a little wacky to me. It's a drivers license. Try to look normal. Try to be normal.

What [b]is the world coming to? To the end I think. 😕[/b]

You are going to be vastly disappointed in that end of the world scenario. There also is not going to be a deity coming down to fix all our boo boo's.

The sooner the human race gets that through there collective heads, the sooner the race will begin to mature. Instead it is mired down in religious wars all over the planet right now. The only traditional land grabbing war going on right now is the Russian takeover of Crimea and Ukraine, all the rest of the world's strife is due to religious wars.

There is the drug war thing in South America but that is more thuggery at each others throats. Other than that, all the present wars are religious.

Originally posted by Zahlanzi
...qualify for freedom of religion.

Conditional freedom of religion is no freedom at all.

Originally posted by sonhouse
You are going to be vastly disappointed in that end of the world scenario. There also is not going to be a deitiy coming down to fix all our boo boo's.

The sooner the human race gets that through there collective heads, the sooner the race will begin to mature. Instead it is mired down in religious wars all over the planet right now. The only traditional ...[text shortened]... at is more thuggery at each others throats. Other than that, all the present wars are religious.

"You are going to be vastly disappointed in that end of the world scenario."

Why should I be disappointed? One way or another this world will surely come to an end. Just think, one hundred thousand years from now this world will be altogether different. And then there's the distinct possibility that a rock will slam into the earth at any time, and that would be the end of it all.


"There also is not going to be a deitiy coming down to fix all our boo boo's."

Well, when you can prove that you have supernatural cognitive powers beyond any, and can tell the future, I'll believe you. lol

"The sooner the human race gets that through there collective heads, the sooner the race will begin to mature. Instead it is mired down in religious wars all over the planet right now."

I think it's just an excuse to pin the cause of war down on some religious ideology. War is waged over real estate and money. God is just an excuse for those too lame in the brain to except responsibility for their own lust for power and control.

"The only traditional land grabbing war going on right now is the Russian takeover of Crimea and Ukraine, all the rest of the world's strife is due to religious wars.
There is the drug war thing in South America but that is more thuggery at each others throats. Other than that, all the present wars are religious."

Religion is just another form of sin. Sin is the cause of war. Lust, hatred, greed. These are the reasons for war.

Originally posted by josephw
[b]"You are going to be vastly disappointed in that end of the world scenario."

Why should I be disappointed? One way or another this world will surely come to an end. Just think, one hundred thousand years from now this world will be altogether different. And then there's the distinct possibility that a rock will slam into the earth at any time, and ...[text shortened]... nother form of sin. Sin is the cause of war. Lust, hatred, greed. These are the reasons for war.[/b]

Yes, you can NEVER EVER admit that wars are fought over religious principles. How bout the Crusades? How bout Boko Haram right now, killing school boys for daring to have a western education and stealing the girls to turn them into wives, there is no religious component to that barbarism? Or ISIL or ISIS in Iraq and Syria, they are just grabbing land for no other reason than to make their own malls? Come on, you have to see there are religious wars going on as we speak and right now very dam few secular wars.

You do know the peope on the other side get to pronounce whatever religion they have as a true religion don't you?

You can pronounce them to be evil warlords or some such but in their own minds they are being true to their religion, as barbaric as we see it, it is still religion.

Originally posted by sonhouse
Yes, you can NEVER EVER admit that wars are fought over religious principles. How bout the Crusades? How bout Boko Haram right now, killing school boys for daring to have a western education and stealing the girls to turn them into wives, there is no religious component to that barbarism? Or ISIL or ISIS in Iraq and Syria, they are just grabbing land for no ...[text shortened]... own minds they are being true to their religion, as barbaric as we see it, it is still religion.

That's not my point!

Of course it is admitted that wars are fought over religious principles, but I'm suggesting that at the core wars are fought over lust for power and control.

If a nation is defending itself against foreign aggression what difference does it make the religion of the aggressor, or the defender?

The wheels keep turning. In spite of the historical record the religious beliefs are merely excuses for the lust for power and control.

You may as well blame evolution don't you think? If we aren't going to be honest with ourselves about why we're really waging war, then why blame religion. Evolution is the reason why we go to war.

Just sayin'! 😉

Originally posted by josephw
That's not my point!

Of course it is admitted that wars are fought over religious principles, but I'm suggesting that at the core wars are fought over lust for power and control.

If a nation is defending itself against foreign aggression what difference does it make the religion of the aggressor, or the defender?

The wheels keep turning. In spite of ...[text shortened]... ging war, then why blame religion. Evolution is the reason why we go to war.

Just sayin'! 😉

Don't you read the news? ISIS has declared a Caliphate state, which is a religiously controlled government and BOKO Haram wants the same.

This is PURELY religious war grabbing territory to make a new state with a state religion. Pure and simple, no need to bring in thuggery or whatever, these dudes THINK they are religious therefore they ARE religious. In their own minds of course. In ours, they are barbarians grabbing land and killing and raping, destroying villages, blowing up other religious icons like the Buddha's recently blown up. In their minds they are being religious.

Originally posted by sonhouse
Don't you read the news? ISIS has declared a Caliphate state, which is a religiously controlled government and BOKO Haram wants the same.

This is PURELY religious war grabbing territory to make a new state with a state religion. Pure and simple, no need to bring in thuggery or whatever, these dudes THINK they are religious therefore they ARE religious. I ...[text shortened]... er religious icons like the Buddha's recently blown up. In their minds they are being religious.

Can't you see they are just using religion as an excuse to get followers so they can gain power and control?

Originally posted by josephw
Perhaps it's just a case where the woman needs psychological counseling.

She looks a little wacky to me. It's a drivers license. Try to look normal. Try to be normal.

What [b]is the world coming to? To the end I think. 😕[/b]

are sikhs allowed to wear turbans on their driver's license?
are orthodox jews allowed to wear their curly bangs?


"try to look normal"
what is normal? do you get to decide?

Originally posted by RJHinds
Can't you see they are just using religion as an excuse to get followers so they can gain power and control?

You mean just like Christianity?