Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Lordquinton

(7,886 posts)
Sun Aug 23, 2015, 01:57 AM Aug 2015

How To Get Away With Bigotry In Just 3 Words: “It’s My Faith”



On Wednesday night, the city of Houston, Texas passed an ordinance banning discrimination based on, among other characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, sex, nationality, age, religion, disability, pregnancy, and military status. Given the sweeping nature of the measure, it will undoubtedly have real, positive effects for people who are marginalized or discriminated against simply because of who they are.

But in an irony too great to ignore, the parties of god find themselves as untouched as their ideal unmarried woman:
“The ordinance applies to businesses that serve the public, private employers, housing, city employment and city contracting. Religious institutions would be exempt.”

The act is growing tiresome. When Pope Francis flashes the slightest sign that he and by extension the Catholic Church may be softening on gay rights, for example, he is hailed as a progressive. In reality, he remains to the right of George W. Bush on gay issues. Or take his steadfast position against women’s ordination into the priesthood. Imagine a corporation that reserved executive positions for only men. It would be boycotted until it either changed the policy or went broke.





http://thedailybanter.com/2014/05/how-to-get-away-with-bigotry-in-just-3-words/
14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
How To Get Away With Bigotry In Just 3 Words: “It’s My Faith” (Original Post) Lordquinton Aug 2015 OP
"It's my faith." beam me up scottie Aug 2015 #1
The Dolts that call criticism of religion "bigotry" are just projecting bigotry of their own. cleanhippie Aug 2015 #2
They can't help themselves. beam me up scottie Aug 2015 #3
defending the Church from uppity atheists is good Yorktown Aug 2015 #5
80's flashback! beam me up scottie Aug 2015 #6
Tsk, does it still smart? rug Aug 2015 #9
Amazing how many crimes can be ignored Lordquinton Aug 2015 #11
How To Get Away With Absurdities In Just 5 Words: “I take it on Faith” Yorktown Aug 2015 #4
Faith cover all manner of crimes Lordquinton Aug 2015 #12
When the UK was drafting its Hate Laws some 10 or 12 years ago, snagglepuss Aug 2015 #7
The UK Hate Speech Laws were comically asymmetrical Yorktown Aug 2015 #8
There is always an exemption for religion Lordquinton Aug 2015 #13
Silly, dontcha know that misogyny, racism, and homophobia are okay EvolveOrConvolve Aug 2015 #10
Best source for nightmare fuel Lordquinton Aug 2015 #14

beam me up scottie

(57,349 posts)
1. "It's my faith."
Sun Aug 23, 2015, 02:06 AM
Aug 2015
Religious exemptions like this are a perfect encapsulation of an age old refrain meant to shield those who say it from critique and ridicule: “It’s my faith.”

Remember these three words, and you can get away with holding some of the most ludicrous beliefs against common decency and good sense imaginable.

Gay people shouldn’t be able to marry. It’s my faith.

People whose religions are different from mine are going to hell. It’s my faith.

Atheists shouldn’t be president. It’s my faith.

Jews cause mischief and corruption. It’s my faith.

Women should sit at the back of the bus. It’s my faith.

Apostasy should be punishable by death. It’s my faith.

I murdered a woman. It’s my faith.

And on and on with this patently dangerous nonsense that, were it not divinely sanctioned, would be universally dismissed out of hand as the garbage that it is. Instead, these sentiments have justification in sacred texts written by ignorant men of antiquity who knew less about the world than a modern day middle school student. Yet amazingly, not only do believers accept these ideas as facts, but even those who do not, actually respect these dearly held beliefs.


We see it often enough here on DU where criticism of the pope and his misogynistic, homophobic organization by its victims is called "bigotry".

cleanhippie

(19,705 posts)
2. The Dolts that call criticism of religion "bigotry" are just projecting bigotry of their own.
Sun Aug 23, 2015, 03:40 AM
Aug 2015

But with a small intellectual arsenal only compromised of deflection, obfuscation, and cognitive dissonance, such responses are to be expected.

I pity the Dolts.

beam me up scottie

(57,349 posts)
3. They can't help themselves.
Sun Aug 23, 2015, 03:53 AM
Aug 2015

It's the only way they can defend the Church from uppity atheists.

And persecution fantasies are part of the religion, too.

 

Yorktown

(2,884 posts)
5. defending the Church from uppity atheists is good
Sun Aug 23, 2015, 04:14 AM
Aug 2015

Just imagine if it happened to you:

When there are uppity atheists in the neighborhood, who you gonna call?


 

Yorktown

(2,884 posts)
4. How To Get Away With Absurdities In Just 5 Words: “I take it on Faith”
Sun Aug 23, 2015, 04:10 AM
Aug 2015

I had a conversation with a DU theist about the many absurdities of the story of Moses

Whenever I would ask how he could believe in the official story despite such and such impossiblity,

the answer came back as a mantra: “I take it on Faith”

Lordquinton

(7,886 posts)
12. Faith cover all manner of crimes
Sun Aug 23, 2015, 09:42 PM
Aug 2015

From being unable to explain simple stories all the way to genocide. Biggest umbrella in the world.

Note, this is hyperboly, i hope juries at least can grasp basic english comprehension.

snagglepuss

(12,704 posts)
7. When the UK was drafting its Hate Laws some 10 or 12 years ago,
Sun Aug 23, 2015, 11:23 AM
Aug 2015

British imams requested that religions be excluded and that request was granted.


Lordquinton

(7,886 posts)
13. There is always an exemption for religion
Sun Aug 23, 2015, 09:44 PM
Aug 2015

Cause if god tells you to do it, it's not hate somehow. I guess that's why some think that right wing atheists are so bad cause they don't have god on their shoulder telling them to hate, but if you look at the big picture their hate lines up with the cultural hate that religions have left behind.

EvolveOrConvolve

(6,452 posts)
10. Silly, dontcha know that misogyny, racism, and homophobia are okay
Sun Aug 23, 2015, 09:15 PM
Aug 2015

if they're endorsed by gawd? It says so right in the holy bible, so it must be true.

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Religion»How To Get Away With Bigo...