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Old 15 Apr 2012, 14:25   #58
CarylB
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Join Date: 16.04.2003
Location: Sheffield UK
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As an atheist, I think that freedom of church and state is a right that's worth defending. I'm perfectly fine with anybody believing and worshipping whatever they want, as long as they respect my right not to. For me, freedom of religion should also include freedom from religion. I don't see a war on religion, I see misplaced outrage over religious privileges being challenged. I see people sending sixteen year-old girls sending death threats because she stood up for what she believed in, and it just happened to go against what they believed in.
People's beliefs, when they are core beliefs, are very strongly held, whether they are to believe in some power beyond this life or not to. Challenging them will always be an emotive issue. Of course it's wrong to send death threats to ANYone .. just as it's wrong to issue religious fatois that declare holy war. That's why I believe that to include rather than ban or prohibit a wide variety of religious beliefs as well as secular is better than fighting to remove something from a school wall that has been there for years.

Freedom to practise what one believes, just as the much quoted freedom to express an opinion are both worthy ideals in a democracy, but not easy to uphold. To insist on the removal of something which does not incite hatred to anyone, but is simply intended to inspire some to positive effort was not in my view the way to uphold freedom, simply because a wholly positive message was prefaced with 3 words "Our Heavenly Father".

To me to insist on its removal does impinge on the freedom of those who believe in God. But I would have no quarrel with similar prayers being also posted on the wall which were addressed to Allah, or appealed to any other belief, including one which was an exhortation to try ones best because one was human, had no belief in an afterlife or presence that watches over us, so it was important to make the best of each day one had on earth, because we each have a lifespan and it's important to make the best of it because it won't come again. To me that would uphold everyone's freedom to practise whatever belief they hold. Seeking to prevent this would be a breach of rights imo

Caryl

Last edited by CarylB; 15 Apr 2012 at 15:09.
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