How does it hurt anyone if people celebrate their faith in public?

Question

Seriously, can it really harm you, in some way, if you are not a pagan, for instance, that they now have their pentagrams on their graves?
Can it harm you, to see a Muslim pray five times a day, or wear the hajib?
What is the harm in seeing a Jewish man wearing his side locks?
How can it hurt you, seeing a Christian cross at the side of the road?
What if you happened to be in a public restaurant, and overheard someone praying? Would some terrible fate befall?
Somebody please explain to me, why all the nonsense about eliminating any mention of God (anyone's God, that is) from any public forum?
Whether it is the Ten Commandments in a courtroom, or Vulcan, standing there in the middle of Birmingham, or a cross on a hill in California, or a Menorah displayed in a hotel lobby...have we become such spoiled children that we must smash one another's religious symbols?
(Btw, as far as I know, only one Christian has complained about Vulcan. Southern Alabama? Hmmmm...)

Funny how so many focused on the Ten Commandments in the courtroom...although they have been there for decades, suddenly they are not politically correct.
Neither I, nor most Christians I know, would have an objection to seeing the tenets of other faiths displayed...well, maybe the FSM's "I'd rather you shouldn'ts would be a bit facetious...although I can agree with ol' FSM about each one of them...
It is not any of the other symbols that you mind so much...it seems to be Christian symbols, in particular.
Does taking them down, do you think, give these "Fundies" you are so frightened of, less of an edge? Or, does it just p i s s them off, and make them more determined?

And nobody has even mentioned Vulcan, standing there in the middle of Birmingham, Alabama, where Fundies congregate by the thousands...and yet only ONE Christian has complained (and he was just mad about taking Christian symbols away).
Perhaps Christians are the tolerant ones, after all??

Answer 1

It shouldn't, but we don't live in utopia. We all have some sort of insecurity. When it comes to religion or politics. It becomes worse. The reality is we all want to be respected, and we all want to be right. At times those two points are unable to meet. Especially when it comes to religion.

Pay attention to the answers from the Atheists. Some claim they don't care, and at the same breath, attack the Christian faith. Others, don't realize that the ten commandment is not Christian only, but Jewish as well. Yet, the objection is focused on the Christian only.

Matt J, you attack the Christians so much. It blinds you on how much prejudice you look.
Did you know that in Islam religion and politics are one, and they are not separated! Everything in the Middle East starts and ends with an Islamic prayer, on TV, in the Court of law, government, etc. Do you know you nor I can enter places such as Mecca and Medina, because we are considered filthy, and yet you can go anywhere any Church and you will be welcomed. Of course you don't know that. Because you don't want to know.

Edit:
Take a second look at the answer you got so far, and you will see a wealth of information why it happens. Sometimes, it is not what people say. It is what they don't say that tells you why. So far, the answerer have no problem for others to practice their faith, but they do have a problem when it comes to Chrisitias. Does that fall under prejudice! it does to me.

We are losing our freedom. Everything has to be PC, or it will hurt the other persons feeling. We are becoming over sensitive. With that we are going backward, instead of foreward.
I remember wishing someone Merry Christmas was just a wish to be Merry. Now, it is not PC. We should say Happy Holiday so as we don't offend the other person.
I remember wearing a Cross, is just wearing a cross.
A woman was fired from work in UK for wearing the Cross, and at the same time women are permitted to wear hijab. Double standard or what.

Answer 2

25 or 30 years ago I do not recall there being any problem with any of this....

people would say grace before a meal in a resturant, before a foot ball game, graduation, when ever with no complaints...

the ten commandments where on the school walls and the court house lawn and things were ok...

this is a cultural thing that is America...much of our legal system is based on such, swear to tell the truth on the Bible, pledge of allegience, etc..those of other cultures that have come to this country and go through the naturalisation process learn of this back ground and will know that it is part of our cultural heritage and not something to offend them..

If we are in their country could we complain and have removed such items from their court sytem because it is against our religious base?? I don't think so...

some where along the line that strange woman (can't remember her name) demanded that prayers and such be removed from this, that, and the other thing....

now everything must be politicaly correct to not hurt anyones feelings....but is actually is stepping on everyones toes...

somethings are cultural and have a strange reaction where they have never been seen or heard of before...such as the hajib..if I understand this is the women's covering / dress....

I worked many years in nursing homes, a couple of the women wore the head covering which is all well and good...in a nursing home setting with alzhimer patients it is a "hazard / safety" issue because it can be grabbed and you are injuried...it was nothing against their faith, it was a safety issue....

pentagram in a church cemitary might be a problem but there are other cemitaries I would think....

I have no idea of vulcan .....perhaps some of the "new age" things might have to wait for awhile...a public forum vote on it?

I remember the cross in calif and the menorah issue.....the cross was bothering no one and had been there for a long time....

christams trees and menorahs would have looked very nice in the lobby....

all this whineing over...what?...some days I wish I had a purse full of pacifiers for all the whineybabies...

it does not hurt anyone :)


spell ck screwy

Answer 3

Actually, putting up the Ten Commandments, by themselves, in a governmental building, *never was* politically correct. However, when they were put up (along with the additions to the Pledge, etc), Christianity had far more political power, and everyone was afraid of the "godless Commies."

What people do on their own land is up to them. What companies do - so long as they're fair to their employees, also isn't my concern. However, what the government does, at any level, needs to be fair. So, if they're going to put up the Ten Commandments, there should be allowances made for comparable displays from other religions - which, unfortunately, rarely happens. (Refer to the difficulties folks had in getting pentagrams on military headstones, or having a non-Christian give invocations before Congress.)

Public expressions of faith are just fine. I worry when politicians make certain faith-based comments that are exclusionary, but otherwise, their faith shouldn't be an issue.

Answer 4

Well, that would take some thinking for a while on my part, but I do have one example.
There is a Muslim community somewhere out west (sorry I do not remember what state or town) that wants to build a church of sorts with loud speakers on the roof. Every hour of every day they want to broadcast the call to prayer over these loudspeakers. (We've all seen this on TV news shows and such)

My question is this: Do YOU want to hear this blaring chanting for a mile around all day long? I don't.

The only thing stopping this from happening is the noise ordinances in this particular city. The Muslims are claiming discrimination, even though the law existed for thirty years BEFORE it became so heavily Muslim populated.

Answer 5

It doesn't harm... And it's not that people are trying to eliminate God(s)... it's about Equality. Here in KY a judge decided to put the 10 Commandments in his court room... when he did so, he stated that America is a Christian Nation. They made him take it down because he was actually going against the Constitution with his actions and words. Now, in a small town not far from me, the 10 Commandments are in the court house... built into it... No one says anything about it because no one is trying to make a Statement (Political or otherwise). It depends on HOW these things are done and Why. When one incident like this happens, the media blows it up and everyone else thinks that everyone else is trying to eradicate their religion. This isn't true.

The main problem I have with any of this is when a group of people declares that only their Religion has a right to be in public places and everyone else just has to sit quietly and take it. Sorry, no we don't have to sit quietly... This is America, and we have every right to stand up to this type of treatment. We are, after all, a Democracy (or, used to be anyway)... I try to be fair about this sort of thing, but some people make it difficult when they do stupid things like try to have Harry Potter removed from school libraries claiming the school itself is teaching "witchcraft". It's in the library, no one is forcing those kids to read it. Or like what I went through with my own son... he wore a pentagram and the school system had a fit, stating it was a "gang" symbol. It took me all of 20 minutes to email the principal and the head of the Bd of Education several links that showed that the cross is one of the top "gang" symbols in America. After a 10 minute phone call, not another word was said... BUT! Nothing should have been said about it to begin with.

Answer 6

I think it hurts when seeing a cross brings conviction on a heathen. I think it hurts when we see anyone expressing faith and we know that there is something out there beyond ourselves, but we're living in denial of that fact. If we can succeed in removing God from the public view, there is less of a chance of feeling that sense of conviction that we're not living the right way. Out of sight, out of mind. Those who choose to live in sin would rather not be reminded of where that road leads. This is my opinion of why people get upset, based on my system of beliefs.

I don't have a problem with other people displaying their religion, I am mature enough to ignore it. Taking offense is just that, the action is on the taker. Maturity is the ability to not take offense at every little thing you disagree with. Live and let live.

Answer 7

I agree. the purely challenge with showing a non secular form in a courtroom docket or on state-owned sources or making use of tax funds to fund the acquisition of a non secular form is that it skill that the state is religious. this stuff recommend a state-approved faith it quite is a contravention of the "institution clause" of the first modification of the bill of rights (that the state can make no establishments in reguards to a faith... oftentimes idea-about because the idea of "seperation of church and state")... until eventually, of route, that show also incorporates representative symbols from an excellent form of religions, not purely one. If the state establishes a state faith, this has sweeping outcomes which negativly result human beings contained in the state who practice a faith different then the time-honored state faith... those who do not practice the state faith at the prompt are not dealt with as equivalent electorate. If the ten commandments is displayed in a courthouse, the implication is that the guidelines of the land are a similar because the guidelines of the Christian God which could impact the outcome of courtroom circumstances concerning the violation of Christian commandments which at the prompt are not typically adverse to the guidelines of the state, consisting of covetting your friends spouse or worship Gods different then YHWH. it truly is unfair to non-Christian electorate of that state or district who will be tried in those courts. yet so a tactics as something of it, it truly is exceptionally a lot BS that folk ***** about someone wearing a head-headscarf, praying out loud, putting even with symbols on their gravestones and so on. it truly is freedom of religion, not freedom FROM faith. to deny human beings the right to coach their faith can be a contravention of the "loose practice clause" of the first modification of the bill of rights (that the state can't inhibit the loose practice of a faith). -Scarlet

Answer 8

celebrating faith in public is one thing; there's no problem there.
I have yet to hear a good reason for the Ten Commandments being in a secular courtroom, though. Courtrooms should be about justice, period - and promoting one religion's symbols could imply (for good reason, if you know your history) that people of that path have an assumed home-court advantage. If you were a Muslim and the sole witness against you was a devout Christian, such imagery implies that the Christian's word will be taken over yours. And if you've spent any time at all on this forum, you'll have seen appalling examples of Christians who resort to dishonesty at the drop of a dime.

ADDED: The focus on the courtroom is no accident; most of us don't object to Christians or anyone else doing their thing where it doesn't interfere with anyone else.

I myself wasn't around in earlier times when no one apparently objected about courtroom imagery; I'd imagine non-Christians kept a lower profile for fear of retribution. I do not approve of anyone's overt religious symbols in a courtroom - I would not single out Christianity, but no other paths seem interested in inposing their emplems into the courts. I am not familiar with the Vulcan you refer to - but one non-Christian out of a multitude of Christian images is not a strong argument.

You try to interpret the answers to build a case for anti-Christian sentiment; maybe the sentiment is actually against those seeking to impose their way on the rest of us.

Food for thought; I hope you realize your hunger.

Answer 9

I must tell you how I believe, I know this will cause thumbs down, but hey that's OK. I believe this nation was founded as A God Fearing nation. By that I mean the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. The very first US census showed 97.5% Protostent. 1.5% Roman Cathloc and 1% Jewish. That 99% of the popultions accepting The God of the Bible as truth.

I believe the more that the false gods are accepted and tolorated, the more this nation will fall apart. weither it be vulcan, satan, or who ever. the First commandent is clear. There will be no other Gods before him. Like it or not, just watch and see the decline and ending of our nation as this spreads.

Answer 10

I don't have an issue with people praying in public restaurants and overhearing.

I have issues with Christian Nationalists who think they own the country and want to marry the government to THEIR religion.

Most of them think "how does it harm anyone if people celebrate their "faith" in public", but what they really mean is THE FUNDAMENTALIST EVANGELICAL BIBLICAL LITERALIST version only.

After decades of Christian only prayer in the senate, a Hindu prayer was offered ONCE, and the Fundagelical Conservative community went beserk. So much for their support of publicly expressed faith.