Roger, yeah I agree with all that. I was once standing at the Kenmore t stop
and some lady came by and pressed her crucifix up against my forehead and told
me that god would forgive me for the sins that caused me to go blind. Yeah no
further comment is necessary on that one...
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Roger Loran Bailey
Sent: Tuesday, August 1, 2017 8:42 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; Abby Vincent <aevincent@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: (no subject)
Ah but Abby, I am an atheist and religion is a part of my life. I would rather
it not be, but theists have been beating me over the head with it all of my
life. I have been screamed at on the street for going blind because I turned my
back on Jesus. I have been followed around and preached at even though I
politely told the harasser that I was not interested. For the most part these
jerks have been Christian. In fact, I can say that in person no Muslim has ever
tried to beat me over the head with his religion. But then, I have not known or
encountered very many Muslims and of the few I have encountered I have been
able to actually discuss their religion with them without their becoming
hysterical like so many Christians have. On line, though, it is a bit
different. A few years ago I was browsing Yahoo groups and came across an
announce only group about the Quran. I was a bit curious and subscribed. It
consisted of a daily quote from the Quran and a commentary on it. After a while
my curiosity was satisfied and I unsubscribed. The next day I found myself
subscribed again. After several attempts to leave the list I contacted the list
owner. I did not hear back until I contacted him several more times. Finally I
got a reply telling me that I must remain subscribed because he was trying to
save me from the fire. Apparently he meant hell fire. Somehow I finally talked
him into letting me go. Does this behavior sound familiar? Well, I am pretty
sure that it was not Mustafa unless he uses another Arab pseudonym, but
interestingly enough this person was also based in Egypt.
With Mustafa doing basically the same thing I think I see a pattern developing.
My main beef has always been with Christians, but it is apparent that if I was
in a majority Muslim country they would behave the same way the Christians do
and perhaps even worse. As much as I would like religion to not be a part of my
life it is imposed on me anyway and I got fed up with it many years ago. I do
not back down from them though. If they want to make fools of themselves I am
glad to help them along. And that is why I have been engaging with Mustafa. I
point out his logical fallacies just to point up how foolish he is making
himself look. I also point out to him how hypocritical he is being when he
complains about others being disrespectful to him. He is encouraging the
disrespect by being disrespectful himself. And, by the way, when someone
screams at a blind person on the street that god has struck him blind because
he turned his back on Jesus then that person will probably experience some
amount of disrespect too.
On 8/1/2017 6:14 PM, Abby Vincent wrote:
Yes, and that's why I've been silent. My religious beliefs are part of my
identity, my culture. I choose not to defend them or say why they are
reasonable. This is true of other aspects of my culture. I once had a
working class friend whose parents threw her out of the house when she turned
18. She was offended by my father continuing to send me money from beyond
the grave.
I find it strange that some of you consider yourselves converts to atheism.
If you don't hold a belief in God, then God isn't a part of your life, just
like Valentines Day isn't a part of mine.
Abby
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bob Evans
Sent: Tuesday, August 01, 2017 8:40 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: [blind-democracy]
I agree with you but I refuse your claim that I am disrespectful toward Jews
and Christians. I criticise ignorance of people not their beliefs.
I hope you get this.
You may add to your suggestions not to assume things about people we don't
know.
On 8/1/17, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Please everybody, take all personal attacks, arguments regarding
religion, and posts from other lists, off Blind Democracy. I, and I'm
sure other people, am skipping all emails with the name, Bob Evans,
or Mustafa, and with any subject lines regarding religion. If Mustafa
is disrespectful toward Christians and Jews, so are our non believing
list members who feel impelled to repeat over and over again their
reasons for thinking that religion is nonsense, and that all
believers are stupid and ignorant. One's religious identity is part
of one's personal identity. When, in the guise of intellectual
discussion, you attack an individual's religious belief, it feels to
that person like a personal attack. For people on the political left,
who see themselves as defenders of humanity and civil liberties,
these attacks on other people's beliefs are unforgiveable. And it is
unnecessary to fight back with stronger or nastier language, when one feels
attacked.
That's precisely what Mr. Trump does. Sometimes, silence is the
better part of valor.
Miriam
