Those poor persecuted Christians

aargh57 · 28th October 2009, 12:39 AM

Hi,

Got one of them stupid e-mail chain letters (BTW, is there a new e-name for chain letters nowadays? Like e-chain or something?) today from a fundie relative of mine. Anyway, it's reportedly something Paul Harvey wrote. I doubt it's from Harvey but doesn't really matter if it is or not, just the typical crap about how Christian's can't pray anywhere without the Gestapo breaking it up or something. I'm pretty close to lots of Christians immediate family included and many of them have these sentiments. Getting kind of tired of it too, but too much of a wimp to say anything so I guess I can't complain. I just can't figure out why they have this perception though. They've taken government mandated prayer out of schools and religious symbols out of public government areas but you can still sit in a restaurant, park, bus station, school, or whatever and pray your little heart out. I would like to think that the hidden meaning of this e-mail is "Man, there sure seems to be a lot less of us praying all over hell nowadays. So if you're reading this, make sure you go ahead and pray real loud all over the place and be really obnoxious about it so people notice you. That way it'll look like there's a lot more of us than there are. Oh, yeah, and most importantly, while you're praying, make sure you really bitch about how 1 in a million people are keeping you from praying and let them know that George Washington was a Pentecostal. "

Sorry for the rant, Here's the e-mail for anyone interested. (BTW, I figured this would constitute my forwarding it around the globe condition so I don't get rabies and hopefully win the lottery or something)

Lets do it!

HOORAY, HOORAY, HOORAY for Paul Harvey. I myself have been grumbling and wondering how a handful of people have been able to take our right to pray in public places away from us. So, agreeing with Paul, I GLADLY will forward this email AGAIN, AGAIN AND AGAIN.

Folks, this is the Month that we RE-TAKE AMERICA
********* Get Ready *********

Keep this going around the globe ... Read it and forward every time you receive it. We can't give up on this issue.

Paul Harvey and Prayer

Paul Harvey says:

This is the United States of America , a country founded on Christian principles.

One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations.

Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying.

God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you, well, just sue me.

The silent majority has been silent too long. It's time we tell that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard that the vast majority doesn't care what they want. It is time that the majority rules! It's time we tell them, You don't have to pray; you don't have to say the Pledge of Allegiance; you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your right; but you are no longer going to take our rights away. We are fighting back, and we WILL WIN!

God bless us one and all ... Especially those who worship Him ,
God bless America, despite all her faults. She is still the greatest nation of all.
Let's make 2009 the year the silent majority is heard and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions .

Keep looking up.

If you agree with this, please pass it on.
If not delete it.
'AND THAT'S THE REST OF THE STORY'

arthwollipot · 28th October 2009, 12:48 AM

Wow, there's a strawman of epic proportions right there.

Perhaps you could just return them a quote of the First Amendment:

Quote:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

aargh57 · 28th October 2009, 12:58 AM

Art, I really should do that, but I'm a wimp.

I kind of liked the part in the e-mail where it says
"God bless us one and all ... Especially those who worship Him"

Those of you going to hell, well, why waste too much blessing.

aargh57 · 28th October 2009, 01:03 AM

I was just thinking of this too....

What if Washington, Adams, Jefferson, etc.... were Islamic. Indisputable proof. Hard core. Would it be right to have the islamic tenants written outside of courthouses? An islamic prayer on Friday night before the big football game? I wonder what my relatives would say if I asked them that. (BTW, I do love my family which is why I'm such a wuss with this)

There was lots of crap we used to do that we don't anymore because it was wrong then and it's wrong now. Just because ignorant 1 room school teachers used the bible to teach students in 1848 doesn't mean it was right.

commandlinegamer · 28th October 2009, 01:07 AM

Originally Posted by aargh57

Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek

I didn't think this bit was optional. I like to think if you take it to its logical conclusion, then this example should apply: If someone is holding a gun on you, you grab the muzzle while yelling 'Bring it On!'. Actually there's a thought, maybe Jesus was doing reverse-psychology, cause in every movie I've seen where a thug is threatening someone with a pistol, shouting 'shoot me! do it!' (or words to that effect) will result in him dropping his weapon and giving himself up.

jasonpatterson · 28th October 2009, 01:13 AM

Originally Posted by aargh57

Art, I really should do that, but I'm a wimp.

If it bothers you, do something. You're never going to convince the people making these ridiculous claims, but usually it's one or two loud idiots clamoring to a group of unconvinced, ignorant people. Have a couple of facts in your pocket, like the highlighted bit from Art's post, and the lovely part about it being perfectly legal for students to worship in school. If you say nothing, there is no counterargument to the unconvinced listeners. It's also fun to tick off Uncle Mort at Thanksgiving.

gnome · 28th October 2009, 01:14 AM

I think there's some truth to that, commandlinegamer. It also fits in with some Gandhi too...

aargh57 · 28th October 2009, 01:15 AM

Originally Posted by jasonpatterson

It's also fun to tick off Uncle Mort at Thanksgiving.

Got a feeling it wouldn't be fun.

arthwollipot · 28th October 2009, 01:18 AM

Yeah, I can sympathise. You really don't want to antagonise your family if you can help it.

Just keep your finger on that Delete button.

UnrepentantSinner · 28th October 2009, 01:32 AM

You might want to run that through Snopes. I know that he actually did say something on his radio show similar in the past, but this one isn't passing my sniff test.

aargh57 · 28th October 2009, 01:41 AM

Yeah, I'm pretty sure snopes would slam this one, and thought of running it but then I thought "Why bother?" It doesn't matter to me whether or not he said it. I'm willing to give him a little credit and guess he didn't, but I don't really care.

UnrepentantSinner · 28th October 2009, 01:48 AM

Maybe you could reply with the Snopes link?
www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/prayer.asp

Leif Roar · 28th October 2009, 01:50 AM

Originally Posted by aargh57

"Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights."

"Oh, well, we all have our crosses to bear."

arthwollipot · 28th October 2009, 01:54 AM

"God works in mysterious ways..."

aargh57 · 28th October 2009, 02:01 AM

Originally Posted by UnrepentantSinner

Maybe you could reply with the Snopes link?
www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/prayer.asp

I really don't think it matters. So what if he said it or not? It's still stupid (and they would say the same thing except substitute "right for "stupid").

Evolved Wookie · 28th October 2009, 03:05 AM

Originally Posted by aargh57

Hi,
...a country founded on Christian principles...One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do...

Yep - sounds like pretty much any religion to me.

m_huber · 28th October 2009, 03:17 AM

What is interesting about this is that there is a known author for the article, but it has been altered, amended, and misattributed in order to make it more distributable, and this has happened in the last decade. I'm thinking, of course, about comparisons to arguments about the reliability of the Bible.

Darat · 28th October 2009, 03:17 AM

Does no one else find this part really, really funny:

"Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek ...."

That bloody Jesus!

Hux · 28th October 2009, 05:54 AM

Pathetic if true. They are bleating and crying rape again. They never liked being talked back to, can't understand why intelligent people laugh at their beliefs and despair at not being allowed to burn witches and Heathens any more. Life was so much simpler then. sighs.

They are more and more likely to hide behind their demands for blasphemy laws than anything else, despise the internet if it doesn't suit them. Pathetic really. Its wonderful just to watch them squirm.

Apathia · 28th October 2009, 07:19 AM

Originally Posted by aargh57

Hi,

Got one of them stupid e-mail chain letters (BTW, is there a new e-name for chain letters nowadays? Like e-chain or something?)

"Meatloaf"
http://www.wordspy.com/words/meatloaf.asp

bokonon · 28th October 2009, 12:47 PM

Get yourself a Google mail account. Forward the letter to yourself there.

Reply to yourself at your Gmail account, and BCC everybody in the distribution chain. Cut the actual distribution chain out before you send it. That way, you can say what you want to say without your family getting mad at you, everybody you can determine has received the original can receive your reply, and no amateur Sherlock Holmes will be going, "hmmmm, it must be one of the people in the last forward...."

Or just forget about it. The few times I've done it, none of the people I sent it to bothered to reply, so I suspect most of the people up the chain didn't even read the original.

Eyeron · 28th October 2009, 01:45 PM

I'm not suspicious about it because Paul Harvey has said things like this before:

YouTube Video This video is not hosted by the JREF. The JREF can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website.

I AGREE

gnome · 28th October 2009, 01:47 PM

It's not a question of suspicion. The author is known. Check the snopes link.

Lanzy · 28th October 2009, 02:10 PM

I always hate the "then just delete it option". No, I reply all everytime, then get a bunch of irate people demanding I stop sending them spam so I reply all again. It has taken a while but I rarely get these emails anymore.

gnome · 28th October 2009, 05:08 PM

First I tend to reply to sender only and teach them a little about snopes.

At that point they either start checking snopes before sending out stuff, or ignore me.

If they ignore me, the next message goes to reply all.

Ladewig · 28th October 2009, 05:22 PM

Forward it to me and I'll reply to all of them. The simplest solution is to explain that Jesus does not want people to pray at football games. He gave very explicit instructions not to pray in public places Matt 6:5-7.

Darth Rotor · 28th October 2009, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by Darat

Does no one else find this part really, really funny:

"Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek ...."

That bloody Jesus!

You get nails pounded into your wrists and feet, and tell me you won't bleed.

Go ahead, I'm waiting.

whatthebutlersaw · 29th October 2009, 05:00 AM

Originally Posted by aargh57

(BTW, I do love my family which is why I'm such a wuss with this)

I don't think that makes you wussy. My family - bio and chosen - include loads of New Age-nutters, no less than two ordained priests and a born again MiL. (Thankfully, MiL has chosen to embrace the love message and is ignoring the rest. She gets along perfectly well with people of other faiths and her own very, very atheist son and is absolutely wonderful to me. I'd take nuts, but nice in a MiL any day. You hear some stories...)

If people are behaving reasonably, then at least I have no beef with their faith. You say you love your family, so we must assume that they are reasonable people.

I personally, stay out of it unless faith, or strong beliefs, causes someone to behave unreasonably or irrationally to the detriment of others.

I.e. - I don't bother if my mum wants to spend an amount of money, that she can afford to go without, on having some wacko place stones on random places of her body to "energize" her, or lying about on a spike mat (very popular in Sweden at the moment). She knows what I think about it, and nothing is gained by falling out over it. But if my cousin were to try to treat her daughter's severe asthma by taking her to a homeopath - and I were aware of it - then I would speak up because that purports to treat a serious condition and is involving a child's health, and it would be worth the risk of falling out. (There wouldn't be falling out though, because my cousin is always willing to listen to reason even if she doesn't seek it out herself.)

CriticalSock · 29th October 2009, 05:29 AM

Originally Posted by Darat

Does no one else find this part really, really funny:

"Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek ...."

That bloody Jesus!

I chortled at that line too!

"Oh come on jesus! We've tried being christian, but it's really hard!"

Mojo · 29th October 2009, 05:55 AM

Originally Posted by Darat

Does no one else find this part really, really funny:

"Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek ...."

That bloody Jesus!

It'll be interesting to see how Conservapedia's Bible project deals with that bit.

Mojo · 29th October 2009, 05:59 AM

Originally Posted by aargh57

I would like to think that the hidden meaning of this e-mail is "Man, there sure seems to be a lot less of us praying all over hell nowadays. So if you're reading this, make sure you go ahead and pray real loud all over the place and be really obnoxious about it so people notice you. That way it'll look like there's a lot more of us than there are. Oh, yeah, and most importantly, while you're praying, make sure you really bitch about how 1 in a million people are keeping you from praying and let them know that George Washington was a Pentecostal."

Matthew 6:5: "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men."

Ladewig · 29th October 2009, 06:02 AM

Originally Posted by Mojo

Matthew 6:5: "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men."

Is there an echo in here?

Mojo · 29th October 2009, 06:05 AM

Sorry - I missed that.

CurtC · 29th October 2009, 07:27 AM

I received a very similar email last week, but it was attributed to Andy Rooney instead of Paul Harvey. I replied (to the sender, not to all) that "I don't think Andy Rooney would have written that since he's an atheist (like me)!"

Mister Agenda · 29th October 2009, 10:27 AM

To people swimming in priviledge, being treated the same as everyone else feels like persecution.

bobcarp · 29th October 2009, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by aargh57

Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying.

Who and how are people stopping anyone from praying before they eat or go to sleep?

Cainkane1 · 29th October 2009, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by aargh57

Hi,

Got one of them stupid e-mail chain letters (BTW, is there a new e-name for chain letters nowadays? Like e-chain or something?) today from a fundie relative of mine. Anyway, it's reportedly something Paul Harvey wrote. I doubt it's from Harvey but doesn't really matter if it is or not, just the typical crap about how Christian's can't pray anywhere without the Gestapo breaking it up or something. I'm pretty close to lots of Christians immediate family included and many of them have these sentiments. Getting kind of tired of it too, but too much of a wimp to say anything so I guess I can't complain. I just can't figure out why they have this perception though. They've taken government mandated prayer out of schools and religious symbols out of public government areas but you can still sit in a restaurant, park, bus station, school, or whatever and pray your little heart out. I would like to think that the hidden meaning of this e-mail is "Man, there sure seems to be a lot less of us praying all over hell nowadays. So if you're reading this, make sure you go ahead and pray real loud all over the place and be really obnoxious about it so people notice you. That way it'll look like there's a lot more of us than there are. Oh, yeah, and most importantly, while you're praying, make sure you really bitch about how 1 in a million people are keeping you from praying and let them know that George Washington was a Pentecostal. "

Sorry for the rant, Here's the e-mail for anyone interested. (BTW, I figured this would constitute my forwarding it around the globe condition so I don't get rabies and hopefully win the lottery or something)

Lets do it!

HOORAY, HOORAY, HOORAY for Paul Harvey. I myself have been grumbling and wondering how a handful of people have been able to take our right to pray in public places away from us. So, agreeing with Paul, I GLADLY will forward this email AGAIN, AGAIN AND AGAIN.

Folks, this is the Month that we RE-TAKE AMERICA
********* Get Ready *********

Keep this going around the globe ... Read it and forward every time you receive it. We can't give up on this issue.

Paul Harvey and Prayer

Paul Harvey says:

This is the United States of America , a country founded on Christian principles.

One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations.

Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying.

God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you, well, just sue me.

The silent majority has been silent too long. It's time we tell that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard that the vast majority doesn't care what they want. It is time that the majority rules! It's time we tell them, You don't have to pray; you don't have to say the Pledge of Allegiance; you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your right; but you are no longer going to take our rights away. We are fighting back, and we WILL WIN!

God bless us one and all ... Especially those who worship Him ,
God bless America, despite all her faults. She is still the greatest nation of all.
Let's make 2009 the year the silent majority is heard and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions .

Keep looking up.

If you agree with this, please pass it on.
If not delete it.
'AND THAT'S THE REST OF THE STORY'

Basically what the problem is is this. They want to make you pray whether you like it or not. They know they can pray if they want to its just that they can no longer make someone else do it. Pray in your house. Pray in the park or like you say pray in a privately owned restaurant or just about anywhere else just cease and desist intimidating someone who had rather not pray with you.

bobcarp · 29th October 2009, 12:33 PM

Don't Christian missionaries go to other countries and try to stop those people from praying to their (Hindu, Muslim, et al) god?

lumos · 29th October 2009, 12:41 PM

Wow, what a hate-filled chain e-mail. I guess they hate all non-christians as they basically say "tough sh*t if you don't believe in our myths, we want to force them on you anyway, becasue we are the majority".

Good thing minorities are protected in the US from persecution by the majority.

pnerd · 29th October 2009, 02:02 PM

Is this source reliable:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...ic_guilty.html

28th October 2009, 12:39 AM	#1
aargh57 Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 330	Those poor persecuted Christians Hi, Got one of them stupid e-mail chain letters (BTW, is there a new e-name for chain letters nowadays? Like e-chain or something?) today from a fundie relative of mine. Anyway, it's reportedly something Paul Harvey wrote. I doubt it's from Harvey but doesn't really matter if it is or not, just the typical crap about how Christian's can't pray anywhere without the Gestapo breaking it up or something. I'm pretty close to lots of Christians immediate family included and many of them have these sentiments. Getting kind of tired of it too, but too much of a wimp to say anything so I guess I can't complain. I just can't figure out why they have this perception though. They've taken government mandated prayer out of schools and religious symbols out of public government areas but you can still sit in a restaurant, park, bus station, school, or whatever and pray your little heart out. I would like to think that the hidden meaning of this e-mail is "Man, there sure seems to be a lot less of us praying all over hell nowadays. So if you're reading this, make sure you go ahead and pray real loud all over the place and be really obnoxious about it so people notice you. That way it'll look like there's a lot more of us than there are. Oh, yeah, and most importantly, while you're praying, make sure you really bitch about how 1 in a million people are keeping you from praying and let them know that George Washington was a Pentecostal. " Sorry for the rant, Here's the e-mail for anyone interested. (BTW, I figured this would constitute my forwarding it around the globe condition so I don't get rabies and hopefully win the lottery or something) Lets do it! HOORAY, HOORAY, HOORAY for Paul Harvey. I myself have been grumbling and wondering how a handful of people have been able to take our right to pray in public places away from us. So, agreeing with Paul, I GLADLY will forward this email AGAIN, AGAIN AND AGAIN. Folks, this is the Month that we RE-TAKE AMERICA ******* Get Ready ******* Keep this going around the globe ... Read it and forward every time you receive it. We can't give up on this issue. Paul Harvey and Prayer Paul Harvey says: This is the United States of America , a country founded on Christian principles. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations. Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying. God, help us. And if that last sentence offends you, well, just sue me. The silent majority has been silent too long. It's time we tell that one or two who scream loud enough to be heard that the vast majority doesn't care what they want. It is time that the majority rules! It's time we tell them, You don't have to pray; you don't have to say the Pledge of Allegiance; you don't have to believe in God or attend services that honor Him. That is your right, and we will honor your right; but you are no longer going to take our rights away. We are fighting back, and we WILL WIN! God bless us one and all ... Especially those who worship Him , God bless America, despite all her faults. She is still the greatest nation of all. Let's make 2009 the year the silent majority is heard and we put God back as the foundation of our families and institutions . Keep looking up. If you agree with this, please pass it on. If not delete it. 'AND THAT'S THE REST OF THE STORY'
aargh57 Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 330	Last edited by aargh57; 28th October 2009 at 12:41 AM.

28th October 2009, 12:48 AM	#2
arthwollipot The Accidental Podcaster Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: On the other side of your screen. Posts: 28,320	Wow, there's a strawman of epic proportions right there. Perhaps you could just return them a quote of the First Amendment: Quote: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
	__________________ The Nonsense Podcast Episode 17: Coming Mid-February. We welcome Lexi Hameister into the world at 1830 on 29 January! What's an "arthwollipot"?

28th October 2009, 12:58 AM	#3
aargh57 Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 330	Art, I really should do that, but I'm a wimp. I kind of liked the part in the e-mail where it says "God bless us one and all ... Especially those who worship Him" Those of you going to hell, well, why waste too much blessing.
aargh57 Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 330

28th October 2009, 01:03 AM	#4
aargh57 Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 330	I was just thinking of this too.... What if Washington, Adams, Jefferson, etc.... were Islamic. Indisputable proof. Hard core. Would it be right to have the islamic tenants written outside of courthouses? An islamic prayer on Friday night before the big football game? I wonder what my relatives would say if I asked them that. (BTW, I do love my family which is why I'm such a wuss with this) There was lots of crap we used to do that we don't anymore because it was wrong then and it's wrong now. Just because ignorant 1 room school teachers used the bible to teach students in 1848 doesn't mean it was right.
aargh57 Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 330

28th October 2009, 01:13 AM	#6
jasonpatterson Philanthropic Misanthrope Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Macedonia, OH Posts: 908	Originally Posted by aargh57 Art, I really should do that, but I'm a wimp. If it bothers you, do something. You're never going to convince the people making these ridiculous claims, but usually it's one or two loud idiots clamoring to a group of unconvinced, ignorant people. Have a couple of facts in your pocket, like the highlighted bit from Art's post, and the lovely part about it being perfectly legal for students to worship in school. If you say nothing, there is no counterargument to the unconvinced listeners. It's also fun to tick off Uncle Mort at Thanksgiving.
	__________________ Sandra's seen a leprechaun, Eddie touched a troll, Laurie danced with witches once, Charlie found some goblins' gold. Donald heard a mermaid sing, Susie spied an elf, But all the magic I have known I've had to make myself. - Shel Silverstein

28th October 2009, 01:07 AM	#5
commandlinegamer Muse Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Scotland Posts: 816	Originally Posted by aargh57 Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek I didn't think this bit was optional. I like to think if you take it to its logical conclusion, then this example should apply: If someone is holding a gun on you, you grab the muzzle while yelling 'Bring it On!'. Actually there's a thought, maybe Jesus was doing reverse-psychology, cause in every movie I've seen where a thug is threatening someone with a pistol, shouting 'shoot me! do it!' (or words to that effect) will result in him dropping his weapon and giving himself up.

28th October 2009, 01:14 AM	#7
gnome Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 6,413	I think there's some truth to that, commandlinegamer. It also fits in with some Gandhi too...
gnome Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 6,413	__________________

28th October 2009, 01:15 AM	#8
aargh57 Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 330	Originally Posted by jasonpatterson It's also fun to tick off Uncle Mort at Thanksgiving. Got a feeling it wouldn't be fun.
aargh57 Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 330

28th October 2009, 01:18 AM	#9
arthwollipot The Accidental Podcaster Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: On the other side of your screen. Posts: 28,320	Yeah, I can sympathise. You really don't want to antagonise your family if you can help it. Just keep your finger on that Delete button.
	__________________ The Nonsense Podcast Episode 17: Coming Mid-February. We welcome Lexi Hameister into the world at 1830 on 29 January! What's an "arthwollipot"?

28th October 2009, 01:32 AM	#10
UnrepentantSinner A post by Alan Smithee Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: USAian is not a word Posts: 23,209	You might want to run that through Snopes. I know that he actually did say something on his radio show similar in the past, but this one isn't passing my sniff test.
	__________________ "The permanence of the stars was questioned, the justice of slavery was not" - Carl Sagan in Cosmos discussing the content of the Library of Alexandria. a post by Alan Smithee explained. Blutoski's taxonomy of woo Join my The Not Cool Kids Club

28th October 2009, 01:41 AM	#11
aargh57 Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 330	Yeah, I'm pretty sure snopes would slam this one, and thought of running it but then I thought "Why bother?" It doesn't matter to me whether or not he said it. I'm willing to give him a little credit and guess he didn't, but I don't really care.
aargh57 Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 330

28th October 2009, 01:48 AM	#12
UnrepentantSinner A post by Alan Smithee Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: USAian is not a word Posts: 23,209	Maybe you could reply with the Snopes link? www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/prayer.asp
	__________________ "The permanence of the stars was questioned, the justice of slavery was not" - Carl Sagan in Cosmos discussing the content of the Library of Alexandria. a post by Alan Smithee explained. Blutoski's taxonomy of woo Join my The Not Cool Kids Club

28th October 2009, 01:50 AM	#13
Leif Roar Master Poster Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 2,059	Originally Posted by aargh57 "Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights." "Oh, well, we all have our crosses to bear."
Leif Roar Master Poster Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 2,059	__________________ "Our feature on cloud seeding (16 Apr, p40) should have started with the words 'Cannons blazed'. No clergy were set on fire in China's rainmaking experiment." -- New Scientist, 7th May 2005

28th October 2009, 01:54 AM	#14
arthwollipot The Accidental Podcaster Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: On the other side of your screen. Posts: 28,320	"God works in mysterious ways..."
	__________________ The Nonsense Podcast Episode 17: Coming Mid-February. We welcome Lexi Hameister into the world at 1830 on 29 January! What's an "arthwollipot"?

28th October 2009, 02:01 AM	#15
aargh57 Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 330	Originally Posted by UnrepentantSinner Maybe you could reply with the Snopes link? www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/prayer.asp I really don't think it matters. So what if he said it or not? It's still stupid (and they would say the same thing except substitute "right for "stupid").
aargh57 Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 330

28th October 2009, 03:05 AM	#16
Evolved Wookie Thinker Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Two feet to the left, in accordance with the theory of indeterminacy Posts: 235	Originally Posted by aargh57 Hi, ...a country founded on Christian principles...One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do... Yep - sounds like pretty much any religion to me.
	__________________ "There is only one difference between a madman and me. I am not mad." - Salvador Dali "Sometimes it's necessary to discuss the irrelephant in the room." - Mashuna

28th October 2009, 03:17 AM	#17
m_huber Muse Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 780	What is interesting about this is that there is a known author for the article, but it has been altered, amended, and misattributed in order to make it more distributable, and this has happened in the last decade. I'm thinking, of course, about comparisons to arguments about the reliability of the Bible.
m_huber Muse Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 780	__________________ "A certain percentage of children have the habit of thinking; one of the aims of education is to cure them of this habit." -- Bertrand Russell on problems with traditional educational methods.

28th October 2009, 03:17 AM	#18
Darat Lackey Administrator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: South East, UK Posts: 47,708	Does no one else find this part really, really funny: "Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek ...." That bloody Jesus!
	__________________ If it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart? - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn 1918-2008

28th October 2009, 05:54 AM	#19
Hux Graduate Poster Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,064	Pathetic if true. They are bleating and crying rape again. They never liked being talked back to, can't understand why intelligent people laugh at their beliefs and despair at not being allowed to burn witches and Heathens any more. Life was so much simpler then. sighs. They are more and more likely to hide behind their demands for blasphemy laws than anything else, despise the internet if it doesn't suit them. Pathetic really. Its wonderful just to watch them squirm.
Hux Graduate Poster Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 1,064

28th October 2009, 07:19 AM	#20
Apathia Master Poster Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 2,266	Originally Posted by aargh57 Hi, Got one of them stupid e-mail chain letters (BTW, is there a new e-name for chain letters nowadays? Like e-chain or something?) "Meatloaf" http://www.wordspy.com/words/meatloaf.asp
Apathia Master Poster Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 2,266	__________________ "to defy the authority of empirical evidence is to disqualify oneself as someone worthy of critical engagement in a dialog." The Dalai Lama "Humans aren't rational creatures but rationalizing creatures." Author Unknown

28th October 2009, 12:47 PM	#21
bokonon Illuminator Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 3,224	Get yourself a Google mail account. Forward the letter to yourself there. Reply to yourself at your Gmail account, and BCC everybody in the distribution chain. Cut the actual distribution chain out before you send it. That way, you can say what you want to say without your family getting mad at you, everybody you can determine has received the original can receive your reply, and no amateur Sherlock Holmes will be going, "hmmmm, it must be one of the people in the last forward...." Or just forget about it. The few times I've done it, none of the people I sent it to bothered to reply, so I suspect most of the people up the chain didn't even read the original.
bokonon Illuminator Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 3,224	__________________ Laugh while you can, monkey boy.

28th October 2009, 01:47 PM	#23
gnome Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 6,413	It's not a question of suspicion. The author is known. Check the snopes link.
gnome Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 6,413	__________________

28th October 2009, 02:10 PM	#24
Lanzy Muse Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Reading, PA Posts: 695	I always hate the "then just delete it option". No, I reply all everytime, then get a bunch of irate people demanding I stop sending them spam so I reply all again. It has taken a while but I rarely get these emails anymore.

28th October 2009, 05:08 PM	#25
gnome Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 6,413	First I tend to reply to sender only and teach them a little about snopes. At that point they either start checking snopes before sending out stuff, or ignore me. If they ignore me, the next message goes to reply all.
gnome Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 6,413	__________________

28th October 2009, 05:22 PM	#26
Ladewig Philosopher Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Gulf Coast Posts: 8,961	Forward it to me and I'll reply to all of them. The simplest solution is to explain that Jesus does not want people to pray at football games. He gave very explicit instructions not to pray in public places Matt 6:5-7.
	__________________ When I see all the kooky things posted on the JREF forums, I can't help but think of Max Bialystock's lament: "They come here, they all come here, how do they find us?"

28th October 2009, 10:58 PM	#27
Darth Rotor Salted Sith Cynic Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rat cheer Posts: 26,817	Originally Posted by Darat Does no one else find this part really, really funny: "Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek ...." That bloody Jesus! You get nails pounded into your wrists and feet, and tell me you won't bleed. Go ahead, I'm waiting.
	__________________ Helicopters don't so much fly as beat the air into submission. "Jesus wept, but did He laugh?"--F.H. Buckley____"There is some one thing that was too great for God to show us when He walked upon our earth ... His mirth." --Chesterton____"Atheism is no safeguard against stupidity."--The Atheist____If the barbarian in us is excised, so is our humanity."--D'rok____ "Your onus is aimed in the wrong direction." -- Cleon

29th October 2009, 05:00 AM	#28
whatthebutlersaw Muse Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Kent, UK Posts: 579	Originally Posted by aargh57 (BTW, I do love my family which is why I'm such a wuss with this) I don't think that makes you wussy. My family - bio and chosen - include loads of New Age-nutters, no less than two ordained priests and a born again MiL. (Thankfully, MiL has chosen to embrace the love message and is ignoring the rest. She gets along perfectly well with people of other faiths and her own very, very atheist son and is absolutely wonderful to me. I'd take nuts, but nice in a MiL any day. You hear some stories...) If people are behaving reasonably, then at least I have no beef with their faith. You say you love your family, so we must assume that they are reasonable people. I personally, stay out of it unless faith, or strong beliefs, causes someone to behave unreasonably or irrationally to the detriment of others. I.e. - I don't bother if my mum wants to spend an amount of money, that she can afford to go without, on having some wacko place stones on random places of her body to "energize" her, or lying about on a spike mat (very popular in Sweden at the moment). She knows what I think about it, and nothing is gained by falling out over it. But if my cousin were to try to treat her daughter's severe asthma by taking her to a homeopath - and I were aware of it - then I would speak up because that purports to treat a serious condition and is involving a child's health, and it would be worth the risk of falling out. (There wouldn't be falling out though, because my cousin is always willing to listen to reason even if she doesn't seek it out herself.)

29th October 2009, 05:29 AM	#29
CriticalSock Muse Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Cheltenham, UK Posts: 556	Originally Posted by Darat Does no one else find this part really, really funny: "Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek ...." That bloody Jesus! I chortled at that line too! "Oh come on jesus! We've tried being christian, but it's really hard!"

29th October 2009, 05:55 AM	#30
Mojo Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Nor Flanden Posts: 14,927	Originally Posted by Darat Does no one else find this part really, really funny: "Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek ...." That bloody Jesus! It'll be interesting to see how Conservapedia's Bible project deals with that bit.
	__________________ "You got to use your brain." - McKinley Morganfield "All blasphemies do not become great truths." - George Bernard Shaw

29th October 2009, 05:59 AM	#31
Mojo Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Nor Flanden Posts: 14,927	Originally Posted by aargh57 I would like to think that the hidden meaning of this e-mail is "Man, there sure seems to be a lot less of us praying all over hell nowadays. So if you're reading this, make sure you go ahead and pray real loud all over the place and be really obnoxious about it so people notice you. That way it'll look like there's a lot more of us than there are. Oh, yeah, and most importantly, while you're praying, make sure you really bitch about how 1 in a million people are keeping you from praying and let them know that George Washington was a Pentecostal." Matthew 6:5: "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men."
	__________________ "You got to use your brain." - McKinley Morganfield "All blasphemies do not become great truths." - George Bernard Shaw

29th October 2009, 06:02 AM	#32
Ladewig Philosopher Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Gulf Coast Posts: 8,961	Originally Posted by Mojo Matthew 6:5: "And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men." Is there an echo in here?
	__________________ When I see all the kooky things posted on the JREF forums, I can't help but think of Max Bialystock's lament: "They come here, they all come here, how do they find us?"

29th October 2009, 06:05 AM	#33
Mojo Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Nor Flanden Posts: 14,927	Sorry - I missed that.
	__________________ "You got to use your brain." - McKinley Morganfield "All blasphemies do not become great truths." - George Bernard Shaw

29th October 2009, 07:27 AM	#34
CurtC Illuminator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 4,248	I received a very similar email last week, but it was attributed to Andy Rooney instead of Paul Harvey. I replied (to the sender, not to all) that "I don't think Andy Rooney would have written that since he's an atheist (like me)!"
	__________________ Is there a God? Find the answer at The Official God FAQ.

29th October 2009, 10:27 AM	#35
Mister Agenda Muse Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 906	To people swimming in priviledge, being treated the same as everyone else feels like persecution.

29th October 2009, 11:43 AM	#36
bobcarp Thinker Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Sacramento, California Posts: 220	Originally Posted by aargh57 Christians are just sick and tired of turning the other cheek while our courts strip us of all our rights. Our parents and grandparents taught us to pray before eating, to pray before we go to sleep. Our Bible tells us to pray without ceasing. Now a handful of people and their lawyers are telling us to cease praying. Who and how are people stopping anyone from praying before they eat or go to sleep?
	__________________ Any claim presented without evidence, can be brushed away without evidence. "There's no "I" in TEAM, but there is "LIE" in BIBLE."