Posts by DJS

16

Do you think you should have the right to decline business on Personal or Religious grounds?

by PokerPlayerPhil in

should individual businesses have the right to pick and chose who they serve?

if a muslim decides he won't bake the cake of a radical zionist that says "reclaim the temple in jerusalem" should the government be allowed to punish the muslim baker?

maybe you can help me understand the issues more clearly because were becoming hyper-sensitive and soon your going to need a handbook what's the proper thing to say.

DJS

Phil and the rest of you,

Billy has answered you just as a lot of us have very effectively in all of these other OPs. I don't mean to be mean, but either you can't read, you won't read or you can't process data. Every for-profit business has a legal, protected, right to determine that hate speech or other services that would be deemed objectionable, illegal, seditious, obscene, etc. by reasonable people or the law are services they won't provide.

The NBA, FIFA, NFL, Duck Dynasty Producers and Network, etc. have a legal, protected right to establish policies that prohibit hate speech and actions by their employees and those doing business with them. So does the corner bakery operated by X-tian fundies.

It is simple. Refusing to sell a cake to the KKK or the Black Panthers, as long as they are operating legally, is illegal, Refusing to make a cake with a hangman's noose on a tree, etc. is protected. Refusing to bake a cake with plastic figurines of the same sex on the top is illegal; refusing to bake the same cake with the same sex figurines performing a sex act is legal.

It isn't that complicated. It only seems complicated to those whose views are colored by their personal religious and/or political beliefs.

16

Do you think you should have the right to decline business on Personal or Religious grounds?

by PokerPlayerPhil in

should individual businesses have the right to pick and chose who they serve?

if a muslim decides he won't bake the cake of a radical zionist that says "reclaim the temple in jerusalem" should the government be allowed to punish the muslim baker?

maybe you can help me understand the issues more clearly because were becoming hyper-sensitive and soon your going to need a handbook what's the proper thing to say.

DJS

Phil,

We've addressed this numerous times before, typically on the OPs regarding X-tians not wanting to bake cakes, take pictures, etc. for gays. It doesn't matter what we think; we live in a constitutional democracy predicated on the US Constitution, which does both. It protects individual rights while upholding utilitarian concepts (for the common good). For decades the SCOTUS and other courts have ruled that private for profit businesses do not have a right to discriminate.

Those who think they do are unaware of the Constitution or the courts' rulings, or they think their religious or political beliefs trump both. They do not. Just this week an Oregon bakery was fined several hundred thousand dollars for refusing to bake a cake for a lesbian couple.

The gay marriage issue is before SCOTUS right now, and it may clear up a lot of this. At worst (for the LGBT community) their ruling will allow states to determine. If so, 38 have already determined and it is unlikely they will reverse these laws. Pending states may or may not, depending on how many feel the negative publicity felt by the Indiana governor and legislature, which quickly modified their hate filled law designed for one reason - to make it legal to discriminate against the LGBT community - so that it now specifically forbids such.

We will almost certainly see a replay of these actions if SCOTUS defends states' rights. It is very simple. Egocentric, selfish, hateful people would like to be able to, but thankfully so far their hate is being mitigated.

16

LOL -

by Bloody Hotdogs! in

jw
friends

tee hee hee.

.

DJS

Funny! Someone has just got to animate this picture and slowly morph his smiling, grandfatherly mug into the wolf that he is. Come on techies! Your'e our only hope.

48

The shift: from follower to wanting to leave

by paradisebeauty in

this week has been the week when my whole way of thinking shifted.

i still cannot believe how this can happen so fast.

over a period of seven days i went from not even imagining that i could ever not be a witness to wanting to get out of this organisation.. .

DJS

Magnum,

Thank you for sharing your experience. I've come to think of you as one of the most respected and helpful contributors on this site. Upon exiting the cult, and even before, I spent years examining and evaluating my theism and how I got myself trapped in the cult, allowing the control and being blind to the Dark Lords' nonsense for so long.

I sought to understand me; I was no longer looking for answers, as I had realized by that time that I didn't even know the questions. Everything I thought I knew I had to learn again. I hope you can come to some sort of understanding and put it behind you enough to hit the hyper drive, living and enjoying life to its fullest measure.

ParadiseBeauty,

I echo others when they suggest that you slip away quietly and quickly. We know you feel strongly about discussing your revelation with others, but there is no good that can come from it. It will cause you needless emotional stress and you won't have accomplished anything other than being branded with the "A."

Slip away, quietly and quickly.

20

Why would a Swingers Club Want to Become a Religion?

by cha ching in

" a nashville swingers club has undergone a conversion it now says that it is a church in order to win city approval, so that it can open next to a christian school.

" (associated press).

the article explains, "a church is something that cannot be defined under the u.s. constitution"..... wt lawyers explain to the court all of the time; 'you can't interfere with our internal church policies, or you will be infringing on our first amendment rights.

DJS

The upscale clubs have dinner and breakfast bars with really good food. . . .At least that's what I've been told. And you don't have to fantasize about what Sister Mary Elizabeth looks like without her clothes. Much better than church.

20

Why would a Swingers Club Want to Become a Religion?

by cha ching in

" a nashville swingers club has undergone a conversion it now says that it is a church in order to win city approval, so that it can open next to a christian school.

" (associated press).

the article explains, "a church is something that cannot be defined under the u.s. constitution"..... wt lawyers explain to the court all of the time; 'you can't interfere with our internal church policies, or you will be infringing on our first amendment rights.

DJS

It makes sense to me, and it isn't any wackier than a lot of mainstream religions. At least at the swingers' club, unlike other religions, you know how and by whom you are getting screwed.

114

Why do religious people make claims and then refuse to back them up?

by Viviane in

several times over the past few months i have had conversations, both here and in real life, with religious people making all sorts of interesting and conflicting claims.

i like to know how things work, so generally i will ask questions to net out what i am being told and see if it can be explained and make sense.. for instance, if someone said 2+2=4 and i asked how, there are a variety of ways that could be shown to me, a number line, physical objects being put together, counting on fingers and toes, etc.

indeed, in my personal life, i often have to explain how certain technologies work, sometimes planned, sometimes off the cuff, from a variety of group sizes to a varying degree of technical expertise.

DJS

Cofty,

We ALL know that you and Viv are the same person; you aren't fooling any of us!!! Are you certain Bud's pm was vitriolic? I want to spank Viv too but not because I'm angry at her.

25

No more eating children with the rod??

by paulmolark in

so a friend of mine who is still in and knows i am disassociated sent me an email saying the following, "hey, did you see the new article about disciplining your children?????

there is not one single outright mention of beating your kids anymore.

no mention of the r"rod of discipline"!

DJS

"Weird. I beat your kids all the time. ;)"

Thanks Viv. Somebody needs to. They're Brats. I wonder how THAT happened. No, Wild Thing, I haven't eaten them. Yet.

25

No more eating children with the rod??

by paulmolark in

so a friend of mine who is still in and knows i am disassociated sent me an email saying the following, "hey, did you see the new article about disciplining your children?????

there is not one single outright mention of beating your kids anymore.

no mention of the r"rod of discipline"!

DJS

I prefer salt and pepper with a nice Chianti. Oh, you mean Beating children! Proverbs 23 is one of the reasons I'm an atheist: "Do not hold back discipline from the child, Although you strike him with the rod, he will not die. You shall strike him with the rod And rescue his soul from Sheol."

I never beat or hit my children.

200

Scientific Proof that Evolution is NOT Scientific!

by Nicola.threeangelsmessage in

jw
friends

bruce malone, an outstanding scientist has absolute scientific proof that evolution is not scientific!.

bruce, a leading researcher for dow chemical for 30 years; he is one of the top 100 inventors eighteen of his inventions raised millions of dollars; and has a b.s.

degree in chemical engineering.

DJS

I still think it was Perry. He seems to have disappeared about a month ago, unless I'm reading the posts wrong. That's just enough time to plan his re-entry, make up a story, change genders, try to get everyone on his side initially. Nicola also didn't flinch when I called her/him Perry. No response at all, which I think is odd for a newbie with no agenda.

He tended to ignore my comments the very few times i entered his OPs and always directed his responses/angst towards others, such as Viv. We saw the same thing in this OP; most of us were more or less invisible once Viv came on the scene. I think he has become completely unraveled just like the picture posted by Village Idiot above.