religion

[dinsdale]

just had jehovahs witnesses wasting my hard earned time off on the sick!!

Just a thought, but isn't it time we bannned religion here in england. I only mean the stupid ones - but then thats all of them really.

[BilleeeeeeeS]

Amen to that

[banjobabe]

You couldn't say 'no thank you very much' then?

[B00]

No- its not time we banned religion, even the ones you consider "stupid"

[madmaggot]

It's been tried in various modes before. ( Henry VIII and the puritans).
You can't stop people believing in whatever they choose as you can't get into their mind to censor thought.
Live and let live is what I say.
We have a kingdom hall just down the road and they call fairly regularly, I just state firmly that I'm not interested and would they please leave as I don't want to waste their time or mine.

[saxy_jag]

If you only banned 'stupid' religions, then by default, you'd have to ban them all, in my book, because they're all daft.

But I really don't mind people practising their religion just as long as they don't harm others and don't ram the r***y stuff down my throat.

Which still seems to cover most of them.

Ah well. If you ignore them for long enough then maybe they'll just go away quietly. ;-)

[beso]

I have had many a conversation with visiting JWs. I usually get the discussion around to my terms and give them something to think about.

People who are devoted to religion rarely have thought deeply enough to be ready for the questions I ask them. They are not often good at logical debate but even the articulate are easily intellectually out-manouvered. The Bible is littered with enough disturbing material and contradiction to present them with a conundrum every time.

One couple said as they left that that I had raised some issues they really needed to think about. Fight religious evangalism with athiest evangalism.

I encourage everyone to read at least part of the Bible. In particular Joshua reveals the true primitive nature of the Abrahamic traditions underlying half the world's population.

[jno]

what, have thought police telling us what we are allowed to believe? No thanks - sounds a bit like China.

[c1]

Gosh,

'... time we banned religion'. I am stunned by such a comment, next you'll be saying ban blacks, Irish, gays and women. This is the 21st century man. People are entiltled to free thought and those who believe in religion are entitled to spread their believes the same way gays are allowed to have civil ceremonies and the same way black people are allowed to celebrate black history month. Should we ban those too?

I am disgusted by such comments.

[c1]

So dinsdale, what would you suggest as an alternative to religion? People must not have faith or belief in a prticular thing whether it be worshipping golden calves or Allah?

How about we ban all ignorant people from England, you included?

[Angeliceyes]

What a silly thing to say, you can't stop people believing what they believe. Some groups like orthodox Jews, their whole lives revolve around their religous practices. Can you imagine trying to tell them to give it all up just because somebody else doesn't like it?! This country is a democracy, not a military dictatorship, and people have the right to believe in God even if you don't!!

Saying that, people who try to ram their religious beliefs down my throat, by coming round my house or preaching on the street really irritate me. Equally, atheists who belittle those who have faith and try to force their personal beliefs on others are just as dangerous.

As someone else said, live and and let live!

[whiskeryron]

I can only comment on my brother-in-law's experience. He had 2 J W's at his front door engaging him in their usual chat,being a very well read chap he could hold his own in many subjects including religion,after about 30 minutes when the J Ws felt that they were not gaining any ground at all,they tried to put pressure on & suggested that he join them at their local K/Hall at which point he said to them '' let me ask you one final question'' if I was dying & you were told that you could save my life by giving your blood would you do it? the reply was oh no we don't believe in that----my b-in law said to them right ---P***S off then & do not return here ever again. They have never been back since.

[naomi24]

I agree with Beso entirely. The last time I encountered a JW, I didn't have time to talk, so I simply told them I'm a devout atheist - and they went away. I expect they put me down as a lost cause - and they'd be right - at least as far as religion is concerned.

Whilst we can't 'ban' religion, we can at least try to introduce people to reason.