# A pitting for Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 19, 2021, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791 "2021-07-19T01:39:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/101 "2021-07-19T20:50:48Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > Yes, in the past, the fairly far-off past religious people led the slaughter and persecution of the weak and the unpopular. Yeah. It’s all in the distant past. All behind us. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/102 "2021-07-19T20:57:39Z")
I seem to recall a person in this discussion saying I ought not to focus on crimes in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, as they were too long ago and far away. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/103 "2021-07-19T21:01:24Z")
My examples of Christian persecution and violence against queer people were all drawn from the last 10-20 years. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/104 "2021-07-19T21:09:14Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > I seem to recall a person in this discussion saying I ought not to focus on crimes in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, as they were too long ago and far away. I really don’t know what you’re point is anymore. Is it that atheism/science is an extant threat of the same magnitude as current religious conflicts and persecutions? If not, what are we talking about? ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/105 "2021-07-19T21:13:06Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > I seem to recall a person in this discussion saying I ought not to focus on crimes in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, as they were too long ago and far away. You cannot possibly be this dense. That’s what you cherry pick from this long thread to defend against a debilitating sarcasm attack? ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/106 "2021-07-19T21:14:22Z")
It does strike me that it really gets to the heart of the thread it started in, namely that (1) people in general have no goddamned 😃 idea what atheists actually are and (2) it’s goddamned 🤣obvious that conflating liberals with atheists is dumb as hell ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/107 "2021-07-19T21:21:42Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > I really don’t know what you’re point is anymore. Often our discussions wander. It is easy to lose the general idea. **I maintain that the threat posed to the weak, the poor and the unpopular are greater from people of science and enlightenment than from those of religion.** This is shown by recent world history. Of course hatred and destruction can come from both sorts and both deserve watching. ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/108 "2021-07-19T21:24:16Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > **I maintain that the threat posed to the weak, the poor and the unpopular are greater from people of science and enlightenment than from those of religion.** > > This is shown by recent world history. Of course hatred and destruction can come from both sorts and both deserve watching. Funny then that the most equal countries in Europe are the secular ones and the most religious are the ones turning to fascism to maintain their bigoted restriction on individual choice. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/109 "2021-07-19T21:24:19Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > Often our discussions wander. It is easy to lose the general idea. **I maintain that the threat posed to the weak, the poor and the unpopular are greater from people of science and enlightenment than from those of religion.** Ah, it’s a kind of bold sociological/historical study. Enlightenment was all wrong, who new? (I’m also beginning to fear that his stay in Saudi-Arabia might have messed up your radar) ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/110 "2021-07-19T21:25:13Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I’m also beginning to fear that his stay in Saudi-Arabia might have messed up his senses Starting with his eyes. Saudi-Arabia is not exactly kind to the weak, the poor or unpopular. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/111 "2021-07-19T21:30:27Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > I maintain that the threat posed to the weak, the poor and the unpopular Right. What about gay people specifically, today? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/112 "2021-07-19T21:36:17Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > **I maintain that the threat posed to the weak, the poor and the unpopular are greater from people of science and enlightenment than from those of religion.** Can you provide a concrete example of such a threat? In what way is science being used to oppress the weak, poor and unpopular? Do you consider modern secular views on religion to be that threat, or something else? ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/113 "2021-07-19T21:40:09Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > (I’m also beginning to fear that his stay in Saudi-Arabia might have messed up your radar) Or the opposite: those who think they have nothing to fear, relatively speaking that is, from the religiously intolerant are less likely to have second thoughts about working in those places. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/114 "2021-07-19T21:40:16Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Right. What about gay people specifically, today? (May I say you have brought us back to the main idea. I thank you.) Do you figure the destruction of an entire generation of Gay people will come about because of science or because of religion? Already science has given us the ability to ensure imperfect people are not born. Imperfect might mean female, deformed, intellectually challenged or whatever. Soon parents will be able to ensure they will not have a Gay child. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/115 "2021-07-19T21:41:17Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > I thank you. Fuck you. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/116 "2021-07-19T21:42:48Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Fuck you. I had expected something better from a person of your intellectual standing. So anyway, when fewer and fewer Gay children are born, maybe 10% of the present number, will you blame science or religion? ---
**Author:** ![naita](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naita/32/5862_2.png) [@naita](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/naita)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/117 "2021-07-19T21:47:14Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > Already science has given us the ability to ensure imperfect people are not born. Imperfect might mean female, deformed, intellectually challenged or whatever. Soon parents will be able to ensure they will not have a Gay child. This is all a dumbass anti-abortion thing? 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 Yeah, let’s pit science for letting bigots get rid of the unborn and ignore widespread religious persecution of the living. You really are a sad, old man. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/118 "2021-07-19T21:49:34Z")
> [@naita](#): > > This is all a dumbass anti-abortion thing? No, thank you for asking. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/119 "2021-07-19T21:54:50Z")
We must fight secularists that support gays rights today, and support the religious who oppose them, so that we can avoid the secularists from gaining the upper hand wherein they will show their true colors as even more homophobic than the boy buggerers who are the standard bearers of the anti-gay movement today. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2021, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791/120 "2021-07-19T21:56:35Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > We must fight secularists that support gays rights today, What a horrible thing to say. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-pitting-for-paul-was-in-saudi/946791.md?page=7)