# Dumbest religious persecution ever **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 6, 2005, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713 "2005-05-06T16:19:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/21 "2005-05-06T19:19:21Z")
[http://www.globalnewsmatrix.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=833](http://www.globalnewsmatrix.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=833) ---
**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/22 "2005-05-06T19:25:41Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > That was an insightful and wonderfully non-partisan comment. > > Does **Bricker** know you’re using his computer? :rolleyes: Give it a rest. Bricker has made his share of dunder-headed statements recently, and he’s being rightfully called on to defend himself. Jumping on him when he makes ‘an insightful and wonderfully non-partisan comment’ is not helpful in the least. We could do with a bunch less of this your-side-my-side bullshit around here, in my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/23 "2005-05-06T19:39:40Z")
Amen, and “me, too”. Guy says the right thing, a post that I wholly concur with every jot and tittle. I’ve given friend \*_Bricker_ fulsome loads of shit, but for things he actually _says_. In this instance, he’s right on the mark, and more power to him. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/24 "2005-05-06T19:40:21Z")
> [@robertliguori](#): > > We could do with a bunch less of this your-side-my-side bullshit around here, in my opinion. Ever heard of a joke? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/25 "2005-05-06T19:44:39Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > Ok…you can come and clean up my keyboard and monitor. My laughter spewed coke everywhere. I always wondered what drugs you did while you were posting :). Daniel ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/26 "2005-05-06T19:46:36Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Amen, and “me, too”. Guy says the right thing, a post that I wholly concur with every jot and tittle. I’ve given friend \*_Bricker_ fulsome loads of shit, but for things he actually _says_. In this instance, he’s right on the mark, and more power to him. Before this turns into a full-scale flame fest, let me reiterate that it was nothing but good-natured ribbing. **Bricker** , I didn’t mean it, it was a joke made at your expense but it was nothing personal, I am a prick, and if I’m lying I hope to die in the most disgusting way possible. So there. ---
**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/27 "2005-05-06T19:54:12Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Before this turns into a full-scale flame fest, let me reiterate that it was nothing but good-natured ribbing. **Bricker** , I didn’t mean it, it was a joke made at your expense but it was nothing personal, I am a prick, and if I’m lying I hope to die in the most disgusting way possible. > > So there. OK. I’d humbly recommend you include a smiley or another indication if you’re going to post a snarky one-liner, as LHoD did above. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/28 "2005-05-06T19:54:33Z")
> [@vibrotronica](#): > > I’m an atheist, so I don’t know why this makes me so mad. Maybe it’s the insinuation that God takes sides and that the pastor knows what side He’s on. Of course god is on the Republican side. That’s what the election was all about. The sooner the rest of the world learns to accept this, the better. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/29 "2005-05-06T20:09:17Z")
> [@robertliguori](#): > > OK. I’d humbly recommend you include a smiley or another indication if you’re going to post a snarky one-liner, as LHoD did above. 🙂 So there. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/30 "2005-05-06T20:19:35Z")
> [@Hentor the Barbarian](#): > > And we should exercise our rights to take away any tax exempt status that his church enjoys. Definitely, and immediately. This “pastor” is a horse’s ass. I hope all the Repbulicans, Libertarians, Greens, and everyone else leaves too, in protest for this stupidity. Leave him with an empty church. And take away his tax exempt status, and hit him for lots of back taxes too. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/31 "2005-05-06T20:21:28Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > On a more realistic scale, the social justice and worker’s rights platforms of the Democrats should strongly resonate with Christian teachings. No US political party has a monopoly on Christian values. Exactly. Again, I think the guy is a moron. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/32 "2005-05-06T20:31:01Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > Yeah, they’ve got Democrats in Waynesville–it’s just down the road from me, and like most NC communities, there’s yellow dog Democrats, libertarian Democrats, and hippie-peacenik Democrats. Hell, the place has a Quaker church in it. That’s practically like having a statue of Lenin in town square. Well I’ll be damned. I thought of that part of the country as being populated entirely with people who would have given Eric Rudolph a place to stay if he needed it. Although I should have though about the hippies – what is it with hippies and mountains? Well that’ll learn me, I guess. Hey, do they have something super-secret around there, too? Google maps won’t give a satellite image for that town any closer than about the fourth “tick” out. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/33 "2005-05-06T21:06:28Z")
> [@manhattan](#): > > Well I’ll be damned. I thought of that part of the country as being populated entirely with people who would have given Eric Rudolph a place to stay if he needed it. You’re talking like you think we’re Idaho or something. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/34 "2005-05-06T21:06:47Z")
I don’t think that this church should lose their tax exempt status. The seperation of church and state isn’t a rule for the churches to follow, it is a rule for the state to follow. Churches themselves are ideologically motivated political organizations. If they have some sort of idea of purity that they wish to maintain that’s up to them. Church is a place where one develops a community of like-minded people. It’s not a place only for singing Kumbaya, and Amazing Grace off-key. Erek ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/35 "2005-05-06T21:16:59Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > I don’t think that this church should lose their tax exempt status. The seperation of church and state isn’t a rule for the churches to follow, it is a rule for the state to follow. Right, but the non-politicking thing is a rule for churches to follow if they want to get special recognition from the state in terms of being tax-exempt. If they don’t want to follow that rule, they’re free to pay taxes just like everyone else. Daniel ---
**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:** [May 6, 2005, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/36 "2005-05-06T21:17:04Z")
> [@manhattan](#): > > Although I should have though about the hippies – what is it with hippies and mountains? Mountains have a lot of secluded places to practice illicit agriculture. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/37 "2005-05-06T21:20:10Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > I don’t think that this church should lose their tax exempt status. The seperation of church and state isn’t a rule for the churches to follow, it is a rule for the state to follow. Churches themselves are ideologically motivated political organizations. If they have some sort of idea of purity that they wish to maintain that’s up to them. Church is a place where one develops a community of like-minded people. It’s not a place only for singing Kumbaya, and Amazing Grace off-key. > > Erek You’re missing the point here. Of course churches can involve themselves in partisan political activity. But the IRS rules state clearly that if they do, they have to give up their tax exempt status. Not paying taxes is not a right, it is a privilege granted by the government. I’d take tax exemptions away from all churches, but starting with the ones that violate IRS rules is a pretty good start. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/38 "2005-05-06T21:21:32Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > I don’t think that this church should lose their tax exempt status. The seperation of church and state isn’t a rule for the churches to follow, it is a rule for the state to follow. Churches themselves are ideologically motivated political organizations. If they have some sort of idea of purity that they wish to maintain that’s up to them. As regards an “idea of purity”, yes. As regards specific partisan outcomes based on the ideas, no. Churches are required not to engage in certain political activities to retain their tax-exempt status. In fact, if the Pastor had given this directive prior to the election, when President Bush was a candidate for federal office, I don’t think there even would have been much of a question – the tax exemption would have to go. It gets a little fuzzier after an election because of the way the law is written, but I for one would certainly not object if a US attorney out there decided to test the law with a subpoena and a can of whup-ass on this guy. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/39 "2005-05-06T21:23:06Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Church is a place where one develops a community of like-minded people. ! ☹ I am saddened anyone thinks that way. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713/40 "2005-05-06T21:23:09Z")
In other news, **LHD** and **Villa** are both fast-typing dorks, and **Miller** is wise in the ways of hippies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dumbest-religious-persecution-ever/302713.md?page=3)