# Religious Discriminations **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 9, 1999, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-discriminations/911 "1999-06-09T23:18:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 1999, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-discriminations/911/21 "1999-06-13T04:21:00Z")
CKD said: > [@](#): > > The differences between (say) Lutherans and Methodists may be fairly minor, but the differences among the great categories – Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Wiccan, Hinduism, Atheism, etc. You probably didn’t mean to, CKD, but it seems that here you refer to Atheism as a religion. It is not… It is not even an ideology, or a way of life, or a “philosophy”. _Atheism_, to quote George H. Smith in his book “Atheism, The Case Against God”, _in its basic form is not a believe: it is the absence of believe_. And, to pldennison: thanks for the info! * * * Men will cease to commit atrocities only when they cease to believe absurdities. -Voltaire ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 1999, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-discriminations/911/22 "1999-06-13T04:58:00Z")
> [@](#): > > Very few nations have the kind of religious diversity we have here in the USA. You don’t see this kind of religious friction in places like Latin America where almost everybody is Catholic, or in places like England, Iceland, Israel or Saudi Arabia where they have state religions. You’ve not been to Scotland then. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 1999, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-discriminations/911/23 "1999-06-13T05:04:00Z")
There ARE differences among religions. Check this out (street wisdom for entertainment purposes only, 🙂 not to be taken seriously): Taoism: Shit happens Hinduism: This shit happened before Confucionism: Conficius says: shit happens Buddhism: It is only an illusion of shit happening Zen: What is the sound of shit happening? Islam: If shit happens, it is the will of Allah Jehova’s Witnesses: Knock, knock: ‘shit happens’ Atheism (ok, ok, it’s not a religion but this is funny): There is no such thing as shit Agnosticism: Maybe shit happens, and maybe it doesn’t Protestantism: Shit won’t happen if I work harder Catholicism: If shit happens, I deserve it Judaism: Why does shit always happen to me? Televangelism: Send money, or shit will happen to you! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 1999, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-discriminations/911/24 "1999-06-13T06:07:00Z")
Sunbear: I never called Astrology or Tarot religion. I said they were the closest thing to, for me. I consult tarot and astrology charts mostly for fun, I don’t base my day/week/month/life on what they say. I’m sure that Scientologists think that Catholicism (sp?) is silly, and Hindis think that Reformation is silly, etc., which is precisely why I haven’t spent too much time trying to decide which “acceptable” religion is right for me. I believe in me, for all intents and purposes. I believe that I’m the one who makes my choices and if I don’t make them, they get made for me by default. General Question: Is there a religion for that? BTW Sunbear, I’ve never actually read any Vonnegut, but I have to ask, if you think he’s so ridiculously stupid, why do you waste your time reading his stuff? That’s not a flame, just a question. CK: Precisely why I prefaced that particular blurb with “I haven’t done much studying of religion”. I know that believers of Mythology have several deities, as do Pagans, etc. but my point is: So many religions, so many subtle differences, but all basically trying to convey that there is some All-Powerful, All-Knowing Person (or persons) who is in control of my destiny and I am supposed to accept that. The part of my post that you conveniently neglected to quote me on was: > [@](#): > > I don’t fault anyone for embracing religion, to the contrary, I admire it. I’m not strong enough to just take things on faith. PL: Thanks to you for even that small bit of support. I am happy to see that I was not the one who pissed in your Cheerios today. Hugs! Chris ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 1999, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-discriminations/911/25 "1999-06-13T11:52:00Z")
Chris says: \<\< You probably didn’t mean to, CKD, but it seems that here you refer to Atheism as a religion. It is not… \>\> Check the dictionary for witticism. Heck, nowadays, STAR WARS has attained religious status… look at how many people are upset that the Force has been described in biological rather than existential terms. \<\< So many religions, so many subtle differences, but all basically trying to convey that there is some All-Powerful, All-Knowing Person (or persons) who is in control of my destiny and I am supposed to accept that.\>\> See, NO. Neither Hinduism nor Buddhism does not posit an omniscient, omnipotent Being. Only the monotheistic religions (primarily Christianity, Judaism, Islam) do that. Only a few of the branches of Christianity (as far as I am aware) posit that the divine being is “in control of your destiny” – most religious say that you have freewill and are largely in charge of your own (moral) destiny. While I don’t disagree with pld, there are common behaviours and underpinings to religions (that’s what distinguishes them from sports, for instance), I find the over-simplification that religions are “all the same” ludicrous and misleading. They differ on such basic questions as what is the purpose of life, what is the role of morality, what IS morality, etc. These are far from “subtle differences.” Of course, there are subtle differences, too, like which end of the egg to crack open first or how many pins can dance on the heads of angles. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 1999, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-discriminations/911/26 "1999-06-13T15:01:00Z")
CKDextHavn said: > [@](#): > > Heck, nowadays, STAR WARS has attained religious status… look at how many people are upset that the Force has been described in biological rather than existential terms. I’m upset about that, but not for any religious reasons. I’m upset for the same reason I was upset with the concept of _Highlander 2_. They took a perfectly good fantasy concept and tried to make it into science fiction. In both cases they blew it, IMO (ok, so _H2_ was lousy no matter what, but that only made it worse). * * * “I don’t believe in destiny or the guiding hand of fate I don’t believe in forever or love as a mystical state I don’t believe in the stars or the planets Or angels watching from above” – Neil Peart, RUSH, “Ghost of a Chance” ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 1999, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-discriminations/911/27 "1999-06-13T16:29:00Z")
Hey CK, Chris didn’t say that Atheism wasn’t a religion. It was me. And I checked the dictionary. **witticism** is nothing more than “a witty remark”. Or were you referring to something else? Now do me a favor and YOU check the dictionary for “atheism”. ¡Salud! * * * Men will cease to commit atrocities only when they cease to believe absurdities. -Voltaire ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 1999, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-discriminations/911/28 "1999-06-13T19:36:00Z")
Have you heard the flap about Wiccans in the US military? Senator (or congressman?) Robert Barr is attempting to pass a law forbidding Wiccans from practicing their religion on military bases. The Christian Coalition and 12 other fundamentalist groups are “boycotting” the military until their demands are met. If you’re interested, you can find details at [http://www.witchvox.com](http://www.witchvox.com) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 1999, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-discriminations/911/29 "1999-06-13T21:50:00Z")
> [@](#): > > The Christian Coalition and 12 other fundamentalist groups are “boycotting” the military until their demands are met. Boycotting the military? So… if the US is invaded, they refuse to let the military save them or something? They refuse to shop in Army surplus stores? Just how does one “boycott” the military? I’m not insulting you, Aura… just questioning the wisdom of the Christian Coalition & Friends. * * * “I guess it is possible for one person to make a difference, although most of the time they probably shouldn’t.” ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 1999, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-discriminations/911/30 "1999-06-14T04:37:00Z")
So anyway, in my own opinion, which is completely without reference or foundation, I am going to attempt to answer the original question, which was: > [@](#): > > Why, may I ask, are people of Pagan religions discriminated? Because the Pagan religion is misunderstood, mostly by people who have not done any research on the subject. (Much like myself in regards to other religions as CK has been so adamant to point out - um, after I already stated as much to begin with.) Also, > [@](#): > > The Wiccans or Neo-Pagans had the misfortune (lack of foresight?) to use language that relied on the word “witch” to identify some of their practitioners. Pagans numbers are few compared to those of Christians, like the ratio of (out) homosexuals to heterosexuals, the smaller kid is the one that will get picked on. People are not really given the opportunity to study religions unless they decide to do it themselves. Very little about religion other than Christianity is mentioned in school textbooks, and of course, no church is going to talk about religion other than its own, unless to defame it. Alrighty then CK, where did I foul up this time? I welcome another round of quoting, belittling and quote misattribution. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 1999, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-discriminations/911/31 "1999-06-14T05:52:00Z")
Hey Dexamenus, where are you? Are you having fun watching us trying to answer your question? Are you discriminating us? Knock, knock, anybody home? Dexamenus? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 1999, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-discriminations/911/32 "1999-06-14T18:18:00Z")
Jophiel, the groups boycotting the military aren’t refusing to be protected. They’re just telling their members not to enlist until their demands are met. Incidentally, since I last posted, the Christain Coalition withdrew its support for the boycott. Personally I think this is a political move, because in their fight to obtain tax-exempt status, they want to be able to say “We don’t tell people what to do, we offer information and they make their own decisions.” But that’s neither here nor there. [/digress] ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 1999, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-discriminations/911/33 "1999-06-14T18:42:00Z")
Rep. Bob Barr of the 7th Congressional district to be exact (the damn fruitcake is MY representative) I was interested to find that the US Army manual of chaplains actually list Satanism as a Religion. Aside from other concerns imagine the unit we could assemble of commandoes with Satan on their dogtags. We could really scare the shit out of our enemies then. * * * \ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/religious-discriminations/911.md?page=1)