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Alabama Governor says that only Christians are his brothers and sisters.

Probably not a huge political risk, given the electorate of Alabama, but perhaps offensive to some. Certainly elected officials can express their beliefs as they choose, but how might this sort of overt religiosity impact political decision making?

An interesting case, if nothing else.

Who'd want to be that thing's brother or sister? By the gods it's hideos.

I don't expect any better from Alabama either. Being a non-Christian there is... unpleasant. And it's actually phsyically dangerous to travel there if you're a homosexual (or a bisexual who isn't disguising themselves as a heterosexual).

Not that anyone actually WANTS to go to Alabama.

Melissia wrote:I don't expect any better from Alabama either. Being a non-Christian there is... unpleasant. And it's actually phsyically dangerous to travel there if you're a homosexual (or a bisexual who isn't disguising themselves as a heterosexual).

Not that anyone actually WANTS to go to Alabama.

Hah, I actually saw that on top gear xD

Not that anyone wants to go to America, let alone alabama. Sounds better to me btw XD

Thomas Jefferson called, he'd like his country back now...

Soladrin wrote:

Not that anyone wants to go to America, let alone alabama. Sounds better to me btw XD

I would like to go to America. I certainly won't be going to the Netherlands again, not now that they've removed the only really compelling reason for foreigners to visit...

freedom of speech i love it.

Albatross wrote:

Soladrin wrote:

Not that anyone wants to go to America, let alone alabama. Sounds better to me btw XD

I would like to go to America. I certainly won't be going to the Netherlands again, not now that they've removed the only really compelling reason for foreigners to visit...

Yeah, dumb move by gov here, it'll just get more illegal stuff on the market ~~

The south is known to embrace ignorant attitudes. Racism and behavior like this go hand in hand. Religion is merely a vehicle that allows people to divide each other into groups of individuals that are different from each other, which in the presence of ignorance leads to discrimination. Especially since the foundation of many Christian faiths is the premise that "they are right and righteous", and only those who embrace their wonderful beliefs are going to this special place and everyone else goes to this bad place. I personally feel like he does NOT deserve to represent all the people of Alabama since some are not considered his brothers.

edit for spelling.

Soladrin wrote:

Albatross wrote:

Soladrin wrote:

Not that anyone wants to go to America, let alone alabama. Sounds better to me btw XD

I would like to go to America. I certainly won't be going to the Netherlands again, not now that they've removed the only really compelling reason for foreigners to visit...

Yeah, dumb move by gov here, it'll just get more illegal stuff on the market ~~

Still... how about that Anne Frank House, eh?



Just kidding, you guys are golden.

Speaking as an AL resident, all I can do is slap my head and say, "not again..."

Needless to say, most of our living former governors are in jail or are or were under indictment, so I would not put too much stock in his comments.

As a Christain, I can only say what a wholly un-Christian thing to say... But that is kind of what you get when you are dealing with idealogue Evangelicals.

@ Melissia, are you basing your comments on rumor and speculation, or do you actually have any significant first-hand knowledge? I just wonder because I have a friend who is a gay Buddhist, who has lived here for 15-20 years. He says he likes it a lot more than LA where he grew up.

Fine philosophy, his "Christianity". Nothing like a system of beliefs centered around the concept that the only way you can save yourself is to force said beliefs on everyone around you.

People like this give the religious (but not crazy) a bad name.

Forcing your beliefs on others is a fundamental tenant of the christian faith.

sennacherib wrote:Forcing your beliefs on others is a fundamental tenant of the christian faith.

And masturbating one's ego by bashing Christianity is a fundamental tenant of posting on the internet, right?

Eldanar wrote:Speaking as an AL resident, all I can do is slap my head and say, "not again..."

Needless to say, most of our living former governors are in jail or are or were under indictment, so I would not put too much stock in his comments.

As a Christain, I can only say what a wholly un-Christian thing to say... But that is kind of what you get when you are dealing with idealogue Evangelicals.

@ Melissia, are you basing your comments on rumor and speculation, or do you actually have any significant first-hand knowledge? I just wonder because I have a friend who is a gay Buddhist, who has lived here for 15-20 years. He says he likes it a lot more than LA where he grew up.

That's part of the reason a friend of mine (and her lover) left Alabama in the first place. Alabama's court system considers homosexuality a sin and bases legal rulings off of the bible. They have plenty of anti-homosexual laws there, as well-- for example, public libraries in the state are forbidden from purchasing books or the scripts to plays by gay authors (no matter their subject matter).

All of this I found with a cursory five minute news search off of google. The Alabama legislature is a just few steps below violently homophobic, and a lot of its citizens aren't.

Albatross wrote:

Soladrin wrote:

Albatross wrote:

Soladrin wrote:

Not that anyone wants to go to America, let alone alabama. Sounds better to me btw XD

I would like to go to America. I certainly won't be going to the Netherlands again, not now that they've removed the only really compelling reason for foreigners to visit...

Yeah, dumb move by gov here, it'll just get more illegal stuff on the market ~~

Still... how about that Anne Frank House, eh?



Just kidding, you guys are golden.

What about it? Do people from other countries actually think we give a rats ass about it? It's like clogs, we just laugh at tourists who wear them.

Melissia wrote:I don't expect any better from Alabama either. Being a non-Christian there is... unpleasant. And it's actually phsyically dangerous to travel there if you're a homosexual (or a bisexual who isn't disguising themselves as a heterosexual).

Not that anyone actually WANTS to go to Alabama.

Alabama is beautiful country, and the bottom of the beautiful Appys is there. Plus they have a battleship. I heard its a sweet home.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

sennacherib wrote:The south is known to embrace ignorant attitudes. Racism and behavior like this go hand in hand. Religion is merely a vehicle that allows people to divide each other into groups of individuals that are different from each other, which in the presence of ignorance leads to discrimination. Especially since the foundation of many Christian faiths is the premise that "they are right and righteous", and only those who embrace their wonderful beliefs are going to this special place and everyone else goes to this bad place. I personally feel like he does NOT deserve to represent all the people of Alabama since some are not considered his brothers.

edit for spelling.

So sayeth the troll. You're just jealous because the South is employed and you're not.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Gen. Lee Losing wrote:

sennacherib wrote:Forcing your beliefs on others is a fundamental tenant of the christian faith.

And masturbating one's ego by bashing Christianity is a fundamental tenant of posting on the internet, right?

Gen. Lee Losing wrote:
And masturbating one's ego by bashing Christianity is a fundamental tenant of posting on the internet, right?

Satirizing evangelism is "bashing"?

Interesting.

dogma wrote:

Satirizing evangelism is "bashing"?

Interesting.

Making an all inclusive negative statement about Christianity is now 'satire?
Can I start to make 'satire' on gays without being called a bigot? Or being banned from the site?
Seems your view of 'satire' is a one way street.

Gen. Lee Losing wrote:
Seems your view of 'satire' is a one way street.

It seems that way?

Interesting given that I have expressed nothing about liberal sentiments.

Perhaps you should draw fewer inferences.

I think Sennacherib meant it as a joke (ie: satire), but I agree that it was an offensively broad and inappropriate joke.

...
Is it wrong that I think Christians with true faith really SHOULD be pushing their religion at others, as in, if they are right, it's the right thing for them to do?
So what sennacherib said wouldn't offend me if I was a christian, as...well, it's an expansive faith right? History is full of glorious conversions to christianity from heathen old faiths (from the christian perspective).
Not getting the outrage guys!

You know, I'm not a huge fan of southern politics or fundamentalists Christians either but there was no need to bash Alabama as a whole for that. You should take into account that there are members from Alabama and that are Christians on Dakka. The Governor was speaking for himself there and not necessarily representing everyone's views in that state. I live in Southern California and go to school in North Cal and I can tell you right now, we are faaaaaaaar from perfect.

That said as an agnostic, whether the governor knew it was offensive or not, he should go F himself.

Gen. Lee Losing wrote:

sennacherib wrote:Forcing your beliefs on others is a fundamental tenant of the christian faith.

And masturbating one's ego by bashing Christianity is a fundamental tenant of posting on the internet, right?

No no, he is absolutely right, the big three monotheistic faiths all espouse the virtues of "spreading the faith" ever read a Chick Tract? I read about twenty of them cos i find them hilarious, and end result is this. Many Christians believe that you cannot actually get saved unless you manage to spread the faith to other people.

He isnt "bashing" anything, he is stating an obvious and well known fact.

And on topic, is this not a clear violation of the first amendment?!

"sharing the word with all who would receive it" is a far cry from "Forcing your beliefs as a tenant of Christianity."

By itself, it may appear innocent enough, like someone calling a homosexual "faggy". But after months of seeing that word on his favorite gaming site, the homosexual would begin to be annoyed. Don't you think?


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The Kilted Samurai wrote:

That said as an agnostic, whether the governor knew it was offensive or not, he should go F himself.

As a Christian person, I can't use those words, but I agree with the base idea. This guy is not doing ANYONE any favors by publicly spouting out his stupidity.

Melissia wrote:

Eldanar wrote:Speaking as an AL resident, all I can do is slap my head and say, "not again..."

Needless to say, most of our living former governors are in jail or are or were under indictment, so I would not put too much stock in his comments.

As a Christain, I can only say what a wholly un-Christian thing to say... But that is kind of what you get when you are dealing with idealogue Evangelicals.

@ Melissia, are you basing your comments on rumor and speculation, or do you actually have any significant first-hand knowledge? I just wonder because I have a friend who is a gay Buddhist, who has lived here for 15-20 years. He says he likes it a lot more than LA where he grew up.

That's part of the reason a friend of mine (and her lover) left Alabama in the first place. Alabama's court system considers homosexuality a sin and bases legal rulings off of the bible. They have plenty of anti-homosexual laws there, as well-- for example, public libraries in the state are forbidden from purchasing books or the scripts to plays by gay authors (no matter their subject matter).

All of this I found with a cursory five minute news search off of google. The Alabama legislature is a just few steps below violently homophobic, and a lot of its citizens aren't.

I have some serious doubts about the no purchasing of work's of art/literature by known homosexuals...I think that one may be a little bit of smoke up the proverbial back side.

As for the laws, almost every state has anti-sodomy (with sodomy defined as anything not hetero-missionary style) laws on the books. However, they simply are not enforced (or haven't been in 20+ years). Hell, they outlaw most heterosexual sex acts as well, many of which I find quite enjoyable. And your google search returned a proposed bill that was dropped with little or no support. Every state has right wing puritanical nut jobs. A large segment of the original colonists tothe U.S. came to be able to practice their crazy-ass puritanical style religious beliefs. Is there any wonder that some tenets of those original belief systems are still to be found?

The current AL gov. ran on an anti-corruption, no taxes, fiscal responsisbility platform; and he just happened to be an idealogue evangelical Christain. In essence fulfilling the wishes of both prongs of the Republican party. He ran againsts a democrat who's platform consisted almost solely of a state lottery system to finance the shortfall in the state budget. While I am not a fan of the new governor, and certainly didn't vote for him, he did not exactly have a lot of competition to run against. Trust me also when I say that some of the people he beat for the Republican nomination were even further out there than he is. And he did apologize for his remarks, which is something that a lot of idealogues might not be inclined to do.

The Kilted Samurai wrote:You know, I'm not a huge fan of southern politics or fundamentalists Christians either but there was no need to bash Alabama as a whole for that.

Right, I bash Alabama as a whole for entirely different reasons.

Don't worry, I make fun of my home state too, I just so happen to dislike Alabama more.

mattyrm wrote:

Gen. Lee Losing wrote:

sennacherib wrote:Forcing your beliefs on others is a fundamental tenant of the christian faith.

And masturbating one's ego by bashing Christianity is a fundamental tenant of posting on the internet, right?

No no, he is absolutely right, the big three monotheistic faiths all espouse the virtues of "spreading the faith" ever read a Chick Tract? I read about twenty of them cos i find them hilarious, and end result is this. Many Christians believe that you cannot actually get saved unless you manage to spread the faith to other people.

He isnt "bashing" anything, he is stating an obvious and well known fact.

And on topic, is this not a clear violation of the first amendment?!

Not really. Is it offensive? Yes. Is it politically incorrect? Yes. But is it a violation of the 1st amendment? Not yet at least. This would fall under the free speech category and not actually under freedom of religion. Until he decides to set up mandatory praying in school or something of that sort, THEN he would be violating that right.

@ Melissia

With statements like that, all you do is re-confirm your own ignorance...

Statements like what? I pulled everything I said in response to you off of reputable news sources.