tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5736821.post1266680099456765291..comments2023-08-08T04:19:26.974-07:00Comments on THE CALLADUS BLOG: "See You At The Pole" - Atheist Approved!Calladushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17620879847877868166noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5736821.post-55400448299330562772008-09-23T23:08:00.000-07:002008-09-23T23:08:00.000-07:00In the year before I was hired at Bullard, there w...In the year before I was hired at Bullard, there was an incident in which coercion was used on campus at an event during the lunch hour sponsored, if I recall correctly, by FCA (Fellowship of Christian Atheletes). Essentially, students were offered food if they would go into the gym where FCA was hanging out during lunch. Some students, when they found out what FCA stood for, quickly tried to leave after some of them had sampled the fare and they were told they had to stay.<BR/><BR/>As I understand it, there was hell to pay for this incident, and the people who dragged those involved through the coals, interestingly enough, was NOT the ACLU or some secular organization. Rather, it was my good friend Babs Eskin and her compadres at the Interfaith Alliance who met with site administrators and the School Board. I strongly suspect the Babs and a lot of other IFA members would agree with you, Mark!Scott Hatfield . . . .https://www.blogger.com/profile/00363885800131794994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5736821.post-15576138588652232232008-09-23T15:36:00.000-07:002008-09-23T15:36:00.000-07:00Another comment. An atheist handing out bibles is...Another comment. An atheist handing out bibles is like a "pro-lifer" helping Planned Parenthood by handing out defective condoms. It does no one any good.R. Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17827657170197625528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5736821.post-36850354052429415122008-09-23T15:33:00.000-07:002008-09-23T15:33:00.000-07:00Calladus said:"that a Church set up a bible give-a...Calladus said:<BR/>"that a Church set up a bible give-away event at Letterman park, targeting teens at the rotary club skate park"<BR/><BR/>Again I disagree. The government has banned skating in all but a few places, and the park is fenced with one entrance. If I want to skate, I have no other choice. I could choose not to skate, but religion should not restrict my activities to the point of preventing them. As I said earlier -- it should exist in the distance, and be my choice to engage. <BR/><BR/>Billboards are a pox, regardless of their message. But they can be (and often are) controlled through local legislation -- if my community allows them, then I feel they are open to all free speech. This would include hard core pornography I guess. But maybe changing one's route to work or school is analogous to changing the TV channel? <BR/><BR/>My stance runs afoul of several constitutional amendments I know, but based on the history of religion's corruption of our youth, I am willing to grant evangelicals all the rights we grant pedophiles. This is not because I demand a right to "not be offended", but because I demand my right to "freedom from religion".R. Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17827657170197625528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5736821.post-66953136147191053382008-09-23T11:54:00.000-07:002008-09-23T11:54:00.000-07:00I don't think we disagree on the concept here Rich...I don't think we disagree on the concept here Richard. I'm not advocating passing out bibles in school or on school property. When I was in high school, a local church put up fliers in the neighborhood around the school that targeted teens. I'm fine with that sort of thing, and if the event came with a free bible for every teen, I'd be happy to help pass them out.<BR/><BR/>The high school that I used to attend only had one road for access, so I would be against setting up a "Bible stand" on that road, even though it wouldn't be on school property. You're right in that it would be a captive audience.<BR/><BR/>I don't think there would be a problem with advertising along that road - perhaps a billboard? As long as all potential advertisers are treated equally. It would be just as much a captive audience as the drivers on highway 99 that are forced to see all the "abortion stops a beating heart" billboards.<BR/><BR/>But let's say that a Church set up a bible give-away event at Letterman park, targeting teens at the rotary club skate park. I'd have no problem with helping out there. I'd happily pass out bibles to school kids in that sort of an environment.Calladushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17620879847877868166noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5736821.post-85096144058833684252008-09-23T09:12:00.000-07:002008-09-23T09:12:00.000-07:00Calladus said:"...if you preach that Atheists are ...Calladus said:<BR/>"...if you preach that Atheists are trying to keep religion out of school, I'll call you on it. I'll do more than that - I'll help you make sure that any public school student has the right to his religion in school."<BR/><BR/>I don't agree with the wording here. Religion is *not* allowed in public schools, and should not be, outside of certain academic subjects. However, religious <I>belief</I> is allowed, along with the non-disruptive practice of that belief. The passing out of Bibles is religion, should not be allowed with the school "safe zones" -- just as drug dealers and child molesters are prevented from standing by school fences. While the passing out of Bibles may seem to be a free speech issue, in this case, it is not. Children have no choice in attending school, and the school entrances are control points for access, creating a captive audience. (For the same reason, panhandlers cannot station themselves next to an ATM). Religion must always be at a distance, and it must be my option to engage it or not. The airport Hari Krishna of the 70's and 80's made clear why this is necessary.R. Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17827657170197625528noreply@blogger.com