Sorry, but that's a really poor interpretation of the Golden Rule. I don't think Jesus meant "tolerate those who tolerate you." You'd be closer if you said "intolerance for intolerance," but the Golden Rule is not "do unto others what they do unto you," it's "what YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO unto you."
Maybe what I said seemed inflammatory in context but it wasn't meant to be. I had thought it was common sense-- Dave seemed to think it was so pedestrian it might have been a cheap slogan-- but I guess not. I understand the distinction you make in Christian terms-- give even if you don't receive in kind-- but my intention was to draw a parallel in the
potentiality of reciprocity, an idea which the Golden Rule invites reflection on without making it a literal imperative.
Not in that example, but sometimes they do, and sometimes they use science to deny the existence of God just like some Christians (and people of other religions) are intolerant of and feel threatened by science and evolution. As others in this thread have pointed out, it's a false dilemma.
Do they deny the existence of God, or merely the complete veracity of the Bible?
I don't think you're right about scientists speaking in absolutes, either with or without the intention of disproving religion. As I said before, you would be hard-pressed to find a teacher in this country who bangs his ruler on the desk and calls Christianity a fairy tale. More to the point, science classes also teach the scientific method. No halfway sensible student can go through an entire year of science and not understand that what is spoken of as "fact" in a science class is not absolute and eternally subject to revision. It's always "best evidence".
One of the many problems with arguing/discussing topics like this is that people on the one side tend to define their side by reference to the reasonable people with whom they agree and the other side with the fringe negative element that makes for an easy target. I know at least as many intolerant atheists as I do intolerant Christians, and I know as many scientists who are Christian as I do scientists who are not.
A fair comment, but this thread is about a specific case of religion encroaching on a public institution. In the state of Illinois a "may" became a "shall". Given all the facts I don't think we're talking about reasonable people. Maybe we're not talking about monsters, either, but news stories like this one still concern some people.
It would be remiss not to point out that the most reasonable sounding person in the whole debate was the Governor of Illinois, who vetoed the bill despite being a believing Christian and a parent. I posted his comment above and said I liked it.
On the flip side, you're right, there are some atheists who are nasty people, but as I tried (I guess in vain) to illustrate above, do you think it's a fair fight? Do you see the dark forces of godlessness lining up to slaughter the religious of the world? Do atheists have power in this country? Are the high school science teachers of the world so many evil terrorists undermining the Bible every day-- is that a realistic concern when every Christian either rejects those classes wholesale or learns to rationalize science with their belief in some way, as we've seen in this thread by (for example) Sir Alec?
You mentioned a false dilemma, and this is it. Certainly materialism and nihilism are serious problems confronting our societies, but right now they're not exactly dominating the headlines. The other guys are. I don't say that all Christians are unreasonable, insane fundamentalists-- very few are-- but then again, how many does it take to cause a cataclysmic event? Is this not the very same issue surrounding Iran, that we are afraid a maniac is going to build a bomb? You want to exclude the extreme cases from the debate, but the extreme cases are crashing the party.
The law works. Christianity thrives in this country. We don't need more fundamentalism. I welcome the idea of 99% of Americans being devout Jews, Muslims, and Christians. There is no reason to let any of their beliefs or practices become a legislated part of public institutions.
I'm Christian, and like Dave said about his own beliefs I have enough proof from my own experience that I'm certain of my beliefs. I don't expect everyone to share my beliefs, but I do expect people to respect them.
If I have disrespected your religious belief in some way, I apologize.
...i was expressing an opinion on a public forum just like everyone else on here is entitled to.I don`t go knocking on peoples doors and try to lecture them on the evils of the world.Shove leaflets through peoples doors or tell them they are evil as i was told by a lovely Jehovas lady.The Gospel church is as bad always badgering me to and my family to go along.
