Residents cheer as Kentucky town rejects mosque

[General Zod]

But that theory requires christians to have a detailed knowledge of passages of the bible, most of them even the devoted ones don't.

Utter nonsense. Preachers pick passages that people will remember the most and use them in their sermons all the time. The line about persecution in Matthew is extremely popular, so whether or not they're familiar with the specific line I can guarantee that virtually every Christian is familiar with the concept of persecuted believers getting spots in heaven.

[Kanastrous]

One less house of worship is one less house of worship, which to me is a net positive.

Although of course I find distasteful the fact that it's just because it's a minority crazy-group being shafted by the local majority crazy-group. The fact that it's xenophobia/racism takes a lot of the shine off what would otherwise be cause for satisfaction.

It's retarded attitudes like this that allow christians to believe that they'll soon be a discriminated group.

If a desire to see fewer houses for god-groveling rather than more houses for the purpose is 'retarded,' I'd like to see you explain why. Note that I didn't say 'churches;' synagogues, mosques, ashrams, temples - the fewer the better, when it comes to any of that crap. So perhaps if someone read my post and concluded that its content was specifically anti-Christian...maybe the retardation issue is on the reader's end.

I want to see us reach that goal via good education, which is the mortal enemy of religion, and via removal of certain government policies that improperly promote religious institutions at public expense. I'm not suggesting that we need to oppress anyone, certainly not the poor widdle Chwistians who aw just *so* badwy dealt wif and victimized, just *all* of the time, in this country.

As for what Christians fear, when it comes to suspicions that other people want to get into their business...look in a fucking mirror. When Christian organizations and pressure groups get out of the business of trying to screw with other people's civic rights and participation, *then* maybe they'll have a leg upon which to stand.

[Lizzie]

Eh. It's Kentucky. I honestly can't say it's a shocking outcome for that state.

Unfortunately I live in this shithole known as "Kentucky". But yeah this isn't at all surprising, certainly disgusting though.

[Alphawolf55]

One less house of worship is one less house of worship, which to me is a net positive.

Although of course I find distasteful the fact that it's just because it's a minority crazy-group being shafted by the local majority crazy-group. The fact that it's xenophobia/racism takes a lot of the shine off what would otherwise be cause for satisfaction.

It's retarded attitudes like this that allow christians to believe that they'll soon be a discriminated group.

If a desire to see fewer houses for god-groveling rather than more houses for the purpose is 'retarded,' I'd like to see you explain why. Note that I didn't say 'churches;' synagogues, mosques, ashrams, temples - the fewer the better, when it comes to any of that crap. So perhaps if someone read my post and concluded that its content was specifically anti-Christian...maybe the retardation issue is on the reader's end.

I want to see us reach that goal via good education, which is the mortal enemy of religion, and via removal of certain government policies that improperly promote religious institutions at public expense. I'm not suggesting that we need to oppress anyone, certainly not the poor widdle Chwistians who aw just *so* badwy dealt wif and victimized, just *all* of the time, in this country.

As for what Christians fear, when it comes to suspicions that other people want to get into their business...look in a fucking mirror. When Christian organizations and pressure groups get out of the business of trying to screw with other people's civic rights and participation, *then* maybe they'll have a leg upon which to stand.

Because having more houses of worship in this country doesn't hurt you anymore then having a mosque near a christian community hurts them. If the house of worship wasn't built, it's not like something better would be built in its place or that we lack the room for additional housing. It doesn't affect you in any way other then being a symbol that religion matters in this country and while the fact that too many people use their religion to enact stupid policies is an issue, that's more an American things, then something belongs to religion specifically.

[Terralthra]

I want to see us reach that goal via good education, which is the mortal enemy of religion, and via removal of certain government policies that improperly promote religious institutions at public expense. I'm not suggesting that we need to oppress anyone, certainly not the poor widdle Chwistians who aw just *so* badwy dealt wif and victimized, just *all* of the time, in this country.

As for what Christians fear, when it comes to suspicions that other people want to get into their business...look in a fucking mirror. When Christian organizations and pressure groups get out of the business of trying to screw with other people's civic rights and participation, *then* maybe they'll have a leg upon which to stand.

Because having more houses of worship in this country doesn't hurt you anymore then having a mosque near a christian community hurts them. If the house of worship wasn't built, it's not like something better would be built in its place or that we lack the room for additional housing. It doesn't affect you in any way other then being a symbol that religion matters in this country and while the fact that too many people use their religion to enact stupid policies is an issue, that's more an American things, then something belongs to religion specifically.

Did you really just mean to imply that only Americans allow their religion to dictate their political choices? Because I'd love to see some evidence backing that assertion.

[Alphawolf55]

I probably used poor wording and I apologize. I'm trying to word this right, I'm not saying that European countries don't have religious people that are vocal, but Americans seem to let their religion take a far more center role in their lives then most western countries in my experience. In most countries being religious seems merely to mean being against abortion and occasionaly against gay marriage. In the US, religion is far more of an overall conservative platform. Low taxes, poor social services, small government all of those thing have been mutated to be part of the "Christian" doctrine in the South. (and this is mostly a South thing).

Compare the US to Ireland and Italy. All three have a highly religious population, yet while Italy has blasphemy laws, it and Ireland are still far left to almost any liberal politician in the US.

[General Zod]

I probably used poor wording and I apologize. I'm trying to word this right, I'm not saying that European countries don't have religious people that are vocal, but Americans seem to let their religion take a far more center role in their lives then most western countries in my experience. In most countries being religious seems merely to mean being against abortion and occasionaly against gay marriage. In the US, religion is far more of an overall conservative platform. Low taxes, poor social services, small government all of those thing have been mutated to be part of the "Christian" doctrine in the South. (and this is mostly a South thing).

Compare the US to Ireland and Italy. All three have a highly religious population, yet while Italy has blasphemy laws, it and Ireland are still far left to almost any liberal politician in the US.

I hate to break it to you, but Ireland has blasphemy laws too. The idea that Ireland and Italy are left of the US is pretty hilarious though.

[Alphawolf55]

Universal healthcare, free college, openly serving gay military members.

How is Ireland and Italy not to the left of us?

[General Zod]

Universal healthcare, free college, openly serving gay military members.

How is Ireland and Italy not to the left of us?

If those are your only criteria, then sure. But frankly that's an incredibly narrow set of criteria. Incidentally, neither Ireland nor Italy allow same sex marriages. There's a number of US states that do.

[Alphawolf55]

Ireland allows civil unions and if not having gay marriage on the books discredit you as being on the left, then so are France and Germany.

And by a number you mean 5, that's 10%, 4 of them are in New England. I mean as a NH citizen I love the state and consider it the best in the nation, we're really not an indication of the rest of the country, and we're still not liberal in some areas like social services.

[General Zod]

Ireland allows civil unions and if not having gay marriage on the books discredit you as being on the left, then so are France and Germany.

You're missing the point. You can go back and forth listing items all day long.

And by a number you mean 5, that's 10%, 4 of them are in New England. I mean as a NH citizen I love the state and consider it the best in the nation, we're really not an indication of the rest of the country, and we're still not liberal in some areas like social services.

Key word. "Some areas". Using "some areas" to blanket label an entire country is stupid and simplistic.

[Alphawolf55]

Except you originally laughed at the idea that Ireland and Italy are left to the US and have done nothing to show how that's not true.

[General Zod]

Except you originally laughed at the idea that Ireland and Italy are left to the US and have done nothing to show how that's not true.

You haven't bothered to show how they are aside from some red herrings about Americans being religious. In any case, who gives a fuck? There's better methods of determining quality of life in a country than your ignorant little mind is aware of.

http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/

Oh, and this little gem of bullshit?

In most countries being religious seems merely to mean being against abortion and occasionaly against gay marriage.

You haven't provided a single shred of evidence for this either.

[Alphawolf55]

When did I say that being on the left=quality of life? I mean sure leftist policies generally lead to a higher quality of life, but all I said was that Ireland and Italy are generally to the left of the United States not that they live better lives or more happier people, merely that in general their policies are to the left of the United States policy. You laughed at this idea and when asked to explain, have done nothing. BTW, Ireland is number 5 on that list

Also are you fucking kidding me? I point out how these countries are to the left of the US in economic and social sense. Universal Healthcare, Free College, Open Service of Homosexual members, Progressive Tax Rates. These are not some "little red herrings" these are some of the top list items in the Progressive agenda. Sure the US has some areas of being more progressive such as in abortion, but by and large these are the major goals of Progressive politics. So unless you can actually back up your original statement, concede the fucking point.

Also I'll admit I can't prove the difference between American Christians and European Christians, which is why I said it seems to be that way. I can only go by what I've seen in my personal experience when I talk to European Christians andUS christians in my daily life. From what I've read and encountered, european christian seem to think "voting christian" means being against those two things, when I talk to american christians (also I love how you conveniently leave the part where I'm doing a general contrast dishonest fuck), they seem to believe that conservative economic policiess are a part of the Christian dogma.

[General Zod]

When did I say that being on the left=quality of life? I mean sure leftist policies generally lead to a higher quality of life, but all I said was that Ireland and Italy are generally to the left of the United States not that they live better lives or more happier people, merely that in general their policies are to the left of the United States policy. You laughed at this idea and when asked to explain, have done nothing. BTW, Ireland is number 5 on that list

it and Ireland are still far left to almost any liberal politician in the US.

Your original post. There are a number of politicians with policies more liberal than "Ireland" or "Italy".

Also are you fucking kidding me? I point out how these countries are to the left of the US in economic and social sense. Universal Healthcare, Free College, Open Service of Homosexual members, Progressive Tax Rates. These are not some "little red herrings" these are some of the top list items in the Progressive agenda. Sure the US has some areas of being more progressive such as in abortion, but by and large these are the major goals of Progressive politics. So unless you can actually back up your original statement, concede the fucking point.

I've made a lot of different statements, so you'd better point to a specific one instead of vague demands.

Also I'll admit I can't prove the difference between American Christians and European Christians, which is why I said it seems to be that way. I can only go by what I've seen in my personal experience when I talk to European Christians andUS christians in my daily life. From what I've read and encountered, european christian seem to think "voting christian" means being against those two things, when I talk to american christians (also I love how you conveniently leave the part where I'm doing a general contrast dishonest fuck), they seem to believe that conservative economic policiess are a part of the Christian dogma.

If you're going to make "contrasts", try making meaningful ones you stupid twat. The plural of anecdote is not data.

[Simon_Jester]

No, they see a trend that more and more people are becoming athiest and they don't believe that athiest are indifferent to religion but rather outright hateful towards it and thus will discriminate against the religious when they become a majority.

Listen to Kanastrous and tell me they don't have a reason to be worried about it.

[Patroklos]

I don't think the decision is suspect, in my home city of Charleston you can't build anything (or expand anything) without providing parking spaces. Which in a historical DT area means you pretty much need to replace something else of similar size to put something new in.

However, like the article, I doubt that the halls were full of urban planners and preservation activists when that decision was cheered.

[Lonestar]

Which Mosque was this? Olberman was talking the other day about two seperate Mosques in Kentucky that were denied permits, and he said that one of the denials made sense from a zoning standpoint(4 parking spaces with an expected congregation of 40+).

[Temujin]

Any exclusive, evangelical religion in general, and a fundamentalist one in particular, are going to react badly to a shrinking membership. They are designed to be like a virus and replicate throughout the land converting people and eliminating competing ideas (and people).

Frankly they are already shrill (and are going to get a lot more so) about their impending irrelevancy anyway, and the worst of the lot (as demonstrated in the article) will continue to act increasingly in the openly inflammatory, hostile and xenophobic manner that they have been since at least the Reagan Revolution and the rise of the Religious Right in the late 70s/early 80s. They are going to see hostility and persecution towards their religion whether it actually exists or not; that's just the nature of how they think when filtered through the lens that is their religion nuttery.

Which Mosque was this? Olberman was talking the other day about two seperate Mosques in Kentucky that were denied permits, and he said that one of the denials made sense from a zoning standpoint(4 parking spaces with an expected congregation of 40+).

Stewart had a good bit last night as well!

[Kanastrous]

No, they see a trend that more and more people are becoming athiest and they don't believe that athiest are indifferent to religion but rather outright hateful towards it and thus will discriminate against the religious when they become a majority.

Listen to Kanastrous and tell me they don't have a reason to be worried about it.

What specifically do they have to worry about, based upon what I have to say? Losing advantageous tax status for religious organizations? Removal of Federal funding for religious institutions' social work? Being kept out of public education curricula, which is none of their business to begin with?

Yeah, real hateful. And all in perfect conformity with the principle of non-Establishment.

The fact that I will admit to a distaste for religious ostentation and want to see less of it doesn't mean that I'm endorsing jackboot tactics to get there.