I just wanted to know if anyone has a similar situation or if not what do you think about this. I live in the southern part of the U.S.A. I am not christian and that makes it hard enough here. I have been noticing for sometime now that we have christian billboards and commercials on both T.V. and radio. This normally would not bother me. This is America and we do have freedom of religion and speach and I respect that freedom.
However the part that bothers me is I remember just a few months ago when a local church started a stink about a local radio station playing a commercial for an adult book store. They succeded in having the ad removed from the radio. This gets better the station was a classic rock station (My Favorite one BTW) you know where it is mainly 60's and 70's rock the kind they call devil music and for years said contained subliminal messages that made you worship satan and stuff like that.
I want to know something if the music is devil music how did they know about the commercial if they or their children do not listen to it. Also if porn is of the devil why not advertise it on the devils station. I also remember not too long ago when a local T.V. station did an ad for an upcoming Marilyn Manson Concert. Can you guess what happened they gripped and got it taken off the air many even protested to try to stop the concert I am glad to say the concert took place since I already had $280 in tickets.
I can not count the number of christian concerts I have seen advertised here. So they can put their commercials on T.V. and radio and billboards no matter who dissagrees as long as no one advertises anything they do not like. I think thats what it boils down to. those are just small examples there are many like that here but one of the main ones that got me was.
A church moved into a location near an adult book store. The store had been there for like 10 years or more. By local laws anything sold with age restriction is considered a controlled substance therefore it falls under all nonspecific controlled substance laws one of these just happenes to be that sell of controlled substance is illeagal within X distance from a church or school I do not remember the exact distance.
Well where the church moved was within this zone. There is no law protecting the book store even given the fact they were already there. The church complained and the court rulled in favor so now the bookstore is closed because the owner said he could not afford to move. He also said in a public interview with a local news station that some of the members of that church were some of his best customers.
They sued the station for airing him saying that. They won that lawsuit too. So what I am trying to say is if we have a seperation of church and state why is it the church runs the state. I understand that adult book stores, and rock concerts, don't really add into religion but it is our right in America to have these types of stores and concerts, if it is legal for them to be there why can't they be advertised. I respect others beliefs but I do have a problem with churches.
Seeing as how I have been kicked out of 4 in fact. You know the place where everyone is welcome as long as you fit the profile. I do not hold my past experience with churches aganst all christians so I am not coming down on christians and I will apologise if it seems that way. I just think if we have freedom of any kind in this country then where ever they can advertise anyone else can and if a church moves in near a place they dissagree with there are two options move somewhere else or deal with it.
I also know of cases where people here have tried to bring suit against a church what is the first things they yell Freedom of religion and Seperation of church and state. As far as I know no one has ever won a suit against a church here. I think churches in general need to wise up and figure out not every one believes what they do and the church would not like it much if someone started telling them to take their commercials off because it offends people or to remove their billbords or hows this take down those annoying creatasigns you know the ones you can change the messages on them.
Here they have forced several bars to change theirs because the messages were offensive. Some people find christianity to be offensive too but we can't do anything about it because the law is on their side. That is not FREEDOM at all.
__________________
"If it's true that our species is alone in the universe, then I'd have to say the universe aimed rather low and settled for very little."
(George Carlin)
Last edited by LoveShack.org Moderator; 22nd January 2006 at 12:53 PM..
what you are describing is not freedom. it's state-sanctioned control excercised by one of the most powerful forces in america, a force which seeks to supress free speech and free will and doesn't see a thing wrong with it. you should be worried. you are not free in many respects.
all christians are NOT like that, god be praised. some of us are even quite reasonable.
i live in a country where the christian church has so little power that it's being forcibly supressed by the state under a banner of political correctness.
over here, many children in school can't make 'happy christmas' cards for fear of upsetting people of other religions (although they CAN make 'happy diwali' cards and learn about other feligious festivals); one of the largest local government bodies tried (and succeeded one year) to get christmas renamed 'winterval' so it contained no reference to christ for fear of upsetting people of other religions; and where a 16-year-old girl was recently suspended from school from refusing to take off the crucifix necklace she wore as a symbol of her faith (it contravened the school's jewellery policy apparently) while her sikh classmates were allowed to wear bracelets to symbolise their faith.
i live in england. where freedom, particularly religious freedom, is increasingly a concept, not a right.
__________________
sell your cleverness and purchase bewilderment. ~rumi.
I know what you are saying it is that way here as well kind of mabee just reversed. But as far as I know Hanakha??? ( unsure of spelling) and Kwanza are somewhat equally respected. But once I had a bumper sticker that said Goddess Bless. My car was vandalised 3 times that is the only car I ever owned wich was and to this day remains the only one. But as I said I do not come down on all christians I know there are good ones I have met a few. In my line of work a fellow contractor I see at least 2 or 3 times a week is a devout christian but he is a really good person. He would never do anyone wrong I have known him for about 3 years and have never even heard anything bad about him. So I know there are good christians
What you're experiencing is state-sanctioned theocracy. In this case, it's clear that your location has more in common with fundamentalist Islamic republics than it does with a modern Western nation.
Careful Slubber. In the name of Freedom, you will be court-martialled, tried and executed for making such unpatriotic, and demonic remarks - who cares you are Canadian, you will be extradited for such heinous crimes.
__________________
Doubts are more cruel than the worst of truths. - Molière
The only philosophy which can be responsibly practised in face of despair is the attempt to contemplate all things as they would present themselves from the standpoint of redemption. - Adorno
It's not state or government sanctioned at all. It's money and voice. Those who cry the loudest "we will not buy your products or services if you sponsor a radio station which advertises things we don't want" will get their way. The government doesn't enter into it. It pure trade and money and voice.
The church that forced out the adult bookstore is another matter because they used existing laws to force out a business. Those who support adult bookstores, etc. would need to stand together with a loud voice and deep pockets and, and, well -- there isn't anything a church can offer that would harm it if it were put out of business, unless the members of that church - those who tithe and volunteer, etc. - would stand and say "we will not tithe to this church nor will we attend services or volunteer or do any of the many other things that keep a church afloat unless the adult bookstore stays" and that's just not going to happen. Not in the Bible Belt.
I understand the principle of a church deliberately moving into a zone to force out an adult business - that is what churches do--try to eliminate as much sin as possible, but I also don't think it's right that they can do that. I don't know about the one you mentioned, but I do know of a church that did that very same thing, but for a year or more before they built the church they had people go around the neighborhood and get feedback on what the people who lived there and worked there wanted. The majority of people 'voted' in favor of the church with the express goal of getting rid of said bookstore. The church had to get permits and zoning permissions and the adult bookstore was notified well in advance. There were people protesting the church and rallying around the bookstore, but not near as many as were rallying around the church. I do think that whoever allowed the permits and zoning permissions should have been able or should have said "no" because of a previous commercial resident in that zone. It should have stopped there and if the roles were reversed (adult store moving into a 'church' zone) it would have stopped there.
Christianity is one of the worst religions for intolerance and hatred.
This is an ignorant and intolerant statement, IMHO. There are a few BILLION Christians on the planet in over FORTY THOUSAND different sects. Only SOME of them are the ultra-right wing sort that are causing all the problems in your country. But, as with so many other things, unthinking people blame all the members of a group for the actions of a few.
What's being complained about in this thread happens when the government colludes with the members of the ultra-right wing religions. It happened in Afghanistan. It's happening in Iran. And in the USA. If the American president would follow his own Constitution and keep religion out of politics, the religious right would not be as encouraged to try to force their philosophies on the rest of the country.
It is a shame that the "middle of the road/loving" Christians do not stand up to those Christians that spread hate and fear such as Robertson and Fallwell ect.
Careful Slubber. In the name of Freedom, you will be court-martialled, tried and executed for making such unpatriotic, and demonic remarks - who cares you are Canadian, you will be extradited for such heinous crimes.
How? What could be done that wouldn't be considered 'discriminatory'? Got any ideas? Wanna start a movement?
Perhaps by informing Robertson that saying Katrina hit NO because of the Fags ect living there would let them know that their approach is not christian like at all.......christians need to stand up to these hateful christian leaders.
non christians cannot really make a difference here as our opinions would easily be discounted by them.
Please note: The suggestions and advice offered on this web site are opinions only and are not to be used in the place of professional psychological counseling or medical advice. If you or someone close to you is currently in crisis or in an emergency situation, contact your local law enforcement agency or emergency number.
Linear Mode
