High School Cheerleaders in Trouble for Bible Verse Banners - Page 2

Alex · 09-30-2009, 12:01 PM

As someone who struggles to accept his own atheism, so long as those signs are being done completely at the hands of the students and they don't harrass anybody who don't wish to participate, I don't care a whole lot.

Though this particular use seems to suggest that calls them in Christ for the purpose of winning football games. If they wish to designate their god as surprisingly petty then who am I to argue.

SacTown Chronic · 09-30-2009, 12:09 PM

That does seem to be a rather loose interpretation of Phillippians 3:14.

Moonliner · 09-30-2009, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

As someone who struggles to accept his own atheism, so long as those signs are being done completely at the hands of the students and they don't harrass anybody who don't wish to participate, I don't care a whole lot.

Though this particular use seems to suggest that calls them in Christ for the purpose of winning football games. If they wish to designate their god as surprisingly petty then who am I to argue.

I think I could go for a God of the petty. Help me make that next traffic light, let the toast land butter side up, let my team win a few games.... Yeah. I'd pledge my ever lasting soul to a God like that.

BarTopDancer · 09-30-2009, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moonliner

I think I could go for a God of the petty. Help me make that next traffic light, let the toast land butter side up, let my team win a few games.... Yeah. I'd pledge my ever lasting soul to a God like that.

It's like all the athletes and whoever who thank god after they score/win.

Jazzman · 09-30-2009, 12:36 PM

Okay, so maybe not the most socially conscious choice of the cheergirls, but it's not like it was the school that plastered the phrases across the side of the gym and forced students to memorize them. The girls did it on their own, and last I checked, that is their Constitutional right. If the phrase fits and is inspiring, then why not use it, regardless of the source? If the Qur'an said somewhere to "Rush, rush, rush my brothers, for the End Zone is sacred and the ultimate praise is to score!" then that'd be a good one too, even for non-Muslims. (I'd quote a real Qur'an verse, but I don't know any.)

Ultimately, I guess I have to wonder why stuff like this freaks people out so much. It's just some phrases on butcher paper, not a forced re-education camp.

flippyshark · 09-30-2009, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moonliner

While I don't see this particular case as all that earth shaking or even interesting, I am interested in your comments:

The majority should rule? Is that really what you are saying? Because I can see a wide range of minority issues that would not do so well under majority rule. At what percentage do the views of the many outweigh the rule of law? 50? 60? 80? 99?

Wow, you really need to re-read my posting. I was pointing out that such communities see their Christian majority as a justification for ignoring church/state separation - hence they don't see any problem with religious banners at public school events. I wasn't giving my own view. My stated atheism should be a clue that I am quite in sympathy with the rights of minorities. There is often good reason to abhor the tyranny of a majority.

Ghoulish Delight · 09-30-2009, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazzman

Ultimately, I guess I have to wonder why stuff like this freaks people out so much. It's just some phrases on butcher paper, not a forced re-education camp.

In a climate where there is a well organized, well funded, and distressingly successful by some measure effort to force mythology to be taught as a valid scientific theory, and scientific theory to be denigrated as "just a guess" no more valid than the magic in a 6000 year old book, you can forgive people for being sensitive about such things.

flippyshark · 09-30-2009, 12:57 PM

I guess this is as good a place as any to let everyone know that today is Blasphemy Day. So, allow me to let loose with my own caustic blasphemy:

The Holy Ghost wears smelly socks.

There. That was purging.

Gemini Cricket · 09-30-2009, 01:37 PM

Some Christians will use the following to justify their anti-gay rights stances:

"They're cramming their lifestyle down our throats."
"They're so in your face with their parades and rainbow flags."
"They're trying to recruit children to their ways."

I mean, the same thing could be said about Christians.

In my opinion, these cheerleaders parading around a huge poster with a quote from a religious book at a sporting event, to me, is cramming a lifestyle down people's throats in front of other children.

flippyshark · 09-30-2009, 02:12 PM

I think my throat-cramming remark was misunderstood. It was strictly a comment about language usage. I'm only saying the throat-cramming comparison is extremely overused. It strikes me as a cliche in need of refreshing. (And you are right, I have heard the faithful say it in response to contact with gay-ness) Any time I hear it, though, I tend to assume that the person saying it isn't thinking things through very carefully - just giving a knee-jerk response. I'm all for more thought-out and incisive come-backs.

And to repeat - I'm a major church/state separation proponent.

09-30-2009, 12:01 PM	#11
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	As someone who struggles to accept his own atheism, so long as those signs are being done completely at the hands of the students and they don't harrass anybody who don't wish to participate, I don't care a whole lot. Though this particular use seems to suggest that calls them in Christ for the purpose of winning football games. If they wish to designate their god as surprisingly petty then who am I to argue.
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09-30-2009, 12:09 PM	#12
SacTown Chronic the myth of the dream Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,217	That does seem to be a rather loose interpretation of Phillippians 3:14. __________________ Is it the fingers, or the brain that you're teaching a lesson?
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09-30-2009, 12:36 PM	#15
Jazzman Sax God Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Portland's Tijuana Posts: 510	Okay, so maybe not the most socially conscious choice of the cheergirls, but it's not like it was the school that plastered the phrases across the side of the gym and forced students to memorize them. The girls did it on their own, and last I checked, that is their Constitutional right. If the phrase fits and is inspiring, then why not use it, regardless of the source? If the Qur'an said somewhere to "Rush, rush, rush my brothers, for the End Zone is sacred and the ultimate praise is to score!" then that'd be a good one too, even for non-Muslims. (I'd quote a real Qur'an verse, but I don't know any.) Ultimately, I guess I have to wonder why stuff like this freaks people out so much. It's just some phrases on butcher paper, not a forced re-education camp.
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09-30-2009, 12:57 PM	#18
flippyshark Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,852	I guess this is as good a place as any to let everyone know that today is Blasphemy Day. So, allow me to let loose with my own caustic blasphemy: The Holy Ghost wears smelly socks. There. That was purging.
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09-30-2009, 01:37 PM	#19
Gemini Cricket ... Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 13,244	Some Christians will use the following to justify their anti-gay rights stances: "They're cramming their lifestyle down our throats." "They're so in your face with their parades and rainbow flags." "They're trying to recruit children to their ways." I mean, the same thing could be said about Christians. In my opinion, these cheerleaders parading around a huge poster with a quote from a religious book at a sporting event, to me, is cramming a lifestyle down people's throats in front of other children.
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09-30-2009, 02:12 PM	#20
flippyshark Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,852	I think my throat-cramming remark was misunderstood. It was strictly a comment about language usage. I'm only saying the throat-cramming comparison is extremely overused. It strikes me as a cliche in need of refreshing. (And you are right, I have heard the faithful say it in response to contact with gay-ness) Any time I hear it, though, I tend to assume that the person saying it isn't thinking things through very carefully - just giving a knee-jerk response. I'm all for more thought-out and incisive come-backs. And to repeat - I'm a major church/state separation proponent.
	Submit to Quotes