Politically charged Quote of the Day (and ... The Meaning of Life)

Not Afraid · 04-11-2006, 06:36 PM

A memorable quote

On Wednesday, March 1st, 2006, in Annapolis at a
hearing on the proposed Constitutional Amendment to prohibit gay
marriage, Jamie Raskin, professor of law at AU, was requested to
testify. At the end of his testimony, Republican Senator Nancy Jacobs
said:"Mr. Raskin, my Bible says marriage is only between a man and a
woman. What do you have to say about that?"

Raskin replied: "Senator, when you took your oath of
office, you placed your hand on the Bible and swore to uphold
the Constitution. You did not place your hand on the Constitution and
swear to uphold the Bible."

Apparently the room erupted into applause.

Alex · 04-11-2006, 06:47 PM

I'm not sure if you're just finding it or wanting to call it out. It was posted recently here. And you can find more information and the accurate quote (though this is pretty correct) here.

It is a great quote and it has been a bounteous month for me in terms of gathering good quotes in support of how atheism affects my outlook. There was this and then Fran Lebowitz's response at a City Arts & Lectures speech to what spirituality means to her (she is strongly atheist) is one I'll be using for a very long time.

Not Afraid · 04-11-2006, 06:54 PM

Ahhhh, I rarely - or thoroughly - read the polotical threqds so I missed the earlier reference.

wendybeth · 04-11-2006, 07:05 PM

I'm not an atheist, but I love Fran Lebowitz.

Gemini Cricket · 04-12-2006, 06:23 AM

Quote:

My favorite animal is steak.
~ Fran Lebowitz

I like the quote NA posted. I think I'll send it to Mitt Romney here in Boston. He defaulted into his 'save the children' mode when the subject of gay marriage came up (yet again) yesterday.

As for the subject of atheism. If find it interesting that atheists (and I don't know if I'm one or not) and the pretentiously pious have something in common. There's no room for gray in their thinking. One says, 'There definitely is a God.' One says, 'There definitely isn't a god.'

I'm sure Chris and I could talk about this in person soon... Lisa and I were discussing black and white thinking yesterday. I admit I think that way often, but I'm searching for gray. And not just on my head like Lisa said.

Alex · 04-12-2006, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gemini Cricket

As for the subject of atheism. If find it interesting that atheists (and I don't know if I'm one or not) and the pretentiously pious have something in common. There's no room for gray in their thinking. One says, 'There definitely is a God.' One says, 'There definitely isn't a god.'

I don't say this and I'm still an atheist. And if everybody who definitely thinks there is a god is pretentiously pious then there aren't very many unpretentiously pious people in the world.

€uroMeinke · 04-12-2006, 08:18 AM

I don't think I'm that absolutist as an atheist. It's just my belief that there is no god, and so I live my life and make my decissions based on that belief.

On the other hand, I know many of people who believe in god and have had life tranforming experiences that have contributed to their beliefs. For them, I can certainly understand why they believe what they do, and thus I fully expect them to make decission and act on their lives in accordance to those beliefs, to not do so would be insincere and inauthentic.

But by that same token, for me to be sincere and authentic to myself, I must claim atheism.

Scrooge McSam · 04-12-2006, 08:20 AM

I read something recently on atheism that I really enjoyed. This is not a direct quote, but as close as I can get without searching for a while to find it.

"We're both atheists, you and I. You consider me an atheist because I don't believe in your god. I consider you an atheist because there are a multitude of gods that you don't believe in. And when you figure out why you don't believe in all those other gods, you'll have figured out why I don't believe in yours".

Gemini Cricket · 04-12-2006, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

I don't think I'm that absolutist as an atheist.

Absolutist. Good word.
I agree being sincere to yourself is important.

SMcS ~ Cool quote.

Alex · 04-12-2006, 09:17 AM

Yeah, I'm not an absolutist in the sense that I will readily acknowledge that "god" (as generally defined, though when you push people will define god in some really weird ways) could exist. There is just no rational reason to think so.

But I can understand the impulse in others to choose the other way even if it has no attraction for me.

Scrooge McSam, that quote well expresses an issue I run into in talking about this with people. How do they decide with forms of baseless magical thinking they will buy into.

04-11-2006, 06:36 PM	#1
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	Politically charged Quote of the Day (and ... The Meaning of Life) A memorable quote On Wednesday, March 1st, 2006, in Annapolis at a hearing on the proposed Constitutional Amendment to prohibit gay marriage, Jamie Raskin, professor of law at AU, was requested to testify. At the end of his testimony, Republican Senator Nancy Jacobs said:"Mr. Raskin, my Bible says marriage is only between a man and a woman. What do you have to say about that?" Raskin replied: "Senator, when you took your oath of office, you placed your hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution. You did not place your hand on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible." Apparently the room erupted into applause.
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04-11-2006, 06:47 PM	#2
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	I'm not sure if you're just finding it or wanting to call it out. It was posted recently here. And you can find more information and the accurate quote (though this is pretty correct) here. It is a great quote and it has been a bounteous month for me in terms of gathering good quotes in support of how atheism affects my outlook. There was this and then Fran Lebowitz's response at a City Arts & Lectures speech to what spirituality means to her (she is strongly atheist) is one I'll be using for a very long time.
	Submit to Quotes

04-11-2006, 06:54 PM	#3
Not Afraid HI! Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 17,108	Ahhhh, I rarely - or thoroughly - read the polotical threqds so I missed the earlier reference.
	Submit to Quotes

04-11-2006, 07:05 PM	#4
wendybeth Nevermind Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,847	I'm not an atheist, but I love Fran Lebowitz. __________________
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04-12-2006, 08:18 AM	#7
€uroMeinke L'Hédoniste Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: A.S.C.O.T. Posts: 8,671	I don't think I'm that absolutist as an atheist. It's just my belief that there is no god, and so I live my life and make my decissions based on that belief. On the other hand, I know many of people who believe in god and have had life tranforming experiences that have contributed to their beliefs. For them, I can certainly understand why they believe what they do, and thus I fully expect them to make decission and act on their lives in accordance to those beliefs, to not do so would be insincere and inauthentic. But by that same token, for me to be sincere and authentic to myself, I must claim atheism. __________________ I would believe only in a God that knows how to Dance. Friedrich Nietzsche
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04-12-2006, 08:20 AM	#8
Scrooge McSam What? Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 1,635	I read something recently on atheism that I really enjoyed. This is not a direct quote, but as close as I can get without searching for a while to find it. "We're both atheists, you and I. You consider me an atheist because I don't believe in your god. I consider you an atheist because there are a multitude of gods that you don't believe in. And when you figure out why you don't believe in all those other gods, you'll have figured out why I don't believe in yours".
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04-12-2006, 09:17 AM	#10
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Yeah, I'm not an absolutist in the sense that I will readily acknowledge that "god" (as generally defined, though when you push people will define god in some really weird ways) could exist. There is just no rational reason to think so. But I can understand the impulse in others to choose the other way even if it has no attraction for me. Scrooge McSam, that quote well expresses an issue I run into in talking about this with people. How do they decide with forms of baseless magical thinking they will buy into.
	Submit to Quotes