Holy Shit Paris!

[repoman]

It is MIND BOGGLING to me that people can say this has nothing to do with religion. Absolutely mind boggling.

Yeah Jwar you're 110% wrong on this. Not to say that people wouldn't behave this way in the absence of religion (you can take a gander at a lot of the Cold War era atheist countries to start with) but this sort of insane fanaticism comes out especially when religion is involved. The only meaningful difference between ISIS/ISIL and the crazed fundies in Arkansas or whatever is the budget and the scope of their territory.

Comparing fundies in Arkansas to ISIS is another completely insane thing to do.

I don't think in my 30 years on earth I've ever even seen or heard of one of these horrible fundies.

Ugh. I go. No good. Sad thing this will happen again. And Again. And people will put some worthless tweets on twitter about 'standing' with France what ever the fuck that means any more. And have some marches. And then people will forget about it. And it will happen again. And again.

[casecandy]

I have a lot of thoughts on everything in this thread and my generalization of the comments would be, whether you're talking about religion or atheism, you guys are making a lot of broad statements, all of which start to crack when you examine them closely.

No easy answers with something as complex as religion. You think there are, but there never are.

I haven't offered my own thoughts because I genuinely think we should stop arguing in this thread.

[D.o.S.]

It is MIND BOGGLING to me that people can say this has nothing to do with religion. Absolutely mind boggling.

Yeah Jwar you're 110% wrong on this. Not to say that people wouldn't behave this way in the absence of religion (you can take a gander at a lot of the Cold War era atheist countries to start with) but this sort of insane fanaticism comes out especially when religion is involved. The only meaningful difference between ISIS/ISIL and the crazed fundies in Arkansas or whatever is the budget and the scope of their territory.

Comparing fundies in Arkansas to ISIS is another completely insane thing to do.

I don't think in my 30 years on earth I've ever even seen or heard of one of these horrible fundies.

Ugh. I go. No good. Sad thing this will happen again. And Again. And people will put some worthless tweets on twitter about 'standing' with France what ever the fuck that means any more. And have some marches. And then people will forget about it. And it will happen again. And again.

That might be because you can't be bothered to do your research.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_of_G ... _States%29
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Coven ... f_the_Lord
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Order_%28group%29
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hutaree
And that's before you get to the Klan, obviously.

Have fun! Maybe do some cursory legwork before you start deriding people who are (clearly) more educated on the subject than yourself.

[Invisible Man]

This thread has become kind of a piece of shit. Note that we're no longer talking at all about solidarity, or extending whatever meager means we have to help each other. We're sniping, and fracturing a place that is built on difference because we have different views.

The world is pretty fucked up (how's that for a generalization). We really don't have a lot to lean on except one another. I've gone back and forth on faith...I lost a brother to a suicide that was based in his beliefs...and I don't have any answers. I don't think any of you do, either...nor does anyone. We're trying to deal in absolutes that are way above our own heads, at least in terms of conversing about them.

So why don't we just agree that this shit is fucked, try to love whoever is around to be loved, and pray/meditate/send good vibes/ship fuzz pedals to whoever is in need of them.

I feel really sad.

[D.o.S.]

That was probably a stupid post on my part.

[hbombgraphics]

That was probably a stupid post on my part.

[casecandy]

Hey guys, let's just, like, play guitar or something.

[Invisible Man]

EDIT:

I see a redaction, D.o.S., which is cool with me--say what you like. What's below isn't written to come after you at all.

****

I don't disagree with any of this. Lots of atrocities carried out in the name of religion (lots of real miracles, too, though that's not really appropriate to bring up here).

But--to pursue your analogy--Sesame street has demonstrably made peoples' lives a little more humane and enjoyable. Most of the rhetoric in "this kind of conversation" is about miscommunication, staking a claim, and defending the castle of one's own ideology. And I don't understand the fucking point of that kind of maneuver. I don't think anyone's minds have been changed by what's been said here. So, while these can be good conversations to have, I do think that this is the wrong time and place to talk about this (thought that's just my opinion, so who cares). If this weren't happening at the back end of a thread about people losing their lives, it might feel different, but we're now making the questionable move to project our own politics onto tragedy.

I'm not advocating that we all stop fighting about everything. I suppose what I mean here is that the level of discourse in this thread has devolved in a really predictable way, and in a way that I do not think serves anyone's interest, except perhaps those of murderous assholes. Everyone is upset, and it's starting to feel like we're taking that out on on another.

[D.o.S.]

Yeah I got rid of it for the reasons illustrated in your last paragraph, more or less.

[casecandy]

The crazy thing is there was actually another huge attack in Beirut just a few days prior to Paris.

R.I.P., this whole thing is completely insane. I'm just posting on a forum here but hundreds of families are shattered forever. Really sucks.

Does inspire you to take stock of how much you have and how much you take for granted.

[Harry_Manback]

I think this we can all agree on.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glxh9ZgP7kc[/youtube]

[Jwar]

That video is great!

I think we should all focus on what's important here. United we stand. We need to unite.

[Eivind August]

Yeah, sorry, got a little carried away there. Love and such to all.

[BitchPudding]

[snipelfritz]

I sowwy we got sassy. Less hug it out.