Soldiers' widows sue for pagan symbols on headstones

[Nubclear]

Originally posted by BeBro
Tass: and you think it's a great argument to say it's because there are more Christians than Pagans?

And why are there more Christians than Pagans?
Oh, that's right. Because they used military force to convert everyone they met - unless they slaughtered them outright, of course.
It's pretty easy to become a dominant religion when you get together a mob and lynch anyone who disagrees with you.

Hence proving my point

[BeBMan]

So you mean individual Pagans are just as violent, they just have luck that as a group they aren't that many?

[Nubclear]

Your the one upholding the "Pagans-as-violent-murderers, Christians-as-great-peacemakers" contention, not me, sir

[RGBVideo]

According to the article the military is already providing some services for this 'crackpot cult'.

read the reply again and recognize your strawmen

to elaborate
the difference between "religion" and a "crackpot cult" in everyday use is defined only on the basis of the amount of it's followers. The less followers, the more of a cult it is. There is no clearly defined limit between the two terms, and the point was that Wiccans should have their own headstone models, why not Scientologists or Pastafarians? The current line is drawn at the 38 presumably most popular religions. Where would you draw the line?

either way, I did NOT say that wicca is a crackpot cult. the whole definition of a 'cult' is so damn subjective (is a religion with 10 million followers a cult? how about one with 10 million - 1? continue until you reach 2) that it would be a trollish thing to say, irrelevant of my actual opinion whether it is or not. that it would be foolish to say it would be I said that if wicca would be required to have it's own headstone, every crackpot cult in the world would be also required to have it's own headstone because there would exist no clearly defined line to define the difference of a legitimate religion deserving it's own headstone and an unknown joke religion.

[BeBMan]

Originally posted by Comrade Tassadar
Your the one upholding the "Pagans-as-violent-murderers, Christians-as-great-peacemakers" contention, not me, sir

Where did I write that again or just anything that goes vaguely in this direction?

[Wezil]

Relax - I'm no supporter of Wicca (or any other religion).

The fact is the military has obviously put some validity into Wicca and to deny them what others receive will not happen.

I'd wager on it.

[Elok]

They probably just don't want stupid metalhead teenagers sneaking into the cemetery at night and carrying off the headstones marked with pentagrams.

[Zoid]

Technopagans

[Nubclear]

Originally posted by BeBro


Where did I write that again or just anything that goes vaguely in this direction?

You attempted to rebut my statement that Pagan religions are better by saying that they are violent in addition to Christianity. Of course, if you uphold that Paganism must be condemned on this, then you must also uphold that Christianity must be condemned far worse, for it is among the most violent forces in history.
Hence, relative to each other, Paganism (by the criteria of violence) would be better than Christianity. Hence:
Paganism
Christianity

The current line is drawn at the 38 presumably most popular religions. Where would you draw the line?

If thats the line, then Neopaganism definitely qualifies

[Elok]

Originally posted by VJ
the difference between "religion" and a "crackpot cult" in everyday use is defined only on the basis of the amount of it's followers. The less followers, the more of a cult it is. There is no clearly defined limit between the two terms, and the point was that Wiccans should have their own headstone models, why not Scientologists or Pastafarians? The current line is drawn at the 38 presumably most popular religions. Where would you draw the line?

Er, mebbe because the CoS, unlike most other religions, has a history of trying to infiltrate the FBI and alter files? Plus blackmail/extortion, death threats, framing critics, and subverting every institution they're forced to share authority with?

Pastafarians, on the other hand, sound quite yummy. I'm surprised there are any left after that whole Atkins craze.

[BeBMan]

Originally posted by Comrade Tassadar
You attempted to rebut my statement that Pagan religions are better by saying that they are violent in addition to Christianity. Of course, if you uphold that Paganism must be condemned on this, then you must also uphold that Christianity must be condemned far worse, for it is among the most violent forces in history.
Hence, relative to each other, Paganism (by the criteria of violence) would be better than Christianity.

You're wrong

[Nubclear]

Thats nice Go back to worshipping Jebus now

[BeBMan]

Now you're funny

[Ninot]

Two of my very best friends consider themselves Wiccan.

They are very lovely people.

[Wycoff]

Good for the plaintiifs. I hope they win.

I wonder if this law suit would encompass all pagans or just Wiccans. Could someone get a Thor's Hammer tombstone?