So you shouldn't be allowed to discuss, debate, or speak out about things that you find uncomfortable? Why can't they discuss religion when every other topic is okay to talk about? What happens when a school wants to stop people speaking out about gender issues because a certain minority feels uncomfortable? As it stands, schools are squashing all debates on every side. Shouldn't they be allowed to be free to discuss and debate, and in that gain knowledge about other viewpoints and come to their own conclusions about debatable subjects?

Additionally, by speaking on religion, I don't think they are being impartial. If a person wants to mention God in politics, or mention that there is no God, why shouldn't they be free to discuss such things, provided they aren't using such things to make laws effecting others? Does free speech end at the property of government? Shouldn't they be utilize freedom of speech like people do in private?

Seece said: Player1x3 said: Seece said: Player1x3 said: Seece said: Coca-Cola said: Seece said: 10. makes up for 1 - 9 yay for not forcing religion on people!! Mentioning God is not forcing religion on people.  It is in a way, expecting non religious people to have to listen to that just for the sake of religious people, he should be impartial. Too bad for them, there are 5 times more christians in US than atheists, majority of people would like/have no problem hearing that, why should he remain quiet for the sake of much smaller minority? And nobody is forcing you to listen to anything Yup, too bad for them, hopefully in the future as less and less people become religious it'll stop. I didn't have to do any of it in secondary school, don't believe my neice has to do it much anymore and she's in primary school, so we are progressing. And religious people chose their religion, shouldn't force it on others. If they want to prayer/sing hymes, should do it in their own time. I see you have no actual argument, just an arrogant and very disrespectful reply. Nevermind, than. My argument is fine, what's disrespectful is pushing religion on those that don't want it.

You have a weird definition of ''pushing''. You should have been born in Middle Age Spain to realize what real religious pushing is. You wouldn't last 3 seconds there, lol, a person like you xD.

There is also this thing called ''free speech'', maybe you heard of it, but apparently presidents are entitled to it too.

Yeah i know of Free Speech, it's what the majority of people thinks gives them the right to say whatever they like. There are such other things such as respect, impartiality and hate speech though.

It doesn't have to be physically forcing, to have something pushed on you. A person like me, what do you mean, someone who doesn't like religion? It doesn't bother me that much, most of my family are religious and I get on fine with them. I'm able to put it to the side.

So you can't say certain things if it offends, hunh? Great. So no more debates on anything, because it may offend someone.

Yes, there certainly are things as respect, impartiality and hate speech. They aren't what you believe they are. If someone wants to say something stupid, or disrespectful, why should they be prevented from doing such? Because you got offended? Do you realize that is the exact same logic governments have used to kill and jail dissenters - because they spoke out against someone else that got offended? Hate speech can be the same way - taken to the extreme, it seeks to punish those who question the status quo. It creates a two-tier system of justice that allows for additional penalties to be lobbied against someone because they said something unfavorable against a certain party - be they Christian, Atheist, Straight, Gay, Republican, Democratic, a Nintendo fan, or anything else.

The further we fall into the idea that fringe ideas of speech and social thought must be censored, banned, and those who speak out jailed are going to find a very problematic future when the societal norms change, and what was once considered obscene becomes commonplace, then your idea of rational thought is on the fringe and in the crosshairs of censorship.

Let me ask you, Secee: If I told you that I think all gay rights groups are promoting hate speech, what would you say? Because your guilty of inciting the same kind of violations, but on the other group of people. Just change 'gay rights' with any other social or political agenda.

Player1x3 said: Seece said: Coca-Cola said: Seece said: 10. makes up for 1 - 9 yay for not forcing religion on people!! Mentioning God is not forcing religion on people.  It is in a way, expecting non religious people to have to listen to that just for the sake of religious people, he should be impartial. Too bad for them, there are 5 times more christians in US than atheists, majority of people would like/have no problem hearing that, why should he remain quiet for the sake of much smaller minority? And nobody is forcing you to listen to anything

No we don't have to listen to anything, but just because I can ignore religious talk/conversation, does not give anyone the right to go to people's door (including mine) asking us if we want to "learn" about the bible & god. I don't go around people's houses selling atheism either do I?

Plus, I was FORCED to take a religion class in high school, if I flunked it, I would flunk school, that IS forcing it. If I don't want to bloody learn about any religions out of my own free will I should not be punished for it in terms of education.

Why are you complicating things unnecessarily? I wondered how long it would take for homosexuality to come up, they're completely different. You're born with your sexuality and your skin colour, you're not born with your relgion. Sexuality and Race are something that is part of all of us.

and you just equated sexuality with skin color

Yes? because they're one in the same, born gay, born black, born straight, born white, whatever. Religion is not something you're remotely born with, it's the only one chosen.

I am not complicating it. I am merely mentioning the fact that you are simply asking for preferential censorship of given topics based on your system of beliefs. I just mentioned homosexuality because its a hot button issue like religion. My point still stands: As soon as you begin to define what must be censored, you become just as bigoted the religious nutjob that would prevent someone from discussing or promoting a topic he or she feels strongly about.

No I'm asking for the president to be impartial, I don't want him talking about gays in his speech either. Schools need to start teaching abut homosexuality though, moreso than religion, because it's not a belief, it just is (as with skin colour)

Which is why it should be put above religion in every instance, because it's something we're born with. That's based on common sense.