Indian god statue at Calgary zoo offends Christian group

Originally posted by badgerprints

Originally posted by drwizardphd



You can't have it both ways.

True.

The law has been used to remove Christian symbols for years. These laws and "interpretations" by judges have been used extensively against Christians. They are laws and do apply to other religions so as you said. "You can't have it both ways."

The law should apply to all religions. Not just Christianity.

I agree... sort of.


I don't think the law should be used to remove any religious symbolism. The current 'interpretation' of separation of church and state leads to censorship, which is (in my opinion), inherently un-American.

Separation of church and state is very important, don't get me wrong. But only from a legislative point of view. We should not form laws along religious boundaries, christian or otherwise. What we should do, however, is tolerate all religious symbols. The people who are offended by it can frankly go suck an egg, as this is the US and religious freedom is a founding principle of this nation.

Now, I know my post may seem a little off-base since the article deals with a zoo in Canada, but Canada is very similar to the US in terms of individual liberty and freedom (in many cases even more free). Also, these are problems we face here in the states.

I remember as a child seeing my hometown transform during the holiday season. These days things are a lot less festive, and I know who's to blame. Piss-ant religious wacko's who can't stand to see another religion's symbols since it offends their very weak belief structure, much like our friends over at Concerned Christians Canada. I don't belong to any faith, but I think the Buddhists are the closest to reality with their policy of religious tolerance. Jesus taught tolerance as well, it's a shame so few 'christians' still heed his lessons.

Originally posted by badgerprints

Originally posted by newworld
The law should apply to all religions everywhere, but Christianity is the most predominant religion in the west and needs to be put in check more often than the other religions due to obvious reasons.

Not the letter of the law then?

Christians should be intentionally discriminated against and others allowed to break the law because there are more Christians ?

I don't buy that for a second.

The law applies to everybody.

No you misunderstand me.
Statistically speaking, christianity has tried more often than other beliefs systems to try to implement their beliefs as rules for society, in an effort to gain even more control.

Since there are more Christians in the west, then the chances of hearing more about them getting targeted by laws increases compared to the rest of the religions.

No religion should be allowed to be above the law, not Judaism, not Buddhism, and not Christianity.

These kinds of people make a mockery of religions.

If it's not their house, and they're free to leave, it shouldn't be a point at all.

I have to wonder aloud why religious persons cannot just have stock in their faith anymore, and just live their way, their way, without imposing or begrudging?

Simply, why can't faith just be faith anymore. Why does each faith have to be 'right'?

If it applies to one religious group under the law it should apply to all religious groups.

This issue seems to make a lot of people angry but most of those seem more to be anti Christians than pro Hindu.

Why don't we just repeal all of those laws and allow the hundreds (maybe even thousands) of Christian symbols that have been removed from public places due to these laws can go back up?

Then the Christians who are legally relying on those laws will leave the elephant alone?

reply to post by badgerprints


Hehehe..corrected by DarkStormCrow..

Thank you...

[edit on 27-9-2009 by Next_Heap_With]

Originally posted by Next_Heap_With
reply to post by badgerprints

 

Don't you get it????

THE ZOO IS NOT A PUBLIC PLACE, THEREFORE THEY CAN PUT WHATEVER THEY WANT IN IT!!!!!!!

[edit on 26-9-2009 by Next_Heap_With]

I got it.

You think I actually don't?

The funny thing is that as many people who have argued with me on this point nobody has addressed the actual issue I was getting at. They dance around it.

I, as an individual, support leaving the statue there. I actually like it.

I do recognize hipocrisy though.




By the way,

Very intimidating with the caps. Super scary. The six extra exclamation points were over the top though. Totally blew your image.

Good night all.

Happy hating.

Seriously, when I hear reports of so-called "Christians" behaving in this manner I just want to thump them all in the third eye with their pastors microphone until they get their heads out of their biblical coloring books.

Ridiculous. Just ridiculous.

I think it's high time we start taxing Churches if they keep churning out intolerance and shortsightedness like this.

For most of you its only stupid when its the Christians who cry foul.

I think its stupid, but I also think its stupid everytime the other side cries foul.

I remember a few years ago a church in Oklahoma built a massive cross on the side of I 35. It pissed off a bunch of the atheists and they sued to have it taken down.

Stupidity didn't win and the cross is still standing, hopefully this statue won't be taken down by stupidity.

You guys need to see that both sides are guilty of stupidity and stop pointing the finger at the religous side.

a non-issue imo..... im sure those who are offended by this wouldnt mind seeing a jesus figure go in its place....

sad really...are people this bored? getting upset over a statue?

reply to post by Next_Heap_With


Actually the Zoo is owned by the City of Calgary which very much makes it a Public Place.

Have to wonder however if the Christian group is willing to give up the yearly Christmas lights festival that held at the Zoo?

[edit on 9/27/2009 by DarkStormCrow]

Originally posted by ModernAcademia

Seriously, I don't see the issue here
Do they need a noah's ark statue near the dinosaur area?

Concerned christians, what exactly are they concerned about here?

The issue is with some christian folks thinking that every other religion in the world is 'wrong' 'cause the bible tells them so. The issue is one sub-group of people trying to force their opinions and beliefs on others. Need I say more? Seems alot of folks are perpetrating that sort of behavior. It's kind of sad really.

Chrono

reply to post by jd140



im missing why people wanting a giant religious symbol on public land to get taken down is stupid.

frankly, i like the elephant. i think its cool. if i had the cash to afford one of those, id probably put one in my yard.

as a religious symbol on public ground, i dont like it so much.

it still makes me giggle

[edit on 27-9-2009 by ELECTRICkoolaidZOMBIEtest]

I am getting really worried about all this PC/RC going on.
Who really cares if a statue resembling Ganesh is there...are there christian beliefs so fragile and unfounded that they fear they are being undermined.

We have lost the use of the basics of our language ,just in case we offend somebody, e.g. blackboards,black bin bags, manhole covers ,kids poems(bah ,bah black sheep .....damn the list is endless as you all know.

We keep trying to be tolerant to other races,beliefs and then state "we are not rascist or bigots" yet we still censor certain texts,words and common day slang to prove that, but really we are just enforcing the fact that we are these things.
TBH i am not one for the words and it shows, but shouldnt we just accept that we are who we are and just get on with things.

edit for spelling

[edit on 27-9-2009 by juggle]

reply to post by ModernAcademia


An elephant statue near an elephant enclosure, whats the problem?

So hey if the Christians don't like innapropriate religious symbols then they should remove crosses from every place that is not a church because i, as an atheist consider them innapropriate. There is absolutely no difference between their argument and mine.

Why can't people just not be offended by such things? I mean seriously was this statue harming them in any real way?

Living in a multi-cultural country you would think these people would be more tolerant and accepting of others, to bad they can't practise what they preach.

Most kids seeing this will just see a dancing elephant, nothing more. Has anyone taken the time to ask the kids that see this what they think ? After all zoos are for taking kids too.

My granddaughter watches dancing elephants on tv all the time and she has not converted yet, she just laughs.

reply to post by ZombieOctopus

Exactly, it's a dancing elephant! Nothing more

Yes, but is anyone here denying that a Cristian symbol would be torn down immediately? Here in the states, Christian symbols are constantly being torn down.

Living in a multi-cultural country you would think these people would be more tolerant and accepting of others, to bad they can't practise what they preach.

Oh please. The selective memory of some here is disgusting. All of you would have been in here celebrating if we were talking about a manger display or cross. Those of you on the left only seem to like tolerance as long as its for things you accept and agree with. Otherwise you deem it not worthy of tolerance.



[edit on 27-9-2009 by Wimbly]

i don't see a problem with it but then again i am all for anything that gets christians in a funk.
viva la ganesh

Originally posted by Lemon.Fresh
Is the zoo funded by taxpayers?

Or is it a private company?

They are a charitable company receiving government funding.

Off ice of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada

I wonder how many here would be screaming if the zoo installed a statue featuring the Star of David or a Christian cross?

reply to post by orderedchaos

Simply, why can't faith just be faith anymore. Why does each faith have to be 'right'?

By the time every religion gets done being 'right', there wont be anything LEFT.

I am so sick of the whining, personally. All these people are are troublemakers who made up a name, filed for non profit status (but I bet you $10000 the top people have some fancy cars), and use what they get in donations to strong-arm anyone they want. Basically- "Thugs- a Nonprofit, Christian group who loves Jesus... and if you don't love him too, we'll mess you up. Now- give US money."

[edit on 27-9-2009 by wylekat]