You’d think that NJ State Assemblyman Craig Stanley would have more important things to worry about, but apparently he’s already solved all of his state’s other problems so now he’s turning his attention to introducing a resolution to change the New Jersey Devil’s name to something a little less demonic.
State Assemblyman Craig Stanley is taking issue with a satanic symbol representing the state’s National Hockey League team, which has won three Stanley Cup championships.
“This is an age where symbolism is very important,” said Stanley, a Baptist deacon whose resolution to rename the team is to be introduced in the Assembly next month. A new name would be chosen in a statewide competition.
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“I’ve always cringed when people say they’re going to see the Devils,” said Stanley. “The merchandise, the paraphernalia is based on the actual demonic devil. Personally, it causes a little bit of an issue with me.”
Atheists are frequently accused of wanting to rid the public square of any religious references that we find offensive and yet you never hear the same accusation made of folks such as Mr. Stanley here who is most certainly trying to rid the public square of a religious reference he finds offensive. Never mind the fact that the devil the team’s name is based on has nothing to do with the Christian symbol—it’s actually a reference to the mythical Jersey Devil—as is too often the case with folks like Mr. Stanley the facts have no bearing on his opinion.
This is one of the problems I have with electing clergy to political office. They often end up wasting taxpayer’s time and money on idiotic legislation based entirely on their religious beliefs rather than anything in reality. You can take the deacon out of the church, but you can’t take the church out of the deacon as is clearly demonstrated here.
Only a fundie would consider this argument “lame.” There are many superficial differences between the three major Western religions, but at heart they all seem remarkably similar. It is the fundies who distort and downplay these similarities, and it is they who have caused the most trouble over time because of their unwillingness to swallow their pride and their arrogance. After all, to admit that Christianity is similar to Islam or Judaism could possibly imply that it is not *gasp* better than these other religions! THE HORROR!!
I believe that the basic similarities between the religions apply not only to the Western religions, but also even more broadly across most of the Earth’s religions. Practices, rituals, actual beliefs, etc. do differ. But I believe that these differences are ultimately just as superficial as the differences between the Western religions.
It is obvious that some religions (most notoriously Christianity and Islam) have caused more bloodshed over history than others. But again, I believe the reason for this lies in the actions of these religions’ practicers (particularly the fundies) rather than some profound difference between the religions themselves.
As William Blake correctly put it, “All Religions Are One.” Not all practicers are, though, and therein lies the problem with organized religion.
I too (along with Elwed) have yet to see just how Christians are supposedly better people than non-believers (or better people than Muslims, Buddhists, Pagans, Wiccans, Shintoists, Hindus, Agnostics, animists, Confuscians, Deists, Sikhs, et cetera et cetera et cetera) as many of them seem to so arrogantly believe. The simple answer: they are not better people.
I’d like to toss one on the pile for Bob’s comment. The founding fathers were given a chance to mould a country in the image of their ideals. They were given, with due consideration for the limitations of human nature, a fresh start. Simply because the government can take rights away does not mean that there must be a god in order for there to be a “right”. It seems to me to be an older version of the “take what is useful, and go from there” notion. They were attempting a model, not reconstructing a masterpiece. As such, it was necessary for good men to continue building, and not for a god to issue a decree (besides which, he did that with the nobility, and look where that went). I don’t see the necessity for a god of any type in the founding of a nation… just a few selfish, dreaming notions of how things ought to be, and an attempt to rear them. Forgive me if I’ve misinterpreted your statement.
Almost forgot to change my avatar.
Couldn’t agree more.
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Your argument sounds good by making it the Constitution, but I believe you are talking about another document. An honest mistake to be sure. However, the Constitution has no explicit reference to God, vague or otherwise.
Might it be the Declaration of Independence? If so, you might want to rethink your argument.
It’s not really my argument
To me it is very simple.
When you need a tool you invent it. Religions are the most needed tool to calmn the sole, by explaining death, child pain, and other life mysteries.
Ok the explanation of pain, life, death, and other mysteries is not scintific, but it does the job it is supposed to do which to add calmness and peace to a troubled person. That is why there are relegions not because they are absolutly true. But why we should care, if the tool works why not use it.
That was part one, part two is the fact that different people invent different tools to perform the same job.
Part three. competition is designed to make the world evolve, in this way relegions are no different than any other fuel for evolution.
What do we do if we are all one race, one relegion, no deseases, no problems. And the scariest if we all have the same sex. It will be boaring.
i have a picture of a creature that i think is the jersey devil……ive read reports of how this creature looks like and mine looks like the jersey devil……send me an email if ur interested….piece out