two religious articles for interesting times
Came across two stories today that caught my eye that I thought I had to mention. Both of them involving my favorite topic and yours...yes, religion! Here is the first one about a town thought, built and enforcing Christian values. By the sounds of it they aren't being like some streets or condo units that are making people who buy into the area sign a contract saying they can and can not do certain things. Like Candy Cane Lane here in Edmonton where the house and condo buyers sign a bylaw contract saying that they will put up christmas lights from a certain time period in December for christmas to keep the tradition of Candy Cane Lane going. Instead, they are just 'strongly urging' people not to do certain things, and we all know how the Christian church loves to 'strongly urge' people. After all, I believe they 'strongly urged' Copernicus on the whole 'sun VS Earth being the centre of the galaxy'. Of course there are going to be critics and I am sure that this town will be a bulls eye for those people that see something and flock there not to be a part but to take it down. Like those people that see a gathering of religous folk and instead of letting them have their time to pray, the pot stirers show up with everything that the people hate to try to express 'their' belief.
Then there is 'political correctness' run amock. What happens when a Buddhist tries to open a chinese restaurant called 'Fat Buddha'? why white councel members step in to try to stop it because it might offend someone. Though, there was a statement in the article that I loved, thought was absolutely priceless and had me laughing. Apparently the councel is saying the gentleman can not call it that because some Buddhists might get offended, to which a response from the Buddhist Society said "Buddhists don't take offence at anything because to do so doesn't follow Buddhist teachings." Consider it the ultimate test of the Buddhist belief. If you take offence and complain as a buddhist, then you are obviously not a buddhist and therefore can not complain. But, leave it to the other people to step up and give voice to those people that have no voice either by force or by religious belief.
Personally, I think this whole naming restuarant problem is just a case of slippery slope and pre-emptive strike. Think of it this way. The councel sits back and says "ok, Fat Buddha...no one complains, so can't stop it", then 2 months down the road we have "Lazy Jesus" spa (come, relax, be treated like a savior in todays world) with a picture of Jesus, relaxing on a couch or on a lily pad on a pond. That of course is gonna cause a little outcry from the Catholics, not much mind you cause ther are still reeling from the whole crusades, Spanish Inquisition, Witch Hunts and of course the child sexual abuse that they are in the process of paying out. However, there might be a little bit of an outcry which means some people will respond with "well, if you can make fun of the Buddhist diety in commercialism, why cant you for Catholics?". This might die down but you know, you just KNOW, that some smart ass (not even Islamic himself but just a smart ass) is going to open a business called "Crazy Muhammad's Discount Brazaar" with a picture of Muhammad with his arms open gesturing to his great discounts. Well, we all know what happens there with the whole Danish cartoons of years past and the Islamic ever so calm nature to handling of religion. Then we get death threats, burning temples/mosques, beatings and drive bys. Why? because if you give one religion the right to do something, then you have to give all religions the right to do something in that same country. Then it is a case of State VS Church all over again and you might as well then just press the button now and nuke the world because I always say that 'there is nothing more dangerous in this world than a man with a belief and a gun/weapon'.
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/text/article.html?in_article_id=469996&in_page_id=1770&in_main_section=&in_sub_section=&in_chn_id=
so, two articles, both on religion. I can now definitly believe that the ancient Chinese curse "may you live in interesting times" is upon us.
Powered by AOL Video
Then there is 'political correctness' run amock. What happens when a Buddhist tries to open a chinese restaurant called 'Fat Buddha'? why white councel members step in to try to stop it because it might offend someone. Though, there was a statement in the article that I loved, thought was absolutely priceless and had me laughing. Apparently the councel is saying the gentleman can not call it that because some Buddhists might get offended, to which a response from the Buddhist Society said "Buddhists don't take offence at anything because to do so doesn't follow Buddhist teachings." Consider it the ultimate test of the Buddhist belief. If you take offence and complain as a buddhist, then you are obviously not a buddhist and therefore can not complain. But, leave it to the other people to step up and give voice to those people that have no voice either by force or by religious belief.
Personally, I think this whole naming restuarant problem is just a case of slippery slope and pre-emptive strike. Think of it this way. The councel sits back and says "ok, Fat Buddha...no one complains, so can't stop it", then 2 months down the road we have "Lazy Jesus" spa (come, relax, be treated like a savior in todays world) with a picture of Jesus, relaxing on a couch or on a lily pad on a pond. That of course is gonna cause a little outcry from the Catholics, not much mind you cause ther are still reeling from the whole crusades, Spanish Inquisition, Witch Hunts and of course the child sexual abuse that they are in the process of paying out. However, there might be a little bit of an outcry which means some people will respond with "well, if you can make fun of the Buddhist diety in commercialism, why cant you for Catholics?". This might die down but you know, you just KNOW, that some smart ass (not even Islamic himself but just a smart ass) is going to open a business called "Crazy Muhammad's Discount Brazaar" with a picture of Muhammad with his arms open gesturing to his great discounts. Well, we all know what happens there with the whole Danish cartoons of years past and the Islamic ever so calm nature to handling of religion. Then we get death threats, burning temples/mosques, beatings and drive bys. Why? because if you give one religion the right to do something, then you have to give all religions the right to do something in that same country. Then it is a case of State VS Church all over again and you might as well then just press the button now and nuke the world because I always say that 'there is nothing more dangerous in this world than a man with a belief and a gun/weapon'.
http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/text/article.html?in_article_id=469996&in_page_id=1770&in_main_section=&in_sub_section=&in_chn_id=
so, two articles, both on religion. I can now definitly believe that the ancient Chinese curse "may you live in interesting times" is upon us.
posted by Capt_Canuck at 3:29 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home