I definitely hear this fight to let the world know how ridiculous it is to believe in god or heaven.  I, not necessarily of any religion myself, get so frustrated when atheists, or anyone really, begin to criticize other religions needlessly.  The constitution clearly gives everyone a right to practice their religion, or lack of religion, but attempting to cry out to the extent of clearing God or any organized religion from our country or legal system is crude, absurd and intolerable.  We are all given the right to religion, whether christian, scientific or otherwise and to criticize anyone practicing this right  is extremely offensive.

"I definitely hear this fight to let the world know how ridiculous it is to believe in god or heaven.  I, not necessarily of any religion myself, get so frustrated when atheists, or anyone really, begin to criticize other religions needlessly.  The constitution clearly gives everyone a right to practice their religion, or lack of religion, but attempting to cry out to the extent of clearing God or any organized religion from our country or legal system is crude, absurd and intolerable.  We are all given the right to religion, whether christian, scientific or otherwise and to criticize anyone practicing this right  is extremely offensive."

 

Ok here we go again. NO ONE especially the Atheists of this country are denying anyone of their rights to exercise what ever religion they so choose. What most Atheists, myself included, do get upset about is when religion is brought into places where it has no right to be. Public schools, court houses, you know, same ol' same ol'.  So that being said, chill out, go for a walk and go get yourself an ice cream cone.

Show me god in our legal system

Religion has never been part of our legal system....thank god.

In the United States, the usual oath required of all those who will give witness in court asks: "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

 

does this not bring god into the legal system?

I definitely hear this fight to let the world know how ridiculous it is to believe in god or heaven.  I, not necessarily of any religion myself, get so frustrated when atheists, or anyone really, begin to criticize other religions needlessly.  The constitution clearly gives everyone a right to practice their religion, or lack of religion, but attempting to cry out to the extent of clearing God or any organized religion from our country or legal system is crude, absurd and intolerable.  We are all given the right to religion, whether christian, scientific or otherwise and to criticize anyone practicing this right  is extremely offensive.

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You think you have it so bad?  Really??  I don't see a forum topic labeled "How do you feel about Christians?" anywhere.  Or .....about Mormons?, or ..... about Muslims?, or ..... about Jews?, or...... about Baptists?, etc.  No, the only one I see is one that asks "How do you feel about 'atheists?'"

 

If that isn't outright prejudice, then I don't know what is.  And because what I am saying is 100% true, this post will probably be removed just as soon as a moderator sees it. 

I didn't think you had to swear on the bible anymore?

I went to a court case brought by the company I work for ( just an observer), and it was used as late as last month in my area.

I had jury duty about 15 years ago when I lived for a brief time in a rural Indiana county, and there was no bible used in that case.  Neither is there one used at the courthouse in my current town of over 10 years.  If bibles are still being used in some courts, it must be a local thing.  I don't think there are any federal statutes requiring the bible to be used, and I'm pretty sure that if someone had an issue with swearing on a bible, it wouldn't take much of a stink to get it removed, at least for that person.

I'd like to see the judge's & bailiff's reaction when someone says, "I'm sorry, I'm not a Christian so I can't swear on a bible.  Do you have a copy of the Necronomicon?"  :-)

15 years ago when I lived for a brief time in a rural Indiana county, and there was no bible used in that case.  Neither is there one used at the courthouse in my current town of over 10 years.  If bibles are still being used in some courts, it must be a local thing


But regardless if they are being used at the present time, they WERE used often in the legal system, and those requesting some other means of "swearing in" were often looked at differently. Did this NOT being Religion into the legal system?

Nope, just a serious guilt trip for those who figured God was going to send them to hell for lying if they choose that road - it is psychological war fare - they present the bible to scare the beegees out of a person - not to actually influence anything other than the person swearing on the bible.   Just like we tell people going to jail for murder - say hi to bubba and I advise some soap on the rope - that should not influence the trial but it sure will give the defendant something to squirm about during the trial.

 

 

Nope, just a serious guilt trip for those who figured God was going to send them to hell for lying if they choose that road -


Which is the Basis of MOST RELIGIONS, which brought religion INTO the legal system.

Actually I disagree that it is the basis for most religions - a lot of religions don't have a hell at all.

Only three religions have hell. 

so are you saying that the majority of religions DO NOT have some kind of "Punishment" for what they consider Bad/sin?

Society as a whole metes out punishment for bad behaviour, so it is not a stretch to think that religion would too. However, as Kali stated, "hell" as a concept is not a part of many religions, it certainly isn't a part of mine.

OK, but "HELL" is a method/idea of Retribution, and is an integral part of the Majority of the most "Popular(?) religions of out times.
The three top ones being judaism, christianity and islam. All have some type of eternal punishment for a "sin" or major Transgression....and has been and is a major Political (unfortunatly) playing card in the USA.

OK, but "HELL" is a method/idea of Retribution, and is an integral part of the Majority of the most "Popular(?) religions of out times.
The three top ones being judaism, christianity and islam.
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Yes, the top three, but 3 in a sea of hundreds of religions is not a majority (of religions). These three also have a common ancester in the origins of their religion whereas the rest of the religions have other origins. It is of great frustration to me that these 3 religions have taken over in people's minds what a religion is supposed to look like. Which of course was their intention from the start (no other god but me!) and when people such as yourself (not that you are the only one) speak of "all religions being the same" you inadvertently buy into and reinforce the lie. By all means, have a beef with these three religions, but they are not what all religions are like.
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All have some type of eternal punishment for a "sin" or major Transgression....and has been and is a major Political (unfortunatly) playing card in the USA.
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And it is a huge tragedy, I agree.

It is of great frustration to me that these 3 religions have taken over in people's minds what a religion is supposed to look like.


and unfortunately, THAT is the nature of the game,,,,the 3 I mentioned DO represent what religion is to MOST people. I doubt that 95% of the population could name 5 other religions, and even less could make a list of more that one or two Protestant religions.

If you take religion from it's infancy - pre-bible [gasp, yep, before God, the prophesies and Jesus] than yes, there was no punishment for sin per se.  In fact if you look at most pre-Christian or even religions that existed with Hebrews/Jews they had no problems with sex outside marriage, worshipping many gods, etc.  The laws about stealing and such were not religious but community based and some cultures/religions did not see it as sin - look at Indians - the feathered kind not the dotted - they had no problems reconciling with their Gods stealing stuff - including chicks. 

 

There are a handful of major religions that do believe in Sin, the Devil and Hell but most believed if you fell in battle, lived a good life and such you were good.  Even Egyptians did not have a hang up about the afterlife in the belief that there was a hell - if your heart was not good you just simply stopped existing - and good was not tied into believing any one particular god - you had several to choose from. 

 

The concept of sin is really just taking doing bad things and upping the consequences to a whole new dimension because a lot of cultures and religions did not have such stuff and Christians, Jews, Muslims and such wanted to give people yet another reason to do what they were told - on top of political reasons, laws and community beliefs.  It is something that evolved in some religions but a lot of religions don't have sin per se, they certainly don't have hell nor tortures beyond belief in the afterlife.  Take for instance Pagans - many different groups and yet none of them say yep you slept with so and so therefore your going hell.  They don't care who you slept with and neither do the Gods.  Go figure.  Buddhist believe in reincarnation - not hell - until you become a balanced and good person you keep plugging at life - one life time after another but no hell fire, damnation nor demons. 

I agree that hell is the ultimate trump card pulled out when they want you to go along with political agendas and such, but not all religions believe in hell - certainly not all people believe in hell.  So the problem is that we allow politicians to spout the garbage oppose to giving us sound and reasonable cause for actions, laws and such - we vote them in - we can vote them out.  But we as a whole have decided to continue to vote the same morons in on both sides.