gwd-scouter 11 Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Coin collecting merit badge? No, I'm not a counselor. Maybe I ought to consider it, though. I have a collection I started when I was quite young when my grandfather gave me my first silver dollar. My sons showed great interest in the old coins, but never took up the hobby. Well, older son did start collecting the new quarters, but gave that up after about the second year. Coin and stamp collecting was fairly popular when I was young. I wonder - do boys or girls still collect coins or stamps? I don't know any that do. Link to post Share on other sites
evmori 11 Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 No Merlyn you're not correct. No one is telling anyone who or what to believe in. If that is the inference you are getting then that's your interpretation. As for my tactics being fanatical in nature, I have to ask . . . . . . . so? Well based on this statement And I don't use governmental power to tell children what their religious views ought to be, Ed. Eisenhower did I got the impression you thought you weren't. Thanks for admitting to being a fanatic. That explains a lot. Link to post Share on other sites
Merlyn_LeRoy 72 Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Ed writes: No Merlyn you're not correct. No one is telling anyone who or what to believe in. If that is the inference you are getting then that's your interpretation. So if the pledge was changed to "under no god," there'd be no problems having children recite that every morning, right? Well based on this statement "And I don't use governmental power to tell children what their religious views ought to be, Ed. Eisenhower did" I got the impression you thought you weren't [a fanatic] I'm not a religious fanatic that abuses governmental power to coerce children, no. But there's nothing wrong with being a fanatic per se. Link to post Share on other sites
TheScout 10 Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 I have never heard Gen. Eisenhower portrayed as such a radical. I always liked him. Link to post Share on other sites
evmori 11 Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Since I believe in God, I would say it should be left alone or taken out altogether. And you are a religious fanatic, Merlyn. Atheism is a belief system and religions are belief systems so that makes you a religious fanatic! Link to post Share on other sites
Merlyn_LeRoy 72 Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Ed writes: Since I believe in God, I would say it should be left alone or taken out altogether. So it's OK if the government pushes your religious views, but not OK if they oppose them. That's not religious freedom, Ed. That's government favoritism. And you are a religious fanatic, Merlyn. Atheism is a belief system and religions are belief systems so that makes you a religious fanatic! Atheism isn't a belief system, Ed, but even ignoring that, you may have missed that I'm not advocating that the government favor atheism. You're the one who wants government favoritism, not me. Link to post Share on other sites
evmori 11 Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Yeah ya are Merlyn! Having the word God on anything to do with the government is not promoting any religion! Wanting it removed is trying to force your beliefs on the masses! OK atheism is the absence of belief in deities! Bu you do believe there are no deities so technically, it's a belief system! Link to post Share on other sites
GernBlansten 10 Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Ed, would printing "In No God We Trust" be equally not promoting any religious belief? Link to post Share on other sites
TheScout 10 Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Since we are not sure about God, maybe we should just error on the side of caution and say we believe in Him. Then if He exists He will be happy. If not, not harm. Link to post Share on other sites
GernBlansten 10 Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 I ain't sure about a lot of things. Should we include those things on our money just to hedge our bets? Link to post Share on other sites
packsaddle 753 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 If God is indeed omniscient then I'm fairly certain he/she/it won't be fooled by the attempt to deceive by hedging in that manner. "He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake, he knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake." Link to post Share on other sites
TheScout 10 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Darn, I thought we could trick Him. Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Boyce 13 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 The motto "In God We Trust" should be on American currency. Link to post Share on other sites
SSScout 1616 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 HWGA... Possible side threads (choose any that attract you): 1) The desire of the MAJORITY in a democracy to express a belief at the risk of insulting/offending a minority. 2) Requiring children to recite something that may or may not be in agreement with the parent's religious beliefs. (Q: Who would one expect NOT to recite the PoA?). Punishment? Teaching moment? 3) The tyranny of a minority opinion in controlling a philosophic situation if no "harm" is done. What really constitutes "harm"? 4) Perceived lack of patriotism/loyalty/rightness by someone who does not react "appropriately" to the *flag going by, *Star Spangled Banner being played, *PoA being requested, *name your own situation. 5) "Swearing" to tell the truth actually guarantees that the truth will be told. 6) Oh, that's enough. Choose your weapon. Link to post Share on other sites
Merlyn_LeRoy 72 Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Ed writes: Yeah ya are Merlyn! Having the word God on anything to do with the government is not promoting any religion! It's promoting theism. Wanting it removed is trying to force your beliefs on the masses! Nope, that's being neutral. Having something like "gods are myths" would be trying to force my beliefs on the masses. The difference is, you have no problem when the government promotes religious beliefs that agree with yours, while I don't want the government to promote any kind of religious stance, including atheism, even if it does agree with my beliefs. Link to post Share on other sites
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