We the People - Religion in the US - 5 Sep 08 -Part 1

[Lakitu454]

great video. religion makes no sense

[MaitreyaRocket]

Does anyone find it ironic a news org. centered on & around the Middle East is documenting religious problems in the U.S. ?

[yoursuchagoodguy]

@MaitreyaRocket Ironic perhaps, but an American evangelical christian pinhead with political power is arguably more dangerous to the planet than any mullah or rabbi anywhere.

[20nothing]

@PeachyPeachPie

I agree that in most cases good and bad is self evident and was needed to survive from an evolutionary perspective. Ancient greece wasn't that free, but we do not need religion to have morality in a secular society. Over here in Europe we have a lot more atheists and a far less powerful conservative christian right, but America is more secular on a constitutional & financial level. If some crazy Tea Party members change thàt, then you are straight heading for a theocracy lol.

[helix4811]

Religion is supposed to be found, not forced, those who say religion will bring about only war are foolish, but those who say religion is the only truth are blind...

[kanmoreti]

Religion has poisoned the USA.

[TaffyAlpha]

F.A.I.T.H.

Forget

About

Investigating (for)

Truth (and)

Honesty

[jaknife99]

Its not important but I think its Fuckly

[jCwel]

was her name Clita Fuckme?

[frankystein12]

You can just tell that people like Obama and Clinton are not very religious, yet they must lie to appear to be very religious in order to get the chance to get elected. Because in this backwards country, being a person of faith somehow makes you appear decent, wholesome, and all-so-AMERICAN to the average moronic voter in this country.

[davaidavai8]

where do you think morals come from, babys diapers? where do you think ethics comes from your mamas ass?

its goes to the roots. and where do the roots come from..

only two belife were out there. good and evil, devil and god. but with time.. coruption came, we invented .. religion, so many religions now. and we are choking on it.. and anything refers to religion we say its distording and narrow mind like yourself.. fall for it.

[gregconquest]

David, why do you have to be so offensive when discussing morals? There is no need to talk about someone's "mama's ass [sic]" unless you don't have anything meaningful to say.

And our morals came from the evolution-crafted behavior of Homo sapiens. We evolved to live as social beings. It is pretty simple.

Other social animals would have "morals" too. Just look at bees and ants. A single bee will sacrifice itself for the good of the hive. Again, it is simple.

[davaidavai8]

If it wasnt for the bible, NO ONE would of known and understood what is good and what is bad..

sadd.. people.. hypacrites.

[ShiningAquila]

If you actually knew anything about psychology, you would know that good morals is something most people have. Religion tries to distort morals for its sickening agenda.

[PeachyPeachPie]

@davaidavai8

You've never even heard the other side of the story, have you? Animals don't have religion. So why don't they all just kill each other? Why aren't ecosystems utter chaos? Because if we couldn't tell good from bad we wouldn't BE HERE in the FIRST PLACE.

Animals know the value of altruism! It's a basic fact that if you're going to survive you must have compassion for those around you. Humans are herd animals. Good and bad are very self evident.

[PeachyPeachPie]

@davaidavai8

Plus, there should be no civilization predating the bible according to what you're suggesting. You have no idea how ridiculously ignorant your statement is. There were great civilizations with moral codes far more advanced than the biblical era middle east, long before.

How about ancient greece for one?

Learn history or save the rest of us the headache of having to deal with your tripe.

[davaidavai8]

Read first few chapters of Revelation and u will stumble on a verses that say. in the end time Church well go on compromise with the government and both will blend..

and it says. that is one of many signs of end times..

this was written long a ago..

Our founding fathers.. did not wanted and they seperated church from gevernment..

But what do we do.. we blended them together..

[straty795961]

parasite

[Cedde82]

I don't need the bible to know what is good and wrong in society. i don't want to brainwashed by creationists who use god for their own political agenda like all USA presidents did. they need to aim their speeches to all Americans, including the atheists one and Obama did that which is a good thing.

there must be schools where children can skip lessons concerning religion or replace it with moral/ethics or what so ever. baptizing a child is wrong because you choose for him.

[buttnipped]

Hey guy, or girl or whatever you are. This is America you are living in. Like it or not, It is a place founded by Christians. A place where the vast majority of people living at one time throughout its history, have been Christians. All I ever hear from you Bible haters, is hate. Why can you not accept, or at least pay homage to the fact, you have any rights at all, is because of Christian ideals, If I had no love for my neighbor, why should I care for your rights?

[buttnipped]

I liken the position of Christian haters in America, to the position of a man way out in the ocean, standing on about ten square feet of sand. Surrounded by starving sharks circling his little island. He's not just standing there, but he's working, with a shovel, digging his little island up and throwing it into the sea.

[buttnipped]

The idea of unalienable rights, stems directly from the fact our founding fathers believed we were created creatures of free will, like the Bible says. All you guys hatin' on Christianity are managing to communicate, is that you depend on your rights to be able to live think and speak as you will, but you have no problem with battleling with, or trying to destroy the very concepts that gave you those rights. Hey, got a new idea for your shovel, brain one of those sharks, and have some sushi.

[mjonas10]

Is it relevant what was the basis for something though? Shouldn't the focus lie on what is best for us as humans to evolve today?

[buttnipped]

@mjonas10 If you don't understand where you came from, you can not know where you stand. If you don't know where you stand, you can not know where you are going. Let alone how to get there. Focus should be on who we were, because that tells us about who we are. Then we can decide where to go from there. Keeping in mind, there is nothing new under the sun. To deny our past, is to deny ourselves. What good can come of that?

[PeachyPeachPie]

@buttnipped

You want to talk about rights? Why did people even come to America in the first place? To ESCAPE from christian religious persecution. It was because their rights were RESTRICTED by CHRISTIANITY that this nation was even founded in the first place.

Do you really think your spin on this isn't completely transparent? You are so utterly clueless.

[420HashSmoker]

America NEVER has been and NEVER will be a christian nation. Most of the founding fathers were diests, at best. While SOME of them were religious, the ALL recognized that the concept of 'god' needed to be kept OUT of the public sector of American politics and society. I hate christianity because of the sickening message that is teh foundation of its' teachings. I don't owe any christ cock sucker ANY respect or homage.

[buttnipped]

@420HashSmoker With your own comments, you have diqualified yourself from the debate. Whether you want to ackknowledge that or not.

[buttnipped]

@420HashSmoker Rewritting history from a bong are we? Hmmmm. lol. When you sober up, your thoughts may gain some credibility. But until then, you are as a wart. True you exist, but that does not make your thoughts valid or valuable. STOP THE SENSELESS SLAUGHTER OF YOUR BRAIN CELLS! You can't afford to loose one more.

[420HashSmoker]

Cannabis use, doesn't kill brain cells, there's no scientific evidence or proof to substantiate that claim. So please, don't try and at as if I haven't made any valid points just because I get high. There are MANY people who have publically admitted to smoking weed who have ALL gone on to become successful. You ever heard of Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, hell Barack Obama?! You haven't made any kind of point bible bitch, you're just pissed off about what I said.

[PeachyPeachPie]

@buttnipped

Wow, going through this debate between you two, you're really pathetic. The same ad hominem bullshit right? And it's not even true either. Here you are going on trying to insult someone and you don't have the first clue what you're talking about.

If anyone is disqualified it's you for not getting your facts straight. Of course you bible toters don't usually know the first thing about that scary science thing, so no surprise there, right?

[buttnipped]

@420HashSmoker I do mean to clarify my position with regards to your intellect. What you espouse is illegal. Ok, write your congressman and see if you can get him to vote for change. But for your own good, stop igging up and trolling police officers.

[buttnipped]

@420HashSmoker And one last note to help you get the picture, maybe this can sink in btween buzzes. You may ONLY recieve the respect you send forth, and no more. It's a basic Biblical principle. You reap what you sew. A truth so powerful that even godless secular humanists can not disagre with nor rearange it. They would say, "what goes around comes around".

[420HashSmoker]

I don't care about "biblical principles". The bible is a man made work of FICTION that, at best, amounts to nothing more than a snuff novel. That whole "what goes around, comes around" statement is a logical fallacy. And to be frank, I don't see what that has to do with what I said. The judeo-christian god is a prick, assuming it exists for the sake of the argument, I'd rather go to hell than live in a 'paradise' which is governed by the afore mentioned diety. Your religion is a fucking joke.

[buttnipped]

One more thing, 52 out of 55 signers of the Declaration of Independence where devout Christians. Many of whom went on to sign the Constitution. The claim that many signers where not Christian, is fairly ignorant. Do some research for yourself, because I know you haven't. Or at least you are just following a decietful line, or just want to.

[420HashSmoker]

What proof do you have to justify that claim? Simply saying that a majority of the founding fathers of the U.S. were religious doesn't mean anything. You talk a lot, but you say very little. It should be noted that just because SOME of the founding fathers were christians, DOESN'T mean that a majority of them were. MOST of them were deists, NOT theists.

[buttnipped]

John Adams: The general principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principals of Christianity I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.

• [July 4th] ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.

John Adams in a letter written to Abigail on the day the Declaration was approved by Congress

[420HashSmoker]

You're a fucking moron. John Adams was a UNITARIAN, he rejected many of the claims made by the christian faith. While he felt as though religion played an important role in society, he was NOT a christian, at least not in the literal sense.

[buttnipped]

@420HashSmoker Debate with you has lost its value for me. I do not wish to set you straight, for it is my firm belief you may believe whatever you will. It was merely my intention to object to the vulgar nature of initial remarks that you sent me. There is more proof of my point of view than can be listed here. You know that. You are just very upset about it, and desire that it wasn't true. I hope you will find some kind of peace and respect.

[420HashSmoker]

You're religion and your god are a fucking joke. I for one am happy that there is no credible evidence to support the credibility of either of the afore mentioned ideas. You may believe that you have evidence to support your claims, but you don't, and I can say that with relative certainty. There isn't any irrefutable evidence ANYWHERE in the world to support the idea that ANY god exists. Every 'god' that has ever or will ever exist is, likely, nothing more than a man made idea.

[PeachyPeachPie]

@buttnipped

And are you seriously suggesting you wouldn't care about other people if it weren't for being christian? If that's true that just makes you a disgusting, shallow person. It doesn't lend credibility to your credo.

[buttnipped]

@420HashSmoker You are the joke. You play it on yourself.

[420HashSmoker]

Fuck you, and fuck your god.

[PeachyPeachPie]

@buttnipped

The struggle for rights today is in direct OPPOSITION with christianity on ALL FRONTS in this fucking country. The rights for gays to marry, to even have PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW were a FIGHT against your worthless religion. So is the right for legalization, so is the right to teach evolution in schools, so is the right to keep your garbage out of the government and off the court walls, and off the public plazas.

[Cameddies]

Sholem yehude, goldene medine is becoming Chelm, the USA is becoming Zusia but still a great place to be.

[Darusdei]

how can they respect their constitution when most of them cant even read a news paper and get the points and facts on the matter... also the critical thinking is totaly lost

the schools are lacking far behind the rest of the western world... what can you expect?

[lookatdoor]

Mike Huckabee is fucking crazy. Thank God that sonuvabitch lost.

[spewyguts]

A very nice religious lady told me recently that we owed our justice system and the morality of society to the christian religion. My reply to her was: Morality is doing what is right no matter what anybody tells you, religion is doing what you are told, no matter what is right. Religious divides are the greatest threat to the future of human life on our planet. Please wake up to reality and realize the future is in our hands and not in a make believe diety.

[LittleHipHop]

i realize as the truth that i got more waves than particles its just my waves have begun to sag..and the other point here is that life one is entiltled to a side dish of tomato or potato salad and the choice must be made in terror with the knowledge that not only is our time on earth limited but most kitchen close at 7... :)

[Gotioz]

oh gosh cant stand ur american bullshit...i much rather fuck beautiful girls all over europe on sundays than being in church...u christians can too, its ur choice!!

[LittleHipHop]

..it would do us all a world of good to turn the damn thing off and go for a walk,or have a nice conversation with aljazeera,or learn to put no spams in..mh?

[LittleHipHop]

its a unique thing for the atheists of this world to point the finger at the believers and say religion is a cancer,how do they know that?the fact is that theyre jealous of their way of life.

[brianng999]

haha you think we atheists are jealous?

Atheism = freedom of the mind.

Isn't that what you americans believe in? Freedom?

I'm enjoying the fact I don't have to waste every single sunday at church! I can do whatever i want. I can go to university and become a doctor without thinking that science defies some wierd religious belief.

[LittleHipHop]

sorry doctor!im from jamaica and many of us have never lived under an information system like you do.science,i have no idea what or where it is in this system,who works there or if they are even still on this planet.i cant see it,also i dont have to believe it.thank you doctor,being able to see a doctor when were sick is a human right,means is free of charge.lets have a smoke doc! :D

[brianng999]

Jamaican, you believe in a god right?

Why don't you go to church instead of going to a doctor when you get sick? He should take care of you just right...

[LittleHipHop]

03:29:44 -0700 (PDT)?? good morning doc!

at this time you should stay in bed and make some babys you just have to take off some of your clothes and make sure your partner is of the other gender ha? to go to the doctor its a life issue doc,the same as if your house is on fire or you were a victim of crime and just like our free and 'universal'fire that

is afforded to every human,its free of charge.

would you allow the police to ask you for a credit card before they start looking?

[brianng999]

Hip Hope i don't understand a word you're saying. I have a feeling that maybe my watch costs more than your whole family's education combined.

[LittleHipHop]

maybe theres something with your eyeballs doc.

its ok when your hongkong rolex is expensive.

long live mao!i only call my green flowers my own.you see, theres no relationship between a healthy regiman and a rich genius :(

sad but true

[brianng999]

sigh* mao sucks kangaroo balls.

I actually think hitler is a better character than mao. At least hitler actually improved germany while he was at it, while mao led china to waste...

[PeachyPeachPie]

@LittleHipHop

Why yes! I'm so jealous I don't have my very own fable book. I'm so jealous I don't have my own "personal" savior. I'm jealous that I don't think the fucking universe was created JUST FOR ME. I'm jealous that I don't think someone in the sky is controlling reality. I'm so jealous I don't have to get up early and waste an entire day at church every week for the rest of my life. Give me a fucking break.

[tableturns77]

Religion should be destroyed completely around the world. Religion is rediculous and causes wars. Grow the fuck up people and wake the fuck up too. Assholes.

[kurdatheist]

I second that

[onemoregod]

Count me in too

[LittleHipHop]

thats true asshole

we got to believe in the capitalism system they always got more winners than losers..

[tableturns77]

Fuck your god

[destituteillusion]

religion is a political tool - i always wonder why someone as smart as obama is a believer. i have a very similar educational background and even life history, and i just can't put it together. i'd think he was an atheist like me..makes you wonder. oh well, still voting for him. he's otherwise a very logical man, a thinker.

[ferkelbuch1]

god is dead !

[LittleHipHop]

how did all these gooood christians end up in charge of gay discrimination movement when their 'leader'left them no instruction about beating up on homosexuals? what dope we are ha?

the republicans figured it out the way to rule us was to bring the religious right with wall street cause when they start a war-against poor muslims countrys-in order to grab oil, that motherfuckers aint gonna paying for that,the poor pay it!

[reasdbndv]

we r abusing the religion not the opposite  .and the christianity is like islam is the victim here

.

[RG415WBFAA]

I live in America and I find the term, religious extremism, for American political life is idiotic. I am an atheist and this is ridiculous. Religions influences people just as philosophies, emotions, genetic inclinations, experiences etc. There isn't an official religion in any place. Religious people have their communites just have the races, ethnicities, classes, professions, and genders have their communities. Freedom from religion is not enshrined in the American constitution.

[reasdbndv]

iam a muslim guy and i wish i can meet any american personaly to understand from him why they hate us like that despite christianity calls for love .why they think of us like monesters . and i wounder what should we think about them if we remember that they drop an atomic bomb on 200,000 civilians in japan .

[djcobolt]

The reason is simple and its not a proud one but its the reason for all hate....FEAR. its that simple. Religion is a poison on the forward movement of human beings. Its one of the last foolish practices of an advanced people.

[sheikadi]

Most Americans do not hate Muslims. Those that THINK they hate the Muslim world are brainwashed. Also, it is not the people of the US that dropped the bombs on Japan it is the evil leaders.

[lilsteller]

As a Christian and a followe of Al Jazeera, but I don't like the PR by AL Jazeera. You need to realzie religion has always been part of America. And as the liberals die out and Conservative have more kids, its only going to become stronger.

[naliuj]

sounds like the plot to Idiocracy

[767fife]

but arnt conservatives anti sex

[lalosinax87]

hahahahahahaha!!!!

[analyticchimic]

Bravo! So true. Conservative tyranny.

[dswynne]

I find it funny that Al-Jazeera of ALL institutions make a big deal that most Americans are religious, and why Islamic countries tend to be anti-anything BUT Islam.

[LorettaJohn]

I trust none of these elected officals, thru=out the world. They preach the word of God, and their the devil in disguise.

[afrircans1970]

Christians & Jews often have public squares where the heads and hands of those who commit criminal acts are cut off.

Women are often punished for being raped. Sometimes they are killed in honor murders after being raped.

Christians & Buddhists are vicious in any country where they posses power. Horrifying!

[lbrink08]

Your very ignorant.

[soloaye]

I am really sad to know that such a thunking exists.

If you do not know about christianity, please learn. But I don't thing you can speak something untrue and negative.

Anyways a day will come when you will be a good christian.

[LittleHipHop]

Anyways a day will come when you will be a good christian..

cause theyll survive,they always have.and sooner or later theyll get feed up and come looking for everybody what they talking about.

[PeachyPeachPie]

@LittleHipHop

Gee, makes me inclined to wonder why atheism is growing at a rate more than three times as fast as ANY religion in the entire world, and why the amount of nonreligious people presently rival the numbers of the entire global catholic church.

The christys aren't doing so well.

[t4ac3y1]

Important video... thank you.

[OlderPete]

The greatest of America's founding fathers embraced Deism.

[aquamammal]

They were basically functioning atheists.

If Darwin came before the US, they probably would have been complete anti-theists.

Fuck religion.

XVX for life, R.A.S.H. 'til death.

[dswynne]

No, "Deism" is still a belief in a higher power, not necessarily from a Christian perspective.

[condonrichard]

The First Amendment provides that there shall be no established religion. It does not state that there will be a separation of church and state. Just as Islam integrates government and faith, American also integrates the two but it its own way.

[neonchez]

you are right. the phrase "seperation of church and state" is never used in the constitution. the phrase comes from a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1802.

what the 1st amendment says is "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion". meaning the government can not pass laws based on or promoting any religious doctrine. this essentially puts a separation between religion and the government.

in order to have freedom of religion you must first have freedom from religion

[condonrichard]

Now we have to define "religion." My definition of religion contains a provision that a religion is a container of values. The values of the Qu'ran are clear, but they have been messed up by some wrong interpretations. In Christianity the same thing has happened; some "pastors" proclaim a messed up Christianity in violation of the commandments against false witness and false gods. But don't give up on religion because there are jerks in some locations.

[neonchez]

a religion must be more than a "container of values". religion must also dwell in the supernatural and the unknowable, if not it's just moral system or philosophy.

btw, i think you make the case for the separation of church and state perfectly. religion(and the religious)are too easily manipulated to be in control of a government.

Bush is a great example. we are seeing now what a world leader can get away w/ when he not just claims god is on his side but claims a divine mission was given to him

[condonrichard]

With all due respects, what we see with Bush is a "dry-drunk" "frat-boy" elected through a violation of Federalism trying to justify his stupidity in a Romantic ideal of inspiration. Thankfully, his term is over.

The religious politician is grounded in an ultimate sense of purpose and duty, has an integrity, has a practicality in everyday matters with a higher sense. Thus, the person has the religion; it is a personal matter; HE must make sense in the political world for political reasons.

[neonchez]

i was not implying Bush believes he is on a mission from god. my point was, Bush is a perfect example of how religion can be used to manipulate the religious. Bush claimed religious motives to gain support from millions of Americans for his ridiculous war.

btw, i'm was not suggesting that religious ppl should not hold office. but religion should not be the driving force behind a political(especially an international) decision.

[condonrichard]

I agree with neonchez that "religion can be used to manipulate the religious." However, as a third generation Republican, I am also saying that Bush - with all due respects - is a disgrace to his office, his nation, his religion, and his denomination.

[markfor]

Bush is merely a puppet you fools.He has neither the intelligence or ability to do anything himself. He barely speaks English in my opinion. A true moron. America will have to revolt to undue the damage he and the neo cons have done. Good luck.