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On May 27 2011 15:09 IntoTheWow wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2011 15:09 GGTeMpLaR wrote: I don't believe his actions are altruistic at all
would the prayer have hurt anyone? no
he should have just let it be as a matter of respecting a community tradition illegal community tradiction* edit: Me being naked in the street isn't hurting anybody, they should just let me do it :O depends, are you a hot girl?
all joking aside, sure I actually don't care.
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On May 27 2011 15:10 GGTeMpLaR wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2011 15:09 IntoTheWow wrote:On May 27 2011 15:09 GGTeMpLaR wrote: I don't believe his actions are altruistic at all
would the prayer have hurt anyone? no
he should have just let it be as a matter of respecting a community tradition illegal community tradiction* sure it's a crime, but it's a victimless crimeif there was a law against scratching your head with both hands at the same time and I saw someone do it, I wouldn't report it or care at all it's illegal, therefore it is wrong, right? oh wait
But it's not. It's alienating the non-Christians by making them feel like they don't belong at their own graduation.
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Until they find out you're not Christian.
I don't think anyone would have cared if he was an atheist and just kept his mouth shut and didn't do something that they perceived as an attack on them.
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On May 27 2011 15:06 johanngrunt wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2011 15:01 EmeraldSparks wrote: belief in the flying spaghetti monster is illogical
athiests who believe in it are silly geese
Hipster atheists believe in the FSM ironically  hipsters also need to be sent to gulags so its okay
On May 27 2011 15:06 Zzoram wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2011 15:01 EmeraldSparks wrote:
but the fact that he is now dead to his community and family has cannot be prevented by the first amendment because his family and his community are not the federal government nor are they any level of government themselves meaning that the fourteenth amendments supremacy clause does not apply to them
they can ostracize whoever they like for whatever reasons they like Except he was ostracized by school administrators and teachers, which represent the government. That is government sanctioned religious persecution if they don't get punished for violating his rights. indeed the administrators and the teacher probably should be fired, no objections there
On May 27 2011 15:08 IntoTheWow wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2011 15:05 EmeraldSparks wrote:On May 27 2011 15:02 VIB wrote:On May 27 2011 13:47 Torte de Lini wrote: I think knowing his situation, he should have just obliged and pretended to pray. It's fine that he's standing up for his rights, but as you can see, he didn't gain as much as he lost especially if he knew (and he most likely did) that the surrounding community around him as well as the governing body, were heavily christian.
It's just a bad move on his part, he should have considered more than his individual rights that don't necessarily hurt or affect him to the extent or degree he is in now. What a small and limited perception. If everyone thought like that we would still be living in caves because you'd feel cold for a few seconds if you try to move out. What Fowler accomplished is much bigger than himself. Oh he lost his immediate short term financial support and a few uneducated morons will hate him for a few weeks. What will be of his life? ¬¬ On the other hand he gained much more life experience, long term respect, friends and helped improve his whole nation more than 99.9% of the people in this forum ever will. he made a bunch of religious people angry he also traded an old community for a new one i don't see what the tremendous achievement is there He stood for what he think it's right? points for personal integrity
On May 27 2011 15:08 IntoTheWow wrote: He discovered his parents are idiots now, instead of realizing it 10 years from now? not really an achievement many parents are retarded, especially if they were uneducated
i don't know how finding this out actually improves your life
On May 27 2011 15:08 IntoTheWow wrote: He gets support from people and will get the chance to move from a place where no one respects him for what he is, where he can start a new life without all those people full of hate around him? good for him
On May 27 2011 15:08 IntoTheWow wrote: He brought a problem into light for other people like that, to realize discuss and might set things straight in the future for kids that go to the same school? i will grant you that one i suppose i guess i don't really understand atheist conviction though
so it's difficult for me to understand but i guess other people might be inspired by him
okay so i guess he did improve the world
gold star
On May 27 2011 15:09 Supamang wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2011 14:36 Supamang wrote:On May 27 2011 14:25 EmeraldSparks wrote:On May 27 2011 14:24 Spicy Pepper wrote: So as long as it's the religion of the majority, it's unwise for the minority to speak up about an unconstitutional practice according to some of you. Let's defend the 1st Amendment when it just suits us. that's good advice some people are so dumb that they shouldn't have first amendment rights unfortunately the law doesn't work that way Youre unbelievable man. If people followed that advice, slavery would never have been abolished, the civil rights act would never have gone through, etc. If people just decided to hide in their corners when a strong threat passed overhead, nothing would ever change for the better. It might be "smarter" to sit back, renounce your beliefs, and go along your merry way, but if no one fights for what they believe in, how do we progress as a society? that's not true slavery is bad because the ownership of people is demeaning and inhuman furthermore it is an economically inefficient use of labor but i was speaking more generally about first amendment freedom of speech rights like some people are really too dumb to be allowed to voice their opinions it's not really relevant to this debate over religion though Theres so much sarcasm in this thread in general that i cant tell whos being serious anymore but i wasnt even being sarcastic
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Another hypocritical reaction from people, nothing new there though. At least he was truer to his lack of faith then the faithful where to theirs.
Still I think people take the role Politically correct police way to far. Big thumbs up to Christian America, the freedom of speech and the unfreedomistic (woot new word) nature of speech.
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On May 27 2011 15:12 IntoTheWow wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2011 15:10 GGTeMpLaR wrote:On May 27 2011 15:09 IntoTheWow wrote:On May 27 2011 15:09 GGTeMpLaR wrote: I don't believe his actions are altruistic at all
would the prayer have hurt anyone? no
he should have just let it be as a matter of respecting a community tradition illegal community tradiction* sure it's a crime, but it's a victimless crime if there was a law against scratching your head with both hands at the same time and I saw someone do it, I wouldn't report it or care at all it's illegal, therefore it is wrong, right? oh wait Where did I say it was wrong? I said it was illegal.
you may not have but you seem to place a lot of importance on it as if the law was an ends rather than a means
someone else was confusing the two anyways though and I suppose that part was more directed at them
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"But Fowler -- knowing that government-sponsored prayer in the public schools is unconstitutional and legally forbidden -- contacted the school superintendent to let him know that he opposed the prayer, and would be contacting the ACLU if it happened. The school -- at first, anyway -- agreed, and canceled the prayer."
Your title is manipulative and misleading. How does "Student gets ostracized for refusing to pray" have anything to do with what he actually did?
Wow, one person stood up against the masses and was ostracized, no way.
Sometimes you just have to suck it up and be a man. There's no way they could have "forced" him to pray. He is just seeking attention and got exactly that.
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On May 27 2011 15:09 TheLink wrote: Fowler was NOT thrown out of his community for religious beliefs lets make that straight right now. He was thrown out for destroying religious activities in his local school, theres a big difference. He alienated his community by shitting all over an activity they loved. He was not alienated for being an athiest.
Of course he is legally correct in doing so. Just like his parents are legally allowed to disown him since he's 18. The other students are obviously doing something illegal with the bullying but bullying is a different matter entirely. Whoever leaked his name may be liable for some form of punishment but I don't know the law/circumstances behind that one.
Everything (except possibly the identity leak) has been perfectly legal so far. What we are arguing is the MORALS of the situation. To everyone who is arguing that he was standing up for his rights are correct. Just as the parents are standing up for their rights in disowning him.
Except the prayer itself.
It's a matter of framing. You can say he was "shitting over an activity they loved". Or you can say he was complaining about an illegal practice.
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On May 27 2011 14:54 IntoTheWow wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2011 14:52 maliceee wrote:On May 27 2011 14:41 IntoTheWow wrote:On May 27 2011 14:35 aguy38 wrote:On May 27 2011 14:34 meegrean wrote: If I were him, I would have just stayed silent. Punishment far outweighs the benefits... Is he trying to be a martyr or something? If I were a betting man I would put money on it that he did it for attention and it just spiraled out of control to what it is now. For attention? He contacted the principal in private. Someone leaked his name. Do you honestly believe he told no one else? Yeap.
I guess you think he has no friends either lol
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On May 27 2011 15:11 exalted wrote: I hate how teamliquid is so large these days that a thread like this gets spammed with replies making each reply less meaningful as it is caught up in all the clutter.
What he did was something I wouldn't. Obviously speaking out would incur severe repercussions and possibly the wrath of many. However, if everyone was like me, no change would happen either. Reminds me of Rosa Parks and how she should have just "sat in the back".
That's what I thought of too. An argument could be made that sitting in the back hurts nobody, and that she should've minded her own business and not bothered the majority of bus riders. Of course, it was morally wrong and she was couragous to stand up for herself, as was Damon Fowler.
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On May 27 2011 15:13 Zzoram wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2011 15:10 GGTeMpLaR wrote:On May 27 2011 15:09 IntoTheWow wrote:On May 27 2011 15:09 GGTeMpLaR wrote: I don't believe his actions are altruistic at all
would the prayer have hurt anyone? no
he should have just let it be as a matter of respecting a community tradition illegal community tradiction* sure it's a crime, but it's a victimless crimeif there was a law against scratching your head with both hands at the same time and I saw someone do it, I wouldn't report it or care at all it's illegal, therefore it is wrong, right? oh wait But it's not. It's alienating the non-Christians by making them feel like they don't belong at their own graduation. Just like how our money alienates the non-Christians, fortunately I am willing to take any of that darn alenating money off your hands.
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On May 27 2011 15:08 krbz wrote:
Christianity is backed up by "stories" compiled into a book. The history is only of the stories and completely untestable. I would also like to add that they are stories from an age that had very little understanding of the world around them. They couldn't explain things so they created something to provide that explanation.
Scientific theory cannot take divine power into consideration as it cannot be subjected to testing and verified by multiple parties. It cannot stand in a scientific setting because all a religious follower can present is the book the have "faith" in.
Social Sciences prove again and again that devout Christians live a healthier life and that prayer has an effect.
Atheism is nothing. It cannot be proved. .
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On May 27 2011 15:15 atheistaphobe wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2011 15:08 krbz wrote:
Christianity is backed up by "stories" compiled into a book. The history is only of the stories and completely untestable. I would also like to add that they are stories from an age that had very little understanding of the world around them. They couldn't explain things so they created something to provide that explanation.
Scientific theory cannot take divine power into consideration as it cannot be subjected to testing and verified by multiple parties. It cannot stand in a scientific setting because all a religious follower can present is the book the have "faith" in. Social Sciences prove again and again that devout Christians live a healthier life and that prayer has an effect. Atheism is nothing. It cannot be proved. christianity cannot be proved either dohohohoho
[citation needed]
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On May 27 2011 14:47 Popss wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2011 14:42 IntoTheWow wrote:On May 27 2011 14:39 Jibba wrote:On May 27 2011 14:36 mastergriggy wrote: Maybe you can explain to me where in the bill of rights the school has to cancel the tradition because some guy opposes it? I mean god forbid it goes both ways. It's an unconstitutional tradition. Law is the basis of the nation state, not religion and not tradition. Actually tradition is a source of rights, but only where law and doctrine don't say anything, if I remember correctly. I find it hilarious though that these things can cause a ruckus in the U.S. In Sweden which is one of the least religious countries in the entire world everyone goes to church at the end of semester until they finish high school. Why? Because it's a tradition and no parent is really scared that listening to a priest for half an hour is gonna twist the minds of their children. It was always really boring though 
The reason this is a big deal in America is because it has been a guiding principle since the start of the country. Many early settlers of America were people fleeing England to avoid religious prosecution for not following the church of England. Thus, when the bill of rights passed there was included a line that congress was not to pass a law setting up a state religion nor prevent the practice of a religion. In effect it is interpreted as though the state (public schools being an officer of the state) cannot lead prayer inside the class or during school events. The school cannot stop students from praying, and could for instance leave a moment of silence for people to pray, but it cannot lead the students in prayer. Had this incident occurred at a private school the kid wouldn't have a leg to stand on as a private school is not the state.
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is awesome32269 Posts
On May 27 2011 15:13 aguy38 wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2011 15:09 IntoTheWow wrote:On May 27 2011 15:09 GGTeMpLaR wrote: I don't believe his actions are altruistic at all
would the prayer have hurt anyone? no
he should have just let it be as a matter of respecting a community tradition illegal community tradiction* edit: Me being naked in the street isn't hurting anybody, they should just let me do it :O depends, are you a hot girl? all joking aside, sure I actually don't care.
Yeah, but the law would. It's a victimless crime, but it's still a crime. And you know what, If I walked in the street naked, the police would be called and I would be arrested. So I hope that law is applied to them, the same way the law is applied on me
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On May 27 2011 15:15 Zzoram wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2011 15:11 exalted wrote: I hate how teamliquid is so large these days that a thread like this gets spammed with replies making each reply less meaningful as it is caught up in all the clutter.
What he did was something I wouldn't. Obviously speaking out would incur severe repercussions and possibly the wrath of many. However, if everyone was like me, no change would happen either. Reminds me of Rosa Parks and how she should have just "sat in the back". That's what I thought of too. An argument could be made that sitting in the back hurts nobody, and that she should've minded her own business and not bothered the majority of bus riders. Of course, it was morally wrong and she was couragous to stand up for herself, as was Damon Fowler. racism is bad and dehumanizing
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Its interesting to me in the way that this community obviously has some belief that they don't fundamentally disagree with so to them its morally fine to do something thats illegal (the prayer). While his morals are following the law in this case. "morals" should not be considered in this case, its really about the Law and the law sides with the kid and these people had a terrible reaction to it.
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On May 27 2011 15:12 Slaughter wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2011 15:11 Zzoram wrote:On May 27 2011 15:09 valheru wrote: This is just disgusting behavior on that community's part. Absolutely disgusting, morally abhorrent and hypocritical there are times where I just lose any trust in humanity. It's odd you know I've been to parts of the bible belt (not louisiana but I imagine it is fairly similar) and they are some of the nicest and most generous people but then this shit happens...fuck. Until they find out you're not Christian. Really? As a Canadian citizen your familiar with the bible belt states and how they treat people?
Of course I don't know how everyone anywhere treats people.
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On May 27 2011 15:13 Zzoram wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2011 15:10 GGTeMpLaR wrote:On May 27 2011 15:09 IntoTheWow wrote:On May 27 2011 15:09 GGTeMpLaR wrote: I don't believe his actions are altruistic at all
would the prayer have hurt anyone? no
he should have just let it be as a matter of respecting a community tradition illegal community tradiction* sure it's a crime, but it's a victimless crimeif there was a law against scratching your head with both hands at the same time and I saw someone do it, I wouldn't report it or care at all it's illegal, therefore it is wrong, right? oh wait But it's not. It's alienating the non-Christians by making them feel like they don't belong at their own graduation.
maybe I'm just too irreverent to speak for everyone but I honestly think anyone who feels like that is just very thin-skinned and needs to not get offended so easily
I don't see how anyone could be offended or feel isolated by a public prayer at the graduation even if it isn't your religion
honestly it's ironic that the public prayer is unlawful (that hurts no one) but the double-standards of harassment (despite being a religion about peace and love) and death threats get no flak at all
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is awesome32269 Posts
On May 27 2011 15:15 maliceee wrote:Show nested quote +On May 27 2011 14:54 IntoTheWow wrote:On May 27 2011 14:52 maliceee wrote:On May 27 2011 14:41 IntoTheWow wrote:On May 27 2011 14:35 aguy38 wrote:On May 27 2011 14:34 meegrean wrote: If I were him, I would have just stayed silent. Punishment far outweighs the benefits... Is he trying to be a martyr or something? If I were a betting man I would put money on it that he did it for attention and it just spiraled out of control to what it is now. For attention? He contacted the principal in private. Someone leaked his name. Do you honestly believe he told no one else? Yeap. I guess you think he has no friends either lol
Friends? You mean those people that made his life impossible for the past week?
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