It's provable when they say so! Yes, it matters to me be because using God to say any one thing is good or bad leaves room to do that for anything. It sets the precedent.
Humans are pre-programmed to be curious, deities just so happens to be one of the biggest. In no way however, does that mean that the default position is that it exists. Yes that is true, but that doesn't mean the existence of god is the default position. You are attributed popularity to importance.
So then you judge them based on their actions. Do you have any idea why Obama is pro-choice or thinks that it's important to support the poor? Do you know whether his beliefs in God affect either of those and by how much? Do you know what other unprovable factors affect either of those? Does that affect how you evaluate him or whether you support or oppose him?
A long time ago, there was a huge following to the world is flat belief system, brimming with evidence available at that specific time, using the tools and technology and measuring methodologies of that specific time. Tools, technology, and knowledge continue to advance and we figured we could get to the source of it all if we simply find the smallest unit from which everything sprung forth! We now have the technology to "see" the smallest thing possible. There will never be another technology or form of knowledge that advances past this! Let's call it Atom or atomos meaning INDIVISIBLE. We've found it! and we have the evidence! But wait... all of a sudden, the NEW AGE hipster neutrino cult comes in and sullies all this hard work. Their evidence is different than our evidence. What should we do if we can't agree on our beliefs.... Well duh. Kill each other. Easy to reason and deduce considering we are the most intelligent and advanced species amongst beasts. Well along with dolphins...or was it the elephant, or earthworm...
Recent findings show that the current God is none other than the "Almighty" Dollar. AKA d'Allah, federal reserve note, fiat currency, printed paper. A bigger congregation than the Catholics, Muslims, and Buddhists combined. Desire is the root indeed, ain't it.
You don't know what you don't know. When someone says I support x because the bible says y then I have an issue with that. Not quite as much an issue if its something I agree with for other reasons but the process in coming to that opinion is important. For example, if you decided to put money in a certain investment because the bible compels you as opposed to because its a sound financial investment. You might make money anyway but every successive financial decision depends on the logic behind it. If the logic is because the bible says so well that's pretty thin.
I would agree with that. But again, I don't see the relevance in terms of your voting. If a politician says "I opposite gay marriage", that's what you're being asked to for or against. You're not being asked to support or oppose their religious beliefs. If you don't like the position, you can vote against it. If you don't like the position because of his reasoning ("God says so"), you can vote against it. He's asking you to oppose gay marriage - he does so because of God, but he doesn't care if that's your rationale. If you vote for him, you're just opposing it for your own reasons, whatever they may be. Again, that's a choice you make.
Couldn't it also be said that non-believers are asking me to do things? e.g. forego prayer in school?
Times must have changed in the last decade. My school had prayer groups before school. Coach led prayers before games. FCA trips. Christian body builders proselytizing as they tore phonebooks in half.
Go pray on your own time... There is a difference between praying on your own time at school and school ENDORSED prayer. If you want school ENDORSED prayer go to a private school, not a government funded public school. The government does not prohibit you from praying at school on your own time or joining a private school does it? Now, how can a homosexual get married if they want to if gay marriage is banned which majority of the Christian right agree with? There is no alternative outlet for homosexuals like your right to prayer at school being "infringed".
Yup, you can still have prayer groups before and after school as long it isn't in the middle of Calculus class its still fine.
Nobody is prevented from praying anywhere but you know that. Your term, forego prayer in school is incredibly loaded because what you really mean is teacher led prayers or organized group prayers in a classroom setting or school led prayers at football games or what have you. You can pray in your classroom and you can pray at your football games, you just can't use the tools of government to indoctrinate other people's children to your religion.
Actually, my wife taught at a public school where an administrator told a little girl she couldn't pray before eating her lunch because "prayer in school isn't allowed." Crazy stuff. But I'm with you..and I'm a huge proponent of separation of Church and State. Not interested in blurring the lines there.
My point is that don't non-believers "collectively" want me to agree with their views, similar to your claim that believers "collectively" want you to comply with theirs?
