UofA makes a move ot block god from graduation

[Phanuthier]

^ While I might roll my eyes at preaching god at my convocation(I didn't go anyways) no way in hell do you change a national anthem.

[evman150]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...eRequested=all

Jennifer Harris: When I was growing up in Toronto, there was no reference to God in O Canada.
The original set of English lyrics, by R. S. Weir, makes no such mention in its opening verse, and this was the version sung in my school, at hockey games, etc. Even the old Anglican hymn book, which includes our national anthem, made no mention of God in the popular first verse. Where we now sing "God keep our land glorious and free," we once sang "O Canada, glorious and free."

[Thor]

Originally Posted by Dan02

I think we can agree the all out atheist wingnuts are as bad as the religious zealots. They both try and shove their beliefs on you.

Our zealots don't blow up your buildings, embassies or those who don't agree with us.

Yeah, we're crazy!

[evman150]

Originally Posted by Thor

Our zealots don't blow up your buildings, embassies or those who don't agree with us.

Yeah, we're crazy!

Our zealots kill millions of Jews and however many of our own people.

[Thor]

Originally Posted by evman150

Our zealots kill millions of Jews and however many of our own people.

We do?

[evman150]

Originally Posted by Thor

We do?

No we don't.

[Thor]

Originally Posted by evman150

No we don't.

I SAW NO GREEN

But are you sure, pretty much convinced after watching Expelled that evolution, leads to atheism, leads to Hitler and Stalin.

We've got a lot to apologize for, boy oh boy.

[FlamesAddiction]

Personally, I find it more offensive that we still refer to the English monarchs in our secular political and judicial systems than to god. If we're going to snub history and tradition in respect to references to god, then we might as well go the full way and abolish the queen.

I guess that is going a little bit OT though.

[Devils'Advocate]

Originally Posted by evman150

I agree with him. I don't read those books or watch those movies, and while I would not prevent my children from reading or watching them, I would make sure they know it's all fake (etc).

It's antiscience at its finest and I would argue it contributes to the dangerous credulity present in our society, and all the dangerous manifestations of that credulity (religion, pseudo-science et al).

I have watched Star Wars where they use "The Force". I have watched "Lord of the Rings" where magic was used. I don't think either convinced me to give up my atheistic ways. Fantasy is a diversion where you place yourself in an alternate reality for a time. I don't think stunting a child's imagination worth it to protect them from believing in religion.

[Five-hole]

Originally Posted by Daradon

It makes me laugh that atheists can be as angry and unwavering in their beliefs when that's the biggest problem they have against religious people.

What exactly do you mean by "unwavering in [our] beliefs"? That there is no evidence for the existence of God isn't exactly a "flexible" position. Atheism arises as a conclusion from a general pool of observed evidence and rational thought. The position derives from that pool and is flexible only in the sense that that pool of evidence can change.

I'd also say that inflexibility isn't necessarily the "biggest problem" atheists have with religious people.

In general I'd say your post was way off the mark.

[Azure]

I'm sure by saying it.....it really harms everyone that doesn't believe in God.

[Displaced Flames fan]

I don't define myself as an atheist, though my philosophy on matters of religion are probably closer to that of atheism than anything else, for this very reason.

I don't want to be lumped in with this kind of thing. It really means nothing. If you hear God in a sentence does it REALLY offend you? REALLY?

I just don't get it.

[Five-hole]

Originally Posted by Azure

I'm sure by saying it.....it really harms everyone that doesn't believe in God.

Harms? No, but it's a good example of the double-standard attitude toward tolerance of religion. Think you'd ever see "the glory of No God and the honour of your country"?

It's always okay to vaguely "shout out" toward a religion, so long as it's not toward No Religion.

[Dan02]

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

I don't define myself as an atheist, though my philosophy on matters of religion are probably closer to that of atheism than anything else, for this very reason.

I don't want to be lumped in with this kind of thing. It really means nothing. If you hear God in a sentence does it REALLY offend you? REALLY?

I just don't get it.

X2

[Dion]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

What a stupid fricken waste of time, couldn't they go and feed the hungry or study or something.

I lump these people into the same class of lunatics that that want to outlaw the phrase Merry Christmas, and change the name Halloween to Black and White Day.

Bingo! We have a winnar!

Exactly me feelings also CC.

[Flash]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

What a stupid fricken waste of time, couldn't they go and feed the hungry or study or something.

I lump these people into the same class of lunatics that that want to outlaw the phrase Merry Christmas, and change the name Halloween to Black and White Day.

I have to agree with the Captain on this one...I don't see this as an issued that HAD to be addressed ASAP. The people who want to ban people from saying "Merry Christmas" drive me nuts...I said it to a woman once a couple of years ago and she glared at me (actually gave me a disguted look!) and snapped, "Happy Holidays!" in the rudest way I've ever heard those words uttered.

Originally Posted by Displaced Flames fan

If you hear God in a sentence does it REALLY offend you? REALLY?

I don't get this either...yes, I believe in God, but does it offend me when someone else refers to the God they worship? No, it doesn't. I imagine if I didn't believe in God that if I heard the term "God" in a speech I would just shrug it off, I really don't understand why it so offensive to so many people.

Originally Posted by evman150

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl...eRequested=all

Jennifer Harris: When I was growing up in Toronto, there was no reference to God in O Canada.
The original set of English lyrics, by R. S. Weir, makes no such mention in its opening verse, and this was the version sung in my school, at hockey games, etc. Even the old Anglican hymn book, which includes our national anthem, made no mention of God in the popular first verse. Where we now sing "God keep our land glorious and free," we once sang "O Canada, glorious and free."

This is the first time I've heard this. I love our national anthem and I REALLY hope they're not planning on changing it to take God out of it. One thing I know has changed is when I was in elementary school, at the beginning of an assembly we would sing O Canada and salute the flag...and at the end of the assembly we would sing God Save the Queen. Not sure when that changed, but I know we don't do that anymore.

[Phanuthier]

What I find incredibly funny is, this UofA group of Athiests want to see god taken out from their graduation convocation, the UofA Christian groups agree, institutions UofC and UofT have already made a push to change it. All sides seem to agree.

Except for Calgarypuck.com

Sort of funny how things work.

(And I don't see anything about banning Merry Christmas or Haloween or Harry Potter from this group, that sort of stuff is pretty radical. University groups - if the critics of them here even went to university - tend to be pretty open minded, many religious people attend the Athiests meetings and outings when many non-religious people or other religious people do attend Christian group's on campus events and they tend to work pretty close together and have a healthy respect for each others opinions. And again, the only people that seem to be annoyed and have harsh opinions here is, Calgarypuck.com)

[Azure]

No, we just think there are better things to do than remove the word 'God' from a speech.

As if it matters that much.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Azure

No, we just think there are better things to do than remove the word 'God' from a speech.

As if it matters that much.

Ok, like what?

I don't mean to reveal anyone's personal life here, but from the executive committee of this group (I know some of them), in the past calender year, some of the events these club members have been involved with include:

- head shave for cancer (raised a few thousand)
- building communities overseas
- events for raising money and awareness to overcome world poverty, i.e. Make Poverty History

What have you done in the past calender year that makes you so astute to tell these people to do something better with their time?

Pretty sure these people - and the university - can walk and chew gum and the same time.

Note : I actually don't have any affiliation with this club really, but I used to be pretty involved in clubs on campus.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Ok, like what?

Its a figure of speech....not meant to be taken literally.

Sure, I can see why it shouldn't be there in the first place, and if you asked me if 'God' should be mentioned in a graduation speech in 2009, I would say no.

But, does it REALLY matter THAT much?

You know damn well that one day the discussion is going to come up whether or not they should remove 'God' from the national anthem.

I guess some people have nothing better to do.