[Lestat]

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To ridicule the extremists while tolerating and giving a free pass to the moderates is inconsistent. They are the same illogical paths. One group just happens to be further down it than the other. That's all.

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the more ridiculous the beliefs the more ridicule they deserve.

Its not generally individuals who are being mocked but the belief systems and religous authorities. We don't follow someone around pouring scorn on them for being christian but taking the piss out of ideas like virgin births, popes, dinasours on the ark etc etc is all good stuff.

The only time we need to pick on individuals who aren't professionals (popes, priests, vicars etc) is when they are dishonest (e.g IDers) or odious (persecute others)

chez

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But this is exactly what I mean by being inconsistent. Some 50% of Americans DO believe in virgin births, popes, and dinosaurs on the Ark! I'm not suggesting we follow these people around and mock them at every turn, but what about strongly mocking these beliefs? Do you think we do that? Not at all.

In all likelihood our president holds these beliefs. Has he been mocked for them? Not at all! We have elections coming up and there is a very good chance someone who doesn't accept things like evolution, stem-cell research, or woman's rights on abortion issues will become elected.

What I'm saying is that these people are not made to face up to some very obvious questions regarding their beliefs! I think Mitt Romney should be asked straight out: How old do you think the earth is? Do you accept that humans are descendant from apes? And if he answers '6000 years old', and 'no', he should be mocked and ridiculed to the highest degree, no holds barred, by every rational thinker in the country. These answers should be flamed on the front page of every newspaper.

That's the kind of ridicule and mockery I'm talking about. Not dissing Mitt Romney as a man or human being, but in the sense that his out-dated religious notions are ridiculous and undeserving to be a serious contender for the president of the United States.

In this way, religion should be ridiculed and mocked by every rational thinker. Then and only then, will these ridiculous notions be taken out of mainstream societal politics. Believe whatever silly thing you want. But leave the rest of us out of it and don't imply we have to take you seriously about it.