hsedin33 Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 I never said any covenant banishes any human from happiness. Not sure how one would be banished per se. If you're asking which covenant with the supernatural represses an individual from their inherent freedoms as an individual, based on the prescriptions of the doctrines of those covenants however, I could cite the freedom to make decisions over one's own body in the case of health care, by various religions, including Sikhism, in the context of access to reproductive choices/decisions, decisions on freedom to choose attire, who one chooses to love and marry, genital mutilation in some religious traditions, and many others that repress individualistic determination and the freedom to do so. Happiness is also derived from freedom. Religions, as it can be argued, represses many freedoms. I have not advocated the repression of her freedom to believe as she will, however, i've pointedly directed my critiques to the freedom to practice extremist religiousity as a hinderance to freedom, which as I've shown above is obvious to all who aren't shackled by covenants to traditions and acts in accordance with one's covenant to a particular ideology based on superstitions or the supernatural. I don't preach anti-extremism, I simply note that religions are inherent breeding ground for extremist beliefs and behaviour, such as growing one's hair and never cutting it, solely because it's prescribed as an act of religious zealotry. If there was a supernatural being out there, would they really care or judge you based on whether or not you were unshorn or not? If so, how petty of a category to base one's judgement of their creation on. By that i mean, isn't adherence to being a remarkable person of good character insufficient to be judged as worthy? Does never cutting one's hair give you that much more worthiness? Or not eating pork products? Or not working on Sundays, or not swearing allegiance to supernaturality? Or the many other prescription people impose on themselves and others? Resistance to freedom is always met with resistance by those who seek to control you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jai604 Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Interesting read, with a nice ending. Inspiring to read stories of good things instead of all the bad crap in the news all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Light Racicot Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 I'd like to compare this situation in the OP to some of the world's current events. This woman could have been legitimately offended as her personal self was ridiculed in regard to her religious beliefs and custom. She responded with dignity and grace and was rewarded with a heartfelt apology. Yet, at the same time we see world wide pandemonium, not when individuals are being ridiculed, but when a historical figure is being ridiculed. We don't see reasoned responses from any corner. What we see are two things. From extremists, mayhem and threats, and from moderates we get condemnation and criticism against free expression. Free expression that does not target a single living human, but only a historical and political figurehead that lived nearly a thousand years ago. The thing that amazes me is that regardless of the level of anger for each individual and how they react outwardly, I'm finding whereever I look the comments are incredibly nearly all on point with very little wavering of opinion. The response is thundering and consistent. And to me, frankly, it is disturbing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Masamune Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 I am posting in this thread. P.S. Sharp, you should actually entertain MapleLaughs' opinion before you start typing. Blanket generalizations =/= arguments based on observation. Antitheism is repressive of your freedom to live and let live because you have to uphold that image the ultra-rational, uber-critical, perfectly logical, cold and calculated voice of reason. That image is the God of those who dedicate so much energy to renouncing each and every belief system that is deemed invalid by their criteria. I am relatively Atheist. You are relatively making a fool of yourself. Fighting "fairy tales," as you say, with material logic is like fighting dust with your fists (pointless and foolish; the key part of that being the "fighting" part). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SukhKular Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 I remember when this thread was about someone standing up for themselves and wasn't a post your preference in women thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Masamune Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 I remember when this thread was about someone standing up for themselves and wasn't a post your preference in women thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbes!!! Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 I have never understood why some people care so much about what others do or don't do. If its not hurting you (or anyone, really), then mind your own damn business and move on with your life. I feel the same way about people who are so anti gaymarriage (and so many other things). Just ignore. Its not affecting your life. Move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unknown33429 Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Wow..why don't you just tar and feather her and be done with it? It's this type of attitude that is responsible for much of the bigotry and intolerance in the world. How does her facial hair affect you in any way? Really, does it affect how you conduct yourself throughout the day? Does it change how you conduct your daily business? While you're entitled to your opinion (no matter how immature, ignorant and downright ridiculous it may be), calling this woman's choice to retain a physical trait as 'nasty' only betrays a level of ignorance. I am reminded once again of how far society still needs to go in order to be inclusive for everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertuzzi Babe Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 You have to get off your high horse. There are a lot of things that don't affect you're daily business, but you're still against them. There are a lot of things, which you would consider nasty. You would be disgusted by a person performing certain bodily functions outdoors, and a person picking their nose in front of you may disgust you. Women with hairy faces, armpits, or legs are perceived the same way by some guys. Society, by definition, cannot be inclusive of everyone. Society serves to promote certain norms, and ostracize or punish those who don't conform. That is the key part of a social structure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hockeyfan87 Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Society, by definition, cannot be inclusive of everyone. Society serves to promote certain norms, and ostracize or punish those who don't conform. That is the key part of a social structure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aGENT Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Exactly my point - today it might be one group, tomorrow it might another....I don't necessarily agree that new prejudices will be better than our old ones like someone else previously said, only that it will always change. Smoking used to be "cool" and now everyone likes to bash those who are addicted when given an opportunity rather than educate them about the effects of their addiction and try to help them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimberWolf Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Exactly my point - today it might be one group, tomorrow it might another....I don't necessarily agree that new prejudices will be better than our old ones like someone else previously said, only that it will always change. Smoking used to be "cool" and now everyone likes to bash those who are addicted when given an opportunity rather than educate them about the effects of their addiction and try to help them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SukhKular Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 Smoking used to be "cool" and now everyone likes to bash those who are addicted when given an opportunity rather than educate them about the effects of their addiction and try to help them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpshooter Posted September 27, 2012 Author Share Posted September 27, 2012 I'm not sure if you were able to quite grasp what the lady was getting at in her letter she wrote. This lady is free. Traditionally in many of these religions, freedom is defined as not what you're free to, but what your free from. In her letter she describes being free from ego, which means being free from your mind's chatter, ie being free from beliefs and philosophies; not believing in what society (ultimately your mind) says what you should do in order to be happy, in this case, shaving her hair. It's not that she believes that it will bring her happiness, she has simply lost the thought that the hair has the ability to make her happy or unhappy, and that is real happiness. Ultimately, happiness only occurs when you have momentary lapses of thought, when you forget about yourself (say like when you're watching a movie), or you've finally stopped putting happiness it in the future (like when you finally get that big TV you want), or when someone agrees with you in an argument and for a moment you stop mentally pushing against them. Happiness is your natural state, its the chattering mind that pushes against life that makes us unhappy. So yes, freedom is what brings happiness, but only freedom from your thoughts (in many religions its called the egoic self). There is nothing supernatural about this, anyone can investigate this for themselves. There is no doubt that there is a lot of non sense going on in the world regarding religion. Religion is a persons way of coping with death, which is usually attributed to a great amount of fear. If you take away their coping mechanism, prepare to deal with what that fear brings. So next time you belittle someones religion, remember, you are toying with what could be their deepest fear. People who go to extremes in religion, do so only because they are trying desperately to convince themselves that what they believe is true. When someone is trying to convince you of their religion, really they are trying to convince themselves. There is no need to resist any of this, what people need is compassion and to be understood, angrily fighting someones belief structure only shows that oneself is also in the same boat. My advice to you friend, let people find god in their own way and be happy for them, you will be a much happier person, and in that happiness, you will find a much healthier way to contribute to the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kass9 Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 What is she doing exactly, as understood by you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpshooter Posted September 27, 2012 Author Share Posted September 27, 2012 Does it matter how I interpret it? You're going to say I'm incorrect anyways, as you've been doing so with others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kass9 Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 If you're not able to defend your position then it must have been a weak one to begin with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpshooter Posted September 27, 2012 Author Share Posted September 27, 2012 Oh, I'd be willing to defend it, trust me. It's just not worth it with you, you hear what you don't like, and start throwing insults at others. I know it's okay, it's what you do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hockeyfan87 Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 I'll give you the "help them"...maybe... But do you honestly think that people continue to smoke due to a lack of information on the health concerns? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lockhart Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 The only thing dumber than a woman having facial hair, is having facial hair because of "her faith" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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