Another Big Big Thread of Religious Discussion

[42PETUNIAS]

Originally Posted by Mannix

where do you live? burning an american flag is free speech in the united states. that's why bush was trying to get an amendment banning it. i believe even the supreme court ruled it was constitutionally protected, although i don't have a source atm. ah, now i do.

Sorry, that's my mistake. I had heard a while ago that congress had passed, but looking through some information, it looks like it was rejected by the senate. I must have been confused and forgotten that it was only congress and not the government. My bad.

[Mannix]

Originally Posted by 42PETUNIAS

Sorry, that's my mistake. I had heard a while ago that congress had passed, but looking through some information, it looks like it was rejected by the senate. I must have been confused and forgotten that it was only congress and not the government. My bad.

eh, honest mistake. the major problem i have with these laws, besides that they're so lame in general, is that they only apply to the country's own culture. it's ok to burn effigies and flags and scream death to the other guy, but somebody does something like this, even on accident, and it's a huge damn deal. enough with the little man's complex, third world.

[42PETUNIAS]

Originally Posted by Mannix

eh, honest mistake. the major problem i have with these laws, besides that they're so lame in general, is that they only apply to the country's own culture. it's ok to burn effigies and flags and scream death to the other guy, but somebody does something like this, even on accident, and it's a huge damn deal. enough with the little man's complex, third world.

... I'm pretty sure you can't just characterize a large amount of the world's population by the term "third world" and then say things as if they apply to the whole group. India clearly isn't burning american flags, and being incredibly offensive to Americans, so saying that as if it applies to them is just creating stereotypes of third world countries.

[Mannix]

Originally Posted by 42PETUNIAS

... I'm pretty sure you can't just characterize a large amount of the world's population by the term "third world" and then say things as if they apply to the whole group. India clearly isn't burning american flags, and being incredibly offensive to Americans, so saying that as if it applies to them is just creating stereotypes of third world countries.

well, there were those effigies of the british a couple of months back over that argument on celebrity big brother in which an indian actress was insulted. america isn't the only "other guy". my point was that wealthy 'first world' nations don't seem to have these laws, and that if you're going to have a law making it illegal to insult your culture or nation it should be illegal to insult anybody's culture or nation.

[Sesshoumaru]

Well, America isn't ruled according to religious law, never has been. Neither has Europe, so they don't have as much of a tradition of that kind of thing, whilst Islam has a continual history of violent suppression of religious or political dissent. Although I'm not sure how this applies to India (what with it being Hindu, and I know next to nothing about Hinduism/ its precepts), but I do know that Chrsitians have been jailed and proscuted for 'malicious prosphylizing (yes I know I spelled it wrong),' whatever thats supposed to mean. Which shows that these laws aren't really being applied equally.

[Fifthfiend]

Well, America isn't ruled according to religious law, never has been. Neither has Europe, so they don't have as much of a tradition of that kind of thing, whilst Islam has a continual history of violent suppression of religious or political dissent.

Yes you're right, Europe has no history at all of political or religious oppression, certainly not with regards to India. Oh wait did I say right, cause I meant ass-backwards wrong.

Anyway Islam doesn't even have anything to do with anything, so as far as I can see this is just one more instance of you coming into a thread about whatever and trying to make it about whose god has the bigger dick. Good bye and don't let the door hit you on your way out.

Everyone else who was managing to discuss this as a matter of culture please by all means continue.

[adamark]

Why do people from rich places believe they can behave however they wish in other countries? I hope they get whatever justice they deserve for their hapless ignorance.

[TheSpacePope]

I agree, I don't belive ignorance of any laws gives you the ability to break them.
Plus they did it for the 2 million pounds anyway, so their greed should be rewarded.
Love that story.
Leather shoes, in INDIA fer crimeney's sake, do you have no sense?

[Lady Cygnet]

Originally Posted by Mannix

more important is this bullshit law that all these third world countries seem to have about offending their cultural sensibilites. a swiss guy just got a huge jail sentence in thailand for spraypainting a mural of the king. we're talking like 15-20 years for "insulting" the king. turkey and most of the other middle east countries have similar laws as well. it's horse shit and anti-free speach.

Not every country has laws protecting free speech, Mannix.

Anyway, since this ceremony took place in her groom's native land, I really don't think that she can plead ignorance. Still, I'm sure that she can buy her way out of jail time.

[Tydeus]

Originally Posted by fifthfiend

Good bye and don't let the door hit you on your way out.

Honestly I kind of think that cavalcade of dumbass deserved a good door-sponsored injury.

Anyway, I can see why these countries often have these sort of laws (And Mannix -- the pertinent law in India makes it a crime to maliciously insult any religion); these countries are often powderkegs of ethnic and religious differences, and the governments are doing their best to keep people from blowing each other up, even at the expense of a little free speech.

Now, in principle, I disagree with it, because culture and/or religion are personal choices, and therby free game for all manner of ridicule. But, fact is, a lot of the time, these laws can have practical purposes. Like keeping conflict between Muslims and Hindus in India as non-violent as possible.

Plus, it can be a great way to control the masses. Hail Caesar!