Bans against talking about religion...

**cebula_2005** · September 21st, 2006, 01:05 AM

I know there are many places where it is prohibited to talk about religion. I think this is wrong, and that in promoting "no religion" you are, in reality, promoting a religion--atheism.

I feel that my religion is a very important, central thing to my life. Not only that, but I love it! I just love everything about my religion. I love to talk about it and share it with others. It's what I consider "fun". I just don't see the problem with letting people debate things or talk about what makes them happy.

So...what are your thoughts about such bans and why?

**MareUnwritten** · September 21st, 2006, 01:27 AM

I understand the moderators of the other board wanting to keep it child-safe and conflict free. And unfortunetly when people of different religious backgrounds start talking about religion, the result is hardly ever child safe or conflict free. I'm glad there's a place where I can get away from the conflicts of the real world and nourish my inner child with like minded doll collectors.

My only concern is why the rule was brought up again. I didn't see anyone mention Jesus or try to convert anyone, and I have a feeling it was based on prayer requests and "God Bless You" 's or people being told that they can get through tough times because 'God has a plan for you.' This I do disagree with, but the blame falls on the supersensitive members who make issue of it, not the moderators, who do a great job trying to keep the board fun and light hearted.

**sharlit** · September 21st, 2006, 09:52 PM

I disagree that avoiding the discussion of religion is promoting atheism. To do so, the discussion of why there is no god would have to exist. Avoiding the discussion is simply asking everyone to keep their beliefs to themselves.

I think Mare brought up a valid point about AGFMB. I missed any thread there that may have prompted this one, but overall, the board does have a pervasive Christian feel to it even if religious discussion is not allowed. There *are* a lot of prayer requests and God-bless-yous, which is most definitely not atheistic. And references to pagan religions are, as far as I know, not permitted on that board.

**cebula_2005** · September 22nd, 2006, 12:13 AM

At the very least, when talking about "no religion" you are promoting secularism.

I understand that some people want to keep their places "safe and conflict free" for children, but really, the internet is not safe and conflict free. And if parents aren't monitoring what their children do on the internet, that's their problem, it shouldn't be ours.

I, too, wondered why the rule should be brought up again. I know I have had to refrain from mentioning anything about Christ on the board, and except for a few members' display names, there is no reference to God at all except for prayer requests and blessings.

I was not actually talking only about AGFMB, though. There are lots of other places where religion is not allowed to be mentioned. One of the biggest places is now schools, where you're allowed to teach Darwinism but not Christianity or intelligent design. It's just not scientific enough. Separation of church and state (though not really mentioned in the constitution at all; it actually provides for a nation without an official religion not a nation with no religion at all) does not mean "let's ban all religious talk except for secularism."

JabberwockyPie · September 23rd, 2006, 11:27 PM

If any religion is allowed to be discussed on a forum where religion is not the main topic of discussion (such as the AG Fans board), then they all should be allowed. There's nothing wrong with being a Pagan American Girl doll collector or a Jewish American Girl doll collector, and there's no reason to exclude people of other belief systems.

People communicate with God in different ways and learning about something new, even if you disagree with it, doesn't hurt you. And if your faith is so unstable that hearing about another point of view would completely shatter it, you might do well to give it more thought as to whether it's the right spiritual path for you.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ September 23, 2006 08:29 PM: Message edited by: JabberwockyPie ]</font>

**cebula_2005** · September 24th, 2006, 04:49 AM

It is good to learn new things, but I wouldn't want to expose anyone to something that might hurt them. Some people don't have strong faith yet...maybe because they are young in their spiritual walk or maybe for other reasons...I wouldn't want them to lose faith.

As for the "if one religion is allowed all should be allowed" thing...I disagree. There is only one right religion...Christianity, and I see no reason not to talk about it while not talking about other religions. It should be afforeded more respect than other religions simply because it is the only right religion. Now, I don't advocate excluding people of other beliefs (for instance, anyone is allowed to post here) but I don't think we should let them influence people away from the One True Right Way.

This is not to say that I don't think good, healthy discussions about belief are to be allowed...after all, that helps us learn more about our beliefs and strenghtens us...as we are doing here now. But I wouldn't want to hurt someone by driving them off the right way. I guess all I'm saying is, you have to be careful what you say and where you say it.

As for bans about talking about religion...I think that what many complain about so much...advocating one religion over another...is exactly what they're doing when they only allow secular/atheistic talk in schools or other places. I don't see a problem in advocating one religion over the other unless it is a wrong religion, (such as atheism).

**MareUnwritten** · September 25th, 2006, 02:00 AM

Personally I think schools should teach Intelligent Design at the very least. Darwin was right on some things about evolution, but there's no doubt in my mind humans, this earth, this universe and everything in it came from God. Yes, animals evolve to meet their survival needs and humans have even evolved a little (we're much taller and live longer then in say, Felicity's time) but the whole 'man from monkey' thing is so ridiculous.

**cebula_2005** · September 25th, 2006, 03:38 PM

Yeah, there's a difference between adaptation (what you're talkign about) where animals adapt to a changing environment, and evolution, where we all evolved from some primordial ooze or something like that. Adaptation I can buy, but evolution is not true. The Bible says God made man in His image...thus we could not have evolved from monkeys.

**MareUnwritten** · September 26th, 2006, 03:27 PM

And also...if we came from monkeys, then why are there still regular monkeys? Wouldn't they all have evolved into humans? The horse of thousands of years ago and the horse of today looked very different and you don't see any of the two foot tall, four toed versions around anymore because they all evolved up or died. So why wouldn't it be the same way if humans were the result of monkey evolution?

Of course the Bible is proof enough, but sometimes science can be a help with 'back up' answers when people won't take the Word as the word. [img]wink.gif[/img]

**cebula_2005** · September 27th, 2006, 03:50 PM

Originally posted by MareUnwritten:

Of course the Bible is proof enough, but sometimes science can be a help with 'back up' answers when people won't take the Word as the word. [img]wink.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">YUP! I like the way you worded that. [img]smile.gif[/img]