(Wag @ Dec. 02 2006,03:19)
It seems that if a company is honest about their intent, there is little reason to do anything but give them credit where credit is due. If they don't support your core beliefs, don't shop there.
That, My friend is exactly what I am doing
That they are hypocrites is plenty of reason for me to abandon the support I used to give them with my wallet. You give several examples of that hypocrisy above. Really, it's a matter of paying attention, as you say.
We agree completely
To address your concluding comments: You have taken this thread completely out of context and judged me inappropriately on subjects about which you arrogantly presume to know my core values and beliefs.
Apparently I have somehow offended you. Not really sure how. I thought I made it clear that your belief system being different than mine is NOT a bad thing. I also stated that I wished I could change your mind but I cannot force you to so do and thanked the Veterans for making that Priveledge a reality. Was that offensive? Bro, What ever you believe is YOUR business. The fact of the matter is nobody will know for sure who is right until the worms eat our decomposing bodies. You MAY be right. I MAY be right. It is up to us to live our lives according to our individual beliefs. It IS possible for an Athiest and a Christian to be friends
You know nothing of me except that I stated that I'm an atheist. You mistakenly presume that I should be lumped together with other atheists who are reprehensible human beings.
You stated you are an Athiest. In MY mind Athiest's do not believe in one all powerful God. That is what i have been taught from day one. If that is incorrect, educate me.
As for labeling athiest's as reprehensible Human Beings. WHOA! Please do not put words into my mouth or text into my writings. I didn't see that ANYWHERE in my post either written or Implied. That is NOT the case!! Just because I am a Christian that does not automatically make me an Athiest hater. Settle down, Bro, We're talking... not fighting. I don't know you enough to form an opinion of who you truly are so how could I have any animosity towards you? I don't like the Muslim religion either but that doesn't mean I hate my next door neighbor that is Muslim.
I resent that. Just as you would resent it if I accused you of being a nut-job religious whacko of Heaven's Gate mentality.
Had I truly thought or expressed that, you would have every right to resent such comments.
I'll give you an example: I was once accused of being incapable of being patriotic because I'm an atheist. That nearly got a guy's head punched in. The ass seems to believe you have to believe in god to believe in this country and patriotism. Bullshit.
I have little to fear from guys like that. I'm as patriotic if not more so than others in this country. I have friends who feel otherwise who are far more religious than I am and Christian to boot. They despise this country.
The guy you were dealing with would be best described as an idiot from what you've shared. Closed Minded, intolerant and uneducated. Not a good combination.
Patriotism and Religion are two separate subjects.
You imply that because you are in the majority, your beliefs command respect.
Dunno if respect is the word I would use. In my mind Majority rules. Respect is something earned on an individual basis. I can see the term being applicable to this scenerio but was not really thinking that exactly. I was trying to express the ideology (sp?) that if 95% of the population finds the term Holiday inappropriate and the Term Christmas appropriate to refer to a given day or event, then the term Christmas should be used. It's really that simple.
It's also worth pointing out that if the majority is being eroded, it's a question of a new majority coming into play.
This gets complex and is worthy of discussion but I will try to be concise. The erosion of the majority in Numbers will turn it into the minority. Simple enough... The erosion of the Majority
who will speak up is more complicated. When the number of people with the same mindset remains but the percent of THAT population that will actually defend their mindset is low, it will give the impression that the population percentages are close when they in fact are not. Did I express that thought well enough to be understood?
This country was founded by people who believe in God. I have no problem with that. What I do have a problem with is people who use that belief to force their beliefs upon me. A Christmas display, a pledge of allegience, a statement on a dollar bill are not impositions of religion on me. They can be ignored and are not offensive in the least. They cause me no concern whatsoever.
This statement that you have made here expresses my point exactly. As the Minority you realize that the majority opinion is not your own. you also have the intelligence to realize you are not being forced to accept that opinion. Having "In God We Trust" on the dollar bill does not mean in order for you to use this dollar you HAVE to go to the church of OUR choice. Pledging Allegiance to the Flag does not mean you are pledging Allegiance to the "God" that the nation is under. You recognize that simple fact and therefore have no problem with it.
What causes me concern is paranoid religious assertion which proclaims a hatred and disrespect of people, especially individuals.
You and I both! Can you say Bin Laden?!?
.[/]You seem to have the mistaken idea that I believe such public Christmas displays are offensive to me[/i]
No Sir. I stated No specific person or group. I know there are a very few individuals that the songs, words and displays do offend. My point was why do those very few get to change things that the rest of the Country ( the Majority) like.
[/i]It is the hypocrisy of the stores I despise, nothing more.[/i]
Correct me if I'm wrong and I will apologize profusely and abjectly wherever my statements and assumptions about you are incorrect. My apologies in advance for posting pissed off.
As will I. I apologize now for having offended you. I did not realize that my post could have been read to provoke the thoughts and feelings it has obviously done. I will tell you that your presumptions of how I think are incorrect just as yours were of me. That's the down part of communicating through text. True communication needs pauses, inflections and body language to avoid mis-communication of ideas.
Simply put, I think we are actually on the same page on this subject but are just coming at it from different directions. Neither of us appreciate dishonesty and resent the fact that retailers think we are stupid fools only here to give them our money.
ACLU is the biggest group of Biggots & have to be the most EXTREME group of racist. They are the one responsible for removing Christ from every place they can. Definately a tool of the Satan. This country was built on Christian Morals & the
Sorry Buddy. You wanna serve the American People and do what the MAJORITY says then swear to uphold what WE want you to uphold by using OUR ( The MAJORITY'S) Preferred method!
