11th Istanbul LGBT Pride March. 30.06.2013

most of the banners were written aganist Erdogan regime & last incidents in Turkey

it would be awesome if you could have understand those banners, they are very very very creative :awesome: :awesome:

You forgot Q.

Same-sex marriage has now been legalized in England and Wales!

 

USA Today link

 

Congratulations to all my LGBT brethren across the pond! :hug: :heart:

Truly we should focus our energy on the complete and utter repression of religion and religious thought.

The church originally shunned marriage until it realised it could make money from it. It was (and is) a civil contract, long before the church got involved.

 

Plus some (possibly all, I've not read it all and can't fact check it as I'm in agony) of this: http://theweek.com/article/index/228541/how-marriage-has-changed-over-centuries

 

That's interesting and news to me. Do you have a source on this?

Truly we should focus our energy on the complete and utter repression of religion and religious thought.

 

While I understand the sentiment, I don't think the idea is very practical, especially not in the world we live in as we know it. Repressing something is only going to make people rebel and go forth with what they do even more strongly. I think this is particularly true here in the States, where religion is SUCH a big deal. If you tried taking that away, it would just anger people and cause more trouble than it's really worth.

Same-sex marriage has now been legalized in England and Wales!

 

USA Today link

 

Congratulations to all my LGBT brethren across the pond! :hug: :heart:

 

This news seems to break every few months.

While I understand the sentiment, I don't think the idea is very practical, especially not in the world we live in as we know it. Repressing something is only going to make people rebel and go forth with what they do even more strongly. I think this is particularly true here in the States, where religion is SUCH a big deal. If you tried taking that away, it would just anger people and cause more trouble than it's really worth.

Most people in the United States are only nominally religious (if at all), you're overestimating things.

Actually, a little less than half of the US consists of fundamentalists, so no, I'm not overestimating things at all. I'd also like to mention that I speak as a person from the southern US, where religion is particularly important. You try taking religion away from people down here and see what happens.

 

ETA: In case of misunderstanding, I'd like to clarify that I agree with the sentiment that religion is harmful, and I'm an atheist. I'm not suggesting that I would be one of the people to go crazy if you took Jesus away or anything like that.

That's interesting and news to me. Do you have a source on this?

 

Trying to track it down. I have a feeling it was a Guardian article I read last year. I will find it. In the meantime, religion in the western world only got it's hands on it after the fall of the Roman Empire for certain, as before then it had been purely civil: http://theweek.com/article/index/228541/how-marriage-has-changed-over-centuries

 

Truly we should focus our energy on the complete and utter repression of religion and religious thought.

 

Completely repression of any thought is bad. Even racism, homophobia and sexism. It is true that there is a long way to go until religion does not receive preferential treatment and it still has many problems to give us, but education and discussion is the way forward. Ideally we would live in a more rational world and religion wouldn't be here and people would cope with that and pursue other things but this is not the case.

I'm getting closer Nick, but I can't see it: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2009/apr/24/religion-gay-marriage-america

 

There's another. I know that the church were originally against it. I'm trying to find the money side of it. Likely to be an opinion piece too so it's best taking that side of it with a pinch of salt i guess. Makes sense to me though, given the churches obsession with wealth back then (and even now).

What about the churches that weren't Catholic? I should know more about this. Also in Judaism, wasn't it religious?

 

Thanks Greg, this is interesting.

What about the churches that weren't Catholic? I should know more about this. Also in Judaism, wasn't it religious?

 

Thanks Greg, this is interesting.

 

I'm not too sure. I know British things in more detail and Catholics/Protestants have a monopoly.

 

The second paragraph almost made my sig.

Trying to track it down. I have a feeling it was a Guardian article I read last year. I will find it. In the meantime, religion in the western world only got it's hands on it after the fall of the Roman Empire for certain, as before then it had been purely civil: http://theweek.com/article/index/228541/how-marriage-has-changed-over-centuries

 

 

 

Completely repression of any thought is bad. Even racism, homophobia and sexism. It is true that there is a long way to go until religion does not receive preferential treatment and it still has many problems to give us, but education and discussion is the way forward. Ideally we would live in a more rational world and religion wouldn't be here and people would cope with that and pursue other things but this is not the case.

This is where genetic engineering might come in handy, sadly it seems "modern" humanity as a whole seems to be grossly incapable of managing their societies.

Actually, a little less than half of the US consists of fundamentalists, so no, I'm not overestimating things at all. I'd also like to mention that I speak as a person from the southern US, where religion is particularly important. You try taking religion away from people down here and see what happens.

 

ETA: In case of misunderstanding, I'd like to clarify that I agree with the sentiment that religion is harmful, and I'm an atheist. I'm not suggesting that I would be one of the people to go crazy if you took Jesus away or anything like that.

Nothing will happen, because those people are outliers which can be easily crushed.

This is where genetic engineering might come in handy, sadly it seems "modern" humanity as a whole seems to be grossly incapable of managing their societies.

 

As violence declines that's an unusual thing to say.

 

Anywhere, there we have it. I figured you'd be one of those types. Well done.

As violence declines that's an unusual thing to say.

 

Anywhere, there we have it. I figured you'd be one of those types. Well done.

 

Yes, violence is declining, let's all celebrate this new found peace by getting high on some Ecstasy and running around naked.

Is that supposed to be more shameful than bludgeoning and raping someone?

I suppose the good thing about this is that we don't have to engage too much in debate with this guy because he doesn't have a coherent argument. It's not like he's going to be winning around any people undecided on the issue. With some people (some of them trolls) on the internet, you find yourself arguing with them, even if you know that you will not change their mind. You do it so that others won't be swayed by misleading arguments and it's also useful to sharpen up your own opinions on the matter.

Just to check, Baron, are your genes pure, or close to pure? And the genes of people you dislike unpure, or at risk of diluting your own?

Yes, violence is declining, let's all celebrate this new found peace by getting high on some Ecstasy and running around naked.

 

Getting high on some ecstasy haha.

You'd just say getting high on ecstasy, grandad.

 

We can watch a porn as well.

I suppose the good thing about this is that we don't have to engage too much in debate with this guy because he doesn't have a coherent argument. It's not like he's going to be winning around any people undecided on the issue. With some people (some of them trolls) on the internet, you find yourself arguing with them, even if you know that you will not change their mind. You do it so that others won't be swayed by misleading arguments and it's also useful to sharpen up your own opinions on the matter.

 

It's barely an argument never mind a coherent one, you've just written more then than he has since joining this forum (And obviously I don't mean him re-writing others' articles/thoughts).

 

I feel for those who can't express themselves decently.

Just to check, Baron, are your genes pure, or close to pure? And the genes of people you dislike unpure, or at risk of diluting your own?

Genetics aren't an issue, as long as you are a Neanderthal at heart.

Getting high on some ecstasy haha.

You'd just say getting high on ecstasy, grandad.

 

We can watch a porn as well.

 

Why watch porn when you can get the real deal?

Why watch porn when you can get the real deal?

 

(one for the Brits)