What does your faith exempt you from?

[Diamond_Dog]

[canetoad]

1. Damn right

Thanks for posting.

[Mr.Bill]

2. As an Atheist, mine exempts me

from being required to have faith.

[NurseJackie]

16. 😘

[True Dough]

37. Right there with you,

Mr. Bill.

[lagomorph777]

51. +1000

I am also exempt from claiming that a white guy in the sky exempts me from my civic duty.

[bottomofthehill]

3. As a Pastafarian, I would say protein.

True pastafarians are strictly carb people

[lambchopp59]

33. May you be blessed by his/her noodly appendage child...

[NullTuples]

35. IIR, the FSM uses they, we, us

"The Flying Spaghetti Monster is Us; We are the Flying Spaghetti Monster"

The FSM contains multitudes, as anyone can plainly see.

[lambchopp59]

47. I stand corrected about that heathen belief system

I will continue to serve dog.

[NullTuples]

60. Among that belief system, if you're gonna kiss up to one particular deity that's the one.

[Marcuse]

68. Infidels! All hail Bastet the all powerful. She who must be obeyed. Meow Meow Meow.

[Layzeebeaver]

61. What then why does the FSM have meat balls?

Asking for a friend.

Pasta dishes come in many forms!

[AZ8theist]

64. BLASPHEMY!!

THE TRUE FSM HAS NO MEATBALLS!!!

THE FSM WITH MEATBALLS IS NOT THE TRUE MESSIAH!!

[Layzeebeaver]

69. Fair enough.

Must be a carb-o-nara then

[IronLionZion]

71. Flying spaghetti monster with carb balls

probably need some garlic bread as a side. Fried risotto balls might work as carb balls.

[Iggo]

4. Delusion.

[NurseJackie]

25. Boom!

[Sur Zobra]

5. I'm an atheist so

it exempts me from reciting The Pledge of Allegiance and from swearing on the Bible

[Hekate]

6. Good man. I think he read the same book I did, if you know what I mean.

[Vinca]

7. That should be mandatory reading for anti-vax Bible thumpers.

[bucolic_frolic]

8. Love your neighbor as yourself?

You mean the ones locked and loaded setting off fireworks as bombs and shooting at midnight?

[SergeStorms]

9. So, this guy wouldn't be.....

considered a real christian by the right-wing, christofascist, prosperity gospel crowd, right?

This guy actually cares about other people's needs. There's no profit in that.

[calimary]

10. But that's the whole point.

There's NOT SUPPOSED TO BE profit in that.

[SergeStorms]

11. I know...

I should have used the emoji.

[nattyice]

12. My faith exempts me from paying taxes.

Think that’ll work?

[Historic NY]

27. Do the Pastafarians offer tax exemptions...

[PoliticAverse]

39. Worship its noodly appendege and find out. n/t

[BunnyMcGee]

13. Amen

[cadoman]

14. Texas anti-choice laws

But yes, I see the Pastor's point.

[walkingman]

15. Obviously from believing in science.

[malthaussen]

17. Thinking. n/t

[joetheman]

54. The most obvious answer nt

[Jerry2144]

18. People of faith

Are exempt from thinking critically or being ethical. Or at least that is how they act

[sarisataka]

41. Do you include

Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi? Two notable people of faith I can think of off the top of my head

[Jerry2144]

46. No

Because they don’t loudly proclaim the faith. They live it. I am talking about those who go to church and loudly proclaim they are christians without even trying to live a decent life. It’s like they go to a parking lot and loudly proclaiming they are a car. They may be full of gas, but they certainly aren’t cars.

[wryter2000]

53. Jesus called those people hypocrites

Biden and Pelosi are people of faith. They aren't exceptions.

How about using Christofascists and stop lumping the rest of us in with them?

[leftyladyfrommo]

73. Atheists are often as blind in their thinking as radical

members of any religion.

Buddhism teaches that the moment you form an opinion your thinking just stops. If you lose your opinions your mind is free to really learn and understand. Then you can make better and more thoughtful decisions.

They are also big on compassion and kindness toward all sentient beings.

But they do not believe in a creator god.

[leftyladyfrommo]

57. Only the radical element.

There are some really good people out there, too.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

63. That's how SOME of them act.

Not even a majority.

I know, any slams at people of faith is considered perfectly fine on DU. What is not acceptable is saying, "That's a bigoted statement". Yes, being bigoted is just hunky-dory, objecting to said bigotry is a sin. If I were to say, "being a woman means you don't have to think critically or act ethically", I would be slammed hard and rightly so. But say that about people of faith? That's quite acceptable.

[3catwoman3]

19. Very well said.

I would have liked to have copies of that last paragraph to hand out at the pediatric office from which I just retired.

[PatrickforB]

20. I am not an atheist, and to my mind, the only worthy goal for someone

who is devout in their faith (not Christian, by the way...), is to serve the Divine and the earth in the best way possible. Not the best way I THINK possible, but the best way for the restoration of balance.

[ananda]

21. Religious assholery

hehheh

[ProfessorGAC]

22. I Know What I Hate!

I don't hate this! (Yes, that quotes Montgomery Burns)
To Hades with the very idea of religious exemptions from the vax.

[monkeyman1]

23. being exempted from listening to stupid people !

it eliminates the media & republican noise machine !

[Wicked Blue]

26. Dogma

Unitarian Universalist

[Historic NY]

28. Too good not to past it around to the entitled class out there

[LakeArenal]

29. I'm exempt from fearing: a vengeful lord, the rapture, hell, tithing, guilt,

..... being shunned, from attendance, I’m sure I could go on.

[keithbvadu2]

30. Maybe a rel exemption from quarantine for someone with a contagious disease attending their services

Maybe a rel exemption from quarantine for someone with a contagious disease attending their services?

You can't deny my right to worship!

???

Some kids still get mumps, measles, chicken pox.

Bring 'em to church.

[DanieRains]

31. But If You And All Your Friends Serve Satan

And recklessly endanger others, then well..

[KY_EnviroGuy]

32. Republicans.

My faith emanates from Mother Earth and Republicans are alien (life?) forms.

It is very refreshing to read of a preacher stating some rational application of his faith's teachings. Let's hope he and others like him can spread the word.


KY.......

[Scrivener7]

34. Church.

[NullTuples]

36. If Republicans can claim exemption to anything they personally disagree with, so can I.

For instance, my personal faith exempts me from any laws they create intended to impose their religion on me.

[rdking647]

38. as a pastafarian my religion requires the unvaxxed to be kept away from me

https://www.spaghettimonster.org/2021/09/vaccine-exemption-letters/

[GulfCoast66]

40. I'm no longer a believer. Not an atheist because I don't deny there is a god.

I think free thinker or Diest might fit me, but I don’t worry about it.

My best friend of 43 years, raised with me in an evangelical church is still a Christian. But the church-goers we were raised with would doubt his claim. Because he is a liberal Christian in a liberal church that believes everything this guy wrote.

Today’s Evangelicals considered this heresy to their version of Christianity. Historically most Christians would consider my buddies concept of Christianity heretical.

[sarisataka]

42. Many interesting replies

But not very many surprising ones.

[LeftInTX]

43. OMG! Stumbled on this piece of work when I googled him

Last edited Sun Sep 26, 2021, 09:23 PM - Edit history (1)

Some Church of God jerk named Apostle Benjamin Tovstiga went all anti-vaxx on him

https://www.churchofgod.net/news/does-faith-exempt-you-an-answer-to-pastor-marshall/

Pastor Keith Marshall is Lutheran

Well, this "Church of God"...looks almost like FDLS and they apparently only have 7 congregations in the US
https://www.churchofgod.net/photos/

About all I can find out about this "sect" is that don't believe in medical treatment and beat their kids.
http://www.familyaid.org/html/0070.html
Apparently this sect is very anti-child protection services....

Boy, I sure ended up in a dark rabbit hole after reading a nice Op Ed by a good pastor!

[leftyladyfrommo]

56. Yes. The radicals hated this. nt

[LeftInTX]

58. I found out this sect is a cult that was started in 1980

They are really into corporal punishment...

And they sure look it....

[soldierant]

44. I remember when people did not refer to their "faith" but to their "relgion."

And I remeber the movement to change that and speak of "prople of faith" instead of "religious people.

Apparently that was a mistake. I know, I know, faith is a prettier word. But you see that "lig" in the word religion? That is the exact same "lig" which appears in the word "obligation." (And also in "ligament," which may make it a bit clearer.)

If you have a "faith" which does not require you to put other people's needs ahead of your own, at least most of the time, I don't think much of your "faith."

Part of the dialogue among Christians od differeing viewpoints has been in regard to the relative importance o "faith" and "works" (actions) in becoming saved Well, in reality, it isn't just faith. It isn't just works. It isn't even faith and works combined. What it is, or what it should be, is faith that works. Pastor Keith is, in different words, saying just that.

And he is taking heavy flak for it. No surprise.

[jmowreader]

45. Mine exempts me from having to fly a Trump flag from the back of my car

[DanieRains]

49. I Consider Myself A Follower Of Christ's Teachings Not A Christian

Since most American Christians serve SATAN in my book.

[leftyladyfrommo]

55. I read some Religious responses to this and

they were appalled . There version of their faith is really anti Christian. It's very self centered. And they are very adamant about their selfishness.

It's kind of sickening actually.

[twodogsbarking]

50. My faith makes me exempt from church.

[grantcart]

52. Stopping at Red Lights

Are you going to let the government tell you when to stop at Red Lights? Why?

Don't want to get killed?

Bingo

[Permanut]

62. Same with driving on the right side of the road..

We are forced, FORCED, to do that here in the US, but I don't see anything in the Constitution about it. Same with your red lights. I'm thinking about driving on the left side of the road just to demonstrate my Constitutional rights.

I'll show 'em.

[lindysalsagal]

59. The major religious organizations have been silent. Shame on them.

They should be buying commercial time promoting vaxes, tests, and masks.

[SidDithers]

65. It shouldn't exempt you from anything...

religious exemptions are bullshit.

Sid

[Maine Abu El Banat]

66. Thats

A man of God!

[Danmel]

67. Pork, shellfish, cheeseburgers

And bread for a variable week in March or April each year.
And being a self absorbed ahole.

[DFW]

70. Religion

I have great faith in the expression, “none of the above.”

[IronLionZion]

72. Plenty of faiths claim to be against unnecessary wars and killing