A little Sunday morning hypocrisy to go with your coffee:

[beam me up scottie]

I'm fascinated by the christians bashing new age woo wooism in this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x7306502

For example:

"I don't want people who believe in nonsense like auras leading our country, either.
Nonsense is nonsense. "

Most atheists consider belief in deities to be nonsense, yet we'd be crucified if we posted this in GDP:

"I don't want people who believe in nonsense like Jesus leading our country."

What exactly makes belief in biblical woo wooism more credible?

[Az]

1. Who said life was fair?

Christians have numbers. That makes their particular brand of wooism palatable to more people or at the very least lets their brand fly under the radar. Add to this the fact that the intolerance of dominant dogmatic views means that the new agers are used to getting it from the Christians. Thus they don't raise a flap. But cross an overly sheltered Christian and its holy war and part of the endless persecution of Jesus.

[beam me up scottie]

2. I concur, christianity is mainstream woo.

It's quite possible that christians are a tad bit insecure when it comes to their woo's place in society.

[trotsky]

3. Well how about that.

It even comes from one of the bigger whiners of anti-Christian sentiment on DU. And wouldn't you know it, I just got this new irony meter and it's broken already.

[beam me up scottie]

4. You noticed that too?

I figured you would remember our exchanges.

Instead of responding on that particular thread, I'm going to bookmark it for future use.

[trotsky]

6. An excellent strategy.

She had some pretty vicious words about Islam one time, too. Ah, Christian tolerance.

[beam me up scottie]

7. She really went off on catholics too.

Claimed they alone were responsible for child molestation by clergy.

Nice.

[charlie]

10. Not just a whiner

A minister.

Same as it ever was. Hypersensitive in R/T, sneering and throwing elbows amidst the woos, conspiracy theorists, and cultists in other forums. How many times have I seen "anti-bigotry" crusaders do that? Too many times to remember.

[curse10]

5. Woo is relative

I also love the hypocrisy of Christians talking about Mormonism as some "crazy religion." It's amazing that they don't see that their religion is just as freakin' wacky- everyone here has already said it, but I'll say it again- it's just old wacky and not new wacky.

[beam me up scottie]

8. It might also have something to do with the number of people persecuted in the name of your woo.

These other religions are just starting out, they have a LOT of catching up to do.

[curse10]

9. Good point

I don't think many people have died in the name of chakras and chi and UFOs :-)

[onager]

11. You might want to re-think "UFOs..."

Heaven's Gate was an American UFO religion based in San Diego, California and led by Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles. The group's end coincided with the appearance of Comet Hale-Bopp in 1997.

Applewhite convinced 38 followers to commit suicide, which he claimed would allow their souls to board a spaceship that they believed was hiding behind the comet.

(From Wikipedia)

That WAS a fun thread, wasn't it?

It reminded me of my favorite line in the great movie "Lone Star."

A white soldier is talking about marrying a black woman when both retire from the Army. The soldier's buddy asks if her family will be...concerned about her marrying a white man.

The soldier says no they won't: "They'll be so happy she's not gay, they won't care what color I am."

Buddy's response: "It's always heartwarming to see one irrational prejudice defeated by another irrational prejudice."

[beam me up scottie]

12. Yep, except we're usually the bad guys.

At least we're consistent, it's ALL bullshit.

Well, most of us, anyway, I know an atheist who thinks humans were originally deposited here by our long lost ancestors in another galaxy...

[TechBear_Seattle]

13. Biblical woo wooism is much more credible because....

The Bible says it's true!

I can't tell you how often I've had a "discussion" that went like this:

Person: You should believe in God.
Me: Why?
Person: Because the Bible says so.
Me: Why should I believe the Bible and not, say, the Quran or the Vedas or the Pali Canon?
Person: Because they are not the Bible.
Me: What makes the Bible so special?
Person: The Bible tells us about Jesus.
Me: And that makes it authoritative?
Person: Yes.
Me: Why?
Person: Because the Bible says so.

:eyes:

[beam me up scottie]

15. Heh heh, been there, done that.

It's like talking to SpongeBob SquarePants.

[awoke_in_2003]

18. Don't cast asperus at Spongebob...

He makes a lot more sense than most christians. Patrick, on the other hand :)

[beam me up scottie]

19. True, I've known plenty of Patricks too.

At least SpongeBob wants to learn. :D

[awoke_in_2003]

21. I love Spongebob's

positive outlook on life. Naive, yes. But to once again hold that belief that the world is good... I am getting quite jaded with life, and SBSP reminds us of how we should awake every day. Do harm to no one, and find the simple pleasures.

[beam me up scottie]

22. Another SB fan here.

Although being a cranky skeptic I do empathize with Squidward.

[skepticscott]

14. Not necessarily more credible

but more socially acceptable, largely because of the social inertia that's taken a long time to establish. The same reason that alcohol and tobacco are legal, even though they've killed many times more people and cost society uncountable billions of dollars more than all of the illegal drugs put together.

[beam me up scottie]

16. Alcohol & cigarettes = mainstream drugs

christianity = mainstream woo

[skepticscott]

17. Bingo!

[moggie]

20. Bibles should carry health warnings, like cigarette packets

Nah, perhaps that's too scary. I'd settle for this:

Warning: harmful if swallowed. Keep away from children. May contain nuts.

[beam me up scottie]

23. How about this one?:

[moggie]

24. That actually makes it sound worth reading!

If I'd seen that warning as a teenager, I'd have wanted me some of that.

[beam me up scottie]

25. If they just described the contents without naming it, the villagers would have torched it long ago.