Is this harmless free speech?

[jayce]

[SIZE="1"]Okay I was exaggerating slightly when I said 'no one'
But the number of people who put 'Jedi' as their religion on the UK census suggests that a hell of a lot of people don't give a crap about religion.

I'm talking about the UK, I have no idea what it's like in other places. Here people don't seem to take religion that seriously. And if they do and say things like in the original post, people just think they're idiots.[/SIZE]

[marshlander]

Okay I was exaggerating slightly when I said 'no one'
But the number of people who put 'Jedi' as their religion on the UK census suggests that a hell of a lot of people don't give a crap about religion.

I'm talking about the UK, I have no idea what it's like in other places. Here people don't seem to take religion that seriously. And if they do and say things like in the original post, people just think they're idiots.

In England and Wales in the 2001 census 390,127 people (0.7% of the total population) stated their religion was Jedi. Perhaps your perception is slightly affected by the top ranking town for the highest percentage of Jedis being Brighton - even so it was still only 2.6%.

I am also talking about the UK. There is a world outside Brighton where a lot of people take their superstitions very seriously :frown: My point is that if our young people don't get to mix with a range of the rest of us, how do they stand a chance of developing a balanced view of society?

[peterinmalaga]

I think the situation is very different in Europe as compared to the USA. In the USA I am very concerned about the power of Christian churches and the evil things they say and do. The Mormons are a particular threat to gays in the USA. In Europe it is the Muslims who pose the greatest threat to civilised society. True, “Christian” parents in the UK send their kids to church schools too but the number of such parents is not very great and the motive for sending their kids there generally has little or nothing to do with religion. Church going (for Christians) is at an all time low in Europe generally. Muslim schools on the other hand support a set of values which are frighteningly dangerous. Their attitudes towards gays are very similar to that cited by CurtCB above.
Of course we have to encourage free speech but this includes the need to encourage open debate, satire, ridicule and the application of the full force of the law when people are libellous or threaten the safety of others.
“The pen is mightier than the sword” (Voltaire)

[CardShark]

In England and Wales in the 2001 census 390,127 people (0.7% of the total population) stated their religion was Jedi. Perhaps your perception is slightly affected by the top ranking town for the highest percentage of Jedis being Brighton - even so it was still only 2.6%.

I am also talking about the UK. There is a world outside Brighton where a lot of people take their superstitions very seriously :frown: My point is that if our young people don't get to mix with a range of the rest of us, how do they stand a chance of developing a balanced view of society?

One of the welsh guys at work when ever asked for a religion he outs jedi not because he is but its down to why do they need to know.
And I'd do the same, if you ask me for a religion on a form I'd put Jedi just to take the piss.

[peterinmalaga]

Have just checked the statistics. In the UK 1 in 10 people go to church once or more times per week and two thirds of the UK population 'have no connection' with the church and only a quarter 'believe in a personal god'. These are stats collected by the churches. So it doesn't seem that the views of religious nut cases reach a very large audience. But these stats only apply to Christian churches. In the USA 86% claim affiliation to a church!

[marshlander]

... “Christian” parents in the UK send their kids to church schools too but the number of such parents is not very great and the motive for sending their kids there generally has little or nothing to do with religion.

Without doing a lot of research, the best figures I have are that the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church were in control of, or had a part ownership of, about 25% of schools in about 2001. This was reported at around the time the government started to expand the number of school places being given over to other religious interests including the aforementioned branches of Islam and smaller Christian-rooted interests, including near where I live, a school opened by the cultish Plymouth Brethren. Voluntary Aided schools are pretty much run by the church while Voluntary Controlled schools have a minority input, whilst retaining ownership of the buildings and land. Pupils in RC schools take part in catholic rituals and all schools have to have a daily gathering or assembly which is "largely Christian in nature". These figures are significant whether your assertion of the number or motives of the parents of these children can be made to hold water.

I'm not sure whether the early and enforced exposure to Christianity in all our schools has a bearing on church attendance in later life. I would suggest that a lot of time is wasted in an overcrowded curriculum giving so much significance to such mythology, but I am pretty sure that many of our European neighbours are puzzled by our perpetuation (and now, of course, the expansion) of a system, which was designed in the nineteenth century to teach children to read the Bible and maintain the churches' power. The USA is legally obliged not to mix church and state, but we have seen there a rise in the power and influence of the churches.

Short background reading for anyone interested here.

[Rychard the Lionheart]

Every religion have their fanatics, who believe they are chosen by god to destroy any who oppose and question their beliefs. Which is their own interpretation of their religion, they do not have the right to dictate to anyone on how to live, that is your right as free people. These fanatics are dangerous and should be barred from the church for inciting people to hate each other.

Just a thought, if Jesus came back to earth and told all the baptist minsters to give away their money, houses and big cars. How many would, how many would get Jesus sectioned for being insane and how big the price would they pay for a contract on Jesus.

[ardus]

Clearly that preacher is a moron, and a hypocrite, and should not be speaking to anyone, much less in public.
However, I've said this before and I really do believe it, I think that one of the most important freedoms we are guaranteed in this country is the freedom of speech. The only way I know to ensure that I can say whatever I want is to ensure that idiots and hypocrites can also say whatever they want to.
Richard