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What makes you break out your soapbox?

Sometimes on the topic of religion, I can get carried away and not even know it. My husband says "OK, you can put away the soapbox now" to cue me in that I've started ranting about it. My brother purposely tries to prod me into standing on my soapbox with issues like separation of church and state.

What topics get you standing on a soapbox? (Purposefully or not).

silvereyes 8 Jan 1
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3

PEMDAS

ok you have to explain that

Parentheses, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction.

@evestrat girl if the devil existed he is the creator of math πŸ™‚

If there’s any secret to the he universe it lies in math.

3

Frankly, when people like Dawkins and Dennett roundly dismiss ALL religion--and not just religion that expects you to believe in gods and the supernatural--it makes me want to get up on my box and preach.

Rituals and observances help bring a sense of purpose and meaning and place in the world to people, they help to build community, and they can inspire people to live generous and principled lives. The problem isn't religion: it's supernaturalism. Believing in gods and spirits and all that nonsense divorces you from reality, and the fact is that reality is wondrous and amazing and beautiful enough, all on its own.

Please define religion. Every definition I've read requires the supernatural and/or faith.

Amen, Brother Atheopagan!

The logic here seems to be that some religions are not mysticism, supernaturalism and magic. That would not be my assessment. Scratch them all, and you will find M, S, and M. You might dismiss my view as in line with Dawkins, et.al., but I don't share this view of many New Age types who promote a kind of spiritualism that is somehow better than the mainstream religions.

Sorry, David, but I'm an Atheopagan and it doesn't contain a shred of mysticism, supernaturalism, nor magic. Just because you're not familiar with it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

A religion is composed of three functional elements: a COSMOLOGY, or a description of the nature of the Universe; a VALUE SET which establishes a moral framework and instructive principles for living; and a PRACTICUM of observances, rituals, holidays, etc. which define what followers do as practitioners of the religion.

I practice a NATURALISTIC religion, meaning that my Cosmology is comprised of the description of the Universe science provides us.

@Atheopagan Ok, but I really don't think that Dawkins and co. would have a problem with what you believe in. When they criticise religions they are talking the monotheistic and mysticism based religions mainly. So I wouldn't take these criticisms personally just because you consider your Atheopaganism a religion.

The same thing could be said about many strains of Buddhism. When the likes of Dawkins attack "religion" but ignore religions that don't meet their supernaturalistic definition, they're both revealing a lack of knowledge about religion and throwing the baby out with the bathwater. I don't so much "take these criticisms personally" as I resent them for ignoring the many GOOD things that religious practice and observance can do in people's lives. It's just not as cut-and-dried as they would have it.

5

Definitely the anti choice people. The other one would be "I don't use birth control because God plans my children thing" the stpidity of that makes my blood boil.

@silvereyes "But your body is a temple!" OK, then why do I still pay taxes?

Pro life but anti birth control? Seems like they WANT abortions to be an issue.

@godef good one

3

What is a soapbox?

A "platform" you stand on to talk about your beliefs, like a portable stage. It basically means proclaiming your beliefs in public or in response to something someone has said

It's a metaphor for when someone gives a speech about a subject they feel passionate about, based on the fact that people really did once use soapboxes (ie sturdy wooden packing crates) to elevate themselves above the crowd when giving speeches in public. More here: [en.wikipedia.org] πŸ™‚

Okay.

4

How much soap could a soap box box if a soap box could box soap?

godef Level 7 Jan 1, 2018

with or without gloves?

Lol

1

Erm, you don't break out of a soapbox, you stand on one.

When was the last time any of you saw a soapbox?

@silvereyes Wanna fight over the Q'ran?

5

I write an award-winning bi-weekly column for my local newspaper concerning politics and religion. I talk a lot about First Amendment rights, religious overreach, and separation of church and state. It is my "Bully Pulpit" and I reach a good number of people. I have not slowed down in 14 years of writing. I tend to quote Robert Ingersol and Dawkins a lot, but believe that many on this site are saying things that are important.

Is there somewhere online where we could read your column?

You can go to www.ComlumbiaMissourian.com. Go to opinions/local columnists and David Rosman.

3

Anything to do w tRUMP.

What did you do BT. was life boring then?

My political activism goes back to when I worked for Teddy in grad school.

0

Fluoride

It's poison! it should not be added to the water supply!

4

Being lied to...I can usually bite my tongue when somebody starts to bluster about something, but once they lie to me, I have to throw the flag. Everybody has the right to their opinion, but no one has the right to feed me a load of bullshit...

6

Left lane cruisers. Pisses me off.

godef Level 7 Jan 1, 2018

But so minor

3

Logical fallacies in any field of thought piss me off. They prove how people are intellectually lazy, and just follow emotions.

1

...apparently, politics.. Though ironically, Atheism is why I got political. But I don’t know what’d get you knocked off that box sooner, promoting Atheism, or Democrats..?

Varn Level 8 Jan 1, 2018
1

I always see these posts when there's a ton of replies, but in this case, I bet a lot of us have overlapping conditions that bring out the soapbox.

Church-state separation, far-right evangelical Republicans and most of the political stuff that went on in 2017, inequality for the LGBT community and people of color, racists, dirty/murderous cops and the crooked legal system that doesn't put them in jail.

That's all I can think of right now, but I'm sure there are more.

0

This is a bad habit for me and not just with religion; guns, environmental issues, women's issues, and more. The one thing that really gets me going is that so many liberals, who are supposed to be open minded, actually being closed minded regarding some of their emotion based "causes".

My partner often reminded me I was speaking to the choir. I told her I know but was just thinking out loud. Now you guys get to be the 'lucky' recipients of my rantings.

I know what you are talking about. I take no political sides if they had a box for how I think, I would bet very few people would check the box. The biggest issue that no one ever addresses is how Congress and Senate is permitted to hold oil futures and stocks in companies that control our economy.Not saying that there should be a forbid on making money for them, there should be a cap on how much stocks, bonds and futures anyone of them can hold including family members.

2

Sending fucking prayers.

Yes, especially when those ass hole politicians spout that annoying crap

0

Fantasy Wars
A never-ending stories of Religious conflicts over war and Sex/love.
As your Stomach Turns 2nd season

After the war of a billion Muslims and a billion Christians , christ won . Christian claim to take(steal) every soul in the Universe, including dogs, cats and Aliens.

Manys groups escaped earth to create their own planet . Like Gays- planet Queerto. Or nonbelievers, planet Godless. Mormon's planet Babe. Muslim genocide was worst than the American natives, coupled by their low technology they never got off the ground.

Christian forced atheist to build their spaceship to conquer other planet in the name of God based on fear and fairytales. They continue to get lost in space due 1000s of their own Christian denomination disagreement.

I would require and cost me several vomit buckets to produce it. Yet the Religious soup opera will egurgitate it, like hot cakes.

1

Cruelty to animals, actually it has been known to get me off my soapbox and into somebody's face.

1

Believers in Astrology. I am quiet at first, then comes the question, "what's your star sign" and I have several come back options, none of which is my star sign.

What are a couple of examples? I am floored when people so casually and seriously ask me that.

0

FREE WILL. I was 25 when I realized that free will is an illusion. It is a belief that creates all kinds of erroneous thinking, like people telling others what they should feel and blaming others for what they want or don't want. I should probably stop right here or I will be on my soapbox, and that is not what this post is about.

4

Child sex abusers, and their β€œrights.”

4

Politics.... How I cannot understand why Cheeto won...I ask what did he say or promised that made you say that is my candidate...gets me mad and to use your expression that is my soapbox right now

6

I like soapbox people and I am a soapbox person. Stand for your beliefs and whip out your sword and armor and go to battle for the facts.

2

I get on mu high horse if I hear something patently false stated as absolute truth; when someone says something that is needlessly or senselessly hurtful; when someone tries to "cram something down my throat. These things gel under my skin quickly.

6

To begin with: Women's rights, especially to ownership of her body. That black lives do matter. That the police force needs to be demilitarized. That guns should be as regulated as cars. Single payer health care needs to come to the US, and Der Donald is a pile of horse doodoo.

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