Live and let live?

First of all, this thread is not meant to be offensive to religious people. I only posted this in the Spiritual club, because it is something that I first noticed with some religious people. Please don't take this personal.

Alright, let me explain what this thread is about. There is something that I've noticed recently, that really rubs me the wrong way. I can best explain this something with the following question:

Why do people think their religion or ideology gives them the right to interfere with other people's lives, when it doesn't affect them, society, the environment etc. in any way?

My best example of this would be people who oppose legalizing gay marriage (equal marriage rights), and defend their position with their religion. Where do these people get the idea that they have the right to tell gay people they can't marry their lover?

It doesn't affect them at all. Even if you are convinced that homosexuality is immoral or wrong, it still does not affect you! Not in any way!

I know some people will say that ''gay marriage will destory society''. But lets face it, that argument is crap. It isn't even an argument, it has no base in reality. It's has not happened, it will not happen. There are quite a few countries where gay marriage is legal, and these nations aren't on the verge of societal collapse.

I am an atheist, and I disagree with religion in general. However, I do not believe that my atheism gives me the right to trample on the rights of religious people. As long as it does not negatively affect me or society, what right do I have to tell Christians can't build churches, that Muslims can't build mosques, that Jews can't build synagogues?

So I ask again, why do people think their religion, ideology or opinions give them the right to trample on the rights of others? What do you think?

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@BlueRev Oh, I don't take it personally because I don't do those things. I agree with you that religion shouldn't interfere with other people's (of different or no faith) lives.

Equality doesn't interfer with other people's lives, exactly. I find it very offensive when people say it will ruin their lives if gays can marry.

People think their religion (just my guess) has the right to mess with others lives because they think they're right and know best. It's a matter of a stupid child-like thoughts. Very rude thoughts.

I respect every religion no matter how stupid or awesome they seem. The only religion I agree with 100% is Buddhism (because I am a Buddhist). It's also like a philosohy and I think it's unique compared to the other religions I know of.

Christianity...I've grown to not care for that religion...or more so...some of the followers of it that are total rude people. I do respect everyone as much as I can but they take things too far sometimes. We have separation of the law and religion for a reason.

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@BlueRev I agree with you completely...And I'm a Christian. Unfortunately, many members of my religion (and quite a few others) don't seem to think the same way. This causes so many people to make generalizations about me based simply off of the foolish decisions people who claim to have the same beliefs have made. There are people of all religions and philosophies (atheism included) who give their respective group a bad name. I wish we could all just enjoy what a diverse world we live in and accept each other's beliefs and preferences.

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@DeathNoteNinja I'm glad you agree with him and aren't one of those so called "mainstream" Christians that everyone complains about :D

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@BlueRev I think it's because what the religion is about. Take Christianity for example, (I'm choosing that religion because Im Christian). We believe that God made man and woman and they were the first humans to the world. Not man and man or woman and woman. And the bible tell us (But I think I should also say it doesn't say it straight forwardly, but it does still) it isn't right because humans are meant to reproduce and a gay couple can't do that, if God didn't mind us being with out own sex then he would have created our bodies so men could reproduce with men and woman could reproduce with woman. This all, is on the individual's religion. It's just what Christians believe and depending on who they are, they might be against it because they have 'neighborly' love (sisterly/brotherly) love for that person, even if they don't know them, (from what I understand, God tells us to love each other as we would love our best friend [non-sexual way] because we didn't create each other and true, we have no right to disrespect anything/one that isn ours. But some people are against it I think for selfish reasons and because they think they're 'perfect.' I don't know. Personally, I wouldnt go up to someone and tell them off if they were in a relationship with someone of their own gender, but I wouldn't encourage it or stand up for it. I know this is only one religion for one matter but I can give a point of view from other religions. So, I think it's just about the individual Christian's beliefs. What they think about it. As you said how religious people 'restrict' stuff to non-religious people that doesn't affect them at all, its what they believe in is right- i know religious people Doing that all the time must be annoying and I'm not saying forcing rules and laws down on .

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people that don't believe in it is 'right.' But it's the laws from our bible and they believe they are doing the right thing to help non-believers. Sorry if I offended anyone, oh and as talked about above- no every Christian is against gay marriage of course. And I'm not trying to sound better than anyone else here just giving my opinion. I don't think I'm really perfect just because I'm religious and not for gay marriage so please don't treat me like i think I am. Thank you for reading my post which most likely had a lot of grammar mistakes

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@RainbowLollipop The only thing with that is your God also created infertile straight people. They can't reproduce and neither can gay people. So, are you saying anyone who can't reproduce and is in a sexual relationship is sinning?

Personally, since I've grown up with Christianity, I do believe that in the Christians' God's eyes that having sex not to reproduce is a sin no matter your sexuality. I also think he's ok with same sex/gender couples dating just not having sex [because they can't reproduce..].

But don't get me wrong - on Christianity terms - having sex with the same gender is a sin.

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@BlueRev If I were to give my opinion, I would say I am against gay marriage.

The reason behind that is that with the huge surge in media about gay rights and whatnot, many more people would really consider turning gay. That, in its turn, will have several negative effects on the future generations. If, for example, 10% of this generation is gay, that's 10% of the next generation won't be born. And if of the newborn generation 10% is gay, then that's 19% of the following generation will not have their lives as well. That's why I'm against it, and I think the lives of the future generations hold more importance than our selfish needs.

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@MotazAbumathkour Just hope you know that some gay couples find a surrogate mother or a sperm donor. I respect your opinion but I just hope you know that.

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@MotazAbumathkour

I disagree with you there, people don't turn gay. People are born gay. If more people are 'becoming gay', it means more people are coming out of the closet because homosexuality has become more socially acceptable.

The number of gay people isn't increasing, people are just becoming more open about their sexuality.

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@BlueRev Thank you for saying that, once again I agree with you. I was going to say something along those lines but did not want to cause a fight [just in case]. :)

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@MotazAbumathkour I am not agaisnt gay marriage because really. those people are happy, to take their gayness away from them is cruel. very cruel.

I'm a Christian and i should be agreeing with you BUT I don't I even refuse to eat at Chick-Fil-A or any places that oppose Gay Marriage.

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@chemicalnoise Why would that be socially acceptable? I mean no offense, but "finding a surrogate mother" is no different from paying a slut for a one night stand.

and "finding a sperm donor" is no different from forgetting to wear a condom.

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@Kokona97 *high five*

I think people are being silly with the whole Chick-A-Fil-A thing but I don't really know what's going on with it.

@MotazAbumathkour Who said I said it was socially acceptable? I'm just informing you that babies will still be born. Besides, we have enough people. There are way too many children in orphanages. Also, what about infertile people...do you not want them to marry? What if two infertile gay people marry...would you be ok with that?

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@BlueRev As is the case with anything else, some people may be born gay, and others may learn to be.

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@Kokona97 As I have already stated, the lives of the future generations are much more important than our selfish needs.

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@MotazAbumathkour -.- Shut up. we all know thats probably not true, stop being over dramatic

@chemicalnoise It's because they don't support Gay marriage and Citys are closing down thier Chick-Fil-A's everywhere. It never said anywhere in the Christian Belief that its wrong. People are just being over dramatic. (If it was mentioned in the Bible show it to me!!!!!)

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@Kokona97 Oh, only because they don't support them...that's all? I see no reason for there to be such a fuss then.

Meh, people tend to be over dramatic anyways...especially in the media.

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@chemicalnoise Especially in the media. But still, i want to bug Chick-Fil-A

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@Kokona97 Haha ok XD

I do find it funny when I see a picture of a gay couple kissing in front of a Chick-Fil-A only because of the irony of it all.

I went to a Chick-Fil-A once and I remember my cousin had food that was half eaten!! Haha!! That should be the only reason of why to close down that restaurant - if there's food or sanity issues.

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@chemicalnoise "There are enough children in orphanages"

You could not get any more selfish...

"what about infertile people...do you not want them to marry?"

You can take the sperm of the husband and inject it into the wife. That solves it most of the time, but is sadly expensive, and most people opt not to do it.

"What if two infertile gay people marry...would you be ok with that?"

I think the answer to the previous question is also one for this?

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@chemicalnoise lol, i have never seen that!!

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@MotazAbumathkour Selfish that there's children in orphanages? I don't want children there...I want them to have a family..not live their whole life in an orphanage that probably sucks. That's why less kids could equal less kids in orphanages but really gay marriage becoming legalized wont change that. There are countries with gay marriage already legalized and from what the people from there have said - it changed nothing.

I'm guessing you're against abortion as well?

@Kokona97 I just saw one picture and I was like - you people are crazy! XD

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@MotazAbumathkour

Well, future generations won't be affected by homosexuality. It is estimated about 5 to 10 % of the world's population is gay (taking in account people who are still in the closet.) That number isn't subject to much change.

Unless that percentage greatly increases, which it won't, homosexuality isn't going to reduce the size of future generations. Homosexuality is just something that naturally occurs in populations.

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@chemicalnoise Of course I'm against abortion! It's murder!

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