[Dirkadirkastan]

Originally Posted by DirkFTW

Don't you see how this could just as easily be phrased by someone else as "taking statements in religious texts in isolation and out of context in order to paint a billion people as dangerous fanatics is not akin to explaining that someone's conduct has placed them at odds with the God of the universe?"

Do you understand the difference between "your belief is stupid" and "you are stupid because you hold that belief?" Only the former is present here, but your quote here is trying to twist it into the latter.

No one has a right to have their ideas go unchallenged.

That seems quite naive given that many have publicly been calling for Broussard to be fired. Your own comment in an earlier post was "if you organize enough and gain enough political power, you can avoid criticism by labeling anyone who points out your stupid ideas as a bigot." How can you avoid criticism without censorship--i.e., bigoted statements are not permitted?

I'm not sure you understood what I meant when I said that. Let me try again:

If I believe that it is my destiny to rule over my own planetary system one day, you might feel justified in calling me an idiot.

If I also believe that black people are cursed with their dark skin due to their neutrality in the battle between good and evil, you might feel justified in calling me a bigot.

If I believe all this because Joseph Smith successfully organized a large enough religion, then suddenly you are the bigot instead because you spoke ill of Mormonism.

See how that works? Why am I suddenly able to turn around and point the finger at you? Just because enough people believe the same thing I do?

So whether something is bigotry or not depends on subjective impressions? The other side feels the same way that bigotry accusations are being used to divert attention and criticism from attacks on their constitutionally protected right to hold and practice religious beliefs.

I'm talking about what specifically happened in this thread. The real issue to discuss is why speaking out against homosexuality itself is bigotry, and people are trying to divert attention away from that by pretending calling out questionable religious beliefs is somehow the same thing. It's a lame tactic and it doesn't work.