CBJ wrote: ↑Mon, 6. Apr 20, 17:50
At what point do you draw the line, though? What about all those "pastors" in the US who are encouraging their congregations to ignore social distancing guidelines, and in the process putting at risk the lives of the medical professionals who may have to end up dealing with the consequences? Does their belief that they don't need to follow the same rules as everyone else make them exempt from those rules, despite the fact that it has a potentially deadly impact on people who don't share those beliefs? Or do you just take the risk of "antagonising" them by telling them that they are delusional and that they need to follow the damn rules like everyone else?
This is not the angle I was talking from but I certainly can answer your question. My line regarding religions is actually the same as the line I have for most other aspect in society, like freedom, liberty ...etc... And that is when it cross over and affecting others negatively. Right now with most places under a stay-at-home or shelter-in-places order, I have no sympathy for anyone may get prosecuted for violating the order without a just reasons. And religious gathering is definitely not a just reason in this situation. If you want to antagonizing those people as delusional, or if you want to call those priest as greedy whose main reason to hold the gathering for the shake "passing the basket", you will not hear any argument from me.
To clarify: I don't have problem people saying mean or politically incorrect things,
as long as they are true.
However, the line I was referring to in my original comment is about "not over generalizing".
- Yes, there are a few churches, congregate, pastors who defiled this critical situation. Shame and blame them all you want. But also do remind yourself that those are only a few exception while around the world hundred, thousand, hundred thousands if not millions other religious group who are obeying the rule for not gathering.
- Also in my belief that when you look at instances where people violating the order, like those students flooding Florida's beach during spring break, or those people on the caravan to the country like in England, or those corona party around the world ...etc... among those participant, there are probably some really religious people, some semi-religious, and probably atheists as well.
The point is: this is not something "religious people do" which is the manner a lot of time when these kinds of "talks" come up, there are always seem to cast a overall umbrella. Action of a few (selfish-messup-whatever you want to call them) should not be used as the label for the larger majority. Just like I said, even when you look at religious people, there are still distinct lines between how people choose to follow their belief.
Edit: clarification.