David Cameron says the UK is a Christian country

LMAO! :D

See!? Now that's lively discussion. It's people taking offence that's the problem. I take none and roll my eyes at those who do.
 
:lol:

I do love your approach, in theory. In practice, I think I am just too kind, and too easily annoyed by the idiocy and crass, blinkered opinions that some of these threads can attract.
 
Yeah, I've noticed a most people tend to work that way. Oddly enough, it's others actually getting defensive which is pretty much the only thing that's guaranteed to annoy me in a discussion or debate.

I can have an entirely cordial (even enjoyable) argument/debate with someone of the complete opposite opinion as long as they can keep their cool. It's fine to be passionate, but when people start getting angry or upset about things I'm saying I just can't be doing with it. Why are *you* so personally offended by *my* opinion? I'm not offended by yours. Is it because I'm not living up to the societal norms and social conventions you expect of me? Well piss off then and I'll find someone who doesn't let things bother them so easily.

Though I have to admit, this stance does and will probably continue to lose me friends and women. Ah well. I just need to find tougher sparring partners, that's all.
 
I would amend that to "I can have an entirely cordial (even enjoyable) argument/debate with someone of the complete opposite opinion as long as they can argue it intelligently." Because my answer to "Why are *you* so personally offended by *my* opinion?" if most people ask me that would be "because stupidity offends me".

On average these threads tend to attract fewer people like you, and more people like the ones that I would rather avoid, which is why I don't think they're a great idea.
 
alexrose1uk said:
We are 'broadly' a Christian country; although as far as it goes we're far more sectarian or agnostic in actual practice for the average person.
We are considered a Christian country though, because as a country, and as a people, we still widely embrace events like Christmas and Easter, which are primarily Christian religious events.
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This post won the thread.

I think that if everyone wants to get arsey over "what is the most prevalent religion in england" they should just say "we are a multi-cultural nation now, so lets honour all the holidays"

That way we'd have half the year off with chrismas and new years, chinese new year, easter, every bank holiday, so on and so forth.

Only downside i may see is, would we have to starve ourselves twice a year like muslims? im not sure thats healthy....
 
ilmaestro said:
I would amend that to "I can have an entirely cordial (even enjoyable) argument/debate with someone of the complete opposite opinion as long as they can argue it intelligently." Because my answer to "Why are *you* so personally offended by *my* opinion?" if most people ask me that would be "because stupidity offends me".

On average these threads tend to attract fewer people like you, and more people like the ones that I would rather avoid, which is why I don't think they're a great idea.
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Arguing with idiots is all in a day's work though. Allowing stupidity to go unchallenged (or even suppressing it so stupid thoughts can't be uttered) is what allows it to spread. Of course it can seem futile; it would be incredibly rare to win over people with entrenched views (no matter how ridiculous) but hopefully you can win over the audience, which is the real aim of any debate. That might betray somewhat delusional self-importance on my part, but that's how I tend to look at it.
 
To be honest there is nothing really Christian about Christmas, they just created it around the same time of pre-existing winter festivals like the Pagan and Roman ones...

The only reason the country is Christian is because a lot of people still class themselves as Christians even though they probably couldn't tell you the last time they went to Church or prayed... not like it matters what religion anyone is anyway.
 
Arguing with idiots is all in a day's work though. Allowing stupidity to go unchallenged (or even suppressing it so stupid thoughts can't be uttered) is what allows it to spread. Of course it can seem futile; it would be incredibly rare to win over people with entrenched views (no matter how ridiculous) but hopefully you can win over the audience, which is the real aim of any debate. That might betray somewhat delusional self-importance on my part, but that's how I tend to look at it.
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If terms to end a quarrel leave bad feeling, What good are they? So a sensible man takes the poor end of the bargain Without quibbling. It is sensible to make terms, Foolish to be a stickler: Though heaven prefer no man, A sensible man prefers heaven." - Lao Tzu

Or

Real words are not vain,
Vain words not real;
And since those who argue prove nothing
A sensible man does not argue.
A sensible man is wiser than he knows,
While a fool knows more than is wise.
Therefore a sensible man does not devise resources:
The greater his use to others
The greater their use to him,
The more he yields to others
The more they yield to him.
The way of life cleaves without cutting:
Which, without need to say,
Should be man's way.
- Lao Tzu

Although I do completely get where you are coming from as well Ayase.

I think my answer for everything is quoting a Chinese mystic...
 
ayase said:
ilmaestro said:
I would amend that to "I can have an entirely cordial (even enjoyable) argument/debate with someone of the complete opposite opinion as long as they can argue it intelligently." Because my answer to "Why are *you* so personally offended by *my* opinion?" if most people ask me that would be "because stupidity offends me".

On average these threads tend to attract fewer people like you, and more people like the ones that I would rather avoid, which is why I don't think they're a great idea.
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Arguing with idiots is all in a day's work though. Allowing stupidity to go unchallenged (or even suppressing it so stupid thoughts can't be uttered) is what allows it to spread. Of course it can seem futile; it would be incredibly rare to win over people with entrenched views (no matter how ridiculous) but hopefully you can win over the audience, which is the real aim of any debate. That might betray somewhat delusional self-importance on my part, but that's how I tend to look at it.
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In the "real world" of debating, political discourse, etc, of course you are right. In the "real world" of, uh, the real world, I think you are both underestimating the number things I would rather spend my time doing as part of a "day's work", and overestimating how many people are actually reading and caring about what you say to some random person on the internet who, as we have already established, is an idiot. (I think the last part may tie into the self-importance thing :p).

If I have an excessive amount of time free to spend conversing with an idiot, I would always instead spend that time looking for someone intelligent to talk to.
 
That's all well and good, but uh, these intelligent people who are actually willing to take part in debates... Where do you find them?

(No offence meant Vash, the reason our little debate is taking so long is because no-one else is joining in - that one would be far more fun over a drink with a proper table to bang on)
 
ayase said:
That's all well and good, but uh, these intelligent people who are actually willing to take part in debates... Where do you find them?

(No offence meant Vash, the reason our little debate is taking so long is because no-one else is joining in - that one would be far more fun over a drink with a proper table to bang on)
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May i add something to that, it must be 3am and all present parties must be tanked with alcoholic beverages to speak of world issues and political topics.

Once saw a picture which summed many an average bloke up very well; by day (sober) men speak of women, cars, football, alcohol, sex and other typical things.

By night (drunk too) philisophical matters and how they would solve the worlds problems.
 
ayase said:
That's all well and good, but uh, these intelligent people who are actually willing to take part in debates... Where do you find them?
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They work with me, haha.

Well, a couple of them do, at least.
 
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