Freedom of Religion

[Confused]

I am starting this thread here for those who aren't participating in The God Delusion debate because I think it warrants a much wider range of attention.

In the book, the author states a case in which in 2004, a 12 year old boy in Ohio wore a t-shirt to school that said "Homosexuality is a sin, Islam is a lie, abortion is murder. Some issues are just black and white!". The school told the student not to wear it, the parents sued the school not on the basis of freedom of speech, but freedom of religion. The courts agreed with the parents. The Alliance Defense Fund of Arizona argued that the t-shirt wasn't about hate speech, but religious speech. Hence it warrants freedom of religion.

Another cited example is a church in New Mexico that believes the use of the hallucinogenic drug dimethyltryptamine found in hoasca tea enhances their ability to understand God. The US Supreme Court in 2006 agreed, despite the fact that the drug is illegal. The church got an exemption. However, in the case of cannabis for chemo patients, though few states legalized it for medical purposes, the federal government wont recognize this and can still prosecute you for it use based on the 2005 ruling of the Supreme Court.

So my question for debate should be obvious:

What is the limitation of freedom of religion. Is it being abused?

[McCulloch]

So if God promises to make a great nation of my descendants and then I hear a message to sacrifice my only son to God, that must be from a demon. Right?

Not likely. I would be sure that God got enough souls in other ways without needing one more.
A request from God to break His Law would be considered strange indeed.

So Abraham was wrong to attempt to obey God in human sacrifice?

[Greatest I Am]

So if God promises to make a great nation of my descendants and then I hear a message to sacrifice my only son to God, that must be from a demon. Right?

Not likely. I would be sure that God got enough souls in other ways without needing one more.
A request from God to break His Law would be considered strange indeed.

So Abraham was wrong to attempt to obey God in human sacrifice?

No. Anyone willing to not do the bidding of a real God would be a fool.

Regards
DL

[McCulloch]

So Abraham was wrong to attempt to obey God in human sacrifice?

No. Anyone willing to not do the bidding of a real God would be a fool.

And how does one tell the difference between the bidding of the real God and that of a demon?

[Confused]

If you are searching for God and you find a demon then you must recognize it for what it is. If not then likely you will end up in jail.

How do you tell the difference?

It depends on the message.

Regards
DL

If God requests you sacrifice your child, is He real? Recall, it was done in the OT and the NT emphasizes that none should be put before God. I would think that would include children.

[Confused]

So if God promises to make a great nation of my descendants and then I hear a message to sacrifice my only son to God, that must be from a demon. Right?

Not likely. I would be sure that God got enough souls in other ways without needing one more.
A request from God to break His Law would be considered strange indeed.

So Abraham was wrong to attempt to obey God in human sacrifice?

Sorry, posted mine before I read this. Not intending to step on toes

[Greatest I Am]

If you are searching for God and you find a demon then you must recognize it for what it is. If not then likely you will end up in jail.

How do you tell the difference?

It depends on the message.

Regards
DL

If God requests you sacrifice your child, is He real? Recall, it was done in the OT and the NT emphasizes that none should be put before God. I would think that would include children.

When He comes in with that request I will let you know.

Regards
DL

[Cephus]

And how does one tell the difference between the bidding of the real God and that of a demon?

See, that's the question that I have always asked. How do you know that "God" isn't, in reality, the 'devil' of another pantheon, sent to mislead humanity from the one true deity? Exactly how would you discover the truth?

Funny, I never get any answers from the theists on that.

[Greatest I Am]

And how does one tell the difference between the bidding of the real God and that of a demon?

See, that's the question that I have always asked. How do you know that "God" isn't, in reality, the 'devil' of another pantheon, sent to mislead humanity from the one true deity? Exactly how would you discover the truth?

Funny, I never get any answers from the theists on that.

When God speaks it is only with your mind that you hear.
Is the message good or bad. Evaluate it and then you tell us if it is God or a Demon.

Regards
DL

[McCulloch]

When God speaks it is only with your mind that you hear.
Is the message good or bad. Evaluate it and then you tell us if it is God or a Demon.

So when I'm listening to the voices in my head, if I personally think that a particular message is good then it must be from God and not a demon. OK.
:yapyap:

[Greatest I Am]

When God speaks it is only with your mind that you hear.
Is the message good or bad. Evaluate it and then you tell us if it is God or a Demon.

So when I'm listening to the voices in my head, if I personally think that a particular message is good then it must be from God and not a demon. OK.
:yapyap:

Do you need others to prove you right before acting?
Do you not trust your own judgement?

Regards
DL