Sanitarium and Religion

I would also like to ad that in most cases religion and race is one of the same... As religous beliefs can at times be based along side religion i.e Muslims and such

And while yes I understand your side of the argument don't by any means read into my comment in any other way but the way I intended which was just trying to point out how Ron actually meant people to read his remark... As it seemed as though you misunderstood the underlining meaning... though like i said there are many ways to look at it when making comparisons... But ultimately yes homosexuals and specific races do suffer a lot more then religous groups... But just because one crime is more common then another doesn't mean that the favored one is worse by any means... As far as I'm concerned all three of those are horrid... That being said I will now actually express my opinion on the matter... I simply think it is wrong to put anyone down based on their belief, sexuality or race, I am all for people having their own opinions and everyone being treated as equal and with respect even if I don't necessarily agree with their views...

Yes, thank you.  I'm sorry if I didn't explain myself properly.

I'm an atheist so I'm not defending the SDA or any other denomination from a religious point of view. I'm also gay and middle-aged so I'm quite well aware of homophobia.

Attacking a group of people whether Christians, Muslims, LGBTI, Indonesian, black or whatever is wrong and does fall into the same category of homophobia, racism etc.

Do you really think the statement used earlier in the thread "Clearly you have not learnt about the vile destruction they [religions] have caused and continue to do so" is benign?

Learn to make real arguments. A real argument can stand on its own without using cheap, overused, overly simplified and inaccurate comparisons, especially to issues that have been minimised in mainstream discourse enough as it is.

Aly you seem to be more articulate than marG but your approach is equally immature. Bigotry is bigotry no matter where it's directed and regardless of the degree of injury caused.

As an atheist I'm also uncomfortable contributing to the profits of a religious organisation simply because I object to the indoctrination in organised religion (as you say religious beliefs are usually thrust upon people rather than truly a choice). However I have no reason to assume that SDA is evil or have perpetrated any atrocities and for marG to suggest so because they are a religious organisation is bigotry by definition. Would you have been as reactionary if  it was Judaism or Islam that had been attacked?

As a white heterosexual middle aged female  I have experienced discrimination to due my gender over the years. I'm certain it hasn't effected me to the same degree as would bigotry directed at me if I was black and gay but it's bigotry all the same.

DING DING DING.


Since you so desperately need me to clarify this: Bigotry is bad, ok?

~BUT~

Comparing two different forms of prejudice, each with very different real-world consequences, is invalid. Being opposed to the largest and most powerful religion in Western countries is absolutely nothing like being opposed to the identities of oppressed and/or minority groups. This is because of power structures and institutionalised prejudice but more importantly because of religion, race, and sexual orientation being different things.

Look, you can believe antitheism is wrong all you want - all I'm saying is that it is not the same as homophobia or racism. Just like racism is not the same as homophobia, and neither are the same as sexism, and sexism is unlike transphobia, and transphobia is not comparable with speciesism. Different prejudices need different discussions. Don't drag one group's struggle into an argument over another.

Insisting people stay on topic in a discussion, and not appropriate the experiences of unrelated groups in an attempt to silence their opposition, is not immature. On the other hand, appropriating the experiences of unrelated groups instead of actually bothering to make any argument supporting your own stance is a mark of immaturity.

...Sigh. Sanitarium's proceeds go towards community services like food banks and providing breakfasts for underprivileged kids. Just because they're religious doesn't mean they're evil. And before you say I clearly haven't seen the ~evils~ of religion, I am plenty aware of some of the damaging stuff that they can do, and I'm an atheist and queer. I also have plenty of religious friends.

Seventh-day Adventists do have some beliefs I don't agree with, but Sanitarium on its own appears to be largely self-contained, and you wouldn't, say, be funding anti-abortion programs just by buying some soy milk.

Also to find out where their proceeds go read http://www.sanitarium.com.au/community        (which I did post in the 9th comment - but seems to be overlooked)

I went to one of the most prominent SDA schools in Australia, Sanitarium is highly involved with the schools and collages, I am not a Christian, but I will say that if there is a group worth supporting it's them, they are beautiful, genuine and extremely caring people, they are also predominantly vegetarian people, which is why sanitarium sells what it does. They conduct so many humanitarian missions that people never hear about unless you're involved in the community, they don't do it for praise, solely to help the people. They do not in any way shape or form preach any hate messages, they are incredibly accepting people, no matter what your race, gender or sexual preference. Don't boycott them, they deserve the support they get.

http://listverse.com/2008/04/02/8-atrocities-committed-in-the-name-of-religion/

http://www.rejectionofpascalswager.net/consequence.html


i simply did not want to contribute money to people who'll teach children abstinence instead of consent and safe sex, that being gay is morally wrong, that people are hapless unworthy beings, force rape victims to go through with pregnancy, and so on. Nothing personal about this religion since I barely know it.

I can tell you first hand on the ugly side of a few religions/denominations. Mine is anecdotal of course but there are plenty of documented evidence of their crimes.


I don't think that standing up against unethical practices and teachings put me on the same pedestal as a racist.

Personally I still buy Sanitarium products because I think the harm from meat products is worse than the harm from their tiny cult.

I disagree with religion and many of SDA's teachings but others I support - in particular the fact they actively promote vegetarianism. I support that, despite their sex before marriage/homosexual stances, but that's a personal choice for each person to make. I think those views are archaic and disappearing pretty quickly even amongst religious people. Meat eating it more harmful and going nowhere. I don't want Sanitarium to go bust and have even fewer veggie options.

It's not really fair to call them the biggest religion as they aren't really part of mainstream Christianity.

There are many large religions that promote extreme cruelty to animals in addition to homophobia, sexism etc and I'd rather pick on them.