ha ha ha ha

[DrZoidberg]

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-39669635

I couldn't stop giggling throughout this clip. It's amazing that these are adult people. Or I should say "adult". Here's a solution, don't say you are Ahmadiyya Muslim. Problem solved. If the people you are dealing with are too immature to behave in an adult fashion then don't engage. Don't give them anything to go off on.

This just adds more fuel to my preconceptions about monotheist beliefs preventing adults from growing up. Such a childish set of faiths.

 

[Keith&Co.]

Here's a solution, don't say you are Ahmadiyya Muslim. Problem solved. If the people you are dealing with are too immature to behave in an adult fashion then don't engage. Don't give them anything to go off on.

Wait...

So, 'what is your religion?' is a very important issue for some people. Especially, but not exclusively in the US.
If they find out I'm an atheist, there's a risk they'll ignore me, not answer my questions, not sell me goods or provide services.

The solution to this problem is to ignore them? Not answer their questions? this is more grown-up, as responses go, because...?

 

[DrZoidberg]

Here's a solution, don't say you are Ahmadiyya Muslim. Problem solved. If the people you are dealing with are too immature to behave in an adult fashion then don't engage. Don't give them anything to go off on.

Wait...

So, 'what is your religion?' is a very important issue for some people. Especially, but not exclusively in the US.
If they find out I'm an atheist, there's a risk they'll ignore me, not answer my questions, not sell me goods or provide services.

The solution to this problem is to ignore them? Not answer their questions? this is more grown-up, as responses go, because...?

So when you're out shopping for groceries and the butcher asks "so what's your religion", how about saying "just give me the steak already".

I can't remember I've ever had a theological debate with the staff at my local grocer. Or any discussion other than how I'm planing on paying for it.

Typically, I never tell any stranger my opinions on anything. It's over-sharing IMHO. I consider it rude to say, and even more rude to ask. It's a question of knowing how to behave in public. And even shallow acquaintances it's easy to deflect.

"Hello, I'm a Catholic. Is that your son? Firm buttocks!"
"Nice weather today"

"Salaam Alleikum. Death to all infidel dogs"
"Where did you get that sweater. It looks really good on you. Are you working out?"

 

[C_Mucius_Scaevola]

Well, sometimes it's not so funny ...

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/aug/09/tanveer-ahmed-jailed-for-murder-glasgow-shopkeeper-in-sectarian-attack

It's worrying that people persecuted in Pakistan for their beliefs are also potentially in danger in the UK; it means we're importing religious feuds along with the people involved. I have the same concerns about importing political feuds, as with Turks in the Netherlands. Immigration is necessary with Europe's ageing population, but we have to be more careful about allowing religious and/or political fanatics to bring their ideological baggage with them.

 

[DrZoidberg]

Well, sometimes it's not so funny ...

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/aug/09/tanveer-ahmed-jailed-for-murder-glasgow-shopkeeper-in-sectarian-attack

It's worrying that people persecuted in Pakistan for their beliefs are also potentially in danger in the UK; it means we're importing religious feuds along with the people involved. I have the same concerns about importing political feuds, as with Turks in the Netherlands. Immigration is necessary with Europe's ageing population, but we have to be more careful about allowing religious and/or political fanatics to bring their ideological baggage with them.

The nature of this conflict is funny even if people die IMHO. They're quibbling about... well... they have the same invisible friend. They're not arguing about that. Even the nature of it. They both believe in an all-wise all knowing omnipotent being with sensitive feelings who can't stand up for himself. That is funny! Both agree that Mohammed was a prophet of God. They also agree that no more prophets have come so far. But one group think that in the future that will change. Well... it hasn't happened yet. So what are they arguing about?

"I think it will rain tomorrow"
"It will be sunny, infidel dog. Now die"

It's also funny that they themselves don't see the humour in it. Just their body language. Really long long sad faces and sad eyes. The details of the argument is so specific and absurd that I'd argue it is inherently a joke. It's like some sort of surrealist art happening.

I've been in London pubs where I would have risked death if I would have told them what team I supported. Do you know how I survived the ordeal? I shut up about it. I live in a society where it's close to impossible to get laid if I don't pay lip-service to being a post modernist militant feminist. Which I'm not.

Guess how I get laid?
"Are you a feminist"
"Yes" (not lying, there's about a million versions of feminism. Some are sensible)
"Isn't it just terrible how women are objectified?"
"On that topic, you have pretty boobies"
"Do you think so?"
"I wish to gender equally fondle them at my place, very roughly"
"They're not fragile"
"I'll oppress them like the patriarchy would"

This is a real conversation I have had. it went well. She even had her pussy non-feministacaly shaved, which I appreciated.

 

[Keith&Co.]

The solution to this problem is to ignore them? Not answer their questions? this is more grown-up, as responses go, because...?

So when you're out shopping for groceries and the butcher asks "so what's your religion", how about saying "just give me the steak already".

I have my own methods of dealing with the fanatics. I was just wondering about yours.
You find religious people shunning others to be funny, but you want to turn around and basically do the same thing to them?

 

[DrZoidberg]

So when you're out shopping for groceries and the butcher asks "so what's your religion", how about saying "just give me the steak already".

I have my own methods of dealing with the fanatics. I was just wondering about yours.
You find religious people shunning others to be funny, but you want to turn around and basically do the same thing to them?

On a more serious note, "reading a social situation" is a skill we all need to learn at some point. Adults who have mastered being an adult have the default attitude of trying to put others at ease. Why? Because it makes life a hell of a lot easier. When it comes to casual encounters I think it's perfectly fine to lie, just to get on with life. Just say whatever the other person wants to hear for that person to give you what you want. If it's not clear what he wants to hear and expects you to do the work, he's just a person who hasn't mastered being an adult yet so it's perfectly acceptable to treat him like the child he is. Big smile. "Really, that's great. Imagine that".

I've even said blatant and obvious lies... but with a smile... to get it across that this is just polite chit chat and we're not really having a discussion.

The rules apply doubly if we risk death

 

[Keith&Co.]

On a more serious note,

so now you won't answer MY question.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

Religion is an identity for most people. Yes, it's an identity based on a delusion, but it's still an identity. Also, it's like believing you're going to be a billionaire one day if you just keep punching your ticket.

I was at a funeral over the weekend for a 94 year old in-law. Lots of religious silliness, but I wasn't about to ask anyone why they do these silly things.

Besides being a delusion, religious behavior signals arrested intellectual development and lack of rational, scientific understanding. Expecting something constructive to come from arguing about a diehard religionist's religious behavior is energy wasted.

 

[sdelsolray]

I have two prepared responses to the question, "What is your religion?" They work quite well most of the time.

Either:

1) That is no of your business.
2) None of the above.

 

[DrZoidberg]

On a more serious note,

so now you won't answer MY question.

I don't engage. That's my solution.

We don't have religious fanatics here. If we do they are well hidden. The only place I've seen a Scandinavian religious fanatic is on YouTube = true story.

The only fanatics I've come across here are feminists. And boy can they be crazy. They just assume they will go unopposed so they just babble on. If anybody would criticise anything they say it would be total meltdown. Not just from them but people in the vicinity.

But I'm fine with people holding whatever crazy beliefs they want. So I don't engage.

Fanatics also tend to be narcissistic, so it's easy to throw the ball back and get them yammering on. While I don't really listen. Then I take the first polite opening to leave.

 

[Keith&Co.]

so now you won't answer MY question.

I don't engage. That's my solution.

I got that. Understand that. Support it FULLY. Really, i do.

My question was how that's more adult than 'shunning.' it's basically the same thing, just not '...because God.' as a suffix.

 

[DrZoidberg]

I don't engage. That's my solution.

I got that. Understand that. Support it FULLY. Really, i do.

My question was how that's more adult than 'shunning.' it's basically the same thing, just not '...because God.' as a suffix.

Shunning people is fine. I shun most people. Because my time is limited. Getting to speak to me is an honour and a privilege. Those who abuse it are put on the "no" list.

Family is different of course. But luckily everybody in my family share values. Even extended family. I suspect the mother of one of my cousins is Christian. But it's only a hunch. There's nothing she's said or done to confirm it.

 

[rousseau]

It seems to me like how to deal with these types of social situations would vary from place to place and culture to culture.

I don't know if I'd classify someone who acts like the above as a child, though. Realistically, it's normal behavior for most people across the world, which stems from ignorance and poverty. Situations in Scandinavian countries as Dr. Zoidberg describes are atypical, averaged out, as they are in Canada, because these are places where education has been robust enough, that most of us have risen out of ignorance (emphasis on most). Globally, that's rare, though.

So people who do stupid and irrational stuff aren't children, they're usually just ignorant of a better way, and this is closer to the human condition. In other words, human beings are just usually dumb. If you have some semblance of awareness you're a one eyed man in a kingdom of the blind.

 

[DrZoidberg]

It seems to me like how to deal with these types of social situations would vary from place to place and culture to culture.

I don't know if I'd classify someone who acts like the above as a child, though. Realistically, it's normal behavior for most people across the world, which stems from ignorance and poverty. Situations in Scandinavian countries as Dr. Zoidberg describes are atypical, averaged out, as they are in Canada, because these are places where education has been robust enough, that most of us have risen out of ignorance (emphasis on most). Globally, that's rare, though.

So people who do stupid and irrational stuff aren't children, they're usually just ignorant of a better way, and this is closer to the human condition. In other words, human beings are just usually dumb. If you have some semblance of awareness you're a one eyed man in a kingdom of the blind.

If I do stuff in my day to day life and if something I am doing makes life more complicated. I do something else. It's a question of picking my battles. It's also a question of ego. I've many times been in situations when others have projected the most vile values onto me. And I've just rolled with it because I can't be bothered to have an argument at that point.

The example the guy gives is interactions with his butcher when he's shopping. If I'd been in his situation I'd just said what the butcher wants to hear. And then leave quickly.

 

[BH]

One time I had a former supervisor ask me for $200 dollars to help him pay a fine and stay out of jail. The guy was harsh and would lie a lot to the people who worked under him. I refused him the money primarily for this reason, if the owner would not punish him for being an obnoxious hateful ass and for his chronic lying I would. Secondly he just wasn't close enough to have merited so much anyway even if he had been a good person. I might have given him twenty or thirty but not more. I told him I just did not have it and sorry.

If I had told him no and the reason was because he was an ass to work for and deceitful to those under him he is the type who would have just tried to argue with you. Doesn't know when to shut up and do the listening instead of talking. And he is also the type that does not realize when his authority has ended and would have wanted to act like he was still the boss and you had an obligation to let him correct your view of things. I just did not have time to fool with him.

 

[Philos]

So when you're out shopping for groceries and the butcher asks "so what's your religion", how about saying "just give me the steak already".

Dr Z,

Well, that's a bit of a give away!

A.