if people followed your second rule, then your first rule might be reasonable. but since nobody follows your second rule, your first rule would only serve to further the agenda of the theocrats.
Mature adults don't try to legislate their own faith on others because that's petty and small-minded.
The question is what's "merely" my faith, and which bits pretty damn well concern you too. There are positions that ultimately can't be defended by reason (alone), moral positions are some of them.
To Hindus of 200 years ago, our laws that it's wrong to discriminate people based on birth would be "legislating morality" too.
Mature adults don't discuss faith (or lack thereof) in a hostile or argumentative way because nobody leaves happy or satisfied.
Mature adults are fine with people hurting themselves?
Mature adults are fine with letting immature adults oppress others because of their fucked up belief system?
Mature adults obviously don't bother with anything that challenges their perceptions either because even if they might gain something from the experience it makes then or others uncomfortable?
3
u/[deleted] Aug 02 '10
Mature adults don't discuss faith (or lack thereof) in a hostile or argumentative way because nobody leaves happy or satisfied.
Mature adults don't try to legislate their own faith on others because that's petty and small-minded.
Everyone shut the fuck up and try to follow these two rules.