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The Oxford Declaration on Freedom of Thought and Expression

Posted on 8/12/14 at 3:29 pm
Posted by ballscaster
Member since Jun 2013
26861 posts
Posted on 8/12/14 at 3:29 pm
quote:

Freedom of belief is absolute but the freedom to act on a belief is not.
...among the many statements in the document. Very interesting, say I unto thee. LINK /
Posted by Sellecks Moustache
NC
Member since Jun 2014
5994 posts
Posted on 8/12/14 at 3:37 pm to
Indubitably.
Posted by Sid in Lakeshore
Member since Oct 2008
41956 posts
Posted on 8/12/14 at 3:47 pm to
Hard to argue with. Predict some will try.
Posted by Zach
Gizmonic Institute
Member since May 2005
112635 posts
Posted on 8/12/14 at 4:02 pm to
Jihadists stand in opposition to the motion, Mr. Chairman. Become Muslim or die.
Posted by Mo Jeaux
Member since Aug 2008
59129 posts
Posted on 8/12/14 at 4:04 pm to
I believe this is one of the most important statements:

quote:

There is no right not to be offended, or not to hear contrary opinions. Respect for people’s freedom of belief does not imply any duty or requirement to respect those beliefs.
Posted by RCDfan1950
United States
Member since Feb 2007
35022 posts
Posted on 8/12/14 at 4:07 pm to
So...the moral freedom to meet an opposing action with an equal reaction is off the table? Evil - who will ignore the high standard of an Oxford Declaration - takes the gloves off...but those who oppose evil...can't?

I won't argue the morality of that assertion...but the practicality of it is the delusional folly of an unrealistic Utopian dream club.

Unless they argue in an ultimate sense. I.e., Jesus did promote the idea of resisting Evil with passivity and love. But, He also said that His Kingdom..."is not of this Earth". I assume that he means one who follows this spiritual methodology - for the next life - won't end up facing evil and having it ruin their life.

They need to go tell ISIS this extraordinary wisdom.

Posted by Rex
Here, there, and nowhere
Member since Sep 2004
66001 posts
Posted on 8/12/14 at 5:46 pm to
quote:

Freedom of belief is absolute but the freedom to act on a belief is not.

Freedom of belief should be regarded as absolute not because it's innocuous without a corresponding action but because it's merely a biological reaction to available environmental inputs. True belief is ALWAYS innocent even when doctrine is not, and therein lies a major theological problem. The theist who asserts a merciful god but with a conditional paradise must also assert the opposite of my first statement, that is, he must insist that belief is NOT an innocent process but one of will.

So, we're left to contend with persons who are not fully committed to the notion of freedom of belief, even when they publicly agree that it exists. Within my understanding, there are only two values that can be assigned to a particular belief: true or false. Those other persons... those theists.... add another set of qualifiers: whether it's willful or not, and thus are willing to accept that some beliefs deserve punishment, albeit not in the here and now. A principle they're perfectly willing to ABIDE and for which they'll even proclaim an assent, therefore, is not one to which they ultimately subscribe. Such mental dissonance, unfortunately, surely results in social conflict.

This post was edited on 8/12/14 at 5:56 pm
Posted by jclem11
Neoliberal Shill
Member since Nov 2011
7849 posts
Posted on 8/12/14 at 8:07 pm to
Great read thus far. Thanks for posting!
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