Re: Should Street Preaching be Banned in the USA?

[Thumpalumpacus]

On one hand most street preachers are seen as loonies and much of that opinion is then shared in some degree about their religion. To the casual passer-by, since most preachers are rather bombastic and wail about sin and punishment the most, this attitude can be seen by some as a generally not-loving god. I think these help send people scurrying away from religion.
  As for the hinderance to traffic and pedestrians in general I like to throw rocks at them, but that it seems, is illegal.

I feel strongly like this is possible, and that it has been done on select streets in New Orleans for instance, so there must be some capability to ban preaching on some streets at least in per city ordinance. I dont see anything wrong with it.

My favourite was throwing snow balls at them. I dont really bother street preachers anymore and actually cross the street to avoid them. The issue I feel now, after actually crossing to avoid them, is that perhaps they can be removed to some extent.

Or, perhaps, you could get a car, like the rest of us.

[stromboli]

I think the freedom of speech is more important than the freedom from offense, which is clearly the real issue here.
If you don't like their message, walk on by.
Life's hard. Get a helmet.

^This

Or, perhaps, you could get a car, like the rest of us.

^And this.

Freedom of speech. They have the right to speak and we have the right to disagree.

[_Xenu_]

If you dont mind my asking, did you grow up in a religiously abusive household?

[Savior2006]

Freedom of speech protects street preachers in the USA. People use Freedom of Speech and right to assembly to protest causes they believe in. Generally they do not protest everyday in every city, aside from Washington D.C., which may have more protests than normal cities. However, street preachers like to preach regularly on every main street.  Only occasionally the women in black or someone protesting GMO foods from Monsanto might stage a protest.

They are generally not nice people and they have nothing real to protest, no special cause. Mostly, they disrupt pedestrian traffic and commerce. I know personally of a restaurant that was shut down from street preachers protesting a neighbouring Planned Parenthood office. Note also that Planned Parenthood was not the only office in the building, and by standing in front of it with disgusting signs of aborted foetuses, they were disrupting a neighbouring restaurant and all other office workers.

Since they disrupt commerce in busy streets, it could be a very real plan to ban them from busy streets and give them some other venue of protest, like allowing street preachers only to protest in front of a city hall.  It is an abuse of Freedom of Speech and should be curtailed.

Street Preaching was recently banned on Bourbon Street in New Orleans because it disrupts pedestrian activity and business, as well as infringing on other people's rights to religion who may not be a Christian.

They fucking annoy passer-byes (sp?)  but I really don't see how one man disrupts traffic. People just walk by him. If some people stop and block the people behind I don't see how the one preacher is entirely at fault. I really don't see how this infringes on anyone right's except the preachers. Some people don't want to hear about Christianity. Get over it.

[Solitary]

That's not just preaching, that's intimidation and we all agree with you, I think, that it is wrong, but two wrongs don't make a right. But to hate all Christians because they do that is still not logical or reasonable because they are not all like that. What really happened to you to have that much animosity towards all Christians? I really want to know. Solitary

[Solitary]

Actually you didn't. And thanks for answering my question. But we all, I think, feel the same way about Christians that try to shove it down our throats, but still down carry the burden of hate you do. I can assure you I hate what Christianity has none throughout history and now, but I still don't want to get violent with them unless they get in my face and won't back off. But I have never encountered that in my life time like you apparently have. So I guess I can't relate. Solitary

[Savior2006]

Show me a peaceful Christian that minds his or her own business and doesn't try to spread their mental illness to others.

If my government refuses to protect me from religion, then how can I protect myself, if not with violence?  I dont have to buy a car or move from my home just to walk down the street without religion in my face. I demand to have a secular state where religion is not present in society.

I hate the USA so much. The older I get the more I hate this land.

Um gee? Where to start?

I guess first things first. Do NOT come onto the internet and talk about wanting to use violence on fellow civilians. That is probably the single fucking stupidest thing that you can do in the digital era. People from anywhere in the US, can see this shit.

Second of all, you have no idea what a secular society even is. Secularism just means that the government can't impose religion on others. You can argue that sometimes America does that anyway, fine. But religious people in this country have a right to an expression of their faith. If you have a problem with that, then your are shit out of luck.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I dont own a car because I dont want to consume oil or get fat. I live in a walkable area where it is easy to walk to a grocery store and enjoy the exercise. I would feel really weird driving around in a car needlessly. After all, the street preachers where I live also have cars and drive here to preach, sucking tar sands out of a pit in Canada. Did you realise most of the oil in the USA comes from tar sands pits in Alberta Canada now? We rely on Canada now less than the Arabs. Worse, these tar sand pits can be seen from outerspace, and its suggested that the continued use of tar sand, which generally is corrosive and bursts out of pipelines, as seen in Michigan and other states, will actually destroy the planet extremely quickly.

Writer posted a YouTube video

Then if I were you, I'd learn how to deal with differing views.  It's a useful life-skill anyway.

Show me a peaceful Christian that minds his or her own business and doesn't try to spread their mental illness to others.

My mother, for one.  My sister, as well.

Indeed, the vast majority of Christians I've met have been peaceful, and don't proselytize me.

The people who assume that street preachers only operate in denominations of one are naive and ignorant of the facts. Many people on here assume I am complaining about the lone madman with the end of the world sign. I do not generally care about that type.

Let's see some pics of these roving bands of Christian marauders, then.  I've never seen a gaggle of five street-preachers holding up traffic, myself.

[surly74]

I may immigrate to some other land that has less religious fanatics like Germany or Canada. Germany has a lot less religious nuts and they charge a tax on anyone who registers as a Catholic. I particularly enjoyed Germany's antagonism toward Scientology. I guess obnoxious USA is not right for me.

you would be emigrating to a country but anyhow, you do know Canada has government funded Catholic schools right? my education portion of property tax goes to the separate school board for funding.

[stromboli]

I'm with Thumpalumpacus on all of this. Street preachers might be annoying, but I see them more as clowns than anything dangerous. Proactively, it is even an opportunity to showcase the stupidity of the whole thing.

[_Xenu_]

I particularly enjoyed Germany's antagonism toward Scientology.

Im definitely not going to complain about that.  :-D

[Shiranu]

...and Utah has responded rationally. Thank you Utah for being realistic instead of idealistic about freedom of speech.

Rationally in, "We don't want Christians other than our's in the area.".

Thinks Latin America would be a good place to get away from Christians, thinks Utah is being sane on religious issues... hmmm...

[billhilly]

Why is it that you seem to be the only one here being menaced by roving bands of feral street preachers hmm?  There are folks from all over the world on this site and nobody else has noticed.  I've lived all over the US and briefly in Canada.  I've never seen anything other than a few clownish preachers being mocked by people walking by and the Phelps clan on TV doing their thing.  I'm in the bible belt now and have never seen any here.  Could it be that you're a paranoid weirdo with violent fantasies?

[billhilly]

You're quite the piece of work.  I actually never took you literally when you described your actions in this or the hating xian thread.  I figured you were full of shit and just fantasizing about things you would never be able to do.  Kinda like calling people you don't know cowards on the internet.  There's no perceived risk for you so you're free to live your fantasies.  

Non psychopaths who have been in violent situations tend to abhor violence in most circumstances.  Just ask the other vets on the board.  You are transparently full of shit and or some kind of POE.  Do continue though, it is all very entertaining.

[Thumpalumpacus]

I'm with Thumpalumpacus on all of this. Street preachers might be annoying, but I see them more as clowns than anything dangerous. Proactively, it is even an opportunity to showcase the stupidity of the whole thing.

Exactly.  When you lay your cock out for a measure, you better hope you're the longest, right?

Nothing wrong with pointing out how wrong religion is ... even if you hold up traffic?