Religiously inspired misbehaviour

[Wicked Willow]

What do you make of the behaviour of this girl? Do you think this qualifies as a short and inoffensive benediction? And what do you think of a college student who condemns what she calls "worshipping the intellectual mind" and "repents for the humanism that [she has] embraced"?

Do you think what she does is acceptable, or even moral?

YouTube - When Christians Misbehave: Self-Induced Religious Fit

 

[TerranceL]

She takes the chance to preach to people who came to see a graduation.

It's pretty distasteful.

 

[No Swansong]

LOL I think she practiced her Constitutionally guaranteed right to free expression on the platform that was provided for her. I have no issue whatsoever.

You would definitely have hated my graduation then. (at a State University gasp)

 

[wanderingone]

LOLOLOL -- she repents.... of getting an education LOLOLOL-- did she accept her diploma? Does she plan to leave her credentials off her resume since they represent her idol worship?

 

[No Swansong]

LOLOLOL -- she repents.... of getting an education LOLOLOL-- did she accept her diploma? Does she plan to leave her credentials off her resume since they represent her idol worship?

In what way did she repent of getting an education?

 

[Wicked Willow]

In what way did she repent of getting an education?

That's pretty much what is said between the lines when she rambles on about "worshipping the intellectual mind", "filling the void in our lives with anything other than you" and so forth. It's the sort of rabid anti-intellectualism you'd expect from such fanatical fringe nuts.

 

[No Swansong]

That's pretty much what is said between the lines when she rambles on about "worshipping the intellectual mind", "filling the void in our lives with anything other than you" and so forth. It's the sort of rabid anti-intellectualism you'd expect from such fanatical fringe nuts.

No it's not what was said but I'm not surprised that more than a couple make such an inference.

 

[Hypothetical]

Free speech, as long as it was known she was speaking for herself and not as a representative of the school.

 

[Wicked Willow]

"Free speech" as a buzzword does hardly answer the questions I posted in the OP - I'd calmly sit through pretty much anything, but that doesn't make that speech appropriate. It's rude, insulting, and downright barmy - provided that her classmates weren't fanatics like herself, I wouldn't be surprised if she spoiled the ceremony for quite a few of them.

Well, perhaps it's just my European sensibilities - we're just not used to such levels of religious fanatism; it looks almost like a psychological condition to us.

 

[Verv]

If a Buddhist or a Muslim berates education and speaks of inner peace and enlightenment as a higher value everyone would have acted like it was profound.

But since Christianity is familiar to you it becomes something worthy of casting contempt on.

I know if I were to spend 5 minutes lecturing my predominantly Chinese class on God it would be treated as 'interesting' and 'insightful' though there is only one other Christian there.

HOwever, I am sure if it were Americans it would be treated similarly to whatever happens in this thread.

The venue is wrong, of course, and I would have no interest in being proselytized by anyone at my graduation.

It is a shame that this ends up as ammunition against us.

 

[Verv]

Worshiping the human mind would be foolish as all of the knowledge we have has been gleaned through very humble means and compiled.

Humanity can just as easily be called feeble minded based on what we have done - things more than a few atheists will complain about.

"Anti-intellectualism" is a tag that atheists like to apply to anything that pays greater respect to God than to atheist ideals.

Furthermore, humanism is wrong and you know it.

I will accept the label as "anti-intellectual" and "fundamentalist" because I know when such is aimed at believers of God it is received as a crown of blessing having proven to have annoyed the opposition enough to be labeled a title they find repugnant.

 

[peadar1987]

Look at it this way, I that was me up on the stage, and I started ranting about how there was no god, and how everyone who believed in one was misguided. After all, it would just be free speech, and me expressing my beliefs, and apparently atheism is a religion, as I've been told many times.

 

[Wicked Willow]

If a Buddhist or a Muslim berates education and speaks of inner peace and enlightenment as a higher value everyone would have acted like it was profound.

Speak for yourself. It doesn'T matter to me whether you replaced the references to Jesus with "Allah", "Buddha" or "Xemu" - it'd still be highly inappropriate. In another setting, in another tone, this little speech might even have been perfectly okay. But as it is, it just comes across as the ramblings of a fanatic suffering from a persecution complex.

 

[levi501]

lol, it's fine.
She was given the stage to give "good" wishes. She can do whatever she wants. If this isn't a forum for expressing yourself then have someone on the faculty do it instead.

I liked her convulsions in both body and breath though. I didn't know if it was religion or eroticism. It's amazing how crazy people are.

 

[LittleNipper]

What do you make of the behaviour of this girl? Do you think this qualifies as a short and inoffensive benediction? And what do you think of a college student who condemns what she calls "worshipping the intellectual mind" and "repents for the humanism that [she has] embraced"?

Do you think what she does is acceptable, or even moral?

YouTube - When Christians Misbehave: Self-Induced Religious Fit

The reality is that the young lady in question is THE VALEDICTORIAN of that class at that institution. She has earned her spot; as it were, and should be allowed her moment to addess the class, the school, the falculty, and the parents as far as her position has earned her that place of respect permits.

The reality is that one cannot separate one's faith from ones character. I believe that her strong faith maybe the very reason this young lady earned her place as THE VALEDICTORIAN.

It may not be how others have gained such a position; however, they were also extended the right to be heard and their values to be presented.

So the atheists out in the crowd got more than they bargained for. They were not injured but prayed for; apparently, by someone who actually cared about them and their future. If they indeed felt any injury, it must be the result of guilt. And guilt cannot be imagined to have reality, if invisible things are not to be believed...

They had the opportunity to consider what this young lady said and investigate it, apply it, or totally reject it. But they should at least respect who said it, simply because of what being THE VALEDICTORIAN represents. That is the very least of their obligation.

THE VALEDICTORIAN represents the very best of that class, of that institution. And again, it should be understood that no matter if you agree with this young lady or not, she spoke as she felt led. And that leading is very likely a major part of how she became THE VALEDICTORIAN.

If addressing the class concerning GOD is misbehavior, then what exactly isn't misbehavior? Must a student who has earned the highest standing among her peers in an institution only speak as that institution demands. One cannot think for one's self or outside some box that is constructed by that institution?

Even if you disagree with what that young lady said, you must see that it took courage on her part to so openly address that crowd. She was practicing her freedom of speech for everyone to hear and observe. She is to be admired, and I believe that she is a fine example of a VALEDICTORIAN. One I can only pray others would emulate.

 

[MoonLancer]

fallacy of a authority? Your argument distilled is that its ok what she did because of her position. If she took off her robe and stated to touch would you have the same opinion. afterall she is simply expressing herself right?

 

[OllieFranz]

I have mixed feelings about her "free speech rights" vs the state-run school's "establishment of religion" problem, but that is not what I want to talk about. I want to talk about her lies.

In an effort to balance her rights with the school's required neutrality, the school suggested that there would be no problem with a "short and inoffensive" benediction. That is what she agreed to. She lied.

I will not argue the length of the benediction. Although it seemed interminable, it actually took less than four minutes. But inoffensive? Did she really believe she was being inoffensive when she called education idolatry? Was she being inoffensive when she took it upon herself to claim that all of the graduating class thanked Jesus for His death (ignoring the atheists, Jews, and other non-Christians that were graduating -- or worse yet put words blasphemous to their own religious beliefs into their mouths saying "You alone will be lifted up in all of our lives")?

 

[quatona]

What do you make of the behaviour of this girl?

Well, everyone is entitled to make a fool of themselves.
I´m pretty confident that she doesn´t do her convictions a favour by exposing them in this way, in this place and at this time.

Do you think this qualifies as a short and inoffensive benediction?

Offensive? Ah, come on, why take offense from this?
Short? No. She´s wasting everyone´s time.

And what do you think of a college student who condemns what she calls "worshipping the intellectual mind"

Well, if she has "worshipped the intellectual mind" I would criticize her. Intellectuality and worship don´t go together well.
On another note I have no idea what an "intellectual mind" is (and as opposed to what - an anti-intellectual mind or an intellectual body), but I guess that´s just how they randomly string together negatively connotated words in sunday school.

and "repents for the humanism that [she has] embraced"?

I´m pretty sure she doesn´t even really know what humanism is.

Do you think what she does is acceptable, or even moral?

I really can´t take all this too seriously. I´ll file it under unintended comical parody.

 

[No Swansong]

"Free speech" as a buzzword does hardly answer the questions I posted in the OP - I'd calmly sit through pretty much anything, but that doesn't make that speech appropriate. It's rude, insulting, and downright barmy - provided that her classmates weren't fanatics like herself, I wouldn't be surprised if she spoiled the ceremony for quite a few of them.

Well, perhaps it's just my European sensibilities - we're just not used to such levels of religious fanatism; it looks almost like a psychological condition to us.

And you are certainly entitled to your opinion and I also notice that you are using a forum provided to you to voice that opinion. See how that works.

 

[No Swansong]

Look at it this way, I that was me up on the stage, and I started ranting about how there was no god, and how everyone who believed in one was misguided. After all, it would just be free speech, and me expressing my beliefs, and apparently atheism is a religion, as I've been told many times.

I don't agree that Atheism is a religion but if you had earned the right to deliver the message (valedictorian) then I would quietly listen to your "rant" and continue to celebrate my achievement. I would even be happy and perhaps envious that you had earned the opportunity to address the class and I didn't.