First off, let me just come and say I am total bigot against religious people. They repulse me. Still, I am often forgiving of religious music. I love a lot of old time country gospel music for example. But for Pete's sake, Ben Weasel was an MRR collumnist. Now he's taking his kids to church. Just the fact that he's a breeder, has a traditional family, and takes them to church makes me want to puke. And the reason why I don't respect it is because it's totally stupid. Worshiping God is stupid. Christianity is moronic and it's totally at odds with what I consider to be punk ethics. I grew up on punk and read MRR for years- Oh the guy's just a wanker that's all. He's probably driving his minivan around right now saying some stupid prayer in his mind.

I believe that to be a punk, one simply needs to be him/herself. Ben is being himself and he's completely within his rights. Granted, his former lifestyle might, at some point, come into conflict with his newfound beliefs. What he chooses then will reflect out on how "religious" he really is.

As for your loathing of the religious, I will leave that to you; it's your opinion. I do think that you should keep an open mind about things and not just write something off simply because you think you may disagree with it.

But again: Do what you want.

I don't just think I may disagree with it. It sickens me to my core. It's so obviously baloney but people just go on and on with it. Conforming to stupidity like that is absolutely unpunk, if anything ever was.

Religious people aren't sheep; well not all of them, anyway. I can see where people don't like religion, Christianity, especially. But I know lots of Christians, Jews, Muslims, etc.. and they are pretty okay people.

Is being a bigot really a punk thing?

Actually it could be argued Buddhism follows a lot of the same message as punk .

Lol at the last question! I think the most unpunk thing you can do is be punk. I like a lot of people who are religious too but I do think less of them because they are religious (and I tell them that and they generally don't give a damn).

Sure, if doing exactly what you're told to do from 4 am to 10 pm for years on end is punk, then yeah. Pretend Western Buddhism maybe but real Buddhism? No way.

Using your logic you'd have to be a monk or a nun to practice 'real' Christianity.

So if someone were to hate homosexuals, just because they are homsexuals, you would be okay with that bigotry?

That's very rude of you. I bet you do like them, but I'm sure the feelings aren't mutual. Maybe they don't give a damn on the outside, but on the inside they hold you in contempt.

Regarding homophobes/ I tell them it's stupid because homosexuals don't have a bad track record. I have a generally favorable opinion of homosexuals and tend to defend them and speak out against homophobia because it's ungrounded. In fact, it stems from religion. I mean, a non-religious homophobe is pretty rare. Poeple who hate homosexuals are usually religious.

On the second point, it's only fair they should hold me in contempt. I hold them in contempt for clinging to a stupid belief system. My friends, who are few and far between -the way I want it- have thick skins. So do I. One of my best friends calls my a morally groundless degenerate. I laugh it off because I know where he's coming from. I tell him his religion is for idiots and we both laugh and take it from there and move on to talking about sports or music.