Religion
Related: About this forumNon-Religious Fanatics
30.12.2011 | 11:00
Benedikt Jóhannesson
bj@icelandreview.com
When I lived in the US I generally liked people. They were open, easy to get to know and the ones I knew were rather liberal and open-minded. The only thing that I never understood was religious intolerance and the insistence on owning guns. Even relatively pleasant people talked in phrases: If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns (To which I would reply, if only mentally: Then you will only be shot on the remote chance you meet an outlaw, not by your relatives or friends).
It seemed strange to me that TV preachers, who spoke as if they were on the verge of insanity, would have influence over politicians, even presidents. I was sure that the religious people were generally not better than the rest of us. I didnt mind them believing whatever they wanted, as long as they left me alone.
Now we have the reverse happening here in Iceland. Morgunbladid has uncovered a conspiracy on behalf of a group of non-believers called Vantrú or Disbelief. They decided to wage Holy war (yes they did add a smiley!) on a teacher in the theology department at the University of Iceland.
The story started in September 2009 when a student from outside theology attended a course taught by instructor Bjarni Randver Sigurvinsson. He was encouraged to attend by the then chairman of Disbelief who told other members of the society on their intranet: I suspect this will be a goldmine.
http://www.icelandreview.com
laconicsax
(14,860 posts)rug
(82,333 posts)Best I can suggest is search the site by title or author. It's mildly interesting.
Thanks for the heads up.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)moobu2
(4,822 posts)Even has a FOXish correction at the bottom...From the page you linked to..
"Note: It is incorrectly stated that the journalist spoke to many members of Disbelief. He only spoke to one member who, according to Morgunbladid said what is quoted above.
The former chairman of Disbelief has wirtten to me and said that the student attended the course of Bjarni Randver because of his studies, not because he was encouraged to do so. The Morgunbladid journalist, Börkur Gunnarsson, told me that this student did not take any exams in the course."
rug
(82,333 posts)trotsky
(49,533 posts)and which was reported inaccurately at that time as well. And it appears Disbelief was trying to get the record set straight back then as well. If you go to the site via Google translate, check out the 12/29/11 posting The "Jihad" and "bullying" unbelief.