Town passes law banning "Taking Lord's Name in Vain"

[Turley]

The town council passed ban by 13-4 vote.

“A ban on swearing can be seen as a signal,” the council’s proposal said, adding a change in moral values was needed to address the underlying problem.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8070556/

[Liberal Veteran]

1. Jesus Christ! What in God's name are they thinking?

God, there is no way this can be constitutional.

[Oreo]

3. It's in Denmark...errr... Christ! I mean Holland!

Why do I always do that! I used to work for Dutch company.

Jesus! Didn't you read the link? ;)

[Roland99]

5. The Netherlands...It's Dutch, not Danish.

:)

[sniffa]

12. mmmmm danish

[rkc3]

14. Goddammit! One second too late.

[reprobate]

27. Cheese?

[dutchdemocrat]

16. Thank You

Netherlands aka Holland is not Denmark.

Funny enough - the Dutch have a number of hard core reformists (Dutch Reformed Church) who have some fairly archaic beliefs. They still take the Old Testament quite literally, and even the Catholics have branched away from that somewhat.

The Dutch Reformists have been in America since New Amsterdam (prior to New York) and the Midwest Dutch immigrants set up Calvin College (where Bush did a speech and was protested against).


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Reformed_Church
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reformed_Church_in_America


Calvin College Protest against Bush

http://www.lansingcitypulse.com/050601/stories/silverman.asp

[dsewell]

8. When did Denmark conquer the Netherlands?

By Odin, didn't you read the link?

(this grumble refers to the original version of parent claiming that the town is Dutch)

[Zenlitened]

2. Which "Lord"?

:shrug:

[Roland99]

4. Never ceases to amaze me...

that arrogant people filled with false faith actually think there's a supernatural being and that that being gives two shits about any particular country or political party on a piss-ant planet in an average solar system in an average galaxy out of the billions of galaxies out there.

[ima_sinnic]

60. or that said fantasy being actually give's a rat's ass about

what particular combination of letters is coming out of some minuscule bipedal organism's pie hole. :hi:

[Fire Walk With Me]

72. I believe in supernatural beings, but I'll never force you to accept them

Only a really shitty supernatural being would want their followers to force others into submission, or killed. Only a really shitty one, hear? Sounds like some people are mistaken about the supernatural being that they're following.

I can be over here thinking about my invisible guys, you can be over there thinking about yours, and we never have to battle over it. If you sustain some benefit from your beliefs that interests me, I'll ask you about it. What a concept...

[mbperrin]

6. God damn it! I am not taking His name in VAIN!

I really want Him to damn whatever or whoever I'm talking about!

Think of it as really forceful prayer!

[BlueEyedSon]

7. God dammit, what are those Hollandaise people thinkin'???

[Rowdyboy]

26. Mmmmmmmm! Hollandaise........

[Maeve]

39. Just switch to "Amster-dammit!"

What fools these mortals be! :popcorn:

[Demit]

9. Oh My God! Hope it helps moral values!

[KurtNYC]

10. This is bad news for those home makeover shows

Ty Pennigton: Take a look at your new house....

the people: OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!

[Sabriel]

31. Is it still in vain if you use Internet abbreviations?

There's nothing vain about a teeny little acronym, really.

[Sin]

34. Actually.

Even if you think it They might consider it a taking it in vain
since you know what the acronym means its a sin of the mind Just like wet dreams only different, that's how crazy they are.

[demnan]

11. What are you guys unhappy about?

Hey some other country has assholes too! I'm just relieved it wasn't in Florida or Virginia or Oklahoma.

[TlalocW]

13. I'm in Oklahoma

I'm sure there's already a law on the books about that. :)

Jeepers Cripes!

TlalocW

[Kipling]

15. In HOLLAND!?

Talk about fighting a losing battle.

[DBoon]

17. Bush better not visit there

the next time he gives a speech claiming god's special guidance HE'S BUSTED

[gtar100]

18. I doubt cursing is what God had in mind when he said "in vain"

Does this remind you of any group of people?

VAIN...
* conceited: characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance; "a conceited fool"; "an attitude of self-conceited arrogance"; "an egotistical disregard of others"; "so swollen by victory that he was unfit for normal duty"; "growing ever more swollen-headed and arbitrary"; "vain about her clothes".


Taking the Lord's name in vain, as far as I can surmise, is more about using God's good name to bolster oneself, to somehow falsely align oneself with God in the cause of selfish interests. That's more worthy of a commandment than simply cursing.

But I don't know...maybe God is more of a stickler for custom than he is for the motivations of an individual.

[Coastie for Truth]

35. This is discussed in Rabbi J.H. Hertz' translation

of Scripture ("The Pentateuch and Haftorahs", Soncino Press) in the footnotes to Exodus, XX 7 (page 296). One prohibition is against using God's name to give a statement false credibility, or to something frivolous or insincere.

I have heard sermons by Progressive, Leftie clergy saying that the Third Commandment definitely proscribes using God's name (or the authority of being a clergy member) to advance an un-Godlike political agenda.

That gets us into a question of what is "un-Godlike" or, conversely, what is "Godlike" -- and I tend to come down on the side of those points where the Catholic League for Social Justice, the Quakers, the Unitarians, the United Church of Christ, and the Reform Jews find agreement.

But, that's why I am posting on DU.

[genieroze]

41. From that definition it describes * and his ilk completely.

[Solly Mack]

19. Hypocrites take the 'lords' name in vain every time they speak it

If you don't walk the walk, the talk is all in vain...

[Wilber_Stool]

20. Godfrey Daniel !!!.................n/t

[stlsaxman]

65. Gordon Bennett!

[KansDem]

21. It's about time Jack got some respect!

Book 'em, Dano! "Swearing One!"

[valis]

22. LOL, an omnipotent god bothered by swearing is a WIMP!

[BiggJawn]

24. You noticed that too?

What puzzles me is that bit about "I am the LORD thy GOD. Thou shalt have NO other gods before Me..."

The thumpers of my youth always tried to tell me that THEIR "God" is the ONLY one. everyone else's "God" was a "Demon"...

Another contradiction that wasn't logical.
Just like "You can't talk about God like that"
Why? is He gonna CRY?
Let him send a lightning bolt my way if it bugs Him.

[northzax]

23. oh crap, there goes my favourite curse:

"ah, for the love of Kali"

[Deja Q]

25. Oh God... they act as if they know God and knows how God acts like.

[pschoeb]

28. Living in Staphorst is already like being nailed to a cross, so no biggie

I mean women have to always wear dresses(and only the most modest of dresses, so all the fun is out), most people wear traditional clothing. Can't use vaccines or get blood transfusions, no tv, no mirrors, no cosmetics. You pretty much can't do anything from Saturday evening through Sunday, except go to church twice.

Even the Nazi's realized they could not torture the inhabitants more than they were torturing themsleves and left them alone. ;)

couple in Staphorst

[daleo]

29. Do not feed my God a peanut. n/t

[Odonata]

61. lol... exactly n/t

[DeaconBlues]

30. Thank Goodness

I thought it was the fundamentalists in Kansas making a mockery of democracy again.

[grytpype]

32. I'm glad someone is finally addressing the swearing problem.

I wonder what the schools are like in this little burg? Probably not too good.

[Coastie for Truth]

33. Might be a Problem for the Rapture Right

I think most of their agenda is a clear violation of the Third Commandment

"You shall not take the name of your Lord in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain"

Exodus XX, 7

The Rapture Right's use of the Lords name to advance its political agenda is clearly heretical and blasphemous in my interpretation of Scripture.

[Endangered Specie]

36. I cant believe this is in the Netherlands!...

God DAMNIT!

[socoljam]

37. It's the Netherlands...

The country that's all about sex and drugs is not going to actually enforce such a law. Or, if they do, someone will probably just challenge it and that will be the end of it.

[ashiebr]

48. The Dutch will just.....................

..........ignore it, like they do any other law they don't like.

The Netherlands is a complicated country. Never take anything at face-value.

[Debi]

38. Did you all forget Christ on a cracker? n/t

[Megahurtz]

40. Uh Oh......

I better not ever move there.:silly:

[Zerex71]

42. G*ddamn, is that a stupid idea.

[genieroze]

43. Raritan NJ already has that law for about 5 years now. I don't think it

differentiates about taking the Lords name in vain, just cussing in general.

[Zerex71]

44. How about passing a law forcing lawmakers to do something constructive?

It is, after all, what they get paid for.

[iamjoy]

45. Holy Cow!

This is in the Netherlands, which are supposed to be very tolerant. Can you imagine some Radical Clerics here getting that idea - but of course, they would wait until the courts are packed with Right Wing Judicial Activists.

Hey, if they really want to follow the bible, wouldn't they have to stone the people violating the law?

[MGKrebs]

46. Oh fer chrissakes.

I thought 'faith' was about BELIEVING something. Forcing people to ACT like they believe something isn't the same as if they ACTUALLY believe it.

Whenever I see God-forsaken crap like this, it makes me realize how weak and desperate fundamentalists are. When they can't SELL their messgage, they try to make it MANDATORY. It seems totally hypocritical and even counter productive. Or maybe it's just laziness.


FAITH
is
FOUND,
not
FORCED.

[RPM]

47. God Damn It!!!

Jesus Christ, I hope these assholes get a goddamned lesson in Constitutional Law.

Jesusmaryandjosheph!!!!!

[RedCloud]

49. "Lord" and "God" are abusing Yahweh's name!

What is the matter with these numskulls? Calling a deity "God" or "Lord" shows that one is ignorant of the real name and stuck on generics to solve their stupidity.

The name is Yahweh. Last seen, OK well, never!

[MadisonProgressive]

50. God damn assholes! Christ Almighty!!!

[HockeyMom]

51. My husband fell off a ladder

while climbing up to the roof once and broke his leg and arm. Gosh, darn it weren't the words he was screaming as he lay on the ground.

So am I to assume after he got out of the hospital they would have either thrown him in jail or fined him? ROFL

[MGKrebs]

57. ROFL? I think that would be ROFC!

Rolling On Floor Cursing!

[gtar100]

64. I'm sure his cursing was not in vain LOL

Got him through the pain with his head intact. I'd say that was a pretty good use of words.

[katty]

52. village idiots confer while globe burns w/war/poverty/famine

[Khaotic]

53. So, they can get stoned, but can't swear

No God Damn Fuckin' way duuuuuuuude.

Like you God Damn have to be trippin'! Jesus Christ ... Fuck Me.

Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuude!



What a place ... DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUDE!

[spanone]

54. The Danish Taliban.....democracy at it's worse.

maybe we should invade.

[KamaAina]

55. So... can you take Allah's name in vain?

If so, it's kind of a double standard, don't you think?

[LynnTheDem]

56. Ya fucking gotta be shitting me.

Oh yeah, it's a SIGNAL alright.

Jesus fucking Christ.

[silverweb]

58. Such hysteria over what a small, insular community does!

*LOL*

Staphorst has a population of less than 13,000 and one of the websites about the town boasts, "Where religion and culture are one." So who cares what kinds of silly laws the people there pass?

We have similar communities, Amish and Mormon come first to mind, where the residents have chosen to impose restrictive rules on themselves. So who cares? It's their community, their choice, their prerogative. That's called freedom, even if we find their choices foolish or distasteful.

Chill, people. It's not like you're going to be there any time soon or subjected to their local laws.

:D

[redwitch]

59. Jehovah Jehovah Jehovah

so there. :bounce:

[indepat]

62. WTF?

[6th Borough]

63. But how DO YOU say the Tetragrammaton? Is it possible?

;-)

[alarimer]

66. I immediately assumed it was a small town in the US

Without even reading the link! Because this is something that the Christian extremist wouldo do.

[sakabatou]

67. How in God's name will they be able to curve this?!

In the words of Mr. Slave from South Park, "I mean, Jesuth Cristh!"

[shadowknows69]

68. let's go have a swear-in

we'll recruit hollywood heavyweight cussers Al Pacino, Robert Deniro and Quentin Tarantino.

[NYC Liberal]

69. lord |lôrd| noun

someone or something having power, authority, or influence : lord of the sea | lords of the jungle.
• (in the UK) a man of noble rank or high office; a peer.
• ( Lord) (in the UK) a title given formally to a baron, and less formally to a marquess, earl, or viscount (prefixed to a family or territorial name) : Lord Derby.
• ( the Lords) (in the UK) the House of Lords, or its members collectively.
• ( Lord) (in the UK) a courtesy title given to a younger son of a duke or marquess (prefixed to a Christian name) : Lord John Russell.
• (in the UK) in compound titles of other people of authority : Lord High Executioner.
• historical a feudal superior, esp. the proprietor of a manor house.
• a master or ruler : our lord the king.

So what exactly does this law mean? :shrug:

[Dave Reynolds]

70. It may be okay if we say

Jesus Herbert Walker Christ, huh?

[tonekat]

71. Jeezus H. Fuck!

I really expected this to be about some redneck town in the US

[Fire Walk With Me]

73. Wait