LOL.

I believe in god and I think it’s un-American not to believe in him.

That’s all I want to say!

Sven

I hadn’t heard about the inclusion of God Delusion parts in the desecration, that is a nice touch that reinforces the point.

While I’m not sure how I feel about the ethics of urging people to steal even very inexpensive communion wafers, even to do so discreetly, I am certain that I don’t think he should be fired from his university position for doing so on his own time and without using channels owned or operated by the university (despite an accidental link to his blog found in an old cache of the university’s website I gather).

I wasn’t being rhetorical in asking some of the more specific questions in the middle paragraph of my above post however. I’ve been having a long drawn out conversation with a friend and he’s brought up a ton of interesting points like these that have made me re-think my positions, but I’m very eager to hear what answers you or any atheist would have.

I still am concerned with him actively encouraging people to go to a Catholic church with the intention of swiping a cracker, however. That still seems to me to be over the line.
The university decided to take no action, but the student government body he was part of voted to kick him out of their ranks which seemed a fairly craven thing to do.

It’s bizarre that this episode became such a big deal, especially as the student seemed to have a fairly innocuous reason for his actions.

The desecration of the wafer was done to highlight the illogic behind getting too upset about the fate of dried wheat. The person doing the desecration sees no symbolism in the cracker or the act, and is mocking those who do. “So you say you have to do all that every time I say Macbeth? MACBETH!”

Burning flags in response to a government’s actions is different, as it indicates that YOU see symbolism in the piece of cloth. This is dumb.

Unless of course you’re protesting an anti-flag-burning law or some such. In which case it is an act of civil disobedience, to highlight the illogic behind getting too upset about the fate of a piece of fabric. I can get behind that.

I am interested though in the question of whether or not Webster Cook should have been expelled from the University of Florida for his actions. Is it (or should it be) against a university’s code of conduct to “disrespect” someone, if no harm is done physically or monetarily? Does the “stealing” of the cracker count as vandalism? Does the cost of the item stolen factor into the decision? Is the fact that it was given freely to him by the priest relevant? However absurd PZ Myers’ actions, should he be fired from his professor’s position (or does tenure prevent that)?

It seems to me that the Catholic Church has authority to throw Cook out of the church, albeit nonviolently, and has the right to call the cops if he won’t leave, but that there are no grounds for expelling him from school. He broke no law, and simply not following Church doctrine, however blasphemous the infraction, however much “disrespect” it shows, however pissed off it makes anyone at all, is not an expulsion-worthy offense.

If schools can expel people, or employers fire people, merely because they say or do controversial or disrespectful things and not harming anyone physically or in their pocketbook, then doesn’t that kind of restrict free speech? Like, completely 100% eliminate it from everyone except the self-employed?