+imajeep Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 I found a cache today with a religious tract that someone had deposited. Now, I've got nothing against religion, but my understanding is that prosetylization and agenda-ism are not in the spirit of the game. So, I took the liberty of treating the tract as a travel bug and moving it to the first round cache (you know, the ones with the swinging lids ) I found on the way out. I duly noted that I was doing this in the cache log book and in the online log of my visit. No invective, just a polite BTW. So, here's my question: Was removing the religious tract okay to do, or was it a breach of etiquette? Thanks. Link to comment
+eagletrek Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Ya won't know until your number's up, will you????? Link to comment
Mushtang Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 So, here's my question: Was removing the religious tract okay to do, or was it a breach of etiquette? Thanks. Did you leave something of equal or greater value? Link to comment
+Snoogans Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 I found a cache today with a religious tract that someone had deposited. Now, I've got nothing against religion, but my understanding is that prosetylization and agenda-ism are not in the spirit of the game. So, I took the liberty of treating the tract as a travel bug and moving it to the first round cache (you know, the ones with the swinging lids ) I found on the way out. I duly noted that I was doing this in the cache log book and in the online log of my visit. No invective, just a polite BTW. So, here's my question: Was removing the religious tract okay to do, or was it a breach of etiquette? Thanks. You have just proudly practiced religious persecution. WTG. Just about anything can be considered an agenda. What about the agenda to fill caches with McToys? I'll take tracts when there are more than 3 of the same one, but I'll leave at least 3. I don't trash the ones I take either. It somehow seems wrong to me. Instead, I give them to church people who feel the need to come to my door to save me. I'm Agnostic and I wish to God that people would STOP thinkin' that makes me an Atheist..... Link to comment
+Knight2000 Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 I found a cache today with a religious tract that someone had deposited. Now, I've got nothing against religion, but my understanding is that prosetylization and agenda-ism are not in the spirit of the game. So, I took the liberty of treating the tract as a travel bug and moving it to the first round cache (you know, the ones with the swinging lids ) I found on the way out. I duly noted that I was doing this in the cache log book and in the online log of my visit. No invective, just a polite BTW. So, here's my question: Was removing the religious tract okay to do, or was it a breach of etiquette? Thanks. Id say if its just one- leave it. Someone is just trying to share a positive thought with you. If it was full of them- maybe something different? Im not sure. Some people think sharing something that is important to you is "bible thumping". Hey, Jesus went from town to town sharing what was important to him. I would just think you dont want to go too far with it though. Im sure someone will come along and say remove it because they don't like it. Link to comment
+LivesWithMonkeys Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 So, here's my question: Was removing the religious tract okay to do, or was it a breach of etiquette? Thanks. Did you leave something of equal or greater value? I printed up several pamphlets from the FSM web site for just such an occasion: FSM Link to comment
+Petermgr Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 So, here's my question: Was removing the religious tract okay to do, or was it a breach of etiquette? Thanks. I'm new at geocaching . . . however, wouldn't it be up to the owner of the cache to remove something "they" feel is not welcome in their cache? Peter Link to comment
+OienLabs Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 I'm Agnostic and I wish to God that people would STOP thinkin' that makes me an Atheist Is that something like: Thank God I am an Atheist, or: I hate fanatics. Just love these flowers of the language. Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Trade up or Even. Just not right to take it and trash it without leaving something in its place. Link to comment
+Snoogans Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 (edited) I'm Agnostic and I wish to God that people would STOP thinkin' that makes me an Atheist Is that something like: Thank God I am an Atheist, or: I hate fanatics. Just love these flowers of the language. Try being Agnostic and living in the Bible belt. Folks can't seem to see the major difference between refusing to define the undefineable for myself and others that don't share my beliefs (Agnostic) and actively rejecting the mere idea of a higher power for yourself and others. (Atheist) That motto you quoted is now one of my signature smashed pennies that I leave in caches. Edited May 30, 2007 by Snoogans Link to comment
Keystone Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Please limit discussion in this thread to the propriety of removing religious literature from caches. If you wish to discuss agnosticism vs. atheism, or any other religious-based offshoot of this narrow question, feel free to open a thread in the off topic forum. Thanks. Link to comment
+DanOCan Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 I take the approach of unless it is obvious trash I'll leave it there. Someone may want to trade for it down the road. I think removing something of that nature should be up to the cache owner. Link to comment
+rdaines Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 It was doing no harm so I'd have left it. I've seem many religious items in caches, didn't bother me one bit. Now people leaving money in caches, that's horrible and I remove it immediately <grin>. Link to comment
+Knight2000 Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Trade up or Even. Just not right to take it and trash it without leaving something in its place. What do you trade for something that is priceless or saves your life? Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Trade up or Even. Just not right to take it and trash it without leaving something in its place. What do you trade for something that is priceless or saves your life? Oh, in that case I'll just outright take it, clutch it to my chest and snarl if anyone tries to take it from me. Link to comment
+imajeep Posted May 30, 2007 Author Share Posted May 30, 2007 Ya won't know until your number's up, will you????? LOL ROTF That's great! I actually did not see that coming! No, I guess I won't, will I... Link to comment
crtrue Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Please limit discussion in this thread to the propriety of removing religious literature from caches. If you wish to discuss agnosticism vs. atheism, or any other religious-based offshoot of this narrow question, feel free to open a thread in the off topic forum. Thanks. *scours forum list* We have an off-topic forum? Was this humor? Link to comment
crtrue Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Trade up or Even. Just not right to take it and trash it without leaving something in its place. What do you trade for something that is priceless or saves your life? Trading is up to the owner. The problem with pamphlets is that they may be seen as valuable tools to one person, and as annoying advertising (read -- worthless) to another. I don't think there -can- be a hard / fast rule for something like this. Trade what you feel, and don't get all mopey if someone removes your pamphlet / places a pamphlet in your cache, because you can just remove it. Remember, even the trade 'rule' is just general etiquette, nothing set in stone. Link to comment
+imajeep Posted May 30, 2007 Author Share Posted May 30, 2007 (edited) I printed up several pamphlets from the FSM web site for just such an occasion: FSM You know, that's a great idea! Or maybe Church of the Subgenius. And for the more religiously inclined out there, we mean no harm. God must have a sense of humor. After all, he invented sex! Edited May 30, 2007 by imajeep Link to comment
+imajeep Posted May 30, 2007 Author Share Posted May 30, 2007 Frisbeetarianism: The belief that when we die, our souls go up onto the roof and get stuck there. - George Carlin I love it! I am now officially a Frisbeetarian! Where do I go to get the operation done? Link to comment
+Cornerstone4 Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Please limit discussion in this thread to the propriety of removing religious literature from caches. If you wish to discuss agnosticism vs. atheism, or any other religious-based offshoot of this narrow question, feel free to open a thread in the off topic forum. Thanks. *scours forum list* We have an off-topic forum? Was this humor? Nope...not humor. You can't see the Off-Topic forum unless you are a premium member. All kinds of crazy stuff in there. Now, the real hidden gems are only found if you are a platinum member! Link to comment
+imajeep Posted May 30, 2007 Author Share Posted May 30, 2007 Thanks for all the replies. I can see there are two sides to the issue, and the best solution seems to be 'trade even or up." I think I'll revisit that cache tomorrow and drop something off. For those who wish to share their faith: Geocaching is an amazingly sociable community, considering the strong beliefs that probably lie just below the surface. Just as you wish tro share your faith, a gun-owner may wish to prosetylize about Second Amendment rights. A gay geocacher may wish to prosetylize about same-sex marriage. An opponent of the Iraq War may wish to share their anti-war beliefs. I could go on and on (and often do ). Geocaching works as a community because by and large, we all leave our opinions and beliefs at the door. Instead, we focus our attention on common ground, our love of the game. One of the things I enjoy about geocaching is that it provides an escape from social, political, and religious issues. When any of these issues are injected into the game, the game suffers. Link to comment
+Bad_CRC Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 you were right to remove the religious garbage. you were wrong to bring it to the forums, where the very same type of people who love to pawn that stuff onto others can tell you why they think their right to spew it everywhere is more important than your right not to have it spewn upon you when caching. Link to comment
Keystone Posted May 30, 2007 Share Posted May 30, 2007 Frisbeetarianism: The belief that when we die, our souls go up onto the roof and get stuck there. - George Carlin I love it! I am now officially a Frisbeetarian! Where do I go to get the operation done? Since the OP cannot abide by the previous moderator request to stay on-topic, I'm locking his thread. Link to comment
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