"Religion stops a thinking mind...it is only another socially acceptable addiction."

[Skunk]

Originally posted by Maelakin: Can I have two smokes? After all, they will be my last!

Wouldn't you rather use your last request for the traditional song reserved for this occasion?

9,999,999,999,999 green bottles hanging on the wall
and if one one green bottle
should accidently fall
there'll be
9,999,999,999,998 green bottles hanging on the wall...

[Maelakin]

Hehe, I always hated that song. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I would rather not delay the inevitable at that point. Just gimmie a smoke or two so I could spend my last 15-20 minutes happily enjoying myself.

[Rokenn]

Originally posted by Maelakin: Can I have two smokes? After all, they will be my last!

Two smokes uh? Do you also enjoy two 'smokes' in the morning, and two smokes at night?


I smoke two joints in the morning
I smoke two joint at night
I smoke two joint in the afternoon
It makes me feel all right

I smoke two joints in time of peace
And two in time of war
I smoke two joints before I smoke two joints,
And then I smoke two more

Daddy he once told me,
"Son, you be hard workin' man"
And momma she once told me,
"Son, you do the best you can"
Then one day I meet a man,
He came to me and said,
"Hard work good and hard work fine,
but first take care of head"

Whoa rock me to the night
Ja say

[img]graemlins/bonghit.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/petard.gif[/img]

[ 10-28-2003, 11:15 AM: Message edited by: Rokenn ]

[Maelakin]

Shhh, don't be spreading my secrets!!

You really didn't think I was suggesting cigarettes would calm me enough to allow someone to blow my head off did you? [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Pikachu_PM]

A lot of people who are religious are stupid.
A lot of people who are not religious are stupid.

Life is made of two kinds of ppl: People who can think for themselves, and people who let others think for them. Statistically speaking, people who let others think for them are much more likely to be strongly religious.

You should not have asked him to take down his sig. He is expressing his thoughts with far less malace than most zealouts express their faith. Why is it ok for a 'born-again' to knock on my door once a month to try and convert me by telling me I am damned to eternal hell, but as an agnostic I should be shunned for 'preaching' my beliefs. At least I have evidence to support my 'faith' and came to my conclusions on my own accord.

If you are insulted it is likely because part of the bite rings true. No one who is called fat would be insulted if they weren't fat...get my drift?

[ 10-28-2003, 03:26 PM: Message edited by: Pikachu_PM ]

[Mouse]

Originally posted by Pikachu_PM: Statistically speaking, people who let others think for them are much more likely to be strongly religious. (edit) If you are insulted it is likely because part of the bite rings true. No one who is called fat would be insulted if they weren't fat...get my drift?

Just a word of caution here. Firstly, in your first assertion, you mention "statistically speaking". This implies that you can produce some link to evidence to back up this statement. If not, them you are simply making an unsubstantiated claim, which undermines your point.

Secondly, to insult someone because they are fat, thin, black, white, handicapped or simply different only serves to highlight the malicious ignorance of those uttering the insult. This is completely different from the situation where someone takes umbrage at a remark or statement made without malice or simply to make their own beliefs clear.

The espousal of one opinion or belief system does not automatically imply an attack on the sincerity or validity of a contrary viewpoint. Think of it this way. If you give two people a pile of bricks and some cement, one might build a barbeque, the other a might lay a path. Same source material, different conclusions

[ 10-28-2003, 03:57 PM: Message edited by: Mouse ]

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Pikachu_PM: A lot of people who are religious are stupid. A lot of people who are not religious are stupid. Life is made of two kinds of ppl: People who can think for themselves, and people who let others think for them. Statistically speaking, people who let others think for them are much more likely to be strongly religious. You should not have asked him to take down his sig. He is expressing his thoughts with far less malace than most zealouts express their faith. Why is it ok for a 'born-again' to knock on my door once a month to try and convert me by telling me I am damned to eternal hell, but as an agnostic I should be shunned for 'preaching' my beliefs. At least I have evidence to support my 'faith' and came to my conclusions on my own accord. If you are insulted it is likely because part of the bite rings true. No one who is called fat would be insulted if they weren't fat...get my drift?

Have I ever knocked on his door once a month? Knocked on your door once a month? I have never knocked on anyones door, so that is a straw man beside the point. I repeat. I have a neutral sig, and I simply made a personal request. I am "allowed" to make a personal request of someone I am communicating with. Or are you telling me what to do now?

"You should not have asked him to take down his sig"

Oh? Shouldn't I? Are you my employer? The enforcer of laws?

I have the opinion that you should practice what you preach. In declaring what I should and shouldn't do, you went way beyond what I REQUESTED, and ASKED a person I was discussing with to do as an act of CONSIDERATION.

As for the insult... no you are incorrect. I would be insulted if I was called fat, because I am not. If I was, it would be truth. Why be insulted at truth. I am different to you, in that I am insulted not by truth, but misconception and mistruth. So please, don't apply your values of offense onto me, for they are incorrect. I am quite happy with who I am. It is peoples mistaken perceptions that piss me off.

[Ronn_Bman]

Originally posted by Pikachu_PM: Life is made of two kinds of ppl: People who can think for themselves, and people who let others think for them.

Actually, there are three kinds of people. The one you missed is; People who want to think for other people because they believe theirs is the one true way of thinking.

Surprisingly, not all of the third group are religious.

[Pikachu_PM]

][/QUOTE]Have I ever knocked on his door once a month? Knocked on your door once a month? I have never knocked on anyones door, so that is a straw man beside the point. I repeat. I have a neutral sig, and I simply made a personal request. I am "allowed" to make a personal request of someone I am communicating with. Or are you telling me what to do now?

"You should not have asked him to take down his sig"

Oh? Shouldn't I? Are you my employer? The enforcer of laws?

I have the opinion that you should practice what you preach. In declaring what I should and shouldn't do, you went way beyond what I REQUESTED, and ASKED a person I was discussing with to do as an act of CONSIDERATION.

As for the insult... no you are incorrect. I would be insulted if I was called fat, because I am not. If I was, it would be truth. Why be insulted at truth. I am different to you, in that I am insulted not by truth, but misconception and mistruth. So please, don't apply your values of offense onto me, for they are incorrect. I am quite happy with who I am. It is peoples mistaken perceptions that piss me off. [/QB][/QUOTE]

I didn't say "I order you to not ask him to take down his sig"

I said "You should not have asked him to take down his sig." Perhaps I should have included, what I thought was assumed, the pre-text 'In my opinion, you should not...."

For that miscommunication, I apologize. As for setting up 'straw men' YOU may not have been the person who knocked on my door. Maybe YOU never would knock on my door. But YOU are part of a greater institution who has members who DO knock on my door. As a member and believer that institution, you may be offended when I attack the institution, but just keep in mind that I am not attacking YOU I am attacking the institution. As such, I will respond to the INSTITUTION the way it approaches me. Its not that two-wrongs make a right, its that hopefully by being offended--they way you were offended by the sig--ppl will say "OH, so thats how it feels?!"

Oh, and the reason why, IN MY OPINION, I don't believe you should have asked him to take down his sig, is because of a disease in our culture with forbids ppl to disagree with the religious institution. We can argue politics, we can argue philosophy, but we can't argue about religion. It's not socialy acceptable. The fact that it is socially unacceptable to argue about religion is the very reason I agree with the comment about how religion stops a person from thinking. You are the perfect example of this disease. If it were 'just' you, i'd say, screw it...take down the sig.

But it's not just you...it is an idea that has corrupted large parts our society...the idea things should not be talked about because they offend. Religion is too significant in our culture to be above critical thought just because it 'offends'.

[Pikachu_PM]

Originally posted by Ronn_Bman: quote: Originally posted by Pikachu_PM: Life is made of two kinds of ppl: People who can think for themselves, and people who let others think for them.

Actually, there are three kinds of people. The one you missed is; People who want to think for other people because they believe theirs is the one true way of thinking.

Surprisingly, not all of the third group are religious. [/QUOTE]I am going to assume hear that you are implying that I am among this 'third group'

Lets get one thing straight...I'm not attacking Yorick for his beliefs, I am defending --ok, so sue me I forget his name--'s OBLIGATION to express his beliefs and my right to hold such beliefs. I'm not saying "i'm right and Yoricks wrong" I'm saying the issue is too significant to be ignored simply because some find it offensive.