Re: Democracy...

mmotyka@lsil.com on 16/09/98 00:48:25

Please respond to mmotyka@lsil.com

To:   cypherpunks@toad.com
cc:
Subject:  Re: Democracy...




>Vivek Vaidya wrote:
> Ever heard of seperation of church and state? Democracy? the rights of
> the individual?  While you certainly have the right to practice your
> religion in what ever manner you so choose demanding that everyone > else
> does, or that the president of the us of ais subject to you PERSONAL
> faith decisions is outragous
>
> Vivek Vaidya
>
But whoever said I'm in the US?

Where did I make any such demand?

However, if you believe in something to be life changing and beneficial to
      both the idividual and society you'll want or

be compelled to "pass it on".  I can't and do not wish to force any one to
      any point of view, that's pointless.

What I wanted to illustrate is that there are absolutes, to say there are
      no obsolutes is in itself an absolute and so is self

defeating.  We must have absolutes.  These are often agreed on and applied
      through the legal systems but they are still there.

Thus, when examining the behaviour of people in power we apply rules to
      encompass that power ie you can go so far and

no further.  When we are talking about national leaders in the west that do
      represent a wide range of views this can become

more difficult but there still must be a yard stick agreed.



PS If ol' Bill claims to be a Christian then he himself is setting the yard
      stick against we should measure him.

> However, if you believe in something to be life changing and > beneficial to both the idividual and society you'll want or be
> compelled to "pass it on". 
>
Altruistic on the surface. Regarding religion though, why do I always
get the feeling that when implemented and empowered it is judgemental
and intolerant of those who do not fall properly in line?

> What I wanted to illustrate is that there are absolutes, to say there
> are no obsolutes is in itself an absolute and so is self defeating.
>
All right Mr. Logic, you're so sharp, give me ONE example of a *moral*
absolute.

> We must have absolutes.
>
We do: speed of light, mass of the electron, probably, but behavior? We
have behaviors that facilitate our persistance and propagation as a
species at ever increasing densities. Operating outside the boundaries
is neither right nor wrong, simply different. Not necessarily without
consequences, but simply different. Your yardstick is an hallucination
to which you cling to forlornly like a kitten clinging to a stick in a
raging river.

Mike

ps - is 'forlornly' really a word? I think so, but it looks odd today.