HIGHLA-L Digest - 11 Aug 2006 to 12 Aug 2006 (#2006-129)
HIGHLA-L automatic digest system (LISTSERV@lists.psu.edu)
Sat, 12 Aug 2006 22:00:07 -0400
There are 2 messages totalling 134 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Living UnGracefully, Until Someone Catches Up With Him (2)
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Date: Sat, 12 Aug 2006 11:40:41 -0700
From: Elaine Nicol <elainen@inguz.co.uk>
Subject: Re: Living UnGracefully, Until Someone Catches Up With Him
Judy wrote:
>>Only that no other religion seems to get the same pot shots as
Christians.
That was part of the point Christians were making in the discussion
about
"Book of Daniel". Christians get made fun of an awful lot in our
society.
Why don't we make fun of Islam? Buddhism? Judaism??
Only if you ask them they will tell you that their religion is the one
that gets the abuse. Just like racism, everyone thinks their group is
the one everyone is getting at.
>>As a devout Christian, I don't feel persecuted, but I do get tired of
all
the snarky comments about Christians. And, I feel obliged to point out
that
there are various "flavors" of Christianity, and we don't all have the
same
beliefs, and shouldn't necessarily be all lumped together.<<
Again something everyone feels about their own religion, race, or
whatever group they put themselves into.
>>Also, as a devout Christian, I find the casual use of the name of the
God
that I worship to be offensive, although I rarely post about it. I'm
fairly
certain that if someone posted something using racial slurs or epithets,
they'd be jumped on by many people with lots of feet. Why is it that we
seem
to feel it's OK to offend someone who is religious, but it's not OK to
offend someone who may have a different skin color or belong to a
particular
ethic group. Personally, I find the comments I consider blasphemous more
painful than racial slurs. No, I do not think racial slurs are
acceptable,
but neither are comments that religious people find blasphemous.<<
This is a very thorny problem - I am willing to bet that you have used
the name of someone's god in the same way, maybe without realising it.
It is not okay to deliberately offend anyone, and that can be done
without using obvious words like God or Jesus or anything else. And
there is the point it is about the intention behind what is said that
makes it truly offensive.
Blasphemy is an altogether more complex thing. Most religious beliefs
of one religion make it blasphemous to other religion so therefore by
it's very existence it is a blasphemy. That is why there should be no
blasphemy law.
Remember at one time people who thought the earth was not the centre of
the universe was considered blasphemous.
Respect for each other is what is needed and of course a reminder that
it cuts both ways, and sometimes you have to allow others to say and do
things you do not like, so that you may have that right too.
The only reason I would every fight for religion is for the freedom of
all to worship in whatever way they please.
Elaine
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Date: Sat, 12 Aug 2006 11:07:40 -1000
From: Nina Davis <macwestie@hawaii.rr.com>
Subject: Re: Living UnGracefully, Until Someone Catches Up With Him
John--
> Nina, ever the diplomat-in-training, makes the exact opposite point she
> intends to (maybe?) by simply using the generic generalisation 'they' and
> therefore inferring all Christians behave the same way and only feel
> they're persecuted/generalised.
Nope. My "they" clearly referred to the subset of Christians Wendy was
talking about--those Christians (whoever & however many they may be) who say
they are being persecuted in America today. It's absurd, as well as
demeaning of those groups--religious & otherwise--who really DO face that
problem.
> In future, I don't think that's an unreasonable a request - to not
> deliberately use religious language that we know offends anyone here.
Well, then you go right ahead w/ that. And I suspect the rest of us will do
what we find to be reasonable. And getting all lathered up over a joking
reference to a ridiculous post demonstrates a tragic lack of both
perspective & sense of humor.
>Me? I think most religions worth their weight in faith are funny and sturdy
>enough to face any kind of debate. Doesn't mean I deliberately throw rocks.
I bet that's just because you throw like a girl.
me before--
>It's usually simple ignominy. When they feel embarrassed, they cry foul.
>It's more of a distraction technique, really. Being asked to defend your
>religious doctrine for discussion purposes is hardly akin to losing your
>life if caught praying.
Judy--
>Well, not all Christians react this way.
Of course not. And no one said all Christians did. But, it does happen
here, & Rottie's recent knee-jerk (& rather comically off-the-mark) reaction
is, sadly, typical.
Rottie--
>the slew of defamatory and vitriolic insults that followed my comment
See?
Nina (just 3 more boxes to unpack)
macwestie@hawaii.rr.com
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End of HIGHLA-L Digest - 11 Aug 2006 to 12 Aug 2006 (#2006-129)
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