> << Perhaps what is needed is for people to learn they
> can live comfortably with the truth. >>
>
> So judgemental, so controlling. Aethists amuse me, becasue they
> fall into the same trap as religions, they want everyone to follow
> their lead...
Judgmental, yes. Controlling, quite the opposite. As a dedicated
atheist myself I have no trouble expressing the point of view that
it is actually wrong to believe in God, and that anyone who does so
would be far better off to change to my religion (and yes, I agree
with you that atheism can be a religion; I don't have a problem
with that). I most emphatically do not, however, think I have any
desire to actually control what anyone else does or says. Indeed,
why should I bother with the chattering and milling about of inferior
creatures when I have things to do? I may want them to "follow my
lead" just so I have more rational, capable people to trade with,
but if they choose to spend their time in prayer or calling psychic
hotlines, well, then I'll just have to make money by taking advantage
of them instead of trading with them. Their loss, not mine. It is
the irrational ones who feel the need to control others, bending
them to the will of some imagined divine authority, or creating laws
to shape reality into their world view rather than shaping their
view closer to reality.
The desire to control others is a sickness of weak, frightened
minds who don't feel capable of competing in a free world, not of
rational, competent minds who do.
-- Lee Daniel Crocker <lee@piclab.com> <http://www.piclab.com/lcrocker.html> "All inventions or works of authorship original to me, herein and past, are placed irrevocably in the public domain, and may be used or modified for any purpose, without permission, attribution, or notification."--LDC
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Jul 27 2000 - 14:02:24 MDT