OT. Rant

On Sat, 20 Nov 2004 09:18:51 +1100, "Yowie"
yodeled:

If anyone has teenage kids who need to practice essay writing and debating
skills, that peice of FUD (fear, uncertaintly and doubt) is a perfect peice
to analyse.

There are many fallacious arguments, such as arguing from authority, false
analogy, gross overgeneralisation, as well as using emotive words and tones
to gain sympathy (ie, agreemenet) from the reader.

One could use
http://www.datanation.com/fallacies/index.htm
http://www.fallacyfiles.org/
http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/



I wish this was more widely taught. People in the highest areas of
public life regularly use absolutely ridiculous arguments all the
time, and people just go "Yeah!"


Theresa
Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh
My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com

Yowie wrote:

If you've ever wondered "Why do they hate us?", its because we only
see & hear Americans who would write that crap (or worse), we never
or only rarely get to see less extremist views (coz it doesn't get
ratings!)
You folks need far better PR (as do decent, peaceloving Muslims)

How's this for a start?
http://www.sorryeverybody.com/

I agree about peace-loving Muslims, too. It's the fundamentalist
extremists who get all the press, so everyone thinks that Islam = terrorism.

There are even fundie Jews (orthodox, Hasids, Lubovichers). The reason
you don't hear much about them is because they don't care what non-Jews
do. They don't want to kill or convert them. But they do love to tell
other *Jews* what to do, and they can be violent toward people of their
own orthodox group who don't "behave".

Fundamentalists of any stripe are scary people, but fortunately most of
us are far more moderate and decent, no matter what our religion.

Joyce

Yowie wrote:

If you've ever wondered "Why do they hate us?", its because we only
see & hear Americans who would write that crap (or worse), we never
or only rarely get to see less extremist views (coz it doesn't get
ratings!)
You folks need far better PR (as do decent, peaceloving Muslims)

How's this for a start?
http://www.sorryeverybody.com/

I agree about peace-loving Muslims, too. It's the fundamentalist
extremists who get all the press, so everyone thinks that Islam = terrorism.

There are even fundie Jews (orthodox, Hasids, Lubovichers). The reason
you don't hear much about them is because they don't care what non-Jews
do. They don't want to kill or convert them. But they do love to tell
other *Jews* what to do, and they can be violent toward people of their
own orthodox group who don't "behave".

Fundamentalists of any stripe are scary people, but fortunately most of
us are far more moderate and decent, no matter what our religion.

Joyce

dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers wrote:

Did it ever occur to these people that the Biblical model for marriage
is NOT, as they claim, "One Man, One Woman"? It is One Man, Several
Women.

Quite - and they had slaves back then, do they think this is still
acceptable? And that a widow has to marry her dead husband's brother
and all of that stuff??

Here's a hilarious letter that someone wrote to Dr. Laura, a talk-show
host in the US who routinely uses the Bible to justify all sorts of
bigotry and hatred. (Actually, I don't know whether she is still on the
air. This letter was written a number of years ago, so maybe she's
already old news.) Apologies if you have already seen this, as I said
it's old, but I thought it was apropos:

-----------------------------------------
Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I
have learned a great deal from your show, and I try to share that
knowledge with as many people as I can.

When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I
simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an
abomination. End of debate.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other
specific laws and how to follow them.

a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates
a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors.
They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in
Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair
price to ask?

c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in
her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem
is, how do I know when that is? I have tried asking, but many women
take offense.

d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and
female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A
friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not
Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus
35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated
to kill him myself?

f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an
abomination (Lev. 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than
homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

g) Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I
have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading
glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle
room here?

h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair
around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by
Lev.19:27. How should they die?

i) I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes
me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two
different crops in the same field. His wife also violates Lev. 19:19
by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread
(cotton/polyester blend). My uncle also tends to curse and blaspheme
a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of
getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev.24:10-16)
Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like
we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident
you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and
unchanging.

Your devoted disciple and adoring fan.

dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers wrote:

Did it ever occur to these people that the Biblical model for marriage
is NOT, as they claim, "One Man, One Woman"? It is One Man, Several
Women.

Quite - and they had slaves back then, do they think this is still
acceptable? And that a widow has to marry her dead husband's brother
and all of that stuff??

Here's a hilarious letter that someone wrote to Dr. Laura, a talk-show
host in the US who routinely uses the Bible to justify all sorts of
bigotry and hatred. (Actually, I don't know whether she is still on the
air. This letter was written a number of years ago, so maybe she's
already old news.) Apologies if you have already seen this, as I said
it's old, but I thought it was apropos:

-----------------------------------------
Dear Dr. Laura:

Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I
have learned a great deal from your show, and I try to share that
knowledge with as many people as I can.

When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I
simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an
abomination. End of debate.

I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other
specific laws and how to follow them.

a) When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates
a pleasing odor for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbors.
They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?

b) I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in
Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair
price to ask?

c) I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in
her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem
is, how do I know when that is? I have tried asking, but many women
take offense.

d) Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and
female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A
friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not
Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?

e) I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus
35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated
to kill him myself?

f) A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an
abomination (Lev. 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than
homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?

g) Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I
have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading
glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle
room here?

h) Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair
around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by
Lev.19:27. How should they die?

i) I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes
me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?

j) My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two
different crops in the same field. His wife also violates Lev. 19:19
by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread
(cotton/polyester blend). My uncle also tends to curse and blaspheme
a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of
getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev.24:10-16)
Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like
we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident
you can help.

Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and
unchanging.

Your devoted disciple and adoring fan.

"Yowie" wrote in message
...

You folks need far better PR (as do decent, peaceloving Muslims)

Yowie


Makes me wonder. Most every nation is subject to some pretty negative
stereotyping. So what did the Aussies and Kiwi's and Canadians do that they
get a pass?

Totally irrelevant I know. But you gotta wonder.



Jo

"Yowie" wrote in message
...

You folks need far better PR (as do decent, peaceloving Muslims)

Yowie


Makes me wonder. Most every nation is subject to some pretty negative
stereotyping. So what did the Aussies and Kiwi's and Canadians do that they
get a pass?

Totally irrelevant I know. But you gotta wonder.



Jo

I've no idea what the Roach Motel is, but the nightmare sure sounds scary.

It's a roach trap. The commercial says, "Roaches check in, but they don't check
out."
Kind of like a Hotel California for bugs.

Sherry

I've no idea what the Roach Motel is, but the nightmare sure sounds scary.

It's a roach trap. The commercial says, "Roaches check in, but they don't check
out."
Kind of like a Hotel California for bugs.

Sherry

"Sherry " wrote in message
...
I've no idea what the Roach Motel is, but the nightmare sure sounds
scary.

It's a roach trap. The commercial says, "Roaches check in, but they don't
check
out."
Kind of like a Hotel California for bugs.

Sherry

I don't even know what a Hotel California for bugs is.
Excuse a Brit for not knowing what you are talking about. Culture shock
again.

Tweed