tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15168595.post4908934656031228482..comments2023-10-28T07:30:04.147-04:00Comments on Human Voices: The cult of FreedomCapt. Fogghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03093968390001879062noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15168595.post-74388439059425243612008-05-23T09:15:00.000-04:002008-05-23T09:15:00.000-04:00They are doing fantastically well in a financial s...They are doing fantastically well in a financial sense. It seems to be a very American religion in that salvation or enlightenment or whatever their equivalent is, costs money.<BR/><BR/>Hey - Refafu rules!Capt. Fogghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03093968390001879062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15168595.post-51538011025883133492008-05-22T16:30:00.000-04:002008-05-22T16:30:00.000-04:00Off topic, but the Scientologists seem to be doing...Off topic, but the Scientologists seem to be doing very well; I stayed in a hotel in San Francisco last year across from their local offices, which are housed in a beautiful old building the heart of that city's vibrant financial area. <BR/><BR/> On a visit to Amsterdam in my youth, I also spent an afternoon in their offices there, where a friend of mine and I took a "free" personality test. The test "revealed" that my friend and I were obviously mal-adjusted and even hyper-critical of others. We both agreed that yes, we probably were. When the Scientologists asked if we wanted to change those negative characteristics about ourselves, before I could say anything, my friend said, "oh, absolutely not." I still laugh out loud when I think of that experience...<BR/><BR/>P.S. Thanks for reminding me of Refafu again... I'd almost forgotten about Him, LOL.d.K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08723367478934978210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15168595.post-60587877163103720182008-05-21T17:01:00.000-04:002008-05-21T17:01:00.000-04:00Yes, you can stereotype certain people but not oth...Yes, you can stereotype certain people but not others: it's all about money and power. Apparently America is not alone in this game as George points out; but words are only a small part of the problem of bigotry and changing names of things never really changes bigots. Euphemisms only allow them to state their prejudice in code while hiding behind protections against "hate speech."<BR/><BR/>If you think there are no repercussions for criticizing various forms of Christianity though, I have to disagree and there are repercussions for not denouncing Islam sufficiently too, particularly in the Red States. I know this from experience. <BR/><BR/>I can't tell you how many Catholic and Protestant sermons laden with libels against "the Jews" I've endured. What is my recourse? Not much. I'm well aware of the hysterical and ignorant attitudes toward Islam, but at least the curse of God against them is not written into the canon of the dominant religion - unless you consider the dominant religion to be stupidity, and it's not hard to make a case for that! <BR/><BR/>But, getting back to my main point, I think it's just fine for any group to counter defamations of any kind, and to promote their beliefs, but while defamation of an individual may be actionable, an idea, a belief, a dogma is not an individual and has no rights; certainly no rights that trump free speech. <BR/><BR/>Let the Scientologists argue back, if they can, but let's not give them the power to silence criticism. The last thing we need is another inquisition.Capt. Fogghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03093968390001879062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15168595.post-78185222330381828372008-05-21T15:56:00.000-04:002008-05-21T15:56:00.000-04:00I'm keeping track.Insults against Christianity and...I'm keeping track.<BR/><BR/>Insults against Christianity and Islam are considered courageous acts of freedom of expression.<BR/><BR/>Even a whisper that mentions Scientology or Judaism is bigotry of the highest order.<BR/><BR/>We aren't cleansing language. We're programming people like Pavlov's dogs.Intellectual Insurgenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01436312941542559044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15168595.post-29983039020476138942008-05-21T12:26:00.000-04:002008-05-21T12:26:00.000-04:00Bonjour Cpt. Fogg,The effort to weed out "offensiv...Bonjour Cpt. Fogg,<BR/><BR/>The effort to weed out "offensive" words and to replace them by something innocuous, tepid and correct exists in French, too.<BR/><BR/>Thus "Scientology" is not a religion but a sect. In former times, a sect was a religion with only a few members, like Jesus Christ, his 12 apostles plus family.<BR/><BR/>Nowadays, a sect is defined as evil and troublemaking. <BR/><BR/>Maybe the idea behind this is that we don't need new religions or cults because we have already enough. <BR/><BR/>GeorgGeorghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05379915142029115257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15168595.post-38914780022082786912008-05-20T22:07:00.000-04:002008-05-20T22:07:00.000-04:00I rarely know what to say - but that doesn't alway...I rarely know what to say - but that doesn't always stop me from saying it.Capt. Fogghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03093968390001879062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15168595.post-17441333287677370772008-05-20T18:32:00.000-04:002008-05-20T18:32:00.000-04:00I don't know what to say, but I wanted you to know...I don't know what to say, but I wanted you to know I stopped by to read.Buffalohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04155912811378077542noreply@blogger.com