Comments on: Almost Too Easy. http://donklephant.com/2007/07/13/almost-too-easy-2/ Big Teeth. Huge Ass. Surprisingly Reasonable. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 17:39:23 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: wj http://donklephant.com/2007/07/13/almost-too-easy-2/comment-page-1/#comment-370618 wj Sat, 14 Jul 2007 22:49:28 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/07/13/almost-too-easy-2/#comment-370618 The whole concept of blasphemy being a crime is simply a matter of thinking that people should not be responsible for the results of their own actions. If you believe in personal responsibility, then you don't feel compelled to trash anyone else whose beliefs differ from yours. If you're right, he's wrong and will suffer for it (if your religion has something equivelent to Hell). But that's his problem, not yours. At most, you may feel a responsibility to make him aware of your alternate vision. But not to force him to accept it. Nor to protect the rest of the world from his (wrong, you think) beliefs. But blasphemy is possible only if you are saying something that you believe to be contrary to your own religion. And nobody else gets to denounce you for conflicting with his (as opposed to your own) theology. The whole concept of blasphemy being a crime is simply a matter of thinking that people should not be responsible for the results of their own actions. If you believe in personal responsibility, then you don’t feel compelled to trash anyone else whose beliefs differ from yours. If you’re right, he’s wrong and will suffer for it (if your religion has something equivelent to Hell). But that’s his problem, not yours.

At most, you may feel a responsibility to make him aware of your alternate vision. But not to force him to accept it. Nor to protect the rest of the world from his (wrong, you think) beliefs.

But blasphemy is possible only if you are saying something that you believe to be contrary to your own religion. And nobody else gets to denounce you for conflicting with his (as opposed to your own) theology.

]]> By: DosPeros http://donklephant.com/2007/07/13/almost-too-easy-2/comment-page-1/#comment-370588 DosPeros Sat, 14 Jul 2007 20:27:57 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/07/13/almost-too-easy-2/#comment-370588 Such is the state of Western Civ. I guess -- an insult to both gods and legitimate blasphamers. Such is the state of Western Civ. I guess — an insult to both gods and legitimate blasphamers.

]]> By: michael reynolds http://donklephant.com/2007/07/13/almost-too-easy-2/comment-page-1/#comment-370470 michael reynolds Sat, 14 Jul 2007 11:02:55 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/07/13/almost-too-easy-2/#comment-370470 Sorry to burst yours, Dos, but my response is identical: puzzlement and a shrug of the shoulders. The only difference being that I kind of liked Thor from his line of comic books, while my affection for Jesus stems from his line of cathedrals, some of which are very lovely. Sorry to burst yours, Dos, but my response is identical: puzzlement and a shrug of the shoulders. The only difference being that I kind of liked Thor from his line of comic books, while my affection for Jesus stems from his line of cathedrals, some of which are very lovely.

]]> By: DosPeros http://donklephant.com/2007/07/13/almost-too-easy-2/comment-page-1/#comment-370400 DosPeros Sat, 14 Jul 2007 04:42:19 +0000 http://donklephant.com/2007/07/13/almost-too-easy-2/#comment-370400 I don't think the ontology of blasphamy is entirely dependent on belief. Atheist like to ingore their own constructivist epistemology and priori processes. Most atheist that I know are intelligent people with significant psychological issues and atheism serves a psychological purpose. The same indictment levied against Believers. Chesterton's point was that many of the most ardent Atheists are still cultural products. Sorry, Sideways to burst your cool bubble, but I don't believe for one second that your cognitive/spiritual response to blasphamy directed a Jesus Christ is the same as blasphamy directed at Thor. I don’t think the ontology of blasphamy is entirely dependent on belief. Atheist like to ingore their own constructivist epistemology and priori processes. Most atheist that I know are intelligent people with significant psychological issues and atheism serves a psychological purpose. The same indictment levied against Believers. Chesterton’s point was that many of the most ardent Atheists are still cultural products. Sorry, Sideways to burst your cool bubble, but I don’t believe for one second that your cognitive/spiritual response to blasphamy directed a Jesus Christ is the same as blasphamy directed at Thor.

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