Re: not playing so nice

I think there's a bit of difference between the two claims. Most people
I know (but not all) accept that "calling someone the only begotten son
of an invisible god" isn't something that's self-evident -- it's not
like walking under a tree and noticing the shade. No one (or very few,
and they're weirdos) is saying, "Come, here, I will show you Christ and
you can see for yourself. He's living in Peoria -- just a short plane
trip away." If they do claim to be able to show you Christ, it would be
through a mystical experience of some sort you'd have to be open to from
the beginning, and one that you'd have to judge for yourself. Still
not a slam dunk. And even beyond that, people are perfectly free to say
it's all irrelevant to them as you have. I really don't see too many
people preaching on these boards. Daniel almost does, but honestly I
have a hard time making out what he says sometimes too.

However, making accusations of bigotry in a public official should be
something that's self evident, once the relevant proof has been
offered. It's also immediately relevant to everyone who is a US
citizen. If this guy really is a flaming bigot and is in a nationally
prominent public office, we should be calling for his resignation.
There shouldn't be any question about that.

I'm only speaking, of course, from the point of view of the bland civic
morality that passes around US society as our ethical lingua franca. It
seems like the easiest middle ground to establish in a discussion like
this.

Anyway, I know some evidence about Ashcroft is out there. I've heard
the stories. I think there's one about a judge in a state he used to
govern. And another about a study conducted of the US judicial system
that concluded there's no racism in it. I'm pretty sure you have
too...just a little bit of web browsing should pull up the news
articles. I'm curious why you don't bother. Very little effort.

Jim

Omlor@aol.com wrote:

> Luke writes:
>
> "...if you're going to call a person "sleazy" and a "bigot," you'd
> better damn well prove it..."
>
> But I have faith.
>
> Man, you call someone the only begotten son of an invisible god and
> you don't have to prove any of it. But you call them a sleazy
> sheep-fucker and suddenly faith isn't good enough.
>
> Oh, well...
>
> --John (on the road somewhere in Central Florida)

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Received on Thu Aug 7 17:00:35 2003