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The SollyLama
Skeptic Friend
USA
234 Posts |
 Posted - 09/03/2002 : 13:34:30 [Permalink]
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Maybe just a 'Dim' age.
There seems to be a resurgence of belief in the incredibly stupid in the last few years. The internet certainly helped more charlatans than skeptics.
I slam CNN in another thread for devolving into a replacement for the Psychic Friends. If the mass media will shill for these frauds, then a good percentage of the people will believe it as truth. Pass it on as truth.......Dim.
The danger is that some of these fools may be in charge of you or your life. Like lawmakers and the people that vote them into office.
No remorse, No repent. We don't care what it meant. Another day another death. Another sorrow another breath. |
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Snake
SFN Addict
USA
2511 Posts |
Posted - 09/03/2002 : 19:47:19 [Permalink]
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quote:
The internet certainly helped more charlatans than skeptics.
I disagree somewhat with that statement.
As you probably know there are many web sites and e-groups where fellow atheists and freethinkers can connect now. I think the Internet help us(skeptics) more so because, those nuts already were more organized while IMO atheists were more isolated.
quote:
If the mass media will shill for these frauds, then a good percentage of the people will believe it as truth. Pass it on as truth.......Dim.
The danger is that some of these fools may be in charge of you or your life. Like lawmakers and the people that vote them into office.
That is very scary and something I do think about, BUT, we have to speak out and let everyone and our elected officals know our thoughts. Don't let them take away the 1st amendment or intimidate us.
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*Carabao forever
*SAN FERNANDO VALLEY SECESSION - YES
*All lives are movie settings, it's what channel you're on that counts. Zatikia
*Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand.
Homer Jaye S. |
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The SollyLama
Skeptic Friend
USA
234 Posts |
Posted - 09/03/2002 : 20:35:33 [Permalink]
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quote:
BUT, we have to speak out and let everyone and our elected officals know our thoughts. Don't let them take away the 1st amendment or intimidate us.
--You stick with the first amendment, I'll cover the second..........
No remorse, No repent. We don't care what it meant. Another day another death. Another sorrow another breath. |
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Snake
SFN Addict
USA
2511 Posts |
Posted - 09/03/2002 : 23:20:14 [Permalink]
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quote:
quote:
BUT, we have to speak out and let everyone and our elected officals know our thoughts. Don't let them take away the 1st amendment or intimidate us.
--You stick with the first amendment, I'll cover the second..........
No remorse, No repent. We don't care what it meant. Another day another death. Another sorrow another breath.
Oh Great! Are you going to shoot everyone who doesn't agree with you?
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*Carabao forever
*SAN FERNANDO VALLEY SECESSION - YES
*All lives are movie settings, it's what channel you're on that counts. Zatikia
*Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand.
Homer Jaye S. |
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The SollyLama
Skeptic Friend
USA
234 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2002 : 09:19:24 [Permalink]
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quote:
Oh Great! Are you going to shoot everyone who doesn't agree with you?
--Hey, that's not a bad idea. Thanks.
The nice thing about the 2nd amendment is it provides you with a means to protect it (not to mention the other amendments) from those that would take it away.
All the other rights we have pretty well hinge on the 2nd amendment. It's the only one that provides THE PEOPLE with means of enforcement. A government can dash the Bill of Rights with a swoop of a pen, only the 2nd amendment empowers the people to call bullshit.
If they fed decided today to abolish the first amendment, it would the 2nd that you run to to reclaim it.
All that aside. I do believe that the 'net has helped some skeptics. But if you took a survey, I'm willing to lay odds you'll find far more bullshit than science in cyberspace. Especially since skeptics don't generally send out mass emails and advertising banners hawking products. In several years of internet access, I have yet to receive a mailbox crammed full of skeptic or scientific data. But I do receive a 'personal' email from several psychics about daily. Grave plots on the moon. Snake oil to cure EVERYTHING. And loads of invites from various cults and churches.
It's all in the availablility. You have to LOOK for places like SFN on the net. Merely opening your mailbox will shower you with bad science and information. I found SFN from the BA site, which I found after reading the book. I would have never known about it otherwise.
No remorse, No repent. We don't care what it meant. Another day another death. Another sorrow another breath. |
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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5310 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2002 : 09:41:54 [Permalink]
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When people tell me what a load of crap is on the internet, I have to wonder if they've ever been in a bookstore or library. Most of what is out there is pushed by people who are trying to make a buck out of nothing.
Some of it's fun and harmless. Nothing wrong with a Harlequin romance, I suppose. But it's no less a load of crap than anything rappers or Madonna ever did.
Besides that, there are loads of books on things like Nostradamus and loads of books by people that seem to be just lying about whatever they need to be lying about to make a buck.
Likewise, there is a lot of stuff on the internet for like-minded people, like atheists, who are spread out over a large area and can't always get together easily.
There's a lot of great information out there.
"Not one human life should be expended in this reckless violence called a war against terrorism." - Howard Zinn |
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PhDreamer
SFN Regular
USA
925 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2002 : 20:07:57 [Permalink]
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quote:
The nice thing about the 2nd amendment is it provides you with a means to protect it (not to mention the other amendments) from those that would take it away.
This is a common assertion, but really how protected are citizens armed with 9mms against a trained, equipped armed forces? Is there really anything we could do with our pop-guns against depleted uranium-clad M1s or strafing runs by an A-10? Nah, the reason we're safe right now is because democracy and capitalism have worked. We're a rich country and no one wants to fundamentally screw with the system.
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All the other rights we have pretty well hinge on the 2nd amendment. It's the only one that provides THE PEOPLE with means of enforcement.
I don't even know the founders believed this. The first part of the 2nd Amendment is very telling, if you ask me.
Generally speaking, the errors in religion are dangerous; those in philosophy only ridiculous.
-D. Hume |
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The SollyLama
Skeptic Friend
USA
234 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2002 : 20:46:02 [Permalink]
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It's true that the general gun owning populace is not trained or organized enough to survive full on martial law. And the fed under Clinton went to great lengths to discredit militias or survivalists to keep us disorganized. Several incidents turned ugly like Ruby Ridge and Waco.
Clinton's administration used the following tactic: stir up fear and loathing of 'assault rifles' and certain other scary looking guns. Attempt a limit prohibition, which did pass in places like california. Try getting a Tec-9 in CA.
Every lobbyist knows that the first big obstacle is that first law getting passed. After that others follow easily. Look at tobacco lawsuits. After the first one finally won, it became a race to see who could collect the most. The verdict was a forgone conclusion.
So it goes with any lobby. The Brady bill wasn't revolutionary in itself, but it marked a path for all kinds of other anti-gun laws.
As for the part about a well regulated militia; that cannot apply to the National Guard or Reserves. These organizations ARE the military, part of 'the system'. Our forefathers (in militias) fought against 'the system' of England to form the US. So the militia cannot 'belong' to the same system it is supposed to protect the people from. The guy signing your paycheck is the same guy you're supposed to fight if he gets grabby with your rights. That just doesn't work.
The militia is the common folk with guns willing to die to oppose a tyrant and whatever soldiers he throws at you. Historical precedent shows the militia is not in the employ of the government, unless it is a rebel government such as the Colonial Congress was after it declared it's independance and the US a sovereign nation.
Bleed for me, I've bled for you. Embrace me child, I'll see you through. |
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NubiWan
Skeptic Friend
USA
424 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2002 : 22:49:28 [Permalink]
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Mmm.., before we leave the thread's topic completely, though consider meself a supporter of the 1st and 2nd amendments, heck, the whole radical Bill of Rights. So far, most posts make a strong connection with a "Dark Age," to the 'Church.' Seems a bit narrow to me. We live in an age of "SLAP's" and growing corporate control of news outlets to the point, they have influenced the slant of stories, and even squashed some. Would the vision of "1984" or "Brave New World," be considered a 'Dark Age?' It would to me...
"If we believe absurdities, we shall commit atrocities." -Voltaire |
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The SollyLama
Skeptic Friend
USA
234 Posts |
Posted - 09/06/2002 : 15:11:42 [Permalink]
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didn't mean to hijack the thread.
The historical Dark Ages were largely the doing to the church, which is why the connection is so strong in this thread.
Bleed for me, I've bled for you. Embrace me child, I'll see you through. |
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Boron10
Religion Moderator
USA
1266 Posts |
Posted - 09/06/2002 : 18:31:00 [Permalink]
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quote:
The historical Dark Ages were largely the doing to the church, which is why the connection is so strong in this thread.
The church was a major contributor to the Dark Ages, but couldn't we also say (as NubiWan seems to) that an opressive government, possibly fueled by church doctrine, was the main cause?
-me. |
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The SollyLama
Skeptic Friend
USA
234 Posts |
Posted - 09/06/2002 : 22:25:30 [Permalink]
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yeah, you could say that. More accurately, the church WAS the government for all intents and purposes.
Bleed for me, I've bled for you. Embrace me child, I'll see you through. |
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