Re[2]: computer-go: Please stop this pointless and blasphemous discussion !!!

[Roland <goprog@xxxxxxx>]

Hello Don,

Monday, September 25, 2000, 6:22:23 PM, you wrote:


DD> I think the concept of God is  pretty universal among cultures.  There
DD> is significant disagreement about who or what God is or if God exists,
DD> but it's the  concept that's   important.   People know  what you  are
DD> talking about in general terms.  If someone used the term "Zeus of all
DD> computers" should  I get  enraged  because they   didn't use  the term
DD> "Yahweh"?   I don't think  we  should  be arbitrarily restricted  from
DD> using terminolgy that is  familar to us when  there is no intention to
DD> offend.   If you  believe this is   proper, then maybe  we should walk
DD> around criticizing anyone not belonging to our own particular culture,
DD> telling them they are offensive.

Well, the fact is that I guess most or many of the readers of this
list belong to a western/Christian culture and should know about the
implications and meaning that the word God has to many in our
western/Christian culture. At least those who I am arguing with seem
to be western judging from the names and e-mail addresses.

DD> For instance  I believe  that just  about any atheist  knows what  God
DD> means (in general terms) and wouldn't be offended because someone dare
DD> mention something THEY don't happen to believe in.

I agree that certainly the atheists are not going to be offended,
because of course God for them is only an intellectual concept, those
for whom God means more(believers) are the ones that are being offended.

DD> I don't believe in magic either.  In a previous post someone mentioned
DD> something about a "magic" function that does this or  that.  I felt no
DD> need to rip off a reply condeming them for using a term they liked and
DD> one that I perfectly well understood.

Read my above statement.

DD> That's  not  to say  certain terms   with   very obvious  connotations
DD> shouldn't be avoided.  There are many that would warrant eviction from
DD> the group.  But I don't see what  is so dirty about  using a term that
DD> might happen  to appear in a bible  or religious manuscript somewhere,
DD> it's a part of who some of us are, why should we deny it?

It's the other way round, for many using the word God in such a way is
denying their beliefs.

DD> The  posters  in this group  come   from many different  languages and
DD> cultures.  We don't all  talk the same  and we don't  all use the same
DD> terms in  the same way.  Who of  you wishes to start  complaining that
DD> you are offended by this?  It doesn't make  you seem more tolerant, it
DD> really makes you seem intolerant.

Many understand tolerance as a one-way road. You demand that others be
tolerant with the way you think, but you should understand that
tolerance means also respecting other people's believes. And there is
also the danger to use the claim for tolerance to legitimate all kind
of offensive behavior.
I can agree with you in that certainly we all might be unaware that
this or that word is offensive for certain cultures and use it without
knowing this. But the Christian faith is something that belongs to our
culture and we all should know about it and respect it.

DD> On top of that, "God" is about as generic as you can get.  I seriously
DD> doubt you will be able  to tell the religion,  or lack of from anyones
DD> use of the word "GoGod."

The term is generic for atheists who only have a concept in mind.
For religious people the word God may have very specific meaning,
depending of course on the religion and culture. If you come from a
western/Christian culture you should be aware of this, after all there
is a big book about God named "The Bible" who was very specific
teachings. And on religious
newsgroups you will find people who even restrain from writing the
word God in any posting(they write things like G*d, or YHWH instead).


DD> Roland, please don't use  the word "good" any more  ok?  This word  is
DD> based  upon the  concept  of  a God  and  you   may have  noticed  the
DD> similarity in spelling.

Hmmm, it seems you are trying to make some kind of joke here, but I
really don't get the point.

Well, after some posts, I begin to wonder if it was wise at all to
start this arguing. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything, I don't know
if it's really making any difference. Some people just become
defensive and don't want to give up their way of thinking. I think the starting point was
when someone wrote that he could win against God when having a pawn
advantage in chess. This somehow really upset me and I couldn't
restrain from writing something about the issue. Should I have kept my
mouth shut? I really don't know...And I don't think that I am one of
those who becomes easily offended. After all you hear blasphemy
everywhere, it just somehow makes you feel really bad if you have a
personal believe. And now that I'm writing this lines I just
remembered something: you certainly know about the good old "unsinkable" TITANIC. Well,
I remember that shortly after it was finished someone claimed:"If this
ship may sink? Not even GOD can sink this ship!" Hmmm, I wonder if at
that time the TITANIC was the "perfect ship" for them. It didn't need
God to sink the ship, a simple iceberg was enough. Nowadays people are
more careful, you don't hear about unsinkable ships anymore.

-- 
Best regards,
 Roland                            mailto:goprog@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx