No, Dwight, I don't hate people who are religious conservatives. My mother is a religious conservative. I sort of wish they didn't feel the need to tell everyone how their views are "correct" and everyone else is wrong. Everybody's entitled to their beliefs, and to teach their children as they see fit. If their children's faith is strong, it shouldn't be threatened by coming in contact with differing views. Should it? It shouldn't require reinforcement by prayer in public schools, should it? And I sort of wish "religious conservatives" of a certain stripe would explain why certain Biblical verses, widely attributed to Christ, are much less important than other, harsher and more proscriptive verses from the Old Testament. In the correct interpretation of the "inerrant" Bible, of course. If you look back up this particular chain, we get to Johannes Pilch, who professes to hate homosexuality, but of course not homosexuals. Also liberalism, the root of all evil here, but presumably not liberals. His views seem similar enough to yours, though stated at somewhat greater length.
As to your questions, no, I don't particularly care to comment. I wouldn't advocate people going on witch hunts for polygamous Mormons, that's for sure, I hear there's quite a few living quietly and peacefully in Utah. Goats? Very mature and polite question there, Dwight. I have some sympathy for the goats, but I wouldn't advocate stoning people on that one either. By the age of 18, I imagine most young adults would know better than to dally with their parents, though my next door neighbor psychologists have mentioned in passing rather fantastical incest rates.
Meanwhile, perhaps you could reassure the inimitable Mr. K. on this exchange:
Me: Every time somebody's brought up the "barbarism" of "partial birth abortion", with all the requisite gory descriptions, it's been clear they're not interested in banning partial birth abortions, or reducing the number through better education and birth control. They're interested in banning abortions, period. And, since life begins at conception, presumably banning IUD's too, as well as RU-486 and other "morning after" methods.
Mr. K: Nor do I believe you are accurately representing the position of the pro-life side of the issue. You are conveniently using the position of the furthest fringe in an attempt to stereotype the majority of those who are far from the fringe.
What is your motive in doing that? Fear mongering, perhaps?
Whadya say, Dwight? Am I misrepresenting you to say you have an absolutist position? Would you characterize your position as that of the "furthest fringe"? Am I engaging in "Fear mongering"? I know, you've said you believe in birth control, but how about RU-486? Am I incorrect to state that "pro-life" activists are the main force behind keeping that one off the market? Would you approve of wider, more open distribution of birth control to teenagers? |
