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Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: E who wrote (40669)	6/17/1999 12:34:00 AM
From: The Philosopher	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 108807

Just for argument's sake, who is the "we" who would all agree that molesting children (I assume you mean sexually molesting) is immoral? And why would we agree on this? In some cultures having sexual relations with children is/was normal, and "consent" didn't enter into it since children had no right to consent or not consent. What makes/ made this immoral, and what is the standard being used? We consider eating human flesh immoral, but some cultures have accepted it quite happily. Morality is not an absolute, but is cultural. Which could be taken as an argument against my thesis that morality comes from outside, except that all cultures have very different views of God or the Gods (but there has NEVER been a culture that was aethist -- that should tell you something!) and the edicts of the Gods. So the proposed thesis is still intact.

To: E who wrote (40669)	6/17/1999 12:51:00 AM
From: nihil	Respond to of 108807

Who can control what thoughts come into one's head? When Wordsworth had a thought of Lucy's death was it a wish? An anticipation? Instead of surpressing and forgetting it, he wrote a sentimental poem. Freud would call that a constructive move. I call it bad poetry. Augustine threw out his mistress, the mother of his son, and devoted himself to holy hypocrisy and church politics. Never cared for him -- hypocrite. It is amazing to me how people so easily forget their evil deeds, rarely recompense the sufferers, lie to themselves, and fuss at others who do the same things. I believe that erotic fantasies are normal and mostly innocent. I have lots of them, always have. As far as I can remember, I've never dreamed of aggressive violence or force in sexual or heroic fantasies. Lots of clever stickwork in both kinds of course. No shame. No apologies. I would describe them in detail completely if anyone would ask and stay for an answer. My wife has no curiosity about my mental (or physical) life. She claims to have no fantasies or dreams. I pity, but do not envy, her. Of course, I may not address your correspondent, but there have been many technically atheist cultures or societies. Where is God in Theravada Buddhism -- Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka. If you read the American Constitution you will notice the absence of God. We are, strictly speaking, atheist. I think so was the Soviet Union, officially atheist. I think the most populous country in the world is officially atheist.