Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Poet who wrote (4687)	2/3/2001 10:26:12 PM
From: TimF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

. I get impatient, even angry, with all the breath and brainpower used to defend "the unborn" when even a fraction of that energy, properly spent, could alleviate enormous amounts of very real suffering among those who are neglected and despairing. I think you exagerate its potential effects. If I posted more about a topic conserning the suffering of all ready born people, or the protestors in front of abortion clinics set up shop somewhere else for another issue, in most cases their efforts would not have a major impact. For that matter if pro-life people where not pro-life (or at least cared about it a lot less), but they wanted to remain active on social, political, and/ or moral issues, they might often find themselves fighting on opposite sides of the issue, or on opposites sides from you. My posting here on this issue is as much entertainment as it is a political act. I would love to convince someone, but I recognize the odds are extremly low. In addition to a political activity and something I do for entertainment I have found it also helps me understand the opinions of others and helps at least some other people to understand my views. This greater understanding is probably a good thing. (and in many other political convesations it is less possible because the conversation has more heat and less light then a lot of the conversation here). If I took the energy I put into this in to other political areas, I would be likely to disagree with you on many of those issues as well. If I spent less of my time opposing abortion and more of it opposing gun control, or pushing for lower taxes, would that be a positive thing in your opinion? I probably could and maybe should do more practically to help people, working for charities and such, but it would not involve just taking the same energy on spent on the abortion issue. It would involve a lot more energy. Tim

To: Poet who wrote (4687)	2/4/2001 8:44:20 AM
From: Poet	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 82486

I said something last night that prompted one of the posters here to PM me: Thank you for saying this, X. It's what tips me over to the pro-choice side, as a religious woman. Not only do I not accept the concept of a fetus as a person, but I believe the focus should be on those people who already walk this earth. I get impatient, even angry, with all the breath and brainpower used to defend "the unborn" when even a fraction of that energy, properly spent, could alleviate enormous amounts of very real suffering among those who are neglected and despairing. In no way was I intending to slap anyone in the face with my use of the word "religious". During my weeklong vacation from SI, I had the opportunity to read this thread free of the ability to jump in. It was a real learning experience for me, as it not only allowed me to concentrate on what was being said, but caused me to look at my own lack of forthrightness about my personal religiosity. I've decided to "come clean" and didn't do it very gracefully. My apologies. I've been really impressed by the discussion here about religious beliefs and the arguments for atheism and agnosticism have been reasonable and beautifully presented. I just "feel" differently. I believe in God, in souls,attend church regularly. And yet I am adamantly pro-choice. I just wanted to add my voice here to the pro-choice statements made by those who do not consider themselves religious.