Tomi Makitalo wrote:

> >That's a very black and white view of the world.
>
> I cannot help it. That is the way I see it.

Views change depending on where one is standing. Sometimes it causes a paradigm
shift. Sometimes it doesn't. It's all a matter of perspective.

> I think I have to clarify my opinion a little: I did not mean that when
> someone insults me, he is mean person. But if the person keeps on insulting
> me day after day, year after year, that is mean. And that, too, makes the
> person evil.

I'd say anyone who intentionally insults another person just once has been mean
and spiteful, but that doesn't necessarily make them evil. Even someone who
insults me for years on end is not one I'd consider to be evil, he may have what
he feels are quite justifiable reasons for insulting me. I'd probably consider
them to be a jerk, but not necessarily evil. Evil, in the classical sense most
people think of, is not something that's very common in my opinion as most folks
who do acts that are commonly labeled as evil do have reasons they believe make
such acts justifiable. Very few people do evil acts just for the sake of being
evil which, to me, defines the concept of "being evil". Even Hitler, whom many
consider to have been one of the most vile and evil men ever to exist, had his
reasons which he felt were right for what he did. The pioneers who came to North
America and eventually created the USA did terrible things to the natives who
were already here, but they too thought they were on the side of right. Were
they evil? They certainly didn't think so. The native Americans did. Who's
right?

> That is still very, VERY bad thing to do. I do not understand people who are
> willing to kill for their beliefs.

And yet a lot of humans do that every day. Had America, England, and Russia and
their allies not been willing to kill for their beliefs, Hitler probably would
have accomplished his goal of world domination and America would be a Japanese
colony. Various religions throughout time have risen and fallen based on the
wars that they fought. Christianity, which most practitioners of consider to be
a positive thing, has been the cause of more wars than any other religion on the
planet. It's also one of the most widespread religions. Is that a good thing?
Depends on whom you ask. As an atheist, I consider Christianity abhorrent for
it's actions over the centuries, but any number of Christians will proclaim
their faith and beliefs to be good things.

> You're talking about euthanasia. If someone wants to get himself killed, it
> his own decision, and should be considered as 'assisted suicide',  not
> murder.

I know what I am talking about. So what is the difference between "assisted
suicide" and "murder" other than the willingness of the victim? If asked, could
you find the courage to give your mother a lethal injection if she were living a
life of unending pain? If so, then you will have killed for your belief that
assisting someone to die to alleviate their suffering is the right thing to do.
Killing is killing regardless of how willing the victim may happen to be or how
helpless their plight. The right or wrongness of it is subjective to the
individual you ask based on their beliefs and their perspective of the
situation.

> Burroughs? I think I'll visit the local library...

I should forewarn you that his books have been banned in some places due to the
unusual outlook they present.

Les

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Les Jenkins is The Casual Otaku       (http://casualotaku.dreamhost.com/)
To email me remove the words NOSPAM from my address.        Atheist #1085