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Saturday, April 18. 2009Politician's toolbox Part 1: FearFear makes us do strange things. Our first reaction when something scares us is to do whatever seems to be likely to get us away from those scary things. For our evolutionary predecessors, the thing to do was to run, as fast as possible. That was an instinct - but as we evolved, instincts no longer worked against the fears we faced. How do you run away from bad weather ruining your crops, or from an ilness sweeping through the tribe? Methods of dealing with fear became more complex, often superstitious or religious in nature - but always using less understandable or less obvious mechanisms. Now, the "scary things" are even more complex and less physical. How do you run away from (or ward off) a global recession? How do you feel safe in your home when the media reports nothing but wars, terrorists, murders and home invasions? Continue reading "Politician's toolbox Part 1: Fear" Tuesday, April 14. 2009Sunday, April 12. 2009Democracy - is it always the best?"Every country has the government it deserves" - we hear it every day. What a load of judgemental crap. Every country has the government it chooses is more accurate, be that government a democracy or not - there are ways to choose other than an election (history, revolutions). Who decided that democracy is the perfect, universal form of government? Who said that having democratic elections is the best way to ensure that the country moves in a direction that is best for it as a whole? And more importantly, who said that a democratic government has the right to "help" countries who chose a different form of government "see the light" of democracy? Continue reading "Democracy - is it always the best?" Saturday, April 11. 2009Euthanasia: Why are we more humane to animals than fellow human beings?Some of us have or have had pets, and sometimes those pets got sick. And then, at some point, even if we can afford further treatment, we have to face the decision of whether we are going to continue or not. With pets, we must make the decision without the benefit of knowing their thoughts. We try to decide how much pain they are in and whether it is worth it for them to continue, or whether it is time that they would be better off to have their suffering stopped. With humans, we are often in the same position - but other times, we do know what they are going through because they are conscious and telling us. And sometimes, what they are telling us is that they have had enough. Continue reading "Euthanasia: Why are we more humane to animals than fellow human beings?" Thursday, April 02. 2009Jehovah's Witnesses - a perfect religion?Merriam-Webster definitions of religion (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/religion) include this one: "a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith" and this one: "commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance". Of the mainstream Christian religions, none actually satisfy these definitions due to the lack of ardor and devotion in a large number of their followers. Sunday Catholics and Protestants are a majority of people attending church - they do out of habit, or fear, or to be part of the community, or to give their kids something to believe in while they grow up. Mainstream theologians discuss the relevance of faith and church in the modern world, but there are religions which seem to be somewhat immune to that loss of relevance. It seems that "commitment or devotion" is largely limited to the less-popular Christian sects. None are as visible as the Witnesses - they are seemingly everywhere, aiming to talk to you about salvation, or offering you a copy of the Watchtower, or knocking on your door. Most people consider them a nuisance (which they often are when you are rushing for a train or trying to enjoy your time off at home), but their "commitment or devotion" is unquestionable. Continue reading "Jehovah's Witnesses - a perfect religion?" |
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