Re: logic makes a comeback

Russell Stewart (diamond@rt66.com)
Thu, 12 Jun 1997 08:40:41 -0600

At 06:41 PM 6/11/97 EDT, you wrote:
>>From Lewis Carroll, er, I mean Russell Stewart, comes this:
>
>>>From the start it has been explained to you that your system of morality
>>cannot condemn other people's behavior.
>
>RS <<And I've shown how it can, at least as well as yours can.
>
>>Now, out of your own fingertips, you
>>have admitted as much.
>
>RS <<No, I have not. That is a distortion of my words.
>
>>You appear to believe that atheism is of equal status with theism in the
>>"subjectivity" departement. Is that your belief?
>
>RS <<Of course it is. I have only pointed that out several dozen times.
>
>>If so, you have not made a positive case.
>
>RS << Yes I have, and I have made it again in this letter.
>
>[Same letter:]
>
>RS <Since when does the burden of proof rest on the one who *doesn't*
>believe in God?
>
>Gadzooks! This is like arguing with the Mad Hatter. He says one thing, asserts
>the opposite,

You are taking two comments that referred to entirely different things.
When you were talking about making an "affirmative case", I thought you
meant an affirmative case regarding the foundations of my morality, not
the existence or non-existence of God.

[Sad attempts at cleverness deleted.]

><<No, others on the group have repeated your assertions, showing that you have
>a good chearleeder squad, but that's about it.>>
>
>A nice insult to the group, who all manifest the ability to think for
>themselves, and who have left you detailed, logical and thus far unrefuted
>messages. And you denigrate them all with a name?

I have not seen these detailed, logical messages. I have only seen repeats
of the same unfounded assertions. And my "cheerleaders" comment certainly
was not directed at everyone on the group.

You know, Jim, I've even received personal e-mails from other Christians on
this group apologizing for your arrogance and commenting on my patience in
sticking
it out with you. How does it feel to know that you are an embarrasment even
to other Christians?

>Civility, I guess, is not one of the humanist moral virtues.

Civility is important, but not to the point of being a pushover. I can and
will stick up for myself against the ignorant, the arrogant, and the dishonest.

You have apparently forgotten what your morality has to say about "bearing
false witness".

_____________________________________________________________
| Russell Stewart |
| http://www.rt66.com/diamond/ |
|_____________________________________________________________|
| Albuquerque, New Mexico | diamond@rt66.com |
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2 + 2 = 5, for very large values of 2.