From: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org (fegmaniax-digest) To: fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Subject: fegmaniax-digest V11 #83 Reply-To: fegmaniax@smoe.org Sender: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-fegmaniax-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk fegmaniax-digest Monday, March 11 2002 Volume 11 : Number 083 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: In God's Country (Slight Return)-[1% Egyptians] [Michael R Godwin ] Re: fegmaniax-digest V11 #80 [Christopher Gross ] Re: da dum da dum da dumdumdum da dum [Miles Goosens ] Re: da dum da dum da dumdumdum da dum ["Stewart C. Russell" ] RE: fegmaniax-digest V11 #80 [hamish_simpson@agilent.com] the carl palmer method ["Natalie Jane" ] Re: the carl palmer method ["Stewart C. Russell" ] Re: fegmaniax-digest V11 #80 ["Stewart C. Russell" ] RE: In God's Country (Slight Return)-[1% Egyptians] ["Brian Huddell" ] Linux/DSL/IP Masq help [glen uber ] Re: mormons ["mel" ] RE: fegmaniax-digest V11 #80 [Miles Goosens ] Re: the carl palmer method [Tom Clark ] Re: In God's Country (Slight Return)-[1% Egyptians] [Tom Clark ] Re: mahna mahna? [grutness@surf4nix.com (James Dignan)] Re: In God's Country (Slight Return) ["JH3" ] Re: bob's house [gSs ] bad joke (was: mormons) [bayard ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 12:36:41 +0000 (GMT) From: Michael R Godwin Subject: Re: In God's Country (Slight Return)-[1% Egyptians] On Mon, 11 Mar 2002, Jeff Dwarf wrote: > http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/03/10/LV124772.DTL Thanks, Jeff. I found this quote in the article: 'A not-so-recent example: former President Bush's comment during a 1988 presidential campaign stop in Chicago that "I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered as patriots. This is one nation under God." ' From the sound of it, that view would exclude polytheists and pantheists as well as atheists. I'm not well up on Native American religion, but I have a feeling that they don't all subscribe to the "Great Spirit #1, the rest nowhere" school of religious belief. I would think that it must also exclude Hinduism, Buddhism and Shintoism, all of which are very shaky on the personal unity of the Godhead. [I suppose that you could argue that Brahma has some claim to be creator in chief - but I wouldn't like to downgrade Vishnu, Shiva and Kali on that account. Not to mention all those monkey gods and what have you]. On the other hand, it clearly includes Islam, Judaism and (my personal favourite) Atonism - but the orthodox gods and goddesses of the Egyptian pantheon would be excluded, as of course would the Greek and Roman ones. Thor is out the window, too, watching Odin hanging from some tree being pecked by birds. On the Christian side, Unitarians are obviously in, but I suspect that anyone who subscribes to the doctrine of the Trinity could be out as well, unless they managed to put over a really convincing "three in one" argument. And after reading "The Virgin" by Geoffrey Ashe, I think there might be some Mariolaters who would have trouble passing the test too - but I'm getting on to dodgy ground here. - Mike Godwin PS While we're on religious matters, I've just seen: The Bishop of Birmingham apparently wants the Queen to be sacked as Head of the CofE. But would she lose her 'Fid. Def.'? Could be a problem. PPS I was reading through the cast list of 'Life of Brian' (1979) recently. One of the characters played by Cleese is called 'Reg'. Significant? The Radio Times cast list also mentioned a character called 'Dennis', but there is no character of that name in the imdb cast list. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 06:10:02 -0800 (PST) From: Jeff Dwarf Subject: Re: In God's Country (Slight Return)-[1% Egyptians] Michael R Godwin wrote: > On Mon, 11 Mar 2002, Jeff Dwarf wrote: > > > http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/03/10/LV124772.DTL > > Thanks, Jeff. I found this quote in the article: > 'A not-so-recent example: former President Bush's comment during a > 1988 presidential campaign stop in Chicago that "I don't know that > atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be > considered as patriots. This is one nation under God." ' > > From the sound of it, that view would exclude polytheists and > pantheists as well as atheists. I'm not well up on Native American > religion, but I have a feeling that they don't all subscribe to > the "Great Spirit #1, the rest nowhere" school of religious belief. > I would think that it must also exclude Hinduism, Buddhism and > Shintoism, all of which are very shaky on the personal unity of the > Godhead. [I suppose that you could argue that > Brahma has some claim to be creator in chief - but I wouldn't like to > downgrade Vishnu, Shiva and Kali on that account. Not to mention all > those monkey gods and what have you]. and of course, Buddhism (at least most strains) is an atheistic religion in of itself. of course, most americans think the Buddha is the Buddhist god, rather than a prophet. > On the other hand, it clearly includes Islam, Judaism and (my > personal favourite) Atonism hey, don't forget Satanism!! > - but the orthodox gods and goddesses of the Egyptian > pantheon would be excluded, as of course would the Greek and Roman > ones. > Thor is out the window, too, watching Odin hanging from some tree > being > pecked by birds. > > On the Christian side, Unitarians are obviously in, but I suspect > that > anyone who subscribes to the doctrine of the Trinity could be out as > well, > unless they managed to put over a really convincing "three in one" > argument. And after reading "The Virgin" by Geoffrey Ashe, I think > there > might be some Mariolaters who would have trouble passing the test too > - > but I'm getting on to dodgy ground here. > > > - Mike Godwin > > PS While we're on religious matters, I've just seen: > > The Bishop of Birmingham apparently wants the Queen to be sacked as > Head > of the CofE. But would she lose her 'Fid. Def.'? Could be a problem. > > PPS I was reading through the cast list of 'Life of Brian' (1979) > recently. > One of the characters played by Cleese is called 'Reg'. Significant? > The > Radio Times cast list also mentioned a character called 'Dennis', but > there is no character of that name in the imdb cast list. ===== "This week, the White House says President Bush meant no disrespect when he referred to the Pakistani people as 'Pakis.' But just to be on the safe side, White House staffers have cancelled his trip to Nigeria" -- Tina Fey, Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update" "To announce that there must be no criticism of the president or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public." -- Theodore Roosevelt . Try FREE Yahoo! Mail - the world's greatest free email! http://mail.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 14:52:24 +0000 From: "Snow Drop" Subject: Somehow, someway David, Congrats on the birth of your child. Oh, and special congrats to mom, since being born posterior, that -must- have been quite a -long- labor of love. Most of all congrats to your child, who sounds like he's already quite valient. And lucky. - ----------------------- Jill: >I hadn't seen any of these 60s sitcoms in ages when someone started this >thread, but my daughter has been home sick all week (my school vacation >week - someone please feel sorry for me) Oh man, I do. So much for all your plans of stuff to get done. Still--I bet youve had some sweet bonding time. And I agree about the diversity within the US. Where I am, fundies are few and far between. Aithests and agnostics -far- outnumber Christians, and most Christians I know may try to discretely act on their faith, but are far too polite to ever consider beating anyone over the head with it. One of my more liberal collogues shocked me the other day by wanting to protest Buchanan coming to speak at the libes. I don't like the man , I like many of his views even less, but I feel he has the right to speak unimpeded. Passing out literature which points out what a jackass he is is fine, but not protesting his right, as an author, to speak at a public library. Does this make me conservative or liberal? Side note of no real relevance--Samantha, aka Elizabeth Montgomery was an alumna of my old school, as is Alexis de Plexis Grey(alright-- maybe I can't spell her name but she's one wise, cool woman.) For a long time these were our most famous alums. Then came Gwyneth Paltrow. Does this now mean my old, smarty-pants, all girls school is now -trendy? On-subject sidenigh of perhaps equally small relevance. So if Robyn's bio said he went to an all boys boarding school in west London--will someone elucinate for me -what- boys' boarding schools are in west London, which one he may have attended, and how old he was? - ---------------- Mary on Bottom Line. It -looks- like Mike and I will be up. I will go to both shows. Mike is an bandRobyn fan but not a folkRobyn fan, so he may do some partying, but skip the shows (or not.) Oh, and this is -not- yet set in stone;-) But I will definitely be there, somehow, someway. - ----------------------------- Kay _________________________________________________________________ Join the worlds largest e-mail service with MSN Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 10:23:40 -0500 (EST) From: Christopher Gross Subject: Re: fegmaniax-digest V11 #80 On Sat, 9 Mar 2002 DDerosa5@aol.com wrote: > hey there, I haven't written in to the list in approximately forever, but > just thought I'd throw out that I now have a newborn son and proto-Robyn fan, > named Mario and born Wednesday march 6. Congratulations, Dave! So Mario will be about five weeks old by the time of Robyn's April 12 show in NYC. Too early for his first concert? I don't think so! - --Chris ______________________________________________________________________ Christopher Gross On the Internet, nobody knows I'm a dog. chrisg@gwu.edu ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 09:35:05 -0500 (CDT) From: gSs Subject: norton's utilties Hey splangies, anyone got a copy of Norton's Utilities for dos or one that will run inside win 3.1 and has file restore/undelete services for fat16 or are aware of another utility like norton's that can do the same type things. thanks, greg ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 09:50:44 -0600 From: Miles Goosens Subject: Re: da dum da dum da dumdumdum da dum At 11:01 PM 3/8/2002 +0000, Stewart C. Russell wrote: >James Dignan wrote: >> >> whatever happened to Bing Hitler, the comedian? > >alive and well and appearing under his real name, Craig Ferguson. Not As >Funny As He Used To Be. The same Craig Ferguson who's Mr. Wick on THE DREW CAREY SHOW? Never heard of the Bing Hitler incarnation, though I suppose that's a function of not living in the U.K. or its more recently sundered dominions. later, Miles ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 15:53:28 +0000 (GMT) From: Michael R Godwin Subject: Re: IoW (99% RH) Has anyone mentioned that the 'Tribute to Jimi' spoken intro from the 1995 IoW gig is on an Isle of Wight music CD described at: Mike Plumbley also has reports on the 1996 and 1997 IoW outings, including some pictures of the gigs and of the Glass Hotel. You can just see me at the back of one photo - I'm the one in the yellow T-shirt. Most of the foreground consists of Jonathan Turner. Plus there is a stack of archive material on bands who played on the island at including reminiscences by Brian Godding of Blossom Toes! - - Mike Godwin ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 16:22:14 +0000 From: "Stewart C. Russell" Subject: Re: da dum da dum da dumdumdum da dum Miles Goosens wrote: > > The same Craig Ferguson who's Mr. Wick on THE DREW CAREY SHOW? Yes, I think so. Scottish. Tall. Good at ranting. > Never heard of the Bing Hitler incarnation, though I suppose that's a > function of not living in the U.K. or its more recently sundered dominions. It dates from mid to late 80s. Spotty, gawky, ranty Scottish orphan Bing Hitler takes on the world. Had a catchphrase briefly popular in Glasgow: "I tell you something I really, really really hate..." Didn't like Antiques Roadshow, so okay by me! Stewart ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 08:39:43 -0800 From: drew Subject: atheism > From: Jeff Dwarf > > http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/03/10/LV124772.DTL Heh...that's totally San Francisco. Every group is "the last group it's OK to bash." Drew ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 09:55:50 -0700 From: hamish_simpson@agilent.com Subject: RE: fegmaniax-digest V11 #80 > > whatever happened to Bing Hitler, the comedian? > alive and well and appearing under his real name, Craig Ferguson. Not As > Funny As He Used To Be. ... and sporting an English accent. He even sells instant tea over here on that dubious talent! Hey, maybe there's a job for you Stewart. If one 'wegie can do it.... (H) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 09:14:02 -0800 From: "Natalie Jane" Subject: the carl palmer method By the Palmer Method I was, indeed, referring to the type of cursive we all learned in school. I like the fact that most people don't know what it is, but everybody knows it. I tend to print most of the time myself, but when writing fiction and so forth long-hand, I always write in script. I'm not sure why - I guess 'cos it's faster? I also found the chiropractic stuff when I looked on Google - aha, a double meaning! I think my uncle had that done to his neck after he was in a car accident. Congratulations to Dave on the birth of his young 'un. (To those who don't know, "posterior" means the baby is born face-up, and during labor its head presses against the mother's spine, causing intense pain. My sympathies and congratulations to Mario's mom.) Re. Dylan and Drew's conversion: I'm sure I will be converted at some point, as I was converted to the greatness of the Beach Boys. It hasn't happened yet, though. So upcoming live stuff in Portland - I'm quite keen to see Clinic on March 22nd. I heard a bit of their stuff in a record store and thought it was very cool and interesting, and I'm curious to hear more. The Kingsbury Manx are opening up, and they're a fine live band as well, though seemingly mismatched. The Shins will be playing next month - hurrah! - and of course, the Minders are playing next week. I hope they do "Black Balloon" this time. Finally, I wanted to mention that I am working on my first novel, and am about 3/4 of the way through the first draft. Part of it takes place in Portland, and a few Portland fegs make cameo appearances (in altered form, of course, so nobody sues me). There's also a minor character named Tom who likes to yell "Fuck you, [insert full name here]!" at people. I suspect he also does a great Hank Hill impersonation. Anyway, if any of you NanoWriMoWhatever people have any advice to pass along, write to me privately... thanks! n. _________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 17:36:29 +0000 From: "Stewart C. Russell" Subject: Re: the carl palmer method Natalie Jane wrote: > > By the Palmer Method I was, indeed, referring to the type of cursive we all > learned in school. not in the UK. We wrote in stick letters. Cursive is pretty illegible to us. At least I missed the Initial Teaching Alphabet. Stewart ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 17:38:30 +0000 From: "Stewart C. Russell" Subject: Re: fegmaniax-digest V11 #80 hamish_simpson@agilent.com wrote: > > ... and sporting an English accent. oh no. The English were one of the many things that Bing Hitler really really really hated. > Hey, maybe there's a job for you Stewart. If one > 'wegie can do it.... As a dedicated reader of Adbusters, I couldn't possibly. Until the price was really right, of course. Stewart - -- Stewart C. Russell, Kirkintilloch, Scotland - scruss@enterprise.net "...eat the fruit of the clue tree." - Sam Tracy http://homepages.enterprise.net/scruss/ ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 10:55:34 -0700 From: hamish_simpson@agilent.com Subject: RE: fegmaniax-digest V11 #80 > > ... and sporting an English accent. > oh no. The English were one of the many things that Bing Hitler really > really really hated. Then you should watch Drew Carey! ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 13:31:25 -0500 From: "ross taylor" Subject: mormons Me being on the digest & so many fegs in DC, I'm sure this is a duplicate by now, but Jill-- >(some may raise their eyebrows at this - what Mormons dwell in >Massachusetts? Well, the *only* Mormon temple in the northeast is right >here in Belmont, MA). Actually we have a Mormon temple here in DC (Maryland technically) and quite a big one. Its got lots of *tall* modnernist spires. You drive right past it on the Beltway & it's huge & always lit up & looks much like the city of Oz. For years people kept putting graffiti on a bridge that you go under as you approach it "Surrender Dorothy!" Ordinary people can't get near it on foot. Ross Taylor Join 18 million Eudora users by signing up for a free Eudora Web-Mail account at http://www.eudoramail.com ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 12:47:34 -0600 From: "Brian Huddell" Subject: RE: In God's Country (Slight Return)-[1% Egyptians] Mike: > On Mon, 11 Mar 2002, Jeff Dwarf wrote: > > > http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/03/10/LV > 124772.DTL > > Thanks, Jeff. I found this quote in the article: > 'A not-so-recent example: former President Bush's comment > during a 1988 > presidential campaign stop in Chicago that "I don't know that atheists > should be considered as citizens, nor should they be > considered as patriots. > This is one nation under God." ' Well, yes, here we have something that I agree *is* a significant arbiter of social behavior in the US: a shatteringly high percentage of us are fuckbrained, drooling morons. Anti-intellectualism, the fear of ideas, is the true American religion. Atheists are a threat, less for their relationship to god, than for their unsettling tendency to think *way* too much. Easy, obvious answers rule here, a fantasy called "common sense" rules here, and challenges to the orthodoxy of linear thought are met with suspicion and ridicule, if not outright hostility. That's oppressive, that's something I feel when I'm trying to live my life, that's something that gets in my way. What my neighbor gets up to on a Sunday, and whether or not he thinks his god had a hand creating the universe, I couldn't care less. And 9 times out of 10, I believe, neither could he. If someone wanted to argue that religion is responsible for anti-intellectualism in the US, I'd hold up an egg in one hand and a chicken in the other. If, you know, I had a chicken, and I wasn't afraid to pick it up. +brian ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 11:26:38 -0800 (PST) From: bayard Subject: Re: mormons > Actually we have a Mormon temple here in DC > (Maryland technically) and quite a big one. Its > got lots of *tall* modnernist spires. You drive > right past it on the Beltway & it's huge & > always lit up & looks much like the city of > Oz. For years people kept putting graffiti on > a bridge that you go under as you approach it > "Surrender Dorothy!" i was coming back from greenbelt at about 12:10 this morning an noted that the lights that shine on the outside of the temple were off, i think the first time i'd ever seen that. Perhaps because today is the 6-month anniversary of 9/11. =b ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 11:41:23 -0800 From: glen uber Subject: Linux/DSL/IP Masq help Hey fegs, Would one of you Linux-using fegs be willing to help me solve some problems I'm having with my Linux box here at work? Contact me offlist and I'll e-mail you the details. Thanks! - -g- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 19:48:37 -0000 From: "mel" Subject: Re: mormons the temple is really fabulous. a friend of a friend lives across the street from it and it's very distracting to be there having a conversation and see that out of the living room windows. near christmas it's even better. they wrap lights around any form of vegetation they can get their hands on and there's traffic from people driving by to see the lights. to pacify the neighbors they give out pineapples for the holidays. i always thought that that would be the ideal time to get some friends to dress up in wizard of oz outfits and experiment with night photography. melissa ross taylor said: > Actually we have a Mormon temple here in DC > (Maryland technically) and quite a big one. Its > got lots of *tall* modnernist spires. You drive > right past it on the Beltway & it's huge & > always lit up & looks much like the city of > Oz. For years people kept putting graffiti on > a bridge that you go under as you approach it > "Surrender Dorothy!" > > Ordinary people can't get near it on foot. - -- ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 14:23:46 -0600 From: Miles Goosens Subject: RE: fegmaniax-digest V11 #80 At 10:55 AM 3/11/2002 -0700, hamish_simpson@agilent.com wrote: >> > ... and sporting an English accent. > >> oh no. The English were one of the many things that Bing Hitler really >> really really hated. > >Then you should watch Drew Carey! Yes, Mr. Wick is not a very flattering portrait of an Englishman, so maybe Mr. Ferguson's anti-English career continues apace. Thanks to Stewart for the positive ID on Ferguson. later, Miles ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 13:31:40 -0800 From: Tom Clark Subject: Re: the carl palmer method on 3/11/02 9:14 AM, Natalie Jane at emma_blowgun@hotmail.com wrote: > Re. Dylan and Drew's conversion: I'm sure I will be converted at some point, > as I was converted to the greatness of the Beach Boys. It hasn't happened > yet, though. > Oh sure. If DREW suggests it, it's a good idea... Of course you ruined your credibility with that Beach Boys reference. > > Finally, I wanted to mention that I am working on my first novel, and am > about 3/4 of the way through the first draft. Part of it takes place in > Portland, and a few Portland fegs make cameo appearances (in altered form, > of course, so nobody sues me). There's also a minor character named Tom who > likes to yell "Fuck you, [insert full name here]!" at people. I suspect he > also does a great Hank Hill impersonation. Come on, gnat; you know you're the only one I like to yell at! But I suppose that's what you book people call "literary license." Fuck you, Dale Gribble! - -tc ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 13:26:34 -0800 From: Tom Clark Subject: Re: In God's Country (Slight Return)-[1% Egyptians] on 3/11/02 10:47 AM, Brian Huddell at bhuddell@bellsouth.net wrote: > Well, yes, here we have something that I agree *is* a significant > arbiter of social behavior in the US: a shatteringly high percentage of > us are fuckbrained, drooling morons. Anti-intellectualism, the fear of > ideas, is the true American religion. Atheists are a threat, less for > their relationship to god, than for their unsettling tendency to think > *way* too much. Easy, obvious answers rule here, a fantasy called > "common sense" rules here, and challenges to the orthodoxy of linear > thought are met with suspicion and ridicule, if not outright hostility. Wow, I couldn't have said it better myself. Since growing up in a Roman Catholic household and being forced to go to church every Sunday until age 16, I have slowly but surely become convinced that religion, like most institutions, primarily exists for the benefits of it's leaders. I realize there are some fine, upstanding religious folks in the world - and on this list - that believe what they believe with nothing but good intentions, but the sheer hypocrisy and murderous aggression shown by organized religion in the past 2000 years completely betrays the underlying fantasy of there being any forgiving, all-loving, invisible deity. That's my rant on religion. It's been building up for a few months now, and now I'll shut up about it. - -tc ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 13:55:01 -0800 From: "Natalie Jane" Subject: Re: the carl palmer method >Oh sure. If DREW suggests it, it's a good idea... Oooh, Tom's *jealous*... :P >Of course you ruined your credibility with that Beach Boys reference. What credibility? n. _________________________________________________________________ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: http://messenger.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 11:22:28 +1300 From: grutness@surf4nix.com (James Dignan) Subject: Re: mahna mahna? >> fundamentalism, n. >> 1) Belief in the Bible as factual historical record and incontrovertible >> prophecy, including such doctrines as the creation, the Virgin Birth, and >> the Second Coming. >> 2a) (often capital F) a movement based on that belief > >Two things, first I called it fundamentalism, not Fundamentalism >and the second definition given in Webster's Collegiate Dictionary is: >2: a movement or attitude stressing strict and literal adherance to >a set of basic principles. sigh. a) you seem to imply that 'often' means 'always' b) what you said fell within definition (1) - no capitalisation there. c) you missed off my definition (3), which is to all intents and purposes identical to the definition you've just mentioned. d) only the capitalised form of the word would have come into existence as the result of a formalised movement. The other meanings could have come into existence any time after some one or more people held those views. In the case of adherence to the Word of God, that goes back (according to the Bible) at least to the time of Noah. I suspect however that this predates the modern English word fundamentalism by some considerable time. Hey - there are much more fun words we could argue about near this in the dictionary (including fun itself) - anyone want to comment on whether 'frowst' does indeed mean 'hot and stuffy', how worn out something has to be to be 'forfochen', or whether the word 'fundi' should be used with its South African or East African definition? Or perhaps tell me what fritillaries look like? Are they pretty? James James Dignan, Dunedin, New Zealand. =-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-= .-=-.-=-.-=-.- .-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-. -.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-= You talk to me as if from a distance =-.-=-. And I reply with impressions chosen from another time -=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=-.-=- (Brian Eno - "By this River") ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 17:38:00 -0600 From: "JH3" Subject: Re: In God's Country (Slight Return) As long as we all seem to be coming clean on our religious beliefs (or lack thereof), I might as well join in, I suppose. Obviously my experience was slightly different from that of most folks; after being born in the cloning factory I was assigned to a Philosophical Taoist household, where I was politely (but firmly) asked to bake macrobiotic cookies for the community ashram on alternate Thursdays. That wasn't too bad, but the constant harping on the "need for 99.44% purity" was so intensely distracting that I became, in effect, a psychotic nihilist, prone to unnecessary silliness, flights of fancy, and an overwhelming hatred of the Electoral College. Still, despite all that I can't really say religious people or their beliefs bother me all that much, nor am I particularly concerned about all those thousands of years of horrible violence. What really sticks in my craw, though, is how these people can actually criticize my preference for neon yellow and green underwear when they're still wearing those wacky orange robes everywhere they go! What's more, I think people who voluntarily shave their heads for so-called "spiritual" reasons should have NO right to tell me MY hairstyle is out of date! I mean, who are THEY to say styling mousse won't make a comeback? So when people ask me about my religion, I just tell them I'm "ignorant." That has the benefit of ending the entire conversation without me seeming to be overtly patronizing or self-righteous, while maintaining their suspicion that I'm basically toying with them for my own amusement... John "it's how we do things in America" Hedges ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 18:07:50 -0500 (CDT) From: gSs Subject: Re: bob's house On Mon, 11 Mar 2002, Tom Clark wrote: > I have slowly but surely become convinced that religion, like most > institutions, primarily exists for the benefits of it's leaders. And funtions only as another form of crowd control. I wish they had named god, bob. gSs ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 16:26:04 -0800 (PST) From: bayard Subject: bad joke (was: mormons) the obvious mis-sighting is "morons", but what about "mormoms"? Get it? - -- http://glasshotel.net ------------------------------ End of fegmaniax-digest V11 #83 *******************************