[HPFGU-OTChatter] Facing The Challenge Web Site

[Andrew MacIan]

Greetings from Andrew!

Paraphrasing Mr Clemens, the reason that the circus
never caught on in the US is that we have religion....

--- Kathryn <kcawte at kcawte.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
> I tried reading this I really did but I got to the
> bit where it says that the view that the books are
> about a struggle between good and evil is a bit
> naive

True.  However, one must also observe that this level
of naivety is perfectly suited to the site's target
audience:  Binary only, no 'grey' since that is too
confusing, and only support the 'right' side of the
argument.

> and couldn't help wondering whether the author
> knows how many "professional" Christians (couldn't
> think of the word I wanted there) have expressed
> precisely that view, including, on more than one
> occasion, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Hrm.  In my case (having been in the US for far too
long) the term 'professional' brings to mind those
like Falwell and Co.; those who, for whatever reason
they might have, come across as being a cross-product
of rabid intolerant 'true believer' and  reactionary
politician.

YMMV, especially without having to deal with this sort
of person in your culture/place of residence.

> 
> Also I wonder why it seems that the majority of
> these vehemently anti-everything not condoned by
> their particular brand of Christianity ignoramuses
> are American. 

This why I brought up Sam'l Clemens in my header.  The
freedom of religion permits those who care to do so to
indulge in various forms of flights of fancy.  The
freedom from religion permits the rest of us to gawk
at such antics, knowing that both sides have the right
to act as we choose.

The problem comes when such antics cross into the
political mainstream.  Them it would be correct to
quote Mr Orwell....but I digress.

> We don't seem to get many here (UK),
> and none who really achieve any level of notoriety.
> It surprises me that the land of democracy and
> freeedom can breed such a number of religious bigots
> whereas here we tend just to point and laugh at such
> people?

Vide supra....and know that there are those of us on
this side of the Atlantic who have been laughing
without pause (save when religion crosses the
political boundaries) at such bigots for years, just
as we laugh at the more ludicrous political fringes.

Recall also the sage advice of RAH on this:  Whenever
a man boasts about how honest he is, make him pay
cash.

Cheers,

Drieux

=====
ICQ # 76184391

'Each game of chess means there's one less
      Variation left to be played;
 Each day got through means one or two less
      Mistakes remain to be made.'
      --'Chess' by Sir Tim Rice

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