You would think more than ever with this virus they would close the border

Stan Shannon

Oakman wrote:

Yeah, all that humanistic crap about the good Samaritan and "What ye do to the least of these, ye do unto me." Thank God, Christianity doesn't spew that kind of doggerel.

Humanism's simmilarity to other religions is proof of its true nature. If we are to invoke our christian traditions, that is an entirely different issue. but it is not Christian principles being promlgated by the state.

Oakman wrote:

So you are saying these are the Christian virtues? "Blessed are the bigoted because God only loves white guys?"

I never said that. But those are the primary moral tenants of humanism. Being bound to them by the state is no different than being bound to any other set of religions principles.

Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.

Stan Shannon

Oakman wrote:

But never, ever, has a pandemic been prevented by "closing" a border. Today's technology makes it less likely.

But, just as with enhanced interrogation, it is still a perfectly rational response to certain situations. It might at least slow it down enough to identify the source. There is absolutely no reason not to have it as an option aside from a mindless over-commitment to some inane moral agenda.

Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.

Oakman

Stan Shannon wrote:

Humanism's simmilarity to other religions is proof of its true nature.

So if Bush threw away twenty-bil on AIDS in Africa out of Christian charity, that's a good thing, but if we try to help the Mexicans because we are all humans that's a bad thing?

Stan Shannon wrote:

But those are the primary moral tenants of humanism. Being bound to them by the state is no different than being bound to any other set of religions principles.

I didn't notice you being bound - nor me, neither. Remember that no matter what, your mind is free. I know that sounds awfully Humanistic, but 'tis true. And, if there is a God who cares about what we do instead of how many times a day we pray and how much we pay our pastor, then He will notice that you did unto these, the least of His children, both in Africa and Mexico. If there isn't - tough noogies.

Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface Both democrats and republicans are playing for the same team and it's not us. - Chris Austin

Oakman

Stan Shannon wrote:

But, just as with enhanced interrogation, it is still a perfectly rational response to certain situations. It might at least slow it down enough to identify the source. There is absolutely no reason not to have it as an option aside from a mindless over-commitment to some inane moral agenda.

If this becomes a pandemic, we will realise it because folks in Indianapolis, Charlotte, NYC, Chicago, Atlanta, LA, San Francisco and Washington, DC will all start coming down with it because they visited Mexico, or they knew someone who visited Mexico, or they shared an elevator with someone who knew someone who visited Mexico. I am all in favor of closing the border, even now, but as far as the Flu goes, the horse has already left the barn, and is wearing the thief's brand.

Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface Both democrats and republicans are playing for the same team and it's not us. - Chris Austin

Lost User

Considering that there are reported incidents of this virus in South Western USA, closing the border would be akin to closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. The virus is already there. And apparently spreading http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/30398682/[^]. Above you comment "mindless over-commitment to some inane moral agenda, moral imperative, christian zealotry, separation of church and state, humanism, and social justice", how by bringing them into the argument addresses this virus? I'm at a loss to understand you. :confused: But I can understand this quote "We don’t think we can contain the spread of this virus"

Christian Graus

If it was fat_boy responding, his comment would be about how it proves there is no global warming. That's what happens when you get people who are driven by one issue only.

Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista. "I am new to programming world. I have been learning c# for about past four weeks. I am quite acquainted with the fundamentals of c#. Now I have to work on a project which converts given flat files to XML using the XML serialization method" - SK64 ( but the forums have stuff like this posted every day )

Christian Graus

erm, I will be in Texas in a couple of weeks. What's going on ?

Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista. "I am new to programming world. I have been learning c# for about past four weeks. I am quite acquainted with the fundamentals of c#. Now I have to work on a project which converts given flat files to XML using the XML serialization method" - SK64 ( but the forums have stuff like this posted every day )

Christian Graus

Chris Austin wrote:

with the money good plumbers make.

Isn't good plumber an oxymoron ? The last one we had, one sink leaked and was not attached to the bench, another was plumbed backwards ( the hot tap was cold ), and the washing machine did not work at all ( he didn't even plug it in to test it ).

Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista. "I am new to programming world. I have been learning c# for about past four weeks. I am quite acquainted with the fundamentals of c#. Now I have to work on a project which converts given flat files to XML using the XML serialization method" - SK64 ( but the forums have stuff like this posted every day )

Mike Gaskey

Christian Graus wrote:

I will be in Texas in a couple of weeks. What's going on ?

Swine flue - check out Drudgereport.com - a couple of headlines there. 60 dead in Mexico, 1,000 cases. 2 already in Kansas. 6 in NYC.

Mike - typical white guy. The USA does have universal healthcare, but you have to pay for it. D'oh. Thomas Mann - "Tolerance becomes a crime when applied to evil." The NYT - my leftist brochure. Calling an illegal alien an “undocumented immigrant” is like calling a drug dealer an “unlicensed pharmacist”. God doesn't believe in atheists, therefore they don't exist.

Christian Graus

Well, great. I'll be in Ohio, Texas, California, and Nevada ( from memory ).

Christian Graus Driven to the arms of OSX by Vista. "I am new to programming world. I have been learning c# for about past four weeks. I am quite acquainted with the fundamentals of c#. Now I have to work on a project which converts given flat files to XML using the XML serialization method" - SK64 ( but the forums have stuff like this posted every day )

Tim Craig

Stan Shannon wrote:

There is absolutely no reason not to have it as an option aside from a mindless over-commitment to some inane moral agenda.

And this is different from your normal agenda how? Mindless absolute morality describes you perfectly.

"Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it." -- P.J. O'Rourke

I'm a proud denizen of the Real Soapbox[^]
ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES!!!

Stan Shannon

Tim Craig wrote:

Mindless absolute morality describes you perfectly.

No, Tim. You keep forgetting that, unlike yourself, I am the one who believes that 'morality' should be defined from the ground up by the people themselves and not regulated from the top down for the benefit of some particular political agenda.

Chaining ourselves to the moral high ground does not make us good guys. Aside from making us easy targets, it merely makes us idiotic prisoners of our own self loathing.

Tim Craig

Cases in Texas and California, too. Going to look up CSS while you're in Ohio?

"Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it." -- P.J. O'Rourke

I'm a proud denizen of the Real Soapbox[^]
ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES!!!

Oakman

Stan Shannon wrote:

You keep forgetting that, unlike yourself, I am the one who believes that 'morality' should be defined from the ground up by the people themselves

But only after you have chosen who is allowed to come up with these definitions.

Stan Shannon wrote:

not regulated from the top down for the benefit of some particular political agenda.

Are you saying that once you get the laws passed that define morality the way you like it, they won;'t be enforce for the benefit of your political agenda?

Jon Smith & Wesson: The original point and click interface Both democrats and republicans are playing for the same team and it's not us. - Chris Austin

kmg365

Plague, they were an isolated population, there religious customs also protected them to some degree.

Tim Craig

Stan Shannon wrote:

I am the one who believes that 'morality' should be defined from the ground up by the people themselves and not regulated from the top down for the benefit of some particular political agenda.

Yet Christians don't define their morality, they're handed their morality from upon high and you keep advocating that the government must advocate christian morality.

"Republicans are the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it." -- P.J. O'Rourke

I'm a proud denizen of the Real Soapbox[^]
ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES!!!

Chris Austin

Christian Graus wrote:

Isn't good plumber an oxymoron ?

I guess I've been lucky then. But, the two that I use are 'master' plumbers and warranty all of their work. Luckily for me, I haven't had to call them on it yet.

Sovereign ingredient for a happy marriage: Pay cash or do without. Interest charges not only eat up a household budget; awareness of debt eats up domestic felicity. --Lazarus Long Avoid the crowd. Do your own thinking independently. Be the chess player, not the chess piece. --Ralph Charell