RE: Do's and Don'ts
March 25, 2012 at 2:23 pm
(This post was last modified: March 25, 2012 at 2:25 pm by Cyberman.)
1) Biblespam? Meh. You can spout that stuff if it helps. However, without demonstrating why it should be regarded as an authority, or at the very least why you think so, we are equally justified countering with Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who, and whatever else we can draw from, all with equal authority (perhaps more, since much of proper science fiction contains messages, warnings and moral teachings written specifically to raise consciousness about some aspect of the human condition). Apologies for the horrible run-on sentence.
2) If you want to pray for me, just do it. The only reason I can see for you to tell everyone about it is for attention: "Hey look at me, everyone, I'm announcing my perceived superiority over this poor sinner! Aren't I the hero!" Whatever the rules say on that point, as far as I'm concerned that's preaching. After all, why would you even bother if you didn't think there was something broken in me that praying is supposed to fix?
3) Quoting from authority: see point 1. The authority figure preferably needs to be an actual authority in whatever field is relevant, as opposed to someone with an opinion who may happen to have a fancy title. Caveat: appealing to authority in lieu of an actual argumental position is indeed a logical fallacy. The quoted authority by itself is not a single-shot argument-ending checkmate move.
2) If you want to pray for me, just do it. The only reason I can see for you to tell everyone about it is for attention: "Hey look at me, everyone, I'm announcing my perceived superiority over this poor sinner! Aren't I the hero!" Whatever the rules say on that point, as far as I'm concerned that's preaching. After all, why would you even bother if you didn't think there was something broken in me that praying is supposed to fix?
3) Quoting from authority: see point 1. The authority figure preferably needs to be an actual authority in whatever field is relevant, as opposed to someone with an opinion who may happen to have a fancy title. Caveat: appealing to authority in lieu of an actual argumental position is indeed a logical fallacy. The quoted authority by itself is not a single-shot argument-ending checkmate move.
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist. This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair. Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second. That means there's a situation vacant.'
