Seriously, if I invent a philosophical system called "Pastaphysics" which includes Everything in the Universe plus the Flying Spaghetti Monster and the idea that mathematics might be made of Spam, and then I suggest that your worldview is in fact a Pastaphysical one, I would rightly be accused of being a) silly, and b) annoying. Even if I'm to be a 2,000 year old Greek.
Fundamentalist Atheists:
The French don't ban the belief in, teaching of or (generally) the practice of (most aspects of most) religion(s); to label them "fundamentalists" in this sense is clearly both inaccurate and belligerent. Their secular system cares about and distinguishes religious accoutrement because those you wear it intend that act to mean "by this symbolism I show myself to belong to an ethnic or religious subgroup".
You can't wear nothing but a red rubber nose and a Dirty Sanchez to schools in France either, not because the French dislike nudity or unhygienic sexual practices, but because by doing so in such a public fashion you are clearly attempting to highlight your differences from those around you, rather than attempting just to get along. They used to make me wear a tie and cap at St Louis; if they were Fundamentalists too, the term kinda loses its potency.
(And before anyone calls me on it, I am using the extreme and satirical example above for effect, not to suggest any connection with between theists and shit-eating clowns. I might also note that I am in favour of allowing people to wear just about anything they want to. But then, I'm not in government in France. And neither are you.)
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Re: Quibblings or quislings?
Date: 2005-10-03 07:09 am (UTC)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logical_positivism
Get over it. ;)
Seriously, if I invent a philosophical system called "Pastaphysics" which includes Everything in the Universe plus the Flying Spaghetti Monster and the idea that mathematics might be made of Spam, and then I suggest that your worldview is in fact a Pastaphysical one, I would rightly be accused of being a) silly, and b) annoying. Even if I'm to be a 2,000 year old Greek.
Fundamentalist Atheists:
The French don't ban the belief in, teaching of or (generally) the practice of (most aspects of most) religion(s); to label them "fundamentalists" in this sense is clearly both inaccurate and belligerent. Their secular system cares about and distinguishes religious accoutrement because those you wear it intend that act to mean "by this symbolism I show myself to belong to an ethnic or religious subgroup".
You can't wear nothing but a red rubber nose and a Dirty Sanchez to schools in France either, not because the French dislike nudity or unhygienic sexual practices, but because by doing so in such a public fashion you are clearly attempting to highlight your differences from those around you, rather than attempting just to get along. They used to make me wear a tie and cap at St Louis; if they were Fundamentalists too, the term kinda loses its potency.
(And before anyone calls me on it, I am using the extreme and satirical example above for effect, not to suggest any connection with between theists and shit-eating clowns. I might also note that I am in favour of allowing people to wear just about anything they want to. But then, I'm not in government in France. And neither are you.)