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Talk:Essay:5 Questions to Ask an Anti-Conservative (view source)
Revision as of 14:59, May 28, 2008
, 14:59, May 28, 2008New page: == Five answers from an "Anti-Conservative" == While I'm not sure I'm an "Anti-Conservative", I can't resist answering the questions. {{cquote|1. Which group is more likely to lie to you...
== Five answers from an "Anti-Conservative" ==
While I'm not sure I'm an "Anti-Conservative", I can't resist answering the questions.
{{cquote|1. Which group is more likely to lie to you: one that believes in the Ten Commandments and tries to obey it, or one that rejects the Ten Commandments?}}
On the given information, clearly the group who believes in the ten commandments. Given appropriate conversational cues, they're almost 100% likely to lie. Examples of such lies might include that they know Jesus/YAWEH exists, or that they know I'm going to hell if I don't get myself saved. On the given information, the other group has no clear motivation to lie to me.
{{cquote|2. Would you ever suggest a classroom prayer for a classmate having a sick parent, who you know would greatly appreciate it?}}
No. There is no evidence that intercessory prayer has any benefit, so all this would do is provide false hope for the child. Any "appreciation" or comfort supplied by the prayer would be greatly outweighed by the dismay caused if the prayer fails, and the child not only has to confront the grim realities of mortality but also that their God, should they exist, does not care enough about them to spare their feelings. If the teacher or classmates wish to pray for the parent, then they would be best served doing so silently or in the privacy of their own home
{{cquote|3. If you support gun control, do you also advocate "alcohol control" for adults to reduce the greater harm caused by alcohol?}}
Alcohol is already controlled. Only licensed premises my sell it, and only those over a given age my purchase it. Alcohol also has a much lower potential to cause harm to others through malicious action. I strongly support the current measures in place to control the supply of alcohol.
{{cquote|4. Is it possible that teaching conservative values to teenagers is beneficial for them, and you?}}
Almost certainly not. The whole concept of "rugged individualism" is a local optimisation, and it extremely bad mechanism for global optimisation. It would be a really bad thing for society if this was a universal precept, and especially bad for children. School is already bad enough for children who are singled out as weak or unfit, whether due to their intelligence, physical differences or any handicaps they may have. If Conservative principles were applied, what possible recourse would these children have? Their bullies would be ultimately justified.
{{cquote|5. Is it possible that conservative values helps reinforce and strengthen one's faith?}}
Faith in what?
While I'm not sure I'm an "Anti-Conservative", I can't resist answering the questions.
{{cquote|1. Which group is more likely to lie to you: one that believes in the Ten Commandments and tries to obey it, or one that rejects the Ten Commandments?}}
On the given information, clearly the group who believes in the ten commandments. Given appropriate conversational cues, they're almost 100% likely to lie. Examples of such lies might include that they know Jesus/YAWEH exists, or that they know I'm going to hell if I don't get myself saved. On the given information, the other group has no clear motivation to lie to me.
{{cquote|2. Would you ever suggest a classroom prayer for a classmate having a sick parent, who you know would greatly appreciate it?}}
No. There is no evidence that intercessory prayer has any benefit, so all this would do is provide false hope for the child. Any "appreciation" or comfort supplied by the prayer would be greatly outweighed by the dismay caused if the prayer fails, and the child not only has to confront the grim realities of mortality but also that their God, should they exist, does not care enough about them to spare their feelings. If the teacher or classmates wish to pray for the parent, then they would be best served doing so silently or in the privacy of their own home
{{cquote|3. If you support gun control, do you also advocate "alcohol control" for adults to reduce the greater harm caused by alcohol?}}
Alcohol is already controlled. Only licensed premises my sell it, and only those over a given age my purchase it. Alcohol also has a much lower potential to cause harm to others through malicious action. I strongly support the current measures in place to control the supply of alcohol.
{{cquote|4. Is it possible that teaching conservative values to teenagers is beneficial for them, and you?}}
Almost certainly not. The whole concept of "rugged individualism" is a local optimisation, and it extremely bad mechanism for global optimisation. It would be a really bad thing for society if this was a universal precept, and especially bad for children. School is already bad enough for children who are singled out as weak or unfit, whether due to their intelligence, physical differences or any handicaps they may have. If Conservative principles were applied, what possible recourse would these children have? Their bullies would be ultimately justified.
{{cquote|5. Is it possible that conservative values helps reinforce and strengthen one's faith?}}
Faith in what?