Posted by
Stewart, Melbourne, AUS on April 6, 2009:
Long time fan, constantly provoked to both laughter and thought by your column; long-time Christian. I struggle with "Christians" who make the mistake of judging people by the standards we have chosen, when it is far better just to love them - didn't Jesus say "Love one another, as I have loved you. By this will all men know that you are my disciples - if you have love for one another." I'm sorry - where does it say "if you judge others by a standard they haven't chosen"?
Keep up the thought-provoking, laughter-cramp-inducing commentary, Randy!
Posted by
Stephen, Idstein Germany on April 8, 2009:
I love this! Keep it up Randy!
I myself am a "recovering catholic" and have a serious problem with certain flavors of organized religion. The worst being those that preach the "you're going to hell, cuz you don't believe what I do".
You can't argue with them because if you bring up a point that they don't agree with, the reply is "My god is better than yours and you're going to hell!"
They also seem to forget (if approved by the religion of your choice) that humor is a good thing.
BTW My [Insert deity of your choice] says believe in a higher power and be nice to everyone!
So I will be ordering a big pack of GOOHF cards to counter act the replies of people sending me to hell for writing this.
Posted by
Doug, Nanaimo BC Canada on August 29, 2009:
I think another corollary for Godwin's Law has just arisen. Any discussion in any forum that invokes a "You're going to hell for that..." ends the discussion and admits failure. It could be the failure of logic or of compassion, but it instantly brands the condemner as a knee-jerk idiot, whatever his or her faith. It also undermines any intelligent thing they may have said up to that point, in the minds of most readers. It has gotten so bad that it's difficult to admit to Christianity as one's belief, because so many people will immediately brand one as "one of THOSE" and ignore one thereafter.
BTW, I'm a Christian myself. And if you're going to hell, it's not "for that". According to the Bible, hell is the default destination, not the optional one.
Regrettably, I have lost more than one relationship on this point, having been at one point or another both the recipient and the idiot.
Posted by
Doug, Nanaimo BC Canada on August 29, 2009:
Further to my own comment of Aug. 29, I hereby lay claim to this adjunct to Godwin's Law, heretofore to be known as "Klaver's Law" (subject to someone pointing out I wasn't the first to outline it, of course). It states that "In any discussion, the person who condemns another with 'You're going to hell for that...', has branded themselves as a knee-jerk reactionary idiot, guaranteed that their comments will be ignored by all, and permanently destroyed any relationship they may have previously had with the target." It concedes one's failure to rationally argue the point any further, and is interpreted by most readers/listeners that the condemner has lost the argument. In many venues, it also ends the discussion.
---
I like it, and am publishing this so you have a third party witness and date stamp on it. Maybe it'll catch on! -rc
They're Trying to Make it Hot in Here - Comments
Posted by Stewart, Melbourne, AUS on April 6, 2009:
Long time fan, constantly provoked to both laughter and thought by your column; long-time Christian. I struggle with "Christians" who make the mistake of judging people by the standards we have chosen, when it is far better just to love them - didn't Jesus say "Love one another, as I have loved you. By this will all men know that you are my disciples - if you have love for one another." I'm sorry - where does it say "if you judge others by a standard they haven't chosen"?
Keep up the thought-provoking, laughter-cramp-inducing commentary, Randy!
Posted by Stephen, Idstein Germany on April 8, 2009:
I love this! Keep it up Randy!
I myself am a "recovering catholic" and have a serious problem with certain flavors of organized religion. The worst being those that preach the "you're going to hell, cuz you don't believe what I do".
You can't argue with them because if you bring up a point that they don't agree with, the reply is "My god is better than yours and you're going to hell!"
They also seem to forget (if approved by the religion of your choice) that humor is a good thing.
BTW My [Insert deity of your choice] says believe in a higher power and be nice to everyone!
So I will be ordering a big pack of GOOHF cards to counter act the replies of people sending me to hell for writing this.
Posted by Doug, Nanaimo BC Canada on August 29, 2009:
I think another corollary for Godwin's Law has just arisen. Any discussion in any forum that invokes a "You're going to hell for that..." ends the discussion and admits failure. It could be the failure of logic or of compassion, but it instantly brands the condemner as a knee-jerk idiot, whatever his or her faith. It also undermines any intelligent thing they may have said up to that point, in the minds of most readers. It has gotten so bad that it's difficult to admit to Christianity as one's belief, because so many people will immediately brand one as "one of THOSE" and ignore one thereafter.
BTW, I'm a Christian myself. And if you're going to hell, it's not "for that". According to the Bible, hell is the default destination, not the optional one.
Regrettably, I have lost more than one relationship on this point, having been at one point or another both the recipient and the idiot.
Posted by Doug, Nanaimo BC Canada on August 29, 2009:
Further to my own comment of Aug. 29, I hereby lay claim to this adjunct to Godwin's Law, heretofore to be known as "Klaver's Law" (subject to someone pointing out I wasn't the first to outline it, of course). It states that "In any discussion, the person who condemns another with 'You're going to hell for that...', has branded themselves as a knee-jerk reactionary idiot, guaranteed that their comments will be ignored by all, and permanently destroyed any relationship they may have previously had with the target." It concedes one's failure to rationally argue the point any further, and is interpreted by most readers/listeners that the condemner has lost the argument. In many venues, it also ends the discussion.
---
I like it, and am publishing this so you have a third party witness and date stamp on it. Maybe it'll catch on! -rc
Read the article that everyone's commenting on, or post a comment about it.