On 14/09/2006, at 8:58 PM, jdiebremse wrote:
--- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], Charlie Bell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Good question. Where does "devout" become "fanatical"? I think you
may be onto something here.
When the choices of others are involved?
That's a good answer.
Of course, under this definition, the Easter Islanders would not be
regarded as "fanatical", right?
Additionally, would you consider such practices as "wearing a hair
shirt" or adopting the lifestyle of an ascetical hermit to
be "fanatical"?
No. Excessive, maybe. To a non-believer, lunacy. But still devout
rather than fanatical, I think.
Mind you, it's the sort of playing with degrees that plagues the
human/not-yet-human debate, so frankly it's poisoned from the start.
Charlie.
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