Conclusion:
China which is not a Christian nation has a very strict moral code on what
is allowed and what is not. I can give you many examples out there.
I don't think there are any examples to give. Just because you, or
they, call it a "moral" code doesn't make it one. Particularly when what is
being discussed is how you may or may not treat others. Which is ethics,
instead.
Most censoring is done for power and control sake, not morality's sake.
This obfuscates the issue, since the point of obtaining power is to
be able to engage in the wholly unethical practice of imposing on everybody
else one's personal articles of faith, whether or not the imposer calls it
"morals." It's obvious that this is what the Chinese were doing when this
thread began.
Most of the censoring being done on the Internet right now is not
religious based but content based on protecting Children from stuff they
should not have (Because some folks do not want to show or exercise any
restraint) and also to protect our children from being exploited in a
sexual nature.
I don't see how you could know what motivates "most of" anything on
the Internet, since you haven't had contact with "most of" the people who
do or say stuff on the Internet. You simply aren't competent to say what
motivates anyone apart from yourself, to attempt Internet censorship,
unless he or she first tells you.
Nobody with two cerebral cortex neurons to rub together is going to
object to ANYONE wanting to "protect children." However, the censoring to
which you refer merely USES that rationalization [by which I mean a true,
or ostensibly true or reasonable, statement or description that is not the
REAL reason or motivation] to deny this stuff to adults, which is the REAL
intent.
Most of the content banning seems to be ill placed in my mind, and not
reflect a religious moral outrage, but a societal outrage at misuse of the net.
This is America, and you're entitled to your opinion, Stewart, but I
think you have it exactly wrong. Any "societal outrage" is necessarily and
obviously religious in nature. If it weren't, censors wouldn't feel
justified in attempting to control the lives, thoughts, and behaviors of
people, other adults, in fact, they will never meet or know. This is, after
all, a democracy. The censors you were describing take their perceived
strength, and the concomitant arrogance and sanctimoniousness (necessary if
they are to ignore or dismiss the democratic protections cloaking those
they seek to control), from their claim that they are doing God's work.
They seek power in order to require you to practice THEIR religion.
But as someone has pointed out banning something is not going to prevent
it. Just make it more desirable.
Betty [b_s-wilk <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>] said almost exactly that very
thing, didn't she?
Wasn't there a guy on "Jeopardy" some years ago who said that his
education began when bluenoses attempted to take books like Boccaccio's
"The Decameron," Huxley's "Brave New World," Vonnegut's
"Slaughterhouse-Five", and a bunch of others, out of his high school
library? In response to this, he went to used book stores, and the public
library, to read everything the bluenoses tried to exclude. He said he had
the time of his life, and discovered how enjoyable it was to read. I bet he
had as much fun reading banned books as some people have bashing religion,
now that YOU told them to stop.
Proper education and self policing is the key.
If, and only if, you define "proper" and "self policing" in a way
that I approve of. Otherwise, how do I know this isn't just code for your
wanting me to behave only in ways you select?
As for the NY AG, they seem all bent on one thing making a name for
themselves at the expense of the people.
Many people have exactly the same opinion of the clergy, and other
members of church hierarchies.
How/Why do you suppose that happened?
Bob
Jaco Pastorius: "Bo be boo bop doo bay."
OK
End
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