Good Questions CrossBow. I'll take a stab (cruel?) at a few. I don't don't see how cruelity can be cathartic. No doubt catharsis can lead to violence, but I would would not consider that cruel. I think of cruelity as the use of violence, threats of violence, verbal abuse and other tactics inorder to inflict pain on others for the purpose of dominating them or even eliminatig them.
Fundamentalist Christianity has an odd relationship with violence. I think the root of the problem is the artificial schism between good and evil it attempts to impose on believers. The cruelity of the crucifiction is supposed to be the just wrath of an all good god, a wrath that we supposedly deserved. Many Christians, who accept this atonement feel so guilty because poor little Jesus suffered in their place. They cannot bear this guilt, so they blame others such as the Jews, homos, atheists or any one else that's convienient. Soon they think that they have the right to kill these "sinners". After all, isn't that what their all powerful, all good god would want them to do? Until they are ready to accept the fact that the god of the bible is a lunatic monster, they will not be able to deal with non believers in a loving way. On Dec 23, 2:40 pm, CrossBow <[email protected]> wrote: > What is cruelty? Is it predatory, hierarchical, cathartic, galvanizing - the > result of frustration? All those things? > > It is not odd that Christianity glorifies in the cruelty at the > crucifiction. It seems to be necessary...why? > > "cruelty is fed, not weakened by tears?" > > On Tue, Dec 23, 2008 at 1:11 PM, Isparklaria <[email protected]>wrote: > > > > > > > > > I think that at the present time the below is true. I don't think it > > is true of primatives, though they are far from perfect. However, > > primatives and their societies are far less cruel that we are. I > > believe that it is possible to improve the situation even though I > > don't think that anyone knows how to improve it at this time, > > including me. It may be that no formula or scheme will work, but > > things will change through natural selection. > > > "Man is a cruel animal," he wrote to a friend. "His cruelty must be > > organized. Society is essentially criminal,—or it wouldn't exist. It > > is selfishness that saves everything,—absolutely everything, -- > > everything that we abhor, everything that we love." > > > Conrad rejected all formulas or schemes for the moral improvement of > > the human condition. Political institutions, he said, "whether > > contrived by the wisdom of the few or the ignorance of the many, are > > incapable of securing the happiness of mankind." > > > On Dec 23, 12:03 pm, Clogtowner <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Hi y'all - yes, check the inventories at your local gun store. When > > > they are low you know that we are close to the "every man for himself" > > > phase. > > > > On Dec 23, 11:07 am, "Jason (Memphis)" <[email protected]> > > > wrote: > > > > > Here is an interesting article. It reminds me of the introduction of > > > > "history of western philosophy" by bertrand russell when he talks > > > > about the social fabric of law and order quickly collapsing and the > > > > ensuing chaos including horror tales from failed Greek city states. > > > > >http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20081221_man_is_a_cruel_animal/-Hidequoted > > > > text - > > > > - Show quoted text - > > -- > gnothe se auton- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Memphis Freethought Alliance" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/memphisfreethoughtalliance?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
