Thursday, December 29, 2005

28 Kislew 5766/29 December 2005: Hanukkah, day 4/Kwanzaa

Greetings.

Extreme menorah-lighting was off yesterday. Due to threats of thunderstorms, I lit inside. ☹

Rupert and the gang wish me to note the article “Kenya's Hippo, Tortoise Mark Year Together” and commend Mzee the Tortoise for his friendship with Owen the Hippopotamus.

And now for today’s selection of religious fallacies. I suspect many of those dealing with prayer are extremely widespread since lots of people complain about them.

Categorization of behavior:
Note: Some items in this section are overridden in specific religions.
“Absolute pacifism is good.”
“Animal sacrifice is bad.”
“Anything natural is good.” AKA “Anything artificial is bad.”
“Circumcision is wrong since God made the human body perfect just the way it is.”
“Conformity is a virtue.” • ESAOF: “Disconformity is a virtue.”
“Drinking alcohol is bad.”
“Eating meat is bad.” AKA “Vegetarianism is good.”
“Love is the same thing as sex.”
“Love is the same thing as submission.”
“Pleasure is bad.” • ESOAF: “Pleasure is good.”
“Self-deprivation is good.”
“Sex is evil.” • ESOAF: “Sex is good.”
“Spirituality in all its forms is good.”
“Support is the same thing as submission.”
“Tolerance is the same thing as acceptance.”

Prayer:
“It is a virtue to rush through prayers as fast at humanly possible (or even faster).” (Ignoramuses in synagogue)
“It is a virtue to say the beginning and ending of a prayer and to skip the middle.” (Ignoramuses in synagogue)
“It is acceptable behavior to chat during prayers or a sermon in a house of worship.” (Ignoramuses in synagogue)
“No one can hear me chatting during prayers or a sermon in a house of worship, or if they can, they are not disturbed by it.” (Ignoramuses in synagogue)
“Prayer itself causes things to happen.” (Popular American misconception)
“The point of prayer is to make things happen.” (Popular American misconception)
“When one prays, one really prays to oneself.”

Abortion:
“Being against abortion and for the death penalty is inconsistent since the first item is pro-life and the second is pro-death.” (Popular American misconception)
“The relevant question with regard to abortion is ‘When does life begin?’” (Popular American misconception)

Sexual preference:
“David and Jonathan were homosexual lovers.” (Cited in the name of a heretical synagogue)
“Having homosexual desires is determined purely by genetics.” (Militant homosexuals) • ESAOF: “Having homosexual desires is determined purely by choice.” (Militant haters of homosexuals)
“Love justifies homosexuality in all religions.” (Militant homosexuals)
“Prohibitions allegedly against homosexuality are really prohibitions against something else.” (Homosexual Christian preacher on the news in December 2005)
“Sexual preference is unchangeable.” (Militant homosexuals) • ESAOF: “Sexual preference is changeable at will.” (Militant haters of homosexuals)
“Since one has a particular sexual preference (heterosexual, bisexual, homosexual, etc.), one has no choice but to practice it.” (Militant homosexuals)


Enjoy, and happy Hanukkah.

Aaron

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