[leighton]As there has been some interest in listeners asking Sean questions, and he has agreed, I would ask any out there interested in posing a question to do so by email. We have set up the recording session for Thursday, March 4th. Please have your questions to us by noon that day if you would like your question included in the discussion. Also, in posing your questions remember he has requested the topic remain firmly on the respecting of individual beliefs.
9 Responses to “Questions for Sean.”
Dick question, I know, but shouldn’t that be March 4th?
It’s March? What happened to February? I guess I shouldn’t be posting something while talking on the phone. Here I thought I was in touch with my feminine side, but I’m not up to multitasking just yet.
You get better after it over time. Do what I do and wear women’s underwear while trying to multitask. It helps you get in the mood. Oh and some women’s deodorant helps, too. I mean, if you use deodorant.
Damn you to hell. (again)
Just kidding. 😉
I meant the Chilleans. *THIS* time.
Leighton,
In your pic you look like Agent Smith from the Matrix. Do you ever end a sentence with “Mr. Anderson”?
I have two questions actually.
1. If beliefs have to be respected, then why send missionaries? It cannot be for “spreading the message”, there are much more simple ways to do that and with MediaLab’s project for One Laptop Per Child, even the remotest tribes on our planet will have internet access. Isn’t it much more cost effective AND respectful to other beliefs to fund OLPC and just put the message out there for anyone who is interested?
2. How do you feel about religious organisations influencing laws in secular states for purely reasons of faith and doctrine, even though these laws affect the lives of people who do not share the same beliefs? And to make it more LDS-specific, did you protest the LDS involvement in the whole Proposition 8 debacle in California or not.
ARGH! I am stupid, I posted these questions here instead of sending them by email! I am terribly sorry, I will fix this immediately
To preface my email: I’ve a tendancy to ramble, and I’m hurriedly putting this down before I leave for work (maybe late) so feel free to edit/hack/excerpt freely, assuming anything I say bears repeating.
To continue: I think its safe to assume that most of the people who listen to this show are, like myself, already atheists or agnostics seeking to further know the enemy- we’re ‘chatting among ourselves’ so to speak, and issues of respect don’t enter into the conversation any more than Sean would speak respectfully with his friends or family about worming the dogs, or the iniquities of hollywood personae.
Ultimately this is the question; if Leighton, Charlie and those of us who love to hear them speak all feel that religion (and yes, most often the abrahamic religions) are a hindrance or even detriment of the purposeful progress of humanity, from where can we draw respect? It is as unfathomable to us as being respectful of a polio outbreak. Our first principals concerning religion differ fundamentally- to most religious people the very concept of spirituality is taken for granted as central to being alive, bearing a “soul”. We see this as a fantasy, growing closer to nightmare as the details come in.
Further, whence comes this idea that all beliefs deserve respect? It gets tossed around routinely, yet never put into practice. All mormons are required to bear witness, to go on a mission, yes? Is giving testimony to a jew or muslim or atheist to insult the very foundation of their understanding of the world? Now matter how nicely you present it, you’re essentially saying “You’ve labored your whole life in your delusion; please, try mine. Its tastier.” Everyone who has any opinion on God, and decides to share it is disrespecting anyone who disagrees with it.
Does Sean respect the beliefs of the Branch Davidians?
Does he respect the beliefs of the Heaven’s Gate dimwits?
How about the (misleadingly named) Church of Satan?
What does he think of my belief, that religion in all its forms is the most vile disease ever to infect our species, that if not countered will ultimately bring ruin to this entire planet?
Why should anyone respect another’s beliefs?
How can we, really, except as a sham of politeness and political correctness?
Is that false cordiality really respectful?
If I debate with someone I respect, I don’t hold back my opinions because I respect him enough to rebutt me with every ounce of sense, logic, and conviction he can muster- as I will always do.
I read Sean’s comments, and I have one more thing to say. He wrote in his e-mail that Leighton and Charlie always dealt with him and the family in a respectful manner when disagreeing about beliefs. Sean should know this; They are showing respect, love and admiration for you and your family when they deal with you gently. Now that you’ve seen the bile that’s in them (in many of us) concerning superstition, don’t you realize the effort it probably takes for them to speak kindly with you? The effort it takes to speak kindly with any of you after you disdain and dismiss everything Leighton says? What man wouldn’t finally crack under that kind of belittlement, and show a little hostility? Maybe I’m not seeing this properly, but I have long been in a situation similar to the one I’ve just described. Give respect if you expect to recieve it.
Sean- Irreligiosophy is for Charlie, and Leighton, and us. If you don’t like it, be the better man and respectfully butt out.
Irreligiously yours,
boggsj