Displaying 11,551 To 11,580 Of 11,789 Comments Destroying Religion: The Essential Task at Hand? Actually in all my reading and listening to Hitchens, he has come off as an Islamophobe – stressing that it is an inherently violent religion. The thing I can appreciate about him though is that at least he is consistent in his argument, unlike the right-wing Christians who myopically cherry-pick Qur’anic passages whilst neglecting to do the same with their own book. Also, he at least has some fair criticisms of Islam – one I found in accord with my own skepticism was the paucity of textual criticism like the kind Bart Ehrman does, in Islam. » Posted By Khirad On November 24, 2009 @ 4:22 am They are what are known as “dry drunks” in 12 step circles. » Posted By Khirad On November 24, 2009 @ 4:10 am While not a good man on many levels and a Fascist, Mircea Eliade actually dissected State Soviet Communism, in particular, to show it for the religion it was, with its own soteriology and eschatological progression, saints and comprehensive belief system. This is a perfect time to say my biggest problem is with orthodoxy, not left/right, believer/unbeliever. Granted, I’ll play nicer with you if you’re a heathen leftie like me, but I will eventually grow tired of anyone too rigid in their beliefs. » Posted By Khirad On November 24, 2009 @ 12:16 am Fair enough. » Posted By Khirad On November 24, 2009 @ 12:08 am Bernard Marx: exactly. » Posted By Khirad On November 24, 2009 @ 12:04 am A little tangential: I liked Hitchen’s book better than Dawkins’, but his little chapter on Eastern religions was utter bullshit. I’m not saying that they are beyond reproach but that he wasn’t familiar enough with them to make many cogent points beyond fad-cults and corrupt swamis that sprang to the West, or to bring up the Tamil Tigers. Sam Harris was at least better on this. To be honest, in their criticisms of the Eastern religions, Hitchens displayed about as much in-depth knowledge of Hinduism in ‘god is not great’ as C.S. Lewis did in ‘Mere Christianity’. Maybe if he knew more he could have brought up a classical atheistic school of thought within the Hindu tradition like early Nyaya or Carvaka. In fact, they often seem to continue to frame their arguments in a Western fashion, not realizing (although they do add a brief note to this effect before their “but,…”) that they would need another tact to go after Dharmic religions – which when you read enough about them really wouldn’t be that hard, just more time consuming, as there are thousands upon thousands of strains. In any case, I found Hitchens a little absurd in his ironic sort of dualism altogether, even while agreeing with much, he was a little shaky at times, contradicted himself elsewhere, and completely missed the mark on more than just eastern religions. » Posted By Khirad On November 23, 2009 @ 11:54 pm By the way, if anyone ever wondered about ‘namaste’, even though Sanskrit is highly inflected, ‘namaste’ is also a contraction, so that’s how it works out to say so much in three syllables. And in Urdu, after greeting of Kya haal hai? (how are you doing, lit. what is your condition?), the customary response is ‘Aap kii du’a hai’ (it is by your prayer, [that I am well]). You don’t have to be religious, nor do you need literal belief in god to see the social benefits of such formalities. But indeed, you sounded a little Campbellian there as well with the ‘what if’ query on ‘namaste’. 😉 » Posted By Khirad On November 23, 2009 @ 11:32 pm Indeed. I don’t quite put atheism on the same level, but do think South Park nailed it when they did a two-parter on how, which is reflected in my personal experience as well, atheists can be just as dogmatically rigid and certain in their beliefs – which aren’t always based on reason IMHO. I was once briefly the angriest atheist, so maybe I’m projecting, though. In truth I’m all but an atheist still, but I’m one of those dreaded agnostics that Dawkins derides whom is more like 99% percent there but can’t bring myself to associate with the close-minded orthodoxy I see in hardcore atheist circles. Circles whose worldview isn’t so much based on science but often knee-jerk reactionary hatred to all things spiritual or mildly religious in origin. Methinks that counts as a definite worldview and ‘religare’ to me, if not “religion” however you define it — and those definitions differ greatly just between Abrahamic and Dharmic “religions”. » Posted By Khirad On November 23, 2009 @ 11:22 pm Uh oh, I feel my avatar has been called out! » Posted By Khirad On November 23, 2009 @ 11:10 pm Last one, I swear! Delerium featuring fellow Canadian Sarah McLachlan in “Silence” (not really!)
» Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 7:57 pm Incredibly influential to my generation’s music. A cover, for example:
» Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 7:47 pm Francesca Nicoli, from Ataraxia, one of my favorite bands from Italy (of course) – opera with a sardonic twist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvuynLwkUtk It just crossed my mind that Bollywood playback singers like Alka Yagnik, Lata Mangeshkar, Kavita Krishnamurthy, etc. can bring even operatically trained Western singers to shame; though, comparing the two classical technical traditions is ultimately unproductive and irrelevant. It’s not a contest. In any case, I’ll save those “Gandharvas”. » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 7:38 pm My top siren will always go to the inhuman range and transcendent glossalalia of Lisa Gerrard. With Dead Can Dance, a band which single handedly created a genre, performing “Song of the Sibyl”:
P.S. Tori Amos is also in my pantheon of goddesses, as well. » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 7:19 pm “The Weekly Planet” Debuts Tonight! The slowness has finally gotten to me, and I’ve a book to get back to. Gute Nacht. » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 10:44 pm OMG – is not that urge to correct them powerful?!! I love mocking the righties with atrocious English with suggesting ESL classes – no offense to those in ESL! » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 10:41 pm Ditto on all counts. 😉 » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 10:37 pm Lawrence O’Donnell covered it filling in for KO. Kofinis couldn’t keep a straight face! Also, the montage of all the comedy bits this week on late-night had me in stitches. I managed to fully boycott HP today as I’ve done except for like 3-4 weeks now, except for two special-interest articles once when this site was down. » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 10:35 pm I use the same method. I’m a fan of snark, but that’s all some of ’em have. » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 10:31 pm That would be the right word. There’s another who is a bit of a spaz, too – I’m totally blanking on names tonight, oh yeah GOPsteals. The ones with the bad spelling and grammar always embarrass me a bit, elitist that I am. Still, if they make a good point or have a decent rejoinder here and there, I’ll fan them. I think they’re nice guys all the same, but can become a little bothersome. » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 10:27 pm I’m with you and escribecat. I have an opinion of the head, and one of the heart. I also would describe myself as someone who is 99.9% against the death penalty, but for some – and when there is iron-clad evidence, I just don’t care. I don’t particularly push for their death, I think we might learn more from studying them, and with AQ types to deny them their martyrdom at the hands of the infidel is even more degrading to them… but… I totally know what you guys are saying. Plus, with dictators like Saddam, as it was in old times, it prevents them from ever regaining power. I know the Bolshevik argument isn’t particularly progressive of me, and hey, I’m not saying to go after the whole family, but exile, at the very least, is a tricky thing when dealing with a mass-murdering dictator, as is locking them up with a sentence any shorter than life. I know one short guy who came back from a small island to become emperor. » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 10:21 pm You might have the ACLU get involved on that! » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 10:10 pm Yes, it just happened to dawn on me when on a thread dealing with the Iranian sentences earlier this week, but was meant to demonstrate a much larger point, as you say. We often speak of our nation’s ‘moral standing’ in the abstract. It is useful to have a specific instance to drive it home. » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 10:05 pm Actually, you’re dead on (any pun so not intended) for bringing up the list of Death Penalty countries and our sorry position in it. Whether or not we sentence him to death is not a concern to their hypocrisy barometer, though I’m sure its people would take notice. » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 10:02 pm [I had a double post here] » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 9:56 pm If I were savvy enough I’d tell you. They had an add-on for Firefox and some other tool that allowed you to see the IP addresses like the Mods can. I thought they were kidding, but they sounded pretty serious about it and gave me a bunch of links including a YouTube tutorial. Look it up if you’re interested. In fact I should look into it myself. Just don’t copy their address in public. That’s what this guy kept telling MrHands to do: prove it. Clearly, he was no newbie… god what is that twits name?! Always writes stuff like “WAKE UP and see the TRUTH!!!” and has a thumbs-up-ing av. » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 9:56 pm Brownforall was hard for me to figure out for the longest time. » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 9:48 pm I so regret missing that. Melt-downs are great entertainment. » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 9:46 pm I’m sorry I missed that part of the discussion. I have a direct example on why trying him is good for America. In the wake of post-election turmoil, Iran has recently sentenced five people to death, no names released, vague accusations like the “enmity towards God” (moharebeh ba-Khoda) thing, with no defense, in camera. Sorry, but nothing tells that regime to shove it up their ass like an open trial and the upholding of the TRUE American way – as the IRI is OBSESSED with Western hypocrisy. For anyone who doesn’t see that as plain as day, well, they have something stuck up their asses as well. *** » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 9:14 pm Would love to see Cher here. They’re really insightful. » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 8:54 pm Yes, the are good at baiting, I’ll give you that. Rami is only mildly annoying IMO. Shows up, gives the mod GOP line and tucks out anymore. I don’t know if you know MrHands, but he supposedly nailed, aargh, what’s that Truther’s name? – as Brad by nailing his IP address – even told me the software to do it myself, if I were that savvy. Anyone done that with the Jekyll & Hyde of Flossy & Gringo? » Posted By Khirad On November 20, 2009 @ 8:53 pmComments Posted By Khirad
I’m against the death penalty in principle, but I won’t shed any tears over a needle in KSM’s arm, either. This is one of those times, where while I could live with him suffering the rest of his days in supermax solitary easily, I’m not particularly opposed to state sanctioned murder for his level of atrocity. ‘Tis true that it’s a shame Obama has bloodthirsty ‘Murkans to assuage, preemptively undercutting them strategically, though. Lord knows we can never have a rational discussion about the visceral underpinnings of institutionalized vengeance.
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