This is the reason why I find Goanet so hilarious. I have fallen of my chair laughing. This post exposed the hypocrisy and the pseudo-intellectuals. The two authors below gave their reasons for and against what I said. Few spouted off, with some rationale which they only could understand.
Thanks Jose for helping to clarify my short post. There is no difference between atheists and those who smoke, divorcee, live a homosexual life style or cheat on their spouse. These are all very LEGAL activities. Those who live any of these life styles, in fact they would LIKELY welcome new members with valuable tips. Surprise. :=)) All these are perfectly legal lifestyles, compared to others that I did not mention but others did. So clearly some do not know the difference between legal and illegal activities. Also I like Jose's comments about the "true belief" of believers and non-believers which surprisingly Santosh finally understands and agrees with you ... and us. That is exactly what some of us have been saying all along. Santosh, and others who took the contrarian view, expose their own narrow view and authoritarian / mean attitude towards those who do not live a similar lifestyle. Should I, give or not give, consideration to a smoker because he/she is a catholic? What is Santosh's rationale? The smokers of all beliefs have an absolute right to smoke in public areas, where such activity is permitted. And while I refuse to hang around those areas, I greet the smoker-friends with a "big Hi" from a distance! I do not tell them to smoke or not to smoke, even though I know better - samkem like the other groups. So I do not know where is your beef, Santosh? Other than perhaps you do not do so. Every one has a right to their own thing, if it is permitted by law. And as per my belief, (rock solid moral code) we need to be kind to these law-abiding bros. and sis.. As a good citizen, for those who break the law, one needs to turn them in even if they happen to be one's relative. Similarly my "indifferent attitude" to someone having an extra-marital affair, should not surprise you. Perhaps you should learn for it. Statistics report that about a third of married people have extra-marital affairs. So perhaps you should be pretty broadminded yourself. These folks are believers and non-believers, who do not live by their rock solid moral code. Some engaging in extramarital activity claim a superior life style - like other groups. This includes being a great calorie burner.:=)) Other posters gave other "good" reasons. I try to explain to myself, why our "logical" Santosh is off-the-wall with my very reasonable view which likely is held by many goanetters. The only explanation I could come up for his outburst is possibly the term "Benign Neglect" spooked him. This is a term used in medical practice or rather medical malpractice. If it is the extra-marital relation that outrages him, then perhaps he may have seen the Indian (social) documentary which was recently screened in the USA. The thought-provoking and gut-wrenching movie is called "WATER". It touched on some hidden social issues of "conservative" India. I do not know how many goanetters saw this movie. Beyond the above explanations, perhaps Santosh has to get his mind out of theological texts and into the real world around him. He is outraged about extramarital affairs. But a few weeks ago, claimed that modern thinking has improved today's social mores. Or is my liberal colleague just ignoring or denying or sweeping modern liberal social issues under the carpet?:=)) Yet, he may be making his not uncommon U turn and agreeing with us. Kind Regards, GL --- Jose Colaco <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >I see nothing wrong with the above quoted from Gilbert Lawrence. > All he says (in effect) is that he (Gilbert Lawrence) would IGNORE an > atheist, as also someone who smokes, divorced, lives a homosexual life style > or cheats on his spouse. ----------- Santosh Helekar I find Gilbert?s statement bigoted because of the following reasons: 1. Under all democratic constitutions an atheist is no different from a person of any other faith. He/She should not be treated differently from others because of his/her religious beliefs or lack thereof. Nobody would dare to announce in this forum that he/she reacts to a Catholic with "benign neglect". 2. The lumping of a smoker, a divorcee, a homosexual and an atheist with someone who cheats on his/her spouse reveals how contemptuous and discriminatory Gilbert is towards the former four types of individuals. Nobody would dare to claim in this forum that his "benign neglect" towards a Catholic or a Goan is no different from that towards someone who cheats on his/her spouse. _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org
