Why not, I wondered, a Russian Patriot's Bible? Some of those newly Orthodox folk are really up to their eyeballs in the 'holy' bit of Holy Mother Russia. Why not an Irish Patriot's Bible (in orange and green editions)?
Don't get me wrong, I'm proud to be a New Zealander, but I'd picket any publisher who tried to bring out a Kiwi Patriot's Bible. "My country, right or wrong" just doesn't seem to gel with any of the teachings of Jesus as far as I can tell.
Nazi Christians (if you'll forgive the blatant oxymoron) tried to bring out a German Patriot's Bible in 1940 - Die Botschaft Gottes - a New Testament which cleaned up all those embarrassing Jewish references. It's not exactly a sterling precedent.
Has there ever been a time in history when Christians snuggled up to myopic nationalism - parading as patriotism - and innocent people didn't suffer? If you're going to be a Christian you should be a good citizen, but surely not an uncritical one.
From one abomination to another. Anonymous comments are no longer accepted here. Why?
"May death fall on you quickly, there is no power you have to stop it, all your miserable life is worth is a hole in the ground. The sooner you reach that destination the world will be at peace."The gutless toad who sheltered behind anonymity in an attempt to post that comment isn't unique, but he definitely piled on the final straw. I'm not sure whether the sentiments were directed to me or a previous commenter on the thread, but either way this guy is a creep. Okay, people say harsh things when they feel threatened - been there, done that. But on my worst day I'd never have crawled that low, nor would any decent person. Sorry to anyone who'll be inconvenienced by the restriction, but if a comment is worth making it's worth owning.
Now, see, when I got comments like that, mostly by email when I was running WeinlandWatch during "2008 - The Apocalypse That Wasn't" I just laughed them off. If I was feeling somewhat charitable, I might have a twinge of pity for them.
ReplyDeleteBut, really, they're not worth having any kind of reaction to at all. Don't let it get you down, Gavin! After all, it's not like any of it is true, and it just reflects their own mental health issues.
Gavin,
ReplyDeleteDon't let idiots restrict your blog. I know some people will comment if they are able to do it anonymously. They won't comment if they feel exposed.
You can always delete the idiots. That way you have power over them, and not the other way around.
Thanks for the feedback guys, but the point still stands. Anonymity is still possible with a google ID - I have no idea who Jack635 is for example - but it does introduce an element of accountability.
ReplyDeleteI note the form also lets one login in with OpenID -- so, if you have an account on another system other than Google (the accounts are listed when you click OpenID), you should be able to login with those. For those who don't want to bother with logging their data, even anonymous data, on Google, that is.
ReplyDeleteI view them as a necessary evil; sure, they have all the data on the "real" me that has passed through their hands (admittedly not much), and they know the nearest city that I am closest to (which isn't very close, thank Lovecraft's Elder Gods for rural living and broadband cable), but as far as giving that information to anyone else....
Eh, well, they may have done so already, who knows? (I've no idea if Junior has informants within their bowels.) For the average person receiving emails from my GMail address, it's untraceable though. So, like I say, a necessary evil. More exposure than I'm comfortable with, but still for a worthy cause. Just my thoughts.
Signing up for a GMail account is easy. Restricting it so your privacy is not wide open and blowing in the wind is a bit trickier, and you've got to keep checking it regularly to make sure they haven't added some nasty new gadget that broadcasts your stored information to the world (for example, try and get into the habit of deleting your Contacts list regularly, that's been a source of endless trouble for me), and best NOT to login from anything other than a laptop connected by WiFi (on an encrypted network, WAP2 at minimum with Stealth firewall software, thank you), and you should be golden.
Hm. I'm not making non-anonymous commenting sound very attractive, am I?
Paranoia, thy name is Purple...
ReplyDelete;-)
Gavin, sorry to hear about these attacks. I have always found you to be exceedingly fair and polite. You even make an attempt to be unbiased. You should be applauded.
ReplyDeletebeen my policy since the beginning. only cowards are anonymous (or pseudonymous) online. and if they have something to hide, and aren't willing to own their words, they aren't worth hearing.
ReplyDeleteif they don't want to comment except anonymously you know what they can do? i mean besides that. they can start their own silly little blog and spew their mindless bile so that they, and their mom, can read it.
The American Patriot's Bible is perfect! And, by that, I mean a perfect example with what is wrong with all religions in this world.
ReplyDeleteFortunately, for now anyway, WE THE PEOPLE, are still in charge of our Country. No matter how many places they have insinuated their god like some kind of sneak thief, since 1776.
I seriously doubt that anyone at all is surprised by that. :-D
ReplyDeleteThat's all citizens need, equating the KJV bible with patriotism.
ReplyDeleteThe fundies need to realize that atheists are not going to be marginalized forever.
It doesn't matter what Chuck Norris says - he's nuttier than a fruitcake. Too many kicks to the head probably.
Even on his TV show, "Texas Rangers", he always had to beat the bad guy unconscious when it wasn't even necessary to fight at all. Teaching that police brutality is correct behavior to the children.
And now he wants to promote fundie Jesus? WWJD?
Jim said...
ReplyDelete>been my policy since the beginning. only cowards are anonymous (or pseudonymous) online.<
I couldn't agree with you more, except to say, cowards or criminals!
>if they have something to hide, and aren't willing to own their words, they aren't worth hearing.<
It is a view I have constantly repeatedly on Gavin's AW blog. And these same people want to silence those who are happy to pen their names to what they write! How unjust can some people be?
Priceless! I borrowed your Chuck ad!
ReplyDeleteGavin,
ReplyDeleteA "converted state of being" does bring out the worst in people, such as when they deal with a belief that challenges their own "conversion-belief"
What seems odd is that is that these lashers-out can often, otherwise in life, compartmentalize and be relatively decent people in their dealings.
(BTW, I'm certainly not excusing the death threats.)
On a lighter note, I also consider the Chuck Norris Bible to be "priceless"!
And here is another example of similar satire, in video form.