Show Posts

This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.


Messages - mtlhddoc2

Pages: 1 ... 15 16 [17] 18 19 ... 23
241
Brandon Sanderson / Re: ***SPOILERS Official Hero of Ages Spoilers Thread. Includes Q&A w/Brandon****
« on: February 04, 2009, 05:15:10 AM »
doesnt not look anything like Mistborn to me, more like Xmen maybe, with a bit of Jumper thrown in for good measure. Telekenesis has been the subject of movies and books for a very very long time.

242
Brandon Sanderson / Re: A Memory of Light
« on: January 31, 2009, 09:42:28 PM »
I think none of you have ever been married lol.

243
Brandon Sanderson / Re: A Memory of Light
« on: January 30, 2009, 06:55:32 PM »
Bookstore guy: Thanks for the Erikson tip, I will order him from my library today :)

As for inflammatory, I really was not being inflammatory. I have heard similar statements throughout my life, and even here on this board....  but again, religion, by nature, is "holier-than-thou" - it must be, if it was not, then it wouldnt be much of a religion. If you believe, as Christianity preaches, that the only way to salvation is through Jesus Christ, then thats it. Everyone else MUST be wrong. It is a de-facto requirement. The Bible preaches that non-believers are going straight to hell, do not pass Go, do not collect $100. If a religion taught that all other religions were equal, it wouldnt be a religion for very long, whhich is one of the main reasons that Wicca and the Greek/Roman gods either died out or do not do very well.  They do not preach superiority.

Direct from the King James Bible:
Timothy 5:8 "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel."

John 3:18: "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."


The Bible, in many points, specifically calls out those who do not believe in the Judeo-Christian God as less of a person, as one without moral, one with a heart of evil. I do not put these things form as disrespect, just to show the nature and necessity of this particular religion. Most other religions have similar phrases within their texts. How they are interpreted directly impacts how the followers are expected to act. Islam, becuas eit has no central authority, has widely divergent interpretations, which leads many to believe that the path to heaven is through killing non-believers and infidels. Fortunately for me, Christianity as a whole has evolved since the 16th Century, even if a very small number of its followers have not.

Even my religion-or-lack-thereof of atheism breeds a thought of superiority "I am right and you are wrong" which in turn is what led us to this discussion in the first place. Right vs wrong and all things in between.

244
Brandon Sanderson / Re: A Memory of Light
« on: January 30, 2009, 05:32:28 PM »
It is morality this speaks of: "As for her morality, she breaks the golden rule: Would I want that done to me? To those I love?   If the answer is no, then it shouldn't be OK for you to do it to someone else.  Otherwise, you are putting yourself above others."

But the difference is, she is abiding by law and by conditioning and the religion of the Empire (it is not a religion per se, but acts like one) - the religion does not allow for any contradiction, even when ones apply. She would be perfectly fine if someone she loved was collared because it is what is supposed to happen. She might even be fine with being collared herself, as long as the "religion" requires it.

Even in todays religions, for better or worse,  people to throw away their own children because they are gay, murder their daughters because they had sex and blow up buildings of people who believe differently. Yes, I am speaking of 9/11, but also of the abortion clinic bombings in Georgia and the Oklahoma City bombing. All of those involved were very religious people who thought they were doing the right thing. Religion, by doctrine, requires you to believe you are better than others who do not share your religion. Cathlics believe they are the only ones going to heaven, Born agains believe only those who have been "born again" are going to heaven. And all of you believe that because I do not believe in any god, I am most certainly the most heinous sinner of them all and am going stright to hell. Many of you probably even believe that because of my atheism, I couldnt possibly have a single moral fiber in my being.

I went a little afield, but mean no disrespect to anyone here. I was merely pointing out that what you say, does not always match up with how you act, this goes for individuals, governments, corporations and religions.

245
Brandon Sanderson / Re: A Memory of Light
« on: January 30, 2009, 01:12:57 PM »
That was my point. :)

246
Brandon Sanderson / Re: A Memory of Light
« on: January 30, 2009, 03:49:48 AM »
Morally, I do not feel that it is. Revenge is not a morally acceptable act, in my book. Killing or harming to protect from immenent harm, perceived or real, is acceptable in my book, however distasteful it might be. this does not mean that I have not WANTED to harm someone before, but wanting to do something and actually doing it arte not the same thing.

Broccoli on regular tomato sauce pizza sounds pretty gross though. Broccoli and tomatoes dont mix well in my taste book.

247
Brandon Sanderson / Re: A Memory of Light
« on: January 30, 2009, 01:26:23 AM »
Point conceded. I have not extensively studied Hindusim as I have Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

248
Brandon Sanderson / Re: A Memory of Light
« on: January 30, 2009, 01:01:49 AM »
Quote from: Reaves on January 30, 2009, 12:38:04 AM
I would like to respectfully say that there is nothing gray in the examples you have given us. Suicide bombing is wrong. Marital abuse is wrong. People who's consciences have been so seared as to think they are in the right is terrible.
I understand that you are an atheist. However, I believe there is a difference between "God" and "Jupiter". We all know that the deity referenced on the dollar bill is the one that nearly all of the Founders believed in, but it does not specifically state the God of the Bible or "Jesus." I think there is a difference.


I agree with you on the first part. Of course it is wrong...  to those of us who have evolved. Go back barely over 60 years in this country and women were little more than property still. It was teh 2nd World War which changed teh male view when women worked in factories and such. the phrase "rule of thumb" comes from a British law which was only recently stricken from the books that you could not beat your wife with anything wider than your thumb. Right and wrong ARE subjective, even when there are certain truths which we hold self-evident. Such as murder, rape, slavery and the brutalizing of women, and even: forcing religion on someone, yet, that takes place every day in this country. Just the fact that it is God and not god is proof that it is indeed the Judeo-Christian god, or an offshoot (such as Islam) which is being referenced. the Greek and roman gods where referred to in the lower case, since each person worshipped a god of their choosing. The Hindi people also have multiple gods and therefore "god" would also be lower case. I am not here to belabor the point. It really is fact. If you are not a believer in god or God, you are considered less of a person in this country by most. People come right out and say, if you dont believe, then you have no morals, which is patently false. But that is what they believe, and they are in power, therefore they are "right" and I am "wrong" regardless of how I might feel about teh subject. Many of the Mormons on this board should be able to sympathize with me, if they could get past their prejudice. Mormonism has been considered a "cult" and "weird" by the majority for a long long time. Utah would not even be a state if Mormon church leaders had not been forced to give up polygamy. so to the majority, Mormons are no different than I am, even if they refuse to believe it.

PS: I like broccoli on pizza, a white pizza that is.

249
Brandon Sanderson / Re: A Memory of Light
« on: January 30, 2009, 12:30:55 AM »
Could you list a few of Erikson's works? Such as, which one I should start with. I need new reading material.

On the off-topic topic: I am glad to have stimulated such deep conversation. Obviously, might makes right is simplistic and sometimes abhorrent. But, as one person pointed out, I am an athiest, yet I am forced to use money which has "In God We Trust" printed on it. The pledge of Allegiance for the country I love says "One Nation Under God". Those are just some small examples. Religion is forced on me from all sides, yet, the majority in this country are Christian, so I am considered "wrong". And you know what? It REALLY doesnt bother me all that much because it means nothing to me. However, look at it this way. If the Roman gods were still prevalent and Christianity the minority and all of our money said "In Jupiter We Trust", wouldnt you feel a bit slighted?

there is right and there is wrong, and then there is a supertanker full of gray areas. Might makes right is the key to the gray areas....  but then again, in some countries, even the "right and wrong" are gray, even though they are not gray to us. There are hundreds, if not thousands of people willing to blow themselves up to kill innocent people who think they are right too. There are dozens of entire countries who brutalize women in the name of religion because their religion says so. Slavery is the norm in alot of these countries, they just call it by a prettier name: "Marriage". So, this brings us full circle. Might does in fact make "right". and that is why many people feel ok, even justified, in saying that I am "wrong", even though I live by a moral code that is similar, if not the same, as alot of others.

On topic: will RJ/BS have Tuon feel regret for the centuries of slavery? I sure hope not, but he might.

250
Brandon Sanderson / Re: A Memory of Light
« on: January 29, 2009, 05:29:34 AM »
Quote from: Reaves on January 29, 2009, 12:06:44 AM
If my different way of living involves systematic torture on weekdays, I'd hope you'd look at me a little funny.

As for Tuon...well. Her way of living is WRONG. She is enslaving human beings. Case closed. I really hope we don't have to continue this discussion.

Torture of who?

Her way of living is wrong to you, but not to her. Just like I am sure my way of living is wrong to you as well, but not to me. There are alot of things in this world that people hold as gospel, that I think are just plain wrong, but they chose to live that way, and the slight majority backs them. And really, that is the difference between "right" and "wrong" - the people in charge are right, the people not in charge are wrong.

251
Brandon Sanderson / Re: A Memory of Light
« on: January 29, 2009, 01:23:14 AM »
Quote from: Eerongal on January 28, 2009, 05:09:55 AM
Quote from: Shaggy on January 28, 2009, 12:22:02 AM
Oh I get it…just out of curiosity, though–why are they called 'red herrings?'

Supposedly, the origin of the term comes from the 1800's, when fugitives from the law would rub a herring around areas they ran, because herring gets a very pungent smell, to throw off the hounds.

That's what i've heard anyway, dont know if it's true.

That's one of the supposed original meaning, another is that they used herrings in the training of foxhounds to decipher fainter scents when presented with much stronger ones.

252
Brandon Sanderson / Re: WOT Help
« on: January 25, 2009, 04:46:14 PM »
I always thought gates were "one way" - as in, the point of origin was the beginning and the destination point you could not enter

253
Movies and TV / Re: Eragon
« on: January 16, 2009, 09:51:51 PM »
Quote from: Shaggy on January 16, 2009, 07:48:29 PM
Well, not to get into an insult-fest or anything, but for someone who criticizes others as being rude, you're pretty knowledgeable in that area.

Point me to ONE post of mine where I was rude. just ONE!

By far, you are the rudest person on these boards, but I, and I am sure others, have overlooked it because you are only 12. Honestly, if my 11 year old ever spoke to me in the manner you have made daily conversation here, he would be grounded for a week.

254
Movies and TV / Re: Eragon
« on: January 16, 2009, 07:46:12 PM »
Quote from: Shaggy on January 16, 2009, 05:47:59 PM
I'm not saying every theory/opinion/thought needs evidence to support it (and if I was, then I stand corrected). What I am saying, however, is that it is not unfair to question an unfounded thought.

If I had just been questioned, then this discussion would not have happened.

But what actually happened was that people demanded evidence and were quite. Maybe in this new world you youngsters live in, rude is the new nice, but not in my world.

255
Rants and Stuff / Re: Why I belong on Jerry Springer.
« on: January 15, 2009, 02:00:08 AM »
I have to say it again, because it is a truism. Yes, maybe she played you a bit, but you do need to step up and look back and recognize your part in it as well. I have never seen a situation where it was 100% the other persons fault. This could be a first, but honestly, from personal experience, I doubt it. That is the first step in healing. Secondly, you have to forgive her and move on. forgive her for YOU, not for her. Life is too short to carry a grudge. And thirdly, try to remember, especially since you have a daughter, that every girl you date/sleep with is someone else's daughter, and treat them as you would hope your daughter gets treated.

Pages: 1 ... 15 16 [17] 18 19 ... 23