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Dave Barry Strikes Back Against Telemarketers
ikkonoishi writes "The Miami humor columnist Dave Barry in his column
here encouraged his readers to exercise their constitutional rights to call a telemarketing firm which had declared the National Do Not Call List unconstitutional. Well it seems to have worked." Needless to say, the targets of the prank were none so keen on being called themselves.
Actually, few passages in the Bible are as badly misunderstood as this one. The "eye for an eye" maxim is not about harshness; it's about proportional retribution.
Let me see if I can put it in context...
In ancient Palestine, offenses against one's honor were met with an escalating response. If someone stole one of your sheep, the manly thing to do was to go and kill five of his cows. If some careless bozo trampled a row of your corn with his ox-cart, you might go and set fire to his field. In other words, "teach 'em a lesson."
The eye-for-an-eye ethic put a lid on this escalating violence, insisting that punishment or restitution be proportional to the actual, demonstrable harm done, and that it not be determined by the rage of the party offended. For example, Leviticus 24:18 says, "And he that killeth a beast shall make it good; beast for beast." The eye-for-an-eye principle placed rational limits on retribution and punishment.
No, here's what the Bible really says about eye-for-eye.
Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you, Resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. And whosoever will compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Give to him that asketh, and from him that would borrow of thee, turn not away. Matthew 5.38-42 (Tomson)
-uso.
What you hear in the ear, preach from the rooftop Matthew 10.27b
About 3 years ago I informed a local newspaper(berkshire eagle) that I wanted to be removed from ALL their telemarketing lists. after a few calls bitching to management(they call at 8:00 in the morning to 10:00 at night for christs sake)The calls stopped. A few years later MA passed a do not call registry and we didnt add our address right away. Well allmost to the day the law went into effect guess what happened....YEP I started getting calls again. When I called to get removed I was told "get on the registry,thats what its for" SLAM...yep the bastard hung up on me. Now to get revenge the last time a sister paper called(owned by the same company) I had the guy on the line for about 30 minuites, and ended the call telling the guy"I guess after 30 miuites you thought I was going to buy papers, no papers for me sucker" SLAM
"A towel is the most astounding Mind-boggleing useful thing in the universe, allways know where your towel is"
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