FWIW I'm writing this from France where religion is completely separated from public life by law and in the public mind. Any public figure that publicized its religious views would immediately be murdered by the press (this has happened a few times in the past years). However private faith is ok (even if you're into politics although most of them are terribly discreet about it). Granted, France is a bit extreme in this way (historical reasons that wouldn't fit here, mostly because I'm lazy, and so are you)). Still, even states that are traditionally very religious such as Italy or Spain would be terribly shocked by the kind of display that is common in the US. (ok, there is Poland, but they're a bit weird -this is just so I wouldn't be accused of forgetting them)
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I totally agree with your statements...
But I can totally explain Poland. Once the Iron Curtain fell, all kinds of fundamentalist sects went COMPLETELY APEDUNG sending missionaries over there to make sure the Godless Communists learned the Good News!
Apparently, the Good News is taking hold pretty well over in the Soviet bloc. My parents' church is sending peeps to the Ukraine all the time. That might explain why the US's blend of annoying insane proselytizing is being exported to the former Warsaw Pact nations. Hooray!
(P.S. the Hooray! was sarcasm for those not employing their Acme Military-Grade Sarcasm Detector.)
How many white baptists from Mississippi have blown up aeroplanes lately ? How many of them are calling for - or at least condoning - the destruction of the western world
Mississippi, Texas.
Western world, Middle-eastern world.
To-may-to, to-mah-to.
I have heard LOTS of idiot (insert Christian fundamentalist sect - or the Mormons - here) groups and figures call for destruction, division, hatred, and idiocy.
That Robertson jagoff calling Chavez "worse than Hitler".
Dubya claiming to be "in communication with God" and then bombing civilians. AND being a baldfaced liar.
Who Would Jesus Bomb? Anyone ACTUALLY claiming to follow the teachings of the New Testament who also supports Bush should instantly explode in a burst of hypocrisy.
I used to believe in all that. And still sort of do. I was raised nondenominational Christian, and yes, fundamentalist. Until I grew in reasoning enough to understand that 99% of the people claiming to be "servants of God" were really ignoring the HEART OF THE MESSAGE.
Jesus was a Radical Leftist -- the Pharisees were the equivalent of Fundamentalists of Jesus' day, and they DID NOT GET ALONG. I wonder how many Jesus-like figures died during the 60's, beat up by rednecks. Most "upstanding churches" would NOT let that field-wandering, long-haired, lower-class-associating hippie into THEIR churches. So I bet he returns the favor.
I am no longer going to any churches. But frankly, that seems to be the last place to look for God these days. Otherwise they'd be a little more active in applying Universal Love and Brotherhood through feeding/clothing/housing the world's poor, fighting corruption in government, opposing unjust and dangerous wars, etc., instead of just singing, building more church buildings, and feeling self-righteous.
The unexamined life . . . is called the American Christian life.
Not to mention the insane customizability of NWN. I mean, when you buy it you're really buying a "D&D Style Game Construction Kit"...
And with all the stuff out in the community for it, you could make some seriously cool stuff... although there IS a learning curve.
Even though I knew they were WOTC...
Even though I knew Hasbro ate them...
And knowing, deep in my soul, that all of them are really Beatrice (or Brenda if you are of the MOAV).
But! I have been a DM and player on and off since the ancient days of graph paper, "The Judge's Guild," and your class being "Elf." The game has relentlessly improved and then fallen into decadence over and over, like the gaming Empire that it is. The quixotic and brilliant First Empire, with its luminaries and obvious literary influences. The expansive, coherent, and sometimes boggling multiverse of the longer Second Dynasty, strewn with unusual cosmoses (or is that cosmi?). The violent takeover and rise of the foreign Third Age brought welcome changes, with the sacrifice of some continuity came near-infinite flexibility... and the shadow of the entity known only as Munchkin.
Ah, history. And imaginary history! "Dang those Suels and their Rain of Colorless Fire..." It's still a shame that the Witch of Shadowdale got killed by that dragon..." and "GUARDS, don't let those gnomes land here or we'll have another mutant hamster infestation, like that last time that we're STILL REBUILDING FROM." I know that there are dozens of you grinning and adding your own.
I have my grievances with 3.5 (those RANDOM packs of miniatures still have me muttering curses -- a DM wants to buy 24 kobolds without involving the Net -- making them collectible SUCKED)... but on the whole, great things have happened in this Third and a Half Age.
Oblivion is a letdown compared to the interpersonal chemistry you get in a Really Good D&D Game. You crack open books and plan insane strategies between games. The beauty of a game where anything can happen -- but still rules apply!
I guess this is really a toast to all the folks, geniuses, writers, dreamers, players, dungeon masters, wargamers, actors, comedians, sages, and fools that make gaming a thing that will never die! A TOAST!!
Criceratops...reminiscing about that one time with the barrel of holy water...
I totally agree. That was such a pointed parody of any "super guy on the run" shows which consumed our airwaves during the entire mid-70's (everyone from Bruce Banner to the entire A-Team) and continues to linger in the form of aberrations like "Renegade". Heck, this all started with David Carradine (and we all know that should've been Bruce Lee).
But the talking motorcycle was almost prophetic, as Owen did a talking car later.
Wow, these things sound like the "localizers" that Vinge describes in "A Deepness in the Sky"... although not quite as advanced, certainly a major step in that direction.
Curiouser and curiouser...
I may sound like an old guy, but seems that science is in some areas keeping good pace with science fiction... and conversely, that hard SF is having to adapt even more rapidly than ever before.
Dr. Thaddeus Venture presents the first demonstration of the "Oooo"-Ray.
Sensing a tie-in, Venture Industries is said to be attempting negotiations with Sony to give them a DEADLY edge in the Format Wars. "Just melt the other guy's blank media plants," he joked, "then see who gets the early adopters!" He paused to take his medication after a moment of awkward laughter. "But seriously, those U.N. guys hated my new Oooo-Ray. I spent months reverse-engineering Dad's... ummm... I mean, working on it. But, hey, now Sony can run Ooo-Ray for Blu-Ray stunts, assuming they're the ones who make that format. I forget, I really don't keep up with technology."
---
"I have purchased this collectible Home-Boy figurine from the machine in your sitting room!!!"
So... they are... horse-shaped????
(horrible thought)
DON'T BRING ONE HOME, NASA!!! IT IS FULL OF GREEK WARRIORS YOU IDIOTS!!
I mean really, our national MHPC (milli-helen per capita) is low enough already that cocker-spaniel-like-"got-de-downs"-eyed-trailer-fo lk are being turned into superstars for vaguely carrying an R&B tune. ow. Don't let them take our national reserves of hotchickery!
----
crappy triceratops
The city council passes a resolution to ban all dust-bowl-related games or related states as being "full of inappropriate ignorance". Councilor Steve Krebs was quoted as saying, "I mean, really, you have these huge flat states that are apparently so drab and lifeless that people have to oppress each other based on what invisible sky father they believe in. That sort of thing has no place in twenty-first-century society, and we've got to protect the children!"
Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, and Nebraska were not available for comment, as they became lost in their own damn acreage.
Slashdot Mirror
-----
I totally agree with your statements...
But I can totally explain Poland. Once the Iron Curtain fell, all kinds of fundamentalist sects went COMPLETELY APEDUNG sending missionaries over there to make sure the Godless Communists learned the Good News!
Apparently, the Good News is taking hold pretty well over in the Soviet bloc. My parents' church is sending peeps to the Ukraine all the time. That might explain why the US's blend of annoying insane proselytizing is being exported to the former Warsaw Pact nations. Hooray!
(P.S. the Hooray! was sarcasm for those not employing their Acme Military-Grade Sarcasm Detector.)
How many white baptists from Mississippi have blown up aeroplanes lately ? How many of them are calling for - or at least condoning - the destruction of the western world
Mississippi, Texas.
Western world, Middle-eastern world.
To-may-to, to-mah-to.
I have heard LOTS of idiot (insert Christian fundamentalist sect - or the Mormons - here) groups and figures call for destruction, division, hatred, and idiocy.
That Robertson jagoff calling Chavez "worse than Hitler".
Dubya claiming to be "in communication with God" and then bombing civilians. AND being a baldfaced liar.
Who Would Jesus Bomb? Anyone ACTUALLY claiming to follow the teachings of the New Testament who also supports Bush should instantly explode in a burst of hypocrisy.
I used to believe in all that. And still sort of do. I was raised nondenominational Christian, and yes, fundamentalist. Until I grew in reasoning enough to understand that 99% of the people claiming to be "servants of God" were really ignoring the HEART OF THE MESSAGE.
Jesus was a Radical Leftist -- the Pharisees were the equivalent of Fundamentalists of Jesus' day, and they DID NOT GET ALONG. I wonder how many Jesus-like figures died during the 60's, beat up by rednecks. Most "upstanding churches" would NOT let that field-wandering, long-haired, lower-class-associating hippie into THEIR churches. So I bet he returns the favor.
I am no longer going to any churches. But frankly, that seems to be the last place to look for God these days. Otherwise they'd be a little more active in applying Universal Love and Brotherhood through feeding/clothing/housing the world's poor, fighting corruption in government, opposing unjust and dangerous wars, etc., instead of just singing, building more church buildings, and feeling self-righteous.
The unexamined life . . . is called the American Christian life.
Not to mention the insane customizability of NWN. I mean, when you buy it you're really buying a "D&D Style Game Construction Kit"... And with all the stuff out in the community for it, you could make some seriously cool stuff... although there IS a learning curve.
Even though I knew they were WOTC... Even though I knew Hasbro ate them... And knowing, deep in my soul, that all of them are really Beatrice (or Brenda if you are of the MOAV). But! I have been a DM and player on and off since the ancient days of graph paper, "The Judge's Guild," and your class being "Elf." The game has relentlessly improved and then fallen into decadence over and over, like the gaming Empire that it is. The quixotic and brilliant First Empire, with its luminaries and obvious literary influences. The expansive, coherent, and sometimes boggling multiverse of the longer Second Dynasty, strewn with unusual cosmoses (or is that cosmi?). The violent takeover and rise of the foreign Third Age brought welcome changes, with the sacrifice of some continuity came near-infinite flexibility... and the shadow of the entity known only as Munchkin. Ah, history. And imaginary history! "Dang those Suels and their Rain of Colorless Fire..." It's still a shame that the Witch of Shadowdale got killed by that dragon..." and "GUARDS, don't let those gnomes land here or we'll have another mutant hamster infestation, like that last time that we're STILL REBUILDING FROM." I know that there are dozens of you grinning and adding your own. I have my grievances with 3.5 (those RANDOM packs of miniatures still have me muttering curses -- a DM wants to buy 24 kobolds without involving the Net -- making them collectible SUCKED)... but on the whole, great things have happened in this Third and a Half Age. Oblivion is a letdown compared to the interpersonal chemistry you get in a Really Good D&D Game. You crack open books and plan insane strategies between games. The beauty of a game where anything can happen -- but still rules apply! I guess this is really a toast to all the folks, geniuses, writers, dreamers, players, dungeon masters, wargamers, actors, comedians, sages, and fools that make gaming a thing that will never die! A TOAST!! Criceratops ...reminiscing about that one time with the barrel of holy water...
... they will reprint the old "Complete Sam & Max" collection of the original strips.
Loaning that out years ago has made me kilo-kick myself mentally.
----
If only I had that collection for a verbatim, pithy quote from Max...
I totally agree. That was such a pointed parody of any "super guy on the run" shows which consumed our airwaves during the entire mid-70's (everyone from Bruce Banner to the entire A-Team) and continues to linger in the form of aberrations like "Renegade". Heck, this all started with David Carradine (and we all know that should've been Bruce Lee).
But the talking motorcycle was almost prophetic, as Owen did a talking car later.
Wow, these things sound like the "localizers" that Vinge describes in "A Deepness in the Sky"... although not quite as advanced, certainly a major step in that direction. Curiouser and curiouser... I may sound like an old guy, but seems that science is in some areas keeping good pace with science fiction... and conversely, that hard SF is having to adapt even more rapidly than ever before.
Preach on, Ross!! Tell em where it's at!
Daammmmmmnnnnn.
Or even better,
"Aye for one, welcome ARRRR new Pirate Overlords!! me hearties"
but hindsight is 20/20 eh?
I, for one, welcome our new Pirate Overlords!!!
Was wondering how geologists knew where a new volcano was going to form... ah well.
How gauche of me...
I done posted without any formatting.
Sorry, won't happen again.
---
crappy and unformatted triceratops
East River, NYC
... ummm ... I mean, working on it. But, hey, now Sony can run Ooo-Ray for Blu-Ray stunts, assuming they're the ones who make that format. I forget, I really don't keep up with technology."
Dr. Thaddeus Venture presents the first demonstration of the "Oooo"-Ray.
Sensing a tie-in, Venture Industries is said to be attempting negotiations with Sony to give them a DEADLY edge in the Format Wars. "Just melt the other guy's blank media plants," he joked, "then see who gets the early adopters!" He paused to take his medication after a moment of awkward laughter. "But seriously, those U.N. guys hated my new Oooo-Ray. I spent months reverse-engineering Dad's
---
"I have purchased this collectible Home-Boy figurine from the machine in your sitting room!!!"
So... they are ... horse-shaped????
(horrible thought)
DON'T BRING ONE HOME, NASA!!! IT IS FULL OF GREEK WARRIORS YOU IDIOTS!!
I mean really, our national MHPC (milli-helen per capita) is low enough already that cocker-spaniel-like-"got-de-downs"-eyed-trailer-fo lk are being turned into superstars for vaguely carrying an R&B tune. ow. Don't let them take our national reserves of hotchickery!
----
crappy triceratops
Seattle, Washington
The city council passes a resolution to ban all dust-bowl-related games or related states as being "full of inappropriate ignorance". Councilor Steve Krebs was quoted as saying, "I mean, really, you have these huge flat states that are apparently so drab and lifeless that people have to oppress each other based on what invisible sky father they believe in. That sort of thing has no place in twenty-first-century society, and we've got to protect the children!"
Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, and Nebraska were not available for comment, as they became lost in their own damn acreage.