h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Does your mirror have lovebites?

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Gif, from post 6404

>>but actually, it's a reference to his slightly hysterical and hectoring tone.<<

Vicky, post 6415

>>I've never said anything against Germans<< >>

So, what do you think you've proven? I've still never said anything about Germans *as such*.

<< I've looked at Free Republic (www.freepepublic.com). I don't see what you mean. >>

Well, I am amazed! You think Free Republic is okay? Granted I haven't looked at it since 2004, but you're obviously a lot more of a (political) conservative than I ever realised! (I've noticed that y'all don't make the proper distinction between different axes - I am socially conservative but politcally left-wing. Y'all are, as far as I can see, politically quite conservative and socially not.
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You're sh*tting me! You're saying they are? Give ma break, that's just absurd! (I know you'd love to believe they are, but what basis other than screaming prejudice, do you have for saying so?

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Oh Gif, don't ever change will you? You *always* twist what I say to put it in the worst possible light! What I actually said you'd done, is pretend to believe that the Ritual Decalogue is the "correct" one, or that there's any confusion - and your admission to someone amounted to saying that you *knew* there was no confusion, and that you think "faith-heads" are so stupid that they'll believe you and get upset.

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I might have known it was that. Boy, get your mind above your belt! (As we used to say at school). <<
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There's no contradiction, that's deliberate incomprehension on your parts.
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Not as far as I can see... admittedly, I gace up after reading 100 of the "quotes".

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It was a person called Toy Box. What a dreadful liar you are Gif! (By which I mean you do it very badly.)

I don't think Gif said that Free Republic is OK...merely that what he saw was all about the US primaries and not much else.


btw...I don't know about anyone else...but my own incomprehension is more usually accidental than deliberate. Chalk it ut to stupidity.

>I wonder why you have given him a German title?< person A

>it's a reference to his slightly hysterical and hectoring tone< person B

>I've still never said anything about Germans *as such*.> person B

Oh Effers, I see, you have an obsession. Can't you understand the difference between comparing one man (Dawkins) and another (Hitler) in terms of dictatorial and hysterical manner, and saying a thing, or things which are derogatory about an entire race? I supoose not! Too subtle maybe?

Or are you just doing a SorB? (That is hammering away at one issue, in the hopes I'll get fed up with your obession and maybe say something you can interpret as an insult, and you can scream, complain and demand I am banned? You just don't have his style, sorry.)

VL

See if you can spot the difference?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dmA4vACyfc

http://richarddawkins.net/article,2119,Richard-Dawkins-on-The-Late-Edition-with-Marcus-Brigstocke,BBC-Four




It's maybe too subtle?

Still feeling muddled Vicky?

Try this one then.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q-6H4xOUrs&NR=1




I know you are always protesting that broadband hasn't reached anywhere in NZ yet, but that won't matter. It's perfectly possible to download even a few seconds on dial up to maybe clarify that *brain* of yours.

I knew there was a reason I didn't come here.

This post has been removed.

Don't really know what your reason is SWL.

Vicky first of all takes delight in smearing all germans by suddenly referring to someone she doesn't like as 'Herr'. Then when she is shown to be a bigot, such as she is towards Americans, fat people, homosexuals, Canadians etc etc she suddenly protests that her use of the generic term 'Herr' refers only to one uniquely awful historical personage, Herr Hitler. He bears absolutely no relation to the idea of any man being called 'Herr' in Germany which is as noemal as 'Mister' in England. Mister Churchill has as little to do with the term, Mister as Herr Hitler has to do with the term Herr.

Vicky makes a habit of this kind of despicable behaviour. I ignore much of it; there really is far too much of it to challenge her continually. But I shall continue to call her on this kind of filth.

If you feel that is a reason to unsub, well that's your choice and probably a sensible decision because judging by the evidence of the last few years she will continue to post such insulting bealocks against various groups of people such as gays, fatties, Yanks, Canucks, Germans and more she will no doubt decide too persecute in her christian loving way in the future.

I shall continue to challenge such filth.

It seems like the above post has disappeared. Wonder why? Think it might have been my use of irony of terminolgy that upset a flightless bird. Humour/irony isn't someone's strong suit and is often used as a pretext for a certain person's yikesing, it's now becoming clearer and clearer.

Okay it was more or less questioning SWL's decision to leave the thread because of the flightless bird's history. I pointed out that 'Herr' is a generic title for a German male. Herr Hitler is about as relevant to the meaning of Herr as Mister Churchill is to the meaning of 'mister'.

I pointed out how a flightless bird female has continually smeared, gay people, fat people, American people, Canadian people etc etc, and now German people. I explained to SWL about her history and how I intended to continue to call her on 'filth'

I said SWl might be well to leave because given the history such behaviour will probably continue.

Go on yikes this one then,

Ah yes, I found it, post 6705. I didn't make a link between ignorance and moral values, did I?

Getting back to Herr Dawkins...and I'd better first declare my Germanophilic sympathies: While I've never been engaged to a German, I've 'known' two of them (one of whom didn't speak English!)


The accusation against the good perfesser seems to be that he is 'hectoring' and generally shouty and unpleasant. I'll accept that in the past he's been prone to 'go off on one'...and Christ kinows, his Gerinol spoof at very least showed a complete lack of talent for comic writing (http://richarddawkins.net/article,122,Gerin-Oil,Richard-Dawkins NOTE: No need to register! ). But...he's toned himself down of late, has he not? I'm not convinced that he's guilty as charged on the specific evidence of 'The God Delusion' (Remember we were discussing that?) or his subsequent public appearances. In fact, he comes over as calm and polite - if sometimes askance.

Actually, I don't think that 'He's too shouty' is a particularly strong intellectual argument in the first place. But anyway...I don't get that from TGD. This may be my Atheist bias speaking, but I suspect that the reason the religious don't like the book (and why would they?) is that it is *relentless* rather than hectoring. He simply doesn't accept the evidence for nor need for god. So why give quarter?

Comments?

bang on. It is far easier to dismiss what he has to say by using labels such as 'hectoring', 'militant' or 'shrill' than it is to address the actual arguments. And even if he was, it is but a subtext to the argument, a footnote on style. It doesn't change the content one bit. A more sophisticated debater would be able to see beyond the style and deal with the content.

Hi Vicky,

'I've still never said anything about Germans *as such*.'

Yes you have. You have said that referring to someone by a German form of address implies they have a slightly hysterical and hectoring tone. You later said that referring to someone by a German form of address clearly means that you were comparing them to Hitler, and expressed disbelief that anyone would not realise that.

'See if you can spot the difference?'

Yes, I can - just out of interest, can you Vicky? Honestly? Format, tone, presentation, language, level of humour and content (OK, I'm guessing at the content of the Hitler one since I don't speak German) are obvious examples. Exactly what similarities do you see?

Thought you didn't have broadband? Have you actually viewed the Dawkins interview you linked to?



Now, you deny that FSTDT quotes come from 'normal Christians'.

A very, very brief flick through Stormfront (nice folks there) shows they have a theology forum, with posts giving Biblical justification for their views. (I'm not posting a link as (a) it would probably get modded and (b) it might get people into trouble if they're clicking on neo-Nazi links at work.) They call it 'Christian Identity' or 'CI'.

Now, granted, Stormfront is not mainstream, but it clearly is dominated by Christians. Free Republic seems relatively mainstream by US standards, unless there's something I'm not seeing (which is possible - as I said, I didn't spend long on it).

Note that once again you have asked us to read two entire websites on the grounds that its 'obvious' what your point is. I simply commented that it's not at all obvious what the political views of Free Republic are from a quick viewing. Somehow from that you've made deductions about my political beliefs.

The distinction between political and social liberalism would explain a bit why you consider youself a liberal though, so that's helpful.

'What I actually said you'd done, is pretend to believe that the Ritual Decalogue is the "correct" one, or that there's any confusion - and your admission to someone amounted to saying that you *knew* there was no confusion, and that you think "faith-heads" are so stupid that they'll believe you and get upset.'

And yet you still seem strangely unable to point to when or where I said anything remotely similar to that. For the record, the Ritual Decalogue is the only one that even appears to be described as the 'Ten Commandments' in the Bible, and there is *no* confusion about that. And I repeat that I have never used the phrase 'faith-heads' except when quoting you, or called theists in general 'stupid'.

I'm still waiting for that apology.

Gif

This is currently in the BBC's 'most read new stories' listing. It's a couple of years old, so I wonder if anything has happened recently?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/this_world/3813469.stm

Gif

I suppose I could make discrete enquiries with a colleague who's a sai Baba devotee. He insists that he's seen him produce gold out of thin air. I don't like to disabuse him, though. His devotion is the result of PTSD.

Hitchens (now he really *does* hector ) has something in his book about travelling around Sri Lanka with some Sai Baba followers. Their jeep hit and killed a village child. They were in severe danger of being arrested until Hitchens' linen suit and general European-ness prevailed. It was declared that Hitchens must me a another living avatar of Sai Baba and that his mystical powers had changed the militia's mind. Hitchens mused whethet it might not have been a better use of Sai Baba's powers to have diverted the jeep from the child.

Incidentally...another colleague pointed out the the picture of Sai Baba on the devotee colleague's desk looks like a Scouser in an orange shell suit. We decided that his philosophy must be 'Caaaalm down!'

It's clearly a day for Indian wierdness. Here's a headline to die for:

http://www.astrologicalmagazine.com/

Gif