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

Why "understandably"? As we don't know what it is, it's not automatically obvious why you would want to stay away...

Well, wasn´t justice a term invented by the Greek? And thereby they meant revenge? There are communities where the laws are based on Christianity, but that is if they´ve had that religion for a long time. Here in Denmark they always talk about how it is a Christian country, whenever muslim immigrants are talked about. But we have only had it for a few hundred years, and it hasn´t really changed society. We are still more influenced by the old norse religion. And laws and moral aren´t created by religion. Laws are a consequence of living in groups. And moral is something socio-genetical.

It isn´t just a coincidence that laws all over the world look quite similar. That is because they´ve all been made by humans, not by gods. I doesn´t matter what religion you have, f.ex. killing each other is never a good idea.

The killing your brother thing is kind of like group punishment. If the person who did the crime doesn´t care about anyone else, it really isn´t that useful. And Huw, as I said nothing prevents you from taking revenge, just as long as you are willing to pay the price for it.

Peet - if you'd read my other posts in this thread you would know that I have stayed away from that side of Satanism. So it is understandable

Fair enough, Xanatic - as I said before, I would be willing to do the time. It makes sense, though, to try and avoid capture in the first place

that's !

Sorry everyone that was in response to post 100!

I'm not sure the Viking law would even be a deterrent. Most people who deserve a bit of retribution probably don't give a fig about their siblings, so you're just visiting revenge on an innocent party, again leaving the psycho to get on with it (and probably with an enhanced inheritance from his/her parents).

Also: where do we draw the line? If your sister-in-law killed your brother after 10 years of abuse, would you feel it right to go and take her life, or her sisters ?

OK Andy, this is getting old now. Nobody here said that they supported that actual law anyway.

did you get your book over the weekend?

besides the fact that satanists do not worship an entity, what are some other stark contrasts between satanism and christianity? how do these differences affect your conduct? in other words, how does the difference in faith bear on how you interact with people of other faiths?

In so much as many groups calling themselves "Christian" have been known to take up arms against other faiths, you mean, St.B?

not really anything so deep, peet. i was more aiming for casual comparisons; how does being satanist make his life different from mine? or yours? or anyones? i merely use christianity as my personal point of reference. i have a staggering ignorance of religions outside of christianity, so telling me how satanism differs from bhuddism wouldn't really give me perspective.

Sometimes I come across people I find to be too selfish. Since Satanists believe everything to be caused by selfishness, what would they call such a person? Someone who is being selfish in a non-beneficiary way?

I disagree with you Peet. Justice may be a set of rules formed by a basically Christian society, but those rules and the sanctions imposed are measurable in some form, although with some judges I wonder. Revenge does not have the same degree of measurement. Perhaps we need Kant and his absolute rules where people are not means to an end.

Shorty, in many Arabic societies, I'm told the removal of an appendage is considered "just" as punishment for the theft of a loaf of bread. In earlier "Christian" societies, hanging was considered "just" for the same crime. In this context, justice is relative to the society percieving it.

Is the satanist black mass the same as the devil worshipers' black mass - i.e a parody of the catholic mass? If so, what does this say about the Satanists' claim of being a non-spiritual religion? There's no reason to corrupt a ceremony unless you expect to cause a reaction.

So...

Upside down crosses etc?

i hope that you are just very busy, huw, and that no one has offended you.

Huw could be offended. He appeared to start this thread in the hope that people would ask questions like: "why are satanists so lovely?" and "why is satanism so misunderstood?"

When people actually ask pertinent questions and question his ethics, Huw appears to throw his toys out of the pram and have a tantrum.

I though the idea would be to ask questions and debate the answers supplied. Unfortunately Huw doesn't seem to want to play. This could mean he's not really got the courage of his convictions or the ability to defend himself and his beliefs. As he is a self-proclaimed scientist, I suspect it's the former.

Or, he's got a life, and is too busy to reply at a second's notice...

andy, huw did not start this thread. i did. and i was asking legitimate questions in an effort to understand our differences. unlike some people, well, one person in particular, well, YOU came in here to belittle and mock. it is a sad state of affairs when people can close their minds in the name of religion and not see the world for what it is: a vast and varied place full of vast and varied people following vast and varied faiths.

It's not my intention to belittle and mock. I had some legitimate questions and the only answers I've had are, well, none.
I don't think I'm entitled to answers to my questions, but if you set up a forum for honest and open debate, you should expect open and honest debate. My mind isn't closed to new ideas or beliefs, I don't come at this thread as a believer in any religion. I just find the idea of Satanism as I do any religion: absurd. The big difference is, Satanism as defined by Huw appears to be the belief in nothing. A band of people who got together to justify their own selfishness and lack of ethics.