Comments on: The Thinking Person’s Seven Deadly Sins http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/ A mutual support group for SF/F Novelists Sat, 31 Jul 2010 21:26:37 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: S. M. Payne http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-4168 S. M. Payne Mon, 08 Dec 2008 19:45:51 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-4168 While I agree with many of your points, I disagree on one strong point: Just because I'm a Christian and believe in creation and love finding out how science goes along with it (they are not always mutually exclusive), the ones most intolerant are to quote you, the ones who "tell us what kind of science we can teach." It's intolerant in this world to be me, but we are required to be tolerant of everyone else. You imply in that paragraph that liberal folks (which I have nothing against) should be intolerant of us because we're stepping on your rights. Not necessarily (some do and get rightful consequences, but many do not) and perhaps that's not what you mean. But that's what you said. I also recognize the danger of reading archives may be that you never read this, but I couldn't let that pass. While I agree with many of your points, I disagree on one strong point: Just because I’m a Christian and believe in creation and love finding out how science goes along with it (they are not always mutually exclusive), the ones most intolerant are to quote you, the ones who “tell us what kind of science we can teach.” It’s intolerant in this world to be me, but we are required to be tolerant of everyone else.

You imply in that paragraph that liberal folks (which I have nothing against) should be intolerant of us because we’re stepping on your rights. Not necessarily (some do and get rightful consequences, but many do not) and perhaps that’s not what you mean. But that’s what you said.

I also recognize the danger of reading archives may be that you never read this, but I couldn’t let that pass.

]]> By: Katie http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-2548 Katie Sun, 20 Apr 2008 22:15:25 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-2548 Ahhh! Mike! Your love of intellect is pride itself. Talking about sins is beneath you...you're obviously God. Ahhh! Mike! Your love of intellect is pride itself. Talking about sins is beneath you…you’re obviously God.

]]> By: Giles Smith http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-2334 Giles Smith Fri, 21 Mar 2008 23:30:26 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-2334 Number 7 could be considered the prime sin, as failure to point out other peoples sins allows them to keep happening. Number 7 could be considered the prime sin, as failure to point out other peoples sins allows them to keep happening.

]]> By: Sue W http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-2308 Sue W Mon, 17 Mar 2008 01:49:41 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-2308 Right on. It's time the smart people stood up to be counted. Right on. It’s time the smart people stood up to be counted.

]]> By: Doug Cadmus http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-2293 Doug Cadmus Sun, 16 Mar 2008 05:43:25 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-2293 I'd like to add another. I believe it's tangled up in a number of the sins you mention, but merits specific attention all its own... <strong>indifference</strong>. When you have a decent job it's easy to ignore the plight of the working poor. When you have food on your table it's disturbing to consider those who don't. When you're able to go to the doctor whenever you feel the sniffles coming on, it's unnerving to think about the vast numbers of uninsured. And when you pull into your driveway to enjoy the safe comforts of home, the plight of the homeless is probably the furthest thing from your mind. And yet... most of us are only a paycheck or two away from becoming the poor, the hungry, the uninsured and the homeless. Maybe that's why it's so easy to be indifferent to these issues: because it's monstrously terrifying to consider them. I’d like to add another. I believe it’s tangled up in a number of the sins you mention, but merits specific attention all its own… indifference.

When you have a decent job it’s easy to ignore the plight of the working poor. When you have food on your table it’s disturbing to consider those who don’t. When you’re able to go to the doctor whenever you feel the sniffles coming on, it’s unnerving to think about the vast numbers of uninsured. And when you pull into your driveway to enjoy the safe comforts of home, the plight of the homeless is probably the furthest thing from your mind.

And yet… most of us are only a paycheck or two away from becoming the poor, the hungry, the uninsured and the homeless. Maybe that’s why it’s so easy to be indifferent to these issues: because it’s monstrously terrifying to consider them.

]]> By: A piquant glance http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-2291 A piquant glance Sun, 16 Mar 2008 02:02:35 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-2291 Please note that these were not new sins. Here is a link explaining how the news media got it wrong. Again. http://www.inforumblog.com/?p=1456#respond The seven deadly sins have not been replaced, and really what the Archbishop was trying to do was to show how in modern times these sins are being committed. There is no new sin under the sun, just more inventive ways we can fall into them. Please note that these were not new sins. Here is a link explaining how the news media got it wrong. Again.

http://www.inforumblog.com/?p=1456#respond

The seven deadly sins have not been replaced, and really what the Archbishop was trying to do was to show how in modern times these sins are being committed. There is no new sin under the sun, just more inventive ways we can fall into them.

]]> By: Make Them Accountable / Media http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-2283 Make Them Accountable / Media Sat, 15 Mar 2008 16:25:27 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-2283 [...] The Thinking Person’s Seven Deadly Sins (by Mike Brotherton, professional astronomer, science fiction novelist, thanks to the Daily Irrelevant) What should be sinful in this modern age where there are rational, thinking people who are not rare in this world? I’m talking about you, science fiction readers! Here’s my list of the thinking person’s seven deadly sins: [...] […] The Thinking Person’s Seven Deadly Sins (by Mike Brotherton, professional astronomer, science fiction novelist, thanks to the Daily Irrelevant) What should be sinful in this modern age where there are rational, thinking people who are not rare in this world? I’m talking about you, science fiction readers! Here’s my list of the thinking person’s seven deadly sins: […]

]]> By: itspast http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-2273 itspast Sat, 15 Mar 2008 13:19:16 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-2273 Too bad they don't teach logic in school. We could avoid all 7 of these if people understood logical analysis. Too bad they don’t teach logic in school. We could avoid all 7 of these if people understood logical analysis.

]]> By: Carolyn Kay http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-2272 Carolyn Kay Sat, 15 Mar 2008 13:02:30 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-2272 You can't learn anything if you already know everything. Carolyn Kay MakeThemAccountable.com You can’t learn anything if you already know everything.

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com

]]> By: Dom http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-2266 Dom Sat, 15 Mar 2008 06:25:30 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2008/03/14/the-thinking-persons-seven-deadly-sins/#comment-2266 I applaud you for this article, being raised a catholic but now considering myself an agnostic I have spent the few years of my new intellectual life examining the teachings of my childhood and have found them to be in lack of a better word "insufficient. I like to call my self a man of science, and am luckily enough to have a collage major to support my new "philosophy". I have found in my short time as a "thinking man" as you call it, that I am in large alone in this state of being. Reading this I realize that I in fact am not alone, and I only hope that others read this and if only in a small degree adopt these thought processes in to their own life. Once again I thank you for this article, and I hope you forgive any sense of undue grandiose I have demonstrated in my reply as well as any grammatical errors as I have been drinking, a small vice that helps me concentrate after a long stressful week. I applaud you for this article, being raised a catholic but now considering myself an agnostic I have spent the few years of my new intellectual life examining the teachings of my childhood and have found them to be in lack of a better word “insufficient. I like to call my self a man of science, and am luckily enough to have a collage major to support my new “philosophy”. I have found in my short time as a “thinking man” as you call it, that I am in large alone in this state of being. Reading this I realize that I in fact am not alone, and I only hope that others read this and if only in a small degree adopt these thought processes in to their own life. Once again I thank you for this article, and I hope you forgive any sense of undue grandiose I have demonstrated in my reply as well as any grammatical errors as I have been drinking, a small vice that helps me concentrate after a long stressful week.

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