tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post647546585146279515..comments2024-03-28T09:59:13.754-07:00Comments on bionic mosquito: The Sign of the Crossbionic mosquitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-71975196301958041102019-10-26T08:11:59.408-07:002019-10-26T08:11:59.408-07:00John Howard, if we are to understand the subject o...John Howard, if we are to understand the subject of good and evil, then we must ask the questions. What is good? What is evil? In asking these questions, we must then produce definitions in order to answer them. These can only be produced in one of two ways--either from an objective standard (one size fits all) or a subjective standard (there are many definitions and everyone can decide for himself which is correct). Is this not true? <br /><br />If the questions of good and evil can be explained in a subjective manner, then why is anyone's version better than others? Why is your description and understanding better than mine or Bionic Mosquito's? Why is it better than Hitler's, for that matter? Perhaps Hitler's was actually better, but fell foul of the "Might makes right" mantra. Or can we say that Nazism was simply an evolutionary experiment which was tried and found wanting, so we are all better off not going down that road again? <br /><br />The fact is, though, that no one can define what is good and evil without resorting to one over-riding, preeminent benchmark against which to measure all of human action. It is simply not possible to know what is good, what is evil, what is just, what is right without having an objective definition of what they are. <br /><br />How do you know what justice is? How do you know what peace is? Good? Evil? The only way is through the fixed, immutable standard for all time, for which the Bible acts as a guide. Otherwise, we have to take your word for it. Or maybe Mein Kampf. <br /><br />This is the obvious truth. You can embrace it or you can deny it, but you will not alter it. Rogerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08156823478509665137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-12677495943857732362019-10-25T19:39:40.352-07:002019-10-25T19:39:40.352-07:00"But I see the value of justice and peace all..."But I see the value of justice and peace all by themselves and I can tell what is just without reference to any religion or interpretation of an old book layered with the rust and corrosion of centuries of interpretations of ancient languages."<br /><br />~John Howard<br /><br />Consider the Administrative State. Do Voting Rights, Medicare-For-All Rights, Reproductive Rights, Collective Bargaining Rights, Equal Employment Rights, Public Education Rights, Fair Housing Rights, Equal-Access-To-Private-Lunch-Counter Rights, Animal Rights, Tenant Rights, Gay Rights, and Migrant Rights promote justice and peace? Are the irreligious more apt than Christians to grasp the fact they don't? Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05242683448708605585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-49309293909650521402019-10-25T06:23:05.417-07:002019-10-25T06:23:05.417-07:00John Howard: "But I see the value of justice ...John Howard: "But I see the value of justice and peace all by themselves and I can tell what is just without reference to any religion or interpretation of an old book layered with the rust and corrosion of centuries of interpretations of ancient languages?"<br /><br />You are ignorant of the foundations on which you must stand to make this statement. And RMB is right; I have written too much about why I believe your claim cannot stand. I could be wrong, but it will take much more than a few words from you - and words that I have heard very often - to change my mind.<br /><br />If you truly want to convince me, try harder. Start by poking around this site. For simplicity, go to the top of the page and click the link "The Book." Start there.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-71103976076505971362019-10-25T06:19:23.075-07:002019-10-25T06:19:23.075-07:00Very good, Roger. I, too, suspect some will try t...Very good, Roger. I, too, suspect some will try to identify a third way - yet I am also hard-pressed to find one. <br /><br />I guess the non-aggression principle is presented as a third way by some libertarians, but it cannot survive in a vacuum.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-59913311748963511002019-10-25T06:16:02.948-07:002019-10-25T06:16:02.948-07:00shnarkle
"I suspect the golden rule isn'...shnarkle<br /><br />"I suspect the golden rule isn't enough as well."<br /><br />I said necessary; I didn't say sufficient. In any case, sustainable liberty requires something beyond the NAP.bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-7777237122533341612019-10-24T19:52:12.350-07:002019-10-24T19:52:12.350-07:00The 19th and 20th Century completely explode that ...The 19th and 20th Century completely explode that notion.<br /><br />Bionic Mosquito, has written probably 20+ articles on this blog in refutation of your claims.<br /><br />Now you could be right. I am not trying to shout you down. But you should spend some time digging into the corpus of Bionic Mosquito thought before you make blanket statements about what it takes to have a society fully of liberty.RMBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13603112499567064214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-30301931976210766632019-10-24T17:43:37.873-07:002019-10-24T17:43:37.873-07:00In order to promote the obvious truth, a person ne...In order to promote the obvious truth, a person needs to know what it is. So, let's hear it from you. What is the obvious truth? Rogerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08156823478509665137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-27977626219842623042019-10-24T15:12:25.478-07:002019-10-24T15:12:25.478-07:00Pope Francis' brand of "Christianity"...Pope Francis' brand of "Christianity" is liberation theology, leftist, and the illegals coming across seem to be leftist as well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-92038682780484211132019-10-24T14:30:55.620-07:002019-10-24T14:30:55.620-07:00It is interesting to me that those who proclaim th...It is interesting to me that those who proclaim the importance of religion seem to justify that importance by hinting or proclaiming that their religion is the path to justice and peace. <br /><br />But I see the value of justice and peace all by themselves and I can tell what is just without reference to any religion or interpretation of an old book layered with the rust and corrosion of centuries of interpretations of ancient languages? Why do I need what to me is the 'Wholly Babble' when justice and peace are so easily understood - by children, in fact.<br /><br />I think that to care about the bible is to obfuscate and to becloud a subject that needs the greatest and clearest simplicity - the subject of good and evil. <br /><br />To "solve" that riddle by peering into a dark and ancient cave filled with debatable symbols is to waste time and energy that might be spent promoting the obvious truth.John Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09826480541002960583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-65839770265625270082019-10-24T05:22:58.330-07:002019-10-24T05:22:58.330-07:00“...if the alternatives are unending and increasin...“...if the alternatives are unending and increasing violence or love, in which environment does your liberty have a better chance to survive and thrive?”<br /><br />Excellent question, but so low-key that it runs the risk of being completely overlooked. <br /><br />If everyone in this world was directly asked this question and an honest answer demanded from him or her, the vast majority would choose love, that is, if they thought about it and understood the implications of their choice. To be sure, there are those who would choose unending, increasing violence over love, but this would be consistent with their sociopathic philosophy and all-consuming greed. I choose to believe that most people are not like that, but simply don’t know and understand what they are dealing with and submit to the status quo out of familiarity and the fear of personal, positive change. <br /><br />It seems to me that the continuum we live on is between the polar opposites of forceful violence and peaceful love. Everything else is a modification of these two extremes. Are there any other alternatives? I can’t think of any, but if someone can describe a variation, I would be open to listening. <br /><br />As far as concerns which position will eventually come out on top, I can only point to Isaiah 9:7, which says, <br /><br />“Of the increase of his government and of peace <br />there will be no end,...” <br /><br />and Isaiah 2:4, which complements it, <br /><br />“He will judge between the nations<br />and will settle disputes for many peoples.<br />They will beat their swords into plowshares<br />and their spears into pruning hooks.<br />Nation will not take up sword against nation,<br />nor will they train for war anymore.”<br /><br />For believers, unending and increasing LOVE will eventually overcome violence, not simply coexist with it. Rogerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08156823478509665137noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-23043017230067353532019-10-23T18:14:58.459-07:002019-10-23T18:14:58.459-07:00I've posted this to Mosquito's blog before...I've posted this to Mosquito's blog before, T.L., so forgive me if you've seen it. But it drives home your point the state does something even when it does nothing about border security: <br /><br />Tax the serfs to bomb the wogs.<br />Tax the serfs to resettle the wogs.<br />Tax the serfs to feed and house the wogs.<br />Tax the serfs to compel association with the wogs.<br />Tax the serfs to quell the inevitable serf-wog clashes that ensue.<br />Tax the serfs to fund the police state necessitated by all that quelling.<br /><br />"OMG! You're against mass immigration? What kind of libertarian objects to voluntary interactions?!"Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05242683448708605585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-75079566485677549182019-10-23T10:56:23.255-07:002019-10-23T10:56:23.255-07:00ATL, Revelation, no "s", as in the revel...ATL, Revelation, no "s", as in the revelation of Jesus Christ, does contain things that are difficult to understand. I would say in some cases impossible to know exactly. But there are some things that all schools of thought agree on. I get that the belief in the Armageddon battle may not be shared. There is still a huge battle in Revelation 20 involving the same groups essentially.<br /><br />But Armageddon as a physical battle is mentioned throughout the OT. It shows up in at least 4-5 spots. In each case there is no human vs human conflict. It is the battle of Messiah vs the wicked.<br /><br />So you can believe in the Protestant Dispensational interpretation and still not believe that pushing the world to nuclear over middle eastern politics.<br /><br />I think Girard's perspective on mimetic theory and how that relates to the Bible are interesting and do think it is beneficial.<br /><br />I actually heard some commentary on his philosophy on a podcast, Tom Woods episode 1487. It focused on the how violence is tied to the creation of the State and how the State itself is religion without God. I thought it was a very helpful discuss on Girard's philosophy.RMBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13603112499567064214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-62759059170952696542019-10-23T10:49:22.678-07:002019-10-23T10:49:22.678-07:00ATL, Revelation, no "s", as in the revel...ATL, Revelation, no "s", as in the revelation of Jesus Christ, does contain things that are difficult to understand. I would say in some cases impossible to know exactly. But there are some things that all schools of thought agree on. I get that the belief in the Armageddon battle may not be shared. There is still a huge battle in Revelation 20 involving the same groups essentially.<br /><br />But Armageddon as a physical battle is mentioned throughout the OT. It shows up in at least 4-5 spots. In each case there is no human vs human conflict. It is the battle of Messiah vs the wicked.<br /><br />So you can believe in the Protestant Dispensational interpretation and still not believe that pushing the world to nuclear over middle eastern politics.<br /><br />I think Girard's perspective on mimetic theory and how that relates to the Bible are interesting and do think it is beneficial.<br /><br />I actually heard some commentary on his philosophy on a podcast, Tom Woods episode 1487. It focused on the how violence is tied to the creation of the State and how the State itself is religion without God. I thought it was a very helpful discuss on Girard's philosophy.RMBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13603112499567064214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-10060411607147204252019-10-23T10:29:35.053-07:002019-10-23T10:29:35.053-07:00I am with you there BM. Human sacrifice was used ...I am with you there BM. Human sacrifice was used to appease a god's wrath or bring his blessing. Not sure how it was used as a scapegoat in order to prevent violence between people. Never seen it used that way other than in the story of the Hatfields and McCoys. But even then the 2 sides didn't blame the poor boy for all the violence. The killing just appeased both sides.<br /><br />I don't agree with the Apache helicopter interpretations of Revelation. But I am absolutely sure God will judge this world for its wickedness at the end whether humans are involved in war or not.RMBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13603112499567064214noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-19458217253378170272019-10-22T09:53:36.338-07:002019-10-22T09:53:36.338-07:00Anon, I'm in no way assuming to speak for thos...Anon, I'm in no way assuming to speak for those who necessarily must engage in ad hominem rather than addressing what you actually posted, but if I were to venture a guess, I would suspect that those who are against immigration are against unlawful immigration as well as unlawful immigration regardless of the professed identities of the lawless. shnarklehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12085426871631417354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-61319243611463630442019-10-22T09:53:33.827-07:002019-10-22T09:53:33.827-07:00I don't know what to make of Revelations, so I...I don't know what to make of Revelations, so I choose not to focus on it or give it much stock in my faith. I more or less just leave all this 'end of the world mumbo jumbo' in God's capable hands. I like hearing people's interpretations though, and Girard has a particularly interesting take especially as it relates to our search for the path to liberty. A Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-23219019912348406812019-10-22T09:47:48.126-07:002019-10-22T09:47:48.126-07:00Re: "The Golden Rule (something more than the...Re: "The Golden Rule (something more than the non-aggression principle) was necessary."<br /><br />I suspect the golden rule isn't enough as well. The sadomasochist has no problem treating others the way he wants to be treated which is why even the golden rule is abrogated in the gospel when Jesus suggests loving others as he loves you. To do this, one must first see Jesus (rather than themselves) in those around them. <br /><br />Liberty, in the biblical texts is always freedom from self and sin. It is never freedom to choose between good and evil. Even pagans saw that is the lowest, basest form of liberty.shnarklehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12085426871631417354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-51982472931817992592019-10-22T09:38:26.014-07:002019-10-22T09:38:26.014-07:00"The solution is neither open borders nor clo..."The solution is neither open borders nor closed borders but separation of borders and state." - Tony<br /><br />Yes! This is the point the left libertarians cannot grasp. As Hoppe has stated, the state is still 'doing something' when it chooses to do nothing about border security.A Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-25828702471705067542019-10-22T09:36:04.082-07:002019-10-22T09:36:04.082-07:00I often say that I'd rather keep out liberal w...I often say that I'd rather keep out liberal white men from places like California, Illinois, and New York, than your average Mexican or other Latin American, but there's little chance of getting that policy enacted. It would be a glorious rebuke of these epicenters of the awful ideas of the modern left. Maybe someday...<br /><br />Democrats want open borders because the people likely to come in are reliable Democrat voters. Power is their game, not liberty or compassion, and these people will put them in power. It's that simple. They're not interested in any supposed natural right of movement like the misguided left libertarians.A Texas Libertarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02980539931923054404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-23628729820568328132019-10-22T05:50:59.723-07:002019-10-22T05:50:59.723-07:00Individually, liberty can only be found via the bl...Individually, liberty can only be found via the blood-atoning sacrifice and resurrection of Christ, per John 8:32, 36, 2 Corinthians 3:17, etc.<br /><br />Collectively, liberty can only be had via the Bible's immutable, triune moral law of liberty.<br /><br />Liberty was officially lost in America when the 18th-century Enlightenment founders made liberty a goal (almost a god) instead of a corollary of implementing Yahweh's perfect law of liberty (Psalm 19:7-11, 119:44-45, James 2:12) as the supreme law of the land.<br /><br />"[B]ecause they have ... trespassed against my law ... they have sown the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind...." (Hosea 8:1,7)<br /><br />Today's America is reaping the inevitable ever-intensifying whirlwind resulting from the wind sown by the constitutional framers and fanned by hoodwinked Christians and patriots who have been bamboozled into believing today's whirlwind can be dissipated by appealing to the wind responsible for spawning the whirlwind.<br /><br />For more, see online Chapter 3 "The Preamble: WE THE PEOPLE vs. YAHWEH" of "Bible Law vs, the United States Constitution: The Christian Perspective" at http://www.bibleversusconstitution.org/BlvcOnline/biblelaw-constitutionalism-pt3.html<br /><br />Then, find out how much you really know about the Constitution as compared to the Bible. Take our 10-question Constitution Survey in the sidebar and receive a complimentary copy of a book that examines the Constitution by the Bible.<br />Ted R. Weilandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01513069258387315741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-23637490300778622522019-10-22T05:36:48.171-07:002019-10-22T05:36:48.171-07:00"The gospel of the the good news that mortal ..."The gospel of the the good news that mortal man may, by faith, become spirit-conscious, that he is a son of God, is not dependent on the death of Jesus. True, indeed, all this gospel of the kingdom has been tremendously illuminated by the Master's death, but even more so by his life."<br />JohnnyRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03967807922144813734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-47394860405250441722019-10-21T18:26:00.706-07:002019-10-21T18:26:00.706-07:00Uninvited migrants are trespassers. Repelling tres...Uninvited migrants are trespassers. Repelling trespassers is self-defense, not aggression. <br /><br />Your "Christian" immigrants are not settling in howling wilderness, as did their European precursors. They have no interest in doing so. Aside from that, the feds have long since claimed those pristine lands as their own. <br /><br />The feds won't stand for interlopers in their precious national parks. Neither, *nota bene*, will their bleeding-heart environmentalist allies. <br /><br />Today's migrants invade the commons. They aggravate the tragedy of the commons. Yes, the commons should be privatized. In the interim, though, ought not the taxpayers have final say in who pitches tents in "public" parks, who has access to "public" schools, and who avails himself of the "public" safety net? <br /><br />The solution is neither open borders nor closed borders but separation of borders and state. This means radical decentralization and, ultimately, a fully privatized social order. Until that blessed day, I see no reason why the default libertarian position on the issue is to grant all comers a place in the feeding trough. Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05242683448708605585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-45221685389598599522019-10-21T16:57:49.070-07:002019-10-21T16:57:49.070-07:00RMB, the history of human sacrifice is well-known,...RMB, the history of human sacrifice is well-known, but I have no independent way to verify the connection to Girard's theory of scapegoating as behind at least some of this. I believe we do understand that sacrifice is meant to cleanse by offering something to the gods. It seems reasonable to conclude that there were times when humans were the sacrifice -hence cleansing the population that put their hate into the victim.<br /><br />The practice continues today, albeit without the death. <br /><br />To your second point, I understand Girard rebutting the apocalypse as understood by those who believe in the 200 million man battle in the Middle East - a very popular notion among many Protestant Christians in the US.<br /><br />There are many interpretations of Revelation - laced with Daniel and some of Jesus' own words. Girard seems specifically to be combating this idea of some great calamitous war - with large locusts that are Apache helicopters and the like (because John didn't know how else to describe these).<br /><br />I am with him. God doesn't need our help to destroy the world (man is doing a fine enough job of this on his own), and I sure wouldn't want to be moving this along if it wasn't God's intent anyway (and it isn't).bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-84296601754638443642019-10-21T13:57:30.403-07:002019-10-21T13:57:30.403-07:00Who are you? I won't engage on this topic wit...Who are you? I won't engage on this topic with "anonymous."bionic mosquitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12002548958078731031noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-648884752216444797.post-44174629488729537202019-10-21T12:36:51.760-07:002019-10-21T12:36:51.760-07:00Please understand I'm not trying to 'stump...Please understand I'm not trying to 'stump' you in pointing out that virtually all of the millions of immigrants seeking to immigrate to the US from South America, Central America, and Mexico ARE CHRISTIANS. Yet my understanding is that on this site and on this point we absolutely oppose such immigration. One could go further and argue that we are in effect resorting to 'scapegoating' this group of Christians in order to exclude them. The left support their immigration DESPITE their Christianity. The right seek their exclusion in spite of it as well. Now one of this websites fundamental concerns is I believe to reform the Non Aggression Principle by tempering it with the higher ideals of Christianity. Yet paradoxically it would seem to support the initiation of aggression to exclude Christian immigrants. And so I would like to ask the author if he would care to clarify his thoughts on the subject ? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com