Friday, August 03, 2007
Today
The news has been bugging me as of late.
Let me begin by examining a phenomenon of our culture - our intense focus on ourselves and what's best for us (as opposed to them).
Its seems a number of people look at today's state of affairs and say "this is wrong, how can you run the world this way, won't somebody PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN!" (ok, so I cheered a bit when Mod Flanders died).
Some cases? Alright.
Abortion
(Why do I always start here? Who knows. I like starting here, its such a... controversial topic and yet it seems to have an easy answer).
For the record, I can't say that I would have no qualms with a child of mine being aborted barring medical reasons or other extreme circumstances. That said, I want you to approach this next paragraph remembering I myself have not come to a conclusion on whether or not I consider abortion immoral in my humble opinion.
Does it matter if I think its immoral? Of course not. If I can say one absolutely true thing about morality, its that there are two kinds - the kind you, as an individual, choose to follow and the kind imposed upon you by the collective beliefs of others. And what I, as an individual, choose to believe is immoral has little impact on what you yourself will choose to be immoral.
We, as a society, need to enforce certain rules of morality to protect the freedom of others (no killing is good). We also need to enforce certain minimum freedoms to ensure that no one can ever be trampled on (we can speak whatever language we want, unless we live in Quebec where our French must be 50% louder than our English). Then we have two gray areas - the one where there is a question of whether or not a right is actually applicable (such as abortion - is a fetus alive? sentient?) and where two rights conflict with one another (which is my next argument).
Is a fetus alive and/or sentient? I can't give you an answer on that one, but the opinion of the majority seems to agree with me on that - we can't really establish a clear answer.
So we must look at other questions to determine whether or not we're going to allow it.
So lets picture we outlaw abortions (as it was in the States before Roe vs Wade). What happens? Women just don't have them, stay at home and have the kid?
(If we were so docile, we would have never gotten out of the dark ages)
What really happens is some percentage stop having them and a greater percentage seek abortions on the "black market". Banning it doesn't mean you stop it (if you don't believe me, look at drugs). Blowing up abortion clinics didn't stop it. It therefore follows that legalizing it (and even including it as a part of provincial health care like in Quebec) allows for procedures which have a greater chance of success (since, in the black market, there is no guarantee the person knows what the heck they're doing with that coat hanger). And so, abortion remains legal because the alternatives are, quite simply, much worse.
But it doesn't mean that the pro-life people have to have an abortion - it just means, we have the right to make a choice rather than have other people's morality imposed upon us. Its a fine line to walk for the government, but they strike a fair balance most of the time.
I go so far as to classify people's stance on abortion into three categories.
"Pro-Life" people don't believe having an abortion is the right choice for them.
"Pro-Choice" people leave the option open for themselves in the future.
"Anti-Choice" people are the people who blow up abortion clinics and post propaganda on Bank Street (because I need another eyesore downtown). They believe its not right for |anyone|.
(Where do I fit? Probably pro-choice as I can see myself being happy with that option later down the road, but definitely something I want to avoid).
As for the people who classify themselves as "anti-choice", I have some advice for you. Contribute to an orphanage, donate your time to a group that helps young mothers or do something else to help people choose a different path. Face the fact that its here to stay and that you're not helping anyone by protesting on Parliament. Instead, be constructive and help people to have another option open - you'll save more baby's lives that way, trust me.
Religion in Schools
Alright, again - for the record- I have no beef against people who practice a religion. I don't have a problem with people who go to church or who donate to the organization or whatnot.
I do, however, have a problem with the following people...
a) People who believe their way is the only way
Its time to grow on up out of your teens and face the real world - there are dozens of beliefs systems, each one claiming to have THE answer to life, the universe and everything. Because I don't choose one of them (I invented my own, lucky me... but maybe I'm psychotic so hey) is reason to tell me I'm going to hell?
Religion has done a lot of good things for society - its brought people together, its formed tight-knit communities and its done some really awesome things. It may have even saved thousands of people's lives by giving them hope.
But... you have to realize the bad that some people have done in the name of their religion. And if you can't realize it, well... you probably fit into category A. I could talk about the Crusades, the colonization of America, George Bush, but I want to stay off those topics - they make me angry lol.
Instead, I want to look at how people don't seem to realize that people (especially children since they're so easily influenced) need a broad background in cultures (and therefore religions). They need to realize that not all other religions are bad - there are just bad people who follow them on occasion (who occasionally get more press time because of it). For instance, I claim to be a Wiccan (though people might disagree with that, but I say I can label myself however I want and it is fairly close to my actual beliefs). Does it mean I perform Satanic rituals with a virgin and a pig at the full moon? Hell no - virgins complain about it hurting too much :P. Seriously, a lot of people are just that... people. They're not going to tear out your soul or corrupt you.
Culture of fear much, eh? (By the way, this applies to all fanatics of all religions/cults/beliefs/etc).
More importantly, beliefs that are held by a religion cannot (and should not) be applied to all of humanity for one very important statement of logic. The doctrine of a religion should only apply to people who follow it because it requires faith and those of us without said faith shouldn't really be forced into following it anyways (see the Charter of Rights under "Religion" if you don't believe we have religious freedom here). Therefore, any state which believes in freedom of religion should not have policy dictated by religion.
And, more importantly, religion should realize this and keep their nose out of it - no offense. But everytime I see teachers from Catholic schools with their students protesting (Gay Marriage/Gay Rights/Abortion/Public Displays of Affection/Nose Blowing) on Parliament Hill, I think "Why are you here? Can you not see that your beliefs cannot and should not be applied to all of humanity?"
Obviously they can't. But why?
The answer comes down to indoctrination, which happens at a young age in school - religious schools are more susceptible to it, because they are run under one religious doctrine.
Some people teach their kids, whether directly or indirectly, to fear and despise people who are different. They make racist/sexist/orientationist (I still need a better word for discrimination based on sexual orientation) comments, their kids pick up on it and then school doesn't teach them its wrong.
------
Unfortunately that's all the time I have for today - I have a Magic tournament to go play in.
Coming this weekend:
Belief versus Opinion versus Fact in which I take a look at the three levels of truth.
and the continuation of today's rant
Religious Schools & New Education: A Plan for the 21st Century in which I look at what's wrong with today's school systems, notably the concept of a religious school, and how we can make it better.
Comments are, as usual, welcome.
Thanks guys and sorry for the philosophic content that'll be here for a couple of days (I'm in the mood... stupid fundamentalists).
- Dep
Let me begin by examining a phenomenon of our culture - our intense focus on ourselves and what's best for us (as opposed to them).
Its seems a number of people look at today's state of affairs and say "this is wrong, how can you run the world this way, won't somebody PLEASE THINK OF THE CHILDREN!" (ok, so I cheered a bit when Mod Flanders died).
Some cases? Alright.
Abortion
(Why do I always start here? Who knows. I like starting here, its such a... controversial topic and yet it seems to have an easy answer).
For the record, I can't say that I would have no qualms with a child of mine being aborted barring medical reasons or other extreme circumstances. That said, I want you to approach this next paragraph remembering I myself have not come to a conclusion on whether or not I consider abortion immoral in my humble opinion.
Does it matter if I think its immoral? Of course not. If I can say one absolutely true thing about morality, its that there are two kinds - the kind you, as an individual, choose to follow and the kind imposed upon you by the collective beliefs of others. And what I, as an individual, choose to believe is immoral has little impact on what you yourself will choose to be immoral.
We, as a society, need to enforce certain rules of morality to protect the freedom of others (no killing is good). We also need to enforce certain minimum freedoms to ensure that no one can ever be trampled on (we can speak whatever language we want, unless we live in Quebec where our French must be 50% louder than our English). Then we have two gray areas - the one where there is a question of whether or not a right is actually applicable (such as abortion - is a fetus alive? sentient?) and where two rights conflict with one another (which is my next argument).
Is a fetus alive and/or sentient? I can't give you an answer on that one, but the opinion of the majority seems to agree with me on that - we can't really establish a clear answer.
So we must look at other questions to determine whether or not we're going to allow it.
So lets picture we outlaw abortions (as it was in the States before Roe vs Wade). What happens? Women just don't have them, stay at home and have the kid?
(If we were so docile, we would have never gotten out of the dark ages)
What really happens is some percentage stop having them and a greater percentage seek abortions on the "black market". Banning it doesn't mean you stop it (if you don't believe me, look at drugs). Blowing up abortion clinics didn't stop it. It therefore follows that legalizing it (and even including it as a part of provincial health care like in Quebec) allows for procedures which have a greater chance of success (since, in the black market, there is no guarantee the person knows what the heck they're doing with that coat hanger). And so, abortion remains legal because the alternatives are, quite simply, much worse.
But it doesn't mean that the pro-life people have to have an abortion - it just means, we have the right to make a choice rather than have other people's morality imposed upon us. Its a fine line to walk for the government, but they strike a fair balance most of the time.
I go so far as to classify people's stance on abortion into three categories.
"Pro-Life" people don't believe having an abortion is the right choice for them.
"Pro-Choice" people leave the option open for themselves in the future.
"Anti-Choice" people are the people who blow up abortion clinics and post propaganda on Bank Street (because I need another eyesore downtown). They believe its not right for |anyone|.
(Where do I fit? Probably pro-choice as I can see myself being happy with that option later down the road, but definitely something I want to avoid).
As for the people who classify themselves as "anti-choice", I have some advice for you. Contribute to an orphanage, donate your time to a group that helps young mothers or do something else to help people choose a different path. Face the fact that its here to stay and that you're not helping anyone by protesting on Parliament. Instead, be constructive and help people to have another option open - you'll save more baby's lives that way, trust me.
Religion in Schools
Alright, again - for the record- I have no beef against people who practice a religion. I don't have a problem with people who go to church or who donate to the organization or whatnot.
I do, however, have a problem with the following people...
a) People who believe their way is the only way
Its time to grow on up out of your teens and face the real world - there are dozens of beliefs systems, each one claiming to have THE answer to life, the universe and everything. Because I don't choose one of them (I invented my own, lucky me... but maybe I'm psychotic so hey) is reason to tell me I'm going to hell?
Religion has done a lot of good things for society - its brought people together, its formed tight-knit communities and its done some really awesome things. It may have even saved thousands of people's lives by giving them hope.
But... you have to realize the bad that some people have done in the name of their religion. And if you can't realize it, well... you probably fit into category A. I could talk about the Crusades, the colonization of America, George Bush, but I want to stay off those topics - they make me angry lol.
Instead, I want to look at how people don't seem to realize that people (especially children since they're so easily influenced) need a broad background in cultures (and therefore religions). They need to realize that not all other religions are bad - there are just bad people who follow them on occasion (who occasionally get more press time because of it). For instance, I claim to be a Wiccan (though people might disagree with that, but I say I can label myself however I want and it is fairly close to my actual beliefs). Does it mean I perform Satanic rituals with a virgin and a pig at the full moon? Hell no - virgins complain about it hurting too much :P. Seriously, a lot of people are just that... people. They're not going to tear out your soul or corrupt you.
Culture of fear much, eh? (By the way, this applies to all fanatics of all religions/cults/beliefs/etc).
More importantly, beliefs that are held by a religion cannot (and should not) be applied to all of humanity for one very important statement of logic. The doctrine of a religion should only apply to people who follow it because it requires faith and those of us without said faith shouldn't really be forced into following it anyways (see the Charter of Rights under "Religion" if you don't believe we have religious freedom here). Therefore, any state which believes in freedom of religion should not have policy dictated by religion.
And, more importantly, religion should realize this and keep their nose out of it - no offense. But everytime I see teachers from Catholic schools with their students protesting (Gay Marriage/Gay Rights/Abortion/Public Displays of Affection/Nose Blowing) on Parliament Hill, I think "Why are you here? Can you not see that your beliefs cannot and should not be applied to all of humanity?"
Obviously they can't. But why?
The answer comes down to indoctrination, which happens at a young age in school - religious schools are more susceptible to it, because they are run under one religious doctrine.
Some people teach their kids, whether directly or indirectly, to fear and despise people who are different. They make racist/sexist/orientationist (I still need a better word for discrimination based on sexual orientation) comments, their kids pick up on it and then school doesn't teach them its wrong.
------
Unfortunately that's all the time I have for today - I have a Magic tournament to go play in.
Coming this weekend:
Belief versus Opinion versus Fact in which I take a look at the three levels of truth.
and the continuation of today's rant
Religious Schools & New Education: A Plan for the 21st Century in which I look at what's wrong with today's school systems, notably the concept of a religious school, and how we can make it better.
Comments are, as usual, welcome.
Thanks guys and sorry for the philosophic content that'll be here for a couple of days (I'm in the mood... stupid fundamentalists).
- Dep
