Visionaries, Finally! Someone understands! Of course, it is my son who understands, one who knows my quirks, like believing in right and wrong, not in mostly right and kinda wrong, but nevertheless I am encouraged to persevere. Cordially, Douglas Wilson At 10:58 PM 8/19/2003 Nate wrote: In my years on this mortal coil, there is …
The Ethics of Being Screwed Up
Visionaries, No, Jon has not quite gotten it yet. The point is not that since lots of people are screwed up, it is okay to be screwed up. The point is that if there is no such thing as being screwed up, it is okay to be screwed up. If there are no absolutes, then …
Pushing It Into the Corners
Visionaries, Tim Jenson said, among a number of other things, that using homosexuals as scapegoats was just plain cruel. Cruelty is bad? If there is no absolute by which we may judge society, then society becomes absolute. And, since Tim helpfully pointed out that most societies have mistreated homosexuals, then that must make it okay. …
Temporary Republicans
Visionaries, Sven writes that he has heard about a “group” that said that “there are thousands of ex-Republicans throughout the country! They are living proof that Republican orientation is not fixed permanently…”. So Sven argues that there’s hope for this unnatural, sinful leaning if only folks will seek it. Of course Republican orientation is not …
A Raspberry for Slander
Visionaries, I am afraid that Jon was distressed at my humorous response and thought it showed a lack of propriety on my part. A humorous response to grotesque slander is indicative of a lack of decency on the part of the recipient of the slander? But I am afraid I will not play that game. …
Imagine There’s No Heaven
Visionaries, John says that when I go “nuclear” and unleash a WMD like ‘Says who?’ the only thing one can do is “slowly back away and be grateful that you weren’t completely destroyed by the strength of the opposing argument.” This can only be understood as a facile playground response, and not an argument, if …
Elijah One Tooth
Visionaries, I actually think this discussion is getting somewhere. But I still have questions, and I hope will get this us even further. Susanna says that the difference between us is that she thinks it is a matter of law, not morality. And goes on to say that polygamy would be fine with her if …
Unwanted Attentions
Visionaries, Susanna wonders why we cannot just continue to recognize marriage as contractual monogamy, expanding it only with regard to the sex of the spouses? She says she can light a cigarette without starting a forest fire, and should also be able to marry her same-sex partner without exposing herself to the unwanted attentions of …
Standby For Polygamy
Visionaries, My question and concern is this. If we stop imposing a particular religious view through the mechanism of civil law (which is, we agree, what our current laws amount to), and if we do this for the sake of allowing homosexual marriage, what logical reason do we have for stopping there? We suddenly cannot …
Things We Used to Think
Visionaries, Jan asks, “how can one person swear to be monogamist to more than one person? Is this not an important part of marriage?” This is the point. We used to think so. But then, we used to think that marriage involved a man and a woman. Why do we retain what we retain and …