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Do you think it is okay to burn holy books?

Started by Beefaice, July 24, 2010, 12:07:30 AM

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Asmodean

If you have paid for it and are in full ownership of the paper on which it is printed, it is your right to burn it all you want. I have no more problem with it than with burning flags and the like - if it's your property and you don't risk torching half a neighbourhood in the process, why not..?

Some people might call it a statement. Me, I call it kindling.  :P (No, not really, but I take no offence when religious, state or other symbols are being destroyed by their rightful owners)
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

Beachdragon

The first thing that popped into my mind about this was there would be a tremendous backlash by Islamic extremists that might harm innocent citizens either here or out of the country.  Then I got to thinking about the troops too.  I think that this burning will result in a lot of anger and perhaps injuries as a result.

I'm not up on defacing or destroying items people consider holy.  It's all wrapped up in too much symbolism.

humblesmurph

Quote from: "Thumpalumpacus"Islam is to Christianity what Chevy is to Oldsmobile.

nice

Thumpalumpacus

Phew, I'm glad someone caught that.  I kinda liked it and the thought of it dying a lonely cyberdeath was unhappy.

The deep irony of the whole controversy over the Quran-burning is wrapped in an Arabic proverb:  "The finger pointing at the moon is not the moon."
Illegitimi non carborundum.

D0NTst0pBELlEViN

Quote from: "Beefaice"If it's in the wrong place, feel free to remove it.

I've recently encountered http://www.facebook.com/pages/International-Burn-A-Koran-Day/134718123226530this page, and I'd like to discuss it. I personally found it horrifically offensive, and stated as such in the page. (I'm the kid who said burning books is a the worst sin imaginable) and flagged it. How do you guys feel about it?

I think it is wrong to burn any holy book even though I am an Atheist. I also think it is dangerous with our troops being in the middle east and all. Plus it only spreads more hate, it does not do anything but cause more problems.

Davin

Quote from: "D0NTst0pBELlEViN"I think it is wrong to burn any holy book even though I am an Atheist. I also think it is dangerous with our troops being in the middle east and all. Plus it only spreads more hate, it does not do anything but cause more problems.
Is this because you're sympathetic to those that believe in the holy book, because you think it's wrong to burn any book... or fill in your own answer, don't think I'm trying to fling a false dichotomy on you.

I personally don't care if a few of them are burned as long as the goal is not to get rid of every copy of the book. I also disagree with burning books as a publicity stunt (I'd probably make an exception for a public burning of Atlas Shrugged), but only because I don't like people doing things only for attention and/or personal gain.
Always question all authorities because the authority you don't question is the most dangerous... except me, never question me.

Asmodean

Quote from: "Davin"I don't like people doing things only for attention and/or personal gain.
Remind me, will you, what other reasons do people "do things" for..?  :P
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

Davin

Quote from: "Asmodean"
Quote from: "Davin"I don't like people doing things only for attention and/or personal gain.
Remind me, will you, what other reasons do people "do things" for..?  :P
For fun, for their job, for love, for hate, to avoid pain, to cause pain... those are at least a few other reasons.
Always question all authorities because the authority you don't question is the most dangerous... except me, never question me.

Asmodean

Quote from: "Davin"
Quote from: "Asmodean"
Quote from: "Davin"I don't like people doing things only for attention and/or personal gain.
Remind me, will you, what other reasons do people "do things" for..?  :raised:

Fun, for instance, is very much "personal gain"
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

jduster

Legally, it's our right.
Morally, I don't see anything wrong with it.

Is there a good reason though?  Not reason.
 
Burning holy books is not going to solve the problem.  In order to burn a book, as a corollary, one must purchase it first.  So all book burners are going to do is increase holy book sales.

Davin

Quote from: "Asmodean"
Quote from: "Davin"
Quote from: "Asmodean"Remind me, will you, what other reasons do people "do things" for..?  :raised:

Fun, for instance, is very much "personal gain"
I guess that depends on your definition of "personal gain." I take personal gain to mean that the person is gaining something external like cash or a car or spite from others or respect of others or adoration from others, not an internal thing like a feeling of contentment. I don't take having fun as personal gain because the person only feels something that was internally derived, not received something. from an external source. If you feel that personal gain also reflects emotional states then I agree with you, I just don't think that the person is gaining anything from feeling an emotion because it's derived from themselves and what they already had.

Saying that these things necessarily lead to attention seeking and/or personal gain leads you down an assumption trail that disregards that different people may have different motivations. As an example: I do many things for my job that I do not get paid for, and by the small amount of work most of my co-workers do, doesn't even serve to provide job security. The extra bits I do for my job, I do as discreetly as possible, because I would prefer to avoid attention of any kind. There is no personal gain, nor attention seeking for me doing those extra things at work.
Always question all authorities because the authority you don't question is the most dangerous... except me, never question me.

Thumpalumpacus

I think it's sad that you don't regard emotional enjoyment as personal gain.
Illegitimi non carborundum.

Davin

Quote from: "Thumpalumpacus"I think it's sad that you don't regard emotional enjoyment as personal gain.
I regard emotional enjoyment as positive, but not as something that is gained. Unlike gaining entrance and gaining wealth, gaining emotional enjoyment doesn't appear correct to me. It seems more right to say "I'm enjoying this" rather than "I've obtained enjoyment," "I've gained enjoyment" or "enjoyment has been given to me" (unless the latter three statements are meant poetically).
Always question all authorities because the authority you don't question is the most dangerous... except me, never question me.

Thumpalumpacus

I am a better person for having good times.  That is gain.
Illegitimi non carborundum.

tunghaichuan

As a librarian, it bothers me when people burn books. Any book, not just the holy variety. I'm a life long reader and book lover and it just strikes me as wrong.

As a citizen of the United States, I believe book burning is covered under the first amendment. I do not like it, but I support anyone's right to do it.
The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt.
- Bertrand Russell

In every country and in every age, the priest has been hostile to liberty. He is always in alliance with the despot, abetting his abuses in return for protection to his own.
-Thomas Jefferson, letter to Horatio G. Spafford, March 17,