🚀 go-pugleaf

Twisted STISter wrote:
> 
> In article <53guvf$2qo@vixen.cso.uiuc.edu>,
> Trish  <Trish@speedy.ehs.uiuc.edu> wrote:
> >pcp2g@karma.astro.Virginia.EDU (Twisted STISter) wrote:
> >>In article <53gpu6$rv1@vixen.cso.uiuc.edu>,
> >>Trish  <Trish@speedy.ehs.uiuc.edu> wrote:
> >>>opdi@netshop.net (Alleycat) wrote:
> >>>   <SNIP>
> >>>
> >>>> People have to learn to let parents
> >>>>discipline their own kids in the way THEY find most >effective.-- Alleycat
> >>>   Applause!!!!!
> >
> >>What if the parents feel the best way is to lock the kid in a closet for
> >>a week with no food?
> >
> >  This already has happened....
> >
> >>What if they feel the best way to discipline the child is to have sex with
> >>them?
> >
> >   This also has happened.......
> >
> >>Or beat them?
> >
> >   Ditto.  happens a lot
> >
> >>Funny thing, this idea of individual liberty. Sweeping generalizations tend
> >>to be a poor platform to base it on.
> >
> >  So, straying from the original thread ie: we don't need more
> >guvmnt., you are saying that the current laws that are on the
> >books are not enough, and you want the guvmnt to add to the
> >list?  If so, my question to you would then be, what makes you
> >think any new law or set of laws will suddenly correct all the
> >above atrocities?
> 
> You may note I made no conclusions at all in my post.
> You won't get far putting words in my mouth...
> 
> The point I was making is that complete freedom entails a certain
> amount of responsibility, and many folks out there certainly lack
> that responsibility. You pointed this out yourself in your reply.
> 
> A line must be drawn somewhere; most people would agree the
> above examples represent such a place. However, what if I raise my
> kids to be snake handlers? Or worship Satan? It's a slippery slope.
> I for one don't trust elected officials to draw all my lines for me.
> On the other hand, what I consider ok (example: question authority)
> may be a heinous act by others.

Oddly enough, there's no law against raising your kids to be snake
handlers, or worship Satan. Some stupid thing called the US Constitution
(which of course must be eliminated if we are to prevent children from
being raised as snake handlers and/or Satanists) allows people to raise
their children to believe any way they'd like. One person's delusional
syndrome is another person's heartfelt traditional faith ya know.

I guess where you draw the line is where there's a definiable and
quantifiable expectation of damage to either the person or to society
should the practice be allowed. Of course, if you want to outlaw
snake-handling as an act of religious faith because someone's
statistically bound to get hurt, you're going to have to outlaw Little
League and football too. If someone wants to worship Satan or Jehovah or
whoever, that's their right, as long as their belief system doesn't make
them slaughter everyone who their little voices tell them must die.

> 
> --
> * Phil Plait, Pee Aytch Dee       pcp2g@virginia.edu
> * "Twinkies are not sentient in any way we can understand."
> * My home page-- http://www.astro.virginia.edu/~pcp2g/home.html
> *      -->  Humor, supernovae, Bad Science, and my daughter Zoe.

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