The only difference between suicide and martyrdom is press coverage.

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can't someone attack a muslims for a change ,or the guys like the taliban

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If I'm not mistaken, we levelled a freakin' country to get at the Taliban.As far as why no other major religions get put through the same wringer Christianity does... well, it's same answer you always get, Mike. Very vocal Christians are actively trying to have their faith imposed on the law. They are the only major group doing this with any success (in America, at least.)If Christianity stops trying to push itself on our lives, we'll extend it the same courtesy.I can assure you though, if anybody ever tries to get me to pledge allegiance to one nation under Susano-O-No-Mikoto, I'll be sure to take them to task as well.-----------
Dan Carroll[This message has been edited by Dan Carroll, 06-23-2003]

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Do you hold to some of Noam Chomsky's sentiments then? as to the media- let us say...?

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As a linguist, or his anti-war sentiments? As it would be risking SEVERE thread drift, I'm not going to go into my opinions on Bush's wars. Suffice to say Mike asked why no one went after the Taliban. And, well... we did go after them. Rather efficiently, actually.------------------
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Dan Carroll

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As a linguist... so as to be able to address "gentic program" (his paraphrase)for I too would perfer to stay on the safer side of the political discussion. I am interested in the Wolfram "program" but Indeed I will, if you respond spend some time reading this thread in toto first. Thanks in any advance.

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See, here's where I sheepishly admit I don't know enough about Chomsky to get what you're saying. I tried googling for it, but couldn't find anything. Do you have a link to any papers on the subject?------------------
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Dan Carroll

Mike: When did I say anything about killing in Jesus' name? (Although there are those who do. People will whip out any old justification for their actions, whether it fits or not.)The Taliban tried to impose their will through force of arms. The response was a greater force of arms.Christian orginizations in this country try to impose their will by touting the validity of their faith. The response is to question the validity of that faith.That's what the initial post seems to be doing... questioning Christianity's validity. Had Jesus tripped on a banana peel and knocked his head for our sins, would Christianity have been the widespread chartbuster it is now?If not, is it only the grotesqueness of his death that people are responding to?You may see that as an attack, but I see it as a question worth asking. Especially if the religion being quesitioned is going to continue trying to be the basis for widespread influence on society.------------------
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Dan Carroll

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need i go on.

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Yes, because you totally dodged the main question.Had Jesus died by some ludicrous, unimpressive means, would Christianity be as widely accepted?------------------
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Dan Carroll