[extropy-chat] Re: John Wright Finds God

[Reason]

---> Joseph Bloch

> Forgive me for perhaps speaking out of turn, as I've only recently 
> returned to the Extropy email list, but I must wonder why folks are 
> coddling this bizzare talk of visits from ghosts, gods, magic nose 
> goblins, holy spirits, or what-have-you?

If there's one thing that observing the ExI list has taught me, it's that demonstrating your puissance through the creation of really good book will garner you a lot of respect. 

At the very least, it's very hard to say "you suck" in intellectualese when faced with the tangible reality of said book, hovering over your attempts to paint the author as somehow lacking in the grasp of reality department. It requires something of an exercise. 

As an aside, I've noticed, in respect to this particular case, much the same issue going on over a http://www.schlockmercenary.com - the author recently came out as a God Speaks To Me And Told Me To Draw Comics Full Time sort of chap. Raised eyebrows, but life goes on as before. Patently, there is a transhumanist-aware, clever sci-fi comic, and there is also a very religious person creating it.

And then there's Orson Scott Card.

And so forth - like the ten dozen people you know who are no doubt equally touched in their own ways (and operate as normal human beings until you engage them on the subject of religion) but don't happen to produce stunning works of prose. Religious delusions are much like statist delusions; they are so prevalent and such a matter of personal choice that one really has few alternatives to humoring them if one wants to participate in polite society. It's the missionaries backed up by forceful coercion you have to watch for, but beyond that, who cares to comment on the tapestries people paint on the inside of their own skulls? If you're running Dali 1.0 on the inside it's no matter to me provided you can expose a Normal Rockwell API for me to interface with.

(Or vice versa, of course).

Reason
Founder, Longevity Meme