[extropy-chat] Books: Harris; Religion and Reason

[spike]

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From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org
[mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Herb Martin
Sent: Monday, January 09, 2006 6:28 PM
To: 'ExI chat list'
Subject: RE: [extropy-chat] Books: Harris; Religion and Reason

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From: Robert Bradbury

... "Where are the Jain militants?" ...
 
The simple answer for the Buddhists is that their suicide bombers killed
only themselves when
they felt something was egregious enough a violation to warrant
self-sacrifice and made
sure that no one else was harmed.
 
And I think this makes your (and Harris') point even more strongly...




I like the Buddhists.  If I were to ever get religion again, it
would be that one.  That one Buddhist priest that did the human 
torch thing way back in the 60s was more effective than all the modern 
suicide bombers as far as calling actual attention to a cause.  I
was only a child at the time, yet I still remember he was about
government interference with their practice of religion.  

Consider the suicide bombers that kill others today.  I don't 
even want to know what their motive might be.  By slaying
innocents, they forfeit any attention on my part.  But now
I pledge that if any protestor should follow the example of
the peaceful Buddhist, I will go out of my way to find out
why he did it.  Fair enough?

Actually better yet, that form of protest they used recently
in Africa where the women stripped naked: no loss of life, no
property damage, and they have my full and undivided.

spike