[Vision2020] News Article, Mental Illness, Fixation ofBelief Discussion

[Art Deco]

Mr. Potter:

One way to argue is to create a straw man then set it on fire.  Show me
where I claimed that all or anyone should always or even the majority of the
time see the logical necessities of their actions.  We live mostly by habit.
But most except the mentally lazy do have periods of contemplation which set
or change some of our habits.

Dialog is more constructive when you address the issues really raised.

You are right about the Dougs and myself.  We won't make a dent in each
others positions.  But the current dialogue, which is now near a hiatus, may
help some reader (if any) decide what and who they are.

I would like to live in peace.  But I won't.  I have a personal dislike of
sexism, racism, slavery, homophobia, anti-Semitism, anti-Arab sentiments,
etc.

I believe that there might have been some in history who felt the same way.

Wayne Fox

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "George Potter" <PotterG@scsc.k12.in.us>
To: <Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2003 1:07 PM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] News Article, Mental Illness, Fixation ofBelief
Discussion


> I agree with Mr. Engerbretson.  We all live by faith.  I leave work on my
desk today because I have faith that I will be here tomorrow to finish it.
I have faith that I won't be hit by a drunk driver, choke to death on my
dinner, have a massive stroke mowing the lawn, have to take my children to
the hospital, inherit a million dollars, or that a variety of other things
won't happen to interfere with my return to work tomorrow.  THat is faith.
Hope for things not seen, that cannot be guaranteed.
>
> Trying to determine the logical necessity of every action, decision,
belief, as Mr. Fox seems to want us to do would be considered as much a sign
of mental illness as maintaining any of the religious beliefs he considers
to be a similar sign.  We all live by our own personal guidelines and belief
systems.  It is when we take those guidelines to their utter extreme, and by
following them interfere with our safety or the safety of others that we
enter the realm of irrationality that can be classified as mental illness.
>
> Mr Fox, your belief system of life, the universe and everything is
different than that of Mr Jones, Mr. Wilson, myself, and many other people.
It is even different in some aspects than the belief systems of other people
who claim to believe in the same basic ideals that you do.  You see, that is
part of being human.  We are not hive animals, whose beliefs and drives and
actions are determined out of our control by some "queen"  or "master."
Civilization is the ability to live with people of different beliefs in
relative peace.
>
> The two of you (Mr. Fox and Mr. Jones), and the rest of us that have been
dragged into this argument are not going to convert each other.  At some
point (a point at which some of us appear to be close to) beating your head
against the wall in these futile arguments is also a sign (in my mind) of
mental illness.  Agree to disagree, agree to stop nitpicking, and agree to
just be nice to each other, and give it a break already.
>
> George Potter
>
>
>
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