[MrsCogan]

Originally Posted by Angela

I was wondering what is it here that's causing such bad feeling, and I clicked on MrsCogan's links to find out more about her. Congratulations by the way, MrsCogan, on your weight loss victory!

thank you!

What struck me was: "The Sword of Freedom: Eternal Hostility Against Every Form of Tyranny Over the Mind of Man". "They say the pen is mightier than the sword. I say screw 'em. Use both."

thank you for looking! Most of that is marketing. But do I feel very strongly about the issues I write about on that blog.

I didn't read the blog, but I think I got the gist -- you feel strongly that beliefs that can't be scientifically proven are tyrannical over men's minds, right? And you would like to free people from the tyranny of their delusional thinking, right? That seems to be very important to you. Please tell me if I'm not understanding correctly.

not quite. I mean, you're right in a sense but that blog is intended to deal with issues of church/state separation. I am opposed to required conformity of belief. I know you don't see that, but it's true. Lately I decided to widen the focus of the blog to politics in general. I have strong opinions and I don't plan to pull any punches.

The words that really jumped out at me were "eternal hostility" and the inference that violent action ("the sword") is as valid a tool in your mission to banish tyrannical thinking as free speech. This part I'm reading between your lines, though -- maybe you mean "the sword" to symbolize something other than violent action? A different metaphor, maybe?

Again, I need to say that "sword" is largely marketing. It implies drama and strength. The "eternal hostility" quote is a reference to Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson Quotes

That makes things in this thread a little more clear for me. "Eternal hostility" definitely is showing up to me in this thread. I'm pretty sure your hostility is aimed at the type of thinking that you consider delusional & tyrannical, but how it's occuring for me, and I think others, is that your hostility seems to be aimed at the people who are thinking those thoughts.

you'll just have to believe me that I'm not hostile to the people who think those thoughts. If I were, I wouldn't bother to try to get them to examine their beliefs, to apply a little logical thought to some of the stuff they read. I am getting the sense that some people here embrace a lot of very bad ideas without a single shred of critical thought. It's easy to bilk credulous people and there are a lot of predators out there eager to bilk them.

And that hostility is not just coming from you, but towards you as well. I can understand that when people are being told what and how to think, they might find that rather oppressive and tyrannical! As you know, that's one of the hot buttons I have to look out for in myself, and I think others have that same hot button, too, from the looks of it.

people don't like to have their beliefs challenged. I'm not telling people how or what to think. I'm asking them to think, period.

Look, if LOA can't withstand logical criticism, if it has to be sheltered from scrutiny, then it stopped being an idea a long time ago and has become a religious dogma, a sacred cow.