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Post by Christina on May 19, 2002 4:23:00 GMT -5
*ahem* there's a mile of difference between worshipping some object as if it has supernatural powers to help you if you can just get the words and actions right, and using something as a symbol of an otherwise abstract concept.
Flag waving as a show of unity within a large group of people on special days of celebration is fine. Using the symbols to try and emphasise divisions between groups is entirely another.
PS - would you rather have your currency say, 'in our current bunch of elected representives we trust'? Perhaps you'd like to copy the United Kingdom and have notes that have the Chief Cashier of the Federal Reserve Bank saying 'I promise to pay the bearer on demand the sum of..' instead?
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PreatorX
NCC 1701-A
Infinite Tribble free days!!!
Posts: 194
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Post by PreatorX on May 20, 2002 5:37:46 GMT -5
Hi, PreatorX ! No sir, you are not the only Canuck on this board... Oh, Canada... It's a lovely anthem, IMO. I also like the Royal Anthem: God Save the Queen. Oops, I had just finished PMing you too. I've always wondered if B.C. has an anthem. I doubt it.
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Post by Elric3960 on May 21, 2002 10:09:24 GMT -5
*ahem* there's a mile of difference between worshipping some object as if it has supernatural powers to help you if you can just get the words and actions right, and using something as a symbol of an otherwise abstract concept. Tell that to flag-burners and the people who hate them. I don't know if you have them in the UK, but we have more than our share of both in the US and it tends to blur the line between worship and symbolism, especially to veterans like Peter who laid down their lives for the ideals attached to our flag and the people who've been ignored or victimized by the country that's represented by the same flag.Again, the line is blurred! The line between patriotism and nationalism shifts with the changing tide. If you don't believe me, ask the people from India and Pakistan who've been brutalised and attacked by "patriots" after 9/11! An isolated incident, to be sure, but how many others occurred over the years that we didn't know about during not-so-slow newsday? I could be snotty and say that if you don't like what your currency says, you can vote to change it, but instead I'll say that elected officials come and go but faith and resistance to permanent change will continue to be with us. The vocal "faithful" feel that that beatiful message proves that God helps us in spite of us instead of because of us and the vocal atheists are petitioning to remove it for PC reasons. Your paper currency started out as a series of promisory notes, so it's possible that political laziness play a part in how it's being minted to this day. You would know better than I.
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Post by Peter_Pevensie on May 21, 2002 11:49:31 GMT -5
Peter takes this opportunity to beat a hasty retreat before somebody starts throwing things.[/i] ;D
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Post by Christina on May 21, 2002 15:22:29 GMT -5
I guess Elric and I have both encountered the extremes of this issue, and reacted in our own personal ways. But a full and frank discussion of extremism in our two communities is a Neutral Zone topic, so I will defer it to another day, when I can add in my English/British comments too.
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Post by Gnom on May 21, 2002 16:32:46 GMT -5
^ Do that... Perhaps I've by then managed to get my comment in the matter organized into a sequence of letters that may actually have some correlation with what I meant to say... In the meantime: hear, hear, Christina
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Post by Elric3960 on May 22, 2002 3:01:53 GMT -5
To Christina: Should you decide to post a thread that addresses this issue, I'd be honored to respond to your postings. To Gnom: I'm sorry if my comments proved to be too distracting and rude for your taste. That wasn't my intention. To Peter: I was just taking a page from your book, as I said in my first comment on this thread. One more snide comment from you and I'll take away your slingshot, young man!
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Post by Peter_Pevensie on May 22, 2002 8:30:16 GMT -5
^^^ Will you take away my five little stones too? ;D
You know, I've always wondered, if he had so much faith, why did he pick up five little stones? Why not just one?
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Post by Elric3960 on May 22, 2002 9:28:30 GMT -5
^^^I've got an even more penetrating question:
Why did he say that he was "going to take thy head from thee" when he didn't have a sword himself?" Faith's a funny thing, isn't it?
OOPS! I've gone off-topic again!
*Elric gives himself 20 lashes with a wet noodle*
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Post by StolenThunder on May 22, 2002 13:51:14 GMT -5
To Christina: Should you decide to post a thread that addresses this issue, I'd be honored to respond to your postings. Yes, but we may want to leave that for a few days time... 8)
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Post by Gnom on May 22, 2002 16:07:54 GMT -5
To Gnom: I'm sorry if my comments proved to be too distracting and rude for your taste. That wasn't my intention. Absolutely nothing wrong with your comments! I was merely letting out the frustration generated by my very own inability to organize my thoughts adequately to make them come out as coherent sentences in English language relevant to the discussion at hand... You were presenting your point of view in the subject, which I respect, but my [obviously somewhat inadequate] attempt was to try to imply that I'm, however, relating more to Christina's... Try bear the delivery impaired!
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Post by Peter_Pevensie on May 23, 2002 6:05:52 GMT -5
Gnom, I find your English to be more relevant and coherant than many who own it as their mother tongue.
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Post by Christina on May 23, 2002 14:42:44 GMT -5
To Peter: One more snide comment from you and I'll take away your slingshot, young man! Nah. Just confiscate his teddy bear and stuffed lion. He'll come grovelling back desperate to apologise!!
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Post by Elric3960 on May 24, 2002 2:56:17 GMT -5
^^^Considering where he got his handle, I can believe that Peter possesses a little "Aslan," but a teddy bear? NAH!
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Post by Peter_Pevensie on May 24, 2002 4:49:37 GMT -5
Peter raises an eyebrow at Christina.[/i]
For the record, I own no stuffed animals. I relinquished my puppy, appropriately named Puppy, whom I had cherished from the time I was three, to my son when he was born. So don't even think of messing with Puppy, or there will be heaven to pay. 8)
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