I Shall Not Live by Lies

_{Barry Arrington
June 19, 2020

Intelligent Design

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Intelligent Design}

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A man is not a woman, and anyone who says or implies otherwise is a liar.

On June 15, 2020, this lie prevailed in the Supreme Court of the United States of America. This lie is now the law, and it will be enforced with all of the terrible power of the government.

Alexander Solzhenitsyn said this about lies:

Let your credo be this: Let the lie come into the world, let it even triumph. But not through me.

And he said this about refusing to surrender one’s soul to a terrible lying government:

It will not be an easy choice for a body, but it is only one for a soul. And if we get cold feet, even taking this step, then we are worthless and hopeless, and the scorn of Pushkin should be directed to us:“Why should cattle have the gifts of freedom? Their heritage from generation to generation is the belled yoke and the lash.”

This day I vow to defy this lie that has become law. I will never participate in the lie. I will never say a man is a woman, and I will never imply it by using feminine pronouns to refer to him. I call on you to join me. And if you refuse? Solzhenitsyn again:

And he who is not sufficiently courageous even to defend his soul — don’t let him be proud of his “progressive” views, Let him say to himself: I am in the herd, and a coward. It’s all the same to me as long as I’m fed and warm.

Comments

MS: if somebody gives you money to do something, you’re pretty much obligated to do it KF: Let’s contrast: Matt 16:26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? [ESV] Souls ought not be for sale and the suggestion that terms of employment are a selling of the soul is utterly, tellingly monstrous. I was going to answer ETs message above, but he's pretty much self refuting for those who have good morals and beyond hope for those who do not. But I have to ask you what point you're trying to make? Are you really trying to suggest that if you use an "incorrect" pronoun you're going to burn in Hell for all eternity? Really? Remember what I told you about breathing those volcano fumes. What is it about conservative Christianity that gives you and ET and the gang such undying hatred towards adolescents whose sexual orientation doesn't meet your arbitrary standards. Don't tell me, "The Bible says ..." The Bible says I can own slaves and that God gave David 20 of Saul's wives as a reward. If you're not willing to say slavery and bigamy by the dozen are OK, then look for a better foundation for your morality. Hint: The Golden Rule is in the Bible. And everywhere else. It's actually pretty obvious unless your morals are already corrupted. Personally, I think Christians do have terrible morals and this is just one small example. Christians have the morals of an iron age middle east tribesman with the word "Jesus" on top. Since you were "kind" enough to give me bad moral advice from the Bible, here's some Bible verses back to you: Matthew 25:45: Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?’ 45 Then he will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’ 46 And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”MatSpirit_{June 23, 2020
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Meriwether’s school’s policy is that their students are to be addressed by their preferred gender. How frequently do students get to change their preferred pronoun? If they change it mid-sentence without informing the teacher is the teacher still liable?es58_{June 23, 2020
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MS:
if somebody gives you money to do something, you’re pretty much obligated to do it
Let's contrast:
Matt 16:26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? [ESV]
Souls ought not be for sale and the suggestion that terms of employment are a selling of the soul is utterly, tellingly monstrous. Again, on first duties of reason:
We can readily identify at least seven inescapable first duties of reason. Inescapable, as they are so antecedent to reasoning that even the objector implicitly appeals to them; i.e. they are self-evident. Duties, to truth, to right reason, to prudence, to sound conscience, to neighbour, so also to fairness and justice etc. Such built in law is not invented by parliaments or courts, nor can these principles and duties be abolished by such. (Cf. Cicero in De Legibus, c. 50 BC.) Indeed, it is on this framework that we can set out to soundly understand and duly balance rights, freedoms and duties; which is justice. The legitimate main task of government, then, is to uphold and defend the civil peace of justice through sound community order reflecting the built in, intelligible law of our nature. Where, as my right implies your duty a true right is a binding moral claim to be respected in life, liberty, honestly aquired property, innocent reputation etc. To so justly claim a right, one must therefore demonstrably be in the right. Thus, too, we may compose sound civil law informed by that built-in law of our responsibly, rationally free morally governed nature; from such, we may identify what is unsound or false thus to be reformed or replaced even though enacted under the colour and solemn ceremonies of law.
KFkairosfocus_{June 23, 2020
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LoL! @ MatSpirit:
I hate to break it to you, but if somebody gives you money to do something, you’re pretty much obligated to do it and do it the way the person paying you wants it done. If you don’t, you can be fired.
So now lying is part of someone's job description? Really? Someone was paying someone to call someone by their preferred pronouns? Really?
Meriwether’s school’s policy is that their students are to be addressed by their preferred gender.
So the school mandates that teachers and students lie? How is that not against the law? That has to be the most ignorant thing, ever.ET_{June 22, 2020
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Barry There was recently a case where a judge said he'd hold in contempt if preferred pronouns weren't used. What would you do?es58_{June 22, 2020
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MS, irrelevant -- save as enabling behaviour -- to the core issue, forced lying under threat of false colour and ceremonies of law. Do you understand where corrupted law ends? KF PS: I point onward to the underlying root issues:
We can readily identify at least seven inescapable first duties of reason. Inescapable, as they are so antecedent to reasoning that even the objector implicitly appeals to them; i.e. they are self-evident. Duties, to truth, to right reason, to prudence, to sound conscience, to neighbour, so also to fairness and justice etc. Such built in law is not invented by parliaments or courts, nor can these principles and duties be abolished by such. (Cf. Cicero in De Legibus, c. 50 BC.) Indeed, it is on this framework that we can set out to soundly understand and duly balance rights, freedoms and duties; which is justice. The legitimate main task of government, then, is to uphold and defend the civil peace of justice through sound community order reflecting the built in, intelligible law of our nature. Where, as my right implies your duty a true right is a binding moral claim to be respected in life, liberty, honestly aquired property, innocent reputation etc. To so justly claim a right, one must therefore demonstrably be in the right. Thus, too, we may compose sound civil law informed by that built-in law of our responsibly, rationally free morally governed nature; from such, we may identify what is unsound or false thus to be reformed or replaced even though enacted under the colour and solemn ceremonies of law.
At this point, I don't expect responsiveness. When needless pain at the bottom of the cliff forces a rethink, that is when lessons will be drawn. Athens after the Peloponnesian war was far more open to learn what it ignored and crushed in its heyday.kairosfocus_{June 22, 2020
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ET @ 165 "Thanks Acartia Eddie @ 150. It looks like discrimination is alive and well. Be assimilated or be cast out!" I hate to break it to you, but if somebody gives you money to do something, you're pretty much obligated to do it and do it the way the person paying you wants it done. If you don't, you can be fired. It may be that your religion prohibits you from certain kinds of work. For instance, if your religion prohibits alcohol, you might not be able to be a bartender. It's your choice whether to serve alcohol or not, but if you won't then nobody has to pay you not to. Even if you won't serve it because of your religion. Meriwether's school's policy is that their students are to be addressed by their preferred gender. Mr. Merriwether says that his religious beliefs prevent him from doing so. That's a pity, but if he won't do his job, the school doesn't have to pay him for not doing it. Merriwether started this by deliberately using a masculine pronoun and he apparently did it in front of the class. The pupil asked him to stop and he refused. The pupil complained to the school. The school gave Merriwether sever chances to start following school policy. He didn't. Eventually the whole mess wound up in court and so far two courts have agreed with the pupil. Merriwether has been given multiple chances to just follow school policy. If he continues to insult the pupil, then he'll eventually get fired. Maybe he'll try bartending next. I think right wing religion has deterorated into a series of excuses to justify their sinful ways.MatSpirit_{June 22, 2020
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@vivid yeah our instincts are crap. We think of it as a small piece of foam, but 500 miles an hour, it’s like a bullet.Retired Physicist_{June 21, 2020
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RP Yes velocity does matter doesn’t it ? We think a piece of foam nice and soft but at 500mph not. so much!! Vividvividbleau_{June 21, 2020
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Nobody has ever explained to me how I was talking about a particular person. I certainly didn’t identify anybody, and maybe there’s some special website where you can see the ethnicity of every pseudonym on the Internet, but if there is I’m not aware of it.Retired Physicist_{June 21, 2020
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@Vivid it was just a piece of foam! Like you said. But it was a piece of foam traveling at 500 miles an hour, according to one calculation a friend of mine did. Our instincts are just inadequate, i believe.Retired Physicist_{June 21, 2020
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Vivid, no. Geek USED to be an insult. There's no way you can say a man bites the heads off of live chickens without insulting him. Today it has a different meaning and it's not an insult. I'm not sure if that's an improvement or not, since we no longer have a label for somebody with chicken feathers on his breath.MatSpirit_{June 21, 2020
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Barry Arrington "Ed it is none of my business what a person does on their own time. But the government has no business forcing funeral homes to let their male employees come to work in drag." Please quote the part of the decision that says employers can not set dress codes for their employees. Barry "Retired Physicist thinks nothing of insulting a black man for being stupidly verbose. " What if he IS stupidly verbose? Are we not allowed to accurately describe him because of his color? Are you saying that blacks are privileged here because of the color of their skin? What about a white man who says stupid things at length. Can we call him stupidly verbose? Barry in 55: "I made two main statements in my OP. 1. A man is not a woman. 2. I will never lie and say that a man is a woman." You also said, " A man is not a woman, and anyone who says or implies otherwise is a liar. On June 15, 2020, this lie prevailed in the Supreme Court of the United States of America. This lie is now the law, and it will be enforced with all of the terrible power of the government." Please quote the part of the Supreme Court decision that says that a man is a woman or that makes that statement into law. Actual quotes, please, not the type of stories that right wing Christians tell each other. You also said in 55, "It is very telling that none of you has addressed the issues on the table." I'll address them right now. 1: I agree with you. A man is not a women. 2: Nobody is saying you have to lie that they are. If you say they do, please quote the Supreme Court decision where it says that.MatSpirit_{June 21, 2020
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RP Hard to believe it was a piece of foam that caused it. What was fascinating is how they tracked all those parts down! Just amazing story Vividvividbleau_{June 21, 2020
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It was a huge mission, led by Story Musgrave, to fix the Hubble, I can only imagine what the mission would have been to fix Columbia if they discovered that.Retired Physicist_{June 21, 2020
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A good thing to come out of that, is afterwards, when the shuttle was in orbit they positioned the camera to check out all the tiles so that didn’t happen again. We retired the shuttle now, so it’s less relevant, but it’s really interesting history.Retired Physicist_{June 21, 2020
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@Vivid Micheal Leinbach really told people what happened.Retired Physicist_{June 21, 2020
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@Vivid that is great book. Really very good. I’ve probably read 10 books on the incident and that was fantastic.Retired Physicist_{June 21, 2020
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RP Read a great book about it titled “Bringing Columbia Home” Vividvividbleau_{June 21, 2020
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Because I’m a benevolent and helpful guy, I wanted to turn all of you on to one of the best pieces of science writing I’ve ever read, Columbia’s Last Flight by William Langewiesche: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2003/11/columbias-last-flight/304204/ When Langewiesche uses 10,000 words it’s because they are good and not just pointless jabbering. A Science Communications professor told me years ago that it’s one of the best instances of science communication ever written. It probably took him a year and $100,000, she said.Retired Physicist_{June 21, 2020
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“Retired Physicist, sorry for the insult, “ OMG geek is now an insult, we’re so screwed up as a society. Vividvividbleau_{June 21, 2020
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I’m not offended, I just support the modern terminology, and I think Incel works pretty good for describing the kind of people you’re talking about. Young violent males who are aggrieved by their deficiencies and think they’re entitled to women’s attentions.Retired Physicist_{June 21, 2020
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Retired Physicist, sorry for the insult, but when I was your age, the geek was the side show man who bit the head off a live chicken to end the show and empty the tent quickly. The only other words I could think of that fit were rather obscene.MatSpirit_{June 21, 2020
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JVL, the attempted turnabout on lying is desperate. I have long since explained why I use a handle, which is not even a pseudonym. KFkairosfocus_{June 21, 2020
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The young males who shoot up Walmarts &c. (in the US) are typically "incels". Of course most are not so volatile.daveS_{June 21, 2020
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As a side note, I really appreciate the Spanish beginning a sentence with ¿ because it gives you a heads up and you’re not surprised in tone at the end of the sentence.Retired Physicist_{June 21, 2020
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Mat @152: “ haven’t monitored incell forums, but I’ve seen some of their screeds published after their crimes. Everything I’ve seen about them has portrayed them as uber geeks” This is trifling, but I must object to your use of the word geek. In the parlance of our times, geek means somebody who is unusually attentive to and knowledgeable about a particular subculture. I was a physics geek. I can talk to you in great detail about the historical development of modern physics. Not that you’d want to hear. :-D You can geek out on computer programming, or manga, or ‘57 Chevys, etc. Social misfit might be a better term for the raging unsuccessful violent entitled males you’re describing?Retired Physicist_{June 21, 2020
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JVL, your attempted turnabout pretence that I am raising a novel issue on dubious hand-waving would be funny if it were not so inadvertently revealing of the balance on the merits. Next, oh put up a math model or it doesn't count is little more than nonsense. The baseline reality is, the logic is plain enough and translating into a propositional calculus chain would only obscure the fairly obvious point that responsible rationality does not work unless we have significant freedom governed by first duties of reason, to follow and choose to acknowledge cogency of a conclusion. Computational substrates don't meet that threshold for various reasons. They are essentially mechanical, modified by stochastic events, driven by the relevant architecture and signal processing so that given inputs, up to statistical fluctuations produce given results. That holds for digital machines, analogue signal processing and neural networks. And as a notorious case in point here is Sir Francis Crick in his The Astonishing Hypothesis:
. . . that "You", your joys and your sorrows, your memories and your ambitions, your sense of personal identity and free will, are in fact no more than the behaviour of a vast assembly of nerve cells and their associated molecules. As Lewis Carroll's Alice might have phrased: "You're nothing but a pack of neurons." This hypothesis is so alien to the ideas of most people today that it can truly be called astonishing.
Alien, as this notorious consequence is not discussed at popular level, say in high school IT classes when GIGO comes up. And I am not going to go into expositions of architecture and computer organisation, analogue computers, integrators or neural networks etc. They would only be roundabout hard to follow ways to confirm what is already manifest. But if you are informed enough to be aware of the hard problem of consciousness or to understand that a computer is a signal processing entity driven by its organisation, inputs, programming and chance events, you have enough to know. Attempted emergence ends up collapsing into this or else it ends up trying to get a poof magic mind as something from nothing. Which is a manifest fail. All of this is quite well known. So the whole project of getting to a functional, sane mind on evolutionary materialistic scientism fails. In failing, accommodationist fellow travellers are caught up in the collapse. We have to address responsible, rational, morally governed freedom on another ground entirely. KFkairosfocus_{June 21, 2020
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Someone who has Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome might have female genitalia and appear female. The person, and their family, may have no idea that they are genetically XY. They might only find out when the person fails to menstruate. Or maybe not even then, some gymnasts don’t menstruate for many years after they would ordinarily do so. That person might only find out, after living 30 years as a woman, and looking feminine and having feminine genitals, in a doctor’s office with her husband because they’re having trouble conceiving. So after 30 years being a woman by all intents and purposes, upon finding out that she is XY would you suddenly call her a man and use he/him pronouns? There are probably a few psychos who would. Thinking that all that matters is XX or XY is just simple minded nonsense.Retired Physicist_{June 21, 2020
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JVL, They are the INvolunarily CELibate, i.e., men who would like to be married (or just have sex, for the more hedonistic ones), but whom our newly-re-engineered society has left out. It is estimated that 25% of men will never marry now. (Give or take a few % points.) [The choice to just have lots of sex versus marrying is another whole discussion.)] Neither they nor the complement of women of this generation were brought up to be gentlemen (or ladies, respectively), to take responsibility in life, to marry and care for their spouses, perhaps have families, build social capital in their world, etc. Because of radical feminism, the media, the Left (but I repeat myself), the devaluing of traditional marriage, etc., they are no longer able to figure out how to achieve a stable satisfying relationship with another person. Those of you on the Left (not necessarily you, JVL) need to fix this problem. Get on it.EDTA_{June 21, 2020
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