Technology Liberation Front - Latest Comments in An Unnatural Modern Fascination with Murder and Celebrities?

Re: An Unnatural Modern Fascination with Murder and Celebrities?

Marvin Tabernacle — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 15:39:15 -0000

Do you really think it's a more violent world now than it was in the '50's, or any other time? We may have school shootings now, but at least we don't have lynchings. Maybe parents defend their bully son today, but that bully is probably not getting in too many fights. The consequences of a simple fist fight today are much more severe than they were in earlier times.

Re: An Unnatural Modern Fascination with Murder and Celebrities?

Adam Thierer — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:26:48 -0000

And don't forget my all-time favorite from 2 Kings 2, when Elisha asks for God's wrath against a group of kids who make fun of his bald head. Out came two she-bears from the woods to rip 42 kids into pieces. I will never forget one of my nuns in high school trying to explain away that one.

Re: An Unnatural Modern Fascination with Murder and Celebrities?

Jim Lippard — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:01:38 -0000

"the Bible also tends to use those incidents as moral lessons about human behavior" -- that's the excuse often given, but rarely substantiated. Most of the violence, gore, and debauchery in the Old Testament is given without comment or moral lesson, and sometimes when there is a moral lesson given, it's not a good one. The Pharaoh decides to let the Hebrews go, but God hardens his heart and changes his mind. God tells Abraham to kill his child, and the fact that he was willing to blindly obey in the commission of an evil act is supposed to be a good thing. God and Satan have a bet over Job for which Job's life is destroyed even though he hadn't committed any wrongdoing. Noah's son Ham sees dad drunk and naked, tells his brothers, who cover him, and Noah curses Ham's son Canaan. God orders the Hebrews to commit genocide against several groups of people, often ordering the killing of all males and taking virgin women into slavery.

Re: An Unnatural Modern Fascination with Murder and Celebrities?

Mike T — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 08:36:29 -0000

True, but the Bible also tends to use those incidents as moral lessons about human behavior. Ironically, if people tended to appreciate just what the Bible says about human nature, it would probably upset them far more than any violent pulp comic or movie.

Re: An Unnatural Modern Fascination with Murder and Celebrities?

Richard Bennett — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:32:57 -0000

You'd be hard-pressed to find a book with more violence, gore and debauchery than The Holy Bible.