japan tsunami

[Sabindeus]

I'm gunna get shot for this, but when freedom of speech encircles the right to make hate speeches and vilify and incite violence then that shit needs to get the fuck gone. I'd rather not have the right.

*red and blue lasers*

[firstamendme]

For some reason this thread made me think of a quote from Mel Brooks:

Tragedy is when I cut my finger. Comedy is when you walk into an open sewer and die.

Interesting phrasing.

[Brekkie]

I'm gunna get shot for this, but when freedom of speech encircles the right to make hate speeches and vilify and incite violence then that shit needs to get the fuck gone. I'd rather not have the right.

So who gets to decide what kind of speech constitutes "bad speech"? As you can see within this very thread, that's a topic that will always be disagreed upon even when no one has an agenda.
That's a dangerous power to give someone.

[gtechman]

I'll take jokes like "Japan is really advanced. They don't go to the beach, the beach comes to them" over the sort of hate-filled "this is what Japanese deserve" bullshit that you're seeing coming out of the mouths of people like Glenn Beck. Who do you really think is the hateful, heartless person in that scenario?

Not to nitpick, but I think you are implying with the quotes, that Beck actually said that....

[Lightbeard]

Aflac does about 75% of its business in Japan, so that idiot (not going to defile the word "comedian") had it coming for not even knowing the company he was shilling for.

Dude's been doing pretty successful comedy for 30+ years so it is kinda silly to not call him a comedian.

Flex you are just a heartless person that wants to watch everyone die because you are not happy about yourself. that person deserved to be fired.

Really Minn? Really?

[theckhd]

I'll take jokes like "Japan is really advanced. They don't go to the beach, the beach comes to them" over the sort of hate-filled "this is what Japanese deserve" bullshit that you're seeing coming out of the mouths of people like Glenn Beck. Who do you really think is the hateful, heartless person in that scenario?

Not to nitpick, but I think you are implying with the quotes, that Beck actually said that....

Speaking on his radio show Monday, Beck said, "I'm not saying God is, you know, causing earthquakes," before quickly adding, "I'm not not saying that either."

He then said that whatever one called God, "there's a message being sent. And that is, 'Hey, you know that stuff we're doing? Not really working out real well. Maybe we should stop doing some of it.' I'm just saying."

Not word for word, but damn close. Glenn Beck is about as evil as you get in my book though. "I'm not saying X," followed by "but... X" is pretty flagrant, IMO. I can't stand the deafening levels of ignorance he employs to make his "points." Watching more than 60 seconds of him is enough to make me want to put a brick through the television.

But I'm a bit tired of politics in general lately, since I'm more interested in facts than hearing two people bash talking points against one another like 4-year-olds.

[Masumi]

Really Minn? Really?

you may not want to get into the argument I was having with flex. I have lost the anger I had, and I like reading posts from.

[gtechman]

I saw the Beck thing. The guy is def out there. In this instance though I felt he was referring to all the recent natural disasters and not just the most recent one. I didn't feel like he was aiming specifically at Japan.

[Dantriges]

Oh the usual if we were more moral people, *insert the usual family and other values here* God wouldn´t send the Japanese a tsunami and all the previous disasters? Oh please. If god was reall offended at this he would probably rain fire and brimstone on the guys actually ofending him. He doesn´t so he either
1. Doesn´t exist
2. Doesn´t care
3. Is more tolerant and accepting of all values than some of the preachers using his name to proagate their values
4. thinks, if not following these good old family values is actually bad for society, the problem will correct itself when the society collapses
5. Old testament style smiting and drowning people indiscriminately to get his point across isn´t really his cup of tea.

Take your pick.

[masterpoobaa]

Epicurus' trilemma.

One of the earliest uses of the trilemma formulation is that of the Greek philosopher Epicurus, rejecting the idea of an omnipotent and omnibenevolent God (as summarised by David Hume):

If God is unable to prevent evil, he is not omnipotent.
If God is not willing to prevent evil, he is not good.
If God is willing and able to prevent evil, then why is there evil?

[Hokahey]

If God is willing and able to prevent evil, then why is there evil?

Because your definition of "evil" and God's aren't the same. No, pretty much *guaranteed* humans just don't even really understand what is "evil" in God's eyes. To paraphrase Hobbes in Leviathan (the philosopher, not the stuffed tiger named after him), evil is just a word people use for what they dislike.

Also, while I'd never dream of denying someone their right to say what's on their mind, I will never "support" them abusing that right for the sake of attention, a la WBC, Glenn Beck, etc. I will gladly tell them to do unspeakable things to themselves with a pineapple. I will not pretend for one moment that anything they spew has any value, beyond the air they consume saying it being less air for me to breathe.

Finally, its good to see that Minnerva's family is at least mostly safe.

[Passionario]

Another possible explanation can be illustrated by a crude WoW analogy:

"Blizzard has total control over everything that happens on the servers. Blizzard wants players to kill bosses and loot their stuff. So why doesn't Blizzard give all mobs in the game 1 HP and make them drop their entire loot table whenever they get killed?"

Instead of directly stopping and preventing all the world's evil, God gave humans the ability (and responsibility) to deal with their own problems.

[Brekkie]

If good things happened to good people and bad things happened to bad people, there wouldn't really be any good people, just well trained people.

[Shamora]

[Tev]

I'm all for free speech, but I'm even more for consequences to said speech. Instead of whining about it, complain to the appropriate channels. Complain in a professional manner to the people that host Glenn Beck, and complain to his advertising supporters. Make him accountable for what he has said.

I'm not gonna prevent someone from yelling fire a in a crowded theater, but I will bitch slap them if they do, to the point they wont do it again. You get the idea. Punish the crime, not the possibility that someone may commit a crime.

On topic, my heart goes out to the people of Japan and all who are affected by this tragic event.