Korean Job Discussion Forums

[OptimalOptimus]

I work at the same university as Kiwiduncan. As a scholar, lecturer, and a human being, I respect religions. I think the problem with Kiwiduncan�s previous posting is that his rhetoric is riddled with condescension, and frankly, exposes his own ignorance and lack of intellectual rigor about religuon in general (I like him, though). In his speech, there lies that knowing, liberal incredulous laughter that says: �those nutty Christians, they are so foolish and absurd.�
I�m a Christian (Presbyterian), but a liberal one. So, I think gays should be able to marry, abortion is a woman�s right, and Israel isn�t always right all the time forever in foreign policy. I do understand the angst that the �enlightened� have against religion. They have most of the past 1000 years, crusades, whole annihilation of cultures and peoples, and the nascent jihads of recent memory all to help reify their disgust with religion.
But minus Nazi mysticism, for all intents and purposes, Fascism, Communism, including and especially Stalinist Russia (overtly anti-religious political ideologies) have caused more death and war (close to 100 million, if we add deaths from WWII, the Holocaust, and the Stalinist purgings) in the 20 century than in all the rest of history. The human condition is wrought with evil and malefaction. Religion, I�m afraid, is not to blame, and it�s rather intellectually reductive and simplistic to maintain an arrogance against believers of any faith as being merely na�ve. None of us, surely, truly, know what lies beyond the grave, and atheists are just as fundamental and ahistorical in their fervor against religion as religious zealots are that support it.
Kiwiduncan, like myself, however, find proselytizing highly problematic during class time for obvious reasons: it may frighten and offend believers of other faiths, or non-believers, it�s not relative to English conversation/rhetoric/writing, and, in general, we understand that in most democratic republics (regardless of geography) religious proselytizing is relegated to the private sphere, not public spaces (this is contrary to postings from people like Tjames426...who needs to read the constitutions of the top 30 democracies, and will find that proselytizing in public learning and working spaces is outlawed. Period). Conversations about religion, politics, sexuality, etc ought not be forced upon unsuspecting folks, and unless the class�s topic is as such, I think these norms of intellectual etiquette best be followed without exception.
Tangentially, Mormons...since there are more than a few in Korea, unfortunately...�I find their faith highly problematic. They would ask me, a black man, an African-American, to engage them in discussion about a religion that, until 1978, disallowed full membership by black men, because the black race, as the Mormon clergy believed, were from a cursed tribe of rebellious angels (obviously, this �theology� is informed by racism, pure and simple). To my white, homophobic, androcentric, theocratic Mormons�I do hope your cultish and evil faith is relegated to the dark and forgotten places of human history. I don�t want to join�thanks for the offer, but I like my racism straight up with no cream please, and certainly not enshrined in theology, which makes religio-racist sentiment all the harder to interrogate and deconstruct. I digress.

[mrsquirrel]

That was so important you had to say it three times?

[fortysixyou]

Countdown to flamers flaming for the OP not using paragraphs and triple posting:

10,

9,

8,

7,

6,

5,

4,

3,

2,

1....AND v

[haute 4 teacher]

For the love of Jesus, use some *beep* damn paragraphs!

[haute 4 teacher]

And good use of pretentious academic English.

[adamginzinger]

wanker.

[TheChickenLover]

Christianity is slavery for your mind.

[CentralCali]

To the OP: What a load of tripe you just threw up there. By tripe, I mean: falsehoods, half-truths, and WONJCT style inanities.

[cheeseface]

I love Jesus, master of the dinosaurs!!!

[RACETRAITOR]

[blaseblasphemener]

I can state without any doubt in my mind that "Mormons" are as a group, good people. Your ridiculous post is bigoted, which is ironic, since you seem so against racism.

[uberscheisse]

becoming an atheist was so liberating. it was like "damn, i don't have to type anymore! fuckin a!"

[Hanson]

Guys, take it easy... He's just posting a rebuttal thread to Kiwiduncan's thread. This board has gotten a lot more aggressive lately.

If you want to counter his ideas, go ahead, but damn... take ity easy...

[RACETRAITOR]

[blaseblasphemener]