Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site cvl.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!umcp-cs!cvl!david From: david@cvl.UUCP (David Harwood) Newsgroups: net.religion Subject: request of Lord Frith Message-ID: <280@cvl.UUCP> Date: Wed, 10-Apr-85 22:15:24 EST Article-I.D.: cvl.280 Posted: Wed Apr 10 22:15:24 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 12-Apr-85 06:41:30 EST Distribution: net Organization: Computer Vision Lab, U. of Maryland, College Park Lines: 58 Request, following reply ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >From: root@trwatf.UUCP (Lord Frith) Newsgroups: net.religion Subject: Lord Frith replies to Marc Terribile.... Message-ID: <843@trwatf.UUCP> Date: 10 Apr 85 17:38:13 GMT Date-Received: 10 Apr 85 23:34:23 GMT Distribution: net Organization: TRW Advanced Technology Facility, Merrifield VA. Lines: 63 For some reason this could not be delivered via mail.... Subject: re: Re: Did Lord Frith make the world? Let me point out that we don't know what we could do if we ever stopped spending so much effort killing each other -- and trying to keep from being killed. If muggings on the subways stopped. If war or the threat of war ceased to be a reality. If ... No complaint there. I'm no pessimist. But the problem here is that Mr. Harwood insists that ALL suffering is not only our repsonsibility (our responsibility soley), but also our causal fault. Neither is substantiated by the facts. I agree that it is man's repsonsibility to help his brother ("Am I my bother's keeper?"), however that does not excuse anyone for the claims that ALL suffering of any kind can be eliminated simply by throwing money and effort at the problem. Additionally he claims that if there is any suffering remaining then it is for a good purpose, even though that suffering is undesigned and is man-made. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Mr. Frith, let us be fair to me: I do not "insist" what you say in the first paragraph; and you realize this yourself, since you hedge about this in the second, which is a little closer to the truth. I certainly do not think, as you say, that suffering is "eliminated simply" by material means, since obviously the problem is a spiritual one. We have the means, but we don't give a damn. May God help us to care for others. Finally, I do say that the principle of suffering is one intended by God, for reasons we've discussed. And, yes, I agree that God does not stop suffering altogether. Please, I've taken the time to reply at length. You can find plenty of other things to discuss, without misrepresenting my views somewhat, for the sake of debate with others. I realize it is easier to argue against an untenable view; but my views are radical enough, even if they are tenable, so that you have plenty to argue about, without fudging. I am glad to have you argue about these things with others, but you should be more respectful, and less impulsive about dismissing what I've said; otherwise, it is better to quote me in context, if you are uncertain what I have said, or might mean. So others can read for themselves. David Harwood