Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: $Revision: 1.6.2.16 $; site ISM780B.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!gamma!epsilon!zeta!sabre!petrus!bellcore!decvax!genrad!panda!talcott!harvard!bbnccv!ISM780B!jim From: jim@ISM780B.UUCP Newsgroups: net.philosophy Subject: Re: Some other moral reasons Message-ID: <27500115@ISM780B.UUCP> Date: Fri, 30-Aug-85 01:26:00 EDT Article-I.D.: ISM780B.27500115 Posted: Fri Aug 30 01:26:00 1985 Date-Received: Sun, 1-Sep-85 13:12:17 EDT References: <1416@umcp-cs.UUCP> Lines: 29 Nf-ID: #R:umcp-cs:-141600:ISM780B:27500115:000:1509 Nf-From: ISM780B!jim Aug 30 01:26:00 1985 >Anti-human behavior IS the definition of evil, Rich. Don't let Jerry hear you, Charley, you humanist. I've gotten tired enough of Rich claiming "the" definition of free will, but at least his definition can be justified. >If homosexuality is >thought to be severe enough a perversion (and thus harmful to normal >sexuality), then this whole argument falls flat. And equally, one must >examine one's own soul when proposing these kinds of actions. I tend to >believe that homosexuality is a sin (but not a particularly bad one), but >the hateful emotion directed against them by many people makes me at present >a supporter of homosexual rights under most circumstances. I really think it would be better if you would stop dragging political and religious issues into net.philosophy. But since we are discussing morality, I would like to better understand the word "sin". Does it have any role in a discussion about morality? My understanding is that a sin is meaningful *only* in a religious context, and I would like to discuss morality in terms more general than those of religion. So please stop using terms loaded with religious significance or examples loaded with political connotations or ad hominem effects. Otherwise, I will start thinking of Charley Wingateality as a sin, and a pretty bad one at that. (Yes, that's right, I think saying that homosexuality is a sin is like saying that being white or having blond hair is a sin; you brought it up; now stuff it.) -- Jim Balter (ima!jim)