Why (put very simply from differing religious perspectives) Vegetarianism is stupid:
If You're A Christian/Jew/Muslim/Other Monotheist: You should believe humans are made in God's image and are essentially more important than animals, and that animals were made to eat. If you're a Muslim or Jew you shoudl only really have issues with pork, and Christians have been told all foods are fine for eating.
If You're A Buddhist/Hindu/Other Karma or Reincarnation Faith: You believe life goes around in a circle, things have got to die for other things to live. There's no fighting it.
If You're A Scientologist: lol
If You're An Atheist: You believe that we've only got this far in life by eating other animals, it's all about survival of the fittest. So if you become a vegetarian, you're contradicting your own mantra. And seeing as you don't believe in a spiritual world, you have nothing on which to base a moral objection to eating animals.
If You're An Agnostic: I think it's pretty peculiar you've taken the time to decide whether or not eating animals is morally right and haven't taken the time to make the infinitely more important decision of whether God exists or not.
Thursday 28 May 2009
Thursday 21 May 2009
Fire Only Begets More Fire
I was struck yesterday by how utterly ludicrous the phrase "Let's fight fire with fire!" is. If you fight fire with fire then obviously there will only be more fire i.e- whatever problem was caused by the first bit of fire will simply be elevated! The phrase is just pointless and shows an obviously revenge based mind set. The phrase is never used in the context of trying to punish someone justly- that isn't fighting. It's nearly always used with a vicious, overly vengeful heart.
Now, returning with equal and necessary force in wars is an acceptable situation where this phrase MIGHT be used, but barely. You should always be trying to stop any more fire (literal or otherwise).
So, next time you venture into the use of this utterly pointless and ridiculous nook of the English Language, I'd say two things:
1)Examine your heart: are you just out for revenge? Trying to make yourself feel even or justified? Well the more fire you throw, the more your enemy will throw and the more ridiculously out of hand the dilemna will become.
2)Think just how stupid the phrase is in a literal sense. I'd like to see you put out a fire with fire, empty a glass by filling it up or cut down a tree by throwing a few seeds at it.
Blog out.
Now, returning with equal and necessary force in wars is an acceptable situation where this phrase MIGHT be used, but barely. You should always be trying to stop any more fire (literal or otherwise).
So, next time you venture into the use of this utterly pointless and ridiculous nook of the English Language, I'd say two things:
1)Examine your heart: are you just out for revenge? Trying to make yourself feel even or justified? Well the more fire you throw, the more your enemy will throw and the more ridiculously out of hand the dilemna will become.
2)Think just how stupid the phrase is in a literal sense. I'd like to see you put out a fire with fire, empty a glass by filling it up or cut down a tree by throwing a few seeds at it.
Blog out.
Tuesday 19 May 2009
Why Do We Blog?
Meandering home from school today, a thought chanced upon me. Why do people blog? I'm sure there are lots of other blogs on this subject and I'm sure there's some immense degree of irony involved in that somehwere, but I'll just muse for a little bit.
I reckon that blogging is very rarely shameless self promotion. And I think for a minority (a large minority, but a minority) it's akin to having a diary or venting on someone (I wonder how many blogs on the internet end with the phrase "rant over") And if we're honest, most of us don't particularly care about the latest baby photos of someone we don't know from across the Atlantic. So THAT'S not why we blog.
I think the main reason people blog is because humans are a people of communication. Admittedly in our detached 21st century world, comunication can often be hard to find, due to technology and what not, but, ironically, I think internet blogging is all about communication. All literature, film, theatre etc. is communication, and blogging's on that list as well. It's just what we do as humans. It's part of who we are. We want to relate and communicate. As a Christian I'd say that is 100% tied to humans being made in God's image i.e- we're like Him in certan respects. God is incredibly communicative and relational, and our NEED for communication is trait from Him.
So I hope I've communicated something via this... see what I did there?
I reckon that blogging is very rarely shameless self promotion. And I think for a minority (a large minority, but a minority) it's akin to having a diary or venting on someone (I wonder how many blogs on the internet end with the phrase "rant over") And if we're honest, most of us don't particularly care about the latest baby photos of someone we don't know from across the Atlantic. So THAT'S not why we blog.
I think the main reason people blog is because humans are a people of communication. Admittedly in our detached 21st century world, comunication can often be hard to find, due to technology and what not, but, ironically, I think internet blogging is all about communication. All literature, film, theatre etc. is communication, and blogging's on that list as well. It's just what we do as humans. It's part of who we are. We want to relate and communicate. As a Christian I'd say that is 100% tied to humans being made in God's image i.e- we're like Him in certan respects. God is incredibly communicative and relational, and our NEED for communication is trait from Him.
So I hope I've communicated something via this... see what I did there?
Monday 18 May 2009
Spring Sleep
I was thinking if my first blog post should be some kind of definitive proclamation or statement but couldn't think of anything particularly definitive to say, so I'll just post a thought. That's what this blogging lark is for I guess...
Some of you may or may not know of the new hit musical Spring Awakening. If you don't well I can't be bothered to explain about it, so this is for those of you who do. Suffice to say, it's West End run which was due to carry on until October has been drastically cut short to the 30th of May, 11 days from the writing of this post.
Many people are outraged, distraught and just plain angry at the closure (due, as all things are to the recession). Having met the cast, I heard it from the horse's mouth when one cast member simply said to me "It's just so... shit!"
I saw the show a few days ago and, after I watched the whole thing and thought about it, I decided it was utterly fantastic and was probably one of the best musicals I've ever witnessed.
However, I am not, like so many teenage fans of the musical, going to rant about why it should stay open. As a fan, I think it is, ultimately, the perfect thing for the show to be closing.
It's not a case of "bowing out at the right time". The show's main target audience is teenagers, and it is relevant for teenagers, it is about teenagers. It is youthful in its essence and it has a very rock and roll, almost punk spirit. And I think really, if it wants to live up to itself and the intense reputation it's garnered alredy, closing now will only be perfect for it. It's fitting.
It's not that I don't want it to be commercialised (I don't. I hate obnoxious, noisy American tourist in the West End as much as the next theatre-goer), but It's just fitting for the show to end now. The story is about a whirlwind experience of youth, and the show ends looking forward and moving on in the light of what has transpired. And I think by the show's presence in the West End being a youthful whirlwind experience, it is being pure and loyal unto its own message, and all affected by it can look forward in the light of what has transpired.
It will be a cult thing. We all love cult things deep down. Spring Awakening will be the bright, exuberant flame it currently is for years to come, before it has time to fall into the West End's rank and file of standard musicals.
Some of you may or may not know of the new hit musical Spring Awakening. If you don't well I can't be bothered to explain about it, so this is for those of you who do. Suffice to say, it's West End run which was due to carry on until October has been drastically cut short to the 30th of May, 11 days from the writing of this post.
Many people are outraged, distraught and just plain angry at the closure (due, as all things are to the recession). Having met the cast, I heard it from the horse's mouth when one cast member simply said to me "It's just so... shit!"
I saw the show a few days ago and, after I watched the whole thing and thought about it, I decided it was utterly fantastic and was probably one of the best musicals I've ever witnessed.
However, I am not, like so many teenage fans of the musical, going to rant about why it should stay open. As a fan, I think it is, ultimately, the perfect thing for the show to be closing.
It's not a case of "bowing out at the right time". The show's main target audience is teenagers, and it is relevant for teenagers, it is about teenagers. It is youthful in its essence and it has a very rock and roll, almost punk spirit. And I think really, if it wants to live up to itself and the intense reputation it's garnered alredy, closing now will only be perfect for it. It's fitting.
It's not that I don't want it to be commercialised (I don't. I hate obnoxious, noisy American tourist in the West End as much as the next theatre-goer), but It's just fitting for the show to end now. The story is about a whirlwind experience of youth, and the show ends looking forward and moving on in the light of what has transpired. And I think by the show's presence in the West End being a youthful whirlwind experience, it is being pure and loyal unto its own message, and all affected by it can look forward in the light of what has transpired.
It will be a cult thing. We all love cult things deep down. Spring Awakening will be the bright, exuberant flame it currently is for years to come, before it has time to fall into the West End's rank and file of standard musicals.
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