Re: President's Bioethics council (Fwd: [StemCells] Digest Number

From: Jeff Davis (jrd1415@yahoo.com)
Date: Mon Jul 22 2002 - 13:04:57 MDT


Extropes,

--- Samantha Atkins <samantha@objectent.com> wrote:
> Jeff Davis wrote:
> > --- Reason <reason@exratio.com> wrote:
> >
> >>I would argue though that bioethics at root has
> >
> > nothing to do with ethics and everything to do
> with
> > the age-old ugly fight to control what other
> people do
> > with their own lives and own bodies.
> >
> > ****No particular aim beyond control itself;****
> >
> > BINGO!
> >
> > Nothing more or less than (religious)
> authoritarianism
> > ravening after political power, and cloaked in
> > credentials. Talibanditry in bioethicists'
> cloathing.
> >
>
> Religous is not necessary to meere authoritarianism
> rearing its ugly head to limit choice.

True, but so what? My inclusion of the modifier
'religious' was parenthetical. But now that you bring
it up, is there any doubt that the US is currently in
the sway of atavistic Christianity, and not the
tolerant, forgiving kind, but rather the dangerous
inquisitional-tending kind? Old men approaching
irrelevance and death, desparately trying to deny the
truth of their decline by imposing themselves on
others.

I can be as sweetly spiritual as the next guy standing
in awe of the universe, humble before the uncaused
cause, but that's not the question here, is it?

> Calling it "Talibandry"
> doesn't really help the problem.

No less than calling a spade a spade ever does. Does
silence help? In any event, I wasn't about 'helping',
I was mostly indulging in a (possilbly) clever turn of
phrase. For some time now, I've been seeking an
opportunity to use the term 'Talibandit". Supreme
Mullah Leon Kass fit the bill. I can't help it if I'm
lucky.

Best, Jeff Davis

       "Science works, religion doesn't."
                         Berni Chong

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