Re: HELP! I'm being attacked by my family! National Emergency!

Adam Michaud (ram91@ix.netcom.com)
Fri, 31 Jan 1997 18:58:26 -0600


----------
> From: Mike Cowar. <mikec@jax.gulfnet.com>
> To: extropians@extropy.org
> Subject: HELP! I'm being attacked by my family! National Emergency!
> Date: Thursday, January 30, 1997 11:23 PM
>
> My parents saw I was getting mail from Lucifer.com
> and now they think I'm in league with the devil!
> A God-talking preacher friend of thiers outraged me to the point of
> obscenity with a conversation whose sole purpose seemed to be to get me
to
> do what my parents wanted.
> They are threatening to cut off the computer (this computer)
> from the internet because they think it is Satanic.
> I AM NOT JOKING!
> The internet is my main source of communication.
> Losing it would EXTREMELY limit my Transhuman/Extropian efforts
> which would lessen the length and quality of my life and happiness.
> I have been raised to be dependant upon them
> and would have a difficult time claiming my independance.
> I have been denied access to and control of my assets.
> I have been threatened with homelessness.
> I fear for my health and safety.
> I am sovereign and have declared that publicly
> (not that many people would believe me)
> and any legal action would be under international jurisdiction.
> My life is a mess.
>
> WHAT CAN I DO?!
>

It is unfortunate that your parents feel that they need to control your
life in what philosophy and religion you choose to adopt. I would suggest
you talk to them, and perhaps try to make them understand that you no
longer see things their way and probably will never again. Fortunately,
although my parents are fundamentalist and I live with them, they accept
that I have chosen a different way of seeing things then they have.

As for the privileges of using the internet being taken away from you and
limiting your growth and efforts, I would suggest that you do not let that
stop you. I can tell you I was a transhuman before I even heard of them.
I always found my local library useful for increasing my knowledge, and
there is always practical ways of enhancing yourself I would suppose. It
would be a shame if they did take away your right to be on here, but I
would not let that stop you at all.

Just a couple of thoughts and suggestions, the other more experienced
members of this list will probably have better suggestions.

You should print out the Extropian Princples if you agree with them and
also look at their booklist, some of the ones that introduced me to
Transhumanism in a way were Robotics edited by Marvin Minsky and Mind
Children by Hans Moravec, which btw, I think theres a sequel coming out but
I'm not sure.