The Future of the Catholic Church

[garbon]

1) I'm flemish

Good because I am not an American I am a Texan.

An important distinction.

[Valmy]

Languages, at least, have an external reality relative to their users.  Sure, they're a construct, but so's an automobile, and an automobile has an external reality relative to its driver.  I'd argue the same for history and culture, though with history, we have to allow for the possibility that it was entirely fictional.  (No doubt parts of what is popularly viewed as history, such as the story about George Washington chopping down the cherry tree, is fiction, and other parts are distorted and/or speculative, but the main thrust of historical narrative, is, I think, reasonably accurate.)

That was my entire point.  We take these concepts we make up and when enough people agree that they are real they become as real as any material object.  I mean at the begining a language is just noise (and symbols) but to people who agree on what the sounds represent they are this incredibly powerful thing.

Your inferiority has long caused us to suspect that.

This is not the first time you come off a bit hostile to me.  Do you just not like me?  Should I continue to talk to you or is this just you joking around with me?

[Valmy]

1) I'm flemish

Good because I am not an American I am a Texan.

An important distinction.

Yeah ok maybe I was not the best person to make that remark 

[PDH]

I'd assume the future church will have lasers and a flying Space Pope.

That would only be cool if he has a Captain Pike robo-wheelchair.

[garbon]

1) I'm flemish

Good because I am not an American I am a Texan.

An important distinction.

Yeah ok maybe I was not the best person to make that remark 

[dps]

Languages, at least, have an external reality relative to their users.  Sure, they're a construct, but so's an automobile, and an automobile has an external reality relative to its driver.  I'd argue the same for history and culture, though with history, we have to allow for the possibility that it was entirely fictional.  (No doubt parts of what is popularly viewed as history, such as the story about George Washington chopping down the cherry tree, is fiction, and other parts are distorted and/or speculative, but the main thrust of historical narrative, is, I think, reasonably accurate.)

That was my entire point.  We take these concepts we make up and when enough people agree that they are real they become as real as any material object.  I mean at the begining a language is just noise (and symbols) but to people who agree on what the sounds represent they are this incredibly powerful thing.

Oh, yeah, I agree with you and not Raz on this, though my argument was more along the line that the noise and symbols still exist, even without any agreement on their meaning.  For example, there are some ancient texts that haven't ever been translated, so there's no agreement on their meaning, but said texts still exist--they aren't just mental constructs.  (Of course, one can take the philosophical tack that the entire cosmos is just a mental construct and that nothing has external physical existance, but I don't think that was what Raz was getting at.)

Your inferiority has long caused us to suspect that.

This is not the first time you come off a bit hostile to me.  Do you just not like me?  Should I continue to talk to you or is this just you joking around with me?

Just joking around.  Basically, I'm a smartass, and sometimes I just can't resist trying to throw in a zinger.  Sure, I do disagree with you on some political/social issues, but I don't dislike you.  Surely you don't think that I don't believe that you're an American? 

EDIT:  Looking at my attempted joke earlier, I see why it might seem hostile instead of joking.  The joke was supposed to be in suggesting that non-Americans are inferior as a group (something that I don't actually believe, hence a joke) not that you are inferior.  Sorry.

[dps]

I'd assume the future church will have lasers and a flying Space Pope.

That would only be cool if he has a Captain Pike robo-wheelchair.

Ever notice that Pike's looks a good bit like Davros'?

[Neil]

I'd assume the future church will have lasers and a flying Space Pope.

That would only be cool if he has a Captain Pike robo-wheelchair.

Ever notice that Pike's looks a good bit like Davros'?

Sort of, but Davros's isn't quite as all-encompassing, and has more toys.

[Martinus]

The Catholic Church in Poland has started an anti-Halloween campaign, saying this is a pagan and satanistic holiday. Parents are being warned that if they allow their children to participate in Halloween parties and events, they are making them susceptible to satanists, sects and demonic possessions.

I just love how they are marginalizing themselves at an increasing pace lately. 10 more years and we will have discos in cathedrals.

[Viking]

1) I'm flemish

Good because I am not an American I am a Texan.

Lets imagine, Rick Perry gets his wish and Texas Secedes, do you prefer to move to the US or stay with Texas?

[garbon]

10 more years and we will have discos in cathedrals.

Poland - always late to the party.