Today's outrage, or What world do you live in?

[kinzel]

I thought, once upon a time, while I was growing up, that science was bringing a clearer and more accurate understanding of the world -- which would also improve lives. That's what I thought.

And so within recent memory not only do the likes of Pat Robertson prey on the ignorant via hurricane control,

but:

Magical properties of some people's bodies make them worth using as potions:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/11/29/tanzania.albinos/index.html

Sin causes earthquakes:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8384827.stm

And sustainable lifestyles are a threat to us all ...

"My friends, we are now facing a Gay-Green threat: Homosexual activists who also seek to limit carbon emissions and promote recycling, as well as a sustainable lifestyle! ..."

http://www.wittenburgdoor.com/green-homosexuals,-newest-threat-american-families

Some days, coffee is not enough to wash away the world.

Comments

[kimuro.livejournal.com]

With regard to Wittenburgdoor, I'd advise ignoring him and not giving him the attention he apparently craves except ... except that was the advice that rational German intellectuals gave each other about Hitler, saying that he was too irrational, too virulent, too strident to be taken seriously. Not to raise a bug-a-boo, but Hitler also ranted about the godless groups of individuals that should be eradicated for the purity of the race - and gays were among those he targeted.

I am amazed, bemused and very puzzled, however that the person reponsible for Wittenburgdoor is targeting recycling and responsible care for the environment. Since he loudly proclaims his Christianity, I wonder where he was during the parables about the good steward?

[drammar.livejournal.com]

While I disagree with nearly everything Dr. Dobson has to say, I need to point out that the linked piece is satirical and was not written by James Dobson. It is a spoof — and like good spoofs almost believable — but is no more substantive than anything produced by The Onion.

[jonquil.livejournal.com]

Yup. If you check, the story has a byline, and it's *not* Dobson. ("By John Green").

oh and re: coffee

[kimuro.livejournal.com]

have you tried mainlining it?

[aitchellsee.livejournal.com]

Some days the world sure looks bleak.

[(Anonymous)]

I don't know the Wittenburg Door site, but several of the comments on that piece say that it's satire. It's also from 2008, so it's not really recent.

But yes, it seems the lack of rational thinking is getting worse.

[patknuth.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I haven't had my caffeine yet so I forgot to sign in first.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

I sometimes have difficulty separating satire from the sincere ravings -- political humor gets harder and harder every day.

[saruby.livejournal.com]

I also believe that the Wittenburg piece is satire. Although I deplore Dobson's opinions on almost everything, I have never heard of anything that would indicate he has an opinion about recycling one way or another. Suggesting that people should burn their recyling bins would lose more adherents that it's worth.

The Indonesian piece would be a great example for teaching the difference between coincidence and causality. And totally unprovable!

Yes, our ingnorance as a species is unlikely to change, but there are shining lights, too. Take heart.

[keristor.livejournal.com]

"there are shining lights, too"

They probably belong to the oncoming train in the tunnel. Or to the UFO belonging to alien invaders. Or possibly my migraine...

I was another who thought that the article sounded like a spoof, but I was sufficiently unsure that I didn't comment. It's a little too realistic, unfortunately.

[otaku-tetsuko.livejournal.com]

This is one (relatively small) drawback of the Internet - people read things basically out of content and so miss information, like the fact that MOST of the Wittenberg Door (originally at least a paper magazine - Larry's been a subscriber for years) is either satire or commentary on how silly the rest of the world is being - like the Onion, you are supposed to know that they are written usually to express an extremely opposite opinion.

But suppose you just get the link and aren't familiar with the publication? Then you have to hunt harder for the disclaimers than most people (already accustomed to skimming over inconsequentials like advertisements) miss in the fine print, as it were.

Sigh. Alas! The internet is not, in fact, perfect either....remember when the distortions had to be sent by fax and chain letters? I actually thought it was a pretty funny article, but then I already knew from the rest of the posts that it was a satire...

[otaku-tetsuko.livejournal.com]

PS - this link is to their "who we are" article, and is also pretty darn funny. http://www.wittenburgdoor.com/about-us