From: russ@wpg.com (Russell Lawrence)
Subject: Re: Spirits vs. Animal Rights.  Was: Texas AR Conference
Organization: WP Group
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 03:43:19 GMT

From article <16r3ccINN4d9@agate.berkeley.edu>, by linan@argon.berkeley.edu (Mike Linan):
ml> Just out of curiosity, can you show me where in the Bible it say 
ml> explicitly that followers should believe in "goddesses" and 
ml> "goblins"?  

Several days ago I cited a dozen or so biblical passages 
referring, not only to the existence of demons, but to the alleged 
causal connection between demonic possession and disease.  I 
trust, therefore, that you're not going to pretend that you don't 
believe in the existence of demonic spirits.  

Would you mind explaining the difference between a "demon" and a 
"goblin"?  On the whole, you remind me of a guy I once knew who 
said he loved to drive around in "cars" but wouldn't be caught 
dead in one of those "automobile" contraptions.  Perhaps I'm mistaken,
but it seems to me that cars and autos are pretty much the same, just
like demons and goblins.

While you're at it, please explain the difference between a "god" and
a "goddess".   Why is it silly to believe in "goddesses", like Athena 
or Minerva, but not silly to believe in "gods" like Apollo or Yahweh 
or Satan?

ml> Like I said you are either dense or have a problem understanding 
ml> what people are saying.  I said you are a liar because you said I 
ml> said something to you that I did not say.  I do believe all that 
ml> is in the Bible and that is all you need to know of my religion.  

So, you do believe in demons then.   Thanks for pointing this out
once again.

ml> I have not called you a liar because said I believe in spirits.  
ml> You are a liar because you said I TOLD you I believe in "goblins, 
ml> goddesses, demons and ghosts".  I did not say that to you, plain 
ml> and simple.  

Please cite the passage where I made this statement, Mike, so that we
can clarify any misunderstandings as well as study the causes of those
misunderstandings such as reading problems, logical thinking skills,
etc, etc.

> ...
ml> I owe you nothing Russell.  I need not expose my beliefs to an arrogant 
ml> person such as yourself for ridicule.  Go away.

rl> You're contradicting yourself.  You've stated repeatedly that
rl> you're not ashamed of your beliefs and that you're in the habit
rl> of speaking your mind, yet now you say that you don't want to
rl> "expose" your beliefs.  Are you ashamed of them?  Are they a
rl> "secret" of some sort?

ml> It's more like I'm ashamed of you.  I don't ususally waste my 
ml> time on those who are going to do nothing but belittle my beliefs 
ml> simply because they don't believe in them.  I guess you arrogance 
ml> can't let you understand that you are not worth wasting my time 
ml> on.  

Let me remind you how this thread got started.  You had, in your
typical inflammatory way, accused an AR poster of failing to heed
"facts and reasons" which purportedly justified the practice of
deer hunting.  In response, I asked you how a man like yourself
who apparently believes in such things as "gods", "goddesses",
"demons", "goblins", and the like, could rightfully claim to be an
 advocate of facts and reason.   

You never did answer my question, Mike.

-- 
Russell Lawrence, WP Group, New Orleans (504) 443-5000
russ@wpg.com   uunet!wpg!russ