CWK
Here's a pretty common conversation circa the year of our Lord, 2013:
"So you don't believe in X? Your problem is you don't want people to be free. You enemy of liberty! You spread hate. You want to interfere in people's private lives. Why can't you just let people be happy and do what they please?"
Take, for example, my last post on the 50 Shades phenomenon. In speaking out against the rise of slavery intimacy, I have opened myself up to the above accusations. Boy, have I.
Here's my reply: You, my friend, also don't want people to be free. You are also an enemy of liberty. You spread hate. You want to interfere in people's private lives. Why can't you just let people be happy and do what they please?
To which, I am answered: "How?"
To which, I retort: You think child molestation should be illegal, and punishable, right? You also believe rape to be a serious and horrific crime: a crime that should be punished severely, right? And, you would be squarely against, say, a father marrying his own daughter. Right? Why, o why, do you hate child molesters? Rapists? Why must you spread hate like this? Why can't you just let them be happy? Why can't men just do as they please.
(Silence)
I continue: So, I'm right in saying that you also believe there are certain expressions of sexuality that are just wrong no matter the place or time, and no matter who consents, and no matter if it makes people happy?
"Yes."
I continue: You don't really believe that everyone should just do what they please. You don't believe that anyone and everyone who wants to get married should. You don't believe that any and everyone should just do what they want in private.
"Well, no, I don't."
I conclude: You don't believe the very creed you are trying to press on me. You don't believe your own beliefs. You yourself draw moral lines on sexuality; you yourself condemn certain expressions of sexual desire and practice. Therefore, you can no longer use the cliches about freedom and privacy and happiness in this dialogue. You're going to have to find a different ground to attack me on. Now, I'm listening. Attack away.
Here's a pretty common conversation circa the year of our Lord, 2013:
"So you don't believe in X? Your problem is you don't want people to be free. You enemy of liberty! You spread hate. You want to interfere in people's private lives. Why can't you just let people be happy and do what they please?"
Take, for example, my last post on the 50 Shades phenomenon. In speaking out against the rise of slavery intimacy, I have opened myself up to the above accusations. Boy, have I.
Here's my reply: You, my friend, also don't want people to be free. You are also an enemy of liberty. You spread hate. You want to interfere in people's private lives. Why can't you just let people be happy and do what they please?
To which, I am answered: "How?"
To which, I retort: You think child molestation should be illegal, and punishable, right? You also believe rape to be a serious and horrific crime: a crime that should be punished severely, right? And, you would be squarely against, say, a father marrying his own daughter. Right? Why, o why, do you hate child molesters? Rapists? Why must you spread hate like this? Why can't you just let them be happy? Why can't men just do as they please.
(Silence)
I continue: So, I'm right in saying that you also believe there are certain expressions of sexuality that are just wrong no matter the place or time, and no matter who consents, and no matter if it makes people happy?
"Yes."
I continue: You don't really believe that everyone should just do what they please. You don't believe that anyone and everyone who wants to get married should. You don't believe that any and everyone should just do what they want in private.
"Well, no, I don't."
I conclude: You don't believe the very creed you are trying to press on me. You don't believe your own beliefs. You yourself draw moral lines on sexuality; you yourself condemn certain expressions of sexual desire and practice. Therefore, you can no longer use the cliches about freedom and privacy and happiness in this dialogue. You're going to have to find a different ground to attack me on. Now, I'm listening. Attack away.
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