Apparently the University of Minnesota wasted no time in decoupling from PZ's onerous attacks on Christian sacraments. PZ was apparently instructed to remove references to U of Minn at Morris from his website, and the administration declined to comment on any residual action that might be generated by PZ actually carrying out his promise to desecrate the sacrament.
At least one defender claims that PZ can't blaspheme because he is not of the faith:
"a nonbeliever cannot commit blasphemy"
and,
"...it serves not only the irreligious freethinker's interests, but also that of all religions, not to enforce or permit the enforcement of religious standards on the non-religious."
This is the typical Atheist opinion that because I, an Atheist, am different, I must be held only to standards that I like. Others cannot determine my behavior or my standards, but I will always judge theirs. I may desecrate others cherished artifacts as I wish. But I must be afforded respect and deference. After all, I am an elite; an Atheist.
Blindness to hypocrisy is endemic in those consumed with hatred.
5 comments:
Number one: Blasphemy isn't illegal. PZ can commit it all day (and does, by some definitions of blasphemy, as he's an atheist all day long) and no harm or legal repercussions should happen to him.
Number two: Judging is not the same as preventing or punishing. You, as a religious person, can judge my actions however you like. And I can judge your actions however I like. But when it comes down to it, the rule of law will prevail. And in this country, physical assault (what happened to the young man in the original wafer story) and death threats are illegal. Saying you will do bad things to a cracker, or even doing those things, is not illegal.
Number 3: The U of Minn will do nothing to PZ. He has tenure, his blog is not and was never affiliated with the university, and unless he 'desecrates' a cracker in front of one of his classes, they would have no standing to release him.
All that being said, feel free to condemn PZ for his opinions. But I hope you condemn far more the people who are sending death threats to him.
The plea of death threats falls hollow until such threats are made public. If they are real they are despicable; if they are not, the plea meisters are despicable. I cannot know without the evidence, can I? But both of these individuals are certainly playing the victim aren't they?
Apparently the U of Minn already prevailed upon PZ to remove references to U of Minn from his website, which is now devoid of such references as far as I can tell. And tenure doesn't protect one from misconduct dismissal. I have no idea what it takes to rise to that level at the U of Minn, and I don't particularly care.
The "horrific assault" that sent PZ into frothing spasms of outrage was a woman grabbing the young man's wrist. PZ immediately and directly asked for sacred artifacts to be obtained by any method whatever, so he could do his thing to them. He essentially issued an Atheist's license to steal.
PZ's outrage is certainly his right. Sending his minions to steal for his amusement is not, as you might wish, legal.
But lost in all this is the basic point. PZ feels he is in a superior class, able to be outraged at minor incidents, and able to perform his own outrageous incidents with impunity. He has the same elitist fervor and hatred that goes with every despot, from KKK Grand Dragons on up the line. He is not able to muster that kind of backing, or he would be just as dangerous.
Without any self control, a person consumed with as much hate as PZ will self-immolate at some point. Perhaps this is his flashpoint.
After another look at PZ's blog, the reference to U of Minn is there still or again. There are oblique references about being disconnected from the campus, but no details.
Also PZ has published some emails that are death threats if they are real. And PZ called off his dogs, several times, for their reverse email and spam attacks, which according to PZ were overwhelming.
PZ has now posted some more demure, science-sounding posts, and is projecting calm. No talk about defiling religious artifacts.
"Also PZ has published some emails that are death threats if they are real."
I suppose PZ faked the IP addresses, and the woman who was fired from 1800Flowers for her husband sending death threats with her work email?
And don't worry, PZ will desecrate a cracker and show it on his blog. He's been at a conference in Atlanta until today.
The 800Flowers email was real, as is obvious now. The husband should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. And PZ should realize that when he pokes his thumb into the eyes of the vast public, some psychos are bound to show up.
It's happened here, to me, on this blog. Psychos abound in all flavors. For PZ to garner such pity after all his incitement is a statement about the irrationality of him and his pack.
PZ can continue to desecrate whatever he wants, as far as I am concerned. He is the poster boy for intolerance and irrationality in Atheism. A better example of hate mongering could not be found. Those rational parties still on the fence regarding Atheism will be influenced by PZ, but likely not how he expects.
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