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Post 80

Sunday, March 20, 2005 - 9:43amSanction this postReply
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Ethan: I don't think the question is vague at all. It's a great question for an Objectivist forum, I can imagine it having been answered in the Q&A in the original Objectivist publications by Ayn Rand or Nathanial Branden. Heck, maybe it was and I forgot!

The problem with the religious concept of "repent" is that it packages together the concept that you owe compensation to God. The truth is that you owe it to yourself, and maybe, to others. It would be terrible if someone rejected the whole package of repentance (and I think you make a good point about arrogance being one consequence). You have to take the concept apart, keep what's good, and reject what's bad. Again, it's a great question for this forum.


Post 81

Sunday, March 20, 2005 - 9:53amSanction this postReply
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Shayne,

Sure it's a great question, but it could be clearer. As it is, it serves well if your intent in asking is to see what contextual baggage people bring to their answer, or to see if they consider the question in as many contexts as possible. In both those cases you're primarily interested in learning something about the answerer. By defining the terms in your question clearly, you will wind up argueing less about the question and spend more time discussing the actual substance of the issue.

Ethan


Post 82

Sunday, March 20, 2005 - 10:06amSanction this postReply
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Ethan: "Should an Objectivist repent" is exactly the form in which a religious person would ask that question. I don't think it's unclear at all, I think it's a simple honest way for someone coming from religion to think about it.

If you think it could be clearer then please post an alternative.


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Post 83

Sunday, March 20, 2005 - 10:13amSanction this postReply
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Well, Ian, I don't see that you have anything to repent of. No shame, no blame. One less problem to deal with. In your case, the Objectivist should not repent.

About embarrassment - I've stepped on my dong more than a few times in life. I just had to take my foot off (and sometimes that is much more difficult to do than it seems), clean up the mess and move on. The hard part with me has been (in a few cases) to not do it again. I am a real hardhead at times. But I never blamed this hardheadedness on anyone else. That is what has allowed me to get out of ruts (and believe me, some of them have been doozies).

The main thing we have in life that cannot be recovered is our time. It never comes back. And living is so exciting if you do it right that it is a damn shame to use these precious moments of our precious lives talking in circles and worrying about feeling guilty over honest mistakes (or even silly mistakes for that matter) - or even worse, fussing a whole lot over pointing fingers at who should feel guilty or not.

I have a real thing about laughing. I love to do it. I love to kid, be kidded and generally be playful. I sleep really well, too (unless my foot is on my dong...). I also create my own values and works without apology. I am constantly learning new things about this marvelous universe of ours. That is how I like (and choose) to spend my time.

Here on SOLO I have encountered several people who respond to this spirit in kind. In the past, I usually have had to appeal to "parts" of people to get this, cutting a lot of slack for basic philosophical differences. This is the main reason I am spending my precious time here. Frankly, I am REALLY HUNGRY for this spirit in others and I am now sitting at one hell of a banquet.

Once again, I don't know your writing, but I imagine that your are pretty good from your posts (Atlas in your pocket indeed!!!). Soooo... I don't even see where your embarrassment comes from (although it is yours, not mine, so I am not criticizing - it's just that I have a callous where my sense of embarrassment should be). You seem to have done the best you could with what you had when your were a Christian. To use Objectivist type words, you seem to be a person who seeks the best within himself and acts on it. Personally, I would be proud of that.

Michael


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Post 84

Sunday, March 20, 2005 - 10:15amSanction this postReply
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Shayne,

"If you think it could be clearer then please post an alternative."

I did.

Michael


Post 85

Sunday, March 20, 2005 - 10:33amSanction this postReply
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Michael: If someone asked me the question like you did, I'd immediately start to wonder whether the person had a tendency to be an anti-conceptual-hair-splitting quibbler. Of course I wouldn't jump to that conclusion without a lot more evidence.

(Call me a prude, I just don't like putting it like Lindsay does...)


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Post 86

Sunday, March 20, 2005 - 10:36amSanction this postReply
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Shayne,

We disagree big-time. It ain't gonna get no better. I'm outta here...

Michael


Post 87

Sunday, March 20, 2005 - 6:30pmSanction this postReply
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Jennifer, if you had written 'that past wrongs be righted" I would have understood and that would correspond to your current statement about "rectifying the error". Instead you wrote "that past rights be wronged" which is utterly backwards to anything sensible to me. Why in the world would you want to make something wrong? Something that was already right?

Post 88

Sunday, March 20, 2005 - 6:56pmSanction this postReply
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Oh my God! Of all the typos to make! :)

Rick, it was intended the other way 'round -- past wrongs should be righted. Thank you for catching that. (I've now fixed the original post.)



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