On Mon, 20 Jan 2014 01:20:06 +0100, clipka wrote:

> => §1.4: Allow yourself and anyone else to freely and without shame or
> fear follow any rules they derive from their personal and current belief
> re the supreme something's existence or nature, within the limits
> imposed by §1.1 to §1.4 (sic!).

You had me up to this point, and only not here in a nuanced way.

I'm happy to let anyone follow any rules they derive from their personal 
and current belief, so long as they don't try to impose those on others 
ability to do the same - or if by doing so they put people in harm's way.

I'm happy, for example, to let devout Jehovah's Witnesses refuse a blood 
transfusion for themselves.  I'm not happy to let them refuse one for 
their child, because that is endangering the life of their child.

One might also say, though, that if they have a child, then they are 
endangering the child by refusing one for themselves as well.  That's a 
slightly thornier issue that involves making a decision by balancing a 
personal freedom against a personal responsibility.

And also:  Texas Board of Education.  If the individuals want to cripple 
their own childrens' understanding of science and handicap them in the 
real world, that's less a decision I feel I should get involved in.  When 
they use their influence to cram religious dogma into the public schools 
in ways that affect the entire country - no, they're not permitted to do 
that.

Jim
-- 
"I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and 
besides, the pig likes it." - George Bernard Shaw

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