Re: [DotGNU]Re: DotGNU Manifesto - first draft

[Bill Lance]

--- Norbert Bollow <address@hidden> wrote:

> > 
> > For the sake of the atheists among us, could we
> please leave
> > out the god talk?  Quoting Jefferson and
> mentioning Curran's name
> > would probably be more effective.
> 
> Isn't this request in principle very similar to an
> "open source"
> leader requesting that "for the sake of those who
> don't agree
> that software modification and redistribution rights
> are a
> matter of ethics" one should "leave out the ethics
> talk",
> because e.g. quoting Eric Raymond and only
> mentioning Richard
> Stallman's name would "be more effective" (for the
> purposes of
> furthering the goals of the open source movement)?
> 
> That would be nasty.
> 
> Even though the "open source" movement does not
> agree with the
> ethical imperative that all software should be free,
> it would
> still be proper for them to prominently cite the
> Free Software
> movement as part of their intellectual heritage, in
> a way that
> clearly shows that for the Free Software movement
> these things
> are a matter of ethics.
> 
> Similarly, even though the DotGNU project is not in
> itself a
> religious (or anti-religious) activity of any kind,
> I think it
> is only proper to give such credit to the fact that
> much of the
> philosophical, social and political foundations for
> today's
> freedom ethics has been laid by god-fearing people
> of the past,
> who in turn were directly or indirectly inspired by
> the New
> Testament (where freedom is one of the major
> themes).  That
> quote from Curran serves this purpose.
> 


Hi Norbert,

Althought I've stayed out of this thread so far, I
realy must support RMS on this issue.  'God' means
something different to every person on the face of the
Earth.  I'm pleased for you that your thought's of
'God' and religion are positive and constructive. 
However, that is not the case for everybody.  Your
example of the New Testement as support of ethical and
cooperative behavior is equally balance by it's use to
justify massive genocide and distruction.  

I do not mean to bash your beliefs, or religion in
general.  I do want to point out that use of these
terms and references here is not likely to change
anyones perspective of religion, and most certainly
will put off those who have suffered greatly in the
name of 'God'.



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