A College Prof. stood on his chair and said "If GOD really exists then knock me off this chair" Nothing happened, the class was quiet he said "See!" A Marine Vet stood up, punched him in the face knocking him out and off of the chair. The Vet, then sat back down. As the Professor came to, he looked at his student and said "WHY DID YOU DO THAT" The Vet said "GOD was busy protecting my buddies still fighting for your right to say and do stupid stuff like this so, HE SENT ME"
I found the above post in the Facebook status of one of my Facebook friends this morning. I assume that it’s one of those copy-and-paste-if-you-agree types of status. I doubt it’s something that actually happened; rather I think it’s more of a message that is supposed to be inspirational, prove the existence of God, or perhaps glorify the navy.
I see several things wrong, and even disturbing, about this little story.
One of the things I don’t like about that status is the fact that the “bad guy” is supposed to be the college professor. This says to me that whoever thought up this story sees higher education as bad. This may be part of an alarming trend among some people to vilify education and knowledge. I did read recently that university-educated people are less likely to believe in God, (source?) so it’s probably not entirely a coincidence that the professor is cast as the bad guy in this story. (By the way, I don’t mean to insult or offend anyone reading this who does not have a university education.)
The second thing that bothers me is that this story paints atheists as bad people. I don’t think they’re bad people, but there are many people out there who, unfortunately, think that. I read recently that atheists are often discriminated against in certain professions – even when people no longer discriminate against others based on their sex, age, race, and so on, they look down on atheists.
What annoys me most, and what I find perhaps the most distressing about this story, is the action taken by the navy vet. This implies that it is okay to harm people in the name of God. I find this completely unacceptable. Also, I find it strange that people in the military fight wars against people who harm others in the name of religion, and yet it’s okay for the vet in this story to punch someone who doesn’t believe in God. Yes, I do understand that the people of the military fight against enemies who actually kill people in the name of religion, and that killing someone in the name of religion is much worse than punching someone out. But still, punching someone is a violent act, and shouldn’t be accepted.
Maybe I’m getting a bit too worked up about this – after all, it’s just a Facebook status, and probably not something that actually happened in real life. But still, I find it disturbing that there are people who actually like this story enough to put it as their Facebook status.
I’m a bit spiritually confused myself. I’m not sure if there is a God. And, just for the record, I don’t think religion is always (or even often) harmful. I’m fine with people believing what they want, as long as they don’t force their beliefs on others, or harm people in the name of their religion.
This blog entry doesn’t mean to insult religious people. I don’t hate religion itself, and I don’t hate religious people or those who believe in God.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Classical music in the summer
There are only a few things I don't like about Montreal. One of them is the dearth of classical music in the summer.
In winter, spring, and fall, there are many classical music concerts on the island of Montreal. In the summer, many Montreal ensembles and musicians play at summer festivals. These festivals take place in various places that are anything up to a two hours' drive from Montreal.
For classical music fans like me, who don't have cars, these festivals are impossible to get to (unless you know someone who is going to one of these festivals who does have a car.) Or maybe these festivals are for well-off people who are lucky enough to have cottages in Lanaudiere or the Eastern Townships.
I have been to concerts in the summer in Montreal which feature types of music other than classical. But you'd think that for such a world-class city, they'd be able to have at least some classical music in the summer.
In winter, spring, and fall, there are many classical music concerts on the island of Montreal. In the summer, many Montreal ensembles and musicians play at summer festivals. These festivals take place in various places that are anything up to a two hours' drive from Montreal.
For classical music fans like me, who don't have cars, these festivals are impossible to get to (unless you know someone who is going to one of these festivals who does have a car.) Or maybe these festivals are for well-off people who are lucky enough to have cottages in Lanaudiere or the Eastern Townships.
I have been to concerts in the summer in Montreal which feature types of music other than classical. But you'd think that for such a world-class city, they'd be able to have at least some classical music in the summer.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
That crazy modern music...
A line from Wah Keung Chan's Montreal Gazette music review of a Renee Fleming concert: "...the Mehldau songs were plagued by the sameness of most 20th-and 21st-century compositions -lacking rhyme, rhythm, melody, and ultimately reason." Seriously? Most 20th and 21st century classical music lacks rhythm, melody, and reason?
I guess many 20th/21st century composers wanted to turn away from melody. But many "modern" pieces do have melodies, maybe just not ones that every music reviewer enjoys or recognizes. And certainly, most 20th/21st century music has rhythm! And I'll bet that if music lacked reason, it wouldn't be composed.
And I don't think most recent music sounds the same, not at all.
Of course, this is the same reviewer who thought "crescendo" meant "climax."
I guess many 20th/21st century composers wanted to turn away from melody. But many "modern" pieces do have melodies, maybe just not ones that every music reviewer enjoys or recognizes. And certainly, most 20th/21st century music has rhythm! And I'll bet that if music lacked reason, it wouldn't be composed.
And I don't think most recent music sounds the same, not at all.
Of course, this is the same reviewer who thought "crescendo" meant "climax."
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Master debaters
(In spite of the dirty-sounding entry title, this entry is perfectly clean. )
Yesterday I went to a taping of the CBC radio show The Debaters. I’d been to the show last year, and I enjoyed it so much that I came back this year. It was part of the Just for Laughs festival here in Montreal.
In The Debaters, comedians debate various topics. In the first round, each debater presents their argument. Then, in the next round (called the Bare Knuckle Round), they argue with each other. The next round, The Firing Line, is where the host asks both debaters a series of questions on the topic being debated. Finally, each debater gives a summary of their argument. The audience then applauds for the comedian that they think had the better (or funnier) argument, and the winner of the debate is decided by applause.
The topics debated this time were: Vampires or Zombies, which are the greatest cinematic undead? Are the big oil companies really so bad? Is the moustache one of man's greatest inventions? Has Hollywood been good for Europe? Has stand-up comedy become a joke? And is everything (movies, TV) better in 3D?
The host of the show had a little hammer that he’d hit on his desk if the debaters talked on for too long. During one of the debates, one of the debaters went on talking for too long, and so the host hit the hammer on his desk. When the debater still wouldn't shut up, the host went over to him and hit him with the hammer.
Another time when someone talked too long, the host went over to a couch that was in the background and started to lie down on it.
During the debate about moustaches, the debater in favour of them was wearing a fake moustache. At the end of the debate, he took the fake moustache off, revealing…another fake moustache underneath it.
They had an Irish guy and a German guy debating whether Hollywood has been good for Europe. Before the debate, the two debaters danced for quite a long time. The debate itself was completely chaotic from start to finish, and honestly I never even knew who was on which side of that debate!
It was a very enjoyable afternoon!
Yesterday I went to a taping of the CBC radio show The Debaters. I’d been to the show last year, and I enjoyed it so much that I came back this year. It was part of the Just for Laughs festival here in Montreal.
In The Debaters, comedians debate various topics. In the first round, each debater presents their argument. Then, in the next round (called the Bare Knuckle Round), they argue with each other. The next round, The Firing Line, is where the host asks both debaters a series of questions on the topic being debated. Finally, each debater gives a summary of their argument. The audience then applauds for the comedian that they think had the better (or funnier) argument, and the winner of the debate is decided by applause.
The topics debated this time were: Vampires or Zombies, which are the greatest cinematic undead? Are the big oil companies really so bad? Is the moustache one of man's greatest inventions? Has Hollywood been good for Europe? Has stand-up comedy become a joke? And is everything (movies, TV) better in 3D?
The host of the show had a little hammer that he’d hit on his desk if the debaters talked on for too long. During one of the debates, one of the debaters went on talking for too long, and so the host hit the hammer on his desk. When the debater still wouldn't shut up, the host went over to him and hit him with the hammer.
Another time when someone talked too long, the host went over to a couch that was in the background and started to lie down on it.
During the debate about moustaches, the debater in favour of them was wearing a fake moustache. At the end of the debate, he took the fake moustache off, revealing…another fake moustache underneath it.
They had an Irish guy and a German guy debating whether Hollywood has been good for Europe. Before the debate, the two debaters danced for quite a long time. The debate itself was completely chaotic from start to finish, and honestly I never even knew who was on which side of that debate!
It was a very enjoyable afternoon!
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Spreading hate on Facebook
Recently there have been stories in the local CBC news about people who have been arrested for spreading hatred on the Internet. These people put "hateful commentary" on Facebook about "ethnic groups and visible minorities." (link)
Since the news story is "closed to commenting" for some reason, I'll say what I think here in my blog.
I'm all for stopping hate speech. I'm all for getting after people for saying mean things about certain ethnic groups of people or minorities. However, I hope I won't be arrested, for I think that I just might be guilty of something similar. No, I have never said anything against any ethnic group on Facebook, and I never will. However, sometimes in my Facebook status I have said nasty things about certain groups of people -- I've said mean and cruel things about litterers, people who ride bikes on the sidewalk, and people who bring fast food on buses. Does that count as hate speech? Am I going to get in trouble for this? I hope not.
Since the news story is "closed to commenting" for some reason, I'll say what I think here in my blog.
I'm all for stopping hate speech. I'm all for getting after people for saying mean things about certain ethnic groups of people or minorities. However, I hope I won't be arrested, for I think that I just might be guilty of something similar. No, I have never said anything against any ethnic group on Facebook, and I never will. However, sometimes in my Facebook status I have said nasty things about certain groups of people -- I've said mean and cruel things about litterers, people who ride bikes on the sidewalk, and people who bring fast food on buses. Does that count as hate speech? Am I going to get in trouble for this? I hope not.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Stupid people on the bus
Yesterday a kid was throwing garbage out of the bus window. I said to her, "Stop throwing garbage out the window. That's wrong." The mother got REALLY mad (at me) and told me not to yell at her child. I said that her kid was throwing garbage out the window, and the mother told me that it was none of my business.
*sigh* People these days...
Hmm, so May 24 is on May 24 this year. It's the Victoria Day holiday here in Canada. It's sometimes called "May 24" even though it doesn't always fall on May 24 (I think it's on the Monday closest to the 24, or something.)
The STM buses are on holiday schedule today, but unfortunately they don't have the holiday schedules posted on their website. Instead, they have last year's Victoria Day schedules! Come on, what good is that?!
*sigh* People these days...
Hmm, so May 24 is on May 24 this year. It's the Victoria Day holiday here in Canada. It's sometimes called "May 24" even though it doesn't always fall on May 24 (I think it's on the Monday closest to the 24, or something.)
The STM buses are on holiday schedule today, but unfortunately they don't have the holiday schedules posted on their website. Instead, they have last year's Victoria Day schedules! Come on, what good is that?!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Bixi bikes
Today is the day when the "Bixi" bike rentals return for the year in Montreal. I think I'm the only person on the island of Montreal who hates Bixi bikes.
I hate them for two reasons: first of all, you can only pay for Bixi rental with a credit card. It's unfair to people like me who don't have credit cards.
Second of all, Bixi rentals mean that there are more cyclists out there, which means more people riding bikes on the sidewalks. This is strictly illegal and is dangerous to pedestrians.
I think that they should make Bixi bikes available to everyone, not just people with credit cards, and they should enforce the no-riding-on-sidewalks rule.
I hate them for two reasons: first of all, you can only pay for Bixi rental with a credit card. It's unfair to people like me who don't have credit cards.
Second of all, Bixi rentals mean that there are more cyclists out there, which means more people riding bikes on the sidewalks. This is strictly illegal and is dangerous to pedestrians.
I think that they should make Bixi bikes available to everyone, not just people with credit cards, and they should enforce the no-riding-on-sidewalks rule.
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