Burn baby burn. A self indulgent series of thought experiemnts. The idea of which is to open the eyes to the bigotry inherent in each of us.
Thought Experiment 1: Die Mark Twain, Die!
I hold a mock trial in which I accuse Mark Twains Huckleberry Finn of effectively killing serious American Literature for 100 hundred years. Afterwards I burn a copy of the book. What would happen? Hate mail from irate fans? A lawyers letter? Would I be an asshole? Should I die for my "belief"? Should anyone else?
Thought Experiment 2: Shrodingers cats religion
I place a kerosene covered copy of the Koran in a metal box. I place a kerosene covered copy of the bible in another, identical metal box. On the internet I hold a mock trial of religion and at the end , I drop a match into one of the boxes randomly (ie so I dont know which book I have burned). Neither does anyone else know. I never open the second box to find out.
Should I be killed? Should others? Am I an asshole? What happens next?
Thought Experiment 3: Equality is a good thing right?
I take one of every religious book in the world (Koran, Bible, Talmud, Torah, Avesta, Adi Granth, Visuddimagga, I ching, Gleanings of the Writings of Bahaullah, The Analects, The Vedas .. etc.). I cover them in petrol, hold a mock trial and burn ALL of them, naming no one religion or creed as any better or worse than another. I have burned a complete collection - nothing missed out.
Lets say that a number of radicals from a number of religions wish me dead. Who has priority? I can only be killed once? Whose book is more sacred? Who has more right? Does anyone? Am I an asshole? Should others be killed?
Last Thought Experiment (4): Koran by Pieces
A number of people decide to disrespect the Koran by varying amounts.Each one performs a different action and each action is performed by exactly one person.
- Burn the book
- Spit on the book
- Lock the book in a metal box and bury it
- Tear one page from the book
- Tear one page and use as toilet paper
- Tear half the pages
- Tear all the pages
- Use the book to prop open a door
- Put the book on a shelf and look shiftily at it once a day
- Publish a scholarly criticism of the book
- Allow a child to draw pictures in the book
- Deliberately spill coffee on the book
Which deserves death? Who are the assholes? Should riots ensue from any of these? Which?
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