Permissions: A Key Feature of Religion?

Abishai100

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Sep 22, 2013
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"Does man have a contract with God?" I remember that quote from the legalese-intrigue film The Paper Chase starring Timothy Bottoms.

We know of the problem of religious persecution and the impact of 'holy wars.' Man has always vied with man even about religions (e.g., Israel-Palestine).

The Christian Bible states that man transgressed in the sacred Garden of Eden and defied God's authority and rebelled against his command to avoid the dangerous and seductive Tree of Knowledge. God was angry and wanted to know why they ate from the Tree without asking permission first.

When we go to confession (if we're Christian/Catholic), we might want to confide in the attending priest and inquire about how we've disobeyed God or intentionally avoided asking him permission to do something.

When we go driving fast on the Autobahn (the famous highway in Germany), we might feel like we're 'daredevils' tempting fate with our flashy sports-cars. We may even feel we don't need 'permission' from God to go on the adventure.

When we go gambling at a casino in Las Vegas, we may believe we do not need God's permission to 'play around' (even harmlessly) with the mathematical 'laws' of probability/chance while we place bets on the Roulette table. We may not even seek 'permission' to continue gambling even while we're constantly losing money.

Perhaps God is a chauffeur or a taxi-driver who simply entertains our notions about observation and experimentation but is not obligated to share in the consequences of our 'daredevil' actions/deeds (e.g., Enron).

Establishing how we assess 'ambition' itself can help us better evaluate why we may make prayers such as, "God, can't you just find a way to help me win that Audi automobile in this month's special giveaway-sweepstakes?"

That's why I like using the Autobahn as a perfect 'metaphysics symbol' for 'ethics/permissions' discussions.

What do you think?



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GOD: Man did not ask my permission to wage the Christian crusades.
SATAN: Do you disapprove of man's passions?
GOD: I am wary of man's fascination with 'daredevil courage.'
SATAN: What do you think of the Autobahn?
GOD: I'd rather drive in a limo with a chauffeur.
SATAN: You're not a fan of speed?
GOD: If high-speed driving is carefully-regulated, then it can (possibly) be safe...
SATAN: What do you think of the film Speed Racer?
GOD: I think kids like it, since it entreats their interests in a fantasy adventure.
SATAN: Do you think kids ask parents for 'permission' to watch the film?
GOD: There are movie-ratings (e.g., PG, R, etc.). and parental-controls on cable TV boxes.
SATAN: So it seems that mankind has found a way to 'negotiate' content permissions.
GOD: Yes.
SATAN: Do you think witchcraft and Occultism requires 'permissions'?
GOD: Satanism and paganism is not 'orthodox' or 'popular,' so public 'sanctification' seems 'democratic.'
SATAN: Do you think Satanism/paganism requires your permission?
GOD: Even atheism is not necessarily dangerous as long as privacy-rights are respected...
SATAN: Aren't you offended?
GOD: I want man to be safe, prosperous, and happy (and fruitful!).
SATAN: Even if they're cannibals?
GOD: The Aztecs of Mexico were ritualistic cannibals and 'believed' they were acting on social consent.
SATAN: As in cannibalism for survival?
GOD: Yes, as in the survivors of the South American rugby team stranded in the Andes (with no food).
SATAN: That's the subject of the film Alive! Perhaps we can agree about 'philosophical chauffeurs'...

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_Racer_(film)

Speed Racer (Film)


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Deterioration Rates


Let's imagine there are two symbolic 'gates to hell' (just humor me with this hypothetical 'model' of perdition). One gate represents the misfortunes of gambling (e.g., Vegas), while the other gate represents the betrayal in civics (e.g., corrupt police officers).

Would there be a way to 'merge' these two gates? If there was a way, we could argue that 'permissions analysis' helps us evaluate the social impact of 'conditional suffering.' In other words, if Vegas misfortunes and corrupt police officers can be merged into a single story (e.g., Casino), then we could use the analysis of social contracts to understand 'the rate of deterioration.'

Let's face it, when discussing contracts, people care mostly about maintenance. That's why 'rate of deterioration' is the best yardstick to measure contract 'quality.'



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GOD: Why do you think kids like the American comic book superhero Aquaman (DC Comics)?
SATAN: Aquaman represents a conceptualization of 'environmental conquest.'
GOD: How 'fast' can Aquaman swim?
SATAN: Why?
GOD: Determining Aquaman's 'rate of derring-do' gauges his 'aura of power.'
SATAN: Why?
GOD: Because you want to be able to swim very fast under-water, since water is very dense (compared to air).
SATAN: So we care not only that Aquaman can breathe under-water but also that he can swim very fast!
GOD: That's correct. That's because 'rate of deterioration' in any 'experiment' determines strength.
SATAN: Why?
GOD: How fast things change helps us evaluate the standards of contracts (e.g., fashion trends).
SATAN: Are wealthy people who gamble more representative (of sin) than poor or middle-class people who gamble?
GOD: Upward mobility is more 'exciting' than expanded wealth, so technically, wealthy people who gamble are 'ogres.'
SATAN: Therefore, *changes* in wealth are great 'thermometers' of capitalism approval!

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