Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Who's a Kook?

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Who's a Kook?

    Well, all of us are. It's not possible for one person's beliefs to be perfectly inline with everyone else's so inevitably someone will think someone else is a kook based on their beliefs.

    It's an easy shorthand for us to use to dismiss those propositions that we don't think deserve our investigation. Now, not every proposition does deserve exploration - and no one has enough time to investigate every proposition. Many we accept on the strength of the source; some we accept merely barring contrary evidence and many we reject out of hand because they conflict with what we think is probable or true. No problem there - as long as we realize that's what we're doing.

    The problem occurs when we transfer the disbelief in a 'kooky' idea to the labeling of the advocate - minus any actual investigation on our part. If we're lucky, it really isn't a defensible proposition and we don't get egg all over ourselves. If not, we look like idiots. In BOTH cases, we've treated someone else unfairly - and shouldn't be overly surprised when they refuse to give our propositions fair hearing.

    I don't accept that UFO's are alien spacecraft. I don't find the evidence I've seen compelling enough that I'm willing to invest serious time in studying it further. I DO NOT believe I have thereby disproven anything because I haven't. I merely retain a somewhat informed opinion that serves my own purposes only. You won't find me debating the topic because I already know I haven't bothered doing the homework. I personally dismiss the possibility - but that's just personal opinion. You also won't find me calling advocates 'kooks' - or any other derogatory term. I think they are wrong, mistaken or just deceived but if I haven't the inclination to really look at their evidence or arguments by what right do I make assertions about those claims? That's right - none. I have only my opinion, to which I am perfectly entitled, but not the necessary research to support my contention, and I am not entitled to unsupported assertions of fact.

    It's okay to not investigate every possible topic - no one can, anyway. It's NOT okay to mistake your opinion for fact. We Christians get this all the time - how many times a day do we see some idiotic 'But Jesus would/would not' argument that is totally without support in Scripture? Yeah, I can't count that high, either. We hate those things - no one wants to spend time dealing with straw men, let alone be labelled by them. Atheists get similar ill informed at best nonsense spouted at them, too. It's not unique to any group but it is avoidable.

    Think before you debate - how do I know this? I once saw a documentary on Bigfoot therefore I'm an expert on simians? Er, maybe I should tread a little lightly here.

    It would be no fun at all if we never engaged topics in which we aren't expert - and I'm not suggesting that we should become experts in all topics. Just be aware of your level of expertise when you take on an interesting topic and don't mistakenly declare your opinion as fact.

    Yep, I have to work on this, too!
    "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

    "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

    My Personal Blog

    My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

    Quill Sword

  • #2
    So it would be inappropriate to start listing names here, right?
    "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

    Comment


    • #3
      You mean starting with yours?
      "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

      "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

      My Personal Blog

      My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

      Quill Sword

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Teallaura View Post
        Just be aware of your level of expertise when you take on an interesting topic and don't mistakenly declare your opinion as fact.
        So what's your level of expertise on kooks?

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Paprika View Post
          So what's your level of expertise on kooks?
          Pretty high - I've been talking with you a lot lately...

          "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

          "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

          My Personal Blog

          My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

          Quill Sword

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Teallaura View Post
            Pretty high - I've been talking with you a lot lately...

            Comment


            • #7
              363c6a96cc1d4814ec185b64269a06d36f742e41e40b0fe6538846cf6700cded.jpg
              That's what
              - She

              Without a clear-cut definition of sin, morality becomes a mere argument over the best way to train animals
              - Manya the Holy Szin (The Quintara Marathon)

              I may not be as old as dirt, but me and dirt are starting to have an awful lot in common
              - Stephen R. Donaldson

              Comment


              • #8
                Well at least I am not a kook.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                  Well at least I am not a kook.
                  Kook.
                  "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

                  "Forgiveness is the way of love." Gary Chapman

                  My Personal Blog

                  My Novella blog (Current Novella Begins on 7/25/14)

                  Quill Sword

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Which is kookier?

                    Living with in a house full of cats and other animals, slowly becoming a reclusive cat lady, or being a pirate who lives thousands of miles from the nearest ocea...

                    never mind.


                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Are Canadianstani kooks Canukooks?

                      I'm always still in trouble again

                      "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
                      "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
                      "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                        Which is kookier?

                        Living with in a house full of cats and other animals, slowly becoming a reclusive cat lady, or being a pirate who lives thousands of miles from the nearest ocea...

                        never mind.

                        Have you been to Boston in the fall?
                        If it weren't for the Resurrection of Jesus, we'd all be in DEEP TROUBLE!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Christianbookworm View Post
                          Have you been to Boston in the fall?
                          Boston? why would anyone want to go to Boston? It is full of yankees.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            besides I can't be a kook. I can barely work a microwave oven.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Christianbookworm View Post
                              Have you been to Boston in the fall?
                              I have!! I even took this picture!!

                              Fenway.JPG
                              That's what
                              - She

                              Without a clear-cut definition of sin, morality becomes a mere argument over the best way to train animals
                              - Manya the Holy Szin (The Quintara Marathon)

                              I may not be as old as dirt, but me and dirt are starting to have an awful lot in common
                              - Stephen R. Donaldson

                              Comment

                              Related Threads

                              Collapse

                              Topics Statistics Last Post
                              Started by Cow Poke, 02-16-2024, 08:29 AM
                              8 responses
                              58 views
                              1 like
                              Last Post ReformedApologist  
                              Started by Cow Poke, 02-01-2024, 12:10 PM
                              122 responses
                              409 views
                              0 likes
                              Last Post rogue06
                              by rogue06
                               
                              Started by rogue06, 05-28-2022, 07:53 AM
                              537 responses
                              1,294 views
                              1 like
                              Last Post rogue06
                              by rogue06
                               
                              Started by mossrose, 05-19-2022, 03:21 PM
                              1,384 responses
                              3,567 views
                              0 likes
                              Last Post Ben Zwycky  
                              Started by rogue06, 12-24-2021, 08:52 AM
                              439 responses
                              2,301 views
                              2 likes
                              Last Post rogue06
                              by rogue06
                               
                              Working...
                              X