Tag: tolerance

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I Have a Dictionary . . .

. . . and I can use it!

contraception

■ noun the use of artificial methods or other techniques to prevent pregnancy.

contraceptive

■ adjective serving to prevent pregnancy.
▶ relating to contraception.
■ noun a contraceptive device or drug.

abortifacient /əˌbɔːtɪˈfeɪʃ(ə)nt/ Medicine

■ adjective (of a drug) causing abortion.

■ noun an abortifacient drug.

abortion

■ noun

1 the deliberate termination of a human pregnancy.

Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson, Concise Oxford English Dictionary (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004).

There, that wasn’t so hard!

It can easily been understood from the above that contraception is not abortion. The former prevents pregnancy, the latter terminates it.

So, in light of all the furor over the Hobby Lobby victory in the US Supreme Court, one must wonder if those who protest do not have dictionaries, or choose to ignore what they define.

Could it be, that the professionally shrill cannot fathom the loss of a government-mandated entitlement, even if that entitlement required the violation of a business owners’ religious beliefs and consciences?

Could it be, that no one else is aware of Hobby Lobby’s continuation of providing contraceptive coverage to employees?

Could it be, to inflate the indignation of the imaginary oppressed,  that misinformation is circulated about this court decision by deliberately conflating these two very different words?

Or could it be there is a shortage of dictionaries, or just a shortage of honesty?

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From Douglas Groothuis's Facebook Status

“While looking for WW I books at The Tattered Cover in Highlands Ranch, Colorado (it is the centenary of the outbreak of hostilities), I overheard part of a question-answer time by one Kevin Hearne, a science fiction writer. I had to restrain myself from walking over five feet–the books were very near the front–and giving a lecture on his absurd and glib caricatures of Christianity.

Mr Hearne, G…od help him, answered a question about whether his third book in a series (about some absurd reigio-science fiction world) would be made into a film. He say probably not, since it featured a black Jesus drinking beer. That, predictably, got a flippant wave of laughter (or smirks) from the adoringly ignoramus audience. After all, he followed up, the people who would be bothered wouldn’t know about it until a film appears, since they only read Bibles. So, the cowardly film-makers pull back. He said more but this is enough.

First, has Mr. Hearne watched any films in, oh, the last thirty years? Does he think that Hollywood is shy about religious controversy or attacks on Christianity. Has he seen “Noah” for instance? Or does he know the controversy stired twenty five years ago by “The Last Temptation of Christ?”

Well, Mr. informal, witty, paid-beyond-your-competence, listen up. The greatest literary stylists of the Twentieth Century–dim wits such as T.S. Eliot, C.S. Lewis, G. K. Chesterton, J.R.R. Tolkien, and others–were Christians, Christians who have forgotten more about literature than you will ever know. Furthermore, some of us ignorant Fundies have spent our entire adult lives reading literature, philosophy, mythology, psychology, and more. I stand in their midst. So, Mr. Important, we do not all fit your small minded, cliche-ridden stereotype.

Lastly, if you want to talk about a black, beer-drinking Jesus, please ring me up. I’ll drink and talk as long as you want. Perhaps you might convince me –after, say, ten beers–to read one of your works.

By the way, after surmising the WWI books, I bought one on Stubby, the amazing war dog.“