Things people often say you find amusing...

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Boy, am I glad that I'm an atheist and need't bother with this complicated stuff! (and I may eat shellfish! Yay! )

I'm Lutheran and *I* don't bother with it either. We don't have any dietary rules. We can eat whatever we want, when we want it!

 

[Trekker4747]

Well, to be fair I doubt most modern-day Jews keep completely kosher either.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

I'm Lutheran and *I* don't bother with it either. We don't have any dietary rules. We can eat whatever we want, when we want it!

How about fasting time in general and Good Friday in particular? Luther said Fasten und leiblich sich bereiten ist wohl eine feine äußerliche Zucht (fasting and physically preparing oneself [for mass] is indeed a fine custom).

 

[RJDiogenes]

A number of years ago, there was a story in Analog where the question raised was whether or not a genetically engineered pig was kosher. The animal had been modified to chew its cud-- the reason was that it increased the nutritional value of the meat or would somehow increase the food supply, I forget the details. It was an interesting example of how science and technology can upend social assumptions.

 

[scotpens]

A number of years ago, there was a story in Analog where the question raised was whether or not a genetically engineered pig was kosher. The animal had been modified to chew its cud-- the reason was that it increased the nutritional value of the meat or would somehow increase the food supply, I forget the details. It was an interesting example of how science and technology can upend social assumptions.

Which leads to bizarre (to many Jews and non-Jews alike) cheats or work-arounds like the Shabbat elevator.

 

[J.T.B.]

It used to really bug me when traffic reporters would talk about "surface streets." Where else would a street be? Then someone pointed out that it's a way to refer to roads that don't have grade separations, which makes sense to me and I no longer have any objections to the term.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I'm Lutheran and *I* don't bother with it either. We don't have any dietary rules. We can eat whatever we want, when we want it!

How about fasting time in general and Good Friday in particular? Luther said Fasten und leiblich sich bereiten ist wohl eine feine äußerliche Zucht (fasting and physically preparing oneself [for mass] is indeed a fine custom).

A fine custom, yes, but not required.

 

[auntiehill]

A number of years ago, there was a story in Analog where the question raised was whether or not a genetically engineered pig was kosher. The animal had been modified to chew its cud-- the reason was that it increased the nutritional value of the meat or would somehow increase the food supply, I forget the details. It was an interesting example of how science and technology can upend social assumptions.

Which leads to bizarre (to many Jews and non-Jews alike) cheats or work-arounds like the Shabbat elevator.

Wow. Reading stuff like that just makes me even happier to be an atheist; it's just so much easier.

 

[scotpens]

It used to really bug me when traffic reporters would talk about "surface streets." Where else would a street be? Then someone pointed out that it's a way to refer to roads that don't have grade separations, which makes sense to me and I no longer have any objections to the term.

In Southern California, we've always referred to "regular" roads as "surface streets" (as distinguished from freeways, which are often elevated above or sunk below grade level).

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ That makes sense. A surface street is one that never leaves the ground level.

@auntiehill: Please don't take this the wrong way, but...well, if it was easy, what would be the point?

 

[RJDiogenes]

^^ Why make life unnecessarily harder? There are enough challenges to be found without playing around with elevators.

A number of years ago, there was a story in Analog where the question raised was whether or not a genetically engineered pig was kosher. The animal had been modified to chew its cud-- the reason was that it increased the nutritional value of the meat or would somehow increase the food supply, I forget the details. It was an interesting example of how science and technology can upend social assumptions.

Which leads to bizarre (to many Jews and non-Jews alike) cheats or work-arounds like the Shabbat elevator.

Wow. Reading stuff like that just makes me even happier to be an atheist; it's just so much easier.

That's pretty amazing. It mentions that they use them in Jewish hospitals-- I wonder if anyone has ever died because it takes five times longer to get to the OR on the Shabbat.

 

[JarodRussell]

A number of years ago, there was a story in Analog where the question raised was whether or not a genetically engineered pig was kosher. The animal had been modified to chew its cud-- the reason was that it increased the nutritional value of the meat or would somehow increase the food supply, I forget the details. It was an interesting example of how science and technology can upend social assumptions.

Which leads to bizarre (to many Jews and non-Jews alike) cheats or work-arounds like the Shabbat elevator.

Wow. Reading stuff like that just makes me even happier to be an atheist; it's just so much easier.

I'm wondering, do they expect God to be fooled by this bullshit?

GOD: "Hey, you weren't allowed to operate electric switches. And I KNOW that this means you can't take the elevator on Shabbat. I invented the elevator, I am the creator of all things!!!! You tried to fool me? I dare you! I double-dare you, fool me again!!!"

 

[iguana_tonante]

@auntiehill: Please don't take this the wrong way, but...well, if it was easy, what would be the point?

That's the point. There is no point.

 

[rhubarbodendron]

In Southern California, we've always referred to "regular" roads as "surface streets" (as distinguished from freeways, which are often elevated above or sunk below grade level).

I don't know about the rest of the US, but in LA the word freeway is a paradox in itself (unless you're out and about at 4 am)

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

@auntiehill: Please don't take this the wrong way, but...well, if it was easy, what would be the point?

That's the point. There is no point.

So points are like spoons, then?

 

[auntiehill]

^ That makes sense. A surface street is one that never leaves the ground level.

@auntiehill: Please don't take this the wrong way, but...well, if it was easy, what would be the point?

Um...happiness? Being happy with reality and not putting unnecessary obstacles in people's way--that would be the point.

Life is already difficult. Why fuck things up even more with arbitrary, useless rules based on fairly tales and superstition? Is the wonder of nature, our entire planet and the universe itself not interesting enough? People need to make up random ghosts, monsters and rituals to give meaning to their lives?

That would be the point, I think.

But that's enough thread derailment. Let's put this train back on the tracks.

The test takers who, luckily for them, are being tested on English and not math, when they say things like, "---and studies prove that two-thirds of the people agree with me, and that's almost half!" Huh?

Or history:
"Rosa Parks, the heroine from Gone with the Wind, ran the underground railroad in the '30s." Wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Uh oh, I didn't mean to upset anyone. Much apologizings...