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>Anyway, the whole point here is that such a "circular" or "strange loop"
>entity, which provides it's own justification, has an *unlimited*
>potential to spread. That is, while it actually contains *nothing*, it
>really does have the power to contain *everything*.
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>I make a call to *freedom*, and then derive the *necessity* of
>responsibility from that. We must use freedom *responsibily*, or it
>will destroy us. (I have a nice analogy worked up now to nuclear
>power... freedom is the chain reaction, which provides the power, but
>responsibility is the control rods and the moderaters, which actually
>allow us to *use* the power generated by E=MC^2.)
>
>Then, responsibility itself is used to justify the existance of the
>Church: it is here to help us deal with this responsibility. To examine
>issues, stage debates, recommend books, and generally provide a forum
>for discussion of important issues.
>
>And so, while the Church does not infact have *any* basis (that is,
>contain anything), it has the entire world as it's subject matter, and
>responsible freedom to help us deal with it.
>
>But the real catch 22 is this: responsible freedom can be used to spread
>responsible freedom. That is, we have a *responsibility* to spread
>responsibility (hopefully freedom is already out there). Self
>propagation.
A good idea. Go one step deeper. Langauge evolves. The Body of Chirst
has destroyed and killed millions, raped, pillaged, looted...all in the name
of a pacifist contry preacher who told his friends to love their neighboor.
It matters not a single iota that yous have replaced the word "sin" with the
word "responsibility". The lesson of memetics is that THE CONTENT IS
IRRELEVANT. Langauge is arbitrary. It is the underlying "memetic"
structure ("the pattern") and the intersubjective community of intentional
entities ("the medium") which creates.
The point, which Richard has already told you, is that if you make a
self-propogating engine of the mind it will explode beyond your control.
YOU CANNOT CONTROL THE OUTCOME WITH FANCIER OR
MORE PRECISE WORDS. THE VIRUS PROPAGATES, MUTATES,
AND COMPLEXIFIES WITHOUT YOU.
As a result, what you say as the leader of a congregation is, in the long
run, more or less irrelevant. It is the congregation which is of significance,
not the ideas.
It is not enough that we have responsible leaders.
It is not enough that we have "responsible".
It is not enough that we discuss "responsible".
It is not enough that we think responsible thoughts.
Each of us must act responsibly and take responsibility for our actions.
This is enough.
All the rest is extra...entertaining but inessential.
Reed
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Reed Konsler konsler@ascat.harvard.edu
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