OT: date jesus

[Paul Mackin]

On Thu, 2003-02-20 at 11:33, prozak at anus.com wrote:
> > > > Live and let live, I say.
> > > 
> > > Yet this becomes a problem with Iraq, North Korea or Israel; -or- it 
> > > will inevitably become a problem with some other entities out there. 
> > > Right now the USA is fighting two fronts: a worldwide guerrilla war 
> > > (in sitzkrieg mode) with al-Qaeda and a bombing and special forces 
> > > war with Iraq. Enemies will appear when one is a superpower.
> > 
> > The live and let live principle contains the strong possibility  of self
> > contradiction of course but what in earthly existence doesn't? 
> 
> To varying degrees and applications. That's an important phrase :)
> 
> Not everything is inherently self-contradictory as an outlook.
> 
> > It'd be my guess that a tendency in the species for application of the
> > principle within the bounds of common sense would be adaptive, an
> > accommodation to the environment.
> 
> Then why abstract to an absolutist principle? That doesn't make 
> sense.

Usually better not to think in absolutes. Can't we just say that the
principle is a desirable tendency in human interaction. Since the two
halves of the principle can be mutually contradictory (as in the cases
you cited), there has to be some give in the system.  No other way. 
]
P.