I know it may take a while, but I'm awaiting your serious reply.
OK, let's have a go at it:
Nicky I really love you, man. You're bloody funny and I really have choked on my bread with cheese many times while reading your posts.
I'll keep on until you've choked one time too many on your cheese
> What I REALLY like about persons like you, is that you show that life isn't only fun fun fun, but there's also the serious side of life and you really take the time to give your thoughts and opinions on matters like this.
Actually it's my experience that the
really funny people are the ones who have a lot of depth, and therefore are creative, and btw who therefore usually also love prog - again returning to our passion. Superficial people have a need to repeat cliches, and laugh about them ....
I also very much enjoy the discussions we have here in the Room - both the philosophy and the fun. I have to move outside of Denmark to find my buddies - so I'm real happy about the internet, and particularly about the Room (thanks again, Cap). In fact, I don't know or know of anybody in this country who's real passionate about Arena, Pallas and Ten. I know some people in DK who are passionate about Dream Theater, but I don't find that they're fully aware of the scope of this monumental group (am I?).
> Hahaha, brilliant how you bring everything back to our favourite music genre. Indeed, culture =
Yup, can't be said often enough
>What do you think of gay parades then? I don't mind someone being gay (as in homosexual), but I hate it when they come in through our streets with their caravan of pink trucks on which they perform sexual gestures. (Every now and then this happens in The Netherlands and the media is telling it in full colour on tv and everybody is talking about how tolerant we are yippee...)
Yeah, homosexuality. Complex question, particularly for us Christians. It would interest me greatly to hear some opinions on this matter from several roomies. It seems to me that homosexuals aren't interested in prog; it doesn't appeal to their mental makeup. That's also something we could discuss. In any case, we can probably have a free discussion here in the Room without stepping on anyone's toes.
I have to admit to having a difficult time understanding homosexuality. Let me first just make it entirely clear that I accept it fully, as long as both partners have their full freedom in the relationship. But I don't actually understand it. I'v always found women so terribly sexy - in fact that's been one of the great problems in my life: seeing all those wonderful creatures walk past me, tease me etc. Now I'v "caught" the most wonderful and sexy of them all, so I'm a happy man in that respect
But tellya, sure know what pining is ...
Never felt the least sexual attraction toward men though. It's strange that we humans are sooo entirely divided on that point.
None of the authors of the Bible seem to have had much tolerance toward this phenomenon, seeing it basically is sinful, iac the practice of it, although its been present through all history, more or less repressed.
But times have changed. Now we realise that a homosexual relationship can be loving, respectful and beautiful. So I think we should give gays and lesbians full equality on line with heteros - maybe with one exception: church wedding. The Bible talks so much about the special sacrament of the union of man and woman - hm, a homosexual relationship seems so different .... But let me hear what you guys think about this matter.
I'v never dealt much with gay parades. They simply don't interest me. There's nothing of aesthetic value or intellectual interest to me. Otoh I'm not either bothered by them. It's simply a different world, just like golf, bridge and hiphop. Live and let live.
> But as soon as you say that the muslim is offended because this is part of his/her belief ....
We Christians have had to make many revisions, or at least reinterpretations, in our mind of the Bible, a lot re the OT, and some re NT; so the Muslims can bloody well do that too. It's silly to regard the Quran as God's words verbatim; of course Mohamed put in some of his own apples into the basket (Appy
). And the idea of 72 virgins in Heaven for the true believer is one of the silliest ideas of all, and not only that: It's an insult to womanhood. I simply don't understand why Muslim women don't revolt more at the primitive male dominance traits in Muslim societies, because they're really revolting to us in the West.
> This happens underground. This kind of people is not tolerated. A political party with these opinions don't have a chance.
Sadly there is quite some racist and sexist violence, Paco, even in our part of the world. The Ku Klux Klan still mistreats blacks and Jews in the States, in Germany and even Sweden there are several assaults every year. We have to be continually awake to this problem.
> Things that you CAN see (like HipHop or Rap videoclips) have much more influence...
I don't really have much of an opinion on this matter, as I don't watch hiphop videos and don't listen to the stuff. You're young, Paco, so you're much more exposed to it.
You tell
me what's going on there.
>Yeah, I tell you what. In fact, when you say "Hail Hitler" in Germany nowadays, you are imprisoned and have to pay a fine.
It should be that way all over the world, after all the suffering that the Nazis have caused.
> If you do the same thing over here in Holland they'll say "Please don't do that sir, please?".
Amazing, isn't it? This sort of tolerance is what lets people like Hitler have their way. Remember the story about Chamberlain? If Churchill had become PM ten years earlier, he would have sent Hitler and his gang of thugs to a disciplinary institution, and history would have taken an entirely different course.
So, enough for now. I'm getting a guest in a moment, and I think I've talked enough for today. So guys, your turn now. I'm eager to hear your takes on these matters.
Nicky.
