Re: Incest taboos
Joseph Askew (jbask1@MFS06.cc.monash.edu.au)
Sun, 14 May 1995 06:25:08 GMT
In article <778@landmark.iinet.net.au> gil@landmark.iinet.net.au (Gil Hardwick) writes:
>Sorry, but I'm starting to get lost in all this. I am unable to
>account for the assertion of these ideas in anything I have myself
>written about or asserted my belief in at any time.
A common enough failing.
>On the other hand, we have documentary evidence of people having died
>as a result of having, say, a bone pointed at them. Documented by the
>medical fraternity, I must add. How it can be "explained", on the
>other hand is finally anybody's guess.
Without the existance of pyschic powers no doubt. We have no
proper studies of bone pointing, I would not call the evidence
you refer to either documented or evidence as such. No proper
scientific studies done with control groups. So someone claimed
to have pointed a bone at some guy who died - you see no problem
in this claim? But no matter let's assume that there are some
Aboriginals who are so accepting of the claims of bone pointing
that they somehow die. This is no evidence of psychic powers at
all but of suggestion and strong belief.
>>Yes of course. He even came out on radio and said he was not
>>a God thus making him less divine. Assuming divinity is some
>>sort of opinion poll. Before the dropping of the bombs he was
>>a God, shortly after he wasn't. How could you argue that he
>>remained as godlike as he was before?
>Well, let's just adhere to the historical fact of General McArthur
>having prevailed upon him to make such an announcement. Let's just
>note that the announcement did not come in the wake of the bombs as
>such, but with the general defeat of Japan in war.
Which was the direct result of the dropping of the bombs.
>>I am not so sure about that. I suspect that the vast majority
>>of Japanese knew perfectly well the political nature of the
>>divine role assigned in modern times to the Emperor.
>Ah, we are going around in circles here.
Not at all. So some fraction of the Japanese population was,
for some unknown reason, willing to accept the myth of the
Divine Emperor. After the bomb dropped the Emperor said he
was not. Some fraction of that fraction can only have felt
disillusionment and hence the Emperor was less Divine.
>>Really? An interesting viewpoint. I always assumed the Chinese,
>>not to mention those at Pearl Habour, HK or Darwin, would have
>>wildly differing opinions about that. I do not recall anyone
>>intruding anywhere in 1937 but the Japanese at any rate. But no
>>matter.
>Are you saying in reply, although admittedly my point was poorly
>expressed, that Asians do not regard Europeans as intruders? Even
>the Chinese ridicule them as *gwai lo* (excuse the Cantonese).
I know that in 1937 the Asians viewed the Japanese as intruders
and that in China they were. Are you claiming that because the
Japanese were Asians when they "advanced" into China they were
not intruders?
>Any Asian will tell you that the Europeans had been intruding upon
>their domain for several centuries prior to 1937, in fact.
And any Korean will tell you the same about the Japanese. Just
as most Vietnamese have words to say about the Chinese. Just
who are you accusing of what here?
>>Perhaps this was so but again I note the Emperors failure to
>>in the slightest way contribute to the Allies keeping their
>>feet on the ground let alone the Japanese troops supposedly
>>under his command (eg Unit 731)
>Again, my apologies, but I am getting lost here. I am no longer sure
>what we are discussing here, in fact.
Obviously the Emperor lacked all influence, Divine, Psychic
or otherwise, not only on the foreigners who were to bomb
his country into the ground but among his fellow Japanese
theoretically under his command who did worse in China. What
signs are there for psychic powers here? None I'ld think.
Joseph
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