top 5 favorite books

[lizard]

as religion is a philosophy in and of itself, as well as a belief system, you are absolutely correct.

somewhat analagous (sp) to Marx attempting to separate humans from their desire for a religion. it might well be the opiate of the masses, but if you're gonna take it away, you've got to offer some sort of alternative like greed. communism was a poor substitute.

 

[Black Winter Day]

that's why it didn't work (even though the soviets were not perfect examples of the communist theory), socialism and anything collectivized and for the "greater good" is doomed to fail, i believe. at least i hope that is true.

 

[lizard]

yup, those wacky commisars couldn't pull off the Marxian utopia, human imperfections alerting them to the fact that if you pretended socialism was a way station towards true communism, you could control power through totalitarianism, and probably bang lots of stocky Russian tractor-drivin' women along the way. after all, they don't all look like kournakova.

 

[Black Winter Day]

hahahaha damn russian truck-drivers. . . marx left that part out. . .

 

[PratlPoet]

American Psycho - Ellis
A Walk to Remember (fuck anyone who rips this) - Sparks
Essential Spider-Man vols 1-5 (Ditto)
Norwegian Wood - can't recall the guy's name
Dracula Was A Woman - ditto

 

[speed]

Black WInter day, dont you feel that Nietzsche was just plain wrong in the end, that pure egocentric individualism is rather ludicrous. I ll let you respond before i'll comment- still just read Crime and Punishment- a book written before Nietzsche postulated his superman- and a book Nietszche I know liked- and then decide just how idiotic nietczche was

 

[Black Winter Day]

pure individualism is something that can NEVER be accomplished in any one human's life. it is simply impossible. humans MUST interact and place *some* trust in others, or you will undoubtedly end up like nietzsche did at age 44: totally off his rocker. however, i DO think that people should live life FOR THEMSELVES, first and foremost, not just totally ostracizing themselves from society. there's a difference there. what is your opinion on the "Ubermensch"?

 

[PratlPoet]

Ah, the "overman."

Hitler abused this term to the highest degree! I agree with BWD on Nietzsche; the man was so seperated from real life that he eventually went nuts. However, his points on knowing one's self and living for one's own good and nature really intrigues me.

I also agree with his points on "god." Proof is in the eye of the beholder, but must we all adapt just because general consensus is the mass opnion? Just because a lot of kids 10-13 believe that Britney Spears is talented does not make it so...the line between fact and opinion never seems to be seperated.

I also like what he said about poets, of which I am a "writer of verse":

"Poets are people that muddy their waters to make them appear deep." Translated: If you don't undertsand it, then it must be great!

Great line!!

Sorry...I wasn't invited...

 

[Black Winter Day]

hahaha, yeah, that's a great line, and your britney spears observation could not be more true. . . all my christian friends that try to "convert" me and shit, CANNOT tell me why they believe the way they do, further than the fact that it is something their parents instilled in them, they'd been doing all their lives, or it was a "popular" religion (or something to that extent). i tell them they've been brainwashed and cannot think for themselves, and they just say "you're too smart for your own good." or something absurd like that. i tell them open-mindedness doesn't have that much to do with intelligence, you have to open yourself up to new experiences, else you will be a sheep all you life. they think i'm "satanic" for being agnostic. what an extremely fucked up, ignorant society we live in today!

 

[speed]

Yes, but his ideas to look into ones self, were merely copied from Schopenhauer- and Buddhism- thus truly his only true gift was that of returning to the love of the ego of classical pre chistian l society . Yeah I do sort of like his writing's though- but I really think like Black WInterday said- he went too far- and deceived himself. i love a line of his on pity- i always remember it- in which he says why pity the poor ugly dirty homeless man, he finds riches in his filth and pity. I am paraphrasing.
Since Marx was covered- which philosopher does anyone wish to make fun of next?

 

[Black Winter Day]

hmm. . . we covered rand as well. . . how about st augustine's piety?

 

[speed]

Is that a work by St Augustine, or are you making fun of his piety? Damn Black WInter Day, you have read a serious amount of shit for a guy in high school.

 

[Black Winter Day]

just st augustine. . . the wickedness of stealing a pear, differences between good demons and bad demons, blah blah blah. . . if ideas like these were made by the "founder of theology", then it is no surprise organized religion has gone so far downhill

 

[speed]

Yes I very much agree, and St Augustines neoplatonic philosophy still is the basis for catholic theology to this day. I always thought Augustine must have been pretty fucking pissed off when he wrote, as we all know he used to be a sexual libertine in his youth. I imagine him laughing- if i cant have fun anymore since i am christian- no other fucking christian will have any more fun.

 

[Black Winter Day]

imagine if JESUS CHRIST saw how the church has ended up today!

 

[speed]

Pedophiles and a church that covers them up- what else- oh yes those idiot fundamentalists who enlist a war on their neighbors to act like them- those churches that believe one can be cured by the spirit of Jesus- and believe that the devil is all around us- man the list goes on and fucking on. My personal favorite is that that the moneychangers and etc now run our lives. It's a riot.

 

[Black Winter Day]

collectivism loves mediocrity; it makes them easier to be brainwashed. christianity = communism. i've said it many times. "a collective worshipping done in the name of a greater good". . . lack of individuality and irrational fear of insignificant acts the church deems as "sins". THOSE are the reasons that christianity needs a wakeup call. that, and their own hypocrisy.

 

[speed]

I would agree catholicism equals communism, and Protestantism takes almost the sama path without as much bureacracy- Are you catholic or Prod? One parent was catholic and the other methodist for me, so i got to see the evils in both churches- yet the methodists are far more tolerant in religious practice.
Just the whole idea of Catholicism is one of blatant idocy to me. As if the catholic bureacracy somehow is the intermediary between god and any catholic layman- catholics thus live a life of a very temporal non spiritual nature, any spirituality- communion with god etc, is not possible without the Caholic Church. Its almost as if the Catholic Church is a secular government headed by a Devil- Just my personal thoughts.

 

[Black Winter Day]

hehehe. . . i grew up presbyterian, bu i consider myself agnostic now. i haven't frally found any structuralized christian sect that "does it" for me. i also grew up down here in north carolina. the place is overrun by southern baptists -- the worst hypocrites alive. that is where my problems with christianity began, not with catholicism.

 

[lizard]

anyone who has an interest in the recent troubles in the Balkans may want to check this book out: My War Gone By, I Miss It So, by Anthony Loyd. This guy was a former British soldier turned junkie who became fascinated with real war and how he would deal with its turmoil face to face, so he became a photojournalist and went over to document it first hand.
pretty heavy stuff.