Re: Anarchism package
On Thu, 16 Nov 2000, Ralf Treinen wrote:
> > useful to some people, so as long as those people continue to maintain the
> > package, it stays. The Bible packages are no more theistic propoganda than
> > the GNAT compiler is 'strong-typing' propoganda (strong typing GOOD,
> > C++ BAD . . . um, sorry about that) - they're just tools that someone uses
> > to do what they want to do. It's better for us to be flexible than
> > intolerant, because that way, we can all work together for a better Debian
> > rather than work against each other.
> I'm not sure whether everyvbody agrees that the Bible package is just
> a tool. Besides, the analogy between philosophical and religious
> convictions, and convictions about typing, the best editor or window
> manager are a false analogy. Even the most ardent fan of vi (or emacs) would
> not try to tell you how to lead your life or raise your children, or
> start a war (not a flame war, a real one that kills people) on that.
I don't understand how anyone could disagree that the Bible package is a tool.
There's nothing subjective about the claim that people *use* the package as a
tool: either they do or they don't. If they don't, then this defense falls
away; but if they do, should the fact that the Bible has religious value
outweigh its usefulness as a tool? If we start down that road, are we any
longer remaining neutral wrt religion?
What if someone took the source code to emacs back in time a thousand years
and caused a culture to worship it as a holy relic, one that inspired wars
against non-believers? Would that then be grounds to pull emacs as well?
Yes, this is a silly "what if", but I think it's important to consider the
usefulness of the *tool* without delving into questions which really aren't
relevant to Debian or the package's use within Debian.
Steve Langasek
postmodern programmer
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