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> it seems almost built to shame people for having more due to circumstances That's quite literally what it is. I'm not particularly Christian, but at least it
by mieseratte 9y ago
> it seems almost built to shame people for having more due to circumstances
That's quite literally what it is. I'm not particularly Christian, but at least it doesn't make me pay for the sins of the father unlike whatever this new orthodoxy is.
- to3m 9y agoWhat about original sin?
- zbentley 9y agoSome people use it as a shaming device, which is rarely constructive. Many, many others simply use it as a means of gaining a better (more compassionate) ethical understanding of the world. Unless you subscribe to a Rand-ish "altruism = bad" ideology, it's perfectly possible to understand contextual factors that you benefit from, understand that others do not, and--even if you don't actively spend resources to improve that system--at least keep its existence in mind when interacting with others and understanding the world. None of that requires you to feel shame. It's like going up to a random person at an international airport: knowledge of the existence of other languages means you don't automatically assume that person speaks English. You don't have to be ashamed of speaking English, or learn their language, but knowing why they might not understand what you say to them can sure help you avoid being an ass.