You've taken Stringer's model, which was about global responsibility and how perspectives of altruism don't hold up to simple practical realities, and made a completely different point. It's an interesting simile but it isn't Stringer.Immanuel Can wrote: ↑Fri May 19, 2017 3:15 pmI think it actually can be a practical life-lesson, even without the religious references, if we choose to apply it that way.thedoc wrote: ↑Fri May 19, 2017 1:57 pmWhile Christianity is the focus of the story, the meaning is much broader and speaks to all aspects of life. Make a choice and move on.uwot wrote: ↑Fri May 19, 2017 7:43 am
You've shown us this before, doc. I do not think it means what you think it means. For all its folksiness, it is cynical attack on dissent; the message being that anyone who does not uncritically accept the rule of the church will burn in hell. That is not nice.
Let's take Peter Singer's famous "Shallow Pond" thought experiment: a child is drowning in a shallow pond, and you become aware of it. Three different attitudes on the part of the observer are possible:
1. Helpful -- Save the child.
2. Antagonistic -- Throw rocks at him until he drowns. If he tries to get out, push him back in.
3. Neutral -- Sit down and watch, and have some popcorn.
#3 is the "fence" option. But both #2 and #3 are "the Devil's" options. #2 makes you a cause of evil, but #3 makes you bad even though you chose not to take a position. It makes you callous and criminally negligent. The Devil owns the fence on that one.
Many issues in life are like that. Neglect your health, and you'll soon be sick. Do nothing when there's a fire, and you'll burn. Let your children do as they please, and you'll be a horrible parent. Or, as the old saying goes, "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good [people] to do nothing." Neutrality is often permissive of evil, and thus complicit with it, if not the cause of it. The Devil owns the fence.
So it's just a good cautionary note for anyone, I would say.
You are equating what was a story about Christian belief with saving a life. This analogy only works if the belief system equates to saving lives. In the case of Christianity, and what has occurred in the name of Christianity, that's debatable.