Discussion of Japan from Religions Are Dangerous Thread

The Off-Topic forum for anything non-LDS related, such as sports or politics. Rated PG through PG-13.
_Ren
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Post by _Ren »

marg wrote:The stories, such as they are, generally involve schoolgirls being attacked or raped; the scenarios are inventive in their nastiness. Children are abducted, gagged in their beds, dragged up dark alleys. The victims are small and defenceless, with unfeasibly large breasts and round, tearful eyes. They are regularly killed or commit suicide. I kept thinking that the last pages must be missing, the ones with the comeuppance, but there’s none. And, to add a peculiarly Japanese weirdness, the drawings are delicately censored. Minute slivers of genitalia are Tipp-Exed out. Nothing is as unnervingly sordid as manga, and nothing would so distress the European parents of a daughter. And the Japanese think less than nothing of it

I remember - in my first year at university in Derby, England - a bloke I shared a house with had stacks of CDs.
One day, he took the album sleeve out of one of them, and said 'Check it out'.

I read the lyrics.

The song described a young mans continuing anger towards his father, and his sexual feelings for his mother.
Finally one day, he can't stand it any longer. He kills his father, and rapes his mother. Of course, the song itself went into a LOT more hideous detail than that.

I'd literally never read anything as sick. (Given that I hadn't left Mormonism that long, that's not surprising). I almost didn't know how to even process it.

The band - the guy later told me - were self-proclaimed atheists.
And where did he buy this filth?
...what was that? Japan you say?
...nope. Oxford Circus, London.

The obvious conclusion?
Not only are all atheists deranged (just like Stalin and Pol Pot of course), but English society as well. (They let it be sold right?)
...heck - why stop there. Let's say all Western society is deranged - just for 'fun'.


*edited out on over-reaction I should not have had*
Last edited by Guest on Thu Feb 28, 2008 9:55 am, edited 2 times in total.
_Chap
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Post by _Chap »

These boards are for free discussion, which is great.

The foresight of the Founder ensured that these boards include a place called the Off-Topic Forum, which is, we are told, "The forum to discuss politics, hobbies, or anything else non-LDS related."

Since the discussion on this thread has long, long ago lost contact with anything remotely LDS-related, may one respectfully suggest that this discussion should continue there?
_Moniker
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Post by _Moniker »

Hi, Chap, I've already requested that some posts be moved by a mod. I think he must have forgotten.

I'll contact Bond again and see what he can do about the newest installments.
_Ren
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Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2007 11:34 am

Post by _Ren »

Yeah - this should get split off I guess.

I'm ashamed for allowing my own buttons to get pushed, and then pushing back. Yet, now, I'm just tired of it, and all I am now is a witness to you reminding me what I don't want to be. I choose not to be bitter. I forgive you.

You're right. I should let this go too...
It's very hard to do so, but I will.
_marg

Post by _marg »

Moniker wrote:
I did. Nan King is very upsetting to me. I couldn't sleep for a week after I first read about it as a teenager. I was so moved and horrified by the brutality of hate and racism that I took lessons from it. I recall watching a man stand in front of a tank in Tiananmen Square and I couldn't sleep -- stared at my ceiling as a child and recognized how we are all united by the same struggles for liberty -- humanity has no barriers in regards to race. I was horrified when I read about the Holocaust, I've walked the Natchez Trace and knelt where American Indians had trod on the trail of tears, I've wept at battle sites where men died over land and power. I have a response when I am confronted with any time in history when those "different" from "us" are looked upon as less than human.

I'm not an apologist for the Japanese culture. I'm not going to play one. I've been to South Korea, Thailand, Germany, Canada, Mexico, and South Africa, lived in Ithaca New York, spent my early teens in Washington D.C. and VA, spent summers in Vermont, visited Southern California often, bounced all over North America moving here and there -- I enjoyed all those cultures and the people found there. I can enjoy them, make remarks about how I enjoy other cultures, comment on their religious beliefs, their customs, etc... I do this -- because with all sincerity I attempt to see the beauty everywhere.

I have no identity wrapped in one country or place (although I do consider Japan my first home), and no group of people -- I love all of humanity. Even you.

I'm ashamed for allowing my own buttons to get pushed, and then pushing back. Yet, now, I'm just tired of it, and all I am now is a witness to you reminding me what I don't want to be. I choose not to be bitter. I forgive you.

Carry on as you see fit.


Nanking is tragic but what is also terrible is the Japanese attempting to wipe it out of history books, movies, not acknowledge it etc. Now that is something that a lot of people are angry about. That was one of the points which Gill made which really resonated with me. Stuff like "if religion was a car Shintu would be a wheel barrel" that was funny. You obviously think Gill is a racist, I don't. And you can think what you wish about whether I'm racist, it doesn't faze me, because I know who I am and am very comfortable with it.

I think he said some true things, some exaggerated, some painfully true and mixed it in with humor. I don't think that is an easy thing to do. As far as your bitterness and forgiveness of me, those are your issues not mine. I don't need to forgive you.

However on a final note, you do sound rather tired, and I'm sure after a good night's sleep, you will be energized and ready to fight again.
_marg

Post by _marg »

RenegadeOfPhunk wrote:Yeah - this should get split off I guess.

I'm ashamed for allowing my own buttons to get pushed, and then pushing back. Yet, now, I'm just tired of it, and all I am now is a witness to you reminding me what I don't want to be. I choose not to be bitter. I forgive you.

You're right. I should let this go too...
It's very hard to do so, but I will.


You know RoP I don't mind you quoting me in your sig line but I think it lacks integrity to add your own comments which distort truth. It is not as if you are allowing myself to counter. Not that I would quote in a signature line but if I did, I'm pretty sure I'd have the integrity to let the remarks stand on their own and speak for themselves. Just a thought.
_Ren
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Post by _Ren »

marg wrote:You know RoP I don't mind you quoting me in your sig line but I think it lacks integrity to add your own comments which distort truth. It is not as if you are allowing myself to counter. Not that I would quote in a signature line but if I did, I'm pretty sure I'd have the integrity to let the remarks stand on their own and speak for themselves. Just a thought.

The sig line had already gone before you said this...
It served its purpose at the time - which was to make it very clear what was happening in this thread.

As far as 'distorting truth', the truth stands in this thread. Anybody can check back and see it.
_marg

Post by _marg »

RenegadeOfPhunk wrote:
marg wrote:You know RoP I don't mind you quoting me in your sig line but I think it lacks integrity to add your own comments which distort truth. It is not as if you are allowing myself to counter. Not that I would quote in a signature line but if I did, I'm pretty sure I'd have the integrity to let the remarks stand on their own and speak for themselves. Just a thought.

The sig line had already gone before you said this...
It served its purpose at the time.

As far as 'distorting truth', the truth stands in this thread. Anybody can check back and see it.


When I wrote the post your sig line was there.

And yes the truth stands in the thread, you don't need to do the thinking for other people. They can think for themselves.
_Ren
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Posts: 1387
Joined: Sat Jul 07, 2007 11:34 am

Post by _Ren »

marg wrote:When I wrote the post your sig line was there.

I removed it at the same time I removed an over-reaction in my previous post (3:55am board time) and decided that this is done.
It was before I read your post. (Submitted 4:01am board time)

They can think for themselves.

...most can - certainly.
_marg

Post by _marg »

RenegadeOfPhunk wrote: I remember - in my first year at university in Derby, England - a bloke I shared a house with had stacks of CDs.
One day, he took the album sleeve out of one of them, and said 'Check it out'.

I read the lyrics.

The song described a young mans continuing anger towards his father, and his sexual feelings for his mother.
Finally one day, he can't stand it any longer. He kills his father, and rapes his mother. Of course, the song itself went into a LOT more hideous detail than that.

I'd literally never read anything as sick. (Given that I hadn't left Mormonism that long, that's not surprising). I almost didn't know how to even process it.

The band - the guy later told me - were self-proclaimed atheists.
And where did he buy this filth?
...what was that? Japan you say?
...nope. Oxford Circus, London.

The obvious conclusion?
Not only are all atheists deranged (just like Stalin and Pol Pot of course), but English society as well. (They let it be sold right?)
...heck - why stop there. Let's say all Western society is deranged - just for 'fun'.


*edited out on over-reaction I should not have had*


Well what is your argument, that Gills shouldn't have mentioned viiolent manga? Why, because other cultures have violence? Anyhow from what I can gather, manga is extremely popular, accepted in the culture, anything goes because it is assumed the reader can separate fantasy from reality. So when anything goes, it can get rather extreme graphically. And I think Gill found that rather strange. see http://www.emory.edu/EMORY_REPORT/erarchive/1997/April/erapril.21/4_21_97JapanComics.html
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