Right-Wing Discussion Thread XVII: The Snark Enlightenment

[Bienenhalde]

The question I was responding to was asking why Christians should abandon the Old Testament; my response being that it is explicitly genocidal.

I am not sure what you are talking about, besides Nazi Germany also advocated Christians abandoning the Old Testament. Are you suggesting the Nazis had better theology than ordinary Christians? Are you making this stuff up because you are anti-Jewish?

[Nakena]

It's almost as if Christianity modernized or something.

Less like it modernized and more like the State as concept did.

Demons are fun though. I know a few.

[Temple State]

A growing concern of mine is the decline of publicly-traded companies in the United States (home of the only public equity market that actually matters). The stock market is essentially what allows common people to get in on the game and makes owning capital a much more democratic and transparent process. Anyone with at least $10 or so can buy a public stock.

But in private companies, equity investments are basically closed to everyone but the owners and special investment firms (called private equity firms), which is a much smaller pool of people, who are overwhelmingly wealthy and interconnected. Common people are shut out from being able invest (unless they do so indirectly, such as through a pension fund or retirement account that can invest in private equity).

Why do you want small investors to get in on a Ponzi scheme? To scam them because they are at the bottom? The last to find out about where the Leprechaun is will never find the end of the rainbow. Some Plutocrat wrote the map to the "X" just to be a wild goose chase really, and to collect their tiny hard-earned money.

[Nova Cyberia]

It's almost as if Christianity modernized or something.

Less like it modernized and more like the State as concept did.

States are products of their societies.

[Hanafuridake]

The question I was responding to was asking why Christians should abandon the Old Testament; my response being that it is explicitly genocidal.

I am not sure what you are talking about, besides Nazi Germany also advocated Christians abandoning the Old Testament. Are you suggesting the Nazis had better theology than ordinary Christians? Are you making this stuff up because you are anti-Jewish?

Hitler ate sugar.

[Kowani]

Less like it modernized and more like the State as concept did.

Demons are fun though. I know a few.

I thought you were a demon...

Less like it modernized and more like the State as concept did.

States are products of their societies.

Much like religions.

[Salus Maior]

And it doesn't address the issue at hand, which is that Christians adhere to a book that condones genocide. The question I was responding to was asking why Christians should abandon the Old Testament; my response being that it is explicitly genocidal.

The Old Testament isn't a book, it's 46 books. And you're only quoting from the earlier ones.

And regardless, no we're not going to change the Biblical Canon.

[Bear Stearns]

A growing concern of mine is the decline of publicly-traded companies in the United States (home of the only public equity market that actually matters). The stock market is essentially what allows common people to get in on the game and makes owning capital a much more democratic and transparent process. Anyone with at least $10 or so can buy a public stock.

But in private companies, equity investments are basically closed to everyone but the owners and special investment firms (called private equity firms), which is a much smaller pool of people, who are overwhelmingly wealthy and interconnected. Common people are shut out from being able invest (unless they do so indirectly, such as through a pension fund or retirement account that can invest in private equity).

What do you think is the cause of this? I'd think theres probably a number of investment funds around (pension or retirement aside) who would allow at least for indirect investment. But I am insufficiently familiar with the market. Yet.

I think the cause of it is that being a public company is no longer worth the trouble for many businesses. Companies used to go public because it gave them an easy way to raise equity if they needed it (usually to make acquisitions or expand their business). But it also comes with several drawbacks, including increased public scrutiny, filing requirements (which are actually quite expensive to keep up with), and the imposition of Chinese walls between directors that can make day-to-day business impractical.

Also, companies often went public so that they could easily pay their employees in company stock and employees could cash out when more liberally. This practice used to be the norm for large businesses and has now all but ended.

[Temple State]

The RCC changed its view of this in the 1500s or so. Before that all interest on loans was considered usury, as it is. Now it is only interest rates considered "too high". This was pure expediency. Before they had employed the Jews for it, as had the Muslims done. Because Jews cannot offer loan with interest to other Jews, because it is usury, but they can offer loans at any rate to non-Jews.
Of course, for this reason, Jews got the reputation that we know from Ancient and Medieval times, because Kings and Caliphs used them as their bankers.

Still, the original teaching is that all interest on loans is usury.

Interest-free loans are impractical and incredibly risky in most situations. The point of interest is that it serves to incentive people to pay back their loans more quickly.

If you do away with interest, then the only people who can borrow money will be very creditworthy people with readily available collateral, which is an incredibly small number of people. The majority of people and businesses would be locked out of this and it would be difficult for businesses to grow beyond their immediate communities.

Not if you nationalize Finance and change the tax system in general (Social Credit).

[Hanafuridake]

The crime of rape should be punished with forced sterilization at the very least, or possibly castration.

Why are you so obsessed with sterilization? You've brought it up so many times I can't keep track.

[Temple State]

Now. Ask about that a couple hundred years ago.


Sure, and that’s fine. That’s a fair rebuttal. But he’s invoking them as if they were gods.

It's almost as if Christianity modernized or something.

Unfortunately. We need a new Urban II.

[Bear Stearns]

A growing concern of mine is the decline of publicly-traded companies in the United States (home of the only public equity market that actually matters). The stock market is essentially what allows common people to get in on the game and makes owning capital a much more democratic and transparent process. Anyone with at least $10 or so can buy a public stock.

But in private companies, equity investments are basically closed to everyone but the owners and special investment firms (called private equity firms), which is a much smaller pool of people, who are overwhelmingly wealthy and interconnected. Common people are shut out from being able invest (unless they do so indirectly, such as through a pension fund or retirement account that can invest in private equity).

Why do you want small investors to get in on a Ponzi scheme? To scam them because they are at the bottom? The last to find out about where the Leprechaun is will never find the end of the rainbow. Some Plutocrat wrote the map to the "X" just be a wild goose chase really, and to collect their tiny hard-earned money.

I want small investors in on the game because it is a way to provide financial security. If instead of making frivolous purchases, people set a little bit of money aside to invest an index fund or stable, growing company, it would do wonders for both them and the economy. It would also help keep the financial industry more open to the public rather than dominated by a cabal of insiders like it was in the Gilded Age.

[Nova Cyberia]

Demons are fun though. I know a few.

I thought you were a demon...

States are products of their societies.

Much like religions.

Religions don't really exist anymore without people to believe in them. If the people who believe in the religion modernize then the religion itself has modernized.

[Bear Stearns]

Interest-free loans are impractical and incredibly risky in most situations. The point of interest is that it serves to incentive people to pay back their loans more quickly.

If you do away with interest, then the only people who can borrow money will be very creditworthy people with readily available collateral, which is an incredibly small number of people. The majority of people and businesses would be locked out of this and it would be difficult for businesses to grow beyond their immediate communities.

Not if you nationalize Finance and change the tax system in general (Social Credit).

So now you're socializing financial risk to the people? Why should taxpayers be on the hook because a government lender made a big fuck up?

[Hanafuridake]

States are products of their societies.

Much like religions.

I don't think anyone disputes this.

[Kowani]

I thought you were a demon...


Much like religions.

Religions don't really exist anymore without people to believe in them. If the people who believe in the religion modernize then the religion itself has modernized.

Define “exist.”

[Diopolis]

Not if you nationalize Finance and change the tax system in general (Social Credit).

So now you're socializing financial risk to the people? Why should taxpayers be on the hook because a government lender made a big fuck up?

I mean, they kind of already are.

[Temple State]

Interest-free loans are impractical and incredibly risky in most situations. The point of interest is that it serves to incentive people to pay back their loans more quickly.

If you do away with interest, then the only people who can borrow money will be very creditworthy people with readily available collateral, which is an incredibly small number of people. The majority of people and businesses would be locked out of this and it would be difficult for businesses to grow beyond their immediate communities.

Take this with the caveat that I do not fully understand the RCC doctrine on usury, but there are allowances for things like the opportunity costs of not having the money and the risks involved in lending it, though there is still a ban on using interest to make a profit. Temple does not understand Catholic doctrine very well.

Neither do you then. Fact: RCC doctrine has changed. Especially since the 60's.

[Bienenhalde]

The crime of rape should be punished with forced sterilization at the very least, or possibly castration.

Why are you so obsessed with sterilization? You've brought it up so many times I can't keep track.

It prevents overpopulation and also can be used as a form of punishment. Although if someone actually wants to be sterilized, then there are other punishments that could be applied, such as castration.

[Kowani]

It's almost as if Christianity modernized or something.

Unfortunately. We need a new Urban II.

Fuck that noise.

[Duvniask]

The question I was responding to was asking why Christians should abandon the Old Testament; my response being that it is explicitly genocidal.

I am not sure what you are talking about, besides Nazi Germany also advocated Christians abandoning the Old Testament. Are you suggesting the Nazis had better theology than ordinary Christians? Are you making this stuff up because you are anti-Jewish?

This has to be one of the worst takes I've ever encountered on this site. Hitler loved his dog too, so therefore I take it dogs are bad, or something.

This is the sort of thing I am talking about.

[Temple State]

Why do you want small investors to get in on a Ponzi scheme? To scam them because they are at the bottom? The last to find out about where the Leprechaun is will never find the end of the rainbow. Some Plutocrat wrote the map to the "X" just be a wild goose chase really, and to collect their tiny hard-earned money.

I want small investors in on the game because it is a way to provide financial security. If instead of making frivolous purchases, people set a little bit of money aside to invest an index fund or stable, growing company, it would do wonders for both them and the economy. It would also help keep the financial industry more open to the public rather than dominated by a cabal of insiders like it was in the Gilded Age.

I am pro-feudalism. But there is a stereotypical "bad feudalism" of Lords who did not care at all about their subjects. Neo-Liberalism and Financial Capitalism is like a revival of that stereotype.

[Crysuko]

Not if you nationalize Finance and change the tax system in general (Social Credit).

So now you're socializing financial risk to the people? Why should taxpayers be on the hook because a government lender made a big fuck up?

A: biiiiiiig incentive to not fuck up
B: they get their ass kicked by the taxpayers if they do
C: greater motivation to remove and replace incompetent politicians in that area

[Diopolis]

Take this with the caveat that I do not fully understand the RCC doctrine on usury, but there are allowances for things like the opportunity costs of not having the money and the risks involved in lending it, though there is still a ban on using interest to make a profit. Temple does not understand Catholic doctrine very well.

Neither do you then.

Where'd you get that idea, the first sentence in my post?

Fact: RCC doctrine has changed. Especially since the 60's.

So you aren't a trad-Catholic?

[Nova Cyberia]

Religions don't really exist anymore without people to believe in them. If the people who believe in the religion modernize then the religion itself has modernized.

Define “exist.”

Maybe "alive" would be a better word. Religions only matter if there are people who still believe in them.