For a self-proclaimed freethinker, Bill Branyon certainly seems unable to form his own philosophy [“We Still Cogitate,” March 9 Xpress]. He criticizes right-wing Christians while lauding the belifs (or non-beliefs) of Socrates, Nietzsche, Vonnegut, Ghandi and Marx … uh, that's Groucho Marx. Branyon and most fundamentalist hypo-Christians could still learn a bit from the teachings of Jesus the man, if he is God or not. But fear not, Mr. Branyon, I got the true point of your argumentative message. You want to disseminate truth and righteousness — at $14.92 a copy.
— Sidney Nemms
Arden
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Right on, Mr. Nemms!
ORIGINAL TEXT:For a self-proclaimed free thinker, Bill Branyon certainly seems unable to form his own philosophy. He criticizes right-wing Christians while lauding the belifs (or non-beliefs) of Socrates, Nietzsche, Vonnegut, Ghandi, and Marx….uh, that’s GROUCHO Marx. Branyon and most fundamentalist Hypochristians could still learn a bit from the teachings of Jesus the man, be him God or not. But fear not, Mr. Branyon, I got the true point of your argumetative message. You want to disseminate truth and righteousness…at $14.92 a copy. You and Billy Graham have much more in common than you think.
You mean Mr. Branyon is (gasp!) a capitalist?
Not so fast, Paul! I’ve got no problem with capitalism…it was the veiled book-plugging in the commentary that I was criticizing. The “don’t buy their dogma, buy mine, I’m right!” thing.
I honestly think that one cannot ridicule a given religion or sweeping philosophy (even nihilism and atheism) without ridiculing them all.
Mr Nems your article is precisely the point I make in my book, and I think in the op-ed: that Jesus is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, of all philosophers regardless of whether he was supernatural or not. In fact, I believe I worship Jesus more than those who think him divine because I don’t need to put him on divinity steroids to worship him. His philosophy is good enough in itself.
Of course I’m a captitalist TallPaul. But also a socialist, libertarian and anarchist. I’m not a fundamentalist anything. Whatever works best in a given situation, that’s what we should go with. My dogam is anti-dogma: a treatise on how to avoid dogma — whether it is religious, political or economic.
Darnit, Bill, now I’m diggin’ you!…that comment’s making me feel all guilty for poking at your article. And I’d actually resolved not to drink today. Welp, Cheers!