Reply to: only in the US

[Board Game Geek]

Christian often perform a ritual at meals times (saying grace), perhaps these derive from shamanistic dirges.

Ohhh good point !

I'd never thought of it like that, but since Xianity nicked a lot of stuff from the previous belief systems, it wouldn't suprise me if indeed your comment had an element of truth behind it.

Awarded +1 Point for most thought-provoking post of the day

[TimberWolf]

Does that mean that next time I go for a KFC, I've got to deck myself in warpaint and stomp around the restaurant chanting shamanistic dirges, just so I can get my 3 piece Colonel's meal (with beans) ?

Oh well, if it makes you feel better, I'm all for it.

Christian often perform a ritual at meals times (saying grace), perhaps these derive from shamanistic dirges.

[Board Game Geek]

If you watch natural history programmes, you'll often see hunter gathers perform quite elaborate rituals in respect for the animals they kill.

Does that mean that next time I go for a KFC, I've got to deck myself in warpaint and stomp around the restaurant chanting shamanistic dirges, just so I can get my 3 piece Colonel's meal (with beans) ?

Oh well, if it makes you feel better, I'm all for it.

[TimberWolf]

What, like cats and killer whales do. Quite naturally.

Indeed, it is natural behaviour for a cat to torture animals. Hyenas will also eat an animal while it is still alive (unlike the big cats, I believe). We don't base our morals on cat behaviour though.

Ah the Noble Savage at One with the Environment. Bit of a myth that one.

If you watch natural history programmes, you'll often see hunter gathers perform quite elaborate rituals in respect for the animals they kill. I've not seen them kill and torture animals just for fun.

[NotAllThere]

... It's a perversion of nature for man to enjoy killing an maiming animals for fun.

What, like cats and killer whales do. Quite naturally.

... Hunter-gatherers often show great respect for the animals they kill for food, and don't do it simply for the thrill of the killing. ...

Ah the Noble Savage at One with the Environment. Bit of a myth that one.

[TimberWolf]

If I emigrated to US I'd be straight down the gun shop.

I suspect I would too, to protect myself from people with guns.

[TimberWolf]

Think shotguns are used for hunting birds, which are very hard to hit with a single gun. Finding one on a farm would hardly be cause for concern.

It's the sadistic nature of this 'sport' that concerns me. It's a perversion of nature for man to enjoy killing an maiming animals for fun. Hunter-gatherers often show great respect for the animals they kill for food, and don't do it simply for the thrill of the killing. It would be no better (though more skilful) if it were done with cross-bows or bare hands.

[tay]

If the govt was serious about cutting back knife crime (scuse the pun) , then they would allow thigs to won handguns. Problem solved.



The rate of gun crime would go up, but that wasnt an election promise.

[ace00]

If I emigrated to US I'd be straight down the gun shop.

[d000hg]

Yes.

Their primary purpose appears to be to kill or main animals for fun, so why not make it difficult for these kind of people to carry out their sadistic sport?

Think shotguns are used for hunting birds, which are very hard to hit with a single gun. Finding one on a farm would hardly be cause for concern.

[TimberWolf]

Handguns were legal in this country but Labour banned them in 1997 - illegal gun crime only went on the up.

This is news to me.

I did not avoid anything.

[re: squirrel retribution on witnessing squirrel molestation] Quite right, I see you did, my mistake.

I don't think UK is going to have proper handgun ownership anytime soon, it does not matter that much to me, if it did I'd probably move to another country.

Yep, there are still plenty of uncivilised parts of the world that allow someone to deal out personal justice. We don't want that here though, I hope.

[TimberWolf]

So let's ban shotguns shall we ?

Yes.

Their primary purpose appears to be to kill or main animals for fun, so why not make it difficult for these kind of people to carry out their sadistic sport?

[Advocate]

By the same logic, a shotgun is a tool to kill people and animals, unlike a fist which is simply a tool than CAN be used to kill someone.

So let's ban shotguns shall we ?

My point was that a shotgun can be used as a hunting tool or as an offensive weapon. I don't believe handguns have an alternative purpose*... (I'm not a gun expert so am prepared to be proved wrong)


*I'm not including target shooting as an alternative purpose.

[expat]

My point was that in owning a gun your chances of being shot and killed are higher (quite often by a relative) in the US than if you didn't have a gun.

Or by yourself. Quite so.

[Board Game Geek]

Once you've worked that out (a hangun is a tool to kill people, unlike for example a shotgun which is simply a tool that CAN be used to kill someone)
you realise why the the banning of handguns was to restrict their availability. It now makes it fairly easy to say (in most cases) "if you have a handgun, you are a criminal"

By the same logic, a shotgun is a tool to kill people and animals, unlike a fist which is simply a tool than CAN be used to kill someone.

So let's ban shotguns shall we ?