Justine Larbalestier

reading, writing, eating, drinking, sport

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Best post of all time

Scalzi finally went to the Creation Museum. His report is now my favourite thing in the whole world.1 Read it and weep. Or just look at the pictures.

  1. Other than daylight saving, mangosteens, sleeping in, peanut butter gelato, lentils, Jasper Hill wines, the books of Dorothy Dunnett and Angela Carter and Raymond Chandler and Margaret Mahey and a million other geniuses, and, really if I keep this up this will be the longest footnote of all time. In short: I have many favourite things. [↩]

Posted by Justine at 11:39, 12 November 2007 under Bloggery | 31 Comments »

Comments

  1. Patrick, The Space Lord Says:

    Sleeping in peanut butter gelato? That seems better than a sleep number comfort select bed.

    November 12th, 2007 at 1:23 PM

  2. 2. Justine Says:

    Patrick: That is why punctuation is important you deliberate-ignorer-of-commas you!

    November 12th, 2007 at 1:25 PM

  3. Patrick, The Space Lord Says:

    darn my speed/skim reading habits…

    so, you don’t sleep in peanut butter gelato? have you at least tried?

    November 12th, 2007 at 1:33 PM

  4. Lydia Says:

    I was wondering if you realize how offensive this article could come across to some people.

    As a Christian and some one who has been looking forward to the opening of the Creation Museum, I find the article and the way it is written extremely offensive. Did this gentelman take the time to read the information given? Why does he so easily believe that the science presented in the museum is wrong? Yes it is based off a belief that the Bible is true, however there is a lot of science to back up many of the truths given in the Bible.

    He mentions the Scopes Monkey trial section… did he mention the fact that everything used during that trial has now also been disproven not only by Creationist but Evolutionist as well?

    Any way. Just thought you might like to know some people who regularly read your blog don’t find this article all that funny.

    November 12th, 2007 at 1:50 PM

  5. 5. Justine Says:

    Lydia: If I wrote my posts keeping in mind who might possibly be offended then I would stop blogging altogether. My intention is never to offend.

    I’m sure I have many readers who don’t find all the things funny that I find funny. The world is a big and complicated place. One of the many things I love about it is all that rich diversity of opinion.

    November 12th, 2007 at 1:58 PM

  6. Lydia Says:

    I understand that and I know you don’t purposley intend to be offensive. However, the way in which the article is presented, is to some, and I guess I would have appreciated some kind of note in that direction in your giving the link.

    I respect the right for people to have their own thoughts and opinions, yet when something like that article can be so readily offensive, I think a comment giving a warning/note to that would be appreciated.

    November 12th, 2007 at 2:32 PM

  7. Rebecca Says:

    i happen to find the creation museum rather offensive.

    john scalzi is the height of hilarity. he makes me laugh when otherwise i’d scream.

    November 12th, 2007 at 2:40 PM

  8. 8. Justine Says:

    Lydia: I’m not going to put warning labels on everything I post. There are too many people in the world offended by too many things. It’s not my job to second guess what might offend them.

    The world is full of people who do not believe the same things as me. I accepted a long time ago that I would sometimes comes across books/movies/online posts that I find offensive. My response is to stop reading, change the channel, or walk out of the cinema. If I’m spitting-chips offended than I write a post about it. Or rant to my friends.

    November 12th, 2007 at 2:41 PM

  9. Patrick, The Space Lord Says:

    does that mean the flying spaghetti monster is offensive, too?

    November 12th, 2007 at 3:07 PM

  10. Lauren Says:

    When the exercise of logical reasoning offends you, Lydia, it’s time to rethink your worldview.

    November 12th, 2007 at 4:37 PM

  11. Patrick, The Space Lord Says:

    Now, see lauren, that’s just not acceptable. lydia seems like a very nice person. she just has a view of the world that is different than yours.

    Now, if someone was saying bad things about the New England Patriots, I might be just as offended as Lydia is. wait, no, probably not, but still.

    I want to use the word ‘harken’ somewhere. I think it would be appropriate here, but I’m not sure what it means.

    November 12th, 2007 at 4:49 PM

  12. Lydia Says:

    Thanks Patrick. I’m not trying to say that Justine or Scalzi don’t have a right to their opinion… they do.

    It was the way it was presented that to me, was a bit grating. I know that people disagree with creationsim/christianity … it just upsets me sometimes the way in which people “make fun” of what we believe. (again not saying that any one here is doing that… I just felt that the article was written a bit in that manner)

    November 12th, 2007 at 5:32 PM

  13. 13. Justine Says:

    Lydia: People and their various beliefs are mocked all the time. I don’t think I’ve ever gone a day without being mocked. (Serves me right coming from a mocking family and then marrying the mockingest man of all time.) I think the best way to deal with having yourself or your beliefs mocked is to not take it personally.

    I don’t think there’s anything in the world that shouldn’t be mocked. Personally it helps me to make fun of things and to be mocked. Even serious things like death and religion. Maybe especially serious things.

    November 12th, 2007 at 6:04 PM

  14. lili Says:

    i’m an atheist, and i have to say that i’m offended by stuff presented to me all the time. i’m offended by the reaction of the christian right to philip pullman’s novels (particularly the claim that the books feature female circumcision, which is an out-and-out lie). i’m offended by people with agendas trying to push for creationism to be taught in public schools – in SCIENCE class. i’m offended by the fact that people of religion feel they can disparage my lack of belief, but whenever i say anything against their beliefs i am being intolerant. i’m offended by the creationism museum – although i also think it’s pretty funny.

    i would like to hope that, even if there isn’t the freedom to believe (or not to believe) all over the world, that freedom exists on justine’s blog. and that freedom includes the right to make fun of what we find funny. it also includes the freedom to be offended – but that should never restrict what people feel they can or cannot say.

    lydia, i appreciate that you were offended. but try to imagine how you would feel if one of us (let’s say me because i don’t want to presume for anyone else) wandered over to your blog (if you have one) and started going on about how i think the idea of a christian god is ridiculous and we were offended that you believe in him? you would be offended, yes?

    try looking at it from both sides of the coin. people who don’t believe have just as much a right to express that as you do to believe. they have just as much a right to express their opinions.

    and if you really are offended – don’t read it.

    November 12th, 2007 at 6:07 PM

  15. Chris S. Says:

    I’ve been waiting for Scalzi’s post on the subject – and I wasn’t disappointed. The photos and captions were especially hilarious.

    November 12th, 2007 at 6:13 PM

  16. doselle young Says:

    As a dyed-in the wool atheist*, I’m pretty much offended that the creationist ‘museum’ exists at all, so i think the good humor and general kind heart with which scalzi approached his piece was commendable, to say the least.

    From where I sit (no doubt in the fires of hell), the entire notion of creationism is an affront to the intellectual history of homo sapiens as a species. to encourage anyone to eschew scientific inquiry in favor of “Because God did it” seems about as kind, useful and forward thing as stapling their eyes shut and pouring wax down their ears.

    please note that I only wax histrionic because I love.

    D

    *[I know 'agnostic' is the preferred term these days, but I'm a gambling man and I'm willing to bet that, even if an imaginary super-being did go about creating this wonderful, inspiring universe of ours, the chances said super-being would even vaguely resemble the unimaginative, manipulative, double-dealing sadistic myth appropriating God of the Hebrews is so small as to be beneath my consideration. when it comes to deities, Ganesh and Buddha rock so much harder it isn't even funny. superman and thor are pretty cool, too, and their comics are, like, still coming out.]

    November 12th, 2007 at 6:13 PM

  17. Lydia Says:

    Hmm.

    My puropse in my first comment was simply to state that I felt the content of said article was offensive and that I wish there had been some note to that in the original post. I understand Justine’s POV and why she isn’t doing that.

    I’m not trying to convince anyone of what I think. Just trying to point out how that article could be taken by some. i enjoy reading justine’s blog and I know she and I have a very different worldview. I guess the shock of that article made me want to step up and say something.

    Nor am i trying to knock down free speech or the freedom to mock things. I suppose as a Christian I have never felt it right to mock religious things, so when I saw that, i didn’t like it or the way it was presented.

    and lili, i think we both feel offended in similar ways.

    “” i’m offended by the fact that people of religion feel they can disparage my lack of belief, but whenever i say anything against their beliefs i am being intolerant.”"”

    replace religion with “secular” and take out my belief, and I feel the same way.
    I’m not trying to turn this into an argument over who is right or wrong, or who should be offended and who isn’t. I think I just wanted to make a general statement saying I disagreed with what he was saying and it offended me. Just as on my blog I’m careful what I say because I don’t want to offend my “non-christian” friends. (again not trying to say that justine should do that…just saying that’s what i do)

    November 12th, 2007 at 6:37 PM

  18. 18. Justine Says:

    Lydia: I guess what I’m puzzled by is why you feel free to tell me to put warnings on the posts on my blog. It would never occur to me to ask anyone to do that for me. And, I’ll admit, I found it a little rude.

    Likewise if I were to go to your blog and demand that you warn me when you link to something I might find offensive. I’d think that was rude too.

    Obviously, it’s very considerate of you to go out of you way not to offend your non-Christian friends on your blog. I go out of my way not to swear on my blog for similar reasons.

    But that’s my decision as it is yours. I do not tell people how to run their own blog which is what I read you as doing here.

    I have no problem with people disagreeing with me (or mocking me even). I’m happy for Christians, atheists, Muslims, Jews, Wicca or practioners of any other belief systems to comment here. In fact, I’m delighted with how civil this exchange is (passionate but civil). If I’d thought your comments were out of line or in any way troll-y I’d delete them. It’s not a total democracy. :-)

    November 12th, 2007 at 6:58 PM

  19. Lydia Says:

    Justine… you’re right, and I’m sure I could have pointed out my disagreement with the article in a different way. I really didn’t want to try and come across as telling you (or anyone else) what to do or how to write their blog.

    I appreciate you letting me say what I think and in turn discuss it with others. Even if i’m not always sure how to say it.
    :-)

    November 12th, 2007 at 7:10 PM

  20. 20. Justine Says:

    Lydia: No worries! It’s much more useful to talk about this stuff then to shout at one another.

    November 12th, 2007 at 7:12 PM

  21. Patrick, The Space Lord Says:

    how can we shout without caps?

    November 12th, 2007 at 9:54 PM

  22. niki Says:

    ah ha! now you understand patrick why there are no caps ;)

    November 12th, 2007 at 10:27 PM

  23. doselle young Says:

    shout! shout! let it all out!

    ok. apologies for the lame ‘tears for fears’ reference. i’m ancient and its been a long day navigating the lameness that is sprint customer service. did get myself a free copy of michael moorcock’s ‘the cornelius quartet’ though, which makes me rather happy.

    looking forward to sipping brandy and reading moorcocks drug fueled hilarity well into the wee hours.

    bliss.

    ancient d

    November 12th, 2007 at 11:11 PM

  24. Lissa Says:

    well, justine, thank you *very* much for the link the scalzi’s article and photoblog! i found it full of hilarity and despair-making at the same time.

    i’ve also enjoyed reading the comments to this post.

    November 12th, 2007 at 11:35 PM

  25. Lizzy-wa Says:

    whose Scalzi?

    -Lizzy-wa OUT! :?

    November 13th, 2007 at 1:44 AM

  26. marrije Says:

    scalzi’s post is, indeed, the best post of all time. and I think i’d really enjoy doselle young’s blog if there was one…

    November 13th, 2007 at 4:38 AM

  27. liliya Says:

    lili – do people really claim the Pullman books have female circumcision in them? Where? my mind is boggling

    November 13th, 2007 at 4:53 AM

  28. 28. Justine Says:

    Niki: You understand completely!

    November 13th, 2007 at 12:19 PM

  29. Patrick, The Space Lord Says:

    I fail to believe that anyone understands patrick now.

    I swear I am not comma skipping again…

    November 13th, 2007 at 8:19 PM

  30. Patrick, The Space Lord Says:

    who’s Scalzi? A guy who writes about 75 year old green men. and fart jokes.

    November 13th, 2007 at 8:20 PM

  31. marie Says:

    Ha! I found this hilarious, even though I am a Christian. Surprisingly fitting as well, because in school chapel our science teachers were talking about creation in terms of the Christian God. (Funner than it sounds) Basically, the Bible is only telling us the who (God made us) and why we were made.

    The Bible definitely has truth but, as said in the post, not necessarily literal.

    November 15th, 2007 at 9:20 PM

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