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gratuitous

(82,849 posts)

18. Once upon a time . . .

Reply to Turbineguy (Reply #2)

Mon Feb 27, 2017, 06:04 PM

Feb 2017

Once upon a time we used to know how to handle the language of myth and legend. But that got to be too weird for some people, so they insisted that these stories had to be literally true. Even though the language of the stories themselves was a dead giveaway that the story was an allegory or a metaphor, some people couldn't quite grasp it.

Think of the character Drax from Guardians of the Galaxy, whose race takes everything literally. When someone declines to explain something to Drax because it would just go over his head, Drax objects, saying that his reflexes are terrific, and nothing would ever go over his head, because he would grab it first. These are the people who can't grasp an allegorical story meant to explain rainbows.

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Bill Nye tours the Ark Encounter [View all] snooper2 Feb 2017 OP

Local newspaper in Iowa running ads for bus trip exboyfil Feb 2017 #1

Does that include an all expense paid voyage with room, meals, amenities and gratuities on the ark? democratisphere Feb 2017 #3

This is a bit like a steak recipe from a confirmed lifelong vegetarian. Turbineguy Feb 2017 #2

Why? Simple: it's not the late Bronze Age anymore . . . hatrack Feb 2017 #4

You know, that's not really the thing. MineralMan Feb 2017 #6

I tend to go with Turbineguy Feb 2017 #29

I wish many WOULD look at it this way ... PsychoBabble Feb 2017 #7

Oh the poor Bible!!! Remember that blasphemy is a victimless crime. nt msanthrope Feb 2017 #11

Once upon a time . . . gratuitous Feb 2017 #18

I think a lot of people worship the book itself Mariana Feb 2017 #20

You can imagine their shock when I tell them Jesus wasn't shadowed by four guys gratuitous Feb 2017 #22

Nye is a better man than me. He has patience that I cannot comprehend. nt LexVegas Feb 2017 #5

Yep! And look how many times he was interrupted! Phentex Feb 2017 #13

Hah, you posted this as I was composing my reply. hunter Feb 2017 #17

I remember a WTF with Marc Maron where he went to the Creationist Museum Kimchijeon Feb 2017 #8

I absolutely love Bill Nye Lotusflower70 Feb 2017 #9

BTW, the county where the "Museum" is located is about to go bankrupt - Ark tax incentives hatrack Feb 2017 #10

Grant County Bayard Feb 2017 #12

I agree, farther east would have helped. Duppers Feb 2017 #27

When's the auction start? miyazaki Feb 2017 #14

Nye's a braver man than I am. hunter Feb 2017 #15

good theater useful to both sides dembotoz Feb 2017 #16

It's like arguing with non-Democrats! Circular logic that gets nowhere! Arghhhh! NurseJackie Feb 2017 #19

Listening to Ken Ham makes my brain hurt Warren DeMontague Feb 2017 #21

How could I have missed that? Maru Kitteh Feb 2017 #24

I was on MIRT, and I got to ban him. Warren DeMontague Feb 2017 #25

Oh man. I am SO jealous. That's a bit of warm sunshine Maru Kitteh Feb 2017 #26

we batted him around a bit, first, like a kitty with a chew toy Warren DeMontague Feb 2017 #28

Think "circus", and then make it float.. and hope nobody pulls the plug on you Warren DeMontague Feb 2017 #23