My daughter says ..

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by merrylander

Umm, has he looked at many of the GOP folks in congress, if lard was brains they would be geniuses, or is it genii.

With an intellect like that I doubt he will make it past 50.

Oh, I know. It was one of the most absurd things I have ever read. As if all conservatives are health nuts and body builders and all liberals are Cheeseburger eating alcoholic smokers with a body fat content of 75%? When one gets into discussions with folks from the far, far right, one learns just how paranoid and simpleminded they really are. It really can destroy your faith in humanity. I told this kid he should "go live with a troop of Baboons" if that was his mentality.

Dave

[noonereal]

Originally Posted by finnbow

Here's an interesting graphic:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/04/op...ml?ref=opinion

" Gallup surveyed people in more than 100 countries in 2009 and found that religiosity was highly correlated to poverty."

They needed a survey for this?

[BlueStreak]

Right, because religion is often used to deter "wealth redistribution". It is "immoral" to expect the rich to pay higher taxes, it is "immoral" to expect a living wage, "immoral" to expect decent benefits, etc., etc. And the more Orthodox the social climate the deeper the poverty and disparity between rich and poor. I certainly don't believe this is the only factor that determines a nations poverty level, but I do believe it is a factor. But, then, I personally see organized religion simply as another form of government. If I didn't see it that way, then I wouldn't see the connection, I guess?

Dave

[d-ray657]

Correlation is not necessarily causation. I think you asked some pretty good questions about causation, Dave. Some would use the chart to show that Christianity causes wealth. I visited those evangelical churches a couple of times with my wife several years ago. They were really pushing the idea that faith (particularly tithing) would lead to prosperity. It has certainly lead to the prosperity of some televangelists, but the grasp for wealth has also lead to some significantly immoral practices (not just by televangelists), as well.

There was a phenomenon around the time of John Wesley's initiation of the Methodist church when practicing Methodists were prospering. Most gave the credit to leading the disciplined lifestyle that Wesley taught, which makes perfect sense to me.

Regards,

D-Ray

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

Oh, I know. It was one of the most absurd things I have ever read. As if all conservatives are health nuts and body builders and all liberals are Cheeseburger eating alcoholic smokers with a body fat content of 75%? When one gets into discussions with folks from the far, far right, one learns just how paranoid and simpleminded they really are. It really can destroy your faith in humanity. I told this kid he should "go live with a troop of Baboons" if that was his mentality.

Dave

You should tell him theat you know a left leaning conservative who is pushing 80 who does not take any prescription drugs.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by merrylander

You should tell him theat you know a left leaning conservative who is pushing 80 who does not take any prescription drugs.

That's simply un-American. 17% of the American economy demands your support.

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by finnbow

That's simply un-American. 17% of the American economy demands your support.

Yeah, get sick you old fart. We can't make any money off of people like you.

Dave

[merrylander]

That is not what our checkbook says what with $10,000 a year going out the door for health insurance.

Imagine if we had Single Payer where it only cost me 0.8% of my taxable income and in Ontario $54/month for the family plan, what all the extra cash could do for the economy.

[noonereal]

Originally Posted by merrylander

That is not what our checkbook says what with $10,000 a year going out the door for health insurance.

Imagine if we had Single Payer where it only cost me 0.8% of my taxable income and in Ontario $54/month for the family plan, what all the extra cash could do for the economy.

"Single Payer" is nothing but code for communist. We all know this.

[finnbow]

I think this was the "Are we a Christian nation?" thread.

It seems Michael Gerson (former speechwriter for Dubya for 6 years) helps answer this with an emphatic no.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...d=opinionsbox1