GOP Wins the Contest for Number of God References in their Platform

[bobabode]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

What's that have to do with anything? I was referring to the political tool that the right uses with such skill and success.

It frustrates them when they whine about America drifting from Christianity and I look them in the eye and say, "Yeah, so?". Especially when I describe the decline of churches as a function of the free market.

Dave

(wince) well said!

[bobabode]

Originally Posted by painter

How about your wallet? Anyone wishing to eliminate "In God We Trust" from your life? Please donate your cash to the Disabled Vets. Thanks!

Maybe I'm reading too much into this but it appears to be little more than a crass attempt at humor pointed at any non christian or any who think that there is and should be a wall between church and state with a little zinger at the end regarding caring for disabled vets? Since you brought it up, how is that constructively and/or respectfully voicing your opinion?

As ye sow, so shall ye reap.


I hope that you don't think this country is an exclusively a Christian nation, do you?

[merrylander]

I left the church because I got tired of being told I was guilty. Guilty of what? Jesus said God is our father. Well I am a father but I never laid a guilt trip on our Son. You love your children, so sometimes thay might disappoint you, but you don't stop loving them. He also told us to love our neighbours as ourselves. Well If I don't love myself I sure as hell can't love anyone else. Sure there are a few warts, but she loves me so there must be some good in me, and she is my life. So we both sort of said bye, shook the dust from our sandles so to speak, and try to live our lives quietly and decently.

[merrylander]

Well I guess this thread is now closed.

[bobabode]

Originally Posted by merrylander

Well I guess this thread is now closed.

Don't forget to turn out the lights.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by merrylander

Well I guess this thread is now closed.

How 'bout we start talking about the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster?

Any Pastafarians out there? I suspect we have at least one Bokononist.

John

[Rex E.]

Originally Posted by Boreas

How 'bout we start talking about the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster?

Any Pastafarians out there? I suspect we have at least one Bokononist.

John

Would this religion involve smokin' spliffs and eating noodles?

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by Rex E.

Would this religion involve smokin' spliffs and eating noodles?

[merrylander]

I realize that some of you find religion a hoax, and certainly most of the organized ones fall into that category.

That said, when I consider how Florence and I met in the Blizzard of 83, carried on a romance separated by over 500 miles, how a job offer and the attendant H1B visa materialized, along with the possibility of taking early retirement from a job that was getting boring, I simply feel there was a heck of a lot more than coincidence in it. When her lymph glands swole so terribly and they were thinking - cancer, and she wanted me not to come. I said I was coming for the 3 or 5 years we might have. I found myself on my knees in a little church asking Him to intervene. Well the swelling went away and so far we have had the 29 happiest years of our lives and looking forward to more. So maybe it was all just co-incidence, but you will never convince us.

[Boreas]

Rob, the best way to describe my feelings about a "higher power" is that I remain unconvinced. We all have experiences in our lives that urge us toward the conclusion that there muse be someone or something "in charge" but the world is full of things and events that lead us to the opposite conclusion. I just don't know.

What I do know, without the slightest shadow of a doubt, is that organized religion and sectarianism is, on balance, far from being a net positive in the world. It leads to all manner of hideous outcomes and phenomena. In fact, some of what leads me toward the conclusion that there is no god derive from religion itself. No just or merciful god, capable of controlling events to the greatest or smallest degree, would allow the terrible things we see every day to be done in his name.

This is not to deny the miracle of your wonderful partnership with Florence, Rob. It's just that, for me, the agency of that miracle is open to serious question.

John