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Wednesday, June 13, 2012

POLITICS AND RELIGION

POLITICS AND RELIGION


I try to keep politics and religion out of my posts and on my comments to other’s posts.  I have learned that my positions or opinions are not apt to change other people opinions or positions.  Friendly discussions on these matters generally degenerate into full-fledged nasty arguments.  This is just not productive.

In the interests of full disclosure, politically I am generally fiscally conservative and socially liberal.  I do not think that President Obama was the most prepared or experienced person for his position, but I also do not believe he is an evil communist who seeks to become a dictator.  He is a politician.  He is our President.   He does not get my vote, but he deserves and gets my respect.

Religion is an even more personal topic.  I am spiritual.  I believe in a higher power.  I try to be a good person.  I do not wish to tell other people how or whom to worship.

Recently a blogger whom I was following made several political and religious comments.  They were made in a matter-of-fact tone indicating that, of course, every intelligent person reading the post agreed with their positions.  Generally I will not comment on these types of positions with which I do not agree.   I will not stop following someone simply because I disagree with their assertions.  This post was different. 

The tone of this post was elitist and derogatory.   First there was a casual comment equating Mitt Romney with a spoiled brainless rich poor excuse for a human being.  I let that slide.  It’s politics.  I understand.  The next remark in this post was a knock against all religion.  This person declared themselves to be an atheist.  The declaration had the tone that suggested anyone who was not an atheist believed in fairytales and was clearly of lower intelligence to non-believers.

This I could not accept. 

I understand Atheism.  I have my own doubts about the nature and existence of a divine force.  I sometimes wonder if there is in fact a loving God.

If you choose to be an Atheist I understand.   But to proselytize Atheism as if bringing people to your belief in non-belief will somehow make their life better…this I do not accept.

The concept of any religion makes Atheists angry.  Atheists believe in nothing.  They revel in their intellectual non-conformity.  Even the very name of their non- belief system runs counter to the “I before E except after C rule.” 

I wonder why it is so important for these people to convert others to their non- belief.  Atheists love to preach on how many wars have been fought and how much misery there is in the world because of religion.

I point out that it is evil people (probably non-believers) using religion for evil purposes that cause much of the world’s problems.  Evil uses religion; religion does not create the evil.

Religion among other things fills the void of that which science cannot explain.  Apparently Atheists believe that science can or will eventually explain everything about life and our world as we know it.  This will make religion and God obsolete. 

Atheists believe that science can explain everything right down to the very first molecule.

I have to ask:

Where did that first molecule come from?

I did not comment on this person’s post but I no longer am a follow.


I just got this in an e-mail from my college buddy "Fast Freddy."   I think it is appropriate to this post. 






SEMPER FI MARINE

If you don't know GOD, don't make stupid remarks!!!!!!

A United States Marine was taking some college courses
between assignments. He had completed 20 missions in Iraq
and Afghanistan . One of the courses had a professor who
was an avowed atheist, and a member of the ACLU.

One day the professor shocked the class when he came in.
He looked to the ceiling and flatly stated, "GOD, if you are real, then
I want you to knock me off this platform... I'll give you exactly 15 min."

The lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten minutes
went by and the professor proclaimed, "Here I am GOD, I'm still waiting."

It got down to the last couple of minutes when the Marine got
out of his chair, went up to the professor, and hit him;
knocking him off the platform. The professor was out cold.

The Marine went back to his seat and sat there, silently.

The other students were shocked and stunned, and sat there
looking on in silence. The professor eventually came to,
noticeably shaken, looked at the Marine and asked,
"What in the world is the matter with you? Why did you do that?"

The Marine calmly replied,
"GOD was too busy today protecting
soldiers who are protecting your right to say stupid
stuff and act like an idiot. So He sent me."

The classroom erupted in cheers!

13 comments:

  1. Cranky you are correct. I never discuss politics and religion it always escalates to a huge ass fight in my family. My husband is an Atheist but he does not preach - he believes there is no higher being but it is his opinion. I was raised Roman Catholic and do not practice. We struggle each day with what religious beliefs we will raise our daughter with we get shot for it everyday but you know what is is no ones business. I truly enjoy your posts every single day!

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  2. I wrote a big comment about religion before but it upset me, so I'l just say, yes, avoid both topics.

    I am very happy being an atheist. I am very happy for my Hubby to be Catholic. I am very happy for my daughter's tutor to be training as a Deaconess and to talk to us about her religion.

    I just don't want to follow any religion myself and I DO want to have that choice. Without forcing it on anyone else or having anyone force theirs on me. (their and heir are also examples of no I before E)

    And the bit that made me unhappy cos I was describing and remembering in my now deleted comment, I REALLY like eating my dinner without my family screeching at each other about their different beliefs.

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  3. Excellent post! I do write about politics, but as I'm dissatiefied with both parties, I think I offend everyone equally. And I'm always careful to NOT come across as "my way or the highway". You know what they say: "Opinions are like assholes...everybody has one."

    I think religion is much more touchy than politics. I don't understand atheists...feel sorry for them actually. They seem to be very unhappy people, but still, that's their right. What I don't think they understand is that our Constitution guarantees us freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion. I certainly won't push my spirituality on them, but I don't think they should push their atheism off on me. Live and let live, I say.

    Your Semper Fi story....LOVE IT! "There are no atheists in foxholes." ;)

    S

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  4. Lowandslow - You offend me daily...keep it up!

    Cranky

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  5. I, too, am [somewhat] spiritual, have a higher power (who's sometimes capitalized) and try to be a good person. I have a number of friends who claim to have been atheists but have come to believe there is a power greater than themselves. That's pretty good evidence for me.

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  6. Thank you Cranky, you just made my day...with your great post and with the email from your friend. Good show gentlemen!!!

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  7. Cranky, if you exclude religion and politics you have taken the meat out of the meal. Sure, we can all get along better if we didn't invite disagreements. But then, life would be quite dull.

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  8. you know what they say, there are no atheists in foxholes

    There are no atheists in hell either ;)

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  9. Well, I must confess to loving both topics... but now I'm too old in the tooth to want to discuss either with those whose politics are too extreme -- whether to the right or the left-- or those whose religious views are narrow and bigoted.

    I love your picture and your story from the Marine!

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  10. Great post. I also try to avoid politics and religion in my posts, even though I find spirituality an engaging subject--so long as it doesn't infringe on anyone's beliefs. I also loved that last story.

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  11. I always enjoy your posts. Always. And I loved this one, too. And I totally agree how those two topics can sure cause an uproar. There are things I will argue when the opportunity arises, and then there are things that I just won't. I believe everyone has the right to believe or not to believe in a high power. If they do or don't does not affect me, so why argue it? Now, Politics? Well, that does affect me. Sometimes I can get heated about that. That, and abortion. I can get going on that topic, too. But religion? Never. It doesn't affect me what others believe, and every religion has it's good and bad. However, just like the commenter above, I will admit that I don't quite "get" how one can be atheist. When the plane is going down, who do they pray to out of desperation? When their loved one has cancer or is fighting for their life after a traumatic brain injury caused by a car accident...who do they beg to spare their loved one's life? Do atheist's cry out, "Oh God, no...." when they learn of a loved one's sudden death? Or do they just say, "Oh no..." I have never met an atheist and I will admit that I'm a bit curious about them. I respect their non-belief -- I really do -- I just find it very...what's the word....VOID. Yea, I guess that's the word. VOID and EMPTINESS. I just can't imagine having NO belief. NO faith, whatsoever. It hurts my heart just to think of it. But even though I hold that opinion, I would never shun or argue with an atheist about his or her non-beliefs. I really wouldn't. Just as I have Jewish friends, Mormon friends, Christian friends, Catholic friends, and Buddhists friends....I would have an atheist as a friend, too, so long as he or she was a good person. I will say that I'd never knowingly have a Satanic friend. Nope, no way. That's where I draw the line. Because that's just creepy.

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  12. also wonder, what does an atheist say during sex?

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  13. Just as there are conversion zealots in atheism, there are similar zealots in most religions. Missionaries spent years trying to convert savages to Christianity. Perhaps atheists are simply trying to do what religions have done for centuries. The most vocal atheists seem to be most upset when religion becomes a part of public policy. That is why religion and politics should never mix.

    Although not a conversion zealot, I do consider myself an atheist. I have no VOID and EMPTINESS in my life -in fact I think I have a full, wonderful life. Most atheists simply accept the fact that life is full of love and hate, joy and tragedy, good and evil. I have lost loved ones including horrible suffering of cancer. No prayers were said, but kindness and love were given. Direct actions provide more comfort than prayers.

    One does not need a god to be a "good" person. Honor and character have nothing to do with religion. Unfortunately many ascribe those qualities only to those people with religion. There are numerous examples of religious people behaving badly.

    In response to planetdolce: ooo! ahhh!

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