I first signed in here years ago and participated on and off for about two years or so. Haven’t been back since 2008. I felt some leanings toward the classical Deism of America’s so-called Founding Fathers at the time, but am truly more of an agnostic. I felt that if someone followed some religion or other and the result was that they were a good person, good enough.
But things lately are getting worse and worse. Republicans have taken over Congress and are determined to push the agendas of Christian bigotry and destructive Capitalism. I now see people who are religious but “good" in the same light I see slave owners who treated their slaves well. They’re still slave owners.
I knew an Engineer who had a sign in his cubicle that read “Ignorance can be fixed. Stupid is forever." Unfortunately it seems too many Americans are not only ignorant, but proud of their ignorance. So proud that I am not sure it can be fixed.
Anyway, I’ll step down off my soapbox and just say that I will start checking in here again from time to time and perhaps engage in the occasional discussion based on reality instead of mythology.
I first signed in here years ago and participated on and off for about two years or so. Haven’t been back since 2008. I felt some leanings toward the classical Deism of America’s so-called Founding Fathers at the time, but am truly more of an agnostic. I felt that if someone followed some religion or other and the result was that they were a good person, good enough. But things lately are getting worse and worse. Republicans have taken over Congress and are determined to push the agendas of Christian bigotry and destructive Capitalism. I now see people who are religious but “good" in the same light I see slave owners who treated their slaves well. They’re still slave owners. I knew an Engineer who had a sign in his cubicle that read “Ignorance can be fixed. Stupid is forever." Unfortunately it seems too many Americans are not only ignorant, but proud of their ignorance. So proud that I am not sure it can be fixed. Anyway, I’ll step down off my soapbox and just say that I will start checking in here again from time to time and perhaps engage in the occasional discussion based on reality instead of mythology.Welcome back. Lois
Good to have you back, PaineMan. People being proud of their ignorance is one of my pet peeves, so we have that in common.
ignorance is one of my pet peevesAnd I suppose that is one of the main reasons I have returned here. It's difficult, if not impossible, to find someone in my daily life with whom I can have an intelligent discussion about so many things that are currently "hot topics". Although my wife knows my views, she was raised a Roman Catholic, she has an uncle who is a Jesuit Priest and an older sister who works in a church ministry. Her fear of letting go is a combination of the traditional instillation of Catholic guilt into her psyche and the fear of upsetting her family. Our neighbors all pretty much have that good ole fear of God and at work... Well in the environment of the business world you are either a proud and ignorant Obama bashing supporter of the Republican Party or you're a Left Wing Liberal Communist Satan worshiper (which I resent because I don't worship Satan). And after only a few days, I feel better already.
You need support, that's all. You probably will not be able to convince your wife to change but there are strategies for living with such a person. Loisignorance is one of my pet peevesAnd I suppose that is one of the main reasons I have returned here. It's difficult, if not impossible, to find someone in my daily life with whom I can have an intelligent discussion about so many things that are currently "hot topics". Although my wife knows my views, she was raised a Roman Catholic, she has an uncle who is a Jesuit Priest and an older sister who works in a church ministry. Her fear of letting go is a combination of the traditional instillation of Catholic guilt into her psyche and the fear of upsetting her family. Our neighbors all pretty much have that good ole fear of God and at work... Well in the environment of the business world you are either a proud and ignorant Obama bashing supporter of the Republican Party or you're a Left Wing Liberal Communist Satan worshiper (which I resent because I don't worship Satan). And after only a few days, I feel better already.
It’s not as bad as all that. She’s not some nut case who believes in, say, Creationism so its not like we can’t discuss evolution or the cosmos. She even watched Religulous with me. And we’re on the same side when it comes to most political topics (same sex marriage and such). I’m just a little too radical for her comfort, like she’s always looking over her shoulder to insure she doesn’t offend her parents or other family members of that generation. In our house, it is free speech. It’s outside that I have to watch what I say and to whom.
I first signed in here years ago and participated on and off for about two years or so. Haven’t been back since 2008. I felt some leanings toward the classical Deism of America’s so-called Founding Fathers at the time, but am truly more of an agnostic. I felt that if someone followed some religion or other and the result was that they were a good person, good enough....I feel that we're all much more influential than we would like to admit. Unfortunately our societal structure is a pyramid type, and it's easier to control ignorant masses, as you can propagate segregation in order to promote one group to blame another group, as the wedge between rich and poor grows. This hinders the masses from uniting and obtaining real power over those in control. If we fail to educate the masses, particularly on the dangers of segregational belief ie religion, sexism, racism, etc. we will never achieve anything close to world peace, or world unification. I don't believe there's a secret conspiracy to keep people ignorant. Delusion and denial are easy. No one wants to think about the carnage and genocide it takes to destabilize the middle-east in order to fill up the Hummer, without burdening the wallet. It's easier to fill up, buy a six pack, go home and root for the home team. And as long as people choose to be ignorant, they will always be controlled and propagated into whatever is needed of them. John Lenon was before my time, but I believe he got it right with the song "Imagine." Unfortunately cheap gas, cheap imported products and the like, are not cheap. They are obtained through inhumanities, and I'm sure the war-profiteers prefer the masses to be ignorant, so they're not going to enforce improving critical thinking skills among the masses. An intelligent, self-accountable soldier, teacher, or policeman is of little use to a society that's promoted through perpetual spending. It prefers ignorant, compliant ones.