I expect simple behaviours here. Friendship, and love. Any advice should be from the perspective of the person asking, not the person giving! We have had to make new membership moderated to combat the huge number of spammers who register
Location: US/Canada
Registered: September 2009
Messages: 733
This video is getting a huge amount of views and distribution by the 'Christiban fundies' around the United States. Unfortunately, in a series of interviews by major news organisations this past weekend at the "Tea Party" convention, attendees cited this as the gospel that is driving the movement. Sadly, even some mainstream Republicans have indicated that they agree with the sometimes outrageous and twisted political doctrine espoused in the video.
Location: U.S.
Registered: November 2009
Messages: 630
Goodness...after viewing this I guess I better label myself a SOCIALIST. I am overjoyed to find myself in opposition to these people in the video. Thanks for sharing that, Brody.
Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)
I find myself frustrated by the fact that I agree with most of the first half but almost laugh in disagreement at the second half.
Why are both the left and right dominated by radical fundamentalist? :-/
On the left you have environmental radicals that believe in population control to solve the earth's woes.
On the right you have Christian radicals that believe in equally anti-freedom measures.
I just want people to be free and good to each other.
Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway
Location: U.S.
Registered: November 2009
Messages: 630
Unfortunately I believe most of these folks are blinded by their fundamental Christian beliefs, and they aren't alone. When the only book you use to guide your thoughts is several thousand years old you end up with chaos in the modern world...Islam is a prime example.
Anyone who stands in a crowded elevator understands the need for population control...either we fix it or we crash. Overpopulation breeds contempt for human life, my example is China where they place little value on human rights.
As for natural population control, mankind has been solving that issue with the same solution for centuries...it's called war.
Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)
So you think the bible is irrational yet you think that anecdotal evidence about crowded elevators is reason enough for population control?
People in the 70s used to claim that the earth couldn't physically support 4 billion people because of how food was produced. Of course technology has evolved and we can now support a lot more.
Environmentalists in the 70s thought the best solution for overpopulation was mandatory sterilisation. That is FAR more scary than anything I've heard a Christian say recently. The Uganda debacle does get close, though.
Japan is crowded for its size, very crowded but they are no less respectful of human life. China is trying to control its population with the one-child policy- I think that more shows a contempt for human life.
The far right is disgusting, but the far left is just as much so. Both are about oppressing people towards their ideological ends.
Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway
Actually I'd say that capitalism is a much better solution than modern warfare.
Most families in the developed world don't want more than two kids, and a lot of people don't want any kids at all.
Totally different story in the world's most under-developed nations.
Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway
Location: U.S.
Registered: November 2009
Messages: 630
I think that religion has produced most of the misery humans have endured for centuries. One look at the good Catholic families in poor countries overrun with children that the parents cannot afford to feed. What you see is a redistribution of wealth from those of us who care for the kids.
I think in that circumstance if one was to be Catholic the church ought to provide sterilization or condoms (which they will never do). I mean I get it, more kids means more Catholics, but how absurd. See the next paragraph for the real solution:
Unfortunately our food supply is tainted with chemicals, and as our bodies react to that intrusion then we mutate, lose our immunity to disease and die. A fine means of population control, but someone gets wealthy along the way so they get to have a first class funeral.
Japan has a very interesting way to deal with overcrowding...they ignore it. The concept of personal space is Japanese. I have been in a room with ten others in a Japanese family and experienced the feeling myself. Of course in that advanced culture they have men who stand on the train platforms whose only job is to push people into the cars so the doors will shut, sardine packers we used to call them.
The Chinese are the ones who used to drown girl babies, nothing can be said in defense of that. Their whole eco-system is killing them, no wonder they drink so much alcohol, the water is poison.
But none of this is said as a means of arguing, every culture has radical habits that are bad for mankind. I mean no one in their right mind would ever eat a true English pudding.
;-D
Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)
Location: Israel
Registered: October 2004
Messages: 1367
Nigel wrote:
Don't forget all that wealth, joy, freedom, state murders and well-being created by the atheist Soviet Union 1917 - 1989.
Russian Communism then and Chinese Communism then and now were and are a kind of religion too. (I heard on the news today that the Chinese supreme court has told district judges not to hand down so many death sentences.)
J F R
The paradox has often been noted that the United States, founded in secularism, is now the most religiose country in Christendom, while England, with an established church headed by its constitutional monarch, is among the least. (Richard Dawkins, 2006)
Location: Israel
Registered: October 2004
Messages: 1367
Nigel, what I meant to say was that there are some forms of atheism which demonstrate all the characteristics of fundamentalist religion. "There is no God - and Richard Dawkins is his prophet!"
J F R
The paradox has often been noted that the United States, founded in secularism, is now the most religiose country in Christendom, while England, with an established church headed by its constitutional monarch, is among the least. (Richard Dawkins, 2006)
Location: U.S.
Registered: November 2009
Messages: 630
I agree, and I don't think you need to look any further than what is happening in Haiti. A desperate people at the best of times, but then this tragic loss of life. And does it bring out the best in people? No, some factions are stealing the food supplies and selling them on the street.
The lack of compassion from those individuals who steal the food shows a great lack of concern for those who bring their wealth to share and for those who need it most. Sounds like capitalism to me.
Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)
No- not usually. Corruption has no place in a free market and yet confiscation of goods and intrusive regulation is frequent in under-developed nations.
Property rights are crucial to capitalism. If you are not guaranteed to be able to keep what you earn then likely the economy is going to go to shit.
I think South Korea is one of the best examples of why free market capitalism is great. Especially when compared with its northern neighbour.
The fact is too often western nations impose restrictive trade barriers against poorer nations and even when we don't often their poorly managed dictatorships do worse.
Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway
Capitalism is about free enterprise. Theft is never free. Non-profit organisations that are assisting Haiti, however, are entirely consistent with capitalism.
I think people are getting confused with cronyism. Capitalism is not synonymous with big-business. Often big businesses are fan of socialist endeavours like bailouts. But that is no capitalism.
Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway
Location: United States
Registered: April 2008
Messages: 195
The Free Market Ideology cannot be justified as a matter of science because it relies entirely on human nature to govern it. Which means that beliefs in a Free-Market rely on people treating one another with a sense of respect and a duty to a greater human good. If "Capitalism" was about doing the right thing for its own sake we would never have greed within capital markets, and we would never have another economic disaster again. That has almost nothing to do with the existence of governments as a general rule because that is the idea behind the governing philosophy of Free-Market Capitalism. I do find the idea that people cannot be trusted to decide matters about their own life for themselves, but that argument never surfaces when it comes down to the Free-market idealist. Why they are the exact same people most of the time is a terrible contradiction. How can someone actually believe that human nature is bad but Free-market Capitalism, which is run entirely by human nature, is always good?
Unrestrained Capitalism always results in volatile Capital Markets which results in corporate monopolies which leads to banks becoming too powerful and corrupt to manage which results once again in what you continue to want to call cronyism. These are all symptoms of the ideals of a "Free-Market Religion" or belief that "Capitalism is God". Extremely volatile Capital Markets are not necessary or even a natural part of Capitalism which means true free enterprise can work very well within a responsive, responsible, and well regulated financial system just as long as the people who are regulating the financial system do the jobs they are supposed to do.
Here is a prayer that is almost 100 years old.
A Businessman's Prayer 1920's
God of businessmen, I thank Thee for the fellowship of red-blooded men with songs in their hearts and handclasps that are sincere; I thank thee for telephones and telegrams that link me with home and office, no matter where I am. I thank thee for the joy of battle in the business arena, the thrill of victory and the courage to take defeat like a good sport. I thank thee for children, friendships, books, fishing, the game of golf, my pipe, and the open fire on a chilly evening.
AMEN.
He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake since for him a spinal cord would suffice. Albert Einstein
Free market capitalism relies on human nature, but it relies on the aggregation of preferences. And the individual expression of preference.
This is radically different to socialism where "the learned" in government (if the government can be seen as such) dictate policies for the masses, even where their opinions are outliers. It's also different to democracy where popular opinion over-rides minority opinions.
The best way to aggregate human nature and human preferences is through emergence, in my opinion. Spontaneous order, as it was called by Hayek.
I don't believe that capitalism is god, but that people are. Capitalism servers people in general far better than any other system, however.
If termites can build mounts purely through emergent behaviour and without any kind of central planning them I'm sure humans can accomplish much greater things in a similar manner (and we have!)
Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway
] 
A Place of Safety
Search
Help
Register
Login
Home
Obama's radical appointees???? 
