Protestantism

» Brian Tubbs - Cynicism

In response to Not A Mockracy posted by Migisi:

...is not a virtue

» Migisi - "Nationalistic Brain-washing"

In response to "Nationalistic Brain-washing" posted by BrianTubbs:

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Your post is a good example of that nationalistic brain-washing.
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-- posted by Migisi

» Migisi - Cynicism

In response to Cynicism posted by BrianTubbs:
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Cynicism.... scornful negativity, especially a general distrust of the integrity or professed motives of others... is learned through life experience.

-- posted by Migisi

» Brian Tubbs - Cynicism

In response to Cynicism posted by Migisi:

I repeat. Cynicism is not a virtue. And I know many, many, many people who have lived a long time that have not surrendered to its cancer.

I certainly am not endorsing naivete or blind submission to every person and idea. I believe that there IS a healthy skepticism which is a part of WISDOM. But to just be cynical and negative by nature is NOT a virtue. Quite the opposite.

» Brian Tubbs - "Nationalistic Brain-washing"

In response to "Nationalistic Brain-washing" posted by Migisi:

So you say.

To encourage people to love their country and be willing (if need be) to sacrifice their lives for their nation is an ETHIC that was fully embraced by Americans for almost our entire history. It's only in our postmodern, relativistic, radical leftist age that we've begun to renounce values such as patriotism. And it will spell the decline and death of our nation.

» Migisi - "Nationalistic Brain-washing"

In response to "Nationalistic Brain-washing" posted by BrianTubbs:
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This country and the world has CHANGED dramatically since the Founding Fathers penned their thoughts, Brian.
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Everyone must decide - on his own - what's important enough to give up one's life for.

-- posted by Migisi

» pink101 - Patriotic Militiamen

In response to "Nationalistic Brain-washing" posted by BrianTubbs:
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Seems to me I was jreading, just earlier this morning, about some of the things that were taking place in and around Philadelphia in the year, 1779. Inflation, desertion, mutinies, tarring and feathering, the rich getting richer and the poor in the military, and many other items that was causing a great deal of cynicism among the common people.
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-- posted by pink101

» Brian Tubbs - In that case...

In response to "Nationalistic Brain-washing" posted by Migisi:

This country and the world has CHANGED dramatically since the Founding Fathers penned their thoughts, Brian.

Some things should NOT have changed.

For example, the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Those things should NEVER change.

Everyone must decide - on his own - what's important enough to give up one's life for.

And if a person decides that the United States of America is unworthy of his/her love and sacrifice, then that person should leave the country. It's a free country and we are free to leave it. Before you go off on me, this is not an unreasonable thought...

When my children grow up, they will at some point decide to make their own home. When they do, they will leave. And that's fine. No hard feelings. That's the way it should be. Likewise, if someone chooses to leave teh United States, I'm not hating that person or condemning that individual. It's their right. Like you said...their choice.

Please try to see where I'm coming from here. If a person gets to a point where they have been working at XYZ Company for 20 years and they just don't like it anymore. They are not willing to work hard for the company anymore. They don't believe in what that company is doing, well, then they should leave the company and work elsewhere.

This is common sense. Why can't we apply it to our country?

» Brian Tubbs - Patriotic Militiamen

In response to Patriotic Militiamen posted by pink101:

There have been patriots, cynics, heroines, traitors, profiteers, honor-bound men and women, etc., etc. - take your pick - throughout ALL of our history and in all situations.

However, it seems there has been an INCREASE of cynicism and a drifting away from traditional mores such as patriotism since the country exploded in the late 1960s and early 70s (with a few fleeting, brief resurgences in the Reagan era).

Tell me I'm wrong, Pink. You've lived in America longer than me. Can it not be said that the American people, as a whole (I'm talking "overall" and "on balance"), were more patriotic and more respectful of traditional values and principles in the 1950s than they were in the 1970s and today? Is this not true? Have we as a society not gotten more cynical and more relativistic?

» pink101 - Patriotic Militiamen

In response to Patriotic Militiamen posted by BrianTubbs:
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"Tell me I'm wrong..."
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I'm not sure. I think it depends on what you mean be patriotic. Were the militia men who mutinied wrong to do what they did? Were they unpatriotic?
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Were the anti-war activists during the Viet Nam era unpatriotic or were they the true patriots? Was Rosa Parks unpatriotic because she sat down against Suthron Traditions? Was Reagan more patriotic than the man he replaced in the White House?
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The ancient Greeks discussed the ideas of patriotism over 2,500 years ago.
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I think America is being divided by way of strategic efforts being put out by some very unpatriotic groups that would be highly pleased to see our democracy turned into a monarchical theocracy. Disgusting jerks like John Hagee who besmirches the identity of Jesus in his series of attacks based on the Book of Revelations..
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-- posted by pink101