Protestantism

» pink101 - Jeff Is Leaving Us

If I'm reading his last post correctly, Jeff is leaving us for a while.
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Too bad. It would have been good to read his takes on how democracy is working in the Land of Oz.
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As far as here in the United States is Concerned, it looks to me as though democracy is a thing of the past; although its structure is being used to keep us thinking that we still have some sort of a say in the way things are getting done.
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I think Brian may be correct in his view that certain leaders do have the ability to direct the course of history and they steer us into the future. George W. Bush is such a leader--he is in control of America's destiny if we think so or not. In fact, he is working to gain control of the world as a leader.
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So, how does he lead? He does so from a position of power. He is what can be called a POWER LEADER as he has seized the opportunity he has as the president of the country with the most powerful military force in the world. He is able to function in such a way so as to set the stage of what is possible.
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That is the underlayment to the form of government we have here in the United States. Somehow--over the past several decades--we lost our democracy to the Captains of Capitalism that have moved their representatives into our national seats of power.
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Americans--the common variety--are up to bat. The big--the gigantic--multi-national corporations are the ones throwing the pitches at us. They are all curve balls and they are coming at us faster than we can see. And, almost all of us are missing every one. Our jobs are being taken away from us; people are losing their homes; debtors are in way over their heads; and bankruptcies are growing. And, new bankruptcy laws were recently put into law that will put people into indentured servitude for the rest of their life. Crime and violence are increasing. The underclasses are growing in proportion to the upper crust.
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Yes. We elect political office holders to their posts in our local, state, and federal offices; but, they do not represent us. Instead, they represent the lobbyists that have taken control of our government. We have lost our democracy and we live under a Corporatocracy.
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You might not think so; but, take a good hard look at what is going on in our government.
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http://www.ecobooks.com/books/ecohitman....

-- posted by pink101

» pink101 - Clearly

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Clearly, we are in a time when our political system is under extreme pressure.
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The idea of "Christian Democracy" is being run up the pole and a large part of the electorate is responding to it. There is a concept known as "Adaptive Conservatism" and our current president is said to be its spokesperson in government. There is talk that the Republican Party is moving to make Christian Democracy the center pole in its "large tent" philosophy for garnering votes. So far, the Republican Party has all but politicized Christianity as a main rail for electioneering. Watch and listen to the candidates as they compete with each other to give support to the issues on the Christian Right.
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Preachers have long since been known to adjust their sermons in favor of the interests of the big money supporters to the church treasury and building funds. There's a Christmas movie--comes up every year--about an angel who comes in answer to a prayer by a minister who has a dream for a new building. I think Cary Grant may be the angel. The movie addresses the importance of big financial support to church building funds head on.
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In other words, preachers will respond to the big money they get from high rollers. It is the human thing to do. It doesn't seem like too much fault can be found in that tendency to cave in to the fuel that builds bigger and better churches. So, when money lobbies government to finance "Faith Charities" you can expect the preachers to go with the flow. Preachers might be crazy not to get in on the feeding frenzy.
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Charity, in and of itself, is a form of religion.
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-- posted by pink101

» pink101 - The Beastly Mammoth

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In the face of all the double standards and hypocrisy that is laid out in front of all America, it is extremely difficult for a person of conscience to remain silent.
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In my 76 years I have been up and down the road and around the block more times than I can remember. I KNOW reality when I see it and I don't have to hide my inner sense of Bias and Fairness behind a fog of ideologic religionism or any other lies that I tell myself. I KNOW what is being presented to the American people is a sham dressed up to look as though it is some kind of a righteous policy designed to spread democracy and liberty throughout the world.
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I can see through the propaganda that is pumped at America night and day--I KNOW that it is the product of special interests that have our government and our officials compromised. There is a massive preponderance of overwhelming evidence all of which--when it is added up--points at corporate greed of run-a-way unbridled capitalism. It is the beastly mammoth in the living room.
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Should I be silenced by some voice that says it has the right of Free Speech and that I am picking on it?
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I don't think so.
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America has come a long, long way since our forefathers first set foot on this land. And, our political system has developed far beyond the imaginations of the Founding Fathers. The "Voting Slate" has evolved into the "Political Party" that is under the control of money that dictates how its line will go. When our Founders created our Constitution with our form of representative democracy, the idea was that our representatives would speak on behalf of the people "back home"; but, what has happened is that our "representatives" are being bought up by the bureaucracy of lobbyists in our state and federal seats of government. We ALL KNOW that is the truth; but, some of us still wander around in fogs of ideologic fantasy thinking that some great master mind in the sky is in control of things and that--therefor--we have nothing to fear because these are the End Times or some other such foolishness and ancient mythology.
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I can't be silenced.
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-- posted by pink101

» pink101 - George Lakeoff

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I've been reading two of Lakeoff's books.
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Here's a quotation from this link: http://www.rockridgenation.org/blog/arch...
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"We were recently asked how to respond when confronted with the attack, 'Aw you liberals just hate America.'
"This is name-calling with a destructive (and false) frame. There are times when it is necessary to have a retort, not for its own sake, but to allow you to shift the frame and say a lot more on any one of many topics. The replacement frame should express progressive views while revealing key truths hidden by the original frame. Here is one strategy:
"'Aw you liberals just hate America.'
"No. We love democracy and we want to return it to America.
You want a presidential dictator.
"We love liberty and we want to return it to America.
You want to tap our phones.
"We love equality and we want to return it to America.
You think some people are better than others.
"We love honesty and we want to return it to America.
You love lobbyists and corruption.
"We love fairness and we want to return it to America.
You want to oppress the powerless.
"We love openness and we want to return it to America.
You love secrecy and hiding the facts.
"We love nature's glory and we want to return it to America.
You love the profit that comes from destroying nature.
"We love community and we want to return it to America.
You want everyone to fend for himself.
"We love public education and we want to return it to America.
You want to destroy public education.
"We love civilian control of the military and we want to return it to America.
You want to militarize America.
And on and on..."
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George Lakoff
The Rockridge Institute

-- posted by pink101

» pink101 - The "Political" Debates

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The "political" debates to which Americans are being treated are nothing less than a cruel joke against our system of democracy.
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Joe Biden has, apparently, made reference to it. Who gives a hoot in hell about the contrived comments these candidates are making? Why can we not get down to the issues that really impact our day to day existence in America?
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Here we are, a nation in world wide competition with such societies as the ones represented by China and India both of which that have populations that dwarf ours. China has an educational policy that, in order to be certified in the public educational system, a student must be fluent in English by the year 2015. WE don't even have that requirement in our educational system. Instead, we quibble about such nonsense as our immigration policies and if we should "precipitiously" withdraw our troops from Iraq when most Americans don't have a clue as to what the word, precipitious, even means. And, we fuss over such non-issues as homosexual marriage, abortion, gays in the military, evolution and creationism.
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America is being destroyed as a beacon of success in self government. Instead, we are being brought down to the level of poor countries in which people are used for their labor.
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Why? Why is it that we are allowing ourselves to settle for a mess of pottage when our birthright to is claim the American Dream?
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When we have a vast number of Americans walking around bouncing off walls believing the ancient mythologies that brought us the Dark Ages, you know we are in deep trouble.
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Why don't the political candidates start talking some real sense in their "debates" rather than bamboozling us?
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-- posted by pink101

» pink101 - Bishop Desmond Tutu

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I attended to a recorded talk by Desmond Tutu where he spoke at the meeting in Boston's Old South Church.
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The occasion was sponsored by a Palestinian Christian organization.
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I think I am able to see why American Evangelical and Fundamentalist Christians are not allowed to hold favorable opinions of Tutu. He points the finger of guilt at Israel's aparthied policy regarding the non-Jews and that is verboten in America's predominately pro-Israeli churches. And he does it with power using the Bible as his reference. There is NO doubt that Israel is practicing the most vile form of prejudice against an entire people.
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So, Tutu must be discounted at every opportunity by all American Christians.
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Right?
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-- posted by pink101

» Migisi - Bishop Desmond Tutu

In response to Bishop Desmond Tutu posted by pink101:
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So, Tutu must be discounted at every opportunity by all American Christians.
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Tutu was awarded the
- Nobel Peace Prize, 1984
- Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism, 1986
- Magubela prize for liberty, 1986
- Pacem in Terris (Latin for Peace on Earth) Award, 1987
- Sydney Peace Prize in 1999
- Light of Truth award, 2006
- Gandhi Peace Prize, 2007.
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Find me an American Christian who has been internationally recognized for their lifetime dedication to world peace and human rights.

-- posted by Migisi

» Brian Tubbs - Bishop Desmond Tutu

In response to Bishop Desmond Tutu posted by pink101:

For the record, I've never been told - nor have I told anyone - that "evangelical" or "fundamentalist" Christians can't hold a favorable opinion of Desmond Tutu.

My ONLY criticism of Bishop Tutu at this site has been with regard to his view of Scripture. Please don't expand my critique beyond that. I said nothing about Israel.

» pink101 - Never Been Told

In response to Bishop Desmond Tutu posted by BrianTubbs:
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For the record, I've never been told - nor have I told anyone - that "evangelical" or "fundamentalist" Christians can't hold a favorable opinion of Desmond Tutu.
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Once you understand the Generalized Other as a concept, you will no longer be confused about how you get your ideas about reality and of the roles you take in it.
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-- posted by pink101