The Argument for Separation
 

Although this article is critical of Sarah Palin, I am not posting it as an exercise in Palin bashing. The author refers back to a speech by John F. Kennedy (her uncle) about the importance of judging public officials by their policy rather than their religion. It is a very thoughtful article.

I suggest that one's religious beliefs or non-religious beliefs do have an influence on our identity and our value set, and it would be disingenuous to claim that such background has no effect on our world view. The author seems to criticize those who would say that openly, but the description of Kennedy's career highlighted that influence. The more important point to me, for the purpose of choosing someone for public office, is where one's values have ended up - not how they got there.

Regards,

D-Ray

"Palin's book makes clear just how dangerous her proposed path can be. Not only does she want people to reveal their beliefs, but she wants to sit in judgment of them if their views don't match her own. For instance, she criticizes Rep. Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), a Democrat and a faithful Catholic, for "talking the (God) talk but not walking the walk."

Who is Palin to say what God's "walk" is? Who anointed her our grand inquisitor?"

That's our Sarah!

gotta love her

(or she'll F U up!)

And she wants to go back to the Constitution, someone should read her Article VI, Para 3.

Doesn't a faithful Catholic take direction from the infallable Pope?

Therefore it's not Palin but the Pope who is the anointed grand inquisitor :)

Pete

Does "Tailgunner Michelle" Bachmann still plan to hold "un-American activities" hearings, Pete?

Dave

"The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States."

Hmmmmm?

Thanks for the reference, Rob.

Dave

Blue, you mean this statement? :

"What I would say is that the news media should do a penetrating expose and take a look."

All I could find was her calling for the newspapers to look, not Congress. I am open to correction ;)

You may find it interesting that some State constitutions had religious qualifiers. In truth there is a test, by the voters though.

Pete

Any time.:D

I welcome the day that I can cast a vote for an avowed atheist...for ANY office.

Your best bet there is probably in a college town. I wouldn't vote for someone any more for them being an atheist anymore that I would because they are a Christian, a Jew or a Muslim. It depends on the way that they see government and the way they would provide for workers and less fortunate citizens.

Regards,

D-ray

Plus one


except if one wears his religion on his arm I would tend to be very suspicious.

Well you guys should be happy with Obama then, being a Muslim, or Wrightist, or whatever he is :D

Pete

I know it is a joke, Pete, but the joke missed the point entirely. My point, which was apparently adopted by others, is that the candidate's religion is irrelevant to his qualifications for office. I was happy with Obama having a progressive agenda, but I am not happy with his caving to the right wing. I don't care if he worships the High Priestess of the Roundball if he returns to being an effective advocate for progressive aims.
Regards,

D-Ray

His religious beliefs should be irrelevant. I don't understand why he even plays the, "Look, I really am a Christian", game. It only perpetuates the problem. He should just tell the people the truth (Whatever that might be.), then remind them that he has a constitutional right to hold whatever religious beliefs he has, that he can even change his beliefs as often as he likes, as all of us can.

This notion that only Christians should hold the Presidency is a load of absolute bull**it, devised to pander to a specific base that's too brainwashed to know any better. It has no Constitutional basis.

I look forward to the day we finally crush this bull**it, and elect a non-Christian into the Whitehouse.
It will be a bright and glorious day for the cause of freedom.

Dave

He's black, he's white, he's Muslim, he's Christian. Where's Jesse Jackson? Obama is the whole Rainbow Coalition!

Some certainly seem to think on Christians are qualified to lead...

http://www.texasobserver.org/index.p...ce&Itemid=1880

they are ass holes too

"If God be with us, then who dare be against us?"

The answer to that question is Satan, guys.

Us and them, Good vs. Evil, this is the mindset in the absolutists world.

People like this are bad news, and must be stopped.

Dave

Satan might be on the side of those who falsely claim that God is on their side. :eek: False prophets aren't very popular behind the Pearly Gates.

Regards,

D-Ray

I happen to think so. Think, but don't know for certain. Only God can truly know what lies in the hearts of men.:p

However, you are right. We were warned of "False Prophets" in the Bible, weren't we? "Wolves in Sheeps clothing" as the old saying goes.:rolleyes:

Maybe it's the ones who constantly waive around their Christian credentials that we need to be wary of?
Whaddaya think, counsellor?

Dave

And, by default, his most devout followers our masters. After all, they've "received the calling", so they have divine authority, right?

Dave

You captured my point. I don't wanna name names, but Newt Gingrich comes to mind.:rolleyes:

Regards,

D-Ray

When Jesus is Lord the unbelievers will be somewhere else - therefore since everyone will be a Christian there will be no loss of religious freedom ;)

Pete

Hey Pete, I have an exercise for you. See how many times you can find the word "rapture" in the text of the Bible. Before you look, I'll give you an over/ under of 4.:cool:

Regards,

D-Ray

Off the cuff, I'd think it wasn't in there. But I'll look :)

Pete

Hoo haa. :D

What did I win? :D

Pete

. . .and 'The Shadow knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men.'

But y'all are probably too young to remember.:D

Knowledge. And knowledge is power.:D

Regards,

D-Ray

Yaaaaaaaaaay! ;)

Rob, I've heard of that before. Something about a show with no pictures? :p

Pete

"The Shadow is a collection of serialized dramas, originally in pulp magazines, then on 1930s radio and then in a wide variety of media, that follow the exploits of the title character, a crime-fighting vigilante with psychic powers.[2] One of the most famous pulp heroes of the 20th century, The Shadow has been featured in comic books, comic strips, television, video games, and at least five motion pictures. The radio drama is well-remembered for those episodes voiced by Orson Welles.

Introduced as a mysterious radio narrator by David Chrisman, William Sweets, and Harry Engman Charlot for Street and Smith Publications, The Shadow was fully developed and transformed into a pop culture icon by pulp writer Walter B. Gibson.

The Shadow debuted on July 31, 1930, as the mysterious narrator of the Street and Smith radio program Detective Story Hour.[3] After gaining popularity among the show's listeners, the narrator became the star of The Shadow Magazine on April 1, 1931, a pulp series created and primarily written by the prolific Gibson.

Over the years, the character evolved. On September 26, 1937, The Shadow radio drama officially premiered with the story "The Deathhouse Rescue", in which the character had "the power to cloud men's minds so they cannot see him." This was a contrivance for the radio; in the magazine stories, The Shadow did not have the ability to become literally invisible; he influenced the minds of his opponents by making them see him a few feet to the right or left of where he really stood. The effect of having this cloaked figure laughing while he was being shot at point-blank range was, at the least, unsettling.

Even after decades, the unmistakable introduction from The Shadow radio program, long-intoned by actor Frank Readick Jr., has earned a place in the American idiom: "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? The Shadow knows!" These words were accompanied by an ominous laugh and a musical theme, Camille Saint-Saëns' Le Rouet d'Omphale ("Omphale's Spinning Wheel", composed in 1872). At the end of each episode, The Shadow reminded listeners, "The weed of crime bears bitter fruit. Crime does not pay.... The Shadow knows!"

Courtesy of Wikipedia, because there was no TV until the 50s, radio was the medium. Actually it was a better medium to those with a good imagination because we could visualize wonderous things. The TV producers were tied to the art of the possible, rather dull.

Agreed, it's what makes books better than movies imo.

My dad used to say 'The Shadow Knows', in that tone of voice :) I think I've even heard a program or two of it on cassette years ago.

Pete

I still say Goebbels would have thought that the teevee was the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Chas

Say Rob, were you scared when you heard "War of the Worlds"?

Chas

Don't recall that I ever heard it.

See, you're not THAT old!!!

Being the young whippersnapper I am, I missed the golden years of radio. And although I have a low opinion of the teevee, I'll always consider Red Skelton as an absolute master of the new medium.

Perhaps it was the novelty of a new device, but somehow teevee has went to shit and the hogs have ate it.

IMHO,

Chas

But if not for TV, how would advertisers encourage people to over-consume, particularly when it comes to their product. Mind control is a little harder without the pretty colors.

Regards,

D-Ray

You ain' nevah lied! Pink Floyds "......thirteen channels of shit on the teevee to choose from." has turned into 500. Next it'll be 5,000 channels of shit plugged directly into your brain. That's when I punch out for good.

Dave

It is as well that Newton Minnow did not live to see it, what he called a vast wasteland has become an open sewer. We can thank Murdoch for much of that, along with "reality" TV however WTF is real about most of those 'reality' shows beats me.:rolleyes:

As to age, despite a good night's sleep you still can't prove it by me, damn this cold.

BTW, Happy 80th Birthday Rob (one day late). You don't look a day over 79.:D As to your child bride, she looks more like 39.

Thanks, it is not that great but certainly better than the alternative.:D