The All-Purpose Political Thread

[Svengoolie 3]

I never could understand why chrsitians in america get into politics. They seem so certain that absolutely everything is going to go their god's way no matter what we mere mortals want or do, yet the seem to feel they just have to get into politics so they can make christian values into laws that are forced on people ultimately at the point of police guns.


If christians really think their god exists and is so all powerful why not stay out of politics since it doesn't matter what governments do, their awesome god will have his way no matter what it costs us.

When i see christians so feverishly running for office I can't help thinking that it's almost as if, deep down they realize their god can't do anything at all, really, so they must make his will come to pass by seizing worldly power.


Also I'm going to say I do not want christians in political power, because they pretty much generally look for ways to abuse their power to force their views on other pepople and make life just that much harder on people who aren't part of their collective.

Also, I don't want people who are convinced the world is coming to an end and it's all going to be great for them and to hell (literally) with everyone else in power. I don't want someone who believes that humans can't affect the climate and the environment because it's all god's will. I want people who acknowledge that we are affecting the climate and the environment and we can do something about it and that the end of the world is something to look forward to.

I want leaders who want to prevent the end of the world as much as possible. I want leaders who will try to do things to make things better instead of just chiming "Oh it's all god's will!"

[Allhallowsday]

I never could understand why chrsitians in america get into politics. They seem so certain that absolutely everything is going to go their god's way no matter what we mere mortals want or do, yet the seem to feel they just have to get into politics so they can make christian values into laws that are forced on people ultimately at the point of police guns.
If christians really think their god exists and is so all powerful why not stay out of politics since it doesn't matter what governments do, their awesome god will have his way no matter what it costs us.
When i see christians so feverishly running for office I can't help thinking that it's almost as if, deep down they realize their god can't do anything at all, really, so they must make his will come to pass by seizing worldly power.
Also I'm going to say I do not want christians in political power, because they pretty much generally look for ways to abuse their power to force their views on other pepople and make life just that much harder on people who aren't part of their collective.
Also, I don't want people who are convinced the world is coming to an end and it's all going to be great for them and to hell (literally) with everyone else in power. I don't want someone who believes that humans can't affect the climate and the environment because it's all god's will. I want people who acknowledge that we are affecting the climate and the environment and we can do something about it and that the end of the world is something to look forward to.
I want leaders who want to prevent the end of the world as much as possible. I want leaders who will try to do things to make things better instead of just chiming "Oh it's all god's will!"

You are confusing people  and  God.  They do not speak for such, though they may imagine that they do.  I believe that God would be diplomatic yet direct. 

I think, otherwise, I might agree with everything you say. 

[RCMerchant]

I NEVER thought I would see the day when I missed Nixon. 

[indianasmith]

Well, I realize that many Christians have done bad things.  That is true of every faith in the history of the world; but most of the bad done by Christians has been done when they ignore what Jesus actually taught.
To be honest, we are often our own worst enemy.

[Svengoolie 3]

I never could understand why chrsitians in america get into politics. They seem so certain that absolutely everything is going to go their god's way no matter what we mere mortals want or do, yet the seem to feel they just have to get into politics so they can make christian values into laws that are forced on people ultimately at the point of police guns.
If christians really think their god exists and is so all powerful why not stay out of politics since it doesn't matter what governments do, their awesome god will have his way no matter what it costs us.
When i see christians so feverishly running for office I can't help thinking that it's almost as if, deep down they realize their god can't do anything at all, really, so they must make his will come to pass by seizing worldly power.
Also I'm going to say I do not want christians in political power, because they pretty much generally look for ways to abuse their power to force their views on other pepople and make life just that much harder on people who aren't part of their collective.
Also, I don't want people who are convinced the world is coming to an end and it's all going to be great for them and to hell (literally) with everyone else in power. I don't want someone who believes that humans can't affect the climate and the environment because it's all god's will. I want people who acknowledge that we are affecting the climate and the environment and we can do something about it and that the end of the world is something to look forward to.
I want leaders who want to prevent the end of the world as much as possible. I want leaders who will try to do things to make things better instead of just chiming "Oh it's all god's will!"

You are confusing people  and  God.  They do not speak for such, though they may imagine that they do.  I believe that God would be diplomatic yet direct. 

I think, otherwise, I might agree with everything you say. 

Thank you.

[Svengoolie 3]

Well, I realize that many Christians have done bad things.  That is true of every faith in the history of the world; but most of the bad done by Christians has been done when they ignore what Jesus actually taught.
To be honest, we are often our own worst enemy.

This is true.  Humans evolved from what we would call animals who had a string survival drive.  Killing others of your kind and taking their food,  etc,  was a valid survival strategy for our earliest ancestors,  but as we evolved to be social animals we developed traits that made it easier to work together,  and those who could work together we're better at surviving than the "lone wolves" so these traits became reinforced.  But at that base of our brains we still have the animal drive to survive and thrive at all costs without regard to others.  That's the paradoxical duality of humanity, we evolved from animals that our personal survival above all else but evolved into social animals that do better by cooperation.  We are a conflicted people within and without. 

[lester1/2jr]

" But at that base of our brains we still have the animal drive to survive and thrive at all costs without regard to others."

I wouldn't construe the drive to survive as a "lone wolf" as being different from having no regards for others. independence is pretty universally seen as a positive trait.

also depends on how you define "lone" for example:

Laura Ingalls wilder and little huose on the prairie were heavily dependent on their families and larger community, but didn't pay taxes or get services from the central govt. I don't think? maybe they had the post office or something, the point is there are gradations of lone wolf and "working together".

[ER]

I never could understand why chrsitians in america get into politics. They seem so certain that absolutely everything is going to go their god's way no matter what we mere mortals want or do, yet the seem to feel they just have to get into politics so they can make christian values into laws that are forced on people ultimately at the point of police guns.


If christians really think their god exists and is so all powerful why not stay out of politics since it doesn't matter what governments do, their awesome god will have his way no matter what it costs us.

When i see christians so feverishly running for office I can't help thinking that it's almost as if, deep down they realize their god can't do anything at all, really, so they must make his will come to pass by seizing worldly power.


Also I'm going to say I do not want christians in political power, because they pretty much generally look for ways to abuse their power to force their views on other pepople and make life just that much harder on people who aren't part of their collective.

Also, I don't want people who are convinced the world is coming to an end and it's all going to be great for them and to hell (literally) with everyone else in power. I don't want someone who believes that humans can't affect the climate and the environment because it's all god's will. I want people who acknowledge that we are affecting the climate and the environment and we can do something about it and that the end of the world is something to look forward to.

I want leaders who want to prevent the end of the world as much as possible. I want leaders who will try to do things to make things better instead of just chiming "Oh it's all god's will!"

You know there is a concept that a half-empty glass is also half-full, right?

I think inside your perpetual anger at the world not handing you what you feel you deserve, your jealousy of happy people has given you an unrealistic view of Christians you are too afraid to confront and therefore have to correct, so like all bigots you find the distortions of reality appealing and seek any affirmation that you are right.

Jesus said not all who call him Lord will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and it's true there are many self-identifying Christians who fail to live up to Christ's ideals and even harm Christianity, but there's also the other side, which is much larger, that being people who despite their faults do try to be good and are bolstered by their relationship with Jesus. Hating is very easy, and you are very lazy, I can tell that by the hours you keep on here, getting up late, staying up late, having no job, clearly loving no one more than yourself, making "sour grapes" your unstated motto.

Also you're crazy, there's that factor.

But how about you challenge your own convictions and see if they stand up to reality? Look for the good in this life, because it is there, even in people who completely disagree with you. It would take courage and effort, but you should try those things sometime and see how you feel afterward.

Ever wonder why I invest time in replying to you in here? It's not that I hate you, it's that I really do pity you. You're like a human version of Gollum.

[RCMerchant]

Also you're crazy, there's that factor.

Your calling people crazy?
That's like me calling you crazy.
I don't think anybody on this board is crazy.
But I do think we are all kinda twisted. 

[RCMerchant]

Sven is young and angry. ER is young and angry.
I'm old and angry.
We're all f**king angry!  
Ain't it groovy?  
Merry f**king Christmas!

[ER]

I have to keep reassuring myself that my mental health gets tests all the time, so I must either be acceptably crazy or still north of the cutoff line.

Sven's a lot older than you'd think, and I'm not angry, just poking the turd on the beach with a long stick.

This place is my sound-off zone, and in my day to day life I'm a lot more....shrug. I bet 20% of the times I've cussed in my life have been on this site.

[RCMerchant]

Sven's a lot older than you'd think, and I'm not angry, just poking the turd on the beach with a long stick.

Dam. Use your Christian upbringing...don't call the person your debating a turd.
Me-I ain't a Christian.  You say you are- but being very aggressive about it is not very Christ-like.
Or maybe it is- I don't pay a lot of attention to religion too much no more, it's all  crazy s**t to me.
P.S.
You come across as very angry all the time.

[ER]

Sven's a lot older than you'd think, and I'm not angry, just poking the turd on the beach with a long stick.

Dam. Use your Christian upbringing...don't call the person your debating a turd.
Me-I ain't a Christian.  You say you are- but being very aggressive about it is not very Christ-like.
Or maybe it is- I don't pay a lot of attention to religion too much no more, it's all  crazy s**t to me.
P.S.
You come across as very angry all the time.

I'm a bad Christian, barely holding on by the tips of my fingers, denying my instincts in every way, holding in a raging flash flood that stirs in my pagan (small p)  soul, driving me into the night to howl and kick and growl at the moon in cemeteries while reading Mary Shelley and grinding my fists into the dirt and cursing my mortality as the wind gusts and the clouds form diabolical Indian-ink shapes in the coiling heavens.

But, noooo, Sven isn't the turd I mentioned poking, I meant....the crazy stuff that washes up on the beach of life. The turd is a lot bigger than ol' Sven here.

I didn't know I came across as angry. Darn, I'm really happy and upbeat. I think I let loose certain parts of myself here that maybe....slant that view. I get down in the mud here and so that aspect gets exaggerated when I'm much calmer and more polite, I think. Remember how the first seven years I was here I was a wallflower?

Above all I'm usually half-kidding when I say something over the top on here.

[RCMerchant]

Yeah. You come across as angry.
You don't post about films too much.
Mostly just your life and why your p**sed at the moment.
Oh- if your a bad Christian and don't practice what you preach- don't f**king throw it in my face.
Because I'll throw it right back.
You b***h at Sven all day long, and you do what you b***h about-
You hate. You do your best to grind him into the ground.

I started a thread "Things you Hate"
and you wrote you hate 'Hate'?
I don't see that. You eat it up.

[RCMerchant]

Of course I came out of my Mama b***hing and screaming and havn't stopped since.
I f**king hate everything.  
I get so p**sed I just wanna drop an atom bomb on the whole f**king world.  

Then I have a drink and smoke a bowl and I'm OK.
Self medication.