Re: OT - What's in your CD player / on your iPOD?

Rastus writ:

>When the Speaker of the House has to fight about calling the National
Christmas Tree just that, instead of Holiday Tree, like the Clintons
started, it does ruin it a bit for me.<

Well, that's your choice. Recognize, however, that the H of Reps
really has no business designating any religious artifact anyway, one
way or the other, despite the fact that it has for the last God knows
how many decades. Christmas and Chanukah and Ramadan and all the other
holy days happen whether Congress recognizes them or not. In other
words, Congressional approval of things religious is window dressing,
nothing more. Christmas is in your heart and spirit, not your
government. It is a matter of faith, not legislation. If you are
mixing up your religion with your politics, again, it is up to you to
reconcile your opinion with the fact that not everybody feels that way,
and the law of the land certainly discourages it.

>Removing all references to religion was one of the main tenets to the
USSR. You can ignore things and say they don't effect you. But
eventually there may be a police force at your door searching your
house for any crosses. IF the libs are also successful in outlawing
guns before then, you can't even defend your house from that force.<

The USSR went so far as to forbid private practice of religion. Nobody
is proposing that here in the US. Removing official government
references to religion is a far cry from outlawing religion in people's
lives where the Constitution guarantees freedom of same. It is key
that you recognize this difference. By the other side of the same
coin, it is easily observed that religion has been used as an
oppressive force more often than lack thereof (I know I needn't cite
examples of this). I could also sit here and say that the Patriot Act
is going to do the same thing to me and you whenever we go to the
library or do something controversial as activists - but you know what?
That would be, again, overstating the case and speculating on things
that are utterly unpredictable and, in fact, are likely to swing back
and forth many times in the future depending on how the popular
political winds blow. Taking a snapshot of US government in time and
trying to apply that to a broad prediction is simply impossible.

>The US is not becoming more tolerant. But Christianity is under attack. You may know of a few countries where Judaism is under attack. It's not working out well for the Jews, and hasn't in the past. <

Baloney. Christianity is more popular in terms of sheer numbers than
ever before in US history. It is swelling to the point where this
nation is coming under the threat of having lots of laws passed based
on that religion. The obstacles to this happening are now at just
about the lowest point of any time in living memory...if there is
opposition to Christianity, it is because moderate people of all faiths
are afraid of this happening. I know I am, despite my faith. If
anything, the opposite is true - I am in the local land use planning
business, and most people object to churches in their neighborhoods -
but objection to non-Christian churches is invariably stronger. As a
land use guy, I generally ignore those comments, because I must and
because it is right. I leave the public perception matters to the
politicos.

The matter of Jews in other nations is in OTHER NATIONS. It will never
go away. However, as far as I am concerned, the US is a safe haven for
the Jews whenever they decide they've had enough fighting against the
tide.

Yes, intolerance is growing, and it has always been a problem where
more than one creed or religion cooexist. As long as we have a
Constitution that guarantees no bounds to religion as long as it does
not infringe on the rights of other private citizens, we will have to
deal with it. Get used to it. Either that, or change the Constitution
to take away some freedom.

Bruce Jensen

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: BBC News - 40% of adults pray
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  • Re: OT: Lets Take the Religion out of Christmas
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  • Re: OT The Truth About Anti-Christmas
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  • Re: Alternative interpretation of the KT boundary and dionsaur die-off
    ... They are an effect in their lives because of this, ... This process can operate within the context of a religion, ... similar views to build their perception of power. ... This can be augmented if all nations agreed to the following; ...
    (sci.space.policy)
  • Re: OT The Muhammed Cartoons
    ... And there are more than a few radical Christian groups too. ... to take religion just a bit too seriously. ... into or by the progress of the western nations passing them by, ... And while the foundation of modern Israel was ...
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