11th February 2013
“If churches want to play the game of politics, let them pay admission like everyone else.”
George Carlin1937 – 2008
“If churches want to play the game of politics, let them pay admission like everyone else.”
George Carlin1937 – 2008
February 11th, 2013 at 14:45
To Christians, I would like to say: If you want to keep the Bible on your bedside stand and pattern your life after it, go ahead. Live your life comforted by your Christian faith and the fellowship of the Christian community – but vow to do no harm.
When you tell schools they can’t teach evolution, when you tell the medical profession they can’t pursue stem cell research, when you tell gays and lesbians to change their life styles, when you tell women they can’t have control of their own bodies, you cross the line. When you tell atheists they have to believe in something spiritual, you cross the line. When pastors and lay leaders endorse a political party or candidate or political cause in their capacity as leaders, whether they do it directly or subtly, they cross the line. They do harm. I think almost everyone would agree that extremists who, in the name of Christ, kill abortion doctors have lost their way.
Christians and Muslims: I am sincerely happy for you that you are comforted by your faith, but do not claim the moral high ground over me. Be tolerant of me as I am tolerant of you. Stay out of politics, education, science, medicine, social issues and other people’s spiritual and personal lives and enjoy your faith. I am comfortable with my own perceptions.
February 11th, 2013 at 19:09
The Philosophy of Liberty
http://youtu.be/muHg86Mys7I
February 11th, 2013 at 21:17
Sinjin,
The only logical flaw with “The Philosophy of Liberty” occurs from 1:54 to 2:03 – “Property is that part of Nature which you turn to valuable use.” The flaw is simple – BY WHAT RIGHT DO YOU CLAIM THAT PART OF NATURE which you are turning to valuable use, and by whose definition of valuable? The common pool must belong, in common, to the entirety of all which live upon it, does it not? Unless you can show me some right upon which that conversion from Common to Private takes place, I believe that everything built upon the concept of property falls down, which is pretty much everything after this point.
February 12th, 2013 at 3:02
Quite Ayn Rand-ian Sinjun. I like it and agree on all precepts. Jeff, if you do not understand the philosophies of property on any level and further think that the concept is flawed, then you will always be a willing slave to those that take away yours (property, whether it be material or intellectual). I pity those who do not understand this basic concept of freedom. You are a culmination of your property. What is a writer if he has no claim on his writings? What is an inventor that cannot lay claim to his patents? What is a ship builder that cannot lay claim to his masterpiece? Or an artist that cannot be identified with his art? Property is not common. It is only common through theft.
February 14th, 2013 at 16:23
TH and Sinjin,
I was merely pointing out a logical flaw in the philosophy. Until one can find some basis on which to claim ownership of the natural resource to which one turning to valuable use, it is merely theft from the pool of resources which, by right, belong to all. It’s stealing the New World from its inhabitants because they lack the concept of land ownership. Until you can overcome that logical flaw, all else that follows must be suspect by any reasonable standard.