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Originally Posted by WilliamK1974
He is our leader, and I believe that I need to stand behind him with my support, but be willing to temper that with constructive criticism.
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Originally Posted by Bro Deal
What a load of cro-magnon, jingoistic horse ****. The germans believed that a few decades ago. It didn't turn out well for them...
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Originally Posted by WilliamK1974
As far as my own feelings about President Bush go, I think he handled his first term better than the second term. He put some responsibility into the hands of some people that started to believe their own press.
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Originally Posted by WilliamK1974
...This post and his others were reasoned and well-written. It's too bad the two of you (Wurm and Bro Deal) can't do the same thing. Instead, you come off like a couple of embittered lefties with chips on your shoulders and axes to grind. After all, you can't understand how your superior "super-candidates" lost out in both elections to someone who's so stupid and incompetent.
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Originally Posted by Bro Deal
What a load of cro-magnon, jingoistic horse ****. The germans believed that a few decades ago. It didn't turn out well for them...
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Originally Posted by jhuskey
Carrera, Let's say you are playing football with your child in your back yard and the child gets his leg broken.
You take him to the doctor and have it attended to butthe next day a social worker shows up at your door with a cop and places your child into protective custody because he is being exposed to a violent sport ,getting him injured and that could lead to aggressive tendencies. Parents should be allowed to raise their children and they will screw up. We do not need more government control and the world is not perfect and never will be. |
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Originally Posted by WilliamK1974
I was afraid that I might have been a bit smart-mouthed on a couple of things. It's a bad tendency that sometimes comes out in situations like this. I really enjoy reading your other posts, because you come across very well-spoken and rational, even if I might not agree with you.
As far as religions go, we have to remember that they are human constructs based upon tenents which were supplied by a diety. Sometimes the human element causes problems. I believe strongly in my faith, but that doesn't mean that I'm going to act ugly towards someone else. That produces nothing but resentment. Looking forward to hearing from you again. -Bill |
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Originally Posted by Carrera
"one documentary of a crackpot religous guy doesn't = a country full of crazy religious fanatics."
Hmmmm, I don't think I went so far as to describe the U.S. as a country full of religious fanatics. What I did state was that fundamentalist Christianity was becoming an extremely dominant and worrying force within that country. Examples: Former football stadiums being converted into giant Christian meeting centres for mass evangelical meetings. |
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Originally Posted by Carrera
I've been asked by some if I have kids myself. The fact is I don't. I've looked after friend's kids in the past while they had a night out and I've also taught classes of kids.
Obviously, I understand there are times when you have to yell at kids and (more rarely) smack as a last resort. But that would be in a case of, say, discovering your small son had pushed a schoolgirl to the floor and threw her bag into the river, or something like that. You know, something serious. Having said that I still agree with the boxer Chris Eubank. In his book he shared that in Jamaica his dad would hit him with a strap but the Eubanks themselves never smacked. Instead, Chris only needed to raise his voice and that way he stamped his authority. He'd have the kids write lines or stay in their rooms if they misbehaved seriously. This is a far cry from wacking children with a huge paddle as Biblical parenting often endorses (and for the most petty misdeeds). |
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Originally Posted by WilliamK1974
I just don't see why you find fundamentalist Christianity to be such a "dominant and worrying force" within the USA. I don't see it that way at all, and that's not because I happen to be a Christian. Here in the US, about 65% of the population claims to attend regular religious services. That includes all religions present within the country. So, it would stand to reason that the number of Christians could be quite lower. That just doesn't translate to the fundies having an iron grip on the tiller for the ship of state. Our President sometimes says things that are easy to skew and quote out of context.
Not to put words in your mouth, but I think a great deal of your concern comes from the fact that Americans tend to be more outspoken about their faith. This is especially true here in the South. My friend who lives across the pond in Essex told me that faith is considered a much more private matter over there. Billy Graham might could come over there and fill Wembley Stadium and encourage people to turn to Christ, and that would be ok. But for an individual like myself to start asking strangers about God might be seen as pushy and nosy. Some would be outraged and deeply offended. To address some other points you made: Stadium religious revivals- These have been taking place for many years across the country. I attended one at Neyland Stadium over 10 years ago. Once it was over, Neyland Stadium reverted to being the home field of the UT Vols football team. I'm not aware of any such structure being repurposed for religious use. Billy Graham could hold a rally in Yankee Stadium, but once he was done, it would return to its use as a baseball field. The same goes for all the other football stadiums, concert halls, and hockey rinks across the country. Rings promoting chastity- this has been going on since my mother was growing up, and might have gone on long before that. It's hardly new. The Prez has mentioned it in a positive way, but so what? Like anything else, those who make the promise don't always follow through, but what's wrong with trying. Evolution and Creationism in public schools- a school system in Kansas and another in Georgia tried to add items to textbooks that would state that Creationism and Evolution are to be taught as theories. Neither would be taught as superior to the other. Two school systems out of no telling how many hardly constitutes a religious revolution. For better or worse, it's unlikely that Evolution could be eliminated from public school textbooks. Attempts to do so would be met with hosility from special interest groups such as the ACLU. Terrifying stage dramas based on Hell- this is another homeschool thing, isn't it? Some churches will stage dramatic presentations around Halloween, which is their right under the 1st Amendment to the Constitution. But no one's required to view them. If you don't agree with that sort of thing, don't go. I've never been to one as I'd rather spend the time doing other things, like working on my bikes and cars. A popular humorist duo in this region has a skit that sends up churches that put on elaborate dramas that are used to point out how bad everyone else is. Corporal punishment- this is not nearly as popular as it once was. Few public schools still allow it, and the same goes for private schools. My memory tells me that I was rarely spanked, if ever, and not with any spanking instrument. I've heard of the so-called English Syndrome, and can't help but think of that line in Another Brick in The Wall about fat and psychopathic wives. I don't have any basis for this, but it would stand to reason that far more people who were spanked severely grew up to be well-balanced individuals without the need for the services of a dominaitrix. If that were not the case, they would probably have a listing in the Yellow Pages <joke>. The point I'm trying to make is that you can't paint fundamentalist Christians with the same broad brush, the same as all Americans aren't the same. Now, don't take this the wrong way, but I have to ask. Why does this bother you so much? You live across the pond, and if you were to ever visit us, it's not likely that you would catch fundamentalism even if someone sneezed on you. Some parts of the country are more religious than others, so you might not hear anything about it depending on where you were. It's not likely that we're going to sway each other's opinion, but it can be fun to try. I'd like to think that we could be having this discussion down at your local over a nice pint of ale, but only you could tell me yay or nay on that. Cheers, -Bill |
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Originally Posted by Carrera
I dish it out and, therfore, I'm obliged to take some criticism as well. I definitely wouldn't be posting this sort of topic on the cycling section of the site but I figure, hell, this is the Soapbox is it not? A rant is a rant and, thus, I ranted and enjoy hearing others rant back. Otherwise life is boring.
The title was slightly tongue in cheek - a deliberate attempt at black humour. Of course I understand the U.S. isn't really a kind of backwater plain with Hill-Billy Bible bashers. I'm aware New York and Washington are as sophisticated as Paris or Moscow. Yes, there is a problem with fundamentalism in the U.S. but, sure, this is mainly around the Bible belt are -where Bush's vote was strongest. Yes, my post was serious in as much as I do disagree with the fundamentalist movement and Biblical upbringings but bear in mind we Brits have a kind of sense of humour which is why the title was so sensational. If you've ever seen Jonathon Ross on T.V. over here you'd be aware of that. He's interviewed American women before (even Madonna) and they couldn't figure out the humour. |
