Running is a big question mark that’s there each and every day. It asks you, ‘Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?' - Peter Maher, Irish-Canadian Olympian

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Just some things I have been pondering lately

Our national political/religion obsession is getting a little out of hand. Did we actually have candidates raising their hands that they don't believe in evolution?

Newsflash: Creationism (and I use that term loosely because it is just a plain stupid way of trying to validate religious mythology) has no scientific basis. Believe in creationism? Then feel free to see a faith healer when you break a leg. Personally, I will go to a physician, trained in medicine and science.

I don't want my preachers talking politics or my politicians talking religion.

The CIA feels it is necessary to destroy material to protect agents? My guess is that there is plenty of tapes, materials and papers remaining at Langley. Wouldn't most of that information and material compromise operations and agents? Too bad no one there felt it was necessary to destroy information pertaining to Valerie Plame before she was outed by White House officials.

Oh, and waterboarding?

Torture.

Just saying.......

5 comments:

bazu said...

uggggggggggggghhhhhhhh... don't even get me started on these people. the idea that we could have a viable candidate who doesn't believe evolution? many other countries, including so-called "developing" and "third-world" ones would laugh such a person out of the room. sad sad sad.

IHateToast said...

dinosaurs. tricks of the devil!

no, wait. what is it now? intelligent design. pah. a spiralgraph? that's intelligent design. i want one.

Melissa'smusings said...

I want to start out by saying your dogs are gorgeous and I hope one day to adopt greyhounds myself. And I disagree with you.
I`m vegan, I´m liberal, and I´m a believer in that "stupid way of trying to validate religious mythology".
Here is the thing - I respect that you don´t believe and I don´t want to force my beliefs on you. But the left is going to keep losing if they don´t respect that LOADS of Americans have religious beliefs. (I don´t equate left with the democratic party)
People look at vegans like fruitloop whacked-out hippies - is it fair to look at religious types the same way?
I believe in science and I believe in God. I think the question is can any politician act with integrity and value all beliefs - OR - will there always have to be a "my way or the highway" attitude? (see current president)

bazu said...

I have to respectfully disagree with the above comment. I think that most people, regardless of their own political or religious views (or lack or religious views, as the case may be) respect those who hold religious beliefs. However, those elements in American politics today who hide under the mantle of religion are not arguing that they should have the right to believe and practice as they see fit- since they already do. I think the desire to ban all abortions (and birth control for that matter), to ban the teaching of evolution (and a general disrespect for science c.f. global warming, etc), and to ban gay marriage (and let's face it, to stigmatize homosexuality as a disease to be eradicated) have nothing to do with a belief in god or religious practice, and everything to do with a politics of hate, fear, and intolerance. When I say I am horrified by the teaching of "intelligent design", it is not god or religion that horrify me, it is the anti-scientific thinking of those who would lead this country into a theocratic state, if given the chance. Don't believe me? Look up "dominionism" in Wikipedia and tell me, do we owe these people respect? I think not.

runswithdog said...

I apologize if my use of the term 'stupid' was offensive. Here is the thing....I *am* a believer. I was raised in the Southern Baptist Church, and believe me, you don't just throw that kind of upbringing off without loads of therapy. LOL
I believe faith can lead us to greater things and greater peace. But creationism is not science. It has no place being taught as fact in public schools. I believe in the power of prayer. But I also believe in science. Discover a tumor in me? By all means, I want prayer. But I also want treatment by a trained surgeon, scientifically educated.

What I object to is the overwhelming focus on religion and the political power wielded by denominations and groups. And the pandering by politicians to these groups pisses me off to no end. PISSES ME OFF.

Last week, we were treated to the spectacle of a highly qualified (whether you support his positions or not) presidential candidate declaring to the nation, 'I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of mankind.' What the hell? How far have we fallen? How incapable, as a country, have we become to evaluate and assess people and issues without resorting to peering through the prism of religion. Only 27 years ago we had John Kennedy declaring, '...the kind of Presidency in which I believe--a great office that must neither be humbled by making it the instrument of any one religious group nor tarnished by arbitrarily withholding its occupancy from the members of any one religious group. I believe in a President whose religious views are his own private affair, neither imposed by him upon the nation or imposed by the nation upon him as a condition to holding that office.

I agree that loads of Americans have religious beliefs and that support and vote for candidates on the basis of those beliefs. I also believe that politicians should just refuse to go there. Can you imagine Kennedy or Nixon's reaction if they were asked their position on evolution in a debate? When these type of questions are posed to current candidates, I would love to see 'WTF?' expressions on their faces. I would love to hear them respond, 'What does that have to do with anything? Let me tell you instead what I hope to do with [fill in the blank....healthcare, Darfur, public schools, hunger, corporate malfeasance, the Iraq War, support and care for veterans, climate and environmental issues, energy policies, immigration issues, you get the idea - there is no shortage of real issues needing discussion).

Public profession of faith is no guarantee of anything. I would rather have an out and out atheist who believes in the human dignity of the individual, who truly acts on the belief of loving others as you love yourself, rather than a Christian professing, praying to God for guidance, "Jesus is my favorite philosopher", corrupt, lying, war monger as my president.