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Posted

Irregardless of how unsavory or displeasing intellectually one finds a culture imbued with religious sentiment, it is the game. If you're going to play at the table, you're going to play with the cards that are dealt.

 

The higher a public office sought, the more apt politicians of all stripes are to be seen speaking from a pulpit.

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Posted
Irregardless of how unsavory or displeasing intellectually one finds a culture imbued with religious sentiment, it is the game. If you're going to play at the table, you're going to play with the cards that are dealt.

 

The higher a public office sought, the more apt politicians of all stripes are to be seen speaking from a pulpit.

 

Main Entry: ir·re·gard·less

Pronunciation: "ir-i-'gärd-l&s

Function: adverb

Etymology: probably blend of irrespective and regardless

nonstandard : REGARDLESS

usage Irregardless originated in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its fairly widespread use in speech called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that "there is no such word." There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. Use regardless instead.

 

 

yellaf.gif Just messing with you.

Posted
Citing a statement rife with religious qualifiers is a further note of weakness as it can be dismissed off-handedly.

 

Is this off-hand dismissal on the part of American liberals, progressives, and secular conservatives part of the reason why this movement has been able to gain so much power within the American state and cultural landscape? Perhaps this is a bad idea?

Posted
Citing a statement rife with religious qualifiers is a further note of weakness as it can be dismissed off-handedly.

 

Is this off-hand dismissal on the part of American liberals, progressives, and secular conservatives part of the reason why this movement has been able to gain so much power within the American state and cultural landscape? Perhaps this is a bad idea?

 

It seems to me this religious force has been constant and unwavering in American politics with spikes occurring in episodes of perceived national stress and peril. Perhaps, the perception of "this movement...gaining power" is due to the juxtaposition of a growing element with a secular, intolerant view.

Posted

From a purely secular viewpoint, rationales supported by faith are irrational inherently and "dismissed off-handedly" due to the inclusion of unquantifiable data. Strict secular logic does not tolerate unquatifiable data and disqualifies its validity.

Posted

"a growing element with a secular, intolerant view."...that would be the antithesis of a religious intolerant view... no?

 

Thus, the speaker denies that there is an unprecedented rise and influence of fundamentalism in the country. By circumlocution, the point is made that the only thing new here is the unwarranted complaint expressed by liberals, progressives, and secular conservatives that domestic religious extremism now has a growing and unprecedented role in shaping American politics, in opposition to the founding principles and traditions of the country.

Posted

It seems to me this religious force has been constant and unwavering in American politics with spikes occurring in episodes of perceived national stress and peril...

 

Surely the American Revolution was a time of great national stress and peril, yet the historical record clearly shows that religious fundamentalism persented no spike whatsoever during this episode. On the contrary, what emerged was a liberal doctrine that has prevailed for centuries and which clearly separates itself from religion.

Posted

I think you're correct. Marginalizing opposing viewpoints due to contrary values puts the opponents in the same intolerant pot of constipation.

 

I don't deny a rise in the perception "that domestic religious extremism now has a growing and unprecedented role in shaping American politics". I have alluded to the mechanism whereby a force unrecognized previously is highlighted by the hightened presence of a contrary force.

 

Every president has verbalized a personal adherence to "religious values"; the power of the religious segment of the electorate has always been there.

 

Was Carter vilified by secularists for his justification of social spending due to fundamental religious beliefs? Not by those who favored social spending.

 

I guess, another reason for the perception of a swell in fundamental religious influence is in a president whose flagrant espousals of religious belief make his already onerous actions and behavior all the more distastefull.

Posted

"Our infrastructure is devastated, lives have been shattered," Ms. Landrieu said during a helicopter tour of the area with an ABC interviewer. "Would the president please stop taking photo-ops?"

 

--Mary Landrieu, US Senator

Posted

It seems to me this religious force has been constant and unwavering in American politics with spikes occurring in episodes of perceived national stress and peril...

 

Surely the American Revolution was a time of great national stress and peril, yet the historical record clearly shows that religious fundamentalism persented no spike whatsoever during this episode. On the contrary, what emerged was a liberal doctrine that has prevailed for centuries and which clearly separates itself from religion.

 

That's like saying Jesus of Nazareth was a Christian: there was no U.S.of A. at the time of the American Revolution. My limited understanding has it that the current climate of religious fundamentalism pales when compared to that time: as school superintendent, Jefferson mandated the Judeo-Christian Bible as a text.

 

Ever heard the phrase "praise the Lord and pass the ammunition"? Are you aware of troops in Iraq praying en masse, many for the first time in their lives? Do you deny that most, when finding themselves or their loved ones helpless and in peril, make a desperate plea to "God"? I think the final scenes where this is portrayed in "O Brother, Where Art Thou" are hilarious including George Clooney's character's dismissive explanation afterward.

Posted
"Our infrastructure is devastated, lives have been shattered," Ms. Landrieu said during a helicopter tour of the area with an ABC interviewer. "Would the president please stop taking photo-ops?"

 

--Mary Landrieu, US Senator

 

Also by Mary Landrieu:

 

"If one person criticizes our sheriffs, or says one more thing, including the President of the United States, he will hear from me - one more word about it after this show airs and I - I might likely have to punch him - literally," says Landrieu.

 

"The President came here yesterday for a photo-op, he got his photo-op but we are never going to get this fixed if he does not send us help now."

--source

Posted

You know the sadest thing? Louisiana will again vote for the idiot republican that runs in '08 despite getting the major shaft from this administration. rolleyes.gif

Posted
Surely the American Revolution was a time of great national stress and peril, yet the historical record clearly shows that religious fundamentalism presented no spike whatsoever during this episode. On the contrary, what emerged was a liberal doctrine that has prevailed for centuries and which clearly separates itself from religion.

 

That's like saying Jesus of Nazareth was a Christian: there was no U.S.of A. at the time of the American Revolution. My limited understanding has it that the current climate of religious fundamentalism pales when compared to that time: as school superintendent, Jefferson mandated the Judeo-Christian Bible as a text.

 

Yes, yes, Jesus didn't call himself a Christian and there was no Christian tradition until over one hundred years after his death. So, enough about this great mythological character of Middle Eastern legend, and more about the Americans.

 

Americans called themselves Americans before and during their revolution. Moreover, at the time of the Revolution the western world perceived Americans to be a distinct population with a unique heritage -- they were, indeed, Americans. Nevertheless, arguments contrary to this simple fact are to be expected and for that occasion, to evaluate the relationship between surges in fundamentalism and occurences of national crises, we can step forward by a measure of four score and seven years.

 

The Civil War was arguably a time of stress and peril greater than any other suffered by the nation, yet despite that I find no indicator of a spike in fundamentalist activity or influence on American politics at that time. In short, I don't think stress and peril to the nation has anything to do with any rise in fundamentalism or religious extremism in America, nor has it ever.

 

Simply stated, my assertion is that we cannot at one handily and responsibly dismiss people who today complain that fundamentalism is presenting an unprecedented and dangerous trespass upon American political tradition. These people have a good case. We may do well to listen. If you say that fundamentalism and religious extremism has always been intimate with American politics, especially in times of crises, you come across as either a fundamentalist yourself or as a secular person who is whistling in the dark.

Posted
Ever heard the phrase "praise the Lord and pass the ammunition"? Are you aware of troops in Iraq praying en masse, many for the first time in their lives? Do you deny that most, when finding themselves or their loved ones helpless and in peril, make a desperate plea to "God"? I think the final scenes where this is portrayed in "O Brother, Where Art Thou" are hilarious including George Clooney's character's dismissive explanation afterward.

 

I make no stand here in recognition of nor denial of religious or spiritual activity engaged by American troops in Iraq. Of course, religion is an underpinning of American society, and it always has been. In the tradition of true, minimalist, conservative ideals, I hope the American nation forever continues to be one where individuals are free to be religious and exploit whatever power they may gain from spiritual identity.

 

I’m not sure that a plea to God, even in times of great personal crisis, is necessarily a plea of desperation, but I am sure that prayer and spiritual identification is of central importance to many people, including a majority of the American population. Moreover, even though one might accurately mark me as being distinctly not religious, if I were at the bedside of a dying patient who ask me to pray with her or him, I would do so at the drop of a hat – as readily as I’d lock off a belay to a falling climber, no questions asked, just do it now.

 

In response to the phrase, “Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition,” I will comment that I think religion is a lot like a loaded gun. Properly used, it can be a good thing.

Posted

AP-Bush to lead investigation into his own failure ...

 

Buffeted by criticism over the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, President Bush said Tuesday he will oversee an investigation into what went wrong and why — in part to be sure the country could withstand more storms or attack.

Bush also announced he is sending Vice President Dick Cheney to the Gulf Coast region on Thursday to help determine whether the government is doing all that it can.

 

"Bureaucracy is not going to stand in the way of getting the job done for the people," the president said after a meeting at the White House with his Cabinet on storm recovery efforts.

 

"What I intend to do is lead an investigation to find out what went right and what went wrong," Bush said. "We still live in an unsettled world. We want to make sure we can respond properly if there is a WMD (weapons of mass destruction) attack or another major storm."

 

---Idiot

Posted

Maybe he could start by firing this hack:

 

The federal official in charge of the bungled New Orleans rescue was fired from his last private-sector job overseeing horse shows.

 

And before joining the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a deputy director in 2001, GOP activist Mike Brown had no significant experience that would have qualified him for the position.

 

The Oklahoman got the job through an old college friend who at the time was heading up FEMA.

 

http://business.bostonherald.com/businessNews/view.bg?articleid=100857

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