tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post2558827874485515392..comments2023-10-14T08:23:14.641-07:00Comments on The American Energy Crisis: "People are Good"...A Quaker in a Strange Landhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15425198389944137571noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-16556541028441534572010-10-25T17:58:53.026-07:002010-10-25T17:58:53.026-07:00On a related note:
Doing my usual evening blog/ne...On a related note:<br /><br />Doing my usual evening blog/news cycle I came across this article:<br /><br />http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/10/a_mass_nervous_breakdown_of_th.html<br /><br />I normally don't like to cross post links on another's site as a rule but this one kinda discusses what we have been kicking around here and in some earlier posts.<br /><br />Just thought I would share in case no one here reads that site.PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-8852576508025627362010-10-25T17:01:58.791-07:002010-10-25T17:01:58.791-07:00Meiyo,
I would be interested in talking with you ...Meiyo,<br /><br />I would be interested in talking with you about my experiences and what I have learned. (dextred1@aol.com) I starting teaching myself koine Greek yrs ago to get around the interpretation issue. Although to be perfectly honest, there seems to be little difference with the common translations. Most are fine as long as you cross-reference with 3 or 4 different translations so you can pull out the main ideas. Koine Greek is not classical Greek though. Koine is more like English in the sense that it was the primary language of business. Even koine though is much more expressive. As for the Old Testament we have many different manuscripts from different time periods. The most famous being the Dead Sea scrolls. When you cross reference these manuscripts you can compare any changes that would have crept in. The Greek Septuagint version of the Old Testament was fairly common in Greece (300-400 B.C.). There are also literally thousands of archeological digs that have parts of Isaiah, Genesis, etc. Prior to 1000 B.C. Some are on doorposts and others on clay pots. I am no one special so I might be of no help to you.<br /><br />I was talking about dealing with spiritual issues and psychology. All though psychology has some predictive powers it is not useful dealing with the spirit. The Greek word Psuche is where we take this from. The early church conception of it came from the apostle Paul 1St the 5:23. His conception was of a triune being (body, spirit/psuche, and soul/pneuma. To the early church and the Greeks this was force that animated the body (desire food, long for God, to rejoice, to remember etc). This would be many of the modern things psychology deals with. The problem is equating the soul and spirit as one. The biblical conception of the spirit is what is considered to be the Image of God. The spirit is the higher attributes of man such as responsibility, reason and conciseness. This is the part that sets us apart from the beast of the field. Maybe this helps explain my position better. <br /><br />I am a literalist when the passage calls for it. Most of the old testament is documented outside the scriptures so it is fairly easy to identify many of the narratives through archeological digs and historical background from other writers. When all is said and done you have to determine in a pragmatic way if the belief system you follow has predictive power. Does it explain the way the world works. If the historical record that bible gives is correct and all indications are that it is, then why would they lie about the spiritual stuff. That is the part where faith comes in and as they say that is between you and your creator.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-11708588386453862092010-10-25T15:06:13.809-07:002010-10-25T15:06:13.809-07:00Well, I agree that many newer churches seem to foc...Well, I agree that many newer churches seem to focus on platitudes and the notion of grace and emotionality rather than character changes and faith via works. Some of the folks I've met nearly seem like the "power of attraction" types who believe Christianity blesses you with financial wealth, if you just act in congruence with love of Jesus.<br /><br />So Dex do you believe that God intervened in the world to protect the Bible from influence of early partriarchs and people of power? Does this objectivity come from Bible literalism? And if so which literalism interpretation is correct? I've gone to nearly every sect of christianity during my lifetime, and most make claims to be 'the truth' and cherry pick bible passages often out of context, particularly since bible translations often show clear influence by the beliefs of those who interpret it. The greeks had a fairly complex language they had many versions of love and hell, but most translations completely neglect these things.<br /><br />Psychology not explaining everything clearly makes sense to me, it explaining nothing--you'll have to expand upon that, since it doesn't make much sense to me--what's your underlying beliefs that would make you state that? <br /><br />Much of human behavior can be validly explained via psychology, but the human experience is very complex, the subjective experience of family members living in the same home sometimes can vary greatly.<br /><br />And PP, I'm not going to focus on specific religions, many non-christian religions promote a strong Authority focused anti-liberty agenda, Islam comes to mind most prominently. The history of religion in the world and politics doesn't paint a picture of freedom by any means, the US's respect for religion yet refraining from making some sect of Christianity the official religion was certainly inspired. Ultimately, we aren't a non-interventionist Christian nation, our global police militarism continues to be supported by many religious folks as well as those who get rich of the M.Industrial complex. <br /><br />Anyway, time to pick more butternut squash, fare thee well all.<br />-MeiyoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-65400917189650944312010-10-25T14:15:43.909-07:002010-10-25T14:15:43.909-07:00Meiyo,
Most leftist, not talking dems here are no...Meiyo,<br /><br />Most leftist, not talking dems here are not religious but spiritual. Even when the claim "Christianity" they have got control of certain denominations have took their church in the direction of their leftist worldview, gay marriage, Literally hundreds of theological issues that is just too much to get in here. Really just remaking the church in their own reflection. That strikes at the very heart of religion which is based on an outside or objective view of yourself. As a matter of opinion I don't really deny that a lot of the church has become much more like the world then the early church. PP makes a valid point also about the new Christianity which is nothing more than a bunch of ego boost self help crap. There is no talk about commitment, change, repentance and blood. Just nice little epithets and platitudes. <br /><br />Coal guy said those ideologies attract those type of people. <br /><br />Psychology does not explain everything, maybe nothing.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-89203193400370236412010-10-25T13:37:37.019-07:002010-10-25T13:37:37.019-07:00coal guy,
I was more correcting my own statement....coal guy,<br /><br />I was more correcting my own statement.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-33668917581459878052010-10-25T13:28:35.874-07:002010-10-25T13:28:35.874-07:00What type of religion(s) specifically Meiyo?
The ...What type of religion(s) specifically Meiyo?<br /><br />The problem is many modern "Christian" religions are no different than the culture of corruption for which they follow and administer to.<br /><br />Even Obama claims to be Christian but I doubt many in the bible belt would agree that his church in Chicago was really Christian or teaches Christian values.<br /><br />Sadly the churches of today have left behind the moral teachings of even a century ago. Or many of them have. Taking the first amendment to the extreme it has been taken has removed any power the Churches had and forced them to evolve into the same attitude of decay the population at large has embraced.<br /><br />While I am sure there are sects that come close to the original teaching of Christianity they are rare in America today and even more rare in the Cities.PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-27133518784189885782010-10-25T12:57:08.354-07:002010-10-25T12:57:08.354-07:00I think you guys are painting with a broad brush w...I think you guys are painting with a broad brush with all the criticisms of religious and lefties. The city I'm from is fairly democratic/liberal yet also a very religious town with high turnouts and new churches being built on a regular basis. Lefties aren't all atheists, clearly if you look at population data plenty of dems are also religious--atheists are an extreme minority in this country.<br /><br />I disagree strongly with the notion that somehow socialism creates narcissistic psychopaths--having spent a few years working with this group of folks. Most of the narcissistic "sociopaths" I've worked with were very religious and Religion can puff up ego's as surely as someone believing secularism can make things right. Many having claimed special knowledge and special relationship with God, and using religious formalism for to perform every evil listed by others here. <br /><br />These are human problems, the ego doesn't disappear when people proclaim a belief in God, most use this as an altar to promote their ego's since religion fulfills many basic psychological needs. <br /><br />Religions in this country still often promote an authoritarianism, rather than a libertarian view of other's actions. This is a big part of the reason why many religious folks don't see a much of a problem with warmongering and killing others, as long as they live outside this country--regardless of rationale. Human's can't move much past their animal nature, most being driven by basic limbic reactions, the hedonistic imperative is alive and well and sadly religion often is just another insurance policy or way to make people feel they have a special status with the almighty.<br /><br />Everlasting life is something that human ego craves, ego's don't want to die...maybe some of the atheistic libs will have a change of heart once mortality kicks in. I've seen this happen with some of my older relatives, who become very devout later in life :)<br />-MeiyoAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-42597012700573075042010-10-25T12:53:29.357-07:002010-10-25T12:53:29.357-07:00"My point was that the left is fine with mora..."My point was that the left is fine with morality as long as they define it. Their complaint is that the existence of God clashes with their desire to be the most important things in the universe."<br /><br />Well said, Coal Guy.<br /><br />Still, there are a lot of folks like me that do not DENY anything, but do not assert much either.<br /><br />I don't feel conflicted by the sense that I am NOT the smartest guy in the universe and that I don't have all the answers - and still reject the idea that I should play G-d. It seems we are in agreement in that we reject those that claim that role for themselves.A Quaker in a Strange Landhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15425198389944137571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-79199012415981356512010-10-25T12:29:07.305-07:002010-10-25T12:29:07.305-07:00Dex,
I must have been unclear. The left deni...Dex,<br /><br /> I must have been unclear. The left denies the existence of anything greater than themselves. They cannot stand such a concept. It bruises their puffed up egos. Their ventures away from Judeo-Christian morality have been disastrous. They stay close to it because it works, but have no loyalty to it. <br /><br /> I agree that morality is contingent upon the existence of God. It is the existence of a higher power that presupposes a natural right and wrong or good and bad. <br /><br /> My point was that the left is fine with morality as long as they define it. Their complaint is that the existence of God clashes with their desire to be the most important things in the universe.<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Coal GuyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-50544032931145493552010-10-25T11:40:59.071-07:002010-10-25T11:40:59.071-07:00The first amendment only establishes a limitation ...The first amendment only establishes a limitation on Congress as pertaining to religion. Hence the reason there were state religions into the 1900's (Utah).<br /><br />Yet the progressives have used the 1st amendment to attack mainly Christian symbols, values, and authority even down to the local level. The loss of the morals and values that came with those attacks appears in petty habits such as cheating, ignoring agreements, adultery, abortion etc.<br /><br />The founders knew there could not be an established National religion but they never dreamed of getting rid of religion from everyday life.PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-47113267011577689682010-10-25T11:23:02.417-07:002010-10-25T11:23:02.417-07:00Coal guy,
Clinton. Hahahahahaha
Point taken on ...Coal guy,<br /><br />Clinton. Hahahahahaha<br /><br />Point taken on morality. The only caveat is that morality in my opinion is contingent on God and as such they can't accept that either. But when they open their big fat mouths they try to sound like Christians moralist instead of communists. Gitmo being a great example.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-81390387929389673092010-10-25T10:46:14.883-07:002010-10-25T10:46:14.883-07:00To my point, I saw Bill Clinton interviewed on TV ...To my point, I saw Bill Clinton interviewed on TV once, and he was asked why he got involved with Monica Lewinski. His answer was "Because I could." Can you think of a worse answer from a man who had control of the US's nuclear arsenal?<br /><br />Regards, <br /><br />Coal Guy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-44204362765435740392010-10-25T10:39:56.944-07:002010-10-25T10:39:56.944-07:00Dex,
It is the very existence of a higher pow...Dex,<br /><br /> It is the very existence of a higher power that those on the left rail against, not morality per se. Socialism attracts narcissistic sociopaths like moths to the flame, simply because it permits them to play God. For them, morality is whatever is expedient to advance their view of the "greater good" at any particular moment. As you point out, right and wrong, good and bad, are conceptual and situational. Whatever works to achieve a particular purpose is moral.<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Coal GuyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-40477704230220040752010-10-25T09:55:00.727-07:002010-10-25T09:55:00.727-07:00Your story about your Boca Raton rental makes no s...Your story about your Boca Raton rental makes no sense. We all know it is only the subprime welfare cheats who would do something like that? The scumbags on the bottom are the only ones gaming the system.<br />Although I might accept that your former landlady might be a latte sipping liberal. I wonder how many abortions she has had?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-24717747158027055102010-10-25T09:00:44.590-07:002010-10-25T09:00:44.590-07:00Jeffers,
This is why I respect you "yet phil...Jeffers,<br /><br />This is why I respect you "yet philosophically I fall fairly deep into Judeo-Christian ethics and precepts... I see the merits that belief can have, and I have seen that belief abused, too."<br /><br />The secular left attacks the right constantly about our faith. The strange thing is that all of the civil liberties that they hold so dear come from the exact ideology that despise. We talk about this all the time, but the fact remains that the despots that most closely follow the secular humanist worldview are communist, following point for point to their outright hatred for anything sacred. The amazing things is how closely these secular leftist constructed morality lines up with the Judeo-Christian ethics. You would think that if they were created from whole cloth then they would look quite different than the moral codes with which their creators were raised. What is more amazing is that the left can never seem to admit this. They want the ethical code without religion, but where can you point me to and say hey they did it there. Ultimately without God your ethical code is based on what is good for yourself. At Dostoyevsky puts it “if there is no immortality then all things are permitted.” On this basis a writer like Ayn Rand is absolutely correct to praise selfishness as a virtue (this is why I don’t like her as a role model for conservatives). To live only for self then would not only be good, but actually foolish to do anything else, for life is too short to act on anything other than self-interest. Sacrifice of life, liberty or just for your children would be stupid. You even go farther into this and if there is no god, no moral truth, no objective right or wrong then how can you say anything at all. Everything is a subjective judgment. It is impossible to condemn war, oppression, or crime as evil or even bad. You can’t say brotherhood, equality and love are good, only convenient. Without God there is just the base valueless fact of existence, and there is no one to say you are right and I am wrong.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-63896256484984848422010-10-25T07:48:21.451-07:002010-10-25T07:48:21.451-07:00Dex:
I am not particularly religious... yet philo...Dex:<br /><br />I am not particularly religious... yet philosophically I fall fairly deep into judao-christian ethics and precepts... I see the merits that belief can have, and I have seen that belief abused, too.<br /><br />As for church and state... I fall on the side of a literal interpretation of the U.S. Constitution and heavily favor a government that respects the document as it was written.<br /><br />I do not deny that people raised in a 2 parent home with some grounding in religious belief has likely had the best possible outcome.<br /><br />And Dex... even though I am not very religious I could not agree more that most secular folks seem to hold an unsupportable position regarding abortion.... a position that, I believe, they were indoctrinated into by the liberal establishment at most of our colleges and universities. I believe this because, when I was young and dumb, I supported the pro-choice position - and then I came to my senses when my wife got pregnant with my eldest. What was I thinking?<br /><br />Me thinks it very hard for the 50 million women who have had an abortion to admit the horror of what they have done, giving the pro-abortion movement a built in support group that they have taken terrible advantage of.A Quaker in a Strange Landhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15425198389944137571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-78771959859203743772010-10-25T07:14:12.551-07:002010-10-25T07:14:12.551-07:00Marshall,
You are being deceptive. Most people co...Marshall, <br />You are being deceptive. Most people come to some type of faith in prison not before. The two best indicators of delinquency are lack of two parent home and no religion. Your stat only points out the obvious that once people are in prison they try to find some meaning in their situation. Not to mention that affiliation tells nothing about the truth or substance of faith. People claim to be many things. Do they live by the standards? Adhere to the principles? Or just pretend to look good for porale boards? I have seen many people completely change their lives not only in my church, but in our jail ministry programs. I have also had a childhood friend who has been in and out of prison. Every time he turns in to super Christian inside and on the outside is just the same ole guy. Thanks for taking a complex issue and over simplifying it. People fail in every situation and from every background.<br /><br />Here is another fact that libs like to lie with. More teen age girls from religious families give birth, than non-religious teenage girls. The kicker is that the non-religious pregnancy rates are more than 2 times higher actually; they just murder their child in the womb.Dextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-34742185840998156992010-10-25T06:28:58.306-07:002010-10-25T06:28:58.306-07:00A 1997 Federal Bureau of Prisons survey of inmate ...A 1997 Federal Bureau of Prisons survey of inmate religious preferences gave the following results-<br /><br />Christian 80%<br />Other 19%<br />Athiest 0.2%<br /><br />A 1999 survey in Texas Prisons showed-<br /><br />Baptist 30%<br />Catholic 18%<br />Other 22%<br />Athiest 0.0%<br /><br />Religion doesn't makes anybody more civil.<br /><br />Best, MarshallAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-16932995940181685072010-10-24T19:39:38.996-07:002010-10-24T19:39:38.996-07:00Ya know alot of this has to do with the "sepa...Ya know alot of this has to do with the "separation of Church and State" thing which has been taken completely out of context as written by Jefferson. Interesting that you should bring it up now that the Tea Party O'Donnell woman is being bashed for it.<br /><br />Even up till the 1900's in some areas local church leaders had some leeway in enforcing contractual laws and forcing payments. County Sheriffs also played a much greater hand in this as well.<br /><br />I am not sure what the answer is but we are becoming a much ruder and deceptive people the further we get from Christianity and community.<br /><br />As for your football injury articles I also played in high school and played hard. As an offensive end and defensive back I loved that game until a minor growth disorder and a downfield clip put me out. After a year of surgery, casts and crutches maybe I was better off in the long run. Still from what I understand even high school football has become much more prone to hiding injuries and using "sports" medicine now. Very sad.PioneerPreppyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09269878017447335944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-76264808616239996012010-10-24T19:04:31.124-07:002010-10-24T19:04:31.124-07:00Dex:
Great quotes... and it is the crux of the pr...Dex:<br /><br />Great quotes... and it is the crux of the problem. Too many accept gaming the system as reasonable behavior.A Quaker in a Strange Landhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15425198389944137571noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-41423601986911301442010-10-24T18:40:08.061-07:002010-10-24T18:40:08.061-07:00The moral of the story? Our government might just ...The moral of the story? Our government might just reflect the people!!!!<br /><br />This is the crux of the problem with fixing the United States. All men throughout this nation’s history were not devoutly religious, but most were ethical, had a sense of justice and believed that equality was what you worked for (equality of opportunity not results). Now most are lazy, unjust and entitled. The real downfall is that of morals.<br /><br />"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion . . . Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." <br /><br />~John Adams <br /><br />"Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters."<br /><br />~Ben FranklinDextred1https://www.blogger.com/profile/10295971877800381681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-99704500378481622.post-44286187320436338652010-10-24T16:07:58.480-07:002010-10-24T16:07:58.480-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04354887108778074009noreply@blogger.com