Freedom FROM Religion

[mrbowie]

My dad, who at the bare minimum was a socialist and, for I know, may have been a Communist (some of my relatives actually went to federal prison, and not to visit), always told me that the reason America was such a great place is that it stood for freedom "of" and "from" religion.

My dad was born a Jew, practised it while his parents were alive to show them respect, but in fact was an athiest, a position he took while serving in the U. S. Navy during WW2.

Today, living in Kentucky, where the religion is so thick one could cut it with a napkin, I wonder what ever became of my dad's concept, because personally I could use a little break "from" religion.

Organized religion has become too powerful, they are able to raise and retain too much money, and they are able to use this wealth to overly influence greedy and scared politicians.

I think that something needs to be done on a governmental level to eliminate any ability of an organized religious outfit to raise and use money for political influence. They also need to start paying their fair share of taxes.

[Marlow]

Organized religion has become too powerful, they are able to raise and retain too much money, and they are able to use this wealth to overly influence greedy and scared politicians.

Apparently you missed all existence prior to this century. Organized Religion has run the world for eons (Pharoahs and Emperors were gods!) Ask victims of the Spanish Inquisition whether the Church had power. The Pope has historically enjoyed more power than all leaders together.

Churches today are mild versions of their predecessors.

[dukehjsteve]

The Christian Right is a dangerous threat to all our freedoms. Be afraid, be very afraid.

[Marlow]

The Christian Right is a dangerous threat to all our freedoms. Be afraid, be very afraid.

To paraphrase Sarah Palin, "The Socialist Left is a dangerous threat to all our freedoms. Be afraid, be very afraid."

[kuha]

The Christian Right is a dangerous threat to all our freedoms. Be afraid, be very afraid.

To paraphrase Sarah Palin, "The Socialist Left is a dangerous threat to all our freedoms. Be afraid, be very afraid."

There are real dangers and there are hysterical, imaginary dangers. I'm on dukehjsteve's side on this matter.

[Marlow]

The Christian Right is a dangerous threat to all our freedoms. Be afraid, be very afraid.

To paraphrase Sarah Palin, "The Socialist Left is a dangerous threat to all our freedoms. Be afraid, be very afraid."

There are real dangers and there are hysterical, imaginary dangers. I'm on dukehjsteve's side on this matter.

Centrists disagree. The far ends of the political/ideological spectrum are BOTH dangerous to moderates (synonym for rational thinkers).

[Daisy]

The far ends of the political/ideological spectrum are BOTH dangerous

Hypothetically, yes, yet one group actually has influence in American society. Does that not make them more dangerous?

[SQUACKEE]

The far ends of the political/ideological spectrum are BOTH dangerous

Hypothetically, yes, yet one group actually has influence in American society. Does that not make them more dangerous?

Which one? Obama, who said and i quote "We will fundamentally change America" is the most power man on the planet, is he not. I dont want anyone telling me what to do, right or left or relgious.

The worst part about the organized religions is the are so damn organized, where are the dis-organized religions?

[Flumpy]

America doesn't have anyone on the radar (And certainly no one with any power) who is on the far left of the political spectrum.

Anywhere else in the world Obama would be seen as right wing.

[dukehjsteve]

The Christian Right is bad enough, but the Far Right in general is ruthless, organized, and prone to distortions and outright lies. Some of the Far Right material that some of my rightist friends e mail is staggering in its lies and distortions. And what is scary is that oftentimes they believe it, and blythely pass it along without even questioning its veracity, or should I say lack of it. As just one example check out " Americans for Freedom of Information."

[kuha]

America doesn't have anyone on the radar (And certainly no one with any power) who is on the far left of the political spectrum.

Anywhere else in the world Obama would be seen as right wing.

Yes, pure and simple.

And on this general subject, it is utterly IMPOSSIBLE to imagine a US presidential candidate with any viability at all who was an avowed athiest, or even agnostic. They would be vilified and go absolutely nowhere, regardless of their policies. And that's ridiculous.

[Daisy]

The far ends of the political/ideological spectrum are BOTH dangerous

Hypothetically, yes, yet one group actually has influence in American society. Does that not make them more dangerous?

Which one? Obama, who said and i quote "We will fundamentally change America" is the most power man on the planet, is he not.

Only in America would Obama be seen as left, let alone far left. Don't believe everything you hear from the far right.

[SQUACKEE]

Only in America would Obama be seen as left, let alone far left. Don't believe everything you hear from the far right.

I dont believe anything i hear from anyone. I was just making a fabulous point.

[Daisy]

I was just making a fabulous point.

And it was, it was. Happy July 4th!

[SQUACKEE]

I was just making a fabulous point.

And it was, it was. Happy July 4th!

Thanx Daisy! You too. I'm gonna run this morning and then drink beer, quite a plan, is it not!

[Daisy]

I'm gonna run this morning and then drink beer, quite a plan, is it not!

Sound like the foundation of new religion. For me, I am setting up a wellie boot throwing contest for our local fete.

[SQUACKEE]

I'm gonna run this morning and then drink beer, quite a plan, is it not!

Sound like the foundation of new religion. For me, I am setting up a wellie boot throwing contest for our local fete.

Oh, that sounds like work! Join my religion of running and beer and be healed my son. Send check or money order to Box 2353 New Milford Ct, to support my church.

[LopenUupunut]

Oh, that sounds like work! Join my religion of running and beer and be healed my son. Send check or money order to Box 2353 New Milford Ct, to support my church.

The running, the beer and the healing sounded good, but I have serious misgivings about the sending money to you part. In fact, I'm pretty sure that's straying from the true and original path.

Anyone else who feels the same way, send money to me instead.

[Daisy]

send money to me instead.

You forgot to give us your P.O.Box #. Also, will my donations be tax deductable?

[Pego]

I'm gonna run this morning and then drink beer, quite a plan, is it not!

Sound like the foundation of new religion. For me, I am setting up a wellie boot throwing contest for our local fete.

Oh, that sounds like work! Join my religion of running and beer and be healed my son. Send check or money order to Box 2353 New Milford Ct, to support my church.

Give me the schedule. I'll be there for beer, running you can do without me.

[LopenUupunut]

send money to me instead.

You forgot to give us your P.O.Box #. Also, will my donations be tax deductable?

I'm still trying to decide where to put my headquarters. Somewhere this remote might not be ideal for recruiting.

But in any case I, as a mighty religious leader, am above earthly governments and need not pay taxes.

[kuha]

I'm still trying to decide where to put my headquarters. Somewhere this remote might not be ideal for recruiting.

Consider Monaco, next door to the IAAF!

[Per Andersen]

America doesn't have anyone on the radar (And certainly no one with any power) who is on the far left of the political spectrum.

Anywhere else in the world Obama would be seen as right wing.

Yes, pure and simple.

And on this general subject, it is utterly IMPOSSIBLE to imagine a US presidential candidate with any viability at all who was an avowed athiest, or even agnostic. They would be vilified and go absolutely nowhere, regardless of their policies. And that's ridiculous.

But if you believe in the rapture you are good as gold. A nuclear war does not face those people.
The Palins and the Huckabees. It would just be the rapture.

[26mi235]

The head or one of the key people in the Freedom From Religion Foundation lives a couple blocks away.

The far right seems more dangerous to me (just left of center?) because it mixes the far right with fundamentalist religion. Two entities not strongly constrained by the truth or reason within certain spheres.

[lonewolf]

As a professed agnostic, I do not criticize those who take comfort in religion. It tends to make for well behaved people.
I just don't want it foisted on me.. I had to quit calling a very good, reasonably priced plumber for our condo complex because he persisted on preaching and "witnessing" to me and everyone within earshot.

[tandfman]

The Christian Right is a dangerous threat to all our freedoms. Be afraid, be very afraid.

To paraphrase Sarah Palin, "The Socialist Left is a dangerous threat to all our freedoms. Be afraid, be very afraid."

The problem is that Ms. Palin and her ilk seem to define anyone to the left of the extreme right as a Socialist. It's not accurate (I tend to support Democrats and many of their positions, yet I am not at all a Socialist). And It's not fair politics.

[lonewolf]

[ And It's not fair politics.

There are fair politics?

[wineturtle]

Watch this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZBTyTWO ... re=related

read this
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/met ... 30537.html

Mainstream America Then and Now?