dagblog - Comments for "One Nation Under God - Or Not"

hahahahahahah You

Richard Day — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 03:23:18 +0000

In reply to God is a rock and God is the

hahahahahahah

You know.

People can be so very kind around here. hahahahahahah

God is a rock and God is the

Elusive Trope — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 03:11:03 +0000

In reply to It is funny, memory. I forget

God is a rock and God is the Universe and God is Gaia and God is the mathematical deductions of geniuses.

And God is a Richard Day rant. HA!

It is funny, memory. I forget

Richard Day — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 02:32:29 +0000

In reply to One Nation Under God - Or Not

It is funny, memory.

I forget so many incidents in my life.

But i recall when the Pledge of Allegiance changed.

I mean you are asked to memorize some lines (which I was never good at) and then the lines changed.

I recall the fourth and fifth grade when the classes would call a requiem...no snow and no catastrophic emergency and the entire school would evacuate the school except for us Catholics--I mean Jews were a no show anyway. ha

And the Lutherans would gather together beyond the parking lot.

I assume there was no budget for Catholics to pick us up and take us to the parking lot cathedral located seven blocks away. hahahaha

I remember the anguished old lady who came out of nowheres on Friday (that would be any abused woman over the age of 30) coming to my 1st grade class to tell us that the world would end on Monday!

I don't care.

I mean we can include under God in any message we wish and I do not think it means a damn thing.

I have ranted about how Imus's brother in law (who has the intelligence of a fig) decided that our best course was to nuke them all!

Well, what a wonderful idea.

I mean we shall declare war upon 1.5 billion people.

God is a rock and God is the Universe and God is Gaia and God is the mathematical deductions of geniuses.

I mean who really cares?

The problem is: too many people care even though they have no idea what they are talking about.

But then again, that is the tragedy of man!

...unless they're willing to

Elusive Trope — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 02:20:12 +0000

In reply to I've had some rich

...unless they're willing to accept "us" for who we are, there's really no working together. Not in any sincere way, anyway.

Absolutely. One side shouldn't roll over and let the "others" to avoid their responsibility. It would be like the spouse of an addict enabling the addict to stay in a state of denial. That doesn't we have to be confrontational, stoking the fires of conflict. This will only ensure the divisions to remain in place or to get even stronger. As you say, what we are seeking is sincere coming together which is filled with acceptance and compassion of the other. And this doesn't mean there is full acceptance and understanding, but rather the sincere attempt to accept and understand.

They feel it's their duty to save us from ourselves, which -- there's no getting around it -- is about as insulting as it can get.

It is hard to feel compassion towards those who are unwilling to accept us, to see that by and large they believe they are doing the right thing. So often it is unresolved internal issues that drive them to believe with such absolute certainty (which is a cover for their doubts they cannot acknowledge) and direct their attention toward saving others which will reinforce their propped up faith. If anything one should feel pity for them. If only they weren't irritating and insulting. ;)

The path to finding a bridge between us is long - whether over the division caused by religion, race, gender, sexual orientation, and so on. There are successes (and a few set backs) along the way. All we can do is keep on keeping on, and keep the eyes on the prize. Easier said than done.

I've had some rich

Ramona — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 01:08:00 +0000

In reply to One Nation Under God - Or Not

I've had some rich conversations with Christian friends and family that start out because they can't understand how I could have given up on being a Christian when that was my upbringing. I tell them that since I'm willing to accept their views on religion, they should be willing to accept mine. I'm the same person I always was and giving up on religion doesn't mean I give up on humanity.

I have actually had family members cry over me because I'm not "saved". They tell me they want to be able to see me in heaven and they won't if I don't do something about it.

The truth is, I accept them much more openly than they do me. Unless they're using religion to do harm, which none of them are, I'm pretty much okay with whatever it is they do in their churches. No, I'm absolutely okay with it. It's really none of my business and I wouldn't ever consider telling them to stop believing. I understand the comfort they get from their church communities and I'm happy for them. Some of them are Baptists and let me tell you, those church ladies can cook! You sometimes almost wish for a funeral. . .

But I can't say the same for them. From the Baptists to the Lutherans to the Catholics, they really can't stand it that so many of us are non-believers. It comes up every time we're all together, and it isn't "us" who bring it up. They feel it's their duty to save us from ourselves, which -- there's no getting around it -- is about as insulting as it can get.

In public life, doing good works isn't good enough. However, the simple act of calling oneself a Christian is good enough. Then you're accepted, no matter what you've done or haven't done.

So, Trope, unless they're willing to accept "us" for who we are, there's really no working together. Not in any sincere way, anyway.