Hartbreaker

You cannot have both. If everyone is getting freedom from religion then no one is free to be religious. Students are being attacked every school day in this country because of the freedom from religion movement. Freedom of Religion means people are free to not have a religion. Freedom from religion means that people are only free to have a religion if they never show it openly and that is no freedom at all.

swampbug Loc: Ball Ground, Georgia

The real problem in religion today is that we have "something-for-nothing" religion lead by the "faith only" doctrine. Nobody is required to make any commitment to anything to "be saved". We need to be reminded that the devils and demons knew who and what Christ was but it didn't save them. Like in any other situation talk is cheap and it is even cheaper when the talker hasn't studied enough to have any idea what they are talking about. Like Paul told Timothy, "Study to show yourself approved..." Those teaching this doctrine will answer for the soles they lead astray.
If you showed your spouse the same love and attention that you give to Christ and His church, how long would you stay married?
Now tie this back to my original premise about politics. It is easy to see why those believing that God will give them eternal salvation for no effort on their part will expect the government to support them the same way. I suggest reading 2 Thessalonians 3; 10 - 12.

skott Loc: Bama

Jefferson was quite clear that freedom of religion also has to be freedom from religion. If you are talking about Christian students making fun of and starting fights with non Christian students, then you are right. That resembles the inquisition.
At the school where I teach, Christian students meet at the flagpole every morning to pray where they can be seen. The bible calls this false prayer. I refuse to participate. That doesn't mean that I do not pray.

skott Loc: Bama

I have always said, if there is going to be one state religion, I don't mind at all, as long as I get to be the head of the religion. I want to pick the prayers, and punishments for those who don't act the way I want. You want to use religion to control. That is not, nor will it ever be your job.

Horatius at the Bridge

I have known many people, Jews, Christians, atheists and agnostics who are "good" people. They do not judge nor do they proselytize. As an intellectual exercise, I am trying to find the commonality: just why and how are they all "good" people without a common religion? And, as part of this, just what is "good?"

no propaganda please Loc: moon orbiting the third rock from the sun

You have a religion you just don't know it. From your posts it appears that you believe that government is the be all and end all, and the most important part of life. That being the case, your true religion is Marxist socialism

swampbug Loc: Ball Ground, Georgia

Why do we always ascribe nefarious motives to actions we don't agree with? They may be meeting at the flag pole because it is a convenient place to meet as they get to school. It may also be symbolic of their love of country hand in hand with their love of God.
As for Jefferson's opinion, they did not all agree on everything when writing the constitution. If they had all agreed with him it would have been so presented in the document. Let's not try to add something that is not there.

Brian Devon

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I am hardly a Marxist. I don't even personally know any. I have never believed the government should own the means of production nor have Soviet style 5 year economic blueprints.

Free enterprise works well in regard to most things. I just prefer limiting the predatory behavior of the businesses that would put profits over the value of human life. This means more of a European Social Democratic model than a Soviet model or one of 19th century laissez-faire capitalism, where workers worked 16 hour days in hellish conditions, for a wage that could not support a livable life.

I would vastly prefer to be stranded on an island with someone like Martin Luther King or Senator Warren than be with the likes of the Koch brothers, or Joseph Stalin.

swampbug Loc: Ball Ground, Georgia

Amen, brother!!!!

swampbug Loc: Ball Ground, Georgia

You don't have to know any murders to be one either. You values are not based on who you know but rather on your actions and beliefs. Next, your historical references are a few generations out of date. Lastly, I will fight for your rights to achieve your dreams. If I could help you achieve the one you expressed above, I would gladly do it (might consider taking some of your friends with you just so you will have some company).

ldsuttonjr Loc: ShangriLa

rumitoid: Most people just need to turn their brains on... This way they can get by the semantics of our quibbling English! It is important to keep an open mind...but not so open that our brains fall out!

Horatius at the Bridge

Normally I ignore the ignorance demonstrated in these posts, but as an unabashed capitalist, I feel obligated to reply. Your description of the 19th century factory conditions may be true, but not any longer. We have learned that we can have greater sales of our "widgets" when there is a growing economy, and part of that is an accurate economic recognition of the labor costs. The true value of a "job" as in "minimum wage" is the value that effort brings to the company. In other words, any "job" is required to enhance shareholder value. If it doesn't do so, it does not need to exist.
Next, your comparison of Koch to Stalin is just beyond the pale. Stalin is on the list of the top few mass murders - responsible for the murder of over 100 million. Koch is responsible for many jobs that otherwise wouldn't exist without their investment. I for one would be very happy to have lunch with or be stranded on an island with either Koch brother. Your Stalin reference reinforces my belief you are a Statist, believe in government and likely are a registered Democrat (by the way, "registered Democrat" is an insult in our quarters).

Brian Devon

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I live on the West Coast. Republicans here are an endangered species. They do exist but they are usually smart enough to not advertise their views in public. Most folks assume that if you chose to live in this progressive college town, you are most likely a liberal Democrat.


It's different living in the Pacific region where all six U.S. Senators are liberal democrats, with F ratings from the NRA.

What do the Stalin and the Kochs have in common? They are predatory political extremists with little use for the input of the "common folk".

swampbug Loc: Ball Ground, Georgia

It is amazing how many found my misuse of the word principal/principle but seemed to let that overshadow the message. That seems rather shallow to me but that is just my opinion. My experience is that when you proof read for errors, you tend not to get the message. On the contrary, when you read for content, you aren't as likely to notice spelling errors, etc..

swampbug Loc: Ball Ground, Georgia

You make a great case for California to secede from the union as some of you have suggested.