| Topic: |
Religions > Bible |
| User: |
"althea" |
| Date: |
28 Jul 2007 03:49:30 PM |
| Object: |
Informed citizenry? |
Citizens who do not know the Declaration of Independence,
the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights should not
be allowed to vote.
It would be also nice if they knew their Geography and
World History before they voted. -- L.
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
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| User: "skyeyes" |
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| Title: Re: Informed citizenry? |
01 Aug 2007 01:11:55 PM |
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On Jul 28, 1:49 pm, althea <alt...@althea.com> wrote:
Citizens who do not know the Declaration of Independence,
the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights should not
be allowed to vote.
It would be also nice if they knew their Geography and
World History before they voted.
Dream on.
Brenda Nelson, A.A.#34
EAC Professor of Feline Thermometrics and Cat-Herding
skyeyes at dakotacom dot net
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| User: "V" |
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| Title: Re: Informed citizenry? |
01 Aug 2007 06:45:40 PM |
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On Jul 28, 4:49 pm, althea <alt...@althea.com> wrote:
Citizens who do not know the Declaration of Independence,
the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights should not
be allowed to vote.
It would be also nice if they knew their Geography and
World History before they voted. -- L.
....My discussion of this topic from an earlier post.
Eris <vith...@gmail.com> wrote:
In his book religious literacyhttp://www.amazon.com/Religious-Literacy-American-Know-Doesnt/dp/0060...The
author is a Christian, and states that in Austria where religionis
shoved down the students throats, belief is almost non existent.
InAmerica were belief is 90 percent, the average Christian is unable
toname the Four Gospels or the Twelve Apostles. They need to know
Christianity to reject it.
Lets start spoon feeding it two them.
*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
V:
Well, some of that is true. I can't name the apostles and I was
Catholic for 50 years.
I can't name all the 50 states as well...but I am not too smart so you
can't go by me.
I'm sure there are some terrorists out there that can name the states.
So just having knowledge means nothing - for knowledge can be used for
good or bad.
Spiritual values is what directs knowledge into good actions.
Many atheists know more about religion than the theists do...yet the
same knowledgeable atheists are bankrupt in spiritual values.
You want to spoon-fed theists religion...good policy...maybe some of
it will rub off on you.
But if you want to spoon feed theist the destruction of religion and
spiritual values in government...I have one question for you?
Is you policy the same as the one in Iraq?
Take out the powers that be and replace it with wishful thinking?
I thought atheist and wishful thinking did not mix?
If out get rid on one thing, what do you plan on replacing religion in
the politician with?
Atheist values?
http://jesusneverexisted.org/jne/forum/index.php?topic=509.0
You should be kissing the asses of the politicians that they are NOT
atheists.
If you like politics with no God go to Russia, China, North Korea or
the orient.
Atheists look at this topic with tunnel vision.
Atheists like to fantasize what the world would be like if religion
would never have been invented.
Sure Christians do bad things, so do all practitioners in other
religions. But many of these religious practitioners also do good
things.
You never see atheists taking up charitable works and feeding and
clothing the poor in any organized way as Christians do.
Atheist organized?
The only thing atheists can organize shelves to do to is to plonk V
and spew hatred.
There may be the odd atheists philanthropists here or there, but
nothing organized like Christians charitable organizations.
I wrote to the president of American Atheists, UK Atheists, the
Secular Humanism Foundation, Sam Harris and others about this very
topic and none had the courtesy to reply.
Shows how much interest atheists really have in humanity.
No, I prefer to keep things as they are and keep religions, even with
all their imperfections. I believe religions do more good than harm. I
shutter to think what the world would be like if it was composed
solely of atheists.
When I discussed Christian principles one time an Atheist piped up to
say "the Christians have no principles," and "Jesus was a fabled
creation of the Christians."
When we sperate the personalities from the principles it makes looking
at things much easier. When I am referring to Christian principles I
speak of such things as charity, works of mercy and the golden rule,
where the emphasis is on principles and not on the personalities of
the church.
For even if Jesus was just created as a fable, these Christian
principles are universal truths in their own right if one desires to
live a life at peace and promote the inner peace of others in this
world.
"The Corporal Works of Mercy"
To feed the hungry
To give drink to the thirsty
To clothe the naked
To harbour the harbourless
To visit the sick
To ransom the captive
To bury the dead
"The Spiritual Works of Mercy"
To instruct the ignorant
To counsel the doubtful
To admonish sinners
To bear wrongs patiently
To forgive offenses willingly
To comfort the afflicted
To pray for the living and the dead
You see, by applying the rule of reciprocity or rule of opposites we
can see if we were in these positions of the needy mentioned above, we
would like such charity bestowed on us for the most part.
What about our children, parents and loved ones?
Wouldn't we wish the same for them?
We have no loved ones?
What about our neighbors?
The Christian ethic says to treat one another as we would wish to be
treated. As we give ~ so we receive.
Even if an atheist, as we give peace - we receive inner peace as many
of the tools I mentioned above do not require belief in God, they only
requirement is a desire to be at peace and to bring peace to others.
This is the Christian doctrine in a nutshell, when we put principles
before personalities.
As you instill seeds of peace within others you plant the same seeds
and water these seeds within you as well. As James Allen wrote in "As
a man Thinketh" ~ To think well of all, to be cheerful with all, to
patiently learn to find the good in all - such unselfish thoughts are
the very portals of heaven; and to dwell day by day in thoughts of
peace toward every creature will bring abounding peace to their
possessor."
This is universal truth that transcends man made religions.
Remember, we do not have to do it perfectly. Just look for direction
and forget perfection - for perfection or range is of the ego and form
is of the soul.
There are many tools for peace within the worlds spiritual paths, no
one said these paths are perfect, in fact, it was once said that
walking the spiritual path is akin to walking on a razors edge.
But if we bother to be honest, non prejudicial and to look, we can
find tools that can help us be at peace whether atheist, agnostic or
believer.
Take care,
V (Male)
Agnostic Freethinker
Practical Philosopher
AA#2
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| User: "Bill Dunkenfield" |
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| Title: Re: Informed citizenry? |
01 Aug 2007 04:35:10 PM |
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althea wrote:
Citizens who do not know the Declaration of Independence,
the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights should not
be allowed to vote.
It would be also nice if they knew their Geography and
World History before they voted. -- L.
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
Half our citizens are half wits. Maybe more.
JAM
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| User: "Thurisaz, Germanic barbarian" |
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| Title: Re: Informed citizenry? |
02 Aug 2007 12:24:56 AM |
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althea:
Citizens who do not know the Declaration of Independence,
the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights should not
be allowed to vote.
It would be also nice if they knew their Geography and
World History before they voted. -- L.
A democracy, sadly, is as good as its people. If the people are
well-educated and use their brains, it can be paradise. If the people don't
care for anything except their new wide-screen TV or that their SUV is
bigger than their neighbor's... 'nuff said.
As sad as I find it, I think that some "quality standard" you have to pass
before you're allowed to vote would be a good idea. Whether for the US, for
my German homeland, or any other nation.
--
"To his friend a man a friend shall prove, and gifts with gifts requite;
But men shall mocking with mockery answer, and fraud with falsehood meet."
(The Poetic Edda)
Must have been written with fundies in mind...
My personal judgment of monotheism:
http://www.carcosa.de/nojebus
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