So,I am sitting here listening to our shrub king speak to students at a Kansas State University. A phrase that really caught me was: "There is a custom for people to express themselves in this country... and were gonna keep it that way." Well, thank you king george, for keeping our constitutional rights safe. That is his job, right, to protect the Constitution and our Bill of Rights. Unfortunately, because of acts committed by the Bush regime, we find ourselves in the midst of a constitutional crisis, and he seems to agree. Our legislature and the supreme court are considered less than equal branches according to the executive unitary principle, which Alito endorses and the regime holds as sacred. Essentially this principle means that the executive branch has the ability to act without the consent of any branch, in any manner.
When Bush signs a law, which the legislature passes, he now reserves the right to add a "signing statement" which gives him the ability to bypass the law when he chooses. This strategy will allow him to sanction torture, although McCaine's latest anti-torture bill outlaws it. The Supreme court, whose complacency or idiocy or partisan shittiness directly installed the Bush regime into the executive branch, is about to lose its last progressive swing vote to a pussy who was hand-picked and groomed to pander to the wishes of the neo-cons. He was the ROTC dork in the 60's who gave shit to protesters, and sucked ass his whole life to get where he is. This man is just one of the factors that could lead this democracy teetering on the edge of fascism straight into the abyss, drastically affecting everyday life here in the U.S. Call your senators and demand they protect the precious democracy that has fragilely existed on this continent for two and a half centuries.
The Bushites main tactic, especially during this weeks PR stunt, is the emphasis on FEAR. They will use OBL's latest tape, and threats of impending doom to make you think spying on U.S. citizens is necessary. They will LIE to you, as they have before.
Why are they searching google records? Why have they been spying on reporters in the US? The man with the smirk is lying to you, and shredding our privacy rights. I seem to recall you saying "A dictatorship would be great... as long as I am the dictator." What is stopping him? Definetely not the people, or the congress, or the senate, or the courts. The executive unitary theory sounds better than dictatorship, besides, it's the name that counts, right.
"Tyrants don't allow the political process to evolve... why would they want to stop democracy?" You tell me Bush, your the hegemonic ruler of the world now, and you don't seem to give a shit about the people.
Tune in next time to see how Bush is giving the super rich 100 billion in tax cuts, by taking it from students, children who need child support, and the poor.
Spread the word. Peace.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
The Speech of our Lifetimes
If you have not seen Al Gore's Speech given at Constitution Hall on January 6th, please check it out. In my two decades of life on this planet, I have never seen a more passionate and enlightening speech in person, or on tape. The first reaction from everyone who I have shown this to is chills, and then "Is this guy running again?"
He touched on a litany of Bush administration wrongdoings, and general failures of democracy existent in all three branches of government:
wire tapping, war in Iraq, no wmd, foreknowledge of 911, fitzgerald, abramoff, congress asleep at the wheel, whistleblowers, rule of war regarding wiretaps and creation of FISA,constitutional background and intention of framers, intention of the current administration re executive powers, alito and broadening exec power, torture, the geneva convention, acknowledged the use of terror to control citizens, no connection between osama and saddam, campaign reform, decay of checks and balances, presidential signing statements, medicare prescription drug fuck up, he even suggested television not the best source of current events...
Gore skillfully wove together what the left blogosphere has been crazed about since Bush took office, he clearly explained the culture of political and social corruption which we live under every day.
The speech was supposed to be introduced by some words by Bob Barr(R-GA), giving the talks a bi-partisan air. Unfortunately, the remote satellite feed was not working and Bob could not talk, but this emphasizes the idea that this is not a partisan political fight. In fact, many true conservatives see the dangers that lie ahead for the good of the entire country. Much of the elite class can now see that they are aboard the sinking ship that is our country.
Gore did miss a few important facts. The uber important issue of election fraud was seemingly ignored, although he danced around the subject. The next day he did mention the overturn of Florida's votes by the Supreme Court, but that was more in context of Bush stacking the SCOTUS in his favor, which is equally important as election fraud. The Crisis papers came out with an article describing the The Gulliberal Problem. Does Al Gore accept that the 00', 02', and 04' elections have been stolen, and that future elections will follow the same path unless directly and forcefully confronted by the people and those in power?
He talked of campaign reform, representatives spending their time making 30 second ads instead of debating issues vital to our democracy or taking part in oversight committees. The legislature that exists now is foreign to the body that existed pre-Reagan. The senate and congress are almost considered inferior to the executive branch, according to Bush's legal team, the executive branch is more powerful than the other two. These are the powers of a dictator, a king, but not a president.
The oratory skills of Al Gore appear to have improved ten fold. Anyone who sees this speech will be in awe of the dichotomy between Gore and Bush. The Supreme court really screwed us over, giving us a shrub who thinks he is king, yet speaks like a common houseplant. Gore is our rightful president, he speaks for me and my ideals.
His speech was unique because it was not an attempt to win over the populace in a bid for office. There was no self-absorpment or promises, neither was there confusion or spin. It was an attempt to clearly inform the citizenry that our precious system of democracy, which generations before us fought for tooth and nail, is precariously perched and teetering on the edge of the deep crevice of tyranny and fascism. Now is the last chance to keep our way of life alive, and so he ended with hope.
He ended with a five step plan which must be implemented immediately. First, Republican as well as Democratic members of Congress should support the bipartisan call of the Liberty Coalition for the appointment of a special counsel to pursue the criminal issues raised by warrantless wiretapping of Americans by the President.
Second, new whistleblower protections should immediately be established for members of the Executive Branch who report evidence of wrongdoing -- especially where it involves the abuse of Executive Branch authority in the sensitive areas of national security.
Third, both Houses of Congress should hold comprehensive-and not just superficial-hearings into these serious allegations of criminal behavior on the part of the President. And, they should follow the evidence wherever it leads.
Fourth, the extensive new powers requested by the Executive Branch in its proposal to extend and enlarge the Patriot Act should, under no circumstances be granted, unless and until there are adequate and enforceable safeguards to protect the Constitution and the rights of the American people against the kinds of abuses that have so recently been revealed.
Fifth, any telecommunications company that has provided the government with access to private information concerning the communications of Americans without a proper warrant should immediately cease and desist their complicity in this apparently illegal invasion of the privacy of American citizens.
The speech ended: "I mentioned that along with cause for concern, there is reason for hope. As I stand here today, I am filled with optimism that America is on the eve of a golden age in which the vitality of our democracy will be re-established and will flourish more vibrantly than ever. Indeed I can feel it in this hall.
As Dr. King once said, 'Perhaps a new spirit is rising among us. If it is, let us trace its movements and pray that our own inner being may be sensitive to its guidance, for we are deeply in need of a new way beyond the darkness that seems so close around us.'"
He touched on a litany of Bush administration wrongdoings, and general failures of democracy existent in all three branches of government:
wire tapping, war in Iraq, no wmd, foreknowledge of 911, fitzgerald, abramoff, congress asleep at the wheel, whistleblowers, rule of war regarding wiretaps and creation of FISA,constitutional background and intention of framers, intention of the current administration re executive powers, alito and broadening exec power, torture, the geneva convention, acknowledged the use of terror to control citizens, no connection between osama and saddam, campaign reform, decay of checks and balances, presidential signing statements, medicare prescription drug fuck up, he even suggested television not the best source of current events...
Gore skillfully wove together what the left blogosphere has been crazed about since Bush took office, he clearly explained the culture of political and social corruption which we live under every day.
The speech was supposed to be introduced by some words by Bob Barr(R-GA), giving the talks a bi-partisan air. Unfortunately, the remote satellite feed was not working and Bob could not talk, but this emphasizes the idea that this is not a partisan political fight. In fact, many true conservatives see the dangers that lie ahead for the good of the entire country. Much of the elite class can now see that they are aboard the sinking ship that is our country.
Gore did miss a few important facts. The uber important issue of election fraud was seemingly ignored, although he danced around the subject. The next day he did mention the overturn of Florida's votes by the Supreme Court, but that was more in context of Bush stacking the SCOTUS in his favor, which is equally important as election fraud. The Crisis papers came out with an article describing the The Gulliberal Problem. Does Al Gore accept that the 00', 02', and 04' elections have been stolen, and that future elections will follow the same path unless directly and forcefully confronted by the people and those in power?
He talked of campaign reform, representatives spending their time making 30 second ads instead of debating issues vital to our democracy or taking part in oversight committees. The legislature that exists now is foreign to the body that existed pre-Reagan. The senate and congress are almost considered inferior to the executive branch, according to Bush's legal team, the executive branch is more powerful than the other two. These are the powers of a dictator, a king, but not a president.
The oratory skills of Al Gore appear to have improved ten fold. Anyone who sees this speech will be in awe of the dichotomy between Gore and Bush. The Supreme court really screwed us over, giving us a shrub who thinks he is king, yet speaks like a common houseplant. Gore is our rightful president, he speaks for me and my ideals.
His speech was unique because it was not an attempt to win over the populace in a bid for office. There was no self-absorpment or promises, neither was there confusion or spin. It was an attempt to clearly inform the citizenry that our precious system of democracy, which generations before us fought for tooth and nail, is precariously perched and teetering on the edge of the deep crevice of tyranny and fascism. Now is the last chance to keep our way of life alive, and so he ended with hope.
He ended with a five step plan which must be implemented immediately. First, Republican as well as Democratic members of Congress should support the bipartisan call of the Liberty Coalition for the appointment of a special counsel to pursue the criminal issues raised by warrantless wiretapping of Americans by the President.
Second, new whistleblower protections should immediately be established for members of the Executive Branch who report evidence of wrongdoing -- especially where it involves the abuse of Executive Branch authority in the sensitive areas of national security.
Third, both Houses of Congress should hold comprehensive-and not just superficial-hearings into these serious allegations of criminal behavior on the part of the President. And, they should follow the evidence wherever it leads.
Fourth, the extensive new powers requested by the Executive Branch in its proposal to extend and enlarge the Patriot Act should, under no circumstances be granted, unless and until there are adequate and enforceable safeguards to protect the Constitution and the rights of the American people against the kinds of abuses that have so recently been revealed.
Fifth, any telecommunications company that has provided the government with access to private information concerning the communications of Americans without a proper warrant should immediately cease and desist their complicity in this apparently illegal invasion of the privacy of American citizens.
The speech ended: "I mentioned that along with cause for concern, there is reason for hope. As I stand here today, I am filled with optimism that America is on the eve of a golden age in which the vitality of our democracy will be re-established and will flourish more vibrantly than ever. Indeed I can feel it in this hall.
As Dr. King once said, 'Perhaps a new spirit is rising among us. If it is, let us trace its movements and pray that our own inner being may be sensitive to its guidance, for we are deeply in need of a new way beyond the darkness that seems so close around us.'"
Thursday, January 12, 2006
The Hall of Shame 1/12/06
January 12, 2006
The first of a semi-weekly tally of the most notable people, be it bad or good.
1. Alito- that rat fink was in the ROTC giving shit to protestors and hippies in 1969. He does not answer questions, this man is tighter lipped than Roberts was. What he does say is usually a whiny contradiction that is unintelligible. There have been something like 194 5-4 decisions handed down by the SCTOUS in the last three years. O'Connor was almost always the deciding vote. We must not lose this important seat to a Bush lackey with no sense of true civil rights and liberties.
2. Arlen Specter- For giving into his ultra-conservative colleagues and batting down Kennedy's subpoena.
3. GW Bush- Is it me or is Bush getting more blatant with his fascism? In his latest speech he labeled dissenters as traitors, and if you look real carefully at the newest installment of the patriot act you can see it would enable Bush to criminalize protesters under the Patriot Act as "disrupters."
4. Edwards- John Kerry's running-mate came out today in Opposition of Alito. He supports a democratic filibuster, if that's what it takes to keep him off the court. I urge you all to stand together and use whatever means you have at your disposal to block the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court.
"I urge you all to stand together and use whatever means you have at your disposal to block the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court..
Samuel Alito's nomination represents a grave threat to the fundamental liberties of all Americans. He is an activist who has consistently placed his conservative ideology above the rule of law."
This man deserves our respect. I hope he starts something amongst the senators.
Monday, January 09, 2006
To a Certain Rich Young Ruler
White-fingered lord of murderous events,
Well are you guarding what your father gained;
With torch and rifle you have well maintained
The lot to which a heavenly providence
Has called you; laborers, risen in defense
Of liberty and life, lie charred and brained
About your mines, whose gutted hills are stained
With slaughter of those newer innocents.
Ah, but your bloody fingers clenched in prayer!
Your piety, which all the world has seen!
The godly odor spreading through the air
From your efficient charity machine!
Thus you rehearse for your high role up there,
Ruling beside the lowly Nazarene!
-Clemente Wood
This sonnet was written and circulated during the Colorado Coal Strikes of 1913, it seems fitting at this time. Did you know the Bush
Administration neglected Coal mining Safety since taking office?
"The mining explosion should call attention to the Bush administration’s inadequate enforcement of federal mining safety regulations. Mining safety in the U.S. has improved dramatically since the Mining Safety and Health Act was signed in 1977. By the time that President Clinton signed the International Labor Organization’s Convention 176 concerning safety and health in mines, mining deaths dropped from 425 in 1970 to 85 in 2000.
Phil Smith, the communications director for the United Mine Workers of America, said that while citations have been issued, the fines assessed for safety violations are too small to force large corporations to make improvements. “The problem with the current laws is enforcement.” According to an AFL-CIO analysis, the Bush administration cut 170 positions from federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and has not proposed a single new mine-safety standard or rule during its tenure.
And there’s a reason for that. The Washington Post reported that West Virginia coal firms raised $275,000 for Bush.
Last September, Bush rewarded the coal industry by placing coal industry veteran Richard Stickler in charge of MSHA. Stickler spent about 30 years as a coal company manager with Beth Energy. Mines managed by Stickler were marked by worker injury rates that were double the national average, according to government data cited by the United Mine Workers union."
Excerpt taken from Think Progress
Well are you guarding what your father gained;
With torch and rifle you have well maintained
The lot to which a heavenly providence
Has called you; laborers, risen in defense
Of liberty and life, lie charred and brained
About your mines, whose gutted hills are stained
With slaughter of those newer innocents.
Ah, but your bloody fingers clenched in prayer!
Your piety, which all the world has seen!
The godly odor spreading through the air
From your efficient charity machine!
Thus you rehearse for your high role up there,
Ruling beside the lowly Nazarene!
-Clemente Wood
This sonnet was written and circulated during the Colorado Coal Strikes of 1913, it seems fitting at this time. Did you know the Bush
Administration neglected Coal mining Safety since taking office?
"The mining explosion should call attention to the Bush administration’s inadequate enforcement of federal mining safety regulations. Mining safety in the U.S. has improved dramatically since the Mining Safety and Health Act was signed in 1977. By the time that President Clinton signed the International Labor Organization’s Convention 176 concerning safety and health in mines, mining deaths dropped from 425 in 1970 to 85 in 2000.
Phil Smith, the communications director for the United Mine Workers of America, said that while citations have been issued, the fines assessed for safety violations are too small to force large corporations to make improvements. “The problem with the current laws is enforcement.” According to an AFL-CIO analysis, the Bush administration cut 170 positions from federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) and has not proposed a single new mine-safety standard or rule during its tenure.
And there’s a reason for that. The Washington Post reported that West Virginia coal firms raised $275,000 for Bush.
Last September, Bush rewarded the coal industry by placing coal industry veteran Richard Stickler in charge of MSHA. Stickler spent about 30 years as a coal company manager with Beth Energy. Mines managed by Stickler were marked by worker injury rates that were double the national average, according to government data cited by the United Mine Workers union."
Excerpt taken from Think Progress
Wednesday, January 04, 2006
A Deep Political Sore
Seeking Causes
"Neither drugs nor charms nor burnings will touch a deep-lying political sore any more than a deep bodily one; but only right and utter change of constitution; and they do but lose their labor who think that by any tricks of law they can get the better of those mischiefs of commerce, and see not that they hew a hydra." -Plato
The Military-Industrial Complex
"In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together." -Eisenhower's Farewell Address to the Nation
Two quotes by great men, separated by thousands of years, yet they are as relevant to each other as they are to the World today. According to Wikipidea the term military-industrial complex usually refers to the combination of the U.S. armed forces, arms industry and associated political and commercial interests, which grew rapidly in scale and influence in the wake of World War II, although it can also be used to describe any such relationship of industry and military. The Military-Industrial complex exists today as the seamless connection between the bush administration, the Pentagon, and large defense companies such as the Carlyle Group and Halliburton.
The roster of Carlyle “consultants” reads like a who’s who guide to government officials of the 1980s, starting with former president George H. Bush, former secretary of state James Baker, and former defense secretary Frank Carlucci. The Carlyle group is essentially in the business of buying out companies which are integral to U.S. defenses, and they make them even more integral. They can do this because of their enormous political influence. George H. Bush, being an ex-president, is given the option to recieve daily CIA briefings, and he takes full advantage of them. Imagine, this man knows the deepest secrets of this country, and is updated on them everyday, and he is a major owner and consultant for global arms dealer known as the Carlyle group. Did you know that poppa Bush is good friends and business partners with the Saudi Arabian Royal Family, and the Bin Laden family? The credo for the entire Bush family seems to be "screw the public as often as possible when personal profit is an option." Bush-Carlyle Connection
Vice-President Cheney was CEO of Halliburton, and still receives large sums of money from them. Payments on his large pension have increased since 9/11 due to profits from the Iraq war and the illegal No-Bid contracts which were given to the company (Dick Cheney and Halliburton).
These collaborations between the publc and private sectors are tatamount to the the powerful and elite of ths country looting the people's taxes. While the public infrastructure crumbles, the rich get richer, the poor poorer, and the middle class shrinks more every year.
"The United States now accounts for about half of world military spending, meaning that it is spending nearly as much as the rest of the world combined," says Natalie J Goldring, executive director of the Program on Global Security and Disarmament at the University of Maryland. "This is difficult to justify on the basis of known or anticipated threats to U.S. national security," she added.
That was said in 2004 and is even truer today. The annual world-wide military budget is about one trillion dollars, and the U.S. spends roughly $500 billion of that. The war on terrorism has replaced the cold war as the assurance that U.S. military suppliers will perpetually garner gross profits from the taxpayer's pockets.
Unfortuneatley republics historically have a tendency to decline into this state where the private and public sectors become indistinguishable, also known as fascism. It is a fact that corporations would relish fascism. The many government restrictions put on businesses, which safeguard the people from abuses, would disappear, and the law would be the corporation. How many environmental restrictions must be repealled or ignored, how many more lives destroyed by corporate greed, before fascism overcrowds any idea of democracy?
Eisenhower tried to warn us of the military-industrial complex which was forming a deep political sore upon the nation. Plato knew thousands of years ago that the "mischiefs of commerce" would try and subvert the law for their own gain, and the only way for the people to regain their checks on these monsters of industry is "an utter change of constitution." The people must recognize what is happening, and the work to change it, as a whole.
The Military-Industrial Complex
We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together." -Eisenhower's Farewell Address to the Nation
Two quotes by great men, separated by thousands of years, yet they are as relevant to each other as they are to the World today. According to Wikipidea the term military-industrial complex usually refers to the combination of the U.S. armed forces, arms industry and associated political and commercial interests, which grew rapidly in scale and influence in the wake of World War II, although it can also be used to describe any such relationship of industry and military. The Military-Industrial complex exists today as the seamless connection between the bush administration, the Pentagon, and large defense companies such as the Carlyle Group and Halliburton.
The roster of Carlyle “consultants” reads like a who’s who guide to government officials of the 1980s, starting with former president George H. Bush, former secretary of state James Baker, and former defense secretary Frank Carlucci. The Carlyle group is essentially in the business of buying out companies which are integral to U.S. defenses, and they make them even more integral. They can do this because of their enormous political influence. George H. Bush, being an ex-president, is given the option to recieve daily CIA briefings, and he takes full advantage of them. Imagine, this man knows the deepest secrets of this country, and is updated on them everyday, and he is a major owner and consultant for global arms dealer known as the Carlyle group. Did you know that poppa Bush is good friends and business partners with the Saudi Arabian Royal Family, and the Bin Laden family? The credo for the entire Bush family seems to be "screw the public as often as possible when personal profit is an option." Bush-Carlyle Connection
Vice-President Cheney was CEO of Halliburton, and still receives large sums of money from them. Payments on his large pension have increased since 9/11 due to profits from the Iraq war and the illegal No-Bid contracts which were given to the company (Dick Cheney and Halliburton).
These collaborations between the publc and private sectors are tatamount to the the powerful and elite of ths country looting the people's taxes. While the public infrastructure crumbles, the rich get richer, the poor poorer, and the middle class shrinks more every year.
"The United States now accounts for about half of world military spending, meaning that it is spending nearly as much as the rest of the world combined," says Natalie J Goldring, executive director of the Program on Global Security and Disarmament at the University of Maryland. "This is difficult to justify on the basis of known or anticipated threats to U.S. national security," she added.
That was said in 2004 and is even truer today. The annual world-wide military budget is about one trillion dollars, and the U.S. spends roughly $500 billion of that. The war on terrorism has replaced the cold war as the assurance that U.S. military suppliers will perpetually garner gross profits from the taxpayer's pockets.
Unfortuneatley republics historically have a tendency to decline into this state where the private and public sectors become indistinguishable, also known as fascism. It is a fact that corporations would relish fascism. The many government restrictions put on businesses, which safeguard the people from abuses, would disappear, and the law would be the corporation. How many environmental restrictions must be repealled or ignored, how many more lives destroyed by corporate greed, before fascism overcrowds any idea of democracy?
Eisenhower tried to warn us of the military-industrial complex which was forming a deep political sore upon the nation. Plato knew thousands of years ago that the "mischiefs of commerce" would try and subvert the law for their own gain, and the only way for the people to regain their checks on these monsters of industry is "an utter change of constitution." The people must recognize what is happening, and the work to change it, as a whole.
Sunday, January 01, 2006
Faith: The Legitimization of Insanity
Every time a religion's ideologies are challenged, core or peripheral, christian or eastern, faith is used as the end-all be-all justification for the belief and actions taken because of the belief. For this reason there is no way to get past this faith barrier, and almost every talk I have had with a religious person on their beliefs has descended into the illogical.
I was a practicing Roman Catholic for 17 years of my life, and even then faith seemed like a poor excuse, a cop-out used when a person could not adequately explain their religion. Most of the time they didn't understand their own reasons for belief, let alone the apologetics (explanation of the faith) of the church. So I decided, in the waning years of my christianity, that I would learn the apologetics of the church, initially so I could explain my own faith to those who questioned it. I had decided that answering a person's questions with FAITH was both a horrible way to proselytize, and wasn't winning my debates.
While I started arguing on the side of the church, it took less than a year of in depth study, including some classes on the bible and philosophy, before I was looking on the church in an entirely different light. What was my enlightenment to the truth was labeled as a struggle with my faith, clearly exemplifying the dichotomy between faith and truth. The two are not compatible, and each one brings with it an equally different world view.
The view of truth looks at the world in a realistic manner. Facts, science, empiricism, that which can be explained thoroughly, even things that may not already be proven, but for which there could be a logical explanation fall into this category. This person is actually more likely to believe in things like "conspiracy theories" because they try to understand the facts, and they draw connections that are logical. The idealist would simply believe what he is told by those that are more powerful.
The faith based world view inevitably clashes with the globalist society we have evolved into. This culture is based the foundations of science and technology, and faith cannot be tolerated as a solution to anything.
Faith is G W's solution for many things. The president of the United States, legitimately elected or not, currently operates on FAITH. He has said that the war in Iraq is faith based and domestic decisions are made based on prayer, which makes sense, it seems like he has had his eyes closed for most of his presidency.
Because bush relies on his faith in jebus, and we the people (are supposed) have faith in the president, does that mean the citizens of the US are forced to have faith that GOD will guide america?
Actions based on faith cannot be justified because the entire world is affected by what is done in faith's name. Throughout most of history, until empiricism, actions were based on faith, and precedent clearly shows the devastating affects: the crusades, inquisition, manifest destiny... the list would be too long. All wars not caused by material possessions have been faith based.
Idealism is the rejection of reality. It is the ultimate incarnation of cognitive dissonance. Many logical people have trouble reconciling truth with their own beliefs, but the idealistic do not even try. Actions based on false realities impact the world in ways unintended by the perpetrators. Worse yet, they rarely understand the true effects of what they are doing, and continue to harm the world.
Faith is the most important tool that the powerful have to enforce their control. Be it the Vatican or the White House, they rely on the people's faith in them as an alternative to forcefully controlling the people (which they will do when necessary). The people in those offices are not stupid, and so they do not rely solely on faith. Empiricism is used by these institutions in this modern age so they will function. Yet, they continue to sell faith to the people, and I can only assume it is to meant to keep them ignorant.
Key Point
If you believe that God is specifically reaching down from heaven to answer your trivial prayer to remove a zit or to help you find your lost keys, while at the same time God is allowing 27,000 children to die of starvation each day by specifically ignoring their prayers, then your God is insane.
I found this site through an ad on my page: Why does god hate amputees?, check it out.
I was a practicing Roman Catholic for 17 years of my life, and even then faith seemed like a poor excuse, a cop-out used when a person could not adequately explain their religion. Most of the time they didn't understand their own reasons for belief, let alone the apologetics (explanation of the faith) of the church. So I decided, in the waning years of my christianity, that I would learn the apologetics of the church, initially so I could explain my own faith to those who questioned it. I had decided that answering a person's questions with FAITH was both a horrible way to proselytize, and wasn't winning my debates.
While I started arguing on the side of the church, it took less than a year of in depth study, including some classes on the bible and philosophy, before I was looking on the church in an entirely different light. What was my enlightenment to the truth was labeled as a struggle with my faith, clearly exemplifying the dichotomy between faith and truth. The two are not compatible, and each one brings with it an equally different world view.
The view of truth looks at the world in a realistic manner. Facts, science, empiricism, that which can be explained thoroughly, even things that may not already be proven, but for which there could be a logical explanation fall into this category. This person is actually more likely to believe in things like "conspiracy theories" because they try to understand the facts, and they draw connections that are logical. The idealist would simply believe what he is told by those that are more powerful.
The faith based world view inevitably clashes with the globalist society we have evolved into. This culture is based the foundations of science and technology, and faith cannot be tolerated as a solution to anything.
Faith is G W's solution for many things. The president of the United States, legitimately elected or not, currently operates on FAITH. He has said that the war in Iraq is faith based and domestic decisions are made based on prayer, which makes sense, it seems like he has had his eyes closed for most of his presidency.
Because bush relies on his faith in jebus, and we the people (are supposed) have faith in the president, does that mean the citizens of the US are forced to have faith that GOD will guide america?
Actions based on faith cannot be justified because the entire world is affected by what is done in faith's name. Throughout most of history, until empiricism, actions were based on faith, and precedent clearly shows the devastating affects: the crusades, inquisition, manifest destiny... the list would be too long. All wars not caused by material possessions have been faith based.
Idealism is the rejection of reality. It is the ultimate incarnation of cognitive dissonance. Many logical people have trouble reconciling truth with their own beliefs, but the idealistic do not even try. Actions based on false realities impact the world in ways unintended by the perpetrators. Worse yet, they rarely understand the true effects of what they are doing, and continue to harm the world.
Faith is the most important tool that the powerful have to enforce their control. Be it the Vatican or the White House, they rely on the people's faith in them as an alternative to forcefully controlling the people (which they will do when necessary). The people in those offices are not stupid, and so they do not rely solely on faith. Empiricism is used by these institutions in this modern age so they will function. Yet, they continue to sell faith to the people, and I can only assume it is to meant to keep them ignorant.
Key Point
If you believe that God is specifically reaching down from heaven to answer your trivial prayer to remove a zit or to help you find your lost keys, while at the same time God is allowing 27,000 children to die of starvation each day by specifically ignoring their prayers, then your God is insane.
I found this site through an ad on my page: Why does god hate amputees?, check it out.
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