Do you have trouble maintaining an election?

[Good Old Neon]

Incorrect, but it's really not worth discussing again.

 

I disagree, but you're right, this is not the time or place to rehash what has already been hashed to death.

[Mr. Kinsley]

I'd call this progress.

[Good Old Neon]

I'd call this progress.

 

[Mr. Kinsley]

Don't go getting all smug now.

[Tweedling]

The best thing about Obama is how the world will react if we elect him after President Bush. We should be able to get a bit of a clean slate for awhile

[Good Old Neon]

Don't go getting all smug now.

 

[EL the Famous]

Because, much of what these folks are saying and the views they express is the result of taking the bible, Christianity literally - at its word.

 

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

I once stood next to Barack Obama and I did not feel a chill, I did not see an aura of evil, but I did think "man that dude is skinny."

 

 

Plus...he's a smoker.

 

 

He doesn't look...healthy.

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

Plus...he's a smoker.

 

 

He doesn't look...healthy.

I thought he quit a few months ago. Looks plenty healthy to me.

[ZenLunatic]

Bears Fan as President, nuff said.

 

[mountain bed]

I thought he quit a few months ago.

That's what I heard too. All I can say is if you can remain cool while being in the preesure cooker of a Presidential election PLUS quit smoking at the same time you must really have your shit together.

[cryptique]

Bears Fan as President, nuff said.

 

Maybe he could issue an executive order requiring the Bears to sign a quarterback who's worth a damn.

[Reni]

I still love Rex

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

That.

 

Was.

 

Awesome!

 

Now, these are the folks I have in mind when I bag on religion, and there's lots of them.

 

 

There may be more than a few of these jokers, but they are mainly adherents of non-denominational, charismatic churches and no more represent Christianity than Anton Levay represents modern secular humanism.

 

These oddjobs scare me and I am a member of the United Methodist Church. Don't paint us all with the brush of ignorance, fear and bigotry.

 

I have no historic footnotes here, but I always felt that this odd religious fundamentalism arose out of the devastation of the Civil War. The South had visited on it an armageddon that the rest of the country can't fully appreciate. Uncertainty, shame, fear and poverty have led to 140+ years of reactionary social and religious beliefs.

[Reni]

I have no historic footnotes here, but I always felt that this odd religious fundamentalism arose out of the devastation of the Civil War. The South had visited on it an armageddon that the rest of the country can't fully appreciate. Uncertainty, shame, fear and poverty have led to 140+ years of reactionary social and religious beliefs.

 

That is an interesting theory - I hadn't ever really thought about the link of the Civil War to religious fundamentalism. It makes sense. I am going to have to ponder that. Not quite the same thing, but it reminds me of this book on my reading pile.....

 

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

I still love Rex

Not to totally hijack the thread (well, maybe), but I have heard he may be the most sought-after free agent QB this off-season. Oy. So there's no one better to sign.

[Reni]

Rex

[Analogman]

There may be more than a few of these jokers, but they are mainly adherents of non-denominational, charismatic churches and no more represent Christianity than Anton Levay represents modern secular humanism.

 

These oddjobs scare me and I am a member of the United Methodist Church. Don't paint us all with the brush of ignorance, fear and bigotry.

 

I have no historic footnotes here, but I always felt that this odd religious fundamentalism arose out of the devastation of the Civil War. The South had visited on it an armageddon that the rest of the country can't fully appreciate. Uncertainty, shame, fear and poverty have led to 140+ years of reactionary social and religious beliefs.

 

Yes, let's blame the south for everything.

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

Yes, let's blame the south for everything.

You read that as blaming the south? Really?

The South had visited on it an armageddon that the rest of the country can't fully appreciate.

[Reni]

I blame you, Graham.

 

[Analogman]

You read that as blaming the south? Really?

 

I don't know - I see a lot of south bashing on here - or it seems that way in my head. I grew up in a pentecostal church, I've seen people speak in tongues, etc. I grew up around so-called rednecks, working class people, poor people, racist people, non-racist people, lived where there were nothing but white people, seen shit go down like in that movie Remember The Titans, etc. It just upsets me - we could all point out all the stereotypes about where each of us grew up or live now all day long I suppose. My history is rusty - but I think such things came out of the various Great Awakenings - 1800s, late 1800s-early1900s, late 1960s-early 1970s.

[Good Old Neon]

I have no historic footnotes here, but I always felt that this odd religious fundamentalism arose out of the devastation of the Civil War. The South had visited on it an armageddon that the rest of the country can't fully appreciate. Uncertainty, shame, fear and poverty have led to 140+ years of reactionary social and religious beliefs.

 

It is certainly an interesting theory, but this sort of superstitious fundamentalism can traced quite a ways back, to a time in which people were shorter and lived near water. The same form of fundamentalism manifests itself across myriad cultures, religions and geographical borders.

 

I

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

I don't know - I see a lot of south bashing on here - or it seems that way in my head. I grew up in a pentecostal church, I've seen people speak in tongues, etc. I grew up around so-called rednecks, working class people, poor people, racist people, non-racist people, lived where there were nothing but white people, seen shit go down like in that movie Remember The Titans, etc. It just upsets me - we could all point out all the stereotypes about where each of us grew up or live now all day long I suppose. My history is rusty - but I think such things came out of the various Great Awakenings - 1800s, late 1800s-early1900s, late 1960s-early 1970s.

Well, there is certainly some south-bashing on here, but I didn't think Cornbread Chow's comment was. In fact, I think he lives in Texas or something--sort of the south.

 

I grew up in the evangelical vatican and I remember kids talking about how the EU represented the 11 toes of the beast and one would be loppped off or some such nonsense. Most of those kids are politically liberal, "emergent church" types now.

 

But people said Jimmy Carter was the antichrist. The interpretation of the Book of Revelation is usually pretty wild and random (not sure how it could be interpreted literally, tree-hugger, as it's clearly metaphoric language). A lot of theologians say that the book describes events that happened later in the first century.

[Good Old Neon]

Well, there is certainly some south-bashing on here, but I didn't think Cornbread Chow's comment was. In fact, I think he lives in Texas or something--sort of the south.

 

I grew up in the evangelical vatican and I remember kids talking about how the EU represented the 11 toes of the beast and one would be loppped off or some such nonsense. Most of those kids are politically liberal, "emergent church" types now.

 

But people said Jimmy Carter was the antichrist. The interpretation of the Book of Revelation is usually pretty wild and random (not sure how it could be interpreted literally, tree-hugger, as it's clearly metaphoric language). A lot of theologians say that the book describes events that happened later in the first century.

 

I agree its message is metaphorical, but it is also most certainly taken as the literal capital

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

Yes, let's blame the south for everything.

 

 

dude..

 

I have lived here all my freaking life.

 

I don't 'blame' anything on the south.

 

You would have to be incredibly insulated not to feel the inherent longing and general self esteem issues of the south.

 

We are ridiculed in popular culture and media and there is an outsider mentality that pervades our very being.

 

 

Ain't about my pistol

Ain't about my boots

Ain't about no northern drives

Ain't about my southern roots

Ain't about my guitars, ain't about my big old amps

"It ain't rained in weeks, but the weather sure feels damp"

Ain't about excuses or alibis

Ain't about no cotton fields or cotton picking lies

Ain't about the races, the crying shame

To the fucking rich man all poor people look the same

 

Don't get me wrong It just ain't right

May not look strong, but I ain't afraid to fight

If you want to live another day

Stay out the way of the southern thing

 

Ain't about no hatred better raise a glass

It's a little about some rebels but it ain't about the past

Ain't about no foolish pride, Ain't about no flag

Hate's the only thing that my truck would want to drag

 

You think I'm dumb, maybe not too bright

You wonder how I sleep at night

Proud of the glory, stare down the shame

Duality of the southern thing

 

My Great Great Granddad had a hole in his side

He used to tell the story to the family Christmas night

Got shot at Shiloh, thought he'd die alone

From a Yankee bullet, less than thirty miles from home

Ain't no plantations in my family tree

Did NOT believe in slavery, thought that all men should be free

"But, who are these soldiers marching through my land?"

His bride could hear the cannons and she worried about her man

 

I heard the story as it was passed down

About guts and glory and Rebel stands

Four generations, a whole lot has changed

Robert E. Lee

Martin Luther King

We've come a long way rising from the flame

Stay out the way of the southern thing