This is why I think of religion as cerebral AIDS. If you allow yourself to believe in religious claims based on gut feelings, you are susceptible to any outrageous claim. Your immunity to B.S. is compromised.
The entire GOP philosophy these days relies on this simple fact. They'd be nowhere without religious types. Without their base's willingness to believe damned anything, the GOP would never retain power.
The GOP actually depends on the stupidity and gullibility of their base. Normal people are insulted by how stupid GOP politicians treat the electorate. Idiotic Republican pols excel with their base strictly because they speak "in a relatable way" (i.e. idiotically). They don't have to fake it. The game is determining which GOP pols really are that stupid and which ones are putting on a show.
Yes! This is precisely why the founding fathers of our country in their wisdom made sure to add the 1st Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
They understood from the beginning how toxic insertion of religion into government and politics can be and has been historically. Even many of our most influential and admired religious leaders, both past and present, have acknowledged the importance of separation between church and state. Our founding fathers were not perfect and did make some mistakes (even some fairly egregious ones -- like the Electoral College System, for example), but the 1st Amendment was not one of them.
No precept or claim is more suspect or more likely to be false than one that can only be supported by invoking the claim of Divine authority for it--no matter who or what claims such authority.
Arguably another mistake made by our founding fathers was the way they worded the 2nd Amendment. It is highly unlikely that they meant it to be interpreted the way the NRA and the firearms industry insists it should be interpreted. Warren E. Burger, himself a highly conservative Justice, had some sharp criticisms about it, or, at least, they way today's Republicans interpret it. Did Justice Burger Call Gun Lobby’s Take on 2nd Amendment a Fraud on the American Public?
From an article by Dan Evon
Published 26 May 2022
Claim
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Warren Burger once said, “The gun lobby’s interpretation of the Second Amendment is one of the greatest pieces of fraud, I repeat the word fraud, on the American people by special interest groups that I have ever seen in my lifetime.”
Context
While Burger did indeed utter these words, viral memes combine two different quotes from him that were spoken (or written) at different times.
Fact Check
In the days following a mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two adults dead, a quote from former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Warren Burger started circulating on social media. Burger, who was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1969 by then-President Richard Nixon and retired in 1986, supposedly said:
"The Gun Lobby’s interpretation of the Second Amendment is one of the greatest pieces of fraud, I repeat the word fraud, on the American People by special interest groups that I have ever seen in my lifetime. The real purpose of the Second Amendment was to ensure that state armies – the militia – would be maintained for the defense of the state. The very language of the Second Amendment refutes any argument that it was intended to guarantee every citizen an unfettered right to any kind of weapon he or she desires."
While these words truly originated with the conservative justice, the above-displayed meme cobbles together three different passages that Burger either wrote or spoke at different times.
The first part of this meme — “The gun lobby’s interpretation of the Second Amendment is one of the greatest pieces of fraud, I repeat the word fraud, on the American People by special interest groups that I have seen in my lifetime” — comes from an interview Burger gave to PBS News in 1991.
The second part of this meme — “the real purpose of the Second Amendment was to ensure that state armies, the militia, would be maintained for the defense of the state” — and the third part — “The very language of the Second Amendment refutes any argument that it was intended to guarantee every citizen an unfettered right to any kind of weapon he or she desires” — comes from an articles Burger wrote for The Associated Press about the Bill of Rights in 1991.
No precept or claim is more suspect or more likely to be false than one that can only be supported by invoking the claim of Divine authority for it--no matter who or what claims such authority.
Arguably another mistake made by our founding fathers was the way they worded the 2nd Amendment. It is highly unlikely that they meant it to be interpreted the way the NRA and the firearms industry insists it should be interpreted. Warren E. Burger, himself a highly conservative Justice, had some sharp criticisms about it, or, at least, they way today's Republicans interpret it.
I don't think there's any doubt that the implementation of the 2nd Amendment is nothing like the founding fathers envisioned it, and I don't think there's any doubt most Americans know it. I think they argue the way they do because they've memorized the arguments and it's become a habit, not because of some nuanced interpretation of the Constitution. The gun nuts are just hanging on to everything they've currently got at all costs, because they're damned crazy.
Religion is for people whose existential fear is greater than their common sense.
This is why I think of religion as cerebral AIDS. If you allow yourself to believe in religious claims based on gut feelings, you are susceptible to any outrageous claim. Your immunity to BS is compromised.
That's not how religion works in my life, Schmo. Not everyone is like the people you are describing in your above.
We only get stronger when we are lifting something that is heavier than what we are used to. ~ KF
That's not how religion works in my life, Schmo. Not everyone is like the people you are describing in your above.
I know that, Jersey Girl. You seem to be an exception to a lot of the problems associated with religious people's ways of thinking. If only more people put religion in the proper perspective as you seem to do.
In this thread, I am speaking in generalities, expressing a discontent toward a certain segment of the population. You shouldn't feel any offence to it if you aren't in that group.
Religion is for people whose existential fear is greater than their common sense.
They understood from the beginning how toxic insertion of religion into government and politics can be and has been historically. Even many of our most influential and admired religious leaders, both past and present, have acknowledged the importance of separation between church and state.
Yes. The real wisdom here is the understanding that when a person holds a religion, they're holding a set of ideas completely unique to them in nuance, and those ideas cannot be the undergirding of a common good for society. To make decisions for the common good, we have to rely on facts.
It's disturbing how many people don't seem to understand this simple concept, or the importance of facts for the common good. I can't help but conclude that a lot of people suck at thinking.
Religion is for people whose existential fear is greater than their common sense.
That's not how religion works in my life, Schmo. Not everyone is like the people you are describing in your above.
I know that, Jersey Girl. You seem to be an exception to a lot of the problems associated with religious people's ways of thinking. If only more people put religion in the proper perspective as you seem to do.
In this thread, I am speaking in generalities, expressing a discontent toward a certain segment of the population. You shouldn't feel any offence to it if you aren't in that group.
I am not at all unique, Schmo. It's just that people like me don't make the news so don't fall for everything the media shoves in your face. They are there to make money, not present the news of the day as a public service as it was in the old days.
We only get stronger when we are lifting something that is heavier than what we are used to. ~ KF
I am not at all unique, Schmo. It's just that people like me don't make the news so don't fall for everything the media shoves in your face. They are there to make money, not present the news of the day as a public service as it was in the old days.
I talked explicitly in this thread about the best religions being the ones I don't hear about. In this context, I'm talking about everyone's personal religion, and whether they talk about it or not (I don't consider all Catholics the same; they all have their individual interpretation of Catholicism. If I hear about it, then it's part of their interpretation of Catholicism to talk about it. This goes for whatever religion a person happens to call themselves).
I've said it before and I'll repeat it here: I have zero objection to your religion if you aren't trying to influence anyone with it. Believe whatever you want in your own head. Nobody can stop you anyway. However, to the extent you try to push your religion on others, that's the extent of my objection. Keep your unprovable ideas out of conversations about public policy.
Religion is for people whose existential fear is greater than their common sense.
Abortion activists are protesting at the White House, angry at President Biden for not restoring their abortion rights (and making their avocado toast out of white bread).
The gun nuts are just hanging on to everything they've currently got at all costs, because they're damned crazy.
Did you know alcohol kills more innocent people than guns? Alcohol is bad for your health, is contributing to the obesity epidemic, causes people to be more violent, and drunk driving is still a problem.
I agree we need stricter gun control laws. Would you agree that alcohol nuts are crazy?
"I have the type of (REAL) job where I can choose how to spend my time," says Marcus.
