links for 2008-06-17
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“Obama believes the consequence of consolidation has been less diversity, less local news and the parroting of stories across multiple outlets. That, he said, needs to change.”
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“The conservative Catholic League For Religious and Civil Rights, for its part, had gone so far as to call Obama’s position on abortion “Hitlerian,” even though it was virtually indistinguishable from Clinton’s.”
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of
Kali wrote:
Passionate religious sentiment is always scary. Look what we have with Bush.
Whenever someone says they have handed over control to a supernatural being (as Obama says he will when he himself is ‘too weak’) then the old, back-door “God wants me to xxx” comes into play – whether it is Pope Ratzinger or Tony Blair or GW Bush.
Hopefully, with his estrangement from Rev Wright will come a cooling of his religious fervor .
I much prefer Hilary’s Christianity with an emphasis on the pragmatic/god-helps-those -who-help-themselves point of view. At least that gives me hope that Church will truly be separate from State.
The rich and powerful have always wanted the poor and oppressed to coninue with the lighting of candles and singing of hymns, put up with current injustice in the hope not of of a better tomorrow (which would involve giving up some of their own privilege) but a better life in the hereafter.
Give me Hilary’s pocket-book religion anyday. It is more honest and more responsible.
Posted 17 Jun 2008 at 7:45 am ¶
DEAF FEMINIST PUNK!! wrote:
Pro-”Life” people are really anti-life fascists!!!!!
Posted 17 Jun 2008 at 11:31 am ¶
Bang Gully wrote:
Kali – There is absolutely no difference in effect between whether someone uses “God’s Will” to justify their actions or “what’s best for the country” or this is what “Our country stands for” or “They hate our freedom.” None of the last 3 justifications are religious in nature.
Remember, we bombed innocent people in Iraq in the name of “Freedom and democracy” not “Christianity.” Should we now fear “democracy” and people encouraging it in countries all over the world?
Posted 17 Jun 2008 at 12:47 pm ¶
Kali wrote:
@Bang Gully:
The point being made here is that if one is stuck with a religious president then Hilary’s pragmatic viewpoint is better than the divinely guided one that Obama claims.
It seems that you are agreeing with me that religion is used to mask all kinds of extremist actions – Christian or Muslim – with ‘He/God made me do it’!! Christianity did not prevent apartheid, slavery or the Holocaust – but supported it- and there were was no lack of deeply religious people insiting that that is how “God” wanted it.
Posted 17 Jun 2008 at 3:22 pm ¶
Bang Gully wrote:
Kai:
“It seems that you are agreeing with me that religion is used to mask all kinds of extremist actions – Christian or Muslim – with ‘He/God made me do it’!! Christianity did not prevent apartheid, slavery or the Holocaust – but supported it- and there were was no lack of deeply religious people insiting that that is how “God” wanted it.”
I am saying this. I’m also saying that people use nationalism,race, class interests/money interests, gender, and dare I say it , secularism to impose all types of oppression on people. People do bad thingss, not ideas. Christianity isn’t a giant in a cave that comes down to smack women who are getting abortion. But there are people who say Christianity tells them to do that. There are also secular dictators in Muslim countries torturing their citizens like pouring boiling hot water in Uzbekistan, because people are becoming “outwardly religious” and are a threat to “our secular way of life.”
Posted 18 Jun 2008 at 2:40 pm ¶