GOP Insider: How Religion Destroyed My Party

[Thai]

The last 4 years has been a big disappointment but at least with Obama we know what we are getting....

This says it all, RonM. So, you want to continue the BIG disappointment for 4 more years? Why? When something fails, what do you do? CHANGE your ways, right? Isn't that what Obama represented in 2008? You guys were disappointed with Bush...fine...and wanted something different. Good. Now, 4 years later, we are in worst shape. And you want to continue down this road?

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Why would you want to continue this road to hell (aka socialism)?? You want us to end up like Europe? Socialism is failure from the beginning of dawn till now.

Capitalism works and that has led us to become a world leader. Do you think giving more handouts and encouraging people to not work a recipe for success?

 

[RonMAIDEN]

It's been a disappointment but Colorado didn't get hit as hard as some parts of the country and property market has seen growth so I'm looking at it as I don't want any surprises as things are stable for me and my job and life around me.

Part of the problem with Obama trying to ge things done is in part to the Republicans blocking alot of things that may have helped and they did claim their #1 job was to make sure Obama had only 1 term and not actually helping move this country forward. So,now if the Dems got control of the house and senate and did the same things then it just starts a party war and we're stuck in the middle suffering. It's becoming a bad cycle and we've never seen this in our history being this bad.

 

[Thai]

So,now if the Dems got control of the house and senate and did the same things then it just starts a party war and we're stuck in the middle suffering. It's becoming a bad cycle and we've never seen this in our history being this bad.

HINT: not sure if you're aware, but when Obama took office, Dems had control of Congress...and where exactly did we end up? The sh!thole that we're in today.

BTW, looking at society as a whole is better than looking at just yourself...my life has been stable too...but that does not mean that this will never change, right? You look at the bigger picture.

 

[jwyshrek]

I believe what my dad believes..."they're all crooks, Nixson just got caught..."

They need to all go...career politicians...we need a reset switch or a 4th revolution...

***excuse me...there are a couple of men in black suits knocking on my door...***

 

[ndcent]

ndcent, are you going to vote for Obama?

I'm undecided. I did not vote for him last time, but Romney is just as much a smug kunt as Obama.

Maybe this flow chart will help?

 

[ndcent]

A little hokey but a lot true.

This is Bob - Bob is a Racist - YouTube!

 

[Kung]

As a conservative (note: did NOT say Republican) Christian, I will tell you flat out that I agree with you on almost everything you said. I don't plan on saying much more than that simply because this board is for Toyota 4Runners and not faith/religion. I did want to mention a few things though.

First...

For the record before I begin my rant. I've gone to Catholic school pretty much all of my academic career from grades 1-6. Grades 7-12, I attended a private school. Went and graduated from a Jesuit University. My family and myself are (non-practicing) Roman Catholics.

As a former Catholic, the above explains a lot. (I kid...somewhat. LOL)

Second, I'm aware people think I have issues because I'm a Christian. My response is a hearty "Meh." LOL I've actually been to psychologists/psychiatrists before (and not for myself - I promise! lol) and they've told me that not only that I'm one of the most well-balanced people they have ever met, and have largely learned through experience in general to do most of the things for myself that they get paid thousands of $$$ to teach people to do....but that the kind of life I've had to deal with SHOULD have left me a lot worse off mentally and emotionally.

People say mental wellness can be achieved without faith? I don't disagree. Then again, I've never said that I'm a Christian because I'd be crazy if I weren't. Remember...people assume I'm crazy BECAUSE I'm a Christian.

Once people actually get to know ME, they admit I'm far from the 'stereotypical' believer. I constantly get told "You're restoring my faith in the fact that there ARE believers out there who aren't as bad as all the rest." LOL I can't count the # of times anything and everything I say is attributed ONLY to my faith - "Oh, you're a Christian? Oh then THAT must be why you help me out."

*facepalm*

If someone chooses to follow Him, then spiffy. If not, I'll STILL help my fellow man simply because - believe it or not - some of us like helping out just because it makes us feel good to do so.

Third, and most importantly....BELIEVE me when I say that I shake my head and facepalm myself - and apologize - for the vast majority of believers out there who screw it up for the rest of us.

 

[96 ToyRunner]

I'm not LDS.

And EVERY male Mormon above ... 14? 12 or 14, I forget which, but they're all "priests". It's not that big a deal in the LDS church to be a "priest". It's not a big deal to be Bishop of a ward, either. It's a rotating position, lots of guys get called to be Bishop for a certain period of time.

And again, he doesn't talk about his religion because there's a nation of people that think that what he believes in is a skinny hair away from Scientology*, and want to dog on him for it. So he doesn't talk about it, and won't, and it doesn't mean he's hiding anything. It means it's his business and nobody else's.

And yes, Kennedy is relevant because the mainstream press defended him and his right to religious privacy, while today in a very similiar situation it's the mainstream media that's trying desperately to make this election about "electing a Mormon". I'm not rewriting history, Brian, I'm citing it. Please don't accuse me of making up facts unless you're willing to bring your facts to refute me.

(*nevermind that the things mainstream Catholics believe are just as "out there", only 2000 years ago instead of 200.)

I know this is a old post but I'm about to leave on my church mission (yes I'm LDS) 12-13 are deacons 14-15 are teachers and 16-17 (or 18 It last till you finish highschool) are priest and that's the young men program there's others too but I'm just posting this so others don't get confused

 

[ndcent]

Holy old post, Batman.

Still solid though - religion fawking up more shit than ever.

 

[HerT4R]

since this thread got rekindled...

my parents are staunch republicans... and i used to be...

but with the republicans openly stating that they want to return to a pre-Roe v. Wade world (why do the republican men and women vying for president think they can tell every woman what to do with HER body?), i cannot support them.

I am more libertarian than ever these days because i think the government can go F itself.

F the two-party system, its broken.

 

[LAB4US]

F the two-party system, its broken.

And pretty much not fixable now that the SCOTUS has ruled the Presidency is pretty much for sale to whomever has the most money...

Wouldn't be so bad if all voters would do their own research, but 99% will rely on what they hear on political commercials or the bought and paid for news channels...

 

[ddnww]

I believe its the lack of religion that has shit fawked up.
And the fact that anyone can start a religion. I always welcome soliciting religious people to talk with them and find myself knowing more and educating them on their own religion.

 

[MtnT4R]

I don't know, I think religion makes for an easy target and laundry list of talking points, but the real issue is this country is entirely owned and operated by corporate special interests. Individual, educated, voting citizens still can make a difference, but the illusion of a two party system makes sure the public spends most of its time and energy at each others throats over issues that by and large don't matter, and will never actually be resolved to anyone's satisfaction.

Misdirection; the oldest and most effective trick in the book.

 

[wadle5]

HOLY WOW(no pun inteneded)

While I do see the and have read this entire OLD thread, it does bring up not only valid points, but I also believe for some self justifications and falsehoods. I do not believe that a party should be tied to a religion, and I truly don't believe neither of the 2 largest parties(no longer a democracy we can all agree) really endorse a religion. I believe each party has their own specific following to an extent, but you aren't seeing every Catholic being Republican and every Lutheran being Democrat. My issue with the topic, is NO that a religion shouldn't rule a political party, but I do believe political parties should take some "advice" from religion. By that I mean the church has been around longer than the country, so they have had their fights/wars/confusion/falling/uprising/etc. But you have to take into account they also were formed by usually the political/philosophers of the day. They didn't necessary teach religion to the senate, they simply spoke truth. To say separation of church and state is true, albeit you need to take into the account the church does have reason. To simply dismiss it is elementary. Case in point basic laws......shall not steal, shall not kill. These are not preposterous things and we can all agree on this that they are instated for the better of society as a whole. With all the numerous religions popping up they are promoting for self-serving purposes and not selfless serving like it was originally intended for. The claim/title/idea of religion I don't think clearly hits the nail on the head of what truly Religion is. And to try and label a party as religious affiliated or vice versa is not true.

and thus ends by brief rant/while at work/trying to collect all of my emotions and thoughts into a small blip of my thought process

 

[ddnww]

By that I mean the church has been around longer than the country

Only a few have been around longer than this country, most are less than 100 years old.

 

[wadle5]

Only a few have been around longer than this country, most are less than 100 years old.

And it for these reasons, why I have chosen a more traditional and longer standing Church/religion, as opposed to just some rando going off into the woods and starting his own

 

[Thai]

Holy old post, Batman.

Still solid though - religion fawking up more shit than ever.

Not religious personally, but it probably would NOT hurt for some (most?) folks in our society to follow the basic teachings of most religions...because for the most part (few exceptions; maybe one glaring exception) religions teach good things.

Just saying....

 

[ndcent]

Not religious personally, but it probably would NOT hurt for some (most?) folks in our society to follow the basic teachings of most religions...because for the most part (few exceptions; maybe one glaring exception) religions teach good things.

Just saying....

I agree. Do unto others, love and acceptance, etc. However saying and doing are two different things and those preaching would do especially well to practice.

 

[Thai]

I agree. Do unto others, love and acceptance, etc. However saying and doing are two different things and those preaching would do especially well to practice.

What you said applies to everyone, religious or not. So, singling out religion (or its religious leaders) is being bias and ignorant of the rest of society. Most folks do not look in the mirror before criticizing others. Not many folks these days practice what they preach...and that goes for teachers, doctors, politicians, shoe salesman, religious leaders, etc..

 

[MtnT4R]

I agree. Do unto others, love and acceptance, etc. However saying and doing are two different things and those preaching would do especially well to practice.

If we are really going to be honest with ourselves, I'm pretty sure EVERY major organized religion are directly responsible for some of the most unspeakable, horrible atrocities throughout history.

Atheists don't get a break either- somewhere around 120 million people have been murdered by militant atheists in the last century.

Buddhism is almost certainly the least violent sect throughout known history, but even they have recorded over sixteen hundred years of violent acts with some sort of Buddhist justification throughout Southeast Asia.


So what lesson can we learn from all of this? I wish I had the answer. Human nature has an incredibly black stain that is nearly impossible to move, regardless of whatever enlightenment we seek.