Please America, wake up. Don't be Sheeple

[SV_Dude]

I will call them sheeple because it is exactly what they are! I grew up on a farm, and I see people behave with a herd mentality every day, in their own little bubble, oblivious to their surroundings. All people have on their minds now days is consuming. More, more, more. Buy this, gotta have that; hell, people's entire lives are financed. We (Americans) buy cars we can't afford, live in houses we can't afford, and use credit cards and loans to buy more stuff we can't afford! And for what? To impress people we don't even like! And now, everyone gets butt hurt when someone says or does something that "hurts their feelings". I dont care what anyone says or does as long as it doesnt affect me and my family. You have rights and so do I. The problem people have is not realizing that their rights end where the tip of my nose begins. I have spent half my life in the military making sure we keep those rights, (thats my way of doing something about it).
You have your right to your religion. Practice it all you want, but dont push it on me. If everyone followed this rule,the world would be a much better place. Instead, religion has killed more people than all the bombs and bullets on earth. I have seen it in 13 countries.

Freedom of speech is your right also. Hell, im practicing mine now. Say whatever you want, ill choose whether i want to listen or not.

The right to bear arms is my right also. I wonder how many people against this right would tolerate the "bending" of their other rights?

These simple things would make this world such a better place! Instead, we push our views on others and get angry when they dont like it. (Our government does the same). We subsidize life to the point to where we have generations on welfare just living. This economy and this government cannot sustain this. We are imploding........while other countries sit back and watch our slow motion suicide.

Everything you said there is 100% true. One thing you need to remember is that everyone makes their choice. If an overweight person chooses to eat McDonalds 3 times a day, it's his right to do so. It may not be a healthy life style but it's his choice and no one has the right to stop him. If someone chooses to live their life in debt then that is their choice.

There is one thing you said that may be contradicting though. You said that you don't want anyone else's view pushed on you. But you said that you support freedom of speech. If I went up to you and told you that I want you to be Religion "A" and you're religion "B", it's my right to tell you such because of freedom of speech. Sure, there's a middle somewhere where I will need to stop because it will be harassment. But me simply voicing my opinion is freedom of speech as you simply stated above as to what you were saying as well.

I think WE as people (not just Americans) are way too nosy. We care too much about what others are doing and not worrying about ourselves. I don't care what my neighbor does, it's his choice. As long as I make the choices that I believe are right then that's all that should matter.

 

[BrianSD_42]

If everyone followed this rule,the world would be a much better place. Instead, religion has killed more people than all the bombs and bullets on earth. I have seen it in 13 countries.

I always find this type of comment dubious. How is that claim even possible?


1. Stalin was an atheist | Directly caused 20 Million non-combatant deaths (does not include soldiers)

2. Hitler ruled as an atheist | Directly caused 10+ Million European deaths AND 20 Million Russian Soldier Deaths (not same as above) . Yes he targeted European Jews (and other ethnicities) but I don't think of the Hollicoust as a religious war or WWII in general as a religious war.

3. Empirical Japan | Murdered 14+ Million Chinese (17-22 Million according to Wiki)


So the totally LOWBALL number for non-religious war related homicide from 1935-1945 is 64+ Million deaths.


Religion played little to no part in those deaths. I'm not trying to bash atheists but this issue is a lot more complicated then blame religion for all wars and the accurateness of your claim is well ... a bit doubtful.

BTW, even WWI was not a religious war and that was pretty horrendous as well. About 1/4 of an entire male generation in Britain and France was killed.

 

[lastlaugh]

SV dude, i agree with you. I think a lot of thing here get lost in the translation. (I really wish the forum had a chat box!). Anyway, yes i 100% agree with you. If someone is fat, and they choose to eat and live unhealthy, they have that right. And if you chose to preach your religion to me on the street corner, you have that right also. I have the right to keep walking and ignore you. These are not what Im referring to. Where my problem comes in is when My tax dollars are used to pay for that fat person to eat/live even more unhealthy. Then, used again to pay for their healthcare and eventual burial. Not to mention the litter of kids they spit out that usually turn out just like them.
Im also talking about people who force their religion on others. Again, their right to speech and religion ends where my nose begins. When your religion forces me to alter my life to accomodate it, it fails to be your right. We keep altering our lives to accomodate someones beliefs, or feelings. We are always afraid of offending someone. And yes, i also agree that people are just too damn nosy!

 

[SV_Dude]

Where my problem comes in is when My tax dollars are used to pay for that fat person to eat/live even more unhealthy. Then, used again to pay for their healthcare and eventual burial. Not to mention the litter of kids they spit out that usually turn out just like them.

I couldn't agree more. I was going to say nearly the exact same thing but I figured I would save it for another rant. I do have a huge issue with my tax dollars paying for someone's unhealthy life style. I (along with many others) also have HUGE issues with our tax dollars paying for welfare for people who refuse to work.

 

[lastlaugh]

As for the religion comment, I back it 100%. The wars you listed are modern day. And i tend to thing religion has been a large factor in pretty much every war, just maybe not directly. For example, every modern war we have been a part of is based on the Truman Doctrine. Spread democracy through the world! Our country was founded on Christian beliefs and a set of rights we believe all people should have. These same beliefs have driven our perception of what is right and wrong. Those beliefs tell us that people should have the same rights we all do. The problem is, not everyone believes the way we do. We, as a country, and as a people, stick our noses where it doesnt belong. This results in wars. (Not to mention all the previous societies of people wiped out of existance for religious beliefs. The crusades, spanish inquisition, mayans, etc).

 

[Dirtyfingers]

Everything that has been put on the table is in great discussion, I for one agree with svdude. I think that 85% of the military will not follow that order of martial law. There's more stuff that I'd like to say but alas, sleep is taking over. I really enjoy these discussions by the way.

 

[BrianSD_42]

[MENTION=103374]lastlaugh[/MENTION]

As for the religion comment, I back it 100%

Please back it up as I have open ears and am only using basic logic.


You mentioned the Mayans, The Inquisition and the Crusades. Those deaths were NO WHERE, not anywhere near the deaths from non-religious war between just 1935-1945. As I already mentioned (and it is easy to look up for yourself) between those years 64+ Million people were killed by non-religious war and that is a VERY LOWBALL number.

The world population before 1935 simply wasn't high enough to top that 64+ Million number, even if you count as many instances as you feel like.


Mayans - There are different estimates for the peak Mayan population ranging from 28,000 to 1 Million. So < 1 Million Deaths.... Maybe. But no one knows what caused their population decline, it wasn't overnight but rather over many years and there has not been any proof found of a religious war being responsible for their decline, or even proof of a giant massacare. No one really know what happened. I would not count their decline as a religious war.


Spanish Inquisition - There were about 150,000 Trials and only a small amount, 2% according to record resulted in death. Even if that number was 10% we would only be talking about < 15K deaths.

García Cárcel estimates that the total number processed by the Inquisition throughout its history was approximately 150,000; applying the percentages of executions that appeared in the trials of 1560–1700—about 2%—the approximate total would be about 3,000 put to death. Nevertheless, it is likely that the toll was much higher, keeping in mind the data provided by Dedieu and García Cárcel for the tribunals of Toledo and Valencia, respectively. It is likely that between 3,000 and 5,000 were executed.


The Crusades - I'm not sure of the best number BUT everything I've seen points to < 2 Million Deaths.


I would also suggest you look at this list:
List of wars by death toll - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Very few of these wars were what would be considered (at least by me) to be a religious war. Was Iraq a religious war? Soviet invasion of Afghanistan? US invasion? WWI? WWII?

Sorry but there is simply no way it is true that religion has killed more people than regular warfare because of two reasons:
1. Pre-1900 World Population was not high enough
2. Post-1900 Deaths due to regular (government sponsored non-religious) war is easily over 100 Million.
* WWI
* WWII
* Chinese Japanese Wars
* Stalin
* Korea
* Vietnam
* Afghanistan (Soviet era through present)
* Iraq

 

[1engineer]

[MENTION=83885]Dirtyfingers[/MENTION] I hope I am alive 30 years from now. You will then be my age! I am curious to see what your views are then lol. If I were you I would research the federal Reserve a bit more though. At least you need to understand why it was created and the advantages of separating it from the government.

There are a LOT of things going on that are much scarier than what you mentioned. Again, it is best for the average citizen to be thoughtful when picking a person for office.

 

[ndcent]

Religion is like a penis. It's fine to have one and it's fine to be proud of it, but please don't whip it out in public and start waving it around... and PLEASE don't try to shove it down my child's throat.

 

[ndcent]

I have spent half my life in the military making sure we keep those rights, (thats my way of doing something about it).

Good for you and thank you.

I'm glad you're actually doing something about it. The folks who go around hurling labels but stop there, well they're no better than the "sheeple" they claim to be uprising against.

 

[ndcent]

I enjoyed his, seems quasi topical.

"America has become not only the land of the free, but also the land of the perpetually offended."

 

[RunninInGA]

I enjoyed his, seems quasi topical.

"America has become not only the land of the free, but also the land of the perpetually offended."

Anybody else getting internal server errors on this link?

 

[RunninInGA]

I couldn't agree more. I was going to say nearly the exact same thing but I figured I would save it for another rant. I do have a huge issue with my tax dollars paying for someone's unhealthy life style. I (along with many others) also have HUGE issues with our tax dollars paying for welfare for people who refuse to work.

I read an article yesterday that stated Colorado has either already made it happen or is in the process of making marijuana EBT-approved. Tell me how that quells your angers about social welfare programs run amuck.



Isn't it interesting how we are being made to care about these things now - funding healthcare for the habitually unhealthy, paying bills for those unwilling to work for themselves, feeding families that are too busy not doing the things that would provide sustainability for themselves. I used to not care how fat you got and how unhealthy you are - not so much the case with the advent of Ocare and other similar programs. It's only getting worse it seems.

 

[ndcent]

Anybody else getting internal server errors on this link?

I did yesterday but it worked today when I went to fix it.

 

[ndcent]

I have a plan to save America.

Tax churches, especially since they want to be involved in political process which should then make their tax exempt status void.

Their tax exempt status costs the US $71,000,000,000 per year.

Talk about Jesus Saves! Boom!

 

[wnelax04sr5]

I have a plan to save America.

Tax churches, especially since they want to be involved in political process which should then make their tax exempt status void.

Their tax exempt status costs the US $71,000,000,000 per year.

Talk about Jesus Saves! Boom!

I was actually thinking about this the other day and came across a site that showed a lot of interesting facts/stances on taxing religion

Churches and Taxes - ProCon.org

 

[BrianSD_42]

Churches aren't the only ones not paying tax. You would have to tax ALL NON-PROFITs in the United States. That would be deeply unpopular.

 

[svana]

I have a plan to save America.

Tax churches, especially since they want to be involved in political process which should then make their tax exempt status void.

Their tax exempt status costs the US $71,000,000,000 per year.

Talk about Jesus Saves! Boom!

Jesus Saves, Moses Invests.

 

[1engineer]

I have a plan to save America.

Tax churches, especially since they want to be involved in political process which should then make their tax exempt status void.

Their tax exempt status costs the US $71,000,000,000 per year.

Talk about Jesus Saves! Boom!

Why? Right now churches are one of the few places left that you can give money to and that money will only be taxed once lol.

Do you actually think politicians would do something good with that extra money? Me either.

 

[ndcent]

No free lunches*

*Unless you're Christian.