Anything Political

[DJ360 6,353]

1 hour ago, Stuart.C said:

He should be put on Furlough.

 

He should be put on trial.

[Waddo 921]

So, from what I've just read, HS2 is coming across as the most important thing in the UK at the moment!!. Someone, somewhere needs to forget about  'money ' and get focused on a more serious problem. Covid 19!! For heavens sake. 

[loppylugs 8,336]

Thanks for you kind words, Brew which I agree with.

The problem for me is that my words would be seen in the category of religion, a tabboo topic here.  I have no wish to muddy the waters of the political thread so I'l shurrup.  

 

I will only go as far as to say that I see the various problems of this sad old world as essentially unsolvable by any mere human or political party.  The issues have been with us in various forms throughout human history.

[DJ360 6,353]

Loppy,

 

I don't think that religion is a 'taboo' subject on NS.  I certainly have no objection to anyone expressing their faith here.  The only religions/religious people I take issue with, are those who feel they have the right to impose their faith on others, especially those, such as ISIS, who believe they have the right to demand acquiescence and obedience from everyone... but I'd extend that to those who insist on indoctrination of innocent children.

 

For me, religion, by definition, can only exist where there is Faith... and Faith can only truly exist within an individual if it is arrived at without  compulsion.  It cannot be imposed. I cannot make you believe anyything.  I can force you to 'profess' Faith, through fear, guilt or whatever.. but I cannot force you to 'have' Faith.

 

As you know, I don't believe in the existence of any God and I therefore am not inclined to entrust my destiny to any God, or to any of those Gods' self appointed representatives here on Earth.

 

My own preference is for the increasing development of understanding between all groups on this planet, be they religious, political, social, ethnic or whatever.

At some point it will eventually dawn on humanity that we really are 'all in this together', all trapped on 'Prison Planet Earth' and that we co-operate, or we all perish.

I suspect that any who define themselves as 'chosen', or believe that they are 'special'..are in for a rude awakening.

 

Of course it's easy to criticise our various political systems, but since most of them have been inextricably intertwined with religion since the dawn of time, I don't think either come out smelling of roses.

 

However.. having got all of that out of the way... I can only repeat that I have no isue with hearing faith based arguments expressed here.

 

Some of my best friends are practising members of various faiths.

[Brew 5,007]

I take it you won't be joining the Westboro Baptist Church any time soon then...

 

 

 

 

[DJ360 6,353]

It's not likely Brew. They operate like extremists the World over.  They try to present their arguments as reasonable, supported by 'evidence' etc.  Their 'evidence' is their own particular interpretation of a 'The Bible', which itself is a book riddled with dispute, numerous 'versions' etc.

 

They then go on, in effect, to say that anyone who disagrees with them is, by definition, evil.

 

It's a tactic as old as the hills, used by everyone from the Tudors and Stuarts, to Hitler, Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot.  If you disagree with us you are clearly treasonous/insane/ignorant/deluded/whatever.

 

Unsurprisingly.. it is also Trump's tactic...

 

 

 

 

[Oztalgian 2,859]

7 hours ago, DJ360 said:

I don't think that religion is a 'taboo' subject on NS

I don't think it should be either as long as we respect others viewpoints. I am an atheist but respect that others need a belief system. However like DJ360 I have no tolerance for anyone who wants to push their faith at me. We will get along fine if we hold our own beliefs and not try to impose them on others.

DJ360's post made me wonder about the religious beliefs of our Prime Ministers in Australia since we came to Australia. The summary is as follows

1 Atheist, 1 Methodist, 1 Anglican, 1 Pentecostal, 2 Agnostics, 3 Catholics

The last census identified the Australian population as No Religion 30%, Catholic 23%, Anglican 13%, Pentecostal 1%.

Strangely enough this is a reasonable reflection of the populace.

 

 

[Cliff Ton 9,955]

9 minutes ago, Oztalgian said:

1 Atheist, 1 Methodist, 1 Anglican, 1 Pentecostal, 2 Agnostics, 3 Catholics

 

As someone who is extremely non-religious (not anti-religious) I find that statement fascinating and baffling.

 

Those distinctions mean absolutely nothing to me; I wouldn't know any difference between an Anglican and a Pentecostal etc etc.

[Jill Sparrow 9,575]

Wouldn't it be funny if they didn't mean anything to 'God' either?

 

 

[Beekay 4,275]

They probably don't Jill.x

[Alpha 162]

I’m not sure if this is the right thread but I’m just following the current trend.

 

It would be my suggestion that religious dogmatism has been forced upon the populations throughout history in a form of relentless brainwashing; through the Sunday schools, compulsory reading of religious texts in school assemblies, HM Forces compulsory attendance for church parades, daily media i.e., Radio 4’s ‘Thoughts for Today’ and the Radio 4 long wave, ‘Daily Prayer’ and in churches world-wide.

This example of continuous religious bombardment is endless. So rigidly assumed by the self-proclaimed emissaries of whatever god, represented at the time, that we are all supposed to believe in the lord who resides, bearded and white robed, in the fluffy cumulous above, 'in his heaven', looking down with a scowling countenance upon the sinful disbelievers below, and hell awaits those who challenged these myths, is something beyond the tiresome.

 

Looks like its hell for me!

[Jill Sparrow 9,575]

Milton has some very interesting ideas on the subject!

[Brew 5,007]

4 hours ago, Oztalgian said:

The last census identified the Australian population as No Religion 30%, Catholic 23%, Anglican 13%, Pentecostal 1%.

 

What about the missing 33%...?

[loppylugs 8,336]

I would guess 'Agnostic'   gnostic is the Greek word for to know,  putting an A ahead of it makes it  a negative. Thus the agnostic is not necessarily irreligious.  He/she just believes one cannot know.

[Brew 5,007]

What a huge topic this could turn into! Religion is easily the most complex subject discussed by ordinary people. It's extraordinary how, without any demonstrable evidence,  participants are so convinced they are willing to lay down their lives for an abstract concept.

Religion ranges from the strictest of fundamentalist and zealots to the free love churches of the 70's and letting it all 'hang out'. In the middle are the mainstream who  conveniently  cherry pick those parts of the scriptures they can live with and turn a blind eye to those bits they can't or find uncomfortable.

 

In some ways I'm quite envious. As someone with a phobia about end of life etc. it must a huge comfort to be absolutely certain there is more. That in some strange unexplained way we retain consciousness and awareness.

[loppylugs 8,336]

I'm with you Brew, and I'm what some would call a "fundamentalist' .  Unfortunately that word has come to have such negative connotations.  Mostly from the actions of some who use the term whether Islamic, or Westboro Baptist.  

In it's original use back in the twenties, I believe, it was simply a term meant to describe one who was not a religious liberal, but believes in a literal understanding of their faith.

Unfortunately it seems to be almost impossible for some to discuss it without accusations of proseletization and 'ramming your religion down my throat' accusations.  Bit like politics.

Thus wisdom dictates that those of us who hold to such belief tend not to say much about it on a public forum such as this.

I am more than willing to talk privately, but even then, only if the other party wants to.

[Jill Sparrow 9,575]

23 minutes ago, Brew said:

As someone with a phobia about end of life etc

Did you have a phobia about being born?

[Beekay 4,275]

45 minutes ago, Brew said:

 

What about the missing 33%...?

They're all down the pub drinking Fosters.

[Brew 5,007]

What a strange question. I have no knowledge or awareness of time before my birth and as far as I know it would be difficult to be phobic about a past event.

[Jill Sparrow 9,575]

That's the answer I expected. 

[Brew 5,007]

I'm obviously being a bit thick today, I've completely  lost the plot here... it must be me age...

[loppylugs 8,336]

Don't feel bad, Brew.  I forgot to turn the dishwasher on last night.  Only discovered it at 10 pm.  I thought I was going to end up spending the night in the doghouse, with the lawnmover.  Dogs were inside. 

[Cliff Ton 9,955]

2 hours ago, loppylugs said:

Don't feel bad, Brew.  I forgot to turn the dishwasher on last night.  Only discovered it at 10 pm. ............. Dogs were inside. 

 

When I first read that, I thought you were telling us the dogs were inside the dishwasher.

[MargieH 7,394]

I thought that as well!

[loppylugs 8,336]

No, they only try to clean the plates before the dishwasher is run.  Jake even knows how to pull the door down.  We have to keep it fully closed.