Here's some good sense from a Christian press organization. Lordy, it's even from Texas!
"...From the old Procter & Gamble Satanism libel to tales of more recent vintage about President Obama’s faith and citizenship, Internet-fueled rumors seem to run rampant. And, frighteningly, Christians seem at the very least to be as susceptible as the population at large to the habit of spreading false stories..."Of course, I'd say the nature of religious faith is such that it fuels more gullibility, especially as it leads to building a wall between faith and facts which might threaten it. Still, it's nice to see some clarity on the matter, from a religious institution. I don't think it's mere coincidence that the party of conservative religionists is the one in which these sorts of falsehoods spread so easily; nor that the need for unquestioned belief is paired with the willingness -- need, that is -- to accept them.
Might wanta watch where your pointin that gullibility finger at, the other 4 are pointin back at you big guy..Your the one who fell for the Closin Gitmo, Middle Class Tax Cut, Troops out of Iraq, what am I forgetting, oh yeah, Repeal Don't Ask, Don't Smell
ReplyDeleteOK, you did get that Wise Latina on the Court...
Frank
Very weak, Frank. You'd risen above your usual repetitions of late. Guess you're (note spelling) back to sucking the gas. Check for leaks.
ReplyDeleteHaha, Dr. Francis doesn't know the difference between you're and your.
ReplyDelete"Of course, I'd say the nature of religious faith is such that it fuels more gullibility"
ReplyDeleteI'll take it further - I say that lies and half truths are the tools of the Anti-Christ, particularly the latter.
The question for me is, are the people who spread republican lies and half truths, actually stupid enough to believe them; or are they simply wallowing in practiced credulity.
If the former (stupid), they are bear no more moral responsibility than the insane.
If the latter (ignorant), they bear great moral responsibility for the damage they do to truth.
Self described "Christians" that choose to ignorantly witness for falsehood, for political reasons, worship not Christ but the Anti-Christ.
"You shall know the tree by the fruit it bears."
I have said it before: It is not possible to build the house of the Lord while employing the tools of the Devil.
Stupidity is a condition, ignorance is a choice!
EugenInSanDiego.
Though it sorta toes the line of tastefullness, I thought you might appreciate this.
ReplyDeleteThe day The Onion starts being tasteful is the day I stop reading it.
ReplyDeleteI have a sneaky feeling that religion proposes impossible goals in order that you must always strive and be active in your quest.
ReplyDelete"Gullibility" describes the sedentary and lazy attitude when a person thinks that the more he or she believes, the better it is. So they build up a veritable Great Wall of China of religious beliefs.
An actively religious person is too busy for accumulating beliefs: they operate on Hillel's summation of the Law: do not to others what you would not do to yourself,
or the Christian Sermon on the Mount - precise guides to action.
(The Glenn Beck vid is great.)
Hi Dr S - late getting here today but you were a veteran and just want to say ..Thank you for your service. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope all is well with you..haven't seen any posts.
Gullibility is a bad thing indeed. Maybe that's why the democrat party is so scary:
ReplyDeletehttp://pewforum.org/docs/?DocID=490
Look for: "Hispanics are more likely than whites to believe in yoga, spiritual energy in physical objects, astrology and the evil eye, and blacks are more likely than whites to believe in reincarnation and the evil eye. Older people (those over age 65) consistently express lower levels of acceptance of these kinds of beliefs compared with younger people. These beliefs are more common among Democrats and independents than Republicans and are more widely held by liberals and moderates than conservatives."
And don't miss: "Conservatives and Republicans report fewer experiences than liberals or Democrats communicating with the dead, seeing ghosts and consulting fortunetellers or psychics."
Funny. I commented favorably toward a religious group, and look what anonymous thinks of it.
ReplyDeleteThe question -- if one were to take the time to think about it -- is the extent to which one's "gullibility," ie religious beliefs, affect the body politic. I haven't heard a lot of venom from people who talk to trees, no intent to center our public education around it. On the other hand, Christians -- and especially evangelicals, who are almost exclusively Republican -- not only want to foist their beliefs into our schools, but threaten to dumb us down by denying science in an aggressively dangerous way. Making, in other words, denialism of facts a way of life, to the detriment (putting it mildly) of us all.
I hope you'll forgive me not realizing that the point of your post was applause for the Christian faith.
ReplyDeleteActually, it is precisely the enviro movement (Earth First and its fellow tree talkers) that are at the middle of violent protests, huge arson crimes, etc.
And some of those beliefs "foisted" on the public include abolition and women's suffrage.
It's the democrat party that formed to preserve slavery. You might check out the party platform: http://www.sonofthesouth.net/democratic-party-platform.htm
You'd think that the evil eye and their astrology would have told them that this was no good. Maybe the yoga makes them feel better about themselves.
ELF and other extremist groups are NOT the "base" of the Democratic Party, nor are they condoned. On the other hand, the most extreme voices of the right -- the birthers, the creationists, the global warming deniers, the Nazi-calling tea partiers, are the ESSENCE of the R party, and no one in the leadership thereof rejects them. In fact, they encourage them. That's a big difference.
ReplyDeleteLikewise, if you want to base a view of the D party on their original stand on slavery, then let's consider Christians in light of the Crusades and the Inquisitions, the Salem witch trials. But maybe it's more current to consider the two party's present stands when it comes to human rights, civil rights, and the rule of law.
On the other hand, if you want to talk yoga, I'm sure there are more relevant sites for you.