Observations and inanities by a second-shift assistant supervisor in the Puppy-Grinding division of the Evil Atheist Conspiracy® (our motto: "Sure it's cruel, but think of the jobs!"), your host, Brent Rasmussen.
Rebranding the GOP
If anyone is interested, I regularly post on another blog called anklebiingpundits.com. These folks are a bunch of righ-wing christianists who are absolutely insane and a lot of fun to mess with. I go by the name Rich_White just to fuck with their heads. Todays topic was: Rebranding the GOP.
If you don't want to read the whole thing, my comments are #2, #14, #55 and #63.
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Turd Polishing
You are right. Boomshak is one strange fellow. For the past few months, just about every single thread no matter what topic, Boomshak has to fit in something about Romney. Romney this and Romney that. On and on. Talk about a man crush. I like Obama, but I am not obsessed with him.
The worst thing I have ever heard Boomshak say on ABP is that McCain is not a war hero and he wonders why everyone makes such a big fuss. I just about lost my mind. I don't agree with McCain's politics, especially his ridiculous support for this stupid war, but McCain was an accomplished pilot (unlike the Worst President in History) and did spend five years in POW camps enduring torture almost daily. If McCain isn't a war hero, I don't know if anyone is.
At first, I thought Romney was a joke and had no chance. However, the more I am exposed to him, the more I think he might get the GOP nomination. It's a little early for predictions, but I think the R nominee will be either Romney or Thompson. I don't know much about Fred, but I sure don't want to see Romney win.
And you are also correct in your turd polishing analogy. I think my head will explode if we end up with another republican president in '08. The Dems have their own problems, and I am not thrilled about the likelihood of Hillary as president, but I will hold my nose and pull the lever for her if she wins the nomination. My top three picks would be Obama, Gore and Kucinich. I kinda like Ron Paul as well. However, I can't really see Kucinich or Paul as serious candidates. I like their ideas, I just don't think they have the charisma, fundraising ability or leadership skills enough to win a nomination.
A simple thing to remember...
A simple thing to remember about Kool-aid drinkers of any stripe: they will conform reality to fit their needs. This is certainly true of the die-hard Republicans, equally true for the nuts on the far left, for conspiracy kooks, and double for the religious fundies. Only when someone is able to look at the world with some degree of objectivity is there any hope of a dialog.
Jim Downey
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Like Science Fiction? Read my novel, Communion of Dreams, for free.
Objectivity
Good point. That is true about so many issues.
Am I a liberal because I can see anothers point of view or because I can see anothers point of view, am I a liberal? I am not sure which comes first. I have been saying for years on ABP 'if only you could put yourself in their shoes' for a moment. Objectivity is the key. I see nothing but subjectivity from the religious right. They will never, ever consider what their world views look like from anothers perspective. They actually believe all of the Iraqi insurgents are terrorists and need to be killed, yet refuse to acknowledge that George Washington would have been considered a terrorist by the Brittish.
Another example would be our support for the state of Israel. Our support would evaporate overnight if Americans had any clue as to what actually happened to the Palestinians. I can't tell you how many times I have had to explain the difference between my criticism of Israeli policies and anti-Semitism.
not all fundies are created equal
I hope I'd get the benefit of the doubt in this regard. As Brent often says that atheism is the absence of God belief, so too is the narrow requirements of someone who claims to be a christian. I'm a big ol' God-squadding, bible-thumping evangelical Christian, but I am as anti-GWB as any hippie Berkeley liberal (I graduated from UC Berkeley, so maybe that has something to do with it!), and actually doubt he really is a christian. The war is a mess. I wish we'd have left about 14 seconds after Saddam's statue was toppled over, and let the locals figure out what they wanted in a government. He and his R House and Senate, not counting the war, spent more than the government did when Clinton was president. At least the Ds tell you they are going to spend!
I love it that you said you like Ron Paul. Of course we won't get every attribute we like in a politician, unless we run ourselves, but I think Ron is by far the best the R party has to offer.
We can only hope for a D House and Senate majority and Ron Paul as president. Then the federal government won't be able to do anything! Gridlock will abound! HUZZAH!
Empathy
Bisch-
Very timely comment. I was just at the store standing in line, thinking about my latest comment and I realized the error. Right wingers do have empathy for certain things. I was wrong, again; and it wasn't the first time and surely won't be the last. Christians do a great deal of charity work and I should have thought of that before. However, it seems much of the time there is an ulterior motive. Missionaries do great work all over the world, but always bring their bibles and find time to convert the natives. Here in the US, Xian charities do a great deal to help the poor, but always include a healthy dose of proselytizing. There always seems to be a catch. Am I wrong?
What else am I missing? Help me out here. How objective do you consider yourself? You seem to break a lot (not all) of my stereotypes about evangelical Xian's by trying to see both sides of the issues we have discussed. I have to admit this, otherwise you would not visit UTI. Sometimes you agree and other times you don't. I can't really expect any more than that I suppose. (I still think it's funny that you believe evolution is pushed on our school children by atheists...as if we have any power in this country)
Did you vote for the Worst President in History (I won't say his name anymore) in 2000 or 2004? I hear just about everyone agree that he sucks now, but did you have this attitude before it became fashionable? I wish folks would have listened to us liberals before the Iraq invasion. I am not anti-war, but I have always been anti-Iraq war.
I first became aware of Ron Paul when he did Bill Maher's show a few months ago. I really don't know that much about him, but I can identify with his libertarian streak. I like many of his ideas, but you must realize he doesn't even have an outside shot running as a Reptilian.
One last thing. Did you see Jims latest article about the email sent to PZ? Was that you trolling Pharyngula again? (just kidding, don't get sensitive on me now.)
Dirk
TWPIH and definitions
Maybe again we have a definition problem. When I hear the term "ulterior motive" I think of someone benefitting or potentially benefitting from their actions, kind of like the dude that pulls over to help the beautiful young lady with her flat tire. To have the opportunity to tell someone about Jesus is definitely the motive in 90+% of christians' help, but I think that's a stretch to call that an "ulterior motive." And the catch isn't necessarily that the recipient needs to accept our message.
Also, sometimes the message is "christians are here helping you." A year ago a group of my friends went to New Orleans for a week and gutted a couple houses. We were really with only each other all week, so there wasn't the opportunity to talk about God to anyone, but it was still cool to do the work (especially when I heard what contractors were charging for what we did in a week...being a contractor myself, it makes me sad to hear gouging like that, as if there isn't enough money to be made).
I voted for Harry Browne in 2000 and Mike Badnarik in 2004 (Libertarian Party candidates). Once I heard that "compassionate conservatism" hooey, I knew TWPIH wasn't my kind of dude. And for the record, I was for the Iraq war when I thought it was just to get Saddam out of power. I totally thought we'd go in, get him out, and then leave the locals to fight over power. I think the coalition had something ridiculously low like 10 deaths at the point that Saddam's statue came down.
Talk about stream of consciousness. That email was something else. He would have done a bit better to take another 20 minutes and tighten up that format.
In defense of Christians...
OK, I'll bite - one of my best friends is indeed a person of deep faith, who spent a year as a doctor in the bush in Africa as part of "missionary work". And, according to his account, he never once tried to testify or proselytize. I believe him.
I think that it your point is a good one, Dirk, but would have to say that it is a bit too broad to be accurate. Plenty of god-believers are without the desire to convert, only wish to be like you and me and do good works for our own reasons.
And whether or not Bisch (or anyone) comes late to the party of considering W the Worst. President. Ever. doesn't really bother me. So long as they see the truth of the Bush administration now, and the danger of allowing fear to define action, I welcome them to the party. The man got about half of the votes cast in two elections - it would be senseless to not allow those who did vote for him to not learn from the mistake they made, and condemn us all to having them permanently in the GOP camp. Just sayin'.
Jim Downey
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Like Science Fiction? Read my novel, Communion of Dreams, for free.
no doubt about it, both points
I learned a long time ago that my words by themselves would convince nobody of the truth or error of what I believe. To tell someone you just met about Jesus is a complete waste of time. To live like you believe, and mention in conversation what you believe, to someone whom you've known for many years is very fruitful. So I guess to a certain extent I am both ways, wanting people who know me to know what kind of man I am first, and to let the chips fall where they may.
Amen.
And by the way, the most frustrating thing I think I deal with is to see my fellow christians back TWPIH and gush about what a godly man he is and talk about his commitment to God and all that crap.
I loved Ron Paul's speech about patriotism and how it's completely backward from what it was when our country was founded. That being skeptical of the administration is viewed as being a troublemaker and lacking patriotism and not "supporting the troops" while parroting the party line about having resolve and such is viewed as being patriotic. Check it out if you like...
http://www.antiwar.com/paul/
I stand corrected
Jim and Bisch-
I stand corrected on many points. Thank you both for dropping the knowledge. Much to think about.
Jim-
You are absolutely correct. The WPiH will serve as an example for many many years to come and maybe even give this country a chance to change for the better if there is a silver lining in any of this. I hope the the old saying 'it has to get worse before it gets better' is true.
And for Bisch-
Me too. That is exactly why I knew we were in deep trouble back in 2000. And great link on Ron Paul. I knew there was a reason I liked this guy. That un-American crap really burns me as a veteran. It's a good thing people who say that are behind their computers because I would be ready to throw down if someone said that to my face.
love the passion
It's passion like that that gives me hope for our country.
I'm amazed by comment #5
That Boomshak guy has his head so far up his ass, he is in imminent danger of vanishing. So the neonzai-cons' biggest mistake is that they are too wimpy, huh? Personally, I think polishing the GOP is exactly equivalent to polishing a turd. That's what Bush and his asshole puppetmasters have turned the party into.
- No More Mr. Nice Guy!