The Glade 4.0

"There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old's life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs."

_________________


It feels like all the people who want limited government really just want government limited to Republicans.
---The Daily Show

Let me guess, you've never read anything by her Monte?

_________________
"...but there exists also in the human heart a depraved taste for equality, which impels the weak to attempt to lower the powerful to their own level and reduces men to prefer equality in slavery to inequality with freedom." - De Tocqueville

I think the answer is pretty obvious Elmo:

_________________
"Dress cops up as soldiers, give them military equipment, train them in military tactics, tell them they’re fighting a ‘war,’ and the consequences are predictable." —Radley Balko

How do you pronounce 'Ayn'? Is it just 'Ann'? In my head I keep pronouncing it like 'aim' but with an 'n'.

_________________

Like German "ein". (Rhymes with sign)

_________________
Sail forth! steer for the deep waters only!
Reckless, O soul, exploring, I with thee, and thou with me;
For we are bound where mariner has not yet dared to go,
And we will risk the ship, ourselves and all.

I rest my case.

_________________


It feels like all the people who want limited government really just want government limited to Republicans.
---The Daily Show

That is my line Monte.

_________________
"...but there exists also in the human heart a depraved taste for equality, which impels the weak to attempt to lower the powerful to their own level and reduces men to prefer equality in slavery to inequality with freedom." - De Tocqueville

By the way, I have endured the trashy romance novel that is Atlas Shrugged. I've also looked into Ayn Rand a great deal. Ultimately, I came to the conclusion that any person willing to stand in solidarity behind a guy that kidnapped, murdered, and dismembered a little girl and spread the girl's body parts all over the place didn't deserve a great deal of credit as a philosopher.

_________________


It feels like all the people who want limited government really just want government limited to Republicans.
---The Daily Show

The problem with your criticism is that, had you approved of her philosophy, I'm sure you would have justified the behavior.

_________________
In time, this too shall pass.

And yet you defend Islam on a regular basis.

_________________
"It is true that democracy undermines freedom when voters believe they can live off of others' productivity, when they modify the commandment: 'Thou shalt not steal, except by majority vote.' The politics of plunder is no doubt destructive of both morality and the division of labor."

Worse yet, he defends Marxism and Atheism.

_________________

Ezekiel 23:19-20 

What's wrong with Atheism?

_________________

Holy shitsnacks!

Clearly, he's never read the evidence.

Ask those on the wrong end of the guns of Lenin and Mao.

_________________

Ezekiel 23:19-20 

Whats wrong with Christianity?

Ask those being burned at the stake, pressed, beheaded, hanged, stoned, forced to drink hemlock, sent to the gas chamber......

Neither Christianity nor Atheism nor Islam are at fault for the atrocities its adherents commit. Morality does not spring from religion. Religion merely is used as a tool to justify morality.

No, I defend the right of Islamic people to build a mosque where they wish to build one, and oppose efforts to demonize the entire faith based on the actions of crazed radicals.

****. Why am I talking to you?

Islam, like Christianity and other religions, is deeply flawed in my opinion. The Koran is no better or worse, in my mind, than the Bible. Both of them are what they are. I certainly don't hate them, I simply think that what they teach is untrue. And the more radical the interpretation of their faith, the more dangerous I think those teachings are. Much like my position on Christianity. There are sects of Christianity I think are awesome, not because I agree with their take on our reality, but because they embody laudable tenants of tolerance and charity. Then there are sects of Christianity that I find to be repugnant. They teach a hateful, violent faith that makes everyone who doesn't agree with their take on the Bible out to be one of Satan's minions. They make gay people out to be abominations. The thing is, I don't actually consider those people to be real Christians, just like I don't consider Al Qaeda to be real Muslims. I see them as people who use their religion as a fig leaf for their hatred and their political agenda.

I don't like the KKK. I hate everything they stand for. Their stances are morally repugnant to me, and they ought to be for everyone else. However, I will still defend their right to gather and peacefully demonstrate. Even if I don't like them. I support their right to print pamphlets and hand them out. I support their right to go on the radio and spout their crap (although I do believe they have a responsibility to not use speech likely to result in violence). I support their rights, even if I disagree with them.

_________________


It feels like all the people who want limited government really just want government limited to Republicans.
---The Daily Show

really? Then I must call bullshit, and say you are a liar. How many times have you gone out of your way to attack Islam the way you do Christianity?

You, sir are a traitor to your own country, to your own race and I may not be Christian, but I have taken serious affront to the way you go to extreme lengths to bash one religion you claim is flawed with its bible... but go out and offhand defend anything another religion does because Christians "misunderstand" it.

_________________
Darksiege
Traveller, Calé, Whisperer
Lead me not into temptation; for I know a shortcut

I don't go out of my way to attack Christianity. Generally, when I bring up Christianity, it's because someone else has smeared another religion, and I use *their* standards and apply those standards to Christianity in order to make a point. Generally someone is attacking either Islam of Scientology.



I am truly speechless. It's been since 2001 since someone on this board or any iteration of it called me a *traitor*. I'll remember that for the future. Apparently standing up for the 1st Amendment makes someone a traitor to their country and "race".

Your willful ignorance of my position is just born of your own irrational hatred. Take a breath and realize that if it were a group of Christians wanting to build a religious temple at or near the OKC bombing site, I would be defending their rights just as avidly.

This isn't about the religion itself. It's about our values as a nation.

_________________


It feels like all the people who want limited government really just want government limited to Republicans.
---The Daily Show

Not seeing you take on Islam for refusing to allow a church in Mecca, Monte. As I understand it, they have laws preventing it.

Where's the use of *their* standards, and the application of those standards in this case that you profess to do?

Seems to me that if you were telling the truth, you'd have criticized the mosque right off the bat in that case.

_________________
In time, this too shall pass.

I don't think Atheism was to blame there.

_________________

Holy shitsnacks!

Not really, but we've had quite a few instances where people have tried to attribute all kinds of deaths to Christianity and then when those caused by Lenin, Stalin, Mao or others are attributed to Atheism, they cry foul.

_________________
"Hysterical children shrieking about right-wing anything need to go sit in the corner and be quiet while the adults are talking."

Dude, calling someone a traitor to their race is just worlds of fail. I mean like break out the swastikas and burning crosses kind of fail.

_________________

Ezekiel 23:19-20