On Tue, 9 Nov 2004, Alma J Wetzker wrote:
Net Llama! wrote:
On 11/09/2004 04:29 PM, Collins Richey wrote:
On Tue, 09 Nov 2004 18:23:38 -0600, Alma J Wetzker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
I don't know where you formed you opinion of the man. The caricature you are describing does not match John Ashcroft. John Ashcroft's only visible failing that I can see is that he is a conservative.
Now you've reached the point of the issue. A conservative = a Christian = a zealot = never acceptable to leftists. The man could have the moral convictions and demonstrated care for humanity of a Sister Theresa, but he is still a conservative and therefore not acceptable in polite societry.
I don't care what anyone's religious beliefs are. Its their own business. I don't force mine on anyone, and all agents of government in the united states are legally prohibited from doing the same. Ashcroft somehow decided that law doesn't apply to him.
Just so I understand, How do you define religious beliefs? Is covering the naked breasts of statues a religious belief? Is opposing abortion a religious belief? Is being honest a religious belief? Is determining whom to tax to alleviate suffering and help the poor a religious belief? I have the dangerous ability to justify anything by connecting it to something else in ways others may miss. I can see how almost any political issue can be defined as a religious belief for one side or the other. John Kerry certainly had a firm faith that rolling back tax cuts and imposing additional taxes would help. Kerry had absolutely no qualms about imposing those beliefs on America should he be elected. How are the results of religious beliefs worse when they enter the secular world?
Either you're joking, or you've got a rather bizarre interpretation of reality. The simple fact that every single mention of John Ashcroft has resulted in you using the words god or christian pretty much backs up my point. I don't see you mentioning any other past attorneys general in that context.
I point of fact, I have not mentioned any other AG's, I don't know any others.
Religion to me is not something you do for a couple of hours on Sunday (Friday/Saturday) and are done with for the week. It is something that you live. It is a set of values that help define what you want for others and yourself. It will help define personal goals. In short, it should be touchstone and guide toward building the admirable character traits society wants from us. Things like honesty, personal integrity, charity, love for other people and kindness. (That holds for the religions I am personally familiar with including christianity, islam, judaism and wiccan.) If those types of traits do not affect how you act and the laws you attempt to pass as an elected official, you don't have a religion.
An absurd extension of the "separation of church and state" thing would be: If I was an elected official. I could not support welfare at all and must work to eliminate it because I feel it is my duty to care for the poor and needy in society. That sense of obligation comes from my religious belief and learning so I cannot support government doing it because, for me, it is an extension of my religious responsibility.
Any attitude that religion need to be made irrelevant in our government officials is ludicrous. Attempting to discredit someone simply because of what they happen to believe is almost like a hate crime. Yet it is somehow acceptable when used against a christian.
If people are living their religion, rather than just going through the motions, mentioning their faith works as a commonly understood shorthand for the personal character traits they are working toward and will try to exhibit. That is the only interpretation I intend when I mention someones religion, if I mention it at all. If you interpret <religious classification> = nutcase/zealot, we are not communicating at all.
<change topic>
We are all here on this board to help each other, as friends. I am starting to get fearful that the tone of this thread is threatening that friendship. I propose that everyone get their final licks in and then we let the thread die.
-- Alma _______________________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsub/Pause/Etc -> http://mail.linux-sxs.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/general
