❝❝You see, I've done this before. When True Believer Christians told me I was damned and a mortal threat to their children. When conservatives told me that only one way could save the country and anything else threatened their children. When progressives told me that capitalism and individualism were dead and should stay that way for the sake of the children. When well-fed third wave feminists in designer clothes told me about how they were oppressed by the patriarchy and wouldn't have children. When pagans lectured me on the evils of monotheism and how love would save the world. Always, always, ALWAYS the pattern is exactly the same. In the absence of understanding, triviality dominates. The enlightened demand sacrifice from everyone else. "For the children" is for those living and in charge. Anyone who offers an absolute won't brook dissent. Experts are uniquely qualified to fuck the situation up beyond any hope of repair. Government is not your friend.

So you have a chance here to change your behavior, change your pattern and accept responsibility. Your choice.❞❞

— NeoWayland, from the comments of The Climate Change Watermelon Juggernaut & The Prescience Of Michael Crichton

Tags: maxims ∙ true believers ∙ Christians ∙ mortal threat ∙ children ∙ conservatives ∙ one way ∙ progressives ∙ capitalism ∙ individualism ∙ third wave feminism ∙ well-fed ∙ designer clothes ∙ evil ∙ patriarchy ∙ monotheism ∙ pagan ∙ love ∙ save the world ∙ understanding ∙ triviality ∙ enlightenment ∙ sacrifice ∙ for the children ∙ absolute ∙ dissent ∙ experts

❝❝Pardon, I don't think anyone is capable of judging what is and is not a "real" religion. I can't tell you how many times certain Christians have told me that my faith isn't real.

Pauline Christianity is something completely different that what Yeshua Ben Yosef preached. Gnostic Christianity is something completely different yet again. Which is true? Who knows? Who am I to judge what happens between someone else and the Divine?

I think these are the wrong questions. Christians are much nicer when they aren't the only game around. From what little I've seen, the same applies to Muslims.

I think what matters is how we treat others, especially others who do not share our faith and culture. Ramming it down other's throat by force will cause resentment. That's where some monotheists go wrong. It's not that they have the True Faith™, its that no other faith can be allowed. Because of their Greater Understanding and enlightenment, they can break society's rule for the Greater Good. Thou shalt not dissent.

Climate change alarmists stole the game lock, stock, and barrel. It's common for some of the radical feminists too. If anything, I think it indicates a weakness in the argument. Their faith isn't strong enough, they can't convince others, so it must be forced.

Getting back to Christianity, how much would history have changed if Constantine hadn't made it the state faith? How would it have developed if it had stayed one faith among many? How much of the Official® was really about politics and controlling the populace?

Could it be that control is really the issue?❞❞

Tags: cross posted ∙ Christian ∙ Christianity ∙ Christians ∙ Christian bash ∙ Gnostic Christianity ∙ Constantine ∙ Muslims ∙ thou shalt not dissent ∙ enlightenment ∙ radical feminists ∙ climate change alarmists ∙ Yeshua Ben Yosef ∙ Pauline Christianity

❝❝No matter what the belief system, the truly enlightened don't need to call themselves that.

Or justify it either.❞❞
     — NeoWayland

Tags: beliefs ∙ enlightenment ∙ justify ∙ maxims

Competition drives the free market, to keep customers companies have to make things better than their rivals and better than what they themselves did yesterday.

Competition is what the "single payer" eliminates in the name of efficiency, yet over time competition means that products and services will be better, faster, and cheaper.

There is no incentive to improve under a government controlled system. There is overwhelming incentive to pay off legislators and technocrats for favorable treatment.

---

I'm usually correct.

Except when I'm wrong… *grins*

Jokes aside, you probably agree with me on economics, smaller government and (most) individual rights. We won't agree on religion, personal morality, and sexuality. I hope we can agree on honor.

I hang out here to keep me honest and so I can see how conservatives think. And occasionally to keep you honest *wink* and keep you from taking yourself too seriously.

---

I just get very tired of watching people who should know better lump all members of a group into a monolithic block who is out to destroy their way of life and must be Stopped for the Good of Humanity™

The ironic thing is many of the people who complain loudest about it being done to them are only too willing to turn around and do it to someone else.

I've seen pagans do it to Christians, "blacks" do it to "Hispanics," Republicans do it to Democrats, and women doing it to men.

And vice versa.

You know what? It's not the label shouting and doing things, it's the individual person. Until you deal them as individuals rather than as a subset of a label, you have walled yourself off.

Not them. You.

---

Thinking about it just now, that raises a fascinating question.

Which is worth more, a moral code handed to you or one earned through personal experience?

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I'm not asking you to follow my code.

I'm not even asking you to allow me to follow my code.

I'm telling you that I won't follow your code just as you would tell me that you won't follow mine.

Now we could find what we agree on and work from there, or you could spend effort telling me why your enlightenment requires my sacrifice.

I think the former would be more productive, but I would enjoy your frustration at the latter too.

Tags: competition ∙ make things better ∙ rivals ∙ yesterday ∙ incentives ∙ government ∙ economics ∙ smaller government ∙ individual rights ∙ religion ∙ personal morality ∙ sexuality ∙ honor ∙ honest ∙ conservatives ∙ monolithic block ∙ Christians ∙ pagans ∙ blacks ∙ Hispanics ∙ Republicans ∙ Democrats ∙ women ∙ men ∙ moral code ∙ enlightenment ∙ sacrifice ∙ Crux Files

Tags: media ∙ press ∙ libraries ∙ The New York Times ∙ Washington Post ∙ Wall Street Journal ∙ The Economist ∙ journalistic objectivity ∙ opinion ∙ Ronald Reagan ∙ George H. W. Bush ∙ Bill Clinton ∙ Higher Calling ∙ ignorance ∙ enlightenment ∙ Billy boy ∙ Bush League ∙ 9-11 ∙ Iraq ∙ Afghanistan ∙ Barack Obama ∙ Imperious Leader ∙ Grand Vision ∙ Utopia ∙ Donald Trump ∙ untruths ∙ fake news ∙ ☆

❝❝Why does your enlightenment demand that I sacrifice?❞❞
     — NeoWayland, Why does your enlightenment demand that I sacrifice?

Tags: maxims ∙ enlightenment ∙ sacrifice

“German Streets Descend into Lawlessness”

Tags: skimmed ∙ Ivanka Trump ∙ Nordstrom ∙ Donald Trump ∙ political correctness ∙ enlightenment ∙ election ∙ clipping

Was the United States really founded as a Christian nation?

Tags: Original Vigil ∙ classic ∙ favorites ∙ freedom ∙ liberty ∙ libertarian ∙ Asperger syndrome ∙ moon shot ∙ Red Blooded Americans ∙ abundance ∙ Star Trek ∙ Arthur Conan-Doyle ∙ Mark Twain ∙ Jules Verne ∙ science fiction ∙ Richard Nixon ∙ Tommorrowland ∙ flying cars ∙ spaceport ∙ Moon ∙ Mars ∙ asteroids ∙ oceans ∙ UNKNOWN ∙ Kirk ∙ American Eagle ∙ Spock ∙ McCoy ∙ Scotty ∙ worker of miracles ∙ American dream ∙ 9-11 ∙ responsibility ∙ future ∙ Lady Liberty ∙ Lady Freedom ∙ raise your eyes ∙ enlightenment ∙ multi-lateral ∙ multi-national ∙ multi-phasic ∙ multi-tasking ∙ multi-cultural ∙ multi-apologetic