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The "Scandal" That Won't Go Away...
by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Lib erty -vs- Tyr anny CBS - Obama administration officials who were in key positions on Sept. 11, 2012, acknowledge that a range of mistakes were made the night of the attacks on the U.S. missions in Benghazi, and in messaging to Congress and the public in the aftermath. The officials spoke to CBS News in a series of interviews and communications under the condition of anonymity so that they could be more frank in their assessments. They do not all agree on the list of mistakes and it's important to note that they universally claim that any errors or missteps did not cost lives and reflect "incompetence rather than malice or cover up." Nonetheless, in the eight months since the attacks, this is the most sweeping and detailed discussion by key players of what might have been done differently. "We're portrayed by Republicans as either being lying or idiots," said one Obama administration official who was part
Our Biggest Creditor {China} Tells Us "The good old days of borrowing are over"
by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Birthplace o Independent Conservatism Liberty -vs- Tyranny As the chickens come home to roast... Unbelievable we have been this stupid. ( Reuters ) - Global leaders on Saturday arranged a round of emergency calls to discuss the twin debt crises in Europe and the United States that are causing turmoil in financial markets . After a week that saw $2.5 trillion wiped off global stock markets, they are under pressure to show political leadership and reassure markets that Western governments have both the will and ability to reduce their huge and growing public debt loads. French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who chairs the G7/G20 group of leading economies, conferred with Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron ahead of a call planned for this weekend by G7 finance ministers and central bankers. "They discussed the euro area and the U.S. debt downgrade. Both agreed the importance of working together, monitoring the situation closely
Looking To 2016...
by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation U S A Purveyor of Truth Following last nights rather mundane and short on specifics SOTU by President Obama I started thinking about the future and if there is anyone in the current ranks of the GOP or the Libertarian Party who could possibly be elected to the presidency in 2016. Frankly given the crop of malcontents and loonies(Christie doesn't fall into that group but he has shot himself in the big toe) that seem to be getting attention in the GOP it appears unlikely. Tonight while browsing the net the following article popped up and given the headline was along my line of thinking last it was a must read. Got me thinking again and if the GOP can find the intelligence to act along the lines of thought presented in the article there may just be a real race in 2016 rather than a shoo in for the democrats. NationalJournal - For a party that's accustomed to nominating the next-in-line presidential candidate, 2016 promises to be a very un
The Ignorance and Arrogance of Obama...
by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Liberty -vs- Tyranny In my opinion the President, in his attack on the United States Supreme court belies both his basic ignorance of our republic as well as his arrogance. His last uttering in and of itself is enough to deny the man, and I use the term loosely in this case, another term as President. Forgive me my rational liberal friends but his recent statement is more telling of his statist leanings than anything he has heretofore said. With this last he has proven beyond any doubt he is indeed clueless. The Washington Post - There was something rather unsettling in President Obama’s preemptive strike on the Supreme Court at Monday’s news conference. “I’d just remind conservative commentators that for years what we’ve heard is the biggest problem on the bench is judicial activism or a lack of judicial restraint — that an unelected group of people would somehow overturn a duly constituted and passed law,” Obama said. “Well, here’s a
The ObamaCare Divide Creating Two America's...
by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Purveyor of Truth Red and blue state map, based on returns in last four presidential elections. (Wikimedia Commons/ Angr) This site is not a supporter of the mechanisms of ObamaCare and questions whether it in fact will ultimately make health care either more accessible r affordable. Except for those receiving a subsidy or are getting it free. All that aside I do agree with following Moyers & Company article stating that ObamaCare is widening the gap between red America and blue America. Something needed to be done with our health care and insurance system. Most agree that the pre ObamaCare system needed some work. Unfortunately reason failed American politics and what we have achieved is an ever more polorized country with no end to the polarization. Perhaps it is time to officially form a Blue United States of America and a Red United States of America. Because in reality we are moving ever closer to the breaking point. Th
Race Baiting at the Highest Level of the Federal Government...?
by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation USA Lib e rty -vs- Tyr a nny I listened to the full Presidential news conference this afternoon. Obama said some things that made sense. Then he made the following remarks that IMNHO told the nation in full agenda with respect to said issue. Having a in depth discussion of race relations might very well be appropriate and a general discussion is something that MOST American's would welcome. Using the Zimmerman verdict ks simply the WRONG event at possibly the right time. However, don't expect the President, the Department of Justice, or the liberal media or ultra liberal populace to understand what this means. If I can find a video of the full and complete news conference it will be posted later. Via: Memeorandum Update : via You Tube. Your views and thoughts are most welcome. Left and or Right leaning...
Spoken Like a True Dyed In the Blue Statist...
by: Les Carpenter Rational Nation U S A Purveyor of Truth Ever hear of or read Mother Jones ? Well I just did, and as near as I can figure she must be Woodrow Wilson's or Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Mother. I say this because she sure as hell is pro statist and pumped up for growing the government bureaucracy. The article is short so it is being reproduced here in full. This site appreciates Mother Jones candor in expressing the statist credo and the desire on the part of the left for an ever larger and more intrusive presence in our daily affairs and lives. January's job numbers were fairly dismal, but the bad cheer wasn't equally spread. Private sector employment, as usual, increased—by 142,000 jobs last month. At the same time, public sector employment declined. Government employment at all levels was down 29,000 in January. Aside from the brief census blip in early 2010, this has been the usual state of affairs for the past four years, ever since the rece
Humor in Truth...
Rational Nation U S A Purveyor of Truth Eleven days into 2016 and still recovering from the hustle and bustle of the preceding year end holidays I was looking for something to get me back to normal and give me a great belly splitting laugh. But that laugh needed to be a laugh caused by something that was funny because of the great truths it held. Today that great belly splitting laugh happened. June 28, 2015 Jeff Landry, an aide to Donald Trump, scratched the back of his right leg with his left shoe, stalling. You have to answer just right , or he goes apeshit . Jeff remembered grimly what a pleasant change he’d thought this job would be, but now he looked back on those six harrowing weeks working for Harvey Weinstein like a long-ago Hanukkah. The question Trump had put to him was “How do we close this?” Jeff played it safe: “I say go big.” Trump lit up. “I can do big,” he said. “This whole thing, which was my idea, incidentally, and a very good idea, really a very gr
I say this.
ReplyDeleteLes, you'll never convince rightwing Christians that any other religion comes anywhere near the greatness that is theirs. Theirs is the best, dontcha' know.
ReplyDeleteJMJ
Jersey: Pop quiz - which adherents to a particular religion are more prone to violence, extremism and barbarism? Even if it is a fraction of a percent of said adherents?(which I believe it is)
DeleteBuddhists, Christians, followers of Judaism, Hindus, Christians, Catholics or Muslims.
Your bigotry and hate makes wants to scream RIGHT WING CHRISTIANS!!!!
But, unfortunately you are 100% wrong.
Hate isn't a family value, didn't you know that, Jersey?
I don't know what you're talking about. All religion is stupid. But just 70 years ago Christians slaughtered each other in numbers unmatched in all history. Here in America, the most "Christian" nation of them all, we kill each other far more than Muslims kill us - or even each other! So really, you don't know wtf you're talking about.
DeleteJMJ
jmj said... "I don't know what you're talking about. All religion is stupid."
DeleteAgain using your favorite word "stupid" again on this thread, as you've done on many others.
Calling all religion stupid is by extension calling the vast majority of people the world over stupid. For the atheist religion is mystical and therefore by definition lacking in reason. But being religious does not make one stupid. In fact the greatest theologians were all bright individuals and the vast majority of religious people are intelligent as well.
When a person, or an entire religion attempts to impose their brand of religious dogma on others is when our indignation should be made known and they should be brought to task. Even with this it does not make the religion per se or it's practitioners stupid. Those who attempt to impose a certain religious doctrine on others by force are however unethical and immoral, but not necessarily stupid.
jmj said... " But just 70 years ago Christians slaughtered each other in numbers unmatched in all history."
DeleteBy this I shall assume you are referring to W II. If I am correct in my assumption I am puzzled. WW II was the result of unbridled lust for power and world domination. A rather common man possessing a high level of intelligence convinced a nation of it's superiority using race and hatred as catalyst, you know the rest.
The Evil Power of the Axis Nations, and Fascism aligned themselves against the Powers of the Allied Nations to insure the right and freedom that comes with national sovereignty. Then at Potsdam it all fell apart.
BUT, WW II was not about religion or imposing a religious dogma on people. No, it was about the acquisition of unbridled power and the desire for oppressive domination under a POLITICAL ideology. For the atheist every bit as mystical an lacking reason but it sure as hell had nothing to do with religion.
I'll leave you with the Left Coast Rebel...
Left Coast Rebel - Thu Sep 05, 11:09:00 AM EDT
Jersey: Pop quiz - which adherents to a particular religion are more prone to violence, extremism and barbarism? Even if it is a fraction of a percent of said adherents?(which I believe it is)
Buddhists, Christians, followers of Judaism, Hindus, Christians, Catholics or Muslims.
Your bigotry and hate makes wants to scream RIGHT WING CHRISTIANS!!!!
But, unfortunately you are 100% wrong.
Hate isn't a family value, didn't you know that, Jersey?
Jersey also said: " Les, you'll never convince rightwing Christians that any other religion comes anywhere near the greatness that is theirs. Theirs is the best, dontcha' know."
DeleteAnd in another comment, you call all those who do not believe as you do "stupid": exhibiting the exact sort of arrogant attitude about religion that you accuse others of. Jersey, you proved your point not about others, but about yourself...
See Les? As I said, atheism has its supremacist intolerant ayatollahs and Falwells also. We just had a flare-up here.
Les, your favorite political thinker thought the same of religion as I. And to remove Christianity from much of the horror of the Third Reich, the Second World War, and much else of what happened back then would be pretty naive of you.
DeleteI am not intolerant. I'm just pointing out reality. You guys are just defending the stupid - stupid questions, stupid religions.
JMJ
You'll forgive for saying so, but you can be a real jackass sometimes.
DeleteI know more about Ayn Rand than you ever will and am fully aware of her views on religion.
I defend no religion, I am not religous being an atheist. I am however capable of thinking beyond the usual pablum, are you?
You are indeed intolerant jmj, and as they say, stupid is as stupid does.
Les, stupid is those slobs on FOX McCain had to instruct. In fact, FOX is stupid and so is everyone who takes them seriously. I'm sick of it.
DeleteJMJ
Goof for you jersey, good for YOU And, thank you for confirming my point
DeleteRN said: "Goof for you Jersey..."
DeleteGot to love serendipitous typos....
Jersey said: " But just 70 years ago Christians slaughtered each other in numbers unmatched in all history."
ReplyDeleteNice spin there. But truth be told, Nazism wasn't Christian... and besides, the numbers were not only matched, but were exceeded by Stalin's USSR... also not Christian.
Nice try. But if you're going to assert that Christianity had nothing to do with the Holocaust, or that most NAZI's weren't in fact Christians, than you just can't man up to reality.
DeleteJMJ
"...this book represents a scholarly account of the actions and beliefs of the Catholic Church during World War II. Although Goldhagen borrows from Carroll's "Constantine's Sword," Garry Wills, "Papal Sin," and others, he also uses the Church's own Catechism to, in essence, rub the nose of the Catholic Church in the shit it has made of things. The book also includes devastating (to the Catholic Church) photos of nuns and priests giving the Hitler salute and attending Nazi ceremonies.
DeleteBy framing the problem, Daniel Goldhagen charges that "Christianity is a religion that consecrated at its core and, historically, spread throughout its domain a megatherian hatred of one group of people: the Jews." Like Carroll, he connects the Catholic Church, with antisemitism and its effects which led to the Jewish holocaust. Goldhagen found that Pope Pius XII and many of his priests acted without remorse, turned a blind eye, and in some cases, where priests took direct action in the murder of innocent human beings during World War II. In Slovakia, for example, the Catholic Church supported the government and the comprehensive antisemitic laws modeled on the Nazis. President-priest Tiso preached using Nazi antisemitic beliefs that "expelling the Jews was a Christian act." In Croatia, many priests committed mass murder (Croats killed 200,000 Jews, Serbs, and Gypsies).
The Catholic Church served as the first international institution to sign and announce a major agreement with Hitler (the Concordant). The Church aided in the Nazi persecution of Jews by willingly supplying its genealogical records which allowed the Germans to send thousands of Jews to their deaths in concentration camps."
I read both James Carroll's "Constantine's Sword," and Garry Wills's "Papal Sin." Both men are devout Catholics and scholars.
SOURCE
"The Catholic Church served as the first international institution to sign and announce a major agreement with Hitler (the Concordant). The Church aided in the Nazi persecution of Jews by willingly supplying its genealogical records which allowed the Germans to send thousands of Jews to their deaths in concentration camps."
DeleteChalk it up to the Irrational Self Interest of the Church, or was it an act the Church felt was neccessary to Insure it not being persucuted or even eliminated in Nazi Germany? In which case someone (not I) could argue it was in theur Rational Self Interest.
This entire discussion with respect to religion is, to say the least quite intersesting. Religions have had a less than pious and stellar reputation throughout the history of mankind. What I don't get is the progresives targeting Christianity as they do. If you want to discuss religion in general, something this atheist has no intention of doing, why don't one of you progresives do a comparative analysis of the evils perpetrated by ALL religions throughout human history with links to ducumentation supporting your presentation? Then you might want to do a scholarly paper discussing the documents that guide each of the world's major religions to act as they do along with apprpriate corresponding chapter and verse in said document, and linkage of course?
Perhaps it is time to prepare for the next evil onslaught against humanity that is in the name of treligion? I wonder from whence it shall come. Progressives?
"Like Carroll, he connects the Catholic Church, with antisemitism and its effects which led to the Jewish holocaust."
DeleteAntisemitism is common at so many levels. Stalin's regime, not theistic at all, had its own plot to wipe out all Jews.
Sam Harris (not exactly a Christian apologist) on Islam - "The only problem with Islamic fundamentalism are the fundamentals of Islam.............The truth is that Islam is quite a bit scarier and more culpable for needless human misery at this moment than Christianity has been for a very long time. And we have to point this out.............The refrain that all religions have their extremists is bullshit. All religions don't have these extremists. Some religions have never had these extremists.............There are very few of us who lie awake at night worrying about the Amish. This is not an accident.............We have this single book (the Quran) which is imagined to be the best book on any subject ever written, never to be superseded by any human effort at any point in the future. Now this is a problem because this is a profoundly mediocre book.............Extremism isn't a problem as long as your core beliefs are truly nonviolent.............Was all of this pious mayhem (in response to the Danish cartoon); the burning of embassies, the killing of nuns - was all that some sort of great flowering of spiritual and ethical intelligence? Or was it egregious medieval stupidity? Come to think of it, it was egregious medieval stupidity." Well said, Mr. Harris, well said.
ReplyDeleteWhile Jersey's comments about religion and WW2 reflect a fourth-grade education (I know he is smarter but sometimes it doesn't show at all when he applies religious labels without veracity), Christians are still capable of such medieval brutality. The Serbian orthodox church in the 1990's was at the forefront leading extremists there in killing over 100,000 Muslim civilians.. something that ranks up with anything Muslim extremists have done in the modern era.
DeleteYou do have a good point on the Amish though.
I guess Christians just can't face the reality that they have behaved just as horrifically as every other peoples on the planet. I got news for you smug idiots - you're not better than anyone.
DeleteJMJ
Smug idiot is as smug idiot does jersey. I know you're working on it. Not being one I mean.
DeleteJersey said: "(1)I guess Christians just can't face the reality that they have behaved just as horrifically as every other peoples on the planet. (2) I got news for you smug idiots - you're not better than anyone."
Delete1) Find where anyone is arguing this here? Are you even reading the comments you are commenting on?
2) Welcome to the real world. This is closed to what we have been arguing: in opposition to your arguments.
-------
And on top of this, it does appear that Jersey thinks that RN is a Christian...
I'm not a smug idiot nor am I a Christian.
DeleteBut I sure as heck know a close-minded intolerant bigot when I see one and Jersey fits the bill perfectly.
I really love that my comment at the top of this thread exposed his true colors ("all religions are stupid," "Nazis were Christians," etc.).
Nuts, just plain nuts. My smart liberal friends would be ashamed to associate themselves with someone as hate-filled as you, Jersey.
LCR: Jersey is at the depths of his grunting hate-filled thug mode. Kind of a mood swing thing perhaps.
DeleteD. Lexmarks Luther [Fri Sep 06, 06:58:00 AM EDT] RN said: "Goof for you Jersey..." Got to love serendipitous typos....
ReplyDeleteThat wasn't a typo, it was a word salad. RN is becoming quite famous for them. You could call him a "Tosser Extraordinaire", no?
Let us also see what actual top Nazis say: " "If the Catholic Christian is convinced that the Pope in infallible in all religious and ethical matters, so we National Socialists declare with the same ardent conviction that for us too the Führer is absolutely infallible in all political and other matters."
ReplyDelete- Herman Goering, referring to the two as entirely different, and in fact implying that this form of socialism was a replacement for Catholicism.
Moving up the Nazi ladder. From Wikipedia: " Various scholars consider Hitler's final religious position to be one of deism." Also: " It was Goebbels' opinion that Hitler was "deeply religious but entirely anti- Christian."
What did Goebbels himself say? Here is one of his quotations: " What does Christianity mean today? National Socialism is a religion. All we lack is a religious genius capable of uprooting outmoded religious practices and putting new ones in their place. We lack traditions and ritual. One day soon National Socialism will be the religion of all Germans. My Party is my church, and I believe I serve the Lord best if I do his will, and liberate my oppressed people from the fetters of slavery. That is my gospel."
----
It is quite clear, from the men who controlled, defined, and managed Nazism, that this was not a branch of, or compatible with, Christianity.
Great info, DMarks... I recall reading fairly recently in my college course that the Nazis (especially the hierarchy) were followers of the occult. For the life of me, I have no idea how a person could claim that they were Christians. Mind boggling.
DeleteMore thoughts for the bigot Jersey to ponder:
ReplyDeleteEarlier this year my wife enrolled in an RCIA program to become Catholic. To say the least, I was skeptical and wasn't involved, though she wanted me to be.
She wanted our baby to be baptized in the church and it was important to her for me to enter the program - so I did.
After several months of getting to know the priest, deacon and scores of church members and faculty NOT ONCE did I come across a bigot, "stupid" person, or anyone the left would like to characterize (smear) as a "typical" Catholic or Christian for that matter. Everyone -- and I mean everyone -- was kind-hearted, compassionate, humble, loving and warm to my wife and I; all the way to the top.
So, Jersey, it's really easy to be bigoted and hate people you have no clue about when in many cases, the scapegoats of your sad upside-down boxed-in worldview are actually kind, decent people who just see the world differently than you do.
I didn't agree with a lot of the Catholic doctrine I became accustomed to but I'm a better person for having experienced it.
And I would have done the same if the religion had been Judaism, Bhuddism, Taosim, etc.
I'm pretty sure Jersey will have nothing to say to this.
Deletejmj usually weighs in late night. He might just surprise.
DeleteWe'll see. I'd like a response that doesn't include name calling and is intellectually honest, but that's asking a lot.
DeleteLong as he doesn't drink the stupid-juice before commenting. He often does have great comments, but he is really out to lunch across the board on this one.
ReplyDelete