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Tuesday, April 23, 21:50:34 [ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, [2], 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 ]

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Date Posted: Thu, Dec 28 2017, 16:27:17 PST
Author: Ken de Russy (No Gods, No Masters)
Author Host/IP: NoHost / 172.92.243.161
Subject: Re: Merry CHRISTmas to all
In reply to: Patrick 's message, "Re: Merry CHRISTmas to all" on Tue, Dec 26 2017, 6:44:38 PST

Thanks for the encouragement Patrick. Being the odd man out actually has many advantages. Once you diverge from the flock you learn to trust your own judgement more and more. Each new judgement that is out of step with the rest of the sheep improves your reasoning skills and increases confidence in your own ability to calmly examine the next idea. It also works in reverse. When you fear conversation that diverges from the "norm" you steadily reduce your capacity for reasoning critically. Each challenge to your "firmly held beliefs" thickens your defensive armour and insures you will never hear anything that does not confim your bias. When you live in the great average you are living in a great echo chamber. You cannot even hear obviously good ideas once your defenses are that calcified

This thread is a perfect illustration. I added Christmas wishes that should have completely resonated with anyone who authentically believes in the value of our Constitution but I could not rouse even one "Huzzah!" from our group of patriots. I see three possible reasons why that is. I offered one in the follow up to Don Graham's comment to me and that is "many are simply ignorant of what those words mean and have never taught themselves enough about our founding principles to feel confident to speak about them." Another is that no one here actually gives a hoot about those founding ideals. That is very hard for me to believe but I can't rule it out as heart rending as that is to me. The third is the most likely. This is the persecution complex that so pervades Christian theology and practice which renders any view that may appear in any way to be an alternate view of reality to be an attack on Christianity. I actually stayed completely clear of any such attack but because I suggested some additional values worth celebrating at Christmas such as fealty to the great ideals WE ALL SWORE TO DEFEND, I heard not one word of assent.....until yours of course. Good job Patrick. Maybe the rest here will wake up and choose to reaffirm their committment to our Constitution. If someone asked for everyone to say what their favorite song was during their time in Vietnam you would have a page of replies. What the hell is wrong with this group that you are the only one who cared enough to reaffirm your oath?

All praise to intellectual freedom! Can I get an "Amen!"?

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