A Silent Passing.......*obituary*

KenpoTess

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Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend by the name of Common Sense who has been with us for many years.

No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valued lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm and that life isn't always fair.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not kids, are in charge).

His health began to rapidly deteriorate when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate, teens suspended
from school for using mouthwash after lunch, and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student only worsened his condition.

It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer aspirin to a student but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.

Finally, Common sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses and criminals received better treatment than their victims.

Common Sense finally gave up the ghost after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot, spilled a bit in her lap, and was awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents,
Truth and his wife, Discretion; his daughter,
Responsibility; and his son, Reason.

He is survived by two stepbrothers; My Rights and Ima Whiner.

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone.
 
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RCastillo

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Not only is it dead, and buried, but the living are now quite infected, and there is no cure. It's just a matter of time before we all "buy the farm.":(
 

Matt

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Originally posted by Kempojujutsu
Don't forget about them wanting to take "GOD" out of the pledge of Allegance.

I thought it was when they took the original pledge of allegiance (written by a minister) and messed with it (after many years of use) by *adding* "GOD" to it during the McCarthy era to help defeat those godless commies...

You'd think that if the guy who wrote it wanted "GOD" in there, he would have put him/her in in the first place...
 

Nightingale

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Originally posted by Kempojujutsu
Don't forget about them wanting to take "GOD" out of the pledge of Allegance.


I vote for putting the pledge back the way it was when it was originally written. It was a beautiful verse then, and no changes were necessary. Changing the original text of the pledge was akin to painting a moustache on the Mona Lisa.
 
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TonyM.

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The pledge of allegence has nothing to do with our government. It was written by a socialist which is why the original had no reference to god. To my mind it is a facist manifesto.

"Patriotism is the last refuge for a scoundrel."-Mark Twain
 
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RCastillo

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So, then if it's worthless, who are we to be loyal to?:confused:
 

qizmoduis

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Originally posted by TonyM.
The pledge of allegence has nothing to do with our government. It was written by a socialist which is why the original had no reference to god. To my mind it is a facist manifesto.

"Patriotism is the last refuge for a scoundrel."-Mark Twain

Actually, it was written by a Baptist -->MINISTER<--, Francis Bellamy. Bellamy was a Christian Socialist.

See http://history.vineyard.net/pledge.htm for a detailed history of the pledge.

The whole galling thing about this is that Congress made the law the add the words "under God" to the Pledge. Doesn't the First Amendment of our constitution specifically deny them this authority? Yes it does. That fact that there's any controversy about this shows our educationaly system in a very poor light. The number of people who have not even a basica understanding of our own government is apalling.
 
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rmcrobertson

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Just so's you know, Bellamy also made no mention of the United States in his Pledge. It was meant to be internationalist, apparently because he believed in World Government.

I just love it when flag-wavers adopt material with no idea of where it came from, and then use the results to prop up their idea of America. Next most-abused lyric: Woody Guthrie, "This Land Is Your Land."

As for common sense, well, there's a good solid term. Its most famous American historical usage comes from Tom Paine, good old agnostic, rabble-rousing Tom Paine.

Otherwise, it tends to be what people invoke when they want everybody else to play by their rules, and don't want to discuss what their rules happen to be. It is instructive in this regard to recall that not so long ago, it was common sense that black people were inferior. Where I grew up, it was common sense that Jewish folks were misers and Catholics couldn't be trusted.

Oh well.
 

Jay Bell

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Common sense is most definately dead...it's terrible, but very true.

Look how easily we are roped into belief, simply because it was in the media, an email or in a book? Must be true eh?

Not to get into a religious talk, but it's very much the same with the Bible and other religious texts. People view it as history because it's an old book written long ago.

I think for some reason people's ability to question what they hear has dwindled away. It's sad...but I feel that it's just bold proof that people can no longer think for themselves.

Liberal or Conservative...you can't be both (WHAT?!) If you're a conservative, you must be a strong Bush supporter. (HUH?) Our ideas are no longer our own. We're classified as sheeple into our little groups that do the thinking for us. Sad..
 

Nightingale

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Robert-

I was going to try to PM you, but you have them disabled or something...

I've never heard anyone abuse "this land is your land" so I was wondering if you could cite an example... I'm just curious, cause this was one of my favorite tunes as a kid... gotta love Peter, Paul and Mary.

PM me if you like.

-N-
 

Cruentus

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Originally posted by Nightingale
Robert-

I was going to try to PM you, but you have them disabled or something...

I've never heard anyone abuse "this land is your land" so I was wondering if you could cite an example... I'm just curious, cause this was one of my favorite tunes as a kid... gotta love Peter, Paul and Mary.

PM me if you like.

-N-

Yes...me's curious too! :D
 

Jmh7331

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Originally posted by qizmoduis
Actually, it was written by a Baptist -->MINISTER<--, Francis Bellamy. Bellamy was a Christian Socialist.

See http://history.vineyard.net/pledge.htm for a detailed history of the pledge.

The whole galling thing about this is that Congress made the law the add the words "under God" to the Pledge. Doesn't the First Amendment of our constitution specifically deny them this authority? Yes it does. That fact that there's any controversy about this shows our educationaly system in a very poor light. The number of people who have not even a basica understanding of our own government is apalling.

The 1st Amendment says: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...". How does that prohibit them from adding "under God"?
 

Nightingale

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sure...

it makes the statement that the government is "respecting" christian religions... they're the only ones that call the supreme deity "God" you know...

if it was "One Nation, under Allah" people would have a huge issue, but for some reason, Christians seem to think that "God" is a generic term, when it isn't.

since "God" is capitalized, it is a proper noun, therefore referring to a specific divine entity.
 

Jmh7331

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Originally posted by Nightingale
sure...

it makes the statement that the government is "respecting" christian religions... they're the only ones that call the supreme deity "God" you know...

if it was "One Nation, under Allah" people would have a huge issue, but for some reason, Christians seem to think that "God" is a generic term, when it isn't.

since "God" is capitalized, it is a proper noun, therefore referring to a specific divine entity.

Actually, they're not, and Allah means God. The amendment still says, "respecting an establishment of religion." This is not respecting a particular establishment. Besides, America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, 24 signers of the Declaration of Independence were ministers and/or held theological degrees.
 

qizmoduis

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Originally posted by Jmh7331
The 1st Amendment says: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...". How does that prohibit them from adding "under God"?

How does it not? Which interpretation of "under God" is not religious in nature? Nightingale is correct in her reply to you.

Originally posted by Jmh7331
Actually, they're not, and Allah means God. The amendment still says, "respecting an establishment of religion." This is not respecting a particular establishment. Besides, America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, 24 signers of the Declaration of Independence were ministers and/or held theological degrees.

Not this again. Pure rightwing historical revisionism. Another illustration of the failure of our educational system.
 

Jmh7331

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And again, my question is not answered. How does adding "under God" violate the 1st Amendment? "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." What law was made that respects a particular religion?

"Pure rightwing historical revisionism. Another illustration of the failure of our educational system."

That's the first time I've heard of historical revision by the right wing. I'd like to see some proof of this. What part of my statement can you refute? Have you ever read anything other than your school history book. How about the actual letters and writings of our Founding Fathers?
 

Jay Bell

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Besides, America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles, 24 signers of the Declaration of Independence were ministers and/or held theological degrees.

I think you'd better take a closer look at history. This is far from correct...

As far as their writings...

“The Government of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian religion...”

"How has it happened that millions of myths, fables, legends and tales have been blended with Jewish and Christian fables and myths and have made them the most bloody religion that has ever existed? Filled with the sordid and detestable purposes of superstition and fraud?”

~John Adams

Not this again. Pure rightwing historical revisionism. Another illustration of the failure of our educational system.

Yep.

And again, my question is not answered. How does adding "under God" violate the 1st Amendment? "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof..." What law was made that respects a particular religion?

Freedom of religion is also freedom from religion.
 

Jmh7331

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Originally posted by Jay Bell
I think you'd better take a closer look at history. This is far from correct...

Really? Take a look at the money in your pocket. "In God We Trust." Until recently the Ten Commandments were in every courthouse. They still pray to open a session in Congress. You still swear on a Bible in court, etc. Although they are going away, you can't deny the principles this Country was founded on, no matter how hard you try. You're absolutely right, freedom of religon is freedom from religion, that's why these things are slowly fading, but if these things weren't at the foundation of the Nation, how did they permeate our government? It wasn't the church that stamped our money.
 

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