Conservatism and Religion
Posted Wednesday August 26, 2009
at 11:39pm in Politics, Religion
Why is it that most conservatives believe, or demand, that one obtains their views and morals from Christianity? If one has similar conservatives beliefs toward the nation, but is Muslim, Deist, or even Atheist, why are they not considered true conservatives? They should be, but to the average conservative they are not. Just because I don’t need a higher power to tell me that I shouldn’t kill a fellow citizen, doesn’t mean that I don’t believe that I shouldn’t. I still have that very same moral, it just did not come from some theological teaching. The only difference is how the moral was obtained. One probably got it from a Sunday School session and I got it from my parent simply saying it is unlawful. It is not because some creator demands it of me, but because I don’t want to be cell mates with “Big Bubba.” The law is good enough for me. I see the country benefiting the most from a conservative perspective on most things. Shouldn’t that be enough? An example can be seen in the abortion debate.
Christian conservatives like to say that Abortion is murder. To destroy a three week old specimen inside the womb is against the will of God. Not only is it inhumane but you are killing a little person, which is against GOD’s law. How can I have the same belief? It’s simple. But I must be a follower of GOD right? Not necessarily. However, I still believe that abortions are wrong. I feel that killing a person who does not have a chance at life is just morally wrong. God did not tell me that. It is just what I believe – that EVERYONE should have a chance at living. It is not the fault of the unborn because their mother did not make a smart choice. Now just to clarify, I don’t believe abortion should be 100% illegal. I do feel that if the mother’s health is at risk then it is up to her, to choose. I just feel that a woman should not just terminate the baby because she isn’t ready for having a little one. She should have been smarter and not have the relations which led to the inception of a child.
The point is, that one can have morals without being a bible thumping religious maniac. All it is about is being a humanist, and seeing the conservative direction for your country.
If conservatives believe so much in the Government having as little control over the U.S. institutions as possible, why is it that they must replace Government with religion? Religion can be just as corrupt and controlling as the Government! If what conservatives want is the freedom from the controls of others telling them what to do, when you can do something, and what to believe, then shouldn’t they also want freedom from the control of religion if they choose? It does indeed seem slightly hypocritical. Not to say that one could not have their own religious beliefs but does it really matter if we say “one nation under God” during the Pledge of Allegiance for example? Of course as long as the one is still willing to pledge their allegiance to the U.S.? Personally, I do not think so. I truly believe that one does not have to be religious, or even spiritual and can still be conservative. It might even be a more pure view of conservatism. That is where the traditional conservatives such as Mark Levin are wrong.1
Endnotes:
1. Mark Levin wrote in his 2009 work, Liberty and Tyranny: A conservative manifesto, that being religious is a critical asset for a conservative, and without it one can not be a true conservative. He actually wrote a whole chapter on this as one of his ten points for a conservative manifesto. Mark R. Levin, Liberty and Tyranny: A Conservative Manifesto (New York: Threshold Editions, 2009), 24-35.
Redesign Beta
Posted Thursday August 20, 2009
at 6:09pm in Site Management
Some of you may notice the great new look around here. The new digs are nice, aren’t they? Well there are a couple bugs and the redesign is in BETA mode. I want to thank my friend and graphic design artist Scott Smith for working on this for nothing. Please take some time and look at his profile website and blog.
Bear Highway – Scott Smith’s Blog
Silver Box Design – Scott Smith’s Profile Website
In November 2008, Plaxico Burress was at a New York club and he accidentally shot himself in the leg, when his gun went off in his pocket. Today he pleaded to a deal where he would go to prison for two years according to the New York Times. Now, what is so controversial in this case is the actual deal which was made. If you think about the whole issue, it seems that the Manhattan prosecutors were going after him for what might have happened.
Burress committed an act of stupidity and what he did was nearly killed himself. He shot himself in the leg, and he was the only one who was hurt. He was then rushed to the hospital. He did not try and run to a private doctor in the back of some alley. He did the responsible thing in that aspect. He also paid his punishment because all he did was hurt himself. He didn’t light the club up with gunfire. He didn’t get behind a wheel drunk, then drive off and kill someone. He didn’t take innocent animals and force them to fight to the death or torture them. He only hurt himself. So is a two year plea deal a fitting punishment? I don’t think so. Vick got two years for torturing innocent living creatures. At best, that was a fair punishment, it could have been longer. Dante Stallworth got behind a wheel drunk and killed a man. He served less than a month in jail. That isn’t justice. Burress is not getting justice because all he did was hurt himself. I can not stress that enough.
A more fitting and fair punishment may be in educating others. Burress should take classes on weapon safety. What if he served no prison time but instead spoke to all of the NFL in meetings about gun safety and why one shouldn’t go to clubs and dangerous settings at 3am in the morning. What if he went into classrooms to talk about the importance of gun and weapon safety to youth? It seems that this way Burress would at least be serving and contributing to the community. If he sits in a prison with murders, rapists, con artists, and other scum of the human race, does any justice get served? No, that cell could be better used for the criminals who truly do need to be separated from the normal communities of the United States. I normally do not side with the “criminal” in situations like this, however I really think the Manhattan prosecutors are not serving the New York community but instead are serving their own personal interests.
My “Unique” BlackBerry Experience
Posted Tuesday August 11, 2009
at 9:38pm in Tech
BlackBerrys are heralded as one of the better phones out on the cell phone market. Ever since I first laid my eyes on one, I have wanted one. Lucky for me, I am a customer with Verizon Wireless and they have an special program for their loyal customers. Once every two years you are allowed to obtain a new cell phone at a discounted price. If you go through their website online you can get even more of a discount. Now since I had always wanted a BlackBerry, and anytime I saw one my jaw would drop in fascination, I decided to bite the bullet and get one. The phone was not free, I wanted to get the latest most bad-ass BlackBerry on the market, the BlackBerry Tour. I sent away for it for only a mere $148.00 after taxes. I was alright with a really expensive bill every month because I figure I would use the phone a lot. I figured the newest blackberry would be a good phone, after all it is a BlackBerry. I sent away for it early Sunday morning and received it at about noon on today, or a two day turn around. After a short eight and a half hours I using the phone I want to take it back.
That is the reason why I think my experience is unique. BlackBerry’s are supposedly amazing phones. I found it to be sub-par. There are more options than when you go to Subway for one of their sandwiches. It is hard to remember where things are and how to access their options. On the other hand the phone is not what it is cracked up to be. I expected a nice user interface with the brand new app store, but that didn’t happen. The navigation of most apps are rather confusing and slow. The BlackBerry line of phones are known for corporate use, or for those who need to text a lot and who use email a lot. I figured I could see myself doing that. However there was one huge flaw with the BlackBerry Tour and that is the fact that its QWERTY keyboard’s buttons are too small. I make just as many mistakes as I did with the LG Dare, which is a horrible texting phone. Virtually it is impossible to use the Tour the way it was intended.
At around 8:30 PM I decided I am going to try and take the phone back, get a cheaper phone, a cheaper plan, and the LG EnV3. The only good phone I ever had was an LG EnV. It was this funky orange color but it was a great phone. I could type faster on that, than I could a normal computer keyboard … maybe not quite.
To be honest, and fair, the Tour is not that bad of a phone. I probably overhyped the phone in my own head. If someone had small thumbs, or used to the BlackBerry interface this phone is one of the best on the market – especially for Verizon smart phones. It just is not for me. I wonder if I am the first to ever exchange a BlackBerry for a “dumb” phone when money is not a factor. I have to admit I am not happy about having to take it back. As I still stare at the phone something inside me says, “give it another chance! This is the phone you have always wanted!” It is just not possible for I am too disappointed.
There is a possibility when technology gets better, and I start my career I will give it another try because my job might demand a smart phone, where right now it is not a necessity. Another possibility is when the iPhone comes out to Verizon I would diffidently get one of those. I already have the iPod Touch which is the same thing minus the phone component. I just actually feel sad. I wanted this phone for so long, I finally got it, and I WANT to like the phone so much but it is quite difficult.
If I end up “stuck” with this phone I won’t be happy, but I will not be horribly angry either. I do not hate the phone, I just feel for the price I am paying per month, and for the device itself, I should LOVE the phone and that is not happening.
Euna Lee and Laura Ling are being pardoned by Kim Jong Ill. This is truly fantastic news. It is unclear whether Former President of the United States, Bill Clinton had direct involvement in the release of Lee and Ling. He went to North Korea to speak with Kim. I do not think it was a mere coincidence that the reporters were released upon Clinton’s visit but did he ask or demand that to be pardoned and released has yet to emerge in the reports. Once the reporters and Clinton return to the United States maybe the U.S. public will hear more. However there is one detail being reported from the major news corporations such as FoxNews.com and CNN.com that I indeed do not like. Apparently Bill Clinton has apologized for Lee and Ling’s actions that led them to be sentenced to twelve years hard labor. Clinton should not be apologetic on the behalf of Lee and Ling. The reporters were sent there by Al Gore who heads Current TV who the two women were working for. Gore’s company was the one who sent them there. Lee and Ling were only following orders so they could do what their respective jobs demanded of them. If anyone is to be apologetic it should be Gore.
All in all, no one should apologize. North Korea is close to being an enemy of the United States. We are technically not at war with them, but they have threatened the United States previously. So clearly in this age it is acceptable to allow another country to threaten the livelihood of the U.S. then for the first diplomat that reaches their soil apologizes on the behalf of anyone in the United States is a bit baffling to me. It is close to submitting to another country in my eyes. Hopefully he did not truly mean it and it was just some politically correct gesture.
