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- Good school. What was your area of study?
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- Pennsylvania State University.
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- "I am not trying to turn back the clock, rather stop the deterioration from becoming more widespread."
Posted by ffoulkes at 09:03 AM : Nov 17, 2008
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That''s exactly why the Muslims became so rigid and inflexible in their ways and beliefs too: they don''t want things to ever change either. They will literally kill anybody, even friends or family members, that don''t comply with the "accepted way" of thinking and behaving.
I always assumed that here in America we were smart enough to accept inevitable change, and adapt to it, hopefully in good ways. - Reply to this comment
- Posted by ffoulkes at 09:11 AM : Nov 17, 2008
Really? Where did you study?
Posted by forever1973 at 09:21 AM : Nov 17, 2008
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SMU, University of Wyoming in Laramie, and UT Austin.
and you? - Reply to this comment
- Posted by ffoulkes at 09:11 AM : Nov 17, 2008
Really? Where did you study? - Reply to this comment
- If you are wondering, I am an archaeologist...have been for 25 years...Studied archaeology, sociology, anthropology, and various other subjects which would come in useful in the field I chose to follow.
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- Posted by ffoulkes at 09:08 AM : Nov 17, 2008
Well, I guess if you want to live your life in fear, I can''t stop you. After all, you are a person, and you have the right to your emotions. - Reply to this comment
- No, I would differentiate "fear" from "concern" (maybe there''''s a better word). "Fear" is a very base, animalistic response/emotion. It is on par with "rage".
Posted by forever1973 at 08:54 AM : Nov 17, 2008
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Symantics...Fear has MANY definitions. That is the only one you will believe, however here is the best one I have found:
fear [ Old English ffran (to terrify, ambush, surprise)] A strong emotion due to foreseeing or becoming aware of danger
or: fear
%u2022 noun 1 an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm. 2 the likelihood of something unwelcome happening.
As you see, your definition is a bit primitave. - Reply to this comment
- Nothing in my entire life has been more disheartening to me that the realization that the very people I grew up with are rapidly becoming more and more like those that I''''ve been fighting over the past few years.
THAT is why I''''ve slowly but surely been developing a genuine loathing for religious fundamentalists of any flavor. Their strict devotion to "tradition" and religious dogma above all else has only blinded and crippled them in so many ways, and they are hopelessly locked into the "one true way"; the "only" way that is still allowed.
Sorry, but that''''s never been my idea of what America is all about. That is surely NOT the answer to all our problems either.
Posted by skysoldier75 at 09:03 AM : Nov 17, 2008
If I may hazard a suggestion as to why people are becoming more and more fundamentalistic...
I believe that the more t hings are turned against our basic fundamental beliefs, the harder people will try to hold on to them. This becomes dangerous in that it does indeed tend to follow the pattern the Muslem sharia nations have taken. Perhaps it is in the best interest of our nation not to force this protectionism to become outright rebellion by continually adding to the things the fundamentalists fear most. - Reply to this comment
- The people in Cali voted, the majority said no to gay marriage. What is the problem??? Also, the violent gay demonstrators need to stop thinking that targeting churches is going to do them any good. With a few exceptions here and there, the gay community will NEVER EVER change change churches into believing that the gay lifestyle is acceptable to the ALMIGHTY CREATOR. You may not like it but deal with it.
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- I certainly won''''t disagree with most of your last comment. It concerns me, too. So much HAS changed, and not necessarily for the better.
But I truly doubt that our current way of life can EVER be reverted back to "the way it once was". Too much of the fabric of civilization itself has changed forever. If you could turn back the clock of technology, then maybe...but what are the chances of that happening, short of having a totally devastating world-wide catastrophe that threw the whole world back a century or two?
(cont)
Posted by skysoldier75 at 09:01 AM : Nov 17, 2008
I am not trying to turn back the clock, rather stop the deterioration from becoming more widespread. - Reply to this comment
- (cont)
Sometimes I tell the more open-minded American fundamentalists that I know about this, and they look at me like I''ve gone crazy, but it''s true.
If you really want to see where American fundamentalism is headed, you have only to look toward the Muslim cultures for a clue.
Nothing in my entire life has been more disheartening to me that the realization that the very people I grew up with are rapidly becoming more and more like those that I''ve been fighting over the past few years.
THAT is why I''ve slowly but surely been developing a genuine loathing for religious fundamentalists of any flavor. Their strict devotion to "tradition" and religious dogma above all else has only blinded and crippled them in so many ways, and they are hopelessly locked into the "one true way"; the "only" way that is still allowed.
Sorry, but that''s never been my idea of what America is all about. That is surely NOT the answer to all our problems either. - Reply to this comment
- (cont)
I''ve spent most of the last four years immersed in a VERY ancient and traditional society - in the Middle East, as a US soldier. After my first tour I was shocked to return home for a while and discover that THIS country was in the early stages of a religious resurgence. People were always pretty private about their religious beliefs all the time I was growing up - but that seemed to change dramatically after 9/11 it guess.
Returning again to the Middle East I wondered a lot about that resurgence here at home. What caused it? Where was it actually going? I compared it to the much more ancient religious traditionalism that dominates all life in the Middle East. I started to notice many things, and make many connections and observations that I don''t think would have even been possible if I had not been bouncing back and forth between the two different cultures myself.
What I''ve found and realized has deeply unsettled me.
For the life of me, I can hardly distinguish between the mind-set of Middle East religious fundamentalists, and our own home-grown religious fundamentalists any more. They are basically the same. In just about every way that really matters, they are becoming identical in many ways, so far as their fundamental attitudes, behaviour and belief systems are concerned.
(cont) - Reply to this comment
- @ ffoulkes:
I certainly won''t disagree with most of your last comment. It concerns me, too. So much HAS changed, and not necessarily for the better.
But I truly doubt that our current way of life can EVER be reverted back to "the way it once was". Too much of the fabric of civilization itself has changed forever. If you could turn back the clock of technology, then maybe...but what are the chances of that happening, short of having a totally devastating world-wide catastrophe that threw the whole world back a century or two?
I''m sure that every generations before ours surely felt exactly the same way, though, if it''s any consolation.
Part of it is the inevitable result the enormous growth of global population. In a very real way we are all becoming more and more insignificant, on an individual level.
Few still enjoy that sense of tight-knit community that was so common in the past. Now, people live right next door to somebody for years, and never even get to know them, and that''s not considered unusual. We''re all much more mobile, and everybody is constantly coming and going, and constant change is the norm now more than ever.
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- Posted by ffoulkes at 08:54 AM : Nov 17, 2008
I was hedonistic a minute ago.
I had a breakfast sandwich, and I did not even bother to rinse off the plate after I was done. - Reply to this comment
- Our duty to our nation is to protect her from anything that might cause her harm. Hedonistic behavior has been the downfall of many an empire, and could do the same to our own country. A nation cannot exist without some sort of moral foundation. Lacking that foundation, the walls of democracy and rule of law will crumble into anarchy and despair.
Each and every hedonistic act we condone as a nation pushes us further toward becoming a hedonistic culture. Sure we don''t indulge in hedonistic activities at all times, but each one added in there takes up more of the time. Eventually there will be little else.
If you can''t see that it is because you are allowing yourself to be blinded by the false glory of instant gratification and expecting what ''I'' want when ''I'' want it. We are a ME society...That could very well be our downfall. - Reply to this comment
- Fear is not a bad thing. It keeps you alive. Fear has its purposes.
Fear for oneself keeps oneself alive.
Fear for others drives people to perform heroic feats or simply to be responsible for others.
Fear for one''''s nation compels one to strive to serve that nation and protect it from ill...(including hedonism).
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Posted by ffoulkes at 08:49 AM : Nov 17, 2008
No, I would differentiate "fear" from "concern" (maybe there''s a better word). "Fear" is a very base, animalistic response/emotion. It is on par with "rage". - Reply to this comment
- Do you think that homosexuals sit around having s.ex all day? They do have jobs, too, you know.
Posted by forever1973 at 08:48 AM : Nov 17, 2008
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Your postings verge on the ludicrous. Of course I know gay people have lives outside of se*x. Like I said but you continue to ignore...I don''t hate gay people. I have friends that are gay. I work with people that are. You are an illiterate fool if you can not see that in my writings. - Reply to this comment
- Yes, fear is your issue.
Posted by forever1973 at 08:46 AM : Nov 17, 2008
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Fear is not a bad thing. It keeps you alive. Fear has its purposes.
Fear for oneself keeps oneself alive.
Fear for others drives people to perform heroic feats or simply to be responsible for others.
Fear for one''s nation compels one to strive to serve that nation and protect it from ill...(including hedonism). - Reply to this comment
- Hedonistism is living for the now. It is not thinking of the ramifications of your actions, but only working towards your own personal joy and ignoring all else. Instant gratification.
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Posted by ffoulkes at 08:44 AM : Nov 17, 2008
Do you think that homosexuals sit around having s.ex all day? They do have jobs, too, you know. - Reply to this comment
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