Wow! On the Mark!

Finally, someone has come up with a terse clause which goes far in explaining the vague sense which propels the words neo-cons interpret as "Blaming America First."

David Thomson, writing in the New York Times pens it. Money quote and bio info: "...in the end you have to understand the grievance of the aggrieved, whether you agree with it or not."
David Thomson is the author of "The Whole Equation: A History of Hollywood."

Insisting on a discussion of as many of the events leading up to a particular moment in history does not mean one "blames America." It merely means we have to be more aware of the potential consequences of our actions and policies.

Blame America
dissent

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Flight 93

Flight 93 is said to have been the original title of United 93. See what a word change can do. See what a metaphor can do.
Watch in futility as a young man slits the throat of a middle aged woman in the name of "Allah." (The actual slashing is not shown.)

The metaphorical books of primitive peoples which have survived to guide us through our lives are rife with concepts which are antithetical to the needs of the 21st century.

We need to change them.

Whistling in the wind.
Religion
Religions of the Book
United 93

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Conscientious Awareness vs. Politically Correct

Before we had "politically correct," we had "conscientious awareness." We should've stuck with the original phrase.

Being aware meant nothing more than that. If you're going to say nigger, be aware that that word carries a lot of baggage for some people. If you have something positive to say, people in your audience might not listen if you're going to use hurtful language; other people might not give appropriate credence to your comments if it's peppered with language which is virtually guaranteed to make people stop listening and start reacting.

Of course by now, politically correct has lost any value. It has been used to justify behavior equally as onerous as intemperate language. Who makes the determination about what is "correct?" If we're all "correct," aren't we all in lock-step?

All government agencies should use language which is as culturally neutral as possible. The rest of us should be able to be as offensive as we wish, as long as we know what we're doing. (And if we don't know, then it's OK for someone to point it out--as inoffensively as possible, of course.)

It's time to do away with pc and return to ca.
Politically Correct
Conscientious Awareness

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The Conundrum of "Submission"

If islam means submission, therein lies a linguistic problem for us.

Actually, in a religious sense, the word is superfluous. It is impossible to be anything other than submissive to whatever deity one might choose to acknowledge.

Is there anything the Artistotle/Aquinas Prime Mover set in motion against which one can be unsubmissive? Are creatures with lungs able to take water into their lungs and separate the hydrogen from the oxygen and survive? If one steps off a promontory, is one able to float or defy the laws of gravity?

The "submissive" has come to mean "submit" to a fellow human creature. In 2006 there is precious little Prime Mover in the meaning.

Surely that cannot be in the best interests of anyone, except the person holding the metaphorical knife.

Language
Submission
Religion

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A Spiritual Mugging

What's a sentient adult to do when the acceptance of childhood faith comes into direct conflict with the realization that dogma and theology are based on metaphor? How does one reconcile the fact that there was no "burning bush" nor an "immaculate conception" with practicing a faith?

One can't. One doesn't. One is, instead, shunned by those people in whom one trusted. One is vilified.

One is sustained, however, by the knowledge that the rabbi who started it all, knew the same, and behaved in the same way.

Too bad "christians" aren't. They're really "Paulists." They don't know it, because they don't really think.

Alas.

And the Muslims aren't any better off; their religion has been hijacked, too.

Double alas.

Religion
Christianity
Islam

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What's all the Judas fuss?

Even as a pre-teen at St. Anthony's Parochial School in Beaumont, Texas, it never made sense to me to heap derision on Judas Iscariot. If the Crucifixion were destined to occur, how could it not occur without the help of Judas, or some other person?

The whole brouhaha of competing gospels is the end product of having the "winner" write the history books in the first place.

Ultimately, none of it matters. Theology is an oxymoron; God is an anthropomorphic construction designed to assist in educating primitive peoples about how best to live in the environment in which they found themselves.

Some of the lessons still apply, especially the lesson basic to virtually all primitive religions: Do unto others as you would have done unto yourself. (If you'll forgive a Christianized version; if not then: Whatever you do to others should be something you wouldn't mind having someone do to you.)

Beyond that, organized religion (Corporate Religion, as a brother calls it) is best as giving communities (communions) a breathing space (a place of rest and focus) in a very agitated species.

Gospel of Judas
Religion

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