nation building

 

We do not install and maintain democracies around the world.

I definitely agree. I guess I am thinking more about the politicians like Huckabee whose religious convictions are a big part of his political persona. I could see a Muslim equivalent to Huckabee emerging one day. Granted they likely wouldn't go far while running for political office until they can get the numbers to sway the election.

 

Then what?

 

Yeah that's a fair question. The executive branch really is just one person vs. hundreds of representatives and senators who have to find a majority to agree on anything.

 

President Obama is a Christian and has been a regular church goer for most of his life from what I've read. Do you think his religious beliefs affect his decisions? I certainly think they do. It's hard to separate what you believe is right/wrong from who you are as a public servant. Your life experience and my life experience would certainly affect how we govern if we were elected (of course neither of us are dumb enough to run for office, lol).

 

Our assessment of a president's use of his/her religious beliefs still comes down to our own biases. President Obama may try to make policy that provides assistance to the poor because he believes that's what Jesus would want him to do. President Huckabee might try to make policy to limit abortion because he believes Jesus would want him to protect the babies.

 

Are we ok with President Obama's Christian beliefs affecting policy, but not ok with President Huckabee doing the same? Or maybe vice versa - you agree with Huckabee doing it but not Obama?

 

So you and I are only sometimes bothered when a president makes policy based on his/her religious beliefs. Other times we like it.

 

So is the problem the president or us?

As an add on, I wouldn't hesitate to vote for an individual of any religion, except Islam.

 

I wouldn't have said that a few years ago. If that person renounced Sharia Law and embraced our national set of laws, then I would have no problem voting for him or her.

Yeah that's a fair question. The executive branch really is just one person vs. hundreds of representatives and senators who have to find a majority to agree on anything.

 

President Obama is a Christian and has been a regular church goer for most of his life from what I've read. Do you think his religious beliefs affect his decisions? I certainly think they do. It's hard to separate what you believe is right/wrong from who you are as a public servant. Your life experience and my life experience would certainly affect how we govern if we were elected (of course neither of us are dumb enough to run for office, lol).

 

Our assessment of a president's use of his/her religious beliefs still comes down to our own biases. President Obama may try to make policy that provides assistance to the poor because he believes that's what Jesus would want him to do. President Huckabee might try to make policy to limit abortion because he believes Jesus would want him to protect the babies.

 

Are we ok with President Obama's Christian beliefs affecting policy, but not ok with President Huckabee doing the same? Or maybe vice versa - you agree with Huckabee doing it but not Obama?

 

So you and I are only sometimes bothered when a president makes policy based on his/her religious beliefs. Other times we like it.

 

So is the problem the president or us?

 

The problem is definitely the president. Not us. It's never us. Always them. They were the dummies who ran for office.

 

You raise some really great thinking points in this post.

As an add on, I wouldn't hesitate to vote for an individual of any religion, except Islam.

 

I wouldn't have said that a few years ago. If that person renounced Sharia Law and embraced our national set of laws, then I would have no problem voting for him or her.

 

That's where I am at also.

We do not successfully install and maintain democracies around the world.

 

Fixed that for ya'

Fixed that for ya'

 

Our goal is to install what the people of that country want, unfortunately.

Are we ok with President Obama's Christian beliefs affecting policy, but not ok with President Huckabee doing the same? Or maybe vice versa - you agree with Huckabee doing it but not Obama?

 

So you and I are only sometimes bothered when a president makes policy based on his/her religious beliefs. Other times we like it.

 

So is the problem the president or us?

 

This is an interesting post, posing a question at the end. There is a third option, my preference, and that is we have a government that serves us without regard to the belief systems of the individuals within the government.

 

Any President is a servant of ALL the people. Why not just try to do a good job for everyone without sticking religion in it? That, as an atheist, is what I want, and I am on strong Constitutional ground in demanding that.

 

Finally, and this is something you have missed in both of your recent posts, I will answer your question specifically. You posed the question, (not quoted) comparing Obama taking action in helping the poor vs. Huckabee taking action to ban abortions, and saying they would both be based on religious views and we might like one and not the other. Again, it's the Constitution. There is no constitutional prohibition against helping the poor. There is a constitutional prohibition against banning abortions.

This is an interesting post, posing a question at the end. There is a third option, my preference, and that is we have a government that serves us without regard to the belief systems of the individuals within the government.

 

Any President is a servant of ALL the people. Why not just try to do a good job for everyone without sticking religion in it? That, as an atheist, is what I want, and I am on strong Constitutional ground in demanding that.

 

Finally, and this is something you have missed in both of your recent posts, I will answer your question specifically. You posed the question, (not quoted) comparing Obama taking action in helping the poor vs. Huckabee taking action to ban abortions, and saying they would both be based on religious views and we might like one and not the other. Again, it's the Constitution. There is no constitutional prohibition against helping the poor. There is a constitutional prohibition against banning abortions.

 

This is sick. No other way to look at it. Are we so dumbed down to immorality that we have now twisted the constitution so it will protect killing? ( As you can see I am not in favor of abortion, and this might be off topic but the bolded just didnt set well with me).

This is sick. No other way to look at it. Are we so dumbed down to immorality that we have now twisted the constitution so it will protect killing? ( As you can see I am not in favor of abortion, and this might be off topic but the bolded just didnt set well with me).

 

I can't tell if you are sickened by my post or the fact that we can't ban abortions, or both. But it's not me "twisting" the Constitution. If you believe that the Constitution is "twisted" on this topic, then it was done in Roe v. Wade. That's been the law of the land ever since.

This is sick. No other way to look at it. Are we so dumbed down to immorality that we have now twisted the constitution so it will protect killing? ( As you can see I am not in favor of abortion, and this might be off topic but the bolded just didnt set well with me).

 

Do you feel the same way about Capital Punishment?

Do you feel the same way about Capital Punishment?

 

Yes, not for Capital punishment. I would be for abortion under a very few circumstances which has been covered by a lot of people. I am torn also about capital punishment when the crime is really bad because it makes me sick and my knew jerk reaction is to kill them or they do not deserve to live. These are hard subjects. I was for capital punishment for many years.

Do you feel the same way about Capital Punishment?

There is no moral equivalency in abortion and capital punishment.

Yes, not for Capital punishment. I would be for abortion under a very few circumstances which has been covered by a lot of people. I am torn also about capital punishment when the crime is really bad because it makes me sick and my knew jerk reaction is to kill them or they do not deserve to live. These are hard subjects. I was for capital punishment for many years.

 

Glad to see you're consistent. :thumb:

 

Just making an observation....If you (general, not you specifically) are for abortion under certain circumstances, doesn't that by definition make you pro-choice?

 

Me personally, I'm against abortion in all instances except when the mother's life is at risk. I feel in those situations it should be left up to the mother to be and father to be. As much as I don't like it, that makes me pro-choice.

This is an interesting post, posing a question at the end. There is a third option, my preference, and that is we have a government that serves us without regard to the belief systems of the individuals within the government.

 

Any President is a servant of ALL the people. Why not just try to do a good job for everyone without sticking religion in it? That, as an atheist, is what I want, and I am on strong Constitutional ground in demanding that.

 

Finally, and this is something you have missed in both of your recent posts, I will answer your question specifically. You posed the question, (not quoted) comparing Obama taking action in helping the poor vs. Huckabee taking action to ban abortions, and saying they would both be based on religious views and we might like one and not the other. Again, it's the Constitution. There is no constitutional prohibition against helping the poor. There is a constitutional prohibition against banning abortions.

Uh......no such thing.