Both sides too often consider that they have the corner on the for good ideas. They don't see their own holes in their arguments and plans and when they get the opportunity they try to cram weak, foolish, and near tyrannical legislation. Is this the way that things should be?
The answer to the above question is a resounding no! Yet who is to blame for so low a state that we are in? The answer us the American people we are the ones to blame for so poor a job we have done in governing ourselves. For too long we have been content with what was. We became complacent and we failed to examine out lives and ourselves. We took material goods as a sign that we are a favored people. However once those goods were taken from us we became a straw man.
It is time for the American people to wake up and ask the big questions on government. They should ask what they can do for this country not what this country can do for them.
America rise up and shake of the chains that bind you. Today my readers look back on the history of America. Look back to our patriots and remember there sacrifice. Consecrate this day to that sacrifice. Dedicate your lives today to changing the political sphere in your community and your nation. It is only through active and engaged citizenry that a nation can be changed. Today is our time middle of the road Americans. Today is the only time we have for tomorrow is as yet unknown and yesterday has passed us by. The coming storm can be abated if we act united in our purpose.
We are the nation!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Separation of Church and State Part I
On a news paper forum I heard a very interesting remark coming from someone in support of Gay marriage. This persons statement has been implied before by many other people throughout the interwebs. I now find it necessary to address the issue directly. The poster on the other news board said, "If a church wants tax exempt status they should expect some government oversight." This position, which to some may seem reasonable, is one that should never be propagate by those of sound reasoning. Now you may ask why? The answer is simple. Once the government can gain access to a group that holds a power over the eternal destiny of people then you can guarantee tyranny and despotism. The proof of this is in history.
One has to look at any totalitarian regime. One of the methods and philosophies of totalitarianism is to control the thoughts of the people through any means necessary. Sometimes they use physical means. This is of course what most people see when they think of a totalitarian state. Mass executions, beatings, attacks, things like that. However what is more powerful than the threat of violence is the control of the soul. The Nazis did this well by co-opting the power away from the churches and into the Nazi government. Once the churches were in line the likelihood of people revolting diminished.
So, what if the government gains control of churches through oversight? I can say that a relatively short time after this oversight is granted then the government will perverse the doctrine of the churches forcing them to declare the near absolute power of the government.
Now you may say but Scott that won't happen in America the churches would surely be given a choice. You know at first you would be right. The churches would be given a choice. Let's look a little farther down the road. Looking down the path of governmental oversight over churches you will see that the government in a time of necessity will bring all churches into its power. The churches that won't concede to that kind of control will be deemed enemies of the state, non-compliant, and will be broken. Thus leaving all power in the hands of the government to corrupt the teachings of all churches and thus control the thoughts and actions of many of the people within the nation's borders.
That is one reason for the Separation of Church and State. There is a second and that is when the reverse happens. That though will be discussed later. Hopefully tomorrow.
One has to look at any totalitarian regime. One of the methods and philosophies of totalitarianism is to control the thoughts of the people through any means necessary. Sometimes they use physical means. This is of course what most people see when they think of a totalitarian state. Mass executions, beatings, attacks, things like that. However what is more powerful than the threat of violence is the control of the soul. The Nazis did this well by co-opting the power away from the churches and into the Nazi government. Once the churches were in line the likelihood of people revolting diminished.
So, what if the government gains control of churches through oversight? I can say that a relatively short time after this oversight is granted then the government will perverse the doctrine of the churches forcing them to declare the near absolute power of the government.
Now you may say but Scott that won't happen in America the churches would surely be given a choice. You know at first you would be right. The churches would be given a choice. Let's look a little farther down the road. Looking down the path of governmental oversight over churches you will see that the government in a time of necessity will bring all churches into its power. The churches that won't concede to that kind of control will be deemed enemies of the state, non-compliant, and will be broken. Thus leaving all power in the hands of the government to corrupt the teachings of all churches and thus control the thoughts and actions of many of the people within the nation's borders.
That is one reason for the Separation of Church and State. There is a second and that is when the reverse happens. That though will be discussed later. Hopefully tomorrow.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
I'm Done
You read that right I am done! No not with this blog with both current parties. This recent debt battle proves one thing and one thing only about our current leaders; they are all children! For whatever reason we as a people have lost the ability to find good leaders within our current political parties. Now I ask you why? Why have we lost the ability? The answer is simple the parties in an effort to gain political support stopped looking to the ever fluxing middle of the road Americans to the more hardline extreme wings. Why did they do this? What could have possibly possessed them to entertain such insanity? Ah yes it's because the middle of the roaders tend to have little to no party loyalty. Because of this simple fact the nuts have taken over.
With this quiet subtle take over our political process has become something of a joke where legislation must be ram roded through to appease the primary and convention goers. Now the people who could once be persuaded to vote their conscience, rather than their party, are being dissuaded to go to the polls because who is there left to vote for that will represent them? I tell you there is no one both parties fore go the good of the nation for the good of the party. The future be damned! Power is what matters! This system will destroy the nation!
The question is then how do we save the nation. The solution is simple to explain but difficult to carry out. A new party must come. The current parties are too diseased and unchanging to allow for an internal change no the change must come from an external pressure. My friends it is time for us the silent middle to speak out once more. The work we have is long but we must do it. We must do it for the sakes of future generations! We must do it for us!
With this quiet subtle take over our political process has become something of a joke where legislation must be ram roded through to appease the primary and convention goers. Now the people who could once be persuaded to vote their conscience, rather than their party, are being dissuaded to go to the polls because who is there left to vote for that will represent them? I tell you there is no one both parties fore go the good of the nation for the good of the party. The future be damned! Power is what matters! This system will destroy the nation!
The question is then how do we save the nation. The solution is simple to explain but difficult to carry out. A new party must come. The current parties are too diseased and unchanging to allow for an internal change no the change must come from an external pressure. My friends it is time for us the silent middle to speak out once more. The work we have is long but we must do it. We must do it for the sakes of future generations! We must do it for us!
Thursday, July 28, 2011
The Importance of History
You know there are a lot of people around that believe that history is a useless subject and should be given less and less time in the classroom. What kind of stupidity is that? Those history detractors state that memorizing dates and battles are unimportant in getting a job, and in that respect they are right. Memorizing dates is completely useless. That however is not the primary function of a good history class. No from my experience history teaches a student to take a bunch of different accounts from numerous perspectives and discover the truth from various agreed upon and established facts. Tell me detractors how is this not useful in any job you take or in life in general?
There is though another and even more important reason to study history. That is we can start to see patterns in human behavior and history. Let's look at an interesting and recent phenomena. This to be more specific is the Nazi's rise to power in Germany. The Nazi's rise to power centered around violent rhetoric and action all the while they had a scapegoat. For the Nazi party's message to get through though they had to have one uncontrollable element in their favor. That element was fear. Through the deft manipulation of fear and the use of violence the Nazis rose to power by blaming all their problems on a single minority group the Jews. The Nazis spread false stories about how it was the Jews who ruined their economy and how the Jews lost the war for the Germans. Does this sound familiar to a certain party centering around a hot beverage?
There are certainly elements that are very similar with the Tea Partiers and what the Nazis were saying. Am I saying that the Tea Party are cold blooded killers bent on the Mexicans death. No, well at least not yet. What I am saying though is that we are starting down the same path that the Germany did so many years ago. This can be stopped if we allow it to. If we know the patterns, which fortunately most of us do.
What of the next generations if their history education is cut. Will they be able to recognize patterns that they would not know existed. Would they be able to understand the issues they are facing have connections to their ancestors problems? Of course not how can someone know something without being taught.
Humanity's essence is habits and patterns that is the way we are. Our history is our future.
There is though another and even more important reason to study history. That is we can start to see patterns in human behavior and history. Let's look at an interesting and recent phenomena. This to be more specific is the Nazi's rise to power in Germany. The Nazi's rise to power centered around violent rhetoric and action all the while they had a scapegoat. For the Nazi party's message to get through though they had to have one uncontrollable element in their favor. That element was fear. Through the deft manipulation of fear and the use of violence the Nazis rose to power by blaming all their problems on a single minority group the Jews. The Nazis spread false stories about how it was the Jews who ruined their economy and how the Jews lost the war for the Germans. Does this sound familiar to a certain party centering around a hot beverage?
There are certainly elements that are very similar with the Tea Partiers and what the Nazis were saying. Am I saying that the Tea Party are cold blooded killers bent on the Mexicans death. No, well at least not yet. What I am saying though is that we are starting down the same path that the Germany did so many years ago. This can be stopped if we allow it to. If we know the patterns, which fortunately most of us do.
What of the next generations if their history education is cut. Will they be able to recognize patterns that they would not know existed. Would they be able to understand the issues they are facing have connections to their ancestors problems? Of course not how can someone know something without being taught.
Humanity's essence is habits and patterns that is the way we are. Our history is our future.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The Problem of Language
In case you all have wondered I have ADD when it comes to blog posts. Today is no different. As I stated early on I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or Mormon if you prefer. I am proud to declare this fact. There is no shame in it. Further, I am a fairly open minded individual and state that as far as what happens on judgment day is concerned I don't know who will go where, save for the few where scripture has explicitly stated otherwise. Sadly others do not share this same respect (yes I am looking at you extreme fundamentalists).
It has been vogue in the extremist circles to call Mormon's members of a cult or cultists. Often times the defamers try to support their assertion through a series of half-truths, out of context quotes, and full-blown lies. I honestly am not surprised then that as Mormons are having their "moment" then that their most ardent detractors are becoming more prominent as well. Sadly this is always the case with any group that rises from obscurity their opponents rise up and attack. The attack that is the most dishonest and by extension most infuriating is the assertion that Mormonism is in fact a "cult."
Now I recognize that the technical definition of cult can apply to all religions and yadda yadda yadda but to use that as an excuse to not bring up the issue is weak. Why is it weak? Simple the connotation is something of a more sinister nature. Whenever someone is said to belong to a "cult" the general image that people have is one of human sacrifice, mass suicide, or some other related practice. Which practices, last time I checked, were discouraged by the church insomuch that there would be instant excommunications from the church for such activities. The Mormon church in general is a body doing much good in the world in terms of humanitarian services. Though many people still hold to the cult idea. Why?
The answer is in the language if you can control the language you can control thought. If you can control thought you can control actions. If you can control actions you control the person. This is exemplified during the rise of Nazi Germany. Certain groups of people were demonized and called unsesirables. With this use of language the people's opinions of these groups morphed from ambivelence to minor digust to extreme disgust to the point of murder. Language controlled thought and thought controlled action in this case their is no question.
What though am I getting at? Am I trying to compare the plight of Mormons not to that of the Jews in the holocaust? Of course not what I am saying is that if we do not control the language of extremism then extremism will take control of us.
Diasagree with Mormons all you want argue the doctrine but know that they are not a cult I am an example of this. The people I disagree with are examples of this. Look to the members of the Church and ask yourselves are these really the evil people some would want me to believe? The answer in the majority of cases will be a resounding no!
It has been vogue in the extremist circles to call Mormon's members of a cult or cultists. Often times the defamers try to support their assertion through a series of half-truths, out of context quotes, and full-blown lies. I honestly am not surprised then that as Mormons are having their "moment" then that their most ardent detractors are becoming more prominent as well. Sadly this is always the case with any group that rises from obscurity their opponents rise up and attack. The attack that is the most dishonest and by extension most infuriating is the assertion that Mormonism is in fact a "cult."
Now I recognize that the technical definition of cult can apply to all religions and yadda yadda yadda but to use that as an excuse to not bring up the issue is weak. Why is it weak? Simple the connotation is something of a more sinister nature. Whenever someone is said to belong to a "cult" the general image that people have is one of human sacrifice, mass suicide, or some other related practice. Which practices, last time I checked, were discouraged by the church insomuch that there would be instant excommunications from the church for such activities. The Mormon church in general is a body doing much good in the world in terms of humanitarian services. Though many people still hold to the cult idea. Why?
The answer is in the language if you can control the language you can control thought. If you can control thought you can control actions. If you can control actions you control the person. This is exemplified during the rise of Nazi Germany. Certain groups of people were demonized and called unsesirables. With this use of language the people's opinions of these groups morphed from ambivelence to minor digust to extreme disgust to the point of murder. Language controlled thought and thought controlled action in this case their is no question.
What though am I getting at? Am I trying to compare the plight of Mormons not to that of the Jews in the holocaust? Of course not what I am saying is that if we do not control the language of extremism then extremism will take control of us.
Diasagree with Mormons all you want argue the doctrine but know that they are not a cult I am an example of this. The people I disagree with are examples of this. Look to the members of the Church and ask yourselves are these really the evil people some would want me to believe? The answer in the majority of cases will be a resounding no!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
The Quagmire that is Science Education
I have been reading recently a lot of lamentations from science educators that their programs are insufficient in properly instructing students in their respective fields. I have also read that there is a certain deficiency in students learning math as well. To continue on with this general feeling of woe and despair it has been noted that unless we get more math and science in our students brains that our national security will be at risk. What is the solution...more SCIENCE! Yes since forcing something down a students throat has worked so well in the past (that was sarcasm BTW). That approach in my estimation is part of the reason why students are avoiding math and science like the plague because it is forced down their throats constantly. In fact in my experience I have found that all the science education I received was...useless. I was inundated with facts and figures yet what did I truly learn? Nothing! It wasn't until far later in life that I realized what should have been taught and that I had a natural gift for. That is critical thinking and reasoning. That is all science is observing the world around you and drawing conclusions. If educators would focus on teaching these skills through science then there would be more success in these fields.
I think that it would be safe to say that students know when something is practical in the "real world," or the world in which most students will work with IE not science land. This "real world" tends to mean working at desk jobs where knowing how Saturn got its rings is...irrelevant. For some it will mean hammering in a nail. Knowing what gas is noble is useless. For a lawyer arguing a personal injury case knowing what phylum a certain insect is in is useless. Do you see where I am going with this? Most facts that are taught in science are useless outside of a science class for the majority of the population. However the skills that science requires are necessary for most people to be successful. The most important skill is deductive reasoning. If science classes were designed to develop a students skills in deductive reasoning and showed its application in everyday life then the student would be more likely to engage in the learning process.
Sure some might say well that still doesn't solve our problems. I would disagree now instead of turning students away from science we are opening their eyes to the wonders of the world around them. Is this not science? With wonder will come discovery which could turn students to a career where there lives are filled with both the awe of wonder and the thrill of discovery.
What is needed is not more classes in science simply a different and better way of relaying the skills that science needs that will be applicable to everyday life. Change in education is needed so why not change here?
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
On Leadership part II
Salus populi suprema lex. I first came across this term when I was reading John Locke's Second Treatise on Government. The phrase is Latin and translated it means the good of the people is the supreme law. About ten minutes before I started writing this post I read an interesting article. The article I read was concerning an illformed pact to protect marriage. Now I want to clarify that I think that marriage is between one man and one woman. That is not the issue nor is it the point. The point is that this pact was so poorly made that it forced law makers into a corner that they could not get out for fear of breaking this contract. This and another pact made to never raise taxes seem to be an indication of a terrible direction. That direction is supporting causes so wholeheartedly that the good of the people is sacrificed for the good of the cause.
The good of the people must be taken into consideration. Now when I say the people I do not mean the voters nor your supporters. I mean the entire population for which you as an elected leader are responsible for. This would, of necessity, require the elected official to forgo his agenda or his party's agenda to bolster the general populace of the United States. Sometimes a program or theory doesn't work the way it is expected to. So rather helping it harms. The only thing to be done then is to change opinion and action for the good of the people! This is not flip-floppery neither is it conviction flim-flammery. No, this is a reasoned and well thought out approach. This is the course that a leader must take in order to help his or her nation.
To illustrate let's look at a basic everday life problem. Say your TV is broken and won't turn on. You've checked the plugs and all the other cords and all are connected yet there is still no picture. How many times would you go through the process before you say, "Stupid pos is broken guess I better go buy a new one." For me it takes like three times before I realize that yes the TV is broken and yes I need a new one. However if we acted like our politicians do we would sit stubbornly in front of the TV pretending that blank screen was playing the Super Bowl...in July.
Why do they do this? To win political points with the delegates. This is insanity at its finest and such a practice needs to be halted. The question is how?
The good of the people must be taken into consideration. Now when I say the people I do not mean the voters nor your supporters. I mean the entire population for which you as an elected leader are responsible for. This would, of necessity, require the elected official to forgo his agenda or his party's agenda to bolster the general populace of the United States. Sometimes a program or theory doesn't work the way it is expected to. So rather helping it harms. The only thing to be done then is to change opinion and action for the good of the people! This is not flip-floppery neither is it conviction flim-flammery. No, this is a reasoned and well thought out approach. This is the course that a leader must take in order to help his or her nation.
To illustrate let's look at a basic everday life problem. Say your TV is broken and won't turn on. You've checked the plugs and all the other cords and all are connected yet there is still no picture. How many times would you go through the process before you say, "Stupid pos is broken guess I better go buy a new one." For me it takes like three times before I realize that yes the TV is broken and yes I need a new one. However if we acted like our politicians do we would sit stubbornly in front of the TV pretending that blank screen was playing the Super Bowl...in July.
Why do they do this? To win political points with the delegates. This is insanity at its finest and such a practice needs to be halted. The question is how?
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