tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13825925.post7437681136010764580..comments2023-05-25T06:51:32.366-07:00Comments on Disaster Kitchen: Sensitive SubjectsCëRïSëhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18133935575651973096noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13825925.post-34773315774883895292008-11-05T18:04:00.000-08:002008-11-05T18:04:00.000-08:00Adrianna, sorry for the delay in my response! I've...Adrianna, sorry for the delay in my response! <BR/><BR/>I've been thinking about it, and I can't think of any specifically religious values that I feel are necessary in politics. Although I believe ethics and morals are important in politics as elsewhere, they can exist independently of any religion.CëRïSëhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18133935575651973096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13825925.post-2584091023643904782008-11-03T11:13:00.000-08:002008-11-03T11:13:00.000-08:00I don't think I'm qualified to answer that questio...I don't think I'm qualified to answer that question- I don't know politics inside and out. I only know that there are a very few political issues that I would vote on one way or the other based on my religious beliefs (which I don't think I'll outline here for fear of offending others unnecessarily), but the rest of the issues I don't think need an assessment of religious conscience. I guess that's the beauty of Democracy- that we each get to decide what values should count and vote accordingly. <BR/><BR/>Which ones do <I>you</I> think should count, if at all?Adriannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03116888726470196919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13825925.post-78610153706177004652008-11-02T19:47:00.000-08:002008-11-02T19:47:00.000-08:00Adrianna, thanks for humoring me, and again for yo...Adrianna, thanks for humoring me, and again for your thoughtful response. I'm still confused, though, as to what, specifically, the religious values are that should count politically, or the eradication of which would cause the collapse of the nation. But maybe I'm asking too much!CëRïSëhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18133935575651973096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13825925.post-32544702257461694372008-11-01T23:52:00.000-07:002008-11-01T23:52:00.000-07:00Good and thoughtful questions as always Ceri! I re...Good and thoughtful questions as always Ceri! I really had to think about this one. <BR/><BR/>First, I do tend to vote Republican because I feel the candidates <I>more closely</I> embody my idea of good government than the Democratic candidates. <BR/><BR/>And, second, I would like to think I vote based on what I think will be the best for society as a whole- not just for me. It won't matter if it's good for me (or just a few) if, meanwhile, all of society is falling to pieces, right? Then we'll all be up a creek together eventually.<BR/><BR/>I do think that religious beliefs play a large part of my character formation as a whole, therefore my ideas of what make good government, and therefore the way I vote. My religious beliefs may dictate how I feel about certain political issues, but I can see the folly in voting strictly based on those feelings (IE. I am pro-life but see the need for the nation to be pro-choice). <BR/><BR/>There are some issues I am fighting to protect based on my religious beliefs though too and I think the interpretation of "separate church and state" for me is to not have our nation run by "the church" as was England and others. I do believe that some religious values (whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim, etc) have to hold sway in our government for the good of the nation and the people and I do believe that our founding principles were based on such. <BR/><BR/>In fact, I think much of the good in our constitution is being eradicated by anti-Christian zealots who are afraid of offending others when the majority of this nation are Christian, and nearly all believe in God (in some form or other). If you want to see this nation fall apart, remove religious values from politics.Adriannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03116888726470196919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13825925.post-66657760438674866502008-11-01T09:31:00.000-07:002008-11-01T09:31:00.000-07:00Adrianna, this is delayed, but I realized almost i...Adrianna, this is delayed, but I realized almost immediately after my last comment that I had a couple of questions for you! First of all, would you say you tend to vote Republican because the Republican candidates' values consistently happen to be the ones with which you most identify? And secondly, what values should count politically? Christian ones? Entirely individual ones? Or ones that suggest the best for the entire community?<BR/><BR/>And Leah, tough questions. I think I find the country assuming it has a single, unified religious tradition and past less troubling than using permutations of that understanding as a basis for providing or denying rights granted by the state--especially as one of our founding principles is separation of those two powers.CëRïSëhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18133935575651973096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13825925.post-35231757212017349502008-10-31T18:34:00.000-07:002008-10-31T18:34:00.000-07:00I agree with your questions, Ceri. It's also diffi...I agree with your questions, Ceri. It's also difficult for me to talk about these things. I'm always afraid I'm going to slip into offending someone because of what Ern said above.<BR/><BR/>I have the same question as your first one. I don't think that US political and social policy should be based on a religious tradition...anyone's religious tradition. A lot of Americans tend to assume that everyone is a Christian, therefore everyone thinks exactly the same way.<BR/><BR/>It's sad that issues like abortion have become the fault lines for political beliefs. What should be a personal decision is so heavily politicized that it hardly seems like the terrible thing it really is. <BR/><BR/>Here is my question: why do Christians think they get to decide what's best for me? Why do so many Christians think that their religious tradition is the only acceptable worldview? Why do some nutjobs like S. Palin get to decide what kind of medical care I can access?Leahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14550518755278860736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13825925.post-79108199455712965882008-10-31T18:26:00.000-07:002008-10-31T18:26:00.000-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Leahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14550518755278860736noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13825925.post-44016632390635246492008-10-31T16:56:00.000-07:002008-10-31T16:56:00.000-07:00Adrianna, I don't think that's a simplistic view a...Adrianna, I don't think that's a simplistic view at all; the opinions you've expressed here are thoughtful and nuanced! I'm also glad that you're not a "gun-loving, war-mongering, immigrant-hat[er]" or think that I'm a "baby-hating radical"!CëRïSëhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18133935575651973096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13825925.post-74056415381889763122008-10-31T16:50:00.000-07:002008-10-31T16:50:00.000-07:00I think it's silly to think that because you are C...I think it's silly to think that because you are Christian you <I>have</I> to vote a certain way. I certainly don't believe that. I <I>do</I> wish that there was a medium between Republican and Democrat (each of which has a vast number of radicals, left & right) because I seem to agree more with the conservatives, but I wouldn't identify myself with gun-loving, war-mongering, immigrant-hating right wings. I also don't believe that Democrats are baby-hating radicals. <BR/><BR/>For instance, even though I tend to vote "Republican" I believe that abortion is necessary under certain circumstances and I believe in free agency. I <I>am</I> appalled by the number of people who abort simply because they made a mistake or do not want the child, but that is their choice and I do not think there is a fail-proof way for government to regulate without taking away a much needed <I>legal</I>service. <BR/><BR/>Maybe this is a simplistic view since I do not follow politics closely, but I think it is up to the public to vote for the party who's values they most identify with and then temper the radicals by staying involved in the community and writing their public officials when called for.Adriannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03116888726470196919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13825925.post-80961430643519929102008-10-31T14:44:00.000-07:002008-10-31T14:44:00.000-07:00Ern, I agree. What's more disturbing to me than pu...Ern, I agree. What's more disturbing to me than pundits' or pollsters' tendencies to treat Christians as a single voting block, though, is some Christians' tendency to believe themselves as such, <I>forced</I> to vote a certain way based on a single issue.<BR/><BR/>Wendy, thank you so much for your post. I didn't know about your parents; that must be awful (even worse than living in Nebraska during an election year, though at least it's Lincoln!).<BR/><BR/>Mandy, "where's the love?" is such a good question, and it's sad that we have to ask! And a Republican party that supports <I>all</I> individual rights would indeed be a welcome development.<BR/><BR/>Ellen, I think I felt ashamed because a knee-jerk emotional reaction is exactly what's wrong with the issue; I want to move beyond merely getting angry and defensive.<BR/><BR/>And Ben, I agree with you that the discussion should continue--and am VERY READY for the election to be over. (Also, I woke up with your most recent song in my head, after listening to it yesterday!)CëRïSëhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18133935575651973096noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13825925.post-20057237594656527262008-10-31T12:52:00.000-07:002008-10-31T12:52:00.000-07:00Ceri, you said, "I believe that focusing on aborti...Ceri, you said, "I believe that focusing on abortion and homosexuality, in the name of pursuing a 'Christian' politics, does great disservice to the broader scope of what the Christ of the New Testament seemed to be trying to get across." And I agree with you. That statement pretty well summarizes how I feel about all this. <BR/><BR/>I could go into more details and explanation, tell you what most angers me in these types of discussion for example, but I'd rather not. We're on the same page, I think. And I've already sent in my vote. Not that the discussion can't or shouldn't continue past election day, just that, this week, I've had enough (as I think you have as well).Benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09930127253798078631noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13825925.post-11352619034116069892008-10-31T11:59:00.000-07:002008-10-31T11:59:00.000-07:00i'm back. and i agree with ellen. and i feel for y...i'm back. and i agree with ellen. and i feel for you, voth. and my overly-idealistic self is hoping that 8 years of an obama administration might bring back "real" republicans - the ones who are conservative in their economic views yet put just as much emphasis on indvidual rights as the left does. *sigh* that sure would be nice.mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11731917839844470875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13825925.post-91285925342249821232008-10-31T10:35:00.000-07:002008-10-31T10:35:00.000-07:00Why are you ashamed to be angry?Why are you ashamed to be angry?Ellenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03320925609266396261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13825925.post-300398472118240352008-10-31T07:45:00.000-07:002008-10-31T07:45:00.000-07:00ceri, i'm GLAD that you posted this. these things ...ceri, i'm GLAD that you posted this. these things need to be said and they need to be said by thoughtful, rational, and loving people like yourself. the points you make about how christ would respond verses how "christians" respond is exactly what makes this whole thing so emotionally charged for me. the bible says a lot of things. but from what i remember, the new testament doesn't mandate believers to go out and legislate their beliefs. the new testament calls for evangelism. NOT legislation. and you know what? a good majority of today's christians are failing at evangelism BECAUSE they are so focused on legislation. who wants to be identified with this rabid crowd? where's the love?mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11731917839844470875noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13825925.post-15732127489045791342008-10-31T04:56:00.000-07:002008-10-31T04:56:00.000-07:00If my significant other hadn't had an abortion, I ...If my significant other hadn't had an abortion, I wouldn't be in my homosexual relationship, as she would be dead.<BR/><BR/>My parents are full of hate on both issues. It hurts that I can't share what is important to me with them. They love to fall back on religious "reasoning". It stinks, as they are well educated and should be more open to new thoughts, but not so much. <BR/><BR/>I haven't really had many political discussions with anyone who disagrees with me. The issues are a little too personal, and I get very angry. I don't like my reaction, but I'm really sick of hearing that I'm going to hell.<BR/><BR/>Ah, the midwest...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01389242004428872351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13825925.post-9175216926772951412008-10-31T01:13:00.000-07:002008-10-31T01:13:00.000-07:00I think that treating Christians as a single block...I think that treating Christians as a single block of voters is as silly as treating women as a single block of voters. Even back when I subscribed to Christianity in a much more doctrinal way than I do now, I thought that many Christians had hijacked the faith and taken away from Christ's teachings.Ernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14027399109183646256noreply@blogger.com