Is World Peace More Likely Under Atheists or Christians
Political leaders, religious or secular, are all tempted by the same things. We all know what they are, money, fame, self centeredness and even good deeds and intentions are there for either.
When I think of how a bad secular leader might look, I see non other than Donald Trump. My own take on him, and I'm not necessarily qualified to know his mind, is that he is not religious and that he is motivated by something most of us cannot understand. There is an old "illness" called Delusions of Grandeur that, to me, applies to him. The delusion such a person has is that he/she is far most important and more talented than seems to be the case in reality. It is said to be almost untreatable because the person sees anyone analyzing his condition to be much below him in competence and importance.
There is no reason to think such a condition is more likely occur in a religious person than in one who is secular. Whether a leader thinks he/she hears personally from a god or thinks he/she actually is a god may not make much difference. The public will be worse off in either case.
I wish I had saved an article I read years ago written by the brother of United Nations Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold. His brother quoted from a letter Hammarskjold has written on an airplane during his constant travels to put out political and armed conflicts around the world. In my recollection he wrote, "Here I am again, traveling to yet another place where an egotistical and self-centered leader is ruining peoples' lives."
While I think our lives would be better if there was less religion in politics and government nothing can be guaranteed.
Off topic; I see Trump is threatening to eliminate funding for non profit schools with "left wing extremism" if they don't re-open this fall. He best not, or the schools in his base will be treated in like manner. Just more of the hazards of blurring the line of separation.
ReplyDeleteTalk about blurring, I also see the RCC is getting 1.4 BILLION for coronavirus effect. Including churches that have claimed bankruptcy due to diddling the kids.
little helper July 11, 2020 @ 7:28 AM
DeleteWorse yet some have reported as much as 10.3 billion in forgivable SBA loans went to “religious organizations” while a relative pittance went to preparation for the November election, possibly the most contentious election in decades during a pandemic when standard operating procedures would disenfranchise millions of voters. Advantage Trump. Of course hogs of every breed are at the PPP trough.
If I recall correctly, Planned Parenthood was among the hogs at the trough.
DeleteUnknown July 11, 2020, “ Planned Parenthood was among the hogs at the trough.”
DeleteOk. What is your take on how we should conduct the November elections in the midst of a pandemic, fund it sufficiently to minimize voter suppression, disenfranchisement, and avoid efforts by either party to invalidate the results?
I commented on your remark re hogs at the trough. nothing about the fall elections, an issue on which I have no strong opinions. maybe mail in ballots is the way to go. at the same time, I have some reservations regarding the possibility of fraud. or at the least beaucoup confusion.
DeleteJon;
ReplyDelete“Is World Peace More Likely Under Atheists or Christians.” “Political leaders, religious or secular, are all tempted by the same things. We all know what they are, money, fame, self centeredness and even good deeds and intentions are there for either.”
I would caution against blurring the distinction between atheism and secularism. Using the terms interchangeably has been an effective strategy in the political playbook of the right. Unlike atheism secularism is agnostic with respect to the existence of deity. Secularism to my knowledge is about maintaining a separation of church and state. Is the purposeful coalescence of church and state more likely to foster belligerence at home and on the world stage? Few things are more powerful than inciting aggression in the name of a god against an enemy foreign or domestic once labeled godless or idolatrous. In times of extreme turmoil the wall separating church and state if it exists at all comes-a-tumblin’ down.
What is world peace anyway? There is always competition for fewer and fewer resources, egoism has risen to a moral principle, there is enough weaponry to easily destroy the whole shiteree many times over, plutocrats seem to prefer tyrants, and in America it feels like we are drifting toward resolving a deep cultural schism by killing enough of each other, including women and children, that China can march in from the West and Putin from the East to divvy up the left overs. “Oh happy days.”
Ardy: fewer and fewer resources? I thought that more and more resources have become available to more and more people. so what did you mean? Ditto to killing enough of each other? Maybe you were referring to abortion: c.65 million strong in the US alone.
DeleteUnknown @ 1:06 PM
DeleteI was referring to natural resources.
President Trump is contemplating enforcing the tax-exempt status laws surrounding non-profit entities which are formed under and required to stay clear of partisan political involvement. These laws affect churches which get involved in partisan political campaigns by advocating for one person or persons. Churches can get involved in issue-oriented politics.
ReplyDeleteNow comes the non-profit universities who are hip deep up to their eyelids in partisan politics. This has been going on for decades. Trump, the now predictable reformer that he is, is willing to try to put an end to this and return these universities to higher learning, not political yearning.
The so-called "separation of church and state" is a throw-away phrase used by liberals to stifle the actual First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion. Thomas Jefferson used the phrase to assure believers and non-believers that their religious practice or atheism is protected by the First Amendment and that the government cannot force religion or atheism on any citizen.
The wall separating church and state is like a turnstile. One cannot be bullied by the state with regard to religious practice or the practice of atheism. However, people can pass through the turnstile when they are guided by their religion to influence government, i.e. laws, policies, regulations, etc.
For those with the intellect to understand this "wall", there is no blurring taking place. There is no confusion. Liberals like to create confusion and then create blame; usually targeting conservative Christians, Jews, Muslims and even conservative atheists.
Then, there are the bigots who unmercifully attack the Catholic Church over women's ordination, priestly celibacy, the scandal of sexual abuse and other things they find, legitimate or otherwise, wrong with the Catholic faith.
Today, we find ourselves with a 180 degree swing in political strategy. Liberals scorn free speech and try to intimidate conservatives with job loss, reputation loss and demotion. Can a person question BLM and keep their job or reputation? Can a person question homosexual marriage? Cancel, cancel, cancel. The social justice warriors, trained at university "boot camps" have a singular mission - kill the enemy (job, reputation), with a mantra of 'the ends justify the means'.
I feel both contempt and sorrow for those who are preoccupied with hating and harming others. Right, Jon? Right, little helper? Right, Ardy B?
Matt "Cancel, cancel, cancel"
DeleteCancel a woman's right to an abortion. The biggest cancel culture out there today.
Just reporting the news. Thank you.
DeleteA billion here, a billion there, pretty soon you are talking real money. You're welcome.
DeleteMatt; Re. non profits, ie 501 c3; I have pointed this out several times in the past. The Only restriction on political involvement re. limitation, is the Johnson amendment, which prohibits the public endorsement of elected officials RUNNING FOR OFFICE ONLY. Nothing to do with policy or subject matter. Non-profits are free to contend for or against everything else without danger of loosing their non-profit status. Both sides tend to forget this.
DeleteMatt July 11, 2020 @ 12:25 PM “ I feel both contempt and sorrow”
DeleteFeeling contempt and sorrow is a tough emotional cocktail to swallow. I just feel sorrowful for your contempt. Hope you can work through it. I like your turnstile metaphor concerning the separation of church and state. I just want to invalidate the “guided by religion” token and temper the influence of superstition in matters of state.
Matt--While we're cancelling let's cancel gay marriage. Oh, and cancel birth control while you're at it.
ReplyDelete