[at-l] <WAY OT> with a Hiking note

[Bror8588 at aol.com (Bror8588@aol.com)]

In a message dated 9/13/04 18:52:55 Eastern Daylight Time, Slyatpct@aol.com 
writes:


> In a message dated 9/13/2004 6:38:55 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
> jbryankramer@msn.com writes:
> 
> > Of course God does politics. Just read the NT sections about the Pharisees
> > and Sadducees. How could God favor someone who wants to kill his children?
> > Do you think God favored the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah? Those types
> > of people are well represented in the Democratic party and their Hollywood
> > supporters.
> > 
> 
> You're so full of shit it's mind boggling.  

Bryan gives a view that many Judeo-Christian people believe and my position 
is that people are free to believe whatever they want.  There are other ways of 
looking at the Bible's stories.

They were written by men in times when disruption of the strict way of life 
was detrimental to the concept of a national identity.  The aberrations that 
some in the surrounding society expressed was threatening to the way of life 
that was proscribed (much like today when enclaves of a religious group (there 
are many) gather together and hurl anathemas at the seedy side of society.  To 
keep the religion "pure" the young (and not so young) are warned to stay away 
from the "dens of iniquity" that surround them and attempt to encroach upon 
those who are taught to live on a different plane.  Elected officials sometimes 
get into the act by enacting "Blue Laws" that attempt to protect children and 
society in general.  In NYC there are laws that "Strip Clubs" have to be so 
many feet away from a school, church, or housing project or whatever boundaries 
are chosen.  Some laws require that sexual paraphernalia in a store has to be 
lower than a certain percentage of the total goods offered, etc., and so there 
is this struggle between what is considered good and bad for society.

In the Bible these rules were attributed to God.  Today, some people still 
hold to the belief that God has certain limits beyond which will trigger 
damnation (Not my God BTW), and so the beat goes on.  The continuation of the beliefs 
of the past that most people still adhere to have a positive effect on living 
conditions while at the same time limiting the titillation factor that at 
times most (or a lot) of people enjoy from time to time.  People seem to like to 
explore the limits of their experience.  "Living on the edge" contains a 
certain excitement while at the same time brings shame and degradation to many.  
Where these feelings originate is an area some explore in therapy or analysis or 
in their particular religious group.  Some are not affected by the mores of 
society or religiosity.  Reasons are varied and complicated and individual.

The political ramifications of all this indicate where the majority want to 
be.  Both Democrats and Republicans and other variant organizations fall along 
a continuum from strict adherence to purity to a 
throw-it-all-away-and-lets-party-hardy type of life.  To say that the Republicans are more to one side than 
the other than the Democrats is dangerous.  There are some Democrats who are 
very circumspect in their lifestyle and there are some Republicans (witness 
the guy who had to drop out of the Senate race in Illinois because of going to 
sex clubs with his wife) who like to party.

Even the Chinese in their long history had a feeling that the winner of the 
battle to form a Dynasty was chosen by the Heavens to rule.  This was the 
prevailing notion in the whole nation even as subsequent Dynasties continued to 
struggle for domination.  It makes the losing easier to take when the dynasty 
comes into power.  So, in this country there are people who attribute wins or 
losses to a higher power -- something beyond their control -- and some name this 
God and others couldn't give a fig.

Out on the Appalachian Trail as people gather around the campfire after a day 
of hiking long hours and many miles these topics can arise and be discussed 
or not.  People will hold their own opinions and there will be variety.  Some 
will hear what they have not heard before and change their way of looking at 
life.  Others will have their outlook on life long ingrained in childhood 
teachings and continued involvement in a culture that there will not be any movement 
or minimal movement from basic position, at best.  Life is similar in towns 
and villages but there is not as much opportunity to discuss outside the 
accepted norms (perhaps at a local bar or in a book discussion group).  Walking 
along the trail after a discussion affords opportunity to mull over points of view 
discussed.  Each will decide for themselves what they believe or do not 
believe and will seek out like minded individuals to receive confirmation and 
acceptance.

Discussion can take place or as Sly has stated: rejected!

Skylander