How about I challenge you to list the things that are right with the world, outside of the Christian faith, which believes God has redeemed us and gave us a new way of life? What is so fundamentally GOOD about this world?
Isn't Obama running on a platform that everything here in America is broken and BAD, which the majority of you subscribe to?
I don't think Obama is saying everything is bad... maybe you should read the transcripts of some of his speeches. Or maybe I should reread them? I think Obama's stance is more that the functioning of the government, and the wealthy interests that hold disproportionate control over it, is making life hard for the majority of us. But that's neither here nor there.
As for good things in the world, did you miss the part in Genesis when God goes on and on about how good creation is? How about:
- Food
- Water
- The sun
- The atmosphere
- The troposphere
- Gravity
- The periodic table of elements
- Natural beauty
- Survival instincts
- Free will
- Compassion
- Understanding
- Communication
- Written knowledge
- Learning from our mistakes
- That you don't need to be Christian to share their non-secular values (such as kindness, generosity, and stewardship)
- We're not all in Hell right now - as the Bible suggests, things could be much, much worse
Notice that several of those things are prerequisites of Christian tradition and values? No writing -> no Bible -> no Christian teachings -> no Christian church. If you really don't believe there's anything good outside of Christianity, why do you use a computer? Computers aren't Christian. Seriously, I feel like you're just trying to be inflammatory now. I suggest you spend more time in church, because you seem to have missed a few of the more important parts.
it's good for everybody, except for the people you take the money from..
which is anyone with a job.
By that line of reasoning, we shouldn't have a nation at all. Are you saying you'd rather be personally responsible for obtaining clean water, power, and defending your home? You want to farm your own food, or do your own testing on things you buy to make sure they aren't sick? Do you have any idea how exorbitantly expensive it would be to provide those things for yourself? Far more than your taxes, I can assure you. I'm pretty sure you're not an anarchist... So isn't that statement a little too strong? Why do you think people invented governments and taxes?
Every government is socialist, to one degree or another. Even despotism relies on the contributions of the people to create a unified state (even if it isn't a happy one.) Also, supply and demand - the most economical solution to virtually every problem related to spending is to have the largest pool of stakeholders possible. Our money is worth more together than it is in tiny denominations. Doesn't anybody here shop at Costco? For that matter, look at the history of life on Earth - the reason we're all still here is cooperation and mutual interest. When we farm, we must kill the crops and livestock we need to eat. But every farmer knows that you won't have a harvest the next year unless you tend to the seeds and young of this year. If we just ate everything with no regard for anything but our immediate hunger, there would be nothing left to sustain us.
Now, I believe it's Samhain - and you're all bumming me out. I'm going to go enjoy the company of God's creation.
~Joe