Freethought & Rationalism Archive

dangin · 06-10-2002, 07:16 AM

Since I live less than 200 miles from the Burnhams, and they went to college in KC, I have really been inundated with these stories lately.

I'm really not gloating,(as I was accused of before, this is quite sad) but now a spokesman for the family, or their church is predicting the three children will grow up to become missionaries in the Phillipines.

Carrying on the work of the father. This is simply assinine to levels that go beyond assinine. Talk about failure to learn from history. But it will only be tragic if the kids wait until they have children of their own that they can abandon whilst ministering to the souls of others.

My biggest problem with missionaries (and this is not necesarrily all missionaries) are the ones who give education, food, or medical aide, only in return for attending a sermon. Evangelical blackmail really makes me sick.

Godless Dave · 06-10-2002, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by demon-sword:
<strong>from Hugo There:
Our image problems throughout the world are caused almost completely by three factors 1) Our support of Isreal 2) Our success 3)Our wish to remain an independant country.
Hugo
--------------

From my own perspective, a revision is called for:

1.)Support for Israel, presence and pressure applied on Middle East Arab areas.
2.)US triple standards; for a)US , b)for developed countries,c)for developing .
3.)Trade policy
4.)General behaviour of US citizens abroad; it's their ignorance of foreign countries that is most resented.
5.)US success.

Approximately in this order.</strong>

Let me insert one between 1 and 2:

3.) US support of dictators doing horrible things to their own people (Suharto, Sadaam Hussein, what's-his-name in Cuba, whoozits in Nicarauga) and supporting helping coups overthrow democratically elected governments (South Vietnam, Chile)

Hugo There · 06-10-2002, 10:20 AM

I stand corrected. Obviously our attempts to support right-wing governments, regardless of the nature of the government, is a cause of dislike for the USA. Free trade should be our policy, even if we have to do it unilaterally. If other nations wish to tax their citizens so we can have cheaper goods let them do it.

Hugo

RufusAtticus · 06-10-2002, 10:27 AM

Let's not forget the School of the Americas.

Corwin · 06-10-2002, 11:55 AM

One major problem that needs to be addressed here is the level of christian stupidity when it comes to personal danger. A lot of more 'faithful' types have a marked tendancy to ignore personal danger because 'Gawd and Jeebus will see us through!!!!!'

Remember a few years back they pulled a couple out of one of the passes in northern california? The road had been blocked off because of several feet of snow. They pulled the barricade away and kept going anyway... cuz Jeebus would guide them...

It's one example of a problem that runs through religious people.... problem is that it's not unknown for them to get other people killed and/or cost other people a lot of money rescuing them.

Gurdur · 06-10-2002, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Corwin:

One major problem that needs to be addressed here is the level of christian stupidity when it comes to personal danger. ....

Damn right; those stupid Christians going in for untested homeopathic remedies with often great attendent risks and side-effects for little or no benefit, for example.

Oh, wait a minute...

Corwin · 06-10-2002, 12:23 PM

/ignore gurtroll

There. I feel much better now.

Godless Dave · 06-10-2002, 12:37 PM

I'd like to agree with you, Corwin, but stupidity is equal opportunity. Every winter we have people here who insist on going ice-fishing even after the DNR and/or the local sherrif issues warnings that the ice is too thin. Then they have to get rescued from the middle of the lake because they can't get back to shore.

Then there's the guys who skip their snowmobiles over open water.

Corwin · 06-10-2002, 12:39 PM

Yeah... but those are ice fishermen and snowmobilers. Their brains are already frozen. Special case.

dangin · 06-11-2002, 07:48 AM

Back to the subject at hand. Gracia Burnham arrived at KCI, and was giddy, and smiling, waving. No sadness, no restrained behavior. She had been a widow for all of three days, and looked like she was ready to dance if it weren't for the wheelchair. Smiling is not a problem, I'm sure she is happy to be home, and to see friends, but she looked like she was being wheeled into a high school reunion, not home from seeing her husband killed by a gun 72 hours earlier.

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06-10-2002, 07:16 AM	#31
dangin Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: The Middle, Kansas Posts: 2,637	Since I live less than 200 miles from the Burnhams, and they went to college in KC, I have really been inundated with these stories lately. I'm really not gloating,(as I was accused of before, this is quite sad) but now a spokesman for the family, or their church is predicting the three children will grow up to become missionaries in the Phillipines. Carrying on the work of the father. This is simply assinine to levels that go beyond assinine. Talk about failure to learn from history. But it will only be tragic if the kids wait until they have children of their own that they can abandon whilst ministering to the souls of others. My biggest problem with missionaries (and this is not necesarrily all missionaries) are the ones who give education, food, or medical aide, only in return for attending a sermon. Evangelical blackmail really makes me sick.

06-10-2002, 10:20 AM	#33
Hugo There Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: houston,tx Posts: 52	I stand corrected. Obviously our attempts to support right-wing governments, regardless of the nature of the government, is a cause of dislike for the USA. Free trade should be our policy, even if we have to do it unilaterally. If other nations wish to tax their citizens so we can have cheaper goods let them do it. Hugo

06-10-2002, 10:27 AM	#34
RufusAtticus Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NCSU Posts: 5,853	Let's not forget the School of the Americas.

06-10-2002, 11:55 AM	#35
Corwin Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 4,369	One major problem that needs to be addressed here is the level of christian stupidity when it comes to personal danger. A lot of more 'faithful' types have a marked tendancy to ignore personal danger because 'Gawd and Jeebus will see us through!!!!!' Remember a few years back they pulled a couple out of one of the passes in northern california? The road had been blocked off because of several feet of snow. They pulled the barricade away and kept going anyway... cuz Jeebus would guide them... It's one example of a problem that runs through religious people.... problem is that it's not unknown for them to get other people killed and/or cost other people a lot of money rescuing them.

06-10-2002, 12:23 PM	#37
Corwin Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 4,369	/ignore gurtroll There. I feel much better now.

06-10-2002, 12:37 PM	#38
Godless Dave Contributor Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: With 10,000 lakes who needs a coast? Posts: 10,762	I'd like to agree with you, Corwin, but stupidity is equal opportunity. Every winter we have people here who insist on going ice-fishing even after the DNR and/or the local sherrif issues warnings that the ice is too thin. Then they have to get rescued from the middle of the lake because they can't get back to shore. Then there's the guys who skip their snowmobiles over open water.

06-10-2002, 12:39 PM	#39
Corwin Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 4,369	Yeah... but those are ice fishermen and snowmobilers. Their brains are already frozen. Special case.

06-11-2002, 07:48 AM	#40
dangin Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: The Middle, Kansas Posts: 2,637	Back to the subject at hand. Gracia Burnham arrived at KCI, and was giddy, and smiling, waving. No sadness, no restrained behavior. She had been a widow for all of three days, and looked like she was ready to dance if it weren't for the wheelchair. Smiling is not a problem, I'm sure she is happy to be home, and to see friends, but she looked like she was being wheeled into a high school reunion, not home from seeing her husband killed by a gun 72 hours earlier.

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