Koyaanisqatsi

I'm going to have to chime in with Buffman on this one, too, Ex.

The pervasiveness of this kind of ingrained, assumed propaganda is detrimental and does insure the continued prominence of the cult-oriented mind set in this country.

When I was called in to serve on a jury and all day long for weeks I stared at "In God We Trust" above the judge's desk I just got sicker and sicker and sicker and madder and madder and madder, even to the point of fixating upon it rather than the case I was supposed to be trying.

When I was a kid I was forced into saying the Pledge of Allegiance. Orwellian-creepy enough in its own right without the "one nation, under God" clause, but extremely effective.

Imagine if we had all said, "one nation, under Allah."

As for the Ten Commandments, people forget that there aren't any; they don't exist and never did exist. It's one giant lie written by the same type of people that wrote the Pledge of Allegiance and for the exact same purpose, but, again, the point is that repetition is the heart of inculcation and that's precisely why it remains.

A very good argument can be made that the parts of the South that still proudly display the Confederate flag are never going to join the rest of us in the twenty-first century until that flag is taught for what it actually represents: they lost and rightly so.

It does not and never did represent State's rights and that obfuscation fools no one but the very children who are being inculcated into the same patterns of assumed prejudice that continues to plague those parts of the South. I know, because I've got cousins littered throughout who are programmed to not even be capable of comprehending that what they consider to be "innocent, meaningless" comments are the grossest examples of pig-assed ignorant redneck mentality imaginable.

All because of the overriding power of constantly reinforced propaganda that surrounds them in the most subtle and pervasive means possible.

If a child sees a placard of the 10C's every single day of their lives and reads "in God we trust" on their money they will automatically and without questioning be if not indoctrinated, susceptible to acceptance of that which arguably should be eradicated with all due haste.

Again, just insert "in Allah we trust" for the full impact of what I'm here arguing. Not a single "red blooded American" (i.e., fat white guy and his compliant, unquestioning wife) would sit still for one frigging second, dude, if tomorrow our money said, "In Allah We Trust," so why the f*ck should we stand for "In God We Trust?"

It is the irrefutably, incontrovertibly, inexcusably, the exact same thing.

Have I driven the point home sufficiently, or should I turn to my thesaurus?

Fastfalcon

The only blending with church and state I will advocate (sp?) is when Jesus comes back to set up his Kingdom. I am one of what you call religious rightist. is there a thread where I can discuss prophecy here?
Jesus is coming soon! Are you ready?

Mageth

As I mentioned in another thread, go to Rants, Raves and Preaching. You can open a prophecy thread there.

Writer@Large

Well, technically, it depends on the level of "discussion" Fastfalcon wants. If he's interested in a serious discussion and critique of Biblical prophesy, I'm sure the Biblical Criticism and Archaeology regulars would be glad to take it on. If, on the other hand, he just wants to try to convert us and convince us that He Who Is Lord Is Coming Nigh, then yes, RR&P is the place to be.

--W@L

Mageth

W@L:

Maybe he wants serious discussion, but he hasn't indicated that so far. If you'll click on his profile and view his recent posts, you'll see that he's mostly dropping trollish, preaching posts.

Toto

Yup. I'm trying to look busy.

ex-preacher

I hereby repent, recant and retreat!

Berenger Sauniere

That's why we need seperation of church and state. So a bearded man from the Middle East who wears hooded apparel can't walk in here and turn our nation into one of those horrid middle eastern countries. After 9/11 I'm sure Mr. J.C. would go over real well here, if you know what I mean.

[ May 11, 2002: Message edited by: Berenger Sauniere ]</p>