Bernie Sanders' Religion is Collectivism

originally posted by: reldra

I'd actually rather not know the religion of any candidate. It's none of my business.

What if he was Wahhabi Sunni?

Would you be comfortable with a president of that persuasion?

I don't see how socialism can be a religion, it's not even a kind of religion.

Similarities between Religion and Statism

It would be nice if a candidate would actually answer a question yes or no. Always droning on and on about who knows what.
If Bernie is an atheist, he should have the balls to say so.
If he's a Jew, he should say so.

a reply to: NthOther



You're right, he has no character.

a reply to: NthOther

Bernie is a Jew but he doesn't practice religion. Does he believe in god? Very high probability he does and just because he didn't answer the question directly doesn't mean he doesn't believe or that he is trying to pander to atheists. It could mean he had a better, more interesting answer than just plain old "yes". Because of his answer you have a thread discussing politics, a thing you don't normally wade too deep into.

Human beings are social creatures. The worst punishment we give criminals? Solitary.

Any time two or more humans meet and decide not to harm one another and work together a social contract of sorts is formed, and a loose "collective" is formed. No one lives birth to the grave in isolation and provides everything they need through life completely on their own.

We are becoming a global species, and things like race and nationality will eventually give way to a new identity paradigm: "Earthling" or "Terran". We will see ourselves as part of a global society, especially as we begin to colonize other planets and the asteroid belt. If we meet other alien species we won't see one another as "American" or "British" -- we'll all be HUMAN.

This is just the way it goes, and no amount of kicking and screaming and carrying on is going to stop it -- it's inevitable. We're more collective than we were 30 years ago before the advent of the internet.

If people that oppose collectivism in all its forms were serious, they wouldn't be online or touch the internet. These folks would lead and live by example and demonstrate the advantages they espouse.

Just like this:



You can't stop humanity's progress. We've gone from nomadic hunter gatherer types, to agrarian farmers, and onward to industrial urbanites...

originally posted by: Swills

You're right, he has no character.

Careful. If you want to make things that happened over 50 years ago relevant to Sanders' current character...

...well, be careful what you wish for. If he has any success in this campaign at all, every questionable thing he's ever done will have a giant spotlight on it.

But you'll probably say that was a long time ago and therefore irrelevant, right?

I guess we'll have to wait and see how it plays out.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

You make it sound as if socialism is the pinnacle of societal evolution.

originally posted by: Swills

Because of his answer you have a thread discussing politics, a thing you don't normally wade too deep into.

Yep. It's all way over my head, man.

a reply to: NthOther

Thank our intrinsically collectivist society for the Internet where everyone can be an amateur political theorist! I'd argue that the politicult of Rand and Mises is far more religious in nature than Bernie's rather moderate brand of "democratic socialism." Internet forums are filled with self-declared individualists who ironically enough say exactly the same things; acolytes blithely repeating the same jargon and catechisms with cultish fervor and a presumptuous air of superiority.

"collectivist!"
"statist!"
"statist-collectivist!" (sh#t just got real)

The reality is that despite pseudo–intellectual jabbering to the contrary, Bernie Sanders doesn't exhibit a fraction of the dogmatic extremism of the typical Internet forum nouveau libertarian.

originally posted by: NthOther

originally posted by: 3NL1GHT3N3D1

I'd say him being spiritual means there's a pretty good chance he believes in God.

People who believe in God will say so without hesitation.

He just throws the word around in figures of speech as if it doesn't mean anything.

Hey wait a minute... I think there's a Jewish rule about that kinda thing... something about vain speech when dealing with the Almighty? I'm sure I don't know the Torah as well as Bernie does, though.

For a guy you think is godless, he sure does know his religion and preach the good word.

www.religionnews.com...

He told a student convocation to stand with the poor. He quoted from the Bible (Matthew 7:12 and Amos 5:24) and told students, “I am motivated by a vision which exists in all of the great religions — in Christianity, in Judaism, in Islam, Buddhism and other religions — and which is so beautifully and clearly stated in Matthew 7:12.

“And it states: ‘So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the law and the prophets.’ That is the golden rule. Do to others what you would have them do to you. “It is not very complicated,” he added.

But looking just a little bit further down the search page yielded the answer you are looking for.

www.dailykos.com...

Sanders doesn’t generally speak about his own religious views. He said he’s proud to be Jewish, and though he’s “not much into” organized religion, he wouldn’t be doing what he is today if he were not “spiritual.”
“I believe that there is a connection between all living things, and that my belief in God requires me to do all that I can to follow the ‘Golden Rule,’ to do unto others and as I would have them do unto me,” he said. “As a public servant, it requires me to do all that I can to ensure that every person lives with dignity and security.”

So there you go, you can rest easy now. Google is hard.

a reply to: NthOther

Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realize acts of courage had a statute of limitations.

a reply to: Swills

Politicians quote scripture all the time. So what?

And I think he might be confused. He invokes Matthew and the Golden Rule. Is this guy a Jew or a Christian? Now I'm confused.

No, I get it. He's a politician. He's telling people what they want to hear. Sounds like New Age bulls# more than anything else. I don't think he believes any of it anyway.

a reply to: NthOther

Did you not see the second part of my post you replied to? He believes in god, aren't you satisfied now? Or is this just a political hit piece thread?

originally posted by: Swills

Did you not see the second part of my post you replied to? He believes in god, aren't you satisfied now? Or is this just a political hit piece thread?

As I said above, people who believe in God will say so without hesitation when asked (and, unfortunately, often without being asked). Those who truly believe it will do so even under threat of death.

Jimmy Kimmel is not nearly as monstrous since he lost the weight.

a reply to: NthOther

So what you're saying is you're just gonna throw facts out the window and make up your own answers about Sanders belief in god? Well then, I see no reason to continue this conversation.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Gene Roddenbury was a science FICTION author, not a deep philosopher.

originally posted by: Swills
a reply to: NthOther

You're right, he has no character.

Get's arrested for protesting segregation.... then spends the next 50 years in all white Vermont.... go figure.

a reply to: Swills

Maybe I wouldn't need to speculate if he would just answer the question when people ask him.

Hm?

But out of one side of his mouth he's a cultural Jew, and out of the other side of his mouth he embraces Christian ethics, quoting whoever he needs to quote to fool whatever audience he's in front of.

Using spirituality to manipulate people. Sounds kinda... religious, does it not?

originally posted by: burdman30ott6
a reply to: MystikMushroom

Gene Roddenbury was a science FICTION author, not a deep philosopher.

Ayn Rand was a FICTION author and not a real philosopher either (read any serious critique of Objectivism) but that hasn't stopped a whole lot of conservatives from pretending otherwise.

a reply to: Bone75

Oh wow, never thought of it like that, maybe because it's ridiculous. Accusing Sanders of living in "all white" Vermont because he doesn't want to live near black people is immature and reeks of political trolling. You're basically saying Sanders is a racist, how ignorant.