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Democracy demands that participants translate their beliefs into universal rather than religious specific values. It requires that religious proposals be subject to argument, and agreeable to reason. If someone seeks to pass a law, it must be based on something OTHER than just the teachings of the church. You can't simply point to what your pastor said last Sunday, or evoke "God's Will", and expect that argument to be accepted by everyone without further debate.
Although this may offend evangelicals, in a pluralistic society, we have no choice except to compromise with others. We must persuade people by referencing a commonly agreed to reality. We must compromise, and assess what is really possible. This contradicts religion, which is, at a fundamental level, uncompromising, and practices the art of dealing with the impossible. Basing your life on this may be sublime, but basing policies on this is dangerous.
Democracy demands that participants translate their beliefs into universal rather than religious specific values. It requires that religious proposals be subject to argument, and agreeable to reason. If someone seeks to pass a law, it must be based on something OTHER than just the teachings of the church. You can't simply point to what your pastor said last Sunday, or evoke "God's Will", and expect that argument to be accepted by everyone without further debate.
Although this may offend evangelicals, in a pluralistic society, we have no choice except to compromise with others. We must persuade people by referencing a commonly agreed to reality. We must compromise, and assess what is really possible. This contradicts religion, which is, at a fundamental level, uncompromising, and practices the art of dealing with the impossible. Basing your life on this may be sublime, but basing policies on this is dangerous.
Originally posted by Irish M1ck
reply to post by orangetom1999
Now you're just making up stuff. Even when you have the paragraph in front of you, you have to remove it from context to make it work. Instead of paraphrasing his words, you first remove them from context to change their meaning and then paraphrase.
Both of these quotes are only saying that political decisions and legislation should not be based solely on faith as that is dangerous (see Iraq War).
If you think that's "anti-Christian"... oh well. I guess you've got another one right here.
Originally said by Obama
Democracy demands that participants translate their beliefs into universal rather than religious specific values.
Originally said by Obama
It requires that religious proposals be subject to argument, and agreeable to reason.
Originally said by Obama
If someone seeks to pass a law, it must be based on something OTHER than just the teachings of the church.
Originally said by Obama
You can't simply point to what your pastor said last Sunday, or evoke "God's Will", and expect that argument to be accepted by everyone without further debate.
Originally said by Obama
Although this may offend evangelicals, in a pluralistic society, we have no choice except to compromise with others.
Originally said by Obama
We must persuade people by referencing a commonly agreed to reality. We must compromise, and assess what is really possible.
Originally said by Obama
This contradicts religion, which is, at a fundamental level, uncompromising, and practices the art of dealing with the impossible.
Originally said by Obama
Basing your life on this may be sublime, but basing policies on this is dangerous.
Yes, it certainly does require that. Just this act alone would help bring peace in the Middle East.
I think this goes without saying... every proposal should be subject to argument.
Well considering we live in a country whose government is secular, I'd say this is not only a good observation, but to not follow this line of thought is to go against the Constitution.
Again, he is talking about government here, not the people, in all of these quotes. Even if he wasn't, it still stands as a valid point, does it not? Can you expect everyone to take your argument as correct because your paster said it?
Oh no! Not compromise! Evil Obama and his anti-Christian compromising rhetoric!
Meh , that's really open to interpretation. I think he's really saying that politicians really need to focus in terms of reality when trying to talk to people. Instead of focusing on God, they need to focus on facts.
Is religion uncompromising? I would so say, until it is faced with inevitability. They are generally the last to get on board with anything that is progressive.
And I believe we can all agree that it deals with the impossible.
Especially in a secular government. Notice what he didn't say? He didn't say anything about making any laws that infringe upon the 1st amendment. In fact, all he said is that people in government need to be more secular, which, according the Supreme Court, is their job to do anyway.
Originally posted by orangetom1999
Which part of the First Amendment of the Constitution of the United States applies to the Middle East?? I am curious about this since you seem wont to bring up a lot here on random rabid trails.
Originally said by Obama
Democracy demands that participants translate their beliefs into universal rather than religious specific values.
Originally posted by orangetom1999
I do however have problems with the counterfeit process where someone makes the point that "Democracy Demands participants translate their beliefs to universal rather than religious specific values." This is a very different and forceful point far away from the concept of subject to argument. This is coercion...it is a hijacking..it is justification for force ...it is UnAmerican. Unconstitutional in its intent. Universal is not American. It is worldly..the World system not the American system.
Originally posted by orangetom1999
You have a big problem here with this....what happened to the part of the First Amendment which also states..."nor the free exercise there of??"
See how easy it is to pay favorites and show only half or less of the whole picture. Do our leaders take an oath to protect and defend only parts or half or less of the Constitution of the United States??
Originally posted by orangetom1999
He is not talking about government here. He is talking about applying this template to society. Not to government.
Originally said by Obama
If someone seeks to pass a law, it must be based on something OTHER than just the teachings of the church.
Originally said by Obama
You can't simply point to what your pastor said last Sunday, or evoke "God's Will", and expect that argument to be accepted by everyone without further debate.
Originally posted by orangetom1999
somewhere earlier in this post or thread...I made debate points with someone named Valhall. Their point was that Obama's speech was not Anti Christian..but was instead..non sectarian. Non sectarian is non Christian. Christians are a sect...meaning separated from ..not universal.
Your drama points are wasted here. It also shows poor tack. Stay on point please.
Originally posted by orangetom1999
Oh, I agree they need to focus on facts. Quite right Irish Mick. And facts are that for the people, religion and religious beliefs guide most of them daily. Government needs to keep this fact in mind if they are going to focus on facts. Otherwise they are promoting the government not the people. This should be obvious. Otherwise government is a hijacker and a counterfeiter of its oath of office and charter of government.
Originally posted by orangetom1999
I disagree here Irish Mick, Where is it written that religion must be compromising?? What is the law or title of Fiefdom ..which says religion must and is required to compromise? Where is it written that people who have a religious belief must compromise or cede to government or some other entity..in contradiction to "nor the free exercise there of??"
Originally posted by orangetom1999
Obama said nothing of the kind..he is talking about applying his template to the people of this country. He is not talking about limits on government. He is talking about limits on the People of the United States contrary to the Constitution of the United States and in favor of universal values. Obama is talking about applying this template to society..people..not government.
i]At which point did anyone discuss the First Amendment or the Constitution. Here's the Obama quote again:
Originally said by Obama
Democracy demands that participants translate their beliefs into universal rather than religious specific values.
While I do think a First Amendment would be helpful in the Middle East, it wouldn't do that much. I was talking about participants in government not basing their decisions on religion. That also pretty much sums up the entire argument Obama was trying to make.
So, again, not the First Amendment, but rather that politicians (and maybe even its citizens) making decisions based off of logic rather than religion.
Again, I have to disagree. I thought we agreed that the founding fathers were pretty clear that this government would be secular. For that to even work, the participants must be secular themselves when making decisions.
It can't work both ways. We can't have a secular government if that government employs individuals who make non-secular decisions.
Can you prove that? As far as I can tell, he's definitely talking about government.
Originally posted by Alora
He mocked the bible by repeating passages from it? When was he wrong about anything he said? I'll tell you-- never. There is nothing wrong with proposing the separation of government and religion. It is, after all, one of our fundamental rights. One that usually goes ignored by christians. There is nothing wrong with bringing up certain parts of the bible that are too archaic to be useful in modern society, and the parts that are too outlandish to be taken as historical accuracy.
I agree with the point he was trying to make: we are a nation of different beliefs, and that is ok.
To me, you all sound scared and hateful....but mostly scared.
edited because someone forgot to proofread, AGAIN. *sigh*
[edit on 23-8-2008 by Alora]