BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) — In response to the growing migrant crisis, the City of New York is officially commandeering popular park recreation centers. At least two have been partially taken ov…
[A list of twenty-two, count 'em twenty two quotes meant to demonstrate that it’s objectively false to claim that “we’re a Christian country at heart, and we always have been, founded on Christian values”]
Did they teach you to keep a file of such quotes in your atheist training seminars? If your goal was to overwhelm me, congrats, you succeeded. This conversation is already so long and unwieldy that there’s no way I’m going to address each of these. Suffice it to say that you’re wrong about this, and a suitable reply would be book length. And I’m not talking about a small or medium-sized book.
I will just briefly address the first one to mention that it’s from an international treaty with a Muslim nation to protect American lives. We told them what they wanted to hear, to get them to agree. So goes international treaties. They’re rhetoric devised to achieve political goals, and they mean nothing beyond that. Yes, we assured Muslims that our government is not founded on Christianity, and if you believe that I’ve got a bridge to sell you.
Each of these quotes you offered either has a similarly simple rebuttal, or is actually correct without implying what you think it implies. Some of them are taken out of important context. I’ll leave it at that.
I find it dystopian and creepy because it’s the same sort of thing that North Korea does, China does, and Nazi Germany did. Forcing people to swear loyalty to the state is a gross misuse of the power of the government.
Listen, we agree that North Korea, China, and Nazi Germany are all bad countries, and we wouldn’t want to imitate them. So let’s at least take a moment to appreciate our agreement.
As for the alleged similarity of our Pledge, it’s only superficially similar in that citizens are naturally loyal to their countries, right or wrong. Yes, the Bellamy Salute looked a whole lot like our enemies’ patriotic gestures, but even though that similarity was superficial, we changed it.
The elephant in the room is that the US is at heart nothing whatsoever like any other country, including the ethnostates of North Korea, China, and Nazi Germany. We’re so dissimilar from other countries that it’s wrong to compare us in almost any way at all. No other country in the world was founded in an act of revolution formed as an appeal to heaven.
[Replying to “I have to wonder if you know your neighbors very well. Honest question: do you?”] That depends upon what you mean by “neighbors”, and “know”. Sorry, that’s just a very broad question. Can you elaborate?
As for what I mean by “neighbor”, I refer you to Luke 10:29-37:
But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?
And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.
And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.
But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.
Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?
And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
As for “know”, it’s a broad spectrum ranging from “stranger” to “wife”. I’m asking how well you know them, and it could be anywhere along that spectrum.
Unpause, part 2 of 2:
Did they teach you to keep a file of such quotes in your atheist training seminars? If your goal was to overwhelm me, congrats, you succeeded. This conversation is already so long and unwieldy that there’s no way I’m going to address each of these. Suffice it to say that you’re wrong about this, and a suitable reply would be book length. And I’m not talking about a small or medium-sized book.
I will just briefly address the first one to mention that it’s from an international treaty with a Muslim nation to protect American lives. We told them what they wanted to hear, to get them to agree. So goes international treaties. They’re rhetoric devised to achieve political goals, and they mean nothing beyond that. Yes, we assured Muslims that our government is not founded on Christianity, and if you believe that I’ve got a bridge to sell you.
Each of these quotes you offered either has a similarly simple rebuttal, or is actually correct without implying what you think it implies. Some of them are taken out of important context. I’ll leave it at that.
Listen, we agree that North Korea, China, and Nazi Germany are all bad countries, and we wouldn’t want to imitate them. So let’s at least take a moment to appreciate our agreement.
As for the alleged similarity of our Pledge, it’s only superficially similar in that citizens are naturally loyal to their countries, right or wrong. Yes, the Bellamy Salute looked a whole lot like our enemies’ patriotic gestures, but even though that similarity was superficial, we changed it.
The elephant in the room is that the US is at heart nothing whatsoever like any other country, including the ethnostates of North Korea, China, and Nazi Germany. We’re so dissimilar from other countries that it’s wrong to compare us in almost any way at all. No other country in the world was founded in an act of revolution formed as an appeal to heaven.
As for what I mean by “neighbor”, I refer you to Luke 10:29-37:
As for “know”, it’s a broad spectrum ranging from “stranger” to “wife”. I’m asking how well you know them, and it could be anywhere along that spectrum.