More news on the afganastan quran burning

[MobBoss]

We aren't that much more civilized and advanced, especially when you consider which countries still use the death penalty.

Japan?

 

[El_Machinae]

Moderator Action: No! to the topic drift

 

[Quackers]

More to the point: burn an American flag. That induces the same feelings among many Americans, especially hicks like Jones, that Koran-burning creates among these rioters.

When was the last time an American mob beheaded UN workers because Pakistani's burnt an ameican flag?

 

[Tee Kay]

When was the last time the United States was under 30 years of foreign occupation and civil war?

 

[Dreadnought]

When was the last time the United States was a theocratic state?

 

[Tee Kay]

Being a theocracy or really any form of perceived extremist government has less to do with extremism on the popular level than one would think.

 

[Quackers]

When was the last time the United States was under 30 years of foreign occupation and civil war?

What has that to do with anything???

It is no excuse.

 

[Arakhor]

When was the last time the United States was a theocratic state?

Well, a good many of your politicians seem to wish it was now.

 

[Whiskey_Lord]

Ironically, most of the intellectuals behind the Republican party are non-believers. Not unlike the people who invented religion in the first place, I'd wager.

 

[Dreadnought]

Well, a good many of your politicians seem to wish it was now.

I don't own any politicians, but I sure wish I did; and I'm quite certain there are very few major political figures that wish to make the US into a theocratic state.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Ironically, most of the intellectuals behind the Republican party are non-believers. Not unlike the people who invented religion in the first place, I'd wager.

There are intellectuals behind the Republican Party, much less non-believers?

 

[Dreadnought]

There are intellectuals behind the Republican Party, much less non-believers?

Oh! I get it! I see what you did there. If you use sarcasm enough, maybe your opinion will come true!

 

[Formaldehyde]

Then I'm sure you wouldn't mind coming up with the names of the elitist intellectuals who supposedly determine what the Republican Party does next. Who are those brilliant minds who brought us the Tea Party, provincial fundamentalist morality, and the Southern strategy?

 

[Dreadnought]

You mean these guys? Believing in religion does not make you in favor of a theocratic state; and you're outta your mind if you think that these people possess no intellectual capabilities at all.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Are you actually trying to insinuate that Michael Steele and Reince Priebus are elitist intellectuals?

And deliberately bringing religion into politics obviously doesn't make it secular no matter how much the Republican Party tries to claim it does.

 

[Dreadnought]

Are you actually trying to insinuate that Michael Steele and Reince Priebus are elitist intellectuals?

I didn't say elitist intellectuals at all; I was countering your opinion that there are no intellectuals in the GOP.

You see, now I could counteract "Well, there are no Democrat intellectuals, are there?!?" but that would just be petty and immature, and snide comments don't get very far in intellectual debates.

 

[Formaldehyde]

I didn't say elitist intellectuals at all; I was countering your opinion that there are no intellectuals in the GOP.

You mean you were trying to counter an obvious strawman of my views?

You do realize that the Republican Party generally despises intellectuals. Right? That it isn't the smart people who are leading the Republican Party nowadays. Those days are long gone. Check out the Southern strategy, Ronald Reagan, GWB, and Karl Rove for further details.

As people do better, they start voting like Republicans - unless they have too much education and vote Democratic, which proves there can be too much of a good thing. Karl Rove

 

[Dreadnought]

You mean you were trying to counter an obvious strawman of my views?

You do realize that the Republican Party generally despises intellectuals. Right?

I'm having a tough time keeping up with all your edits.

If there's a straw man here, then it was certainly you who created it, not me. To say that any political parties despise intellectuals is inherently flawed, because no political party can survive without having intellectual support, whether in one direction or another; and to say that they aren't intellectuals because they support a particular viewpoint is quite narrow minded.

Now, instead of derailing this particular thread, I'd be fine with a new thread starting up to debate this topic; but at the same time, its tough to argue with someone who mingles opinions with facts.

 

[Formaldehyde]

First, this isn't a chat room.

Second, I'm obviously discussing generalities here, which is why I said "in general". But even so, it is clear there is no group of intellectuals which decide what the Republican Party does next. To insinuate there is is "inherently flawed".

Third, everything I have stated here is my opinion. Show me where I have "mingled" opinion with fact.

 

[Whiskey_Lord]

Take all of the people in GWB's circle, for example. Obviously I can't prove that they are non-believers, but I have no reason to think that they are. Professing belief is something that all American politicians have to do, but does anyone here buy that from most of them?