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Your beliefs, your politics

Revoltingest

Pragmatic Libertarian
Premium Member
I love your clarity of thought and succinctness of expression. I never feel the need to agree with you on every point (You are free to be wrong :p:p:p:p:p:p:p:p) You keep on keeping on!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Being right is an unattainable goal.
And I often can't rise even to the level of being wrong.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
How do you see the relationship / interaction / influence of your beliefs (religious or otherwise) with your politics?

Perhaps they are in separate boxes? Perhaps one flows from the other? Perhaps they are expressions of the same "thing"?
My religion informs my politics for the most part. Which is probably why I don't fit into either political party. On one hand, I am socially liberal because I see how the Torah creates a society that cares for the poor. I am going to be kind to the stranger since we were once strangers in Egypt. And I know that the persecution of any minority is the persecution of all minorities. But I'm also morally traditional like on the right, wanting traditional families supported, etc. And lets face it -- right now it is the right that is supporting freedom of religion. The left is pushing for a secular society where religion has to be kept private. Sorry, but while I don't push my religion on anyone, it's definitely not something I'm going to hide either. You can see how my Jewish faith informs on all of these things.
 

Secret Chief

nirvana is samsara
My religion informs my politics for the most part. Which is probably why I don't fit into either political party. On one hand, I am socially liberal because I see how the Torah creates a society that cares for the poor. I am going to be kind to the stranger since we were once strangers in Egypt. And I know that the persecution of any minority is the persecution of all minorities. But I'm also morally traditional like on the right, wanting traditional families supported, etc. And lets face it -- right now it is the right that is supporting freedom of religion. The left is pushing for a secular society where religion has to be kept private. Sorry, but while I don't push my religion on anyone, it's definitely not something I'm going to hide either. You can see how my Jewish faith informs on all of these things.

That's an impressively coherent description! :thumbsup:
I'm not aware of that political motivation regarding religion in the UK, but I can see that might be the case in the US.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
My religion informs my politics for the most part. Which is probably why I don't fit into either political party. On one hand, I am socially liberal because I see how the Torah creates a society that cares for the poor. I am going to be kind to the stranger since we were once strangers in Egypt. And I know that the persecution of any minority is the persecution of all minorities. But I'm also morally traditional like on the right, wanting traditional families supported, etc. And lets face it -- right now it is the right that is supporting freedom of religion. The left is pushing for a secular society where religion has to be kept private. Sorry, but while I don't push my religion on anyone, it's definitely not something I'm going to hide either. You can see how my Jewish faith informs on all of these things.

So, not bothered about indoctrinating children?
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
Gandhi said that anyone who thinks that politics and religion can be separated doesn't understand religion. I'll add they don't understand politics either.

Morality cuts through both lines, so I firmly believe that if a person excuses immoral behavior politically then they themselves are also violating basic religious morality as well.
 

Secret Chief

nirvana is samsara
I'll add they don't understand politics either.

I can never understand how a person can say they have no interest in politics. Every day we all will have opinions on various matters which show we are interested in politics.

Waste bins emptied once a fortnight, was weekly. Got an opinion? Politics.

Can't get an operation for 12 months, used to be 6. Got an opinion? Politics.

Your child's school using teaching assistants to replace teachers. Got an opinion? Politics.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
I can never understand how a person can say they have no interest in politics. Every day we all will have opinions on various matters which show we are interested in politics.

Waste bins emptied once a fortnight, was weekly. Got an opinion? Politics.

Can't get an operation for 12 months, used to be 6. Got an opinion? Politics.

Your child's school using teaching assistants to replace teachers. Got an opinion? Politics.

I can understand why - because there are a lot more interesting things to take up one's time, and the politicians are mainly a bunch of asses. :oops:
 

Secret Chief

nirvana is samsara
I can understand why - because there are a lot more interesting things to take up one's time, and the politicians are mainly a bunch of asses. :oops:
I think therein lies the misunderstanding. Politics is not just some faraway thing engaged in by a bunch of asses. Political decisions affect all our ongoing daily lives. And if we wish to, we can try to change things by becoming politically active. We too can become an ***.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
I think therein lies the misunderstanding. Politics is not just some faraway thing engaged in by a bunch of asses. Political decisions affect all our ongoing daily lives. And if we wish to, we can try to change things by becoming politically active. We too can become an ***.

Well I do tend to read all the various articles related to politics in the better news outlets (just to keep up) but I'd hardly see that as taking an interest, and more of a necessity - given that I mostly have Left-wing views and there seems little chance of that happening any time soon, although the new Labour leader at least is a reasonable sort and not some delusional window-dressing.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
So, not bothered about indoctrinating children?
No, not at all. Children need a grounding in some religion. It is up to the parent what religion they are raised in. I realize this means that most children are brought up with faulty views. However, I think this is far better than to be raised with no religion at all, to have a spiritual vacuum. I consider it spiritual neglect to raise a child completely secular.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
No, not at all. Children need a grounding in some religion. It is up to the parent what religion they are raised in. I realize this means that most children are brought up with faulty views. However, I think this is far better than to be raised with no religion at all, to have a spiritual vacuum. I consider it spiritual neglect to raise a child completely secular.

This is the view of many or most who have a religion no doubt, but it smacks to me of placing your preferences over the freedoms of the child - the freedom not to be indoctrinated by something unproven - unlike say, mathematics or geography.
 

IndigoChild5559

Loving God and my neighbor as myself.
This is the view of many or most who have a religion no doubt, but it smacks to me of placing your preferences over the freedoms of the child - the freedom not to be indoctrinated by something unproven - unlike say, mathematics or geography.
People who are involved in religious communities are happier, healthier, and have an edge of protection against depression. They also live longer. For all those reasons, I would say it is wrong to hold a child away from involvement in a religious community. But more than this, I think that mankind is inherently religious. It's like being artistic, or musical. A good parent exposes their child to crayons, paints, and singing -- in the same way, a good parent is going to feed their child's spirituality as well.
 

Mock Turtle

Oh my, did I say that!
Premium Member
People who are involved in religious communities are happier, healthier, and have an edge of protection against depression. They also live longer. For all those reasons, I would say it is wrong to hold a child away from involvement in a religious community. But more than this, I think that mankind is inherently religious. It's like being artistic, or musical. A good parent exposes their child to crayons, paints, and singing -- in the same way, a good parent is going to feed their child's spirituality as well.

Time will tell.
 

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
How do you see the relationship / interaction / influence of your beliefs (religious or otherwise) with your politics?

Pehaps they are in separate boxes? Perhaps one flows from the other? Perhaps they are expressions of the same "thing"?
I used to be both political and spiritual, but i found that those two does not go well together, so now my focus are only toward the spiritual aspect of life.
 

Secret Chief

nirvana is samsara
I used to be both political and spiritual, but i found that those two does not go well together, so now my focus are only toward the spiritual aspect of life.
It sounds like you concur with the Buddha. Perhaps I should too, but I naively hope politics can be a vehicle for the improvement of society (and of course, the opposite).
 

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
It sounds like you concur with the Buddha. Perhaps I should too, but I naively hope politics can be a vehicle for the improvement of society (and of course, the opposite).
I was practicing buddhism for a long time, som yes i do concur with Buddha on this :)
I believe politics work for mundane lifestyle, but not mixing spiritual and politics
 
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