Monday, February 13, 2012

Fundamentalism, religious and political

Political Vitriol and Its Consequences for Democracy (by Geoffrey Stone) – Huffington Post

Excerpts clearly demonstrating fundamentalism:

Barack Obama is a Socialist who consorts with domestic terrorists. He is a Muslim who was born in Kenya and is therefore not constitutionally eligible to be president. He wants to import homosexuals, destroy the Second Amendment, and encourage abortions. According to Sean Hannity, he has thrown Israel under a “bus full of suicide bombers.” According to Glenn Beck, he has “a deep-seated hatred for white people.” According to Rush Limbaugh, he has “nothing but contempt for this country.”

And on and on and on.

The tenor and tone of the right-wing assault on the President of the United States should disturb all Americans. It is, to say the least, unseemly. Of course, we cherish the right to free speech. But having the right to do something does not mean one should actually do it. The Nazis had a First Amendment right to march in Skokie and the Klan has a First Amendment right to burn a cross, but that doesn’t mean we should join or applaud them. With rights come, or should come, maturity and personal responsibility.

Although the ugliness of our current political discourse is distressing, it is not unprecedented.

In this piece by Geoffrey R. Stone (whose articles often appear in The Huffington Post), he expertly points out some of the weirdness of what the Hard Right says they believe.

Before proceeding, please put on your “intellectual honesty” cap. No one-sided, partisan talking points are allowed to influence your answers! That goes for YOU…

Do you honestly think that Barack Obama has a deep-seated hatred for white people? Or perhaps we should be asking, do you really accept that Glenn Beck honestly believes that Barack Obama has a deep-seated hatred for white people?

Although this is a rhetorical question, some (sadly) will not see it this way; so we will answer it: Not a chance; Glenn Beck almost certainly does not truly believe that Barack Obama has a deep-seated hatred for white people; however, he wishes to appeal to others who say they believe such a silly thing.

The same questions could be asked regarding Obama as a socialist, Obama as anti-Israel, et al.

Lest you believe this post is coming from a partisan angle (in which case we would not be practicing what we preach; we’d be disingenuous and hypocritical), let’s level the political playing field. There were plenty of lies from the political Left regarding President Bush. The problem is, the sins of the modern Hard Right far exceed the sins of the Progressives when it comes to honesty, libel, slander, and so on. Leftist lies about conservative political beliefs are still around, but the majority of vitriol emanates from the Right — particularly, the Hard Right.

Root problem: Fundamentalist belief systems

Regular readers know that fundamentalist belief systems — whether they relate to religious fundamentalism or political fundamentalism (usually called partisanship) – are anathema within these pages, simply because we have finally recognized and understood that fundamentalism in all its forms is one of the top global scourges, being more harmful than restorative in virtually every case (of political or religious fundamentalism).

1. Fundamentalist belief systems are divisive.
2. Fundamentalist belief systems promote closed-mindedness.
3. Fundamentalist belief systems discourage critical thought.
4. Fundamentalist belief systems are self serving.
5. Fundamentalist belief systems consider all outsiders to be wrong at best, or evil at worst.

Acid test: Are you a fundamentalist?

Here’s a quick and easy set of simple yes-or-no questions to help determine whether some might consider your beliefs as religious fundamentalism.

1. There is only one true religion; followers of all other religious and spiritual paths are doomed.

2. Those who do not accept our specific beliefs are not true believers.

3. Our religious text is the only valid scripture. The scriptures of all other so-called “revealed religions” are untrue and cannot be used to interpret our religious text.

4. Our Word from God requires no interpretation; it means exactly what it says. It is not open to varied interpretations. It contains truth, and only truth.

5. If evidence of any kind contradicts our scriptures, then that evidence is wrong or is being misread in some way.

6. Our religious beliefs apply directly to ALL people — in ALL times, cultures, and places.

7. There is always a clear and simple choice between Good and Evil; anyone who thinks otherwise is on the side of Evil.

8. I try not to read, listen to, or watch anything that might challenge my beliefs.

9. Questioning these truths is wrong; they must be accepted on faith.

10. The only morally correct political parties are on the right (or the far right); true believers cannot be liberals.

Resources: Fundamentalism

• Top 10 Thing You’ll Hear Fundamentalist Pastors Say On Superbowl Sunday – Stuff Fundies Like
• Should you be a Fundamentalist? Global Web Post (Investor fundamentalism – not religious)
• Top 20 Bible Passages to Use Against Fundamentalists – Ranker
• Are You a Fundamentalist? A quick quiz to save you from needless outrage – Virtual Church of the Blind Chihuahua

Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Excuses Begone! Notes from Wayne Dyer’s book

An excuse is worse than a lie, for an excuse is a lie, guarded.
(Alexander Pope, one of the greatest English poets of the eighteenth century)

http://quotationsbook.com/quote/13164/

Cardinal virtues (A list on disc 6/6)

Natural sincerity

Sadhana – The Realization of Life

Sadhana: The Realization of Life, by Nobel Prize Laureate Rabindranath Tagore: One of the most important figures in history to bring Indian philosophy and spiritual teachings to the West. Thank you, Sadhana!! Sadhana (spiritual practice, when translated from Sanskrit) was written to teach increasing numbers of Westerners interested in Indian philosophical and spiritual teachings. Anyone curious about Eastern spiritual thought should check out this important, unmatched work.

Resources: Sadhana

• Sadhana on Wikipedia
• Download free audiobook version of Sadhana: The Realization of Life
• Sadhana: The Realization of Life – in paperback on Amazon
• Sadhana: The Realization of Life on Google Books
• Sadhana: The Realization of Life – on Librivox

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