America Bashing

by TR 130 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  fodeja

  Reagan,

  That was their "accomplishment;" I am their "accomplishment" and I carry that with pride and intend to hand that pride down to my own progeny someday.

  What if your ancestors had been not been the type of person you'd like to have around? What if your grand-grandpa was a murderer, rapist or whatever? You know, the concept of "inherited pride" reminds me very much of the concept of original sin.

  Do I think that this is the best country in the world? Abso-friggin-lutely.

  May I ask what your knowledge of the rest of the world is? I'm asking because (as some other people on this board have pointed out), many people in America tend to be very "insular". I don't think it's their personal fault alone, as the media seem so completely self-referential there that it's all too easy to forget that there actually is a civilised world outside of the USA. I've noticed that some American people have rather strange ideas about the rest of the world. (For the record: no, I'm not "USA bashing" here. Stupidity, closed-mindedness and the like are world-wide phenomena.)

  The same way that I cannot comprehend why there is so much nastiness and rock-throwing in the Middle East about the Gaza-Freakin'-Strip.

  Er, I don't understand why you bring up this specific example, but OTOH I agree with your observations :-)

  f.
• 

  Yadirf

  fodeja

  TR, I mean no offense, but I must admit there is one thing I still like about the JW religion: the refreshing, total absence of nationalistic pathos.

  Dirty Lip TR (DLTR)is beyond repair, fodeja, so you might as well just give up on trying to reason with him. All he has left to hope in now is the politics of this world (which equates with placing his confidence in Satan himself). He has no faith in God, or his Word the Bible.

  What is so reprehensible about the dude is that he ONCE was in touch with the truth about Satan's system. He was ONCE privileged with having been brought face to face with the 12th and 13th chapters of Revelation, wherein one can clearly see the parallel between the seven heads of the Dragon (Satan) of Revelation 12 and the seven heads of the Wild Beast (the world’s political system) of the 13th chapter. Yes, he was ONCE privileged with having come to know that such Biblical symbols help a *real* truth seeker to know and understand that, from behind the scenes, it is none other than Satan himself that rules the entire world's political system. That is proven by the fact that the Dragon's heads (which parallel the Wild Beast's heads) are each laden with a "diadem". Yes, the Dragon has jurisdiction over ALL governments of today, because the seventh head of the Dragon is topped with a shiny DIADEM too (the diadem being a symbol depicting rulership; see Revelation 19:12).

  There is no mistaking the fact that Satan’s rule has gone uninterrupted throughout the entire period of the seven heads. It won’t be until Satan is abyssed, just prior to the commencement of Christ’s 1000-year reign, that Satan will no longer have control of the political reigns of the world.

  My oh my, how forgetful Dirty Lip TR is. Just keep on as you are, DLTR, and you will be brought face to face with the truth one more time … by force of circumstances.

  Yadirf
• 

  fodeja

  Yadrivel,

  thanks for reminding me of one of the countless things I do NOT like about the JW religion: arrogant, fanatical, Watchtower-thumping jerks.

  Go play outside.

  f.
• 

  bigboi

  Hey reagan:

  I understand your point. I don't understand how you say you look down upon certain ppl but don't consider yourself better than them. that seems like a bit of a contradiction.

  When I meant by saying conservatives look down on ppl is that they do it without understanding why ppl do the the things they do. For instance, most guys in government don't undertand what it's like to have to struggle in this country. When they talk about unemployed ppl they don't know what it's about to have to go look for a job and sell yourself because their fam's connectins have done that for them already. They practically have everything given to them, yet criticize someone who has to actually work for everything they get. They don't know what it's like to be poor and disenfrachised in this country, so they can't relate to issues that affect ppl. It's this ignorance that leads to uniformative and downright false rhetoric that you see spewing from these guys mouths everytime they try to talk about socio-economic issues.

  You mentioned welfare for example. Most of the ppl in this country on welfare are children, that's right children. Two-thirds of them in fact. The vast majority of the rest are their mothers are guardians. Yet, if you listen to right-wing rhetoric about welfare you would believe that these were grown ass triflin men and women who don't want to work for a living. Now, a few of them are, but the vast majority are women and their children who really need assistance. In most cases it's just that assistance. You don't see even a good percentage of welfare recipients livin plush. Statistics will bear up that most ppl who recive welfare stay on it for 2 yrs or less. Yet, if you listen to most conservatives you won't get that impression or those facts.

  ONE....

  bigboi

  "it ain't what ya do. it's how you do it" quote from the song "True Honeybunz" by Bahamadia
• 

  safe4kids

  Seeker,
  As usual, the voice of reason; did I tell you that is one of the things I admire about you?

  Fodeja,

  This is the second time today I find myself agreeing with one of your posts!

  Tell me one thing: how can you be _proud_ of being an American? I can fully understand being proud of an _accomplishment_: leading a good life, raising kids, learning a language, inventing cold fusion or just being nice to your neighbour. I can understand being proud of shaping a nation's course in some way. I can understand being grateful for being born in the first world, in a free and wealthy land.
  But how, precisely, can one be _proud_ of being born in one particular area of this planet? To me, that's just totally silly. It's exactly as silly as being proud of having a white skin

  I don't think the accident of my birth in this country makes me a better person; I used to argue the point of the accident of being born with a penis somehow meant a man was superior to a woman with my elder ex-bro-in-law...not to any avail, mind you, but it seemed so patently ridiculous to me. I am happy to be an American and I think for all of our flaws, we also have some great strengths. I am happy that my children have been born here but only recently, and due entirely to the people I've met on this board, I am becoming aware of my own ignorance and lack of understanding about the rest of the world. I have been offended a few times (not recently) by generalizatons about Americans; I still think that broad, sweeping statements are rarely, if ever, true...but I have to agree that in my experience, many of the people I know do not feel the need to look beyond our culture to educate themselves about other lands. And I have been just as guilty of this myself.
  I did not take your comments as bashing America; merely your observations which you have every right to hold and express. I don't think there is anything at all wrong with taking pride in oneself and one's accomplishments; where the problem comes in is when one somehow feels superior to others because of an accident of birth. Just my half dollar's worth (inflation, yaknow!)

  Dana

  "A single event can awaken within us a stranger totally unknown to us. To live is to be slowly born."
  Antoine de Saint-Exupery
• 

  SlayerLayer

  I have to say that "freedom" is a joke. Living here in South Carolina, if you drink, you can't but it on Sunday. Why? Because religious fanatics have the most influence. They force their beliefs in the law. I personally rarely ever drink. But damn it, if I wanted to buy a beer on a Sunday afternoon, too bad. I don't have that freedom.

  If I wanted to go shopping before 1:30PM, I'm out of luck. They even outlaw businesses from opening before then. You should be in church. GAG!

  If you drink liquer, you are out of luck if it's after 7:00pm.

  In this great country of ours, why is marijuanna illegal, while cigarettes are the deadlier? Because anyone can grow weed and it would be hard to tax it. So people die everyday because of it's being illegal. What a crock.

  When LSD was made illegal, do you know the reason? Was it because people were overdosing and dying? No, that is impossible with LSD. Was it because it's addictive? No, it has no addictive properties. It was made illegal because our wonderful government saw a growing trend in the rebellion of youth. To this day, if you are caught with it, you are charged with "conspiricy to overthrow the government". WTF!? All I wanted was to see some cool colors, I didn't want to invade the white house!

  My unpatriotic 2 cents.
  Slayer

  "You are here because the world as you know it no longer makes sense.
  You've been raised on television to believe we'll all be millionaires and movie gods and rock stars - but we won't.
  You pray for a different life." Tyler Durden
• 

  bigboi

  Yeah Slayer:

  Freedom is relative my frend even in the Good Ol' USofA. I was amazed to learn that there are still places where you can't by alcohol at all. I'm from New Orleans and you can buy all the alcohol you want whenever you want. I guess it's because even here ppl are different. We have different values and customs. In some heavily reigious areas the majority of ppl there may not want bars open late at night or encourage drinking after hours because they don't want the behaviour assciated with it to be a public thing. Its their decision,their choice. This isa democratic republic anyways, we don't govern ourseves we elect others to do it for us. The majority gets to say who rules, except when your brother is the governor of the state in question...but that's another story altogether.

  ONE.....
  bigboi

  "it ain't what ya do. it's how you do it" quote from the song "True Honeybunz" by Bahamadia
• 

  Yadirf

  fodeja

  thanks for reminding me of one of the countless things I do NOT like about the JW religion: arrogant, fanatical, Watchtower-thumping jerks.

  "Watchtower thumping"??? Everything I said was reasonable and backed up with Bible references, and for your information some details of which I didn't mention don't even agree with Watchtower explanations.

  "Fanatical"??? Is taking the Bible at face value "fanatical" in your opinion? Who can deny the obivious when it comes to the Wild Beast having the same number of heads and horns as the Dragon itself does. Do you think that it takes a fanatic to see the connection? Who can deny the fact that a "diadem" depicts rulership, particularly when the Scriptures themselves show such.

  "Arrogant"??? Since when is hitting the nail on the head the definition of arrogance?

  Go play outside.

  I will play where I wish, with or without YOUR permission, sour puss!
• 

  Spartacus

  TR, I'm a proud American too. My father served in WW2 in Burma, 1 brother was in the Army and served in Viet Nam, 1 brother was in the Air Force and served in Viet Nam, 1 brother was in the Marines and served in Korea and lost a kidney by bullet wound and I became a JW, LOL.

  Firstly I voted BUSH; I'm one of the few 9% of African Americans who voted that way. I did because I don't want to live in a Socialist style government, as the DEMS would have it. I think GORE is a traitor with CLINTON, both sold out to the CHI-COMS regarding our nuclear military secrets. Remember the Democratic National Party receiving $100,000,000 from Chinese government sources including the Chinese Army. WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE?

  TR, you say that you are a proud conservative, Republican, I think their fiscal policies are great and have better ideas when it comes to Taxes, Social Security, Health Care, I think they are more fiscally responsible than the Democrats. The Democrats can't wait to make us more like Europe, high ass taxes and big ass government. But I like the Democrats social ideas. They could care less what people do with their personal lives. And more balance in handling our criminal justice system.

  The Republicans social agenda stinks, they have a really tough time handling social issues. The Religious Right need to stay out of politics and are ruining the party. I don't need some damn religious freak telling me what I should do with my life, thank you I had enough of that JW style. I also believe we have less freedom under the conservative wing. Many non-violent people are locked up under the Republican watch. They have the attitude of lock up the non-violent criminal and throw away the key.

  The war on drugs is just a boon for the criminal justice system to keep it primed with inmates. If people want to do drugs they should be free to screw up their own lives. But once they commit a crime like theft or a violent crime, yes they should be locked up but not forever as some conservatives would have it. Many prison terms do not fit the crime. Under conservative leadership the USA has the largest prison population among industrialize nations. We are losing freedom in many ways under the conservative leadership via the criminal justice system. Individual rights are under fire from the right-wingers, police have too much power over the citizens, we are really under a police state. The cops can search your house, car, person and take all that you own, without a good reason. Privacy has been obliterated via conservative leadership.

  Also, the conservative do a great job making the religious right wing happy while ignoring the concerns of everybody else. This is going to bite them in the ass. Bush will serve one term because he is allowing himself to be pigeon holed as a religious right-winger.

  My 2 cents, Spartacus
• 

  larc

  Hi Friday,

  Let us assume that everything you believe is true (which I don't of course), and we are living in this Satan controlled demon infested world. Even so, we have the highest standard of living in the history of the world. We also have have longest life span in human history.

  If you want to see bad times, you should read about the 14th century. Those people really went through a great tribulation. They must have done it all on their own too, because Satan and the demons hadn't been hurled done to the earth yet.

  bigoli,

  The Republicans in power are rich. My comment: so are the Democrats who are in power.

  Big business must not control everything. My comment: neither should big government control everything.

  The Democrats have an easier idea to sell. We will help you. The Republican ideas is harder to sell but is a better idea. We will set up a system that will make it easier for you to help yourself.