![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
This is just too damned easy, and I know I'm probably preaching to the choir about gay marriages to the majority of my audience, so feel free to skip my picking apart of this absurd editorial.
The first war is against the Islamic attempt to crush whoever stands in the way of the spread of violent Islamic theocracies, such as al-Qaida, the Taliban, the Iranian mullahs and Hamas.
These will be fought, of course, with the Christian attempt to crush whoever stands in the way of the spread of violent Christian theocracies. I like how this guy keeps hammering the name of the religion, when there are a bazillion Muslims who are a lot more peace loving than the average American (who voted for Arnold, for instance).
The other war is against the secular nihilism that manifests itself in much of Western Europe, in parts of America such as San Francisco and in many of our universities.
Okay- this guy is actually equating gay marriage with nihilism? This will be interesting to watch.
America leads the battle against both religious and secular nihilism and is hated by both because it rejects both equally. American values preclude embracing either religious extremism or radical secularism. As Alexis de Tocqueville, probably the greatest observer of our society, wrote almost 200 years ago, America is a unique combination of secular government and religious (Judeo-Christian) society.
Not only has this combination been unique, it has been uniquely successful. America, therefore, poses as mortal a threat to radical secularism as it does to Islamic totalitarianism. Each understands that America's success means its demise.
First of all, the fact that we're the richest country doesn't actually make us the 'most successful'. That is something for history to judge, and I personally like to think that a lot of countries have a lot of good things going for them... this whole 'we are the greatest' leads to a sort of 'we versus themism' that seems unnecessarily conflict-driven. In other words, don't dislocate your shoulder trying to pat yourself on the back there, Dennis.
This is a major reason why the Left so opposes anti-Islamism (just as it opposed anti-communism).
Actually, the Left opposes anti-Islamism because Islam is a religion. I seem to recall 'freedom of religion' being a big deal to our founding fathers.
In theory, the Left should be at least as opposed to the Islamists as is the Right.
...because if some members of a religion engage in violence, like say shooting abortion doctors, you should condemn all members of that religion.
But the Left is preoccupied first with destroying America's distinctive values – a Judeo-Christian society (as opposed to a secular one), capitalism (as opposed to socialism),
Wait, so is America all about religion or about capitalism? These are pretty different and to some extent opposing philosophies. I think I've been quite restrained by not mentioning the fact that it is still legal to be a member of religions in this country that are not Judeo-Christian... but it's worth pointing out.
liberty (as opposed to equality)
it had never occurred to me that these things are mutually exclusive... "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
and exceptionalism (as opposed to universalism, multiculturalism and multilateralism).
Again- not exclusive- us versus themism in action
So, if the Islamists are fellow anti-Americans, the Left figures it can worry about them later.
Ah, the ol' Liberals hate America bullshit. What a transparent attempt to make the other guy into a monster to be fought against. We probably eat babies too. @@
All this explains why the passions are so intense regarding same-sex marriage. Most of the activists in the movement to redefine marriage wish to overthrow the predominance of Judeo-Christian values in American life.
Only the part where government uses J-C values as an excuse to discriminate against people...
Those who oppose same-sex marriage understand that redefining the central human institution marks the beginning of the end of Judeo-Christian civilization.
Only if you equate J-C civilization with governmentally sanctioned discrimination...
Let us understand this redefinition as clearly as possible:
With same-sex marriage, our society declares by law that mothers are unnecessary, since two men are equally ideal as mothers and as the creators of a family; and that fathers are unnecessary, since two women are equally ideal as parents and as the creators of a family.
This of course assumes that marriage is only for producing and raising children. Now while that's often a big feature, I have not heard that the government will only consider a marriage valid if it produces offspring.
With same-sex marriage, our society declares that there is nothing special or even necessarily desirable about a man and a woman bonding. What is sacred to the proponents of same-sex marriage is the number of people marrying (two, for the time being), not that a man and woman bond.
He says this as if he fears homo marriage will somehow cut into the amount of hetero marriages; it seems a lot of people afraid of this law are worried it's going to force them to marry someone of the same sex. I don't know what to say to that other than 'what are you, a bunch of morons?!'
With same-sex marriage, when taught in school about sex, marriage and family, children will have to be taught that male-male and female-female sex, love and marriage are identical to male-female sex, love and marriage. And when asked, "Who do you think you will marry when you grow up?" thanks to the ubiquitous images of media, far more children will consider members of the same sex.
I guess it's so blatantly obvious to me that being gay is not a choice that when someone makes that notions like this- that the media is going to make our children gay- it's completely absurd. I suppose this is a big difference between me and a lot of social conservatives. I can't imagine why anyone would chose to be gay considering how they're treated; but as society realizes that gay people exist, they are forced to accept them. People like Dennis would probably say that you see more gays today because society ha given people the mistaken notion that gays are okay because of some liberal agenda to destroy the fabric of America or whatever the fuck, so more people choose to be gay because... I dunno, Tiger Beat says it's cool or something.
With same-sex marriage, no adoption agency will ever be able to prefer a married man and woman as prospective parents.
What a load; I understand adoption agencies can be as discriminating as they want to be.
Aside from the tragedy of denying untold numbers of children a mother and a father,
a mother and a father what?
this will lead to a drastic diminution in women placing children for adoption, since most of these women will prefer something that will then be illegal – that agencies place her child with a man and woman, not with two men or two women.
Again, a load. My understanding is that women have all sorts of power to choose exactly who they want to place their baby with.
With same-sex marriage, any media – films, advertisements, greeting cards – that only depict married couples as a woman and a man will be considered discriminatory and probably be sued.
Just like all the movies and greeting card companies that have lost billions over discrimination lawsuits for not depicting biracial marriages. What planet does this guy live on??
With same-sex marriage, those religious groups that only marry men and women will be deemed beyond the pale, marginalized and ostracized.
See above comment, think Catholic churches who refuse to perform Jewish weddings. Again, gay marriage is not gonna cut into the hetero marriage rate- I don't think the churches are going to be hurting if they don't perform gay weddings.
There have been many Christian countries, and they are no longer.
There might be a good reason for that...
They have been replaced by secular countries, and they are weakening.
I'm skeptical
Only American civilization remains strong, and it does so because of its unique amalgam of values rooted in Judeo-Christian morality.
I'm *extremely* skeptical, both that US civilization remains strong, and that what strength it does have is due to J-C morality. If anything I believe that fundamentalism is weakening the freedom this country was built upon.
This civilization is now fighting for its life – as much here as abroad. Join the fight, or it will be gone as fast as you can say "Democrat."
Well, you're just a big poo-poo pants, if we're going do lower ourselves to that sort of childish tactic.
The first war is against the Islamic attempt to crush whoever stands in the way of the spread of violent Islamic theocracies, such as al-Qaida, the Taliban, the Iranian mullahs and Hamas.
These will be fought, of course, with the Christian attempt to crush whoever stands in the way of the spread of violent Christian theocracies. I like how this guy keeps hammering the name of the religion, when there are a bazillion Muslims who are a lot more peace loving than the average American (who voted for Arnold, for instance).
The other war is against the secular nihilism that manifests itself in much of Western Europe, in parts of America such as San Francisco and in many of our universities.
Okay- this guy is actually equating gay marriage with nihilism? This will be interesting to watch.
America leads the battle against both religious and secular nihilism and is hated by both because it rejects both equally. American values preclude embracing either religious extremism or radical secularism. As Alexis de Tocqueville, probably the greatest observer of our society, wrote almost 200 years ago, America is a unique combination of secular government and religious (Judeo-Christian) society.
Not only has this combination been unique, it has been uniquely successful. America, therefore, poses as mortal a threat to radical secularism as it does to Islamic totalitarianism. Each understands that America's success means its demise.
First of all, the fact that we're the richest country doesn't actually make us the 'most successful'. That is something for history to judge, and I personally like to think that a lot of countries have a lot of good things going for them... this whole 'we are the greatest' leads to a sort of 'we versus themism' that seems unnecessarily conflict-driven. In other words, don't dislocate your shoulder trying to pat yourself on the back there, Dennis.
This is a major reason why the Left so opposes anti-Islamism (just as it opposed anti-communism).
Actually, the Left opposes anti-Islamism because Islam is a religion. I seem to recall 'freedom of religion' being a big deal to our founding fathers.
In theory, the Left should be at least as opposed to the Islamists as is the Right.
...because if some members of a religion engage in violence, like say shooting abortion doctors, you should condemn all members of that religion.
But the Left is preoccupied first with destroying America's distinctive values – a Judeo-Christian society (as opposed to a secular one), capitalism (as opposed to socialism),
Wait, so is America all about religion or about capitalism? These are pretty different and to some extent opposing philosophies. I think I've been quite restrained by not mentioning the fact that it is still legal to be a member of religions in this country that are not Judeo-Christian... but it's worth pointing out.
liberty (as opposed to equality)
it had never occurred to me that these things are mutually exclusive... "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
and exceptionalism (as opposed to universalism, multiculturalism and multilateralism).
Again- not exclusive- us versus themism in action
So, if the Islamists are fellow anti-Americans, the Left figures it can worry about them later.
Ah, the ol' Liberals hate America bullshit. What a transparent attempt to make the other guy into a monster to be fought against. We probably eat babies too. @@
All this explains why the passions are so intense regarding same-sex marriage. Most of the activists in the movement to redefine marriage wish to overthrow the predominance of Judeo-Christian values in American life.
Only the part where government uses J-C values as an excuse to discriminate against people...
Those who oppose same-sex marriage understand that redefining the central human institution marks the beginning of the end of Judeo-Christian civilization.
Only if you equate J-C civilization with governmentally sanctioned discrimination...
Let us understand this redefinition as clearly as possible:
With same-sex marriage, our society declares by law that mothers are unnecessary, since two men are equally ideal as mothers and as the creators of a family; and that fathers are unnecessary, since two women are equally ideal as parents and as the creators of a family.
This of course assumes that marriage is only for producing and raising children. Now while that's often a big feature, I have not heard that the government will only consider a marriage valid if it produces offspring.
With same-sex marriage, our society declares that there is nothing special or even necessarily desirable about a man and a woman bonding. What is sacred to the proponents of same-sex marriage is the number of people marrying (two, for the time being), not that a man and woman bond.
He says this as if he fears homo marriage will somehow cut into the amount of hetero marriages; it seems a lot of people afraid of this law are worried it's going to force them to marry someone of the same sex. I don't know what to say to that other than 'what are you, a bunch of morons?!'
With same-sex marriage, when taught in school about sex, marriage and family, children will have to be taught that male-male and female-female sex, love and marriage are identical to male-female sex, love and marriage. And when asked, "Who do you think you will marry when you grow up?" thanks to the ubiquitous images of media, far more children will consider members of the same sex.
I guess it's so blatantly obvious to me that being gay is not a choice that when someone makes that notions like this- that the media is going to make our children gay- it's completely absurd. I suppose this is a big difference between me and a lot of social conservatives. I can't imagine why anyone would chose to be gay considering how they're treated; but as society realizes that gay people exist, they are forced to accept them. People like Dennis would probably say that you see more gays today because society ha given people the mistaken notion that gays are okay because of some liberal agenda to destroy the fabric of America or whatever the fuck, so more people choose to be gay because... I dunno, Tiger Beat says it's cool or something.
With same-sex marriage, no adoption agency will ever be able to prefer a married man and woman as prospective parents.
What a load; I understand adoption agencies can be as discriminating as they want to be.
Aside from the tragedy of denying untold numbers of children a mother and a father,
a mother and a father what?
this will lead to a drastic diminution in women placing children for adoption, since most of these women will prefer something that will then be illegal – that agencies place her child with a man and woman, not with two men or two women.
Again, a load. My understanding is that women have all sorts of power to choose exactly who they want to place their baby with.
With same-sex marriage, any media – films, advertisements, greeting cards – that only depict married couples as a woman and a man will be considered discriminatory and probably be sued.
Just like all the movies and greeting card companies that have lost billions over discrimination lawsuits for not depicting biracial marriages. What planet does this guy live on??
With same-sex marriage, those religious groups that only marry men and women will be deemed beyond the pale, marginalized and ostracized.
See above comment, think Catholic churches who refuse to perform Jewish weddings. Again, gay marriage is not gonna cut into the hetero marriage rate- I don't think the churches are going to be hurting if they don't perform gay weddings.
There have been many Christian countries, and they are no longer.
There might be a good reason for that...
They have been replaced by secular countries, and they are weakening.
I'm skeptical
Only American civilization remains strong, and it does so because of its unique amalgam of values rooted in Judeo-Christian morality.
I'm *extremely* skeptical, both that US civilization remains strong, and that what strength it does have is due to J-C morality. If anything I believe that fundamentalism is weakening the freedom this country was built upon.
This civilization is now fighting for its life – as much here as abroad. Join the fight, or it will be gone as fast as you can say "Democrat."
Well, you're just a big poo-poo pants, if we're going do lower ourselves to that sort of childish tactic.
