Posted on 03/03/2015 12:32:27 PM PST by two134711
During the 2012 election cycle, an uber-liberal friend of mine asked me how I felt about "having to vote for Romney to get rid of Obama". I responded by saying "who says I'm voting for Romney? I'm a political conservative first, not a Republican."
As I told that friend, I don't vote against candidates. I vote for candidates who will represent and advance my political views (which include pro-life, pro-self-government, reduction of income taxes, permanent reduction of the size of federal government, pro-military, school choice, border protection, and pro-Christian religious freedom). Up until 2012, there were still some Republicans who represented my own interests. In 2012, not so much. I challenged my friend by asking "Why should anyone vote for a candidate who does not, or will not represent their interests?"
That's the whole point of representative government - the candidate that you vote for represents your interests. By voting for him or her, those interests become your interests. If your vote is "against" the liberal candidate, then you've signed your name to a blank check politically. Any policy can be enacted, any growth in government can occur, but you don't care so long as the other guy didn't win. You've thrown away your conscience, in order not to throw away your vote.
So in 2016, I'll be asking people these three questions:
Me too - It was asked of me to read it in the context of a larger argument, and I had to order the book through a library-sharing program (heh... back in the day, before e-bay and amazon)... When it arrived, it was a '50's hard-back, weathered and worn, and in such fragile condition that I literally wrapped it tightly in brown paper for the return, hand-delivered, as I was not sure it could even survive the bottom of the drop-box...
In some way, the fragile condition of the pages heightened the story, and the fragile condition of the people - each page turned with loving care, lest it should break. There is more than one of my tears staining that book - plainly laid over the tears of many others...
What impressed me the most was when he spoke of waking up in the morning and the person next to him was dead- he, like so many others would go back to sleep. He said that after awhile, that became life around the camp- it was part of daily life, they were beyond mourning and survival was the goal. What is it inside a person that could make them still want to live , despite the fact of being in hell on earth? That amazed me.
For me, it was the fact that in spite of being far beyond dire need, men of good measure were giving of their meager rations to those worse than themselves, when the act was so useless as to be pointless - And they grew more feeble that another might live, maybe just for another hour... That, more than any other way available to Man, is laying down one's life for another... While I don't want to lessen the act of stepping in front of a speeding train to save a child, to me, it can't compare to day by day, month after bitter month, sacrificing of yourself so that others can live, in an environment so torturous as to be beyond imagination. Consciously. Intentionally. That is love of a kind so pure that it makes the heart keen.
I later wound up in a wheelchair/bedridden for seven years, in terrible pain - I lost everything, my body, my honor, my business, eventually my marriage, and nearly even my mind... I owe Viktor Frankl much for my ability to hang onto sanity during that time, and I thank God that he prepared me for it with Frankl's words, written large.
God bless you too!
I have been patiently correcting the falsity and bloviation of our Roman Catholic Friends.
You will know when attacked, but posting Scriptural refutation to the various manmade heresies of Roman Catholicism, along with a few comments of my own, is hardly a personal attack. If you take it personally, it may be a sign that the target has been acquired. Maybe a reflection on the Scriptures posted, and ignoring my taunts, may get a clearer reflection of the Truth of God's Plan of Salvation.
We Christians are not infallible, and neither is the Roman Catholic hierarchy. But, those of us, who believe the promises of God, have the indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us into all Truth.
Truth doesn't come because a group is large, nor that has been around for a long time. Truth comes only from the Throne of God and is revealed through the ministry of His Holy Spirit ... and that Throne is nowhere near Rome!
You don't say? This shows my own reaction to words said -- like that. Can you hear yourself talk?
Grab a hanky, wipe those precious (and pious, don't forget pious!) tears,
see "Stations of the White Hanky", #'s
calculate costs of votive candles deserving be lit at each station
and possibly any others as those be best fitting when need arises
then, whenever small (but heartfelt, don't forget 'heartfelt'!) prayer said towards those Stations
(and sniffled at, dabbing out tears)
---- never mind the candles just send cash, and FreeRepublic will take care of the rest.
remit payment to, well you know where.
Further, if I may, in spirit of Deuteronomy 25:4, 1 Corinthians 9:9, 1 Timothy 5:18;
would ask that donations not be sent to myself, but to FreeRepublic --- in my honor, as humble servant to all.
Your FRiend,
Always
You are the sunlight in my growing
so little warmth I've felt before.
It isn't hard to feel me glowing
I watched the fire that grew so low.
It is the summer of my smiles
flee from me Keepers of the Gloom.
Speak to me only with your eyes.
It is to you I give this tune.
Ain't so hard to recognize
These things are clear to all from
time to time.
I've felt the coldness of my winter
I never thought it would ever go.
I cursed the gloom that set upon us...
But I know that I love you so
These are the seasons of emotion and like the winds they rise and fall...
This is the wonder of devotion
I seek the torch we all must hold.
This is the mystery of the quotient (quotient)
Upon us (upon us) all a little rain must fall...It's just a little rain...
The Rain Song
Led Zeppelin, from Houses of the Holy
Yes, I believe the Religion Moderator encourages battles as well, and it IS discouraging.
You mean that you want him to change the rules to exempt Catholicism from being impugned, since that is your only complaint, while RCs can say such things as,
that Protestantism is belief in ones self, and
absolutely alien to Christianity, and that,
Protestants are mostly biblically illiterate,
intellectually dishonest,
evil fruit, who
dont have the Holy Spirit, and
are not part of the Body of Christ, and
who have no foundation for their understanding of Christianity, and
will not be saved unless they becomes a member of the Catholic Church, and
are by inclination vandals who should be purged from the face of the earth,
But that Catholics never put down or challenge beliefs from protestants, and that,
there never has been a bit of anti-protestant bigotry on FR,
and that they have never seen a Catholic teaching proven false.
I think the comment onyx mentioned from CynicalBear, regarding more Catholics being in hell than Muslims, should be removed,
So CB is censured while the very church you defend damned all of us former RCs, and which many RCs here concur with:
Pope Eugene IV, Cantate Domino (1441): "The most Holy Roman Church firmly believes, professes and preaches that none of those existing outside the Catholic Church, not only pagans, but also Jews and heretics and schismatics, can have a share in life eternal; but that they will go into the "eternal fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41), unless before death they are joined with Her;
just like I thought a photograph of a prominent Catholic, marked up to look like Satan,
So that must be nuked along with Dante's inferno i supopose, while everything from derogatory pictures of Luther to the YOPIS cereal box is allowed.
I didn't realize so many others were similarly discouraged, and will back off again soon myself even though I
You seem to want to turn this into Catholic Answers. Did you ever see how many banned users that has, due to being so touchy and one sided?
Thank you for speaking of “Man’s Search for Meaning.” I’ve been reading the reviews on Amazon, of which there are almost 2,000 5-star reviews. I hadn’t heard of this book until now. God’s love to you both (for your discussion on it). Thanks again.
Indeed, moreover, the idea that RCs should be able to incessantly post articles about their church, while it claims to be the one true church, and relegates all outside her to being deficient in grace, and all Prot churches as not even being worthy of the proper name "church," and not be challenged, is itself arrogance. And some of the self-righteous complaining borders on insolence.
There’s problems on both ends. That’s why a [devout, patient] Catholic moderator helping out would be very beneficial. Would you keep [happily] attending your son’s soccer games if both referees were opposing team fathers [and you didn’t always agree with their calls]?
That is so much bombast. For years RCs have denigrated Prots - as even your very own popes have done - and incessantly advertized their elitist one true church, but as her own propaganda has been exposed as fallacious, and recently a stream of articles has appeared, then now we see a people us regulars rarely see calling to ban Prot posts amidst talk of wanting peace.
But as long as Rome maintains both her arrogance and false teaching then she invites challenge and rebuke.
And as "better believe the fundraising is down," no, we do not have to believe you, and the fact is that the RF is where you see the longest threads, and which often come up on Google searches, thus providing more readership and opportunity to see appeals to donate, in contrast to devo threads, which hardly see more than a dozen posts except by one poster.
Meanwhile, many conservatives have complained over the years about the RF due to the number of articles, which RCs by far are most responsible for.
Rather, the RF will do quite well without such scorners.
It's time for a list of examples of the manner of your alleged hate l toward Christ and His Mother. You mean that of reproving the unBiblical demigoddess of the fictitious Mary of Catholicism , in contrast to the holy, virtuous blessed Mary of Scripture?
Like liberals, having been so often defeated in debate, by the grace of God, the recourse of many is to pathos over ethos, except to post the same old refuted Staples etc. polemics.
Great! How anyone could survive that and come out a whole person and be able to speak of it besides, is pretty amazing,.. Thanks for the feedback!
men of good measure were giving of their meager rations to those worse than themselves, when the act was so useless as to be pointless - And they grew more feeble that another might live, maybe just for another hour...
Exactly. They lived for each moment, and for any kind of humanity they could show to one another. They never knew who would be next...
It was wonderful that you shared your story. Thank you! I'm so sorry. My Mom was a cancer survivor who said that the toughest things in life can either make you bitter or better. It sure sounds like you've become better, and I believe as you do: God worked through Frankl's experience, to turn the evil of the Nazis into a greater good.
Thank you! May God bless you, and His Peace continue to grow within you!
Hahahahahaaaaaa...
What a crock! Roman Catholics are incensed because they are challenged in their belief in absurdity, when their beliefs are compared to Scripture (the one they claim to have authored, but which we all know was given to us by the Holy Spirit's inspiration!).
Here is an egregious example of Roman Catholic idolatry. Note the bejeweled corpse is kept on display for them to seek! Just search the net for "dead catholic relics" to see so much abomination that Jesus spoke against!
Mattheew 6: 19 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Speaking as a woman, I DON’T expect nor want “special” treatment from male Freepers on threads and have received my share of unchivalrous comments from FRoman Catholic men in my time here and it doesn’t bother me. Besides, seeing as most Freeper screen names are non-gender specific, how is anyone supposed to know who is or isn’t a woman? If someone wants to engage on OPEN Religion Forum threads, they had better have their spiritual armor on (see Ephesians 6) including the Shield of Faith and the Sword of the Spirit. There’s only a one-size-fits-all version of that gear!
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