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The Decline of the Liberal Mind
The American Thinker ^ | 07/05/17 | Paul Pauker

Posted on 07/05/2017 6:54:52 AM PDT by pgkdan

There was a time (as hard as it may be to believe today) when liberals actually had the mental capacity to reason. During the Enlightenment, liberals (specifically, people with principles that were then described as liberal) understood the difference between facts and ideology. They understood that life is not an ideology, liberty is not an ideology, and property is not an ideology. Moreover, they understood that life, liberty, and property exist naturally, even if a nation does not exist and even if a government does not exist. And they understood that if people create a nation, a just government exercises its powers not for the purpose of pursuing an ideology, but instead, for the purpose of securing the life, liberty, and property (i.e., the unalienable rights) of each of the nation's citizens. This monumental discovery, a process of human thought stretching from (at the latest) ancient Rome all the way to 17th and 18th century England, achieved its realization in America, with the founding of a great nation. (Note to liberal readers: the great nation in question is the United States, and these fundamental truths are enshrined in the nation's founding document, the Declaration of Independence.)

Now, in contrast, a recent legal case in Europe perfectly illustrates the state of "modern" liberal thinking. A baby, Charlie, was born with a rare genetic condition that causes progressive muscle weakness and brain damage. Charlie's parents received donations (equivalent to more than a million U.S. dollars) for an experimental treatment in the United States, but the hospital treating Charlie in England wanted his life support to be turned off, and the English courts as well as the European Court of Human Rights sided with the hospital.

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
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1 posted on 07/05/2017 6:54:52 AM PDT by pgkdan
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To: pgkdan
The ruling by these courts are reprehensible. What possible benefit is there to the state to allow this child to die when a possible course of treatment is available?

The idea that the state, any state, has a say in this matter over and above the wishes of caring and loving parents is an abomination.

2 posted on 07/05/2017 6:57:00 AM PDT by pgkdan (The Silent Majority Stands With TRUMP!)
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To: pgkdan

Its a problem when you use the same word “liberal” to describe both classic liberals (ie conservative constitutionalists), and leftist progressives. The word has been stolen and misused, and it causes confusion. Leftists are not liberals as the word originally meant, so I prefer to avoid using it. Leftists, Marxists, “progressives” (though that’s also a misnomer), populists often, socialists, fascists usually, statists, Democrats, but never “liberal”.


3 posted on 07/05/2017 7:03:08 AM PDT by marron
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To: pgkdan

If the child dies, the STATE retains its POWER over the rest of the living.


4 posted on 07/05/2017 7:07:43 AM PDT by Robert A Cook PE (I can only donate monthly, but socialists' ABBCNNBCBS continue to lie every day!)
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To: marron

[The word has been stolen and misused, and it causes confusion.]

Exactly. To call the lunatics on the left today “liberal” is a complete bastardization of the word.


5 posted on 07/05/2017 7:08:25 AM PDT by headstamp 2 (Ignorance is reparable, stupid is forever)
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To: pgkdan

I am currently re-reading Will Durant’s tome Caesar and Christ and he uses the term liberal education all through it.

Absolutely nothing to do with the modern usage of the term.


6 posted on 07/05/2017 7:13:14 AM PDT by wbarmy (I chose to be a sheepdog once I saw what happens to the sheep.)
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To: pgkdan
All foretold. Read this and see if this isn't what is going on:

Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

7 posted on 07/05/2017 7:15:51 AM PDT by MarDav
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To: pgkdan
The Decline of the Liberal Mind

Stalin, Hitler, Pol Pot, Bill Ayers, Hilary...The amoral left have always been a bunch of murdering atheist whackjobs.

How much more of a "decline" could there possibly be?

8 posted on 07/05/2017 7:17:34 AM PDT by ROCKLOBSTER (Celebrate "Republicans Freed the Slaves" month.)
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To: pgkdan

The story has a splendid first paragraph that nicely sums up the whole point of government should only work on behalf of We the People.

Bookmark.


9 posted on 07/05/2017 7:17:42 AM PDT by poconopundit (FR: Self-Reliant Lovers of Liberty who can't stop the Chatter)
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To: MarDav

The qualification to become a liberal is you must not have a mind.


10 posted on 07/05/2017 7:19:03 AM PDT by DaveA37
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To: pgkdan

What is at stake in this case is a simple question: to whom do you belong? Are the property of the state? Of your parents? Of yourself? Of God?

And if you are not competent to exercise control over yourself, who has the right to act in your interest? The state? Your parents? Who?

For normal people, it is plain that except in cases that are obvious on their face, the parents have that right and responsibility to make decisions on behalf of their own flesh-and-blood child. This is particularly true when the choice is life versus death, with a bias always toward life.


11 posted on 07/05/2017 7:19:46 AM PDT by marron
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To: FReepers


Click the Pic


Support Free Republic.
Become a monthly donor today.

12 posted on 07/05/2017 7:30:03 AM PDT by deoetdoctrinae (Donate monthly and end FReepathons.)
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To: pgkdan

bookmark


13 posted on 07/05/2017 7:33:16 AM PDT by GOP Poet
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To: pgkdan

There are very few liberals left in the United States. There are of course Democrats, who lean towards Fascism that claim they are liberals but they are hateful, intolerant arrogant bigots. And they believe a marriage between the government and the corporations is the best solution for the US, IE, Fascism. Liberals of the 1960’s who believed in smaller government, going green, giving their children flowery names, growing their own food, loving everyone, giving to those in needs, and living off the grid are today called Right Wing haters.......

What a crazy world today when those who love others and take of others are called haters, and those who hate, who are bigots and intolerant are called the lovers.


14 posted on 07/05/2017 7:36:57 AM PDT by realcleanguy
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To: headstamp 2
the lunatics on the left

"The ends justify the means."

Try to extract morality and sanity from that statement.

15 posted on 07/05/2017 7:51:06 AM PDT by ROCKLOBSTER (Celebrate "Republicans Freed the Slaves" month.)
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To: ROCKLOBSTER

Indeed. Translation — “I’m hoping for a good outcome — at least, good according to my own opinion on the matter — and therefore, I am justified in doing anything and everything. Nothing at all will hold me back, because, as I see it, my intentions are pretty darn good.”

That how you build Hell on Earth.


16 posted on 07/05/2017 9:08:33 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (Islam: You have to just love a "religion" based on rape and sex slavery.)
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To: pgkdan

Very few liberals come from solid, happy 2-parent families.

It is not the loss of the liberal mind. It is the loss of the nuclear family.


17 posted on 07/05/2017 9:14:47 AM PDT by lurk
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To: ClearCase_guy

See: death camps.


18 posted on 07/05/2017 9:22:08 AM PDT by ROCKLOBSTER (Celebrate "Republicans Freed the Slaves" month.)
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To: pgkdan

Liberal mind suffers from depravity


19 posted on 07/05/2017 10:07:23 AM PDT by okie 54
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To: pgkdan

Liberal minds suffer from depravity


20 posted on 07/05/2017 10:07:44 AM PDT by okie 54
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