I miss the Viking Kitties. None here for the zot.
I've no Viking Kitties. Do have some dancing ones though.
Posted on 02/24/2014 3:17:38 PM PST by Millennial Lefty
So, I lurk on Free Republic quite a bit. Usually it's to read some of the outrageous comments some post here and some of it is to see what your opinions are on certain articles that also get posted elsewhere.
So, a little bit about myself. I'm in my 20s and of Hispanic origin. I was born in New York but moved to Florida when I was three years old. I'm what you guys would consider a "socialist". I don't consider myself a socialist, I'm a supporter of the free market economy except I favor strong government regulations.
While on many issues am probably to the left of the Democratic Party there is one issue I agree with the Republicans but it isn't an issue that would ever sway me to vote for the Republican Party. That issue is gun rights. I love guns and I believe the 2nd amendment is a fundamental right to the people of the United States. I don't believe in a ban on "assault" weapons or on accessories like there is on certain sized magazines. I also support the right for one to properly defend themselves with or without deadly force with your legally owned firearm.
However, on economic and social issues I side with the DNC. I'm probably to the left of the DNC on most issues.
So anyways, ask away.
I miss the Viking Kitties. None here for the zot.
Adios muchachos
Why don't you try reading the "Libertarian" platform. You think pointing out the truth is funny?
Sometimes I have to wonder if the Bible is more of a book of cautionary tales of an ice age civilization that once aspired for perfection but like Daedalus burned up in the sun of reality when it vain-fully tried to reach some sort of utopia it could never reach as the hubris of reaching beyond god leads to such fleeting sorrow.
Garden Story: Cautionary Tale about being kicked out of the house when children learn to take care of themselves. Imagine Adam and Eve being children and god being the parent, when you are young life truly is paradise, your parents take care of every need and you are pretty much a blank slate. When they grow old and become adolescents they rebel as they are old enough to start learning (the forbidden fruit of knowledge) when they learned enough the parents kick them out for their own good as they can now take care of themselves and will eventually make their own version of paradise for their own children.
Tower of Babel: The Perils of Multiculturalism and the Hubris of man, the tower could be a metaphor for a nation and balkanisation.
Noah’s Flood: Pretty much a prepper’s tale of people who are grounded preparing for the worst while people laugh at them and then later are proven correct while the fools who made fun of them are swept away by the flood.
Esau and Jacob: Selling your Birthright (freedom) for security and welfare (Porridge) leads to nothing but sorrow.
Ezekiel and the Chariot: (Ancient Aliens Guy) ALIENS :)
Too many people just read the bible and memorize it, but don’t think about the stories and the multiple ways they can be thought of and the multiple lessons that can be learned from them. Too many people who consider themselves agnostic or atheist write off the bible itself as a book of fairy tales without realizing that even fairy tales contain many important life lessons, they by forsaking their birthright (past knowledge of the bible) for some Porridge (smugness that makes them feel good) they lead lives of sorrow... Dang I am doing it again...
Why are you to the left of the DNC?
Very nice. Thank you. So much for civility.
I see, we all must be card carriers of one ilk or another... thank you. I will remember to register for re-education camp this summer.
People seem scared of what the other side has to say. But as Reagan said so many years ago, freedom and democracy will defend itself very well and when given the chance will always prevail. The argument for freedom will always win the debate in the forum of ideas. FR should be a forum, I think, and should be a stage to demonstrate how the power of freedom and fee ideas prevails over that of tyranny. I don't think we advance the cause of freedom when we lock the other side out of the discussion. Only when we're tested with opposing ideas can we see the mettle and moral strength and value of freedom and a free society.
Thank you, exactly my point — and said much better than I did.
I agree with you in principle that the ideas of freedom and other elements of core conservatism are strong enough to endure the most withering scrutiny.
However, in any such communication, the audience must be considered. Jesus said that we should not cast our pearls before, um, creatures who were incapable of appreciating said pearls, and who just as likely would turn them against us at every opportunity.
Furthermore, he told the disciples to shake the dust off their feet and leave the conversation in a given place when it became evident it was not being well-received.
This is just pragmatic for people with limited time to a task. I sold Bible encyclopedias door to door decades ago in the deep south. It was just a summer job, but the professionals running the operation were adamant we not waste our precious time banging on doors that wouldn’t open and struggling with prospects who were obviously not that interested.
We have a great message, one that stands the test of rational thought and addresses the realities of human life better than any alternative system of thought. But if we cannot engage a prospect at that level of real, thoughtful conversation, then we need to move on.
Now you may say the OP may have been open to such a conversation. As a statistical matter, I’m not inclined to believe it. Most folks who openly and consciously identify with leftist principles have, at least in my experience, a serious problem rising above the emotive programming that drives their worldview. I believe there is real brainwashing involved, so many institutions conveying the same false message so pervasively for so long it has become to them an unshakable reality. This cannot be overcome with pure reason. At least not in the majority of cases.
So the solution would be to find those who signal genuine openness. The “programming” hasn’t taken hold in them. There is still a chance they may come around if exposed to a sound argument. That’s where we should spend our time. Not playing foil to trolls.
If the long history of leftist tyranny and the present day news of countries rising up and throwing off their shackles and pounding Lenin statues into scrap doesn’t give them a clue, members of an internet forum aren’t likely to do it either.
I’m with you. Regardless of what anyone thinks of “Millenial Lefty”’s views, he/she gave us the opportunity to demonstrate why we are right unhindered by the MSM. I was looking forward to debating the poster on the issues.
“That’s like saying you’re not a prostitute, you just trade sex for money.”
I love it!
LOL!
I miss the Viking Kitties. None here for the zot.
I've no Viking Kitties. Do have some dancing ones though.
God Bless the Conservative and Jewish followers of The Lord!!!
This site is called "Free Republic." Well that name echos the free society we've had in America for the last 250 years - a society that has always welcomed people of all faiths and beliefs. A free and healthy society, like historical America, never feared ideological opposition because given the choice, people will always choose freedom over tyranny. The values of our founders, which ought to be reflected here, were that life liberty and free pursuits trump everything else and is able to "take on all comers." That should be our attitude here.
I see a couple of things at work here, neither one a problem and potentially a benefit. First, this is (or could be or should be) a place to test the what and why of someone's particular beliefs by seeing how those beliefs stand the test of opposition. Many here may believe some of the right things but have demonstrated they have no idea why they believe these things. Others here believe falsehoods and have also demonstrated that their only reason is following a certain party line, be it "conservative" or a certain person or whatever. It is good thing when things are allowed to burst our illusions or force us to go back an learn why we believe what we do, possibly making adjustments, etc. Our goal should not be a partisan spirit, but our goal should be the truth because the truth will set us (and others) free. And the truth will always stand the test of opposition and will always win the debate in the forum of ideas.
I've just touched on the second thing at work here, allowing the truth to help those who have been brainwashed and are lost in a sea of lies. This could be a site to help those people. Maybe some can be helped and some can't. But as the Constitution allows all ideologies becasue of the preeminence of life and liberty, so should FR welcome others in the same spirit and the same boldness without fear, becasue we know we have the truth that sets us and others free,
So was I. On an early post I invited him to chat with me later after the firestorm, which apparently he didn't survive. Makes you wonder what kind of a society some of these folks would have if given the chance. The kind of society I value is a free and healthy society that doesn't fear opposition because we know that the truths of life, liberty, and free pursuits always win the debate in the forum of ideas.
Saboteurs are another thing, but having ideas opposed to ours is not sabotage per se. I suppose something akin to someone constantly shouting over everyone else and disrupting the meeting so that the discussion can't continue would be valid grounds for a "zot."
The Rambo (for snickerers,) The ZOT, the monsterTroll mash, the Yo Momba and the HappyBan dance.
--Wallflower Mod
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.