Religion and Politics

[lionus]

Personally I like religious political candidates. The ones that take their religion seriously and practice it seriously. I know that that will bring gasps of horror for the liberal side of my audience, but hear me out.

The vast majority of religions tell their believers to ‘be good, do good, be honest, and help other folk which will pay off for

Comments

[foxystallion]

Well said!

I saw Patton, and later learned that George C. Scott is a liberal. I could hardly believe it, but it is certainly true.

There are people even more dangerous than professional liars: confabulators. They believe their own falsehoods, so there are no facial, posture, or voice clues that what they are saying is untrue. Confabulators have a big advantage in politics. Example: In a Republicrat debate, Romney said that he was endorsed by the NRA. Not so, and very easy to check, hence a rational liar would never lie about this. Conclusion? He must have - at least for the moment - believed it. Such people are very dangerous when in control of a lot of power.

If you have been reading the Wall Street Journal, you have seen that McCain is still shaking down banks. $3,000,000 last November as a loan on his donors list, and now a $1,000,000 loan against his Federal Election Commission public finance certificate. He hasn't changed a bit since his corrupt Keating Five days, but I'm sure that he believes that he is the most moral man in Washington. Look out!

[lionus]

While instruments can measure reality accurately, it is we subjective humans who interpret what those measurements mean. Even when there is an agreed upon standard of what those instrument readings mean, it does not prevent us from filtering them through our own preconceptions. And since reality is largely perception, what we think reality is - makes it so for us.

Generally we adjust our perceptions of reality according to the feedback of those around us. If our views are too far out, we find ourselves shunned and avoided. Social outcasts. Unfortunately political candidates are surrounded by sycophants whose careers are closely tied to the success of their “idol” and so are not likely to argue with his or her view of reality.

Those outside of the candidate’s immediate circle also adjust their perceptions of reality to those of the candidate in order to preserve the elevated feelings of “specialness” that adherence to the candidate’s reality gives them. This is what following a political leader really is about - the candidate’s new view of reality justifying his or her follower’s failures as not being their own.

It’s about reality.

Have the words and actions of figures up on the movie screen ever emotionally moved you? Has your pulse ever been made to race? These actors and actresses are selling us a view of reality, a make-believe reality that we accept and react to for two hours. What political candidate would not give his/her eyeteeth for such acting skills to manipulate the citizenry for maybe four or more years? Perhaps honest politicians do not have the same level of entertaining us as do those skilled at lying.

So like the soothsayer in Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar” I say ‘Beware candidates who associate with such liars, for they are engaged in learning false arts.’ And that is something that any voter can use to gauge the “reality” being offered to us by any candidate.

[foxystallion]

What you have said is chillingly true. Brrrr...