What Do You Believe?
illuminex
Join Date: 2004-03-13 Member: 27317Members, Constellation
Join Date: 2004-03-13 Member: 27317Members, Constellation
in Discussions
<div class="IPBDescription">A time for peace in Discussions</div> More often than not, in these Discussions forums, we lose sight of the person underneath the labels and generalizations. While labels and generalizations DO serve a good purpose, since most people labeled as something, be it liberal, communist, or conservative, tend to fall in the "I believe most of what x group says, but not all" category.
So, my intent with this thread is to give the more mature members an oppurtunity to state their larger views on the most important subjects that are being fought over in the world today. I want to see the connections that I have with the people I fight with the most in these forums.
Please remember, that in this thread, we are not arguing. We are not debating. We are simply expressing our personal views, not on other forum members or their views, but on the great people, events, and ideas of this time in history.
So, my intent with this thread is to give the more mature members an oppurtunity to state their larger views on the most important subjects that are being fought over in the world today. I want to see the connections that I have with the people I fight with the most in these forums.
Please remember, that in this thread, we are not arguing. We are not debating. We are simply expressing our personal views, not on other forum members or their views, but on the great people, events, and ideas of this time in history.
Comments
<b>The Iraq war</b>: I disagree with them going there in the first place, but now that they're there, they'd better stay there until the job is done. I think that some of the protesters are pretty ridiculous, and I would take great joy in pointing out that they're still buying gasoline even though they're complaining about 'blood for oil'.
<b>Abortion</b>: I believe that a woman should be allowed to get an abortion before it is possible to remove the baby and still have it survive. I know someone who was born at 5 months. She was put in an incubator, but she lived and she's very healthy now. Once the baby can live after you've removed it, there is absolutely no point in killing the baby and technically it is homicide.
I also believe that the father should have some say on if the baby is aborted or not. It is his baby, too.
<b>9-11</b>: There is no conspiracy. Planes that were hijacked by terrorists crashed into buildings.
<b>Stem cell research</b>: It's a very good thing. Embryos are technically not human, and I don't see how people can complain about that and <i>not</i> complain about the fact that people send millions of sperm to their death because of masturbation.
<b>Censorship</b>: Government censorship is bad. Very bad. It should be up to the stores to decide if they want to sell something or not. If people are outraged by something, they don't have to buy it. The store will get rid of it if they're not making enough profit from it.
What else are kids arguing about these days?
<b>President:</b> I really don't like him, but in all honestly he was the best of the two evils. Reguardless of how much like a monkey he looks like and sounds like a stereotypical retard.
<b>Abortion:</b> Should be womans decision. (Usually the male doesn't even care which is why she is considering it in the first place)
<b>Stem cell research:</b> We need to devote more time/energy/funding to this, as it could possible cure many diseases that still plague our society.
Those are the major issues, that I care about, other then the constant reoccurring of the various topics.
I believe that some issues, like homosexuality, are better left alone by the government.
I believe that sometimes war is the best road to peace.
I believe in the the ideals of freedom and equality for all races and religions, but that there are some things that some think should be freedoms, like pedophilia, but that these things are fundamentally destructive and wrong, and that allowing such a freedom would choke and kill off a society.
I believe in the supremacy of Western thought, ideals, and government. This is not to say that we cannot learn from other cultures, but that we should make our Western culture greater by adding the best from other worlds of thought to our own.
I believe that America's world leadership and success comes from the ideals it was founded on, and that a better world is a more American one.
I believe that American culture should continue to evolve, grow and adapt, and put behind some of the old prudish thoughts concerning drinking and sexuality. Alcohol is best taught to be enjoyed by all, just not in excess. Sex should be something considered special and wonderful, a way of connecting to another person unlike any other. Our Sex Ed programs should focus more on healthy relationships, healthy sex lives, etc, instead of AIDS, STD's, pregnancy, etc. If kids learned to be sexually responsible with another special person, our teen pregnancy rates would drop, our STD rates would drop, and we'd be happier and healthier as a society.
I am still unclear as to how I believe on the issue of abortion. The convenience of being pro-choice is certainly easier than the way of pro life, and the fact that my ex girlfriend told me straight up if I got her pregnant, she'd get an abortion put me in a different place than I thought I was.
I believe in the government's ability to take freedoms away during times of conflict and crisis. The great part of American government is that it gives those freedoms back.
I believe in both the power of the individual and the collective. Without I, nothing can be achieved, but without us, there is no reason to achieve.
I believe in love.
I believe in hate, not as a personal thing, but that it exists, and that it is a choice.
I believe in forgiveness.
I believe that Bush has done a great job as President, even if I don't always agree with him.
I believe that Iraq will prove to the world that Western thought is the way to being a successful place.
I believe that a united Earth is an inevitable fact, and the only way that humans can successfully move into the Space Age.
I believe that the UN is a useless puppet organization for angry, poor dictators to vent their frustrations.
I believe that Capitalism is a beautiful thing, but that it requiers an element of government oversight and active, intelligent consumers to work correctly.
jesus: leave me alone jesus, i mean it, im still your supporter though
wars: ok?
stem cell: MUST BE STOPPED, this is too hard to control, a little breakthrough to the public could to, terrorist and other bad guys be a major killer machine
homos: dont care :|
9-11: There is no conspiracy. Planes that were hijacked by terrorists crashed into buildings.
Censorship: Government censorship is bad. Very bad. It should be up to the stores to decide if they want to sell something or not. If people are outraged by something, they don't have to buy it. The store will get rid of it if they're not making enough profit from it.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Quoted the bits I agree with because I'm too lazy to type it out myself.
<!--QuoteBegin-lolfighter+--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (lolfighter)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->The purpose of life (add the universe and everything if you feel like it): There ain't one. This shouldn't deter you from life at all, it's just something you'll have to live with: You weren't made for a purpose (other than your parents wanting a child (at least, I hope they wanted one)). Life's what you make it. The purpose of life is whatever purpose you give it.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
And again.
Pretty much everything else I don't have much of an opinion about, either because I can see the point of both sides (gun ownership), I just don't know enough (stem cell), or I don't care (sexuality).
They are a futile attempt to protect our markets and only drag out the negative effects of globalisation, while free trade would allow the third world to develope own wealth and a new market which will be beneficial for us eventually.
I believe in education, discipline hard work and competition. However, I think that everybody should be able to make a living without having to work 2 or more jobs or sign 90 hour/week contracts.
I believe globalisation is a chance rather than a threat.
I believe that financial aid for third world countries is futile populistic eyecandy that has no lasting beneficial effect if it is not outright counterproductive. Open the markets and give them a fair chance.
I believe that the UN is a good yet flawd concept, which is doomed to fail because of different political and economical interrests of its members. A good start to change this might be the abolishment of the VETO rights.
I beleive that intervention policies are a flawed concept and almost invetably doomed to failure, as the conflict is only stalled at best.
I believe that Iraq was a fatal mistake. Beforehand, international terrorism was centered around radical groups organised in organisations like Al Quaeda. Nowadays we see anti americanism and anti-western mindset in much broader range among muslims and the numbers of recruited terrorists have increased exponentially, as well as the amount of indipendantly operating terrorist splinter organisations.
I believe that Iraqs immediate future is that of a divided civil war zone. The government will be democratic on paper, but opressive against the political opposition. Basically, the pre-war situation will be reversed.
I believe that international terrorism and fundametialism is a direct result of a century of foreing intervention and the attempt to re-emancipate the islamic culture by means of arms available to the revolutionists. This radical islam is nothing less but fascism and islamic nationalism.
I believe that that the whole middle east will sooner or later burn in revolution and the peak oil debate will be laid ad acta sooner than anticipated <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
I believe in god, yet I am not practising religion and do not expect to find a devine entity in the afterlife. My concept of creation and god is more of philosophic than theologic nature.
I believe in evolution.
I believe that religion is a personal thing that should under no circumstances be argued or even insulted. religion is important for faithful people and a part of their life.
I believe church and politics should *never* be mixed up.
I belive in eye for an eye.
I believe that firearms should not, under no circumstances, be availabe to ordinary people.
I believe that abortion should not be outright forbidden, yet it should not be as easily available as it is in out society.
I believe armed forces are a (if not the most ) important factor of a nations souvereinity. However, armed forces should not be brought to bear other than to protect the own boarders or those of allies in case of a *defensive* war.
"I believe that sometimes war is the best road to peace."
I believe that that's one crazy belief. Ghandi said it best "an eye for an eye and everyone goes blind."
Please read history books and find that war is certainly NOT the best road to peace. War has produced amazing things (technology etc). None of them involve peace.
"I believe in the supremacy of Western thought, ideals, and government. This is not to say that we cannot learn from other cultures, but that we should make our Western culture greater by adding the best from other worlds of thought to our own."
Supremacy of Western thought? That's funny. The wisest man knows that he knows nothing at all. Remember that.
"I believe that America's world leadership and success comes from the ideals it was founded on, and that a better world is a more American one."
Believe it or not - America does not lead the world. Also - success? Well, I suppose that depends on how you measure success. Using how <i>you</i> measure success as an example, I would say America is unsuccessful. That's me.
Of course, America will lead the world if the <a href='http://www.newamericancentury.org/' target='_blank'>PNAC</a> has anything to do with it.
"I believe in the government's ability to take freedoms away during times of conflict and crisis. The great part of American government is that it gives those freedoms back."
Examples, please? You are living in an Orwellian society, my friend (as am I.)
"I believe that Iraq will prove to the world that Western thought is the way to being a successful place."
This just acts as an example of how out of touch you are.
"I believe that a united Earth is an inevitable fact, and the only way that humans can successfully move into the Space Age.
I believe that the UN is a useless puppet organization for angry, poor dictators to vent their frustrations."
Are you actually a member of the <a href='http://www.newamericancentury.org/' target='_blank'>PNAC</a>?
"I believe that Capitalism is a beautiful thing, but that it requiers an element of government oversight and active, intelligent consumers to work correctly."
I believe you are fatally incorrect. If we are to use history as an example - capitalism is almost as gritty and disgusting as neo-socialism. If we are to use the present day as an example - capitalism is ruining peoples lives as we speak - and is on its way to ruining mother Earth and (everything that I believe is beautiful.)
AND FINALLY
" I believe in the concept of free market and capitalism. I do beleive that all trade should be fair and trade restrictions as well as taxiation against cheap comodities from third world countries are wrong.
They are a futile attempt to protect our markets and only drag out the negative effects of globalisation, while free trade would allow the third world to develope own wealth and a new market which will be beneficial for us eventually."
Wow - really?! I'll tell you what I believe - globalisation is the result of greedy capitalists who don't want to pay for unskilled labour. It's actually amazing that you don't see it as plainly and obvious as it is...
Oh well... *just a debate*... <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->
People should have the freedom to do anything, as long as it doesn't affect/restrict anyone else's freedom.