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I am a-religious. That's a fact. The fact that I don't belong to any church or religious body does not qualify me as being religious. David, what court decided this? It's incorrect in my case. Rick ---- A Phillips <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > Atheism a religion ? I knew Americans could be a bit weird, but to decide that ......!!! :) > > > > Date: Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:19:37 -0800 > > From: [log in to unmask] > > Subject: Re: Taboo Topics > > To: [log in to unmask] > > > > I don't have a problem debating the "right/leftt" issues you and Rick bring > > up, but the only purpose to continue, (on either side) would be to > > influence an undecided party to come over. If there was one response from a > > member asking questions or stating they are undecided it would be worth my > > time. > > > > It isn't, and especially in the context of what has been written below, > > i.e, comparing conservatives to the Taliban; returning to the "Dark Ages", > > crazy conservatives, Republicanism being a religion; never mind that atheism > > was, (thru a court ruling), identified as a religion. > > > > The beauty of being an American has been our freedom, established and > > maintained by the blood of our heroes that gave the ultimate sacrifice to > > defend it. Rick, you talk about losing personal rights, pointing to the > > issues mentioned on this site. That's like swatting at gnats and swallowing > > camels...and Ray, the Tea Party movement is in direct response to the > > decades of the political spectrum sliding further and further to the left. > > It may still have to swing further to the right to get back to where it was > > when I first voted Republican in 1962. > > > > O.K., so I couldn't resist, forgive me; but the threats to our freedom are > > much bigger than mentioned here. If the loss of freedom is the issue, > > start with the present administration....wow! > > > > Dave > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Rayilyn Brown" <[log in to unmask]> > > To: <[log in to unmask]> > > Sent: Monday, February 20, 2012 7:11 PM > > Subject: Taboo Topics > > > > > > > Rick > > > > > > I'm interested in why people think the way they do. I don't know about > > > others, but in my case it was probably my mother, whose word was law. > > > Being a Republican was kind of like a religion, hard to discard. She was > > > an atheist (yes you could be one and a Republican in those days), but she > > > never tried to influence me one way or another about religion. Maybe > > > because force was lacking in this area, our religion was being > > > Republican. Upon reflection I have concluded that politics and religion > > > are similar in that they don't make much sense but people believe in them > > > anyway. As a teacher of controversy in AP classes I made a point to be > > > neutral as I wanted students to think for themselves. I was so involved > > > I forgot to think myself. > > > > > > I still so wish these were not taboo topics. > > > > > > PS - when Bush 43 banned stem cell research in 2001 my mother and my > > > brother like me were no longer GOPers > > > Ray > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Rick McGirr > > > Sent: Saturday, February 18, 2012 12:17 PM > > > To: [log in to unmask] > > > Subject: Re: Virginia personhood law > > > > > > Thanks for your comments, Ray. I respect you for embracing change, not > > > only > > > in medical research but also in your personal views on party politics. I > > > also respect you for continuing to live independently, despite your > > > difficulties. And I respect your enduring hope demonstrated by your being > > > a > > > fountain of information for this group. Thanks for all you do. > > > > > > Rick > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network > > > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Rayilyn Brown > > > Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 6:57 PM > > > To: [log in to unmask] > > > Subject: Re: Virginia personhood law > > > > > > Rick > > > > > > You have my complete support. What could be more important to us than > > > getting some relief from this cruel disease. I fell yesterday in my > > > kitchen > > > > > > and luckily suffered no serious injuries, but for how long? > > > > > > It is 2012, not 1312 and we are debating contraception as a campaign > > > issue. > > > > > > When I applied for SS disability in 1998 after doing menial jobs to earn > > > my > > > credits, due to Reagan's "Double Dipper" law, I had it cut 60% from the > > > $400-$500 I earned to $143 a month because I got a poverty level teachers > > > pension. I know now that Republican war on the have-nots was in effect > > > before Bush 43, but it took his stem cell restrictions to FINALLY get me > > > to > > > think about what I really believed. With Tea Party politics we can see > > > what > > > > > > conservatives really believe and it does not resemble the GOP I grew up > > > with. > > > > > > I have noticed the gradual takeover of state governments by conservatives > > > like Scott Walker and his union-bashing and all this crazy legislation > > > which will, if successful, further stymie stem cell research. > > > > > > I am old, but still like it loud and will continue to report their > > > activities which do not bode well for us. But what will it take to stop > > > this stampede to the Dark Ages? > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Rick McGirr > > > Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2012 12:59 PM > > > To: [log in to unmask] > > > Subject: Re: Virginia personhood law > > > > > > Personhood! Peace be with y'all. I know that many members of this listserv > > > would like to avoid the issues which are politicizing many conversations > > > today. I wish each and every one of you nothing but happiness and good > > > health. But I find it very difficult not to respond when dogma threatens > > > progress. I shall do so elsewhere, and I'll try not to mention anything > > > upsetting here. > > > > > > Except for this one, last time. Don't you ever feel that our rights are > > > being steamrolled by hysterical hypocrites who would take our laws and our > > > understandings back to pre-enlightenment times? Aren't you concerned by > > > the > > > fundamentalist threat to liberty represented not by the Taliban, but by > > > conservative groups in our own country? Do you know how many directions > > > this > > > threat takes in American society? Do you plan to hold your tongue as the > > > last of our rights are dismantled, piece by piece? To speak, to support, > > > to > > > advocate for ourselves sometimes causes heated debate. That's what our > > > system is all about. Are we to keep the conversation nice and soothing > > > because we don't like to hear or say words like "embryo", "fetus", "God", > > > "democracy", etc? I for one would welcome an increase in volume. But I'm > > > just an old rocker. I like it loud. > > > > > > I will continue as a member of this worldwide group. I feel that this is a > > > special community with a lot to offer. I also feel that we have more at > > > stake today than most groups, and it confuses me when people shy away from > > > the debate. Yes, these can be subjects upsetting to discuss. I think even > > > more upsetting will be our realization that we no longer have a say in > > > matters of life, death, science, taxes, and religion, if we disallow our > > > voices to be heard. > > > > > > But enough from me. I will inform the list if I happen to write anything > > > of > > > tolerable quality. This is not goodbye. I will be around. Thank you all > > > for > > > your kind attention. > > > > > > Rick McGirr > > > Buffalo, NY > > > 58 yrs old, diagnosed with PD in 2001 > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Parkinson's Information Exchange Network > > > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Rayilyn Brown > > > Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 6:50 PM > > > To: [log in to unmask] > > > Subject: Virginia personhood law > > > > > > all 4 Republican candidates support this: > > > > > > http://floridaindependent.com/69499/virginia-personhood > > > > > > Ray > > > Rayilyn Brown > > > Past Director AZNPF > > > Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > > > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > > > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > > > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > > > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > > > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn