In All Seriousness...
I was thinking of governments, certain political systems, the end results if you follow any movement to fruition, why the lust for power, etc. and I reduced the whole thing to two lines of thought. I thought of this awhile back while studying sociology and psychology a few years ago. Take away all the factions (Christian Coalition, Peta, Now, Aryan Nation, Bush-bots (my term), any 'fringe' movement on both sides of the political spectrum, and you get this question which fuels world politics: Does man (species, not gender) change from the inside or does the environment change man?
Think about it. Leftist politics favor bigger government control over individuals. Communism is the most open, completely thought-out example of leftism. The fringe groups, even those who claim to be rightist, are actually in favor of more government control over man. (I would say these 'fringe' factions are possibly all tools in the toolbox of Communism, so to speak, but that is another topic) The Constitution, which is based alot on Western philosophy (re: Plato, Socrates, etc.) postulates man is a free entity in control of himself and his destiny. And therefore the struggle is: does man need government to guide him, or does man guide government?
For those who understand LDS philosophy, does this sound at all familiar to you?
Here's another thought: Communism and Radical Islam have the same goals in mind: complete domination of mankind. One stems from a biological point of vies and one stems from a theological point of view, but the end result is the same. The common denominator? Power. (I'm splintered as to whether or not all Islam is not Radical...I like to think not, but the barrage coming from 'Islamists' is overwhelming).
Also, as I stated earlier, when using the term 'man' in the above blog I mean the species, not the gender, so Pisces, don't get your thong in a wad.
Think about it. Leftist politics favor bigger government control over individuals. Communism is the most open, completely thought-out example of leftism. The fringe groups, even those who claim to be rightist, are actually in favor of more government control over man. (I would say these 'fringe' factions are possibly all tools in the toolbox of Communism, so to speak, but that is another topic) The Constitution, which is based alot on Western philosophy (re: Plato, Socrates, etc.) postulates man is a free entity in control of himself and his destiny. And therefore the struggle is: does man need government to guide him, or does man guide government?
For those who understand LDS philosophy, does this sound at all familiar to you?
Here's another thought: Communism and Radical Islam have the same goals in mind: complete domination of mankind. One stems from a biological point of vies and one stems from a theological point of view, but the end result is the same. The common denominator? Power. (I'm splintered as to whether or not all Islam is not Radical...I like to think not, but the barrage coming from 'Islamists' is overwhelming).
Also, as I stated earlier, when using the term 'man' in the above blog I mean the species, not the gender, so Pisces, don't get your thong in a wad.
posted by White Man Retarded at 7:22 AM
5 Comments:
Teach them correct principles and let them govern themselves...Brigham Young.
Then that fell apart and we joined the Union.
That's all the case I'll make.
Some random thoughts--
(1) Have you ever heard the term "will to power"? I think it is describing what you're writing about. It was coined by Nietzsche (if you go to wikipedia you'll get a basic definition). Just wondering if that concept is sort of what you're talking about?
(2)I'm reading a biography/autobiography titled Wild Swans by Jung Chang. It is the story of her grandmother, mother and herself. Her mother joined the Communist movement as a way of ridding China of the warlord system/landlord serf that had ruled China for ages. Her mother became dissolutioned with the model as Mao became more maniacal (again, a will to power issue?). But the story is poignant especially from her father's perspective because he, more than the mother, suffered horribly as a 'serf'. He had a harder time rejecting Communism, (for example during the great famine when as many as 30 million people died) because instead of just the peasants dying, at least the Party officials were going hungry, too, for the first time ever.
3. I am also reading about Islam right now, titled No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam by Aslan. I appreciate your point about whether or not Islam is radical. Because it is all we see via media doesn't mean that it was originally intended that way. The Prophet wanted monotheism, he wanted women to be able to own property, etc; he was a political/religious force for good, and I think he was radical in a good way. The thing I like about this book is that Aslan argues that Islam is at a crossroads now that is not unlike the Reformation. Was the Reformation painful and violent? Some would say yes. He's not making excuses for the radicals, but simply writing to the Western reader to show how we got to this place. I agree that power is a core issue. Sorry--did that ramble too much?
Glo-yes. Basically, that's it.
Eliz W.-I've read quotes from Nietzche; some I agree with, and some I don't, but reading his work in the context of his time, then yes, he was an intense thinker. Honestly, you make a good point comparing the Reformation to present Islam. I've never thought of that. I've read Islamic condemnation of terrorism-by-Muslims and I've never thought all Muslims are evil; it just appears overwhelmingly in that direction, and I concur with the idea of media-influenced thought.
Mullets-I don't 'tolerate' you, I just accept you for what you appear to be. I do not make blanket statements about anybody, but it seems I've been banned from the further-left forum. All I hear over there is 'America this, America that, I hate all Americans, America is the source of evil, America is intolerant...' I say stuff to irk Pisces and Zatikia because the comments they make about America, Americans, etc. are the same type of comments/attitudes they accuse America of. Like what you said above, contradictory intolerance. But, whatever. Pisces And Zatikia remind me of a certain group of robe-wearing cross-burners...
I don't think this is a war between religions. It is a war for power. In the vacuum left after the 'fall' of the U.S.S.R. radical Islam took charge. I don't see it as an east-vs-west struggle. This is a world-wide struggle.
Just a quick editorial thing-Joseph Smith said, I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves. John Taylor quoted JS, and this was first printed in 'Millenial Star'. Sorry--just had to get it fixed. Somehow it was rattling around in my brain, and I woke up with the thought, "That wasn't BY, it was JS".
I think that even with the 'fullness of the Gospel', we still are people who have agency and make bad choices, and that is the mortal condition, so there is always going to be conflict, racism, all the evils of the world.
Exactly. That is why I always say it's human nature, not American or western nature. In the BOM (correct me if I'm wrong, but I can't find the exact reference) Lehi talks of mortality as a 'vale of tears'. Man, he had it down.
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