jefferiah

Lololol I'd have to have finances for that.

It seems you have the ability to read Harper's mind and foretell his actions. You talk about small steps. You have taken one silly breach of protocol and made a long stride. Maybe Harper and the Governor General didn't think it was such a biggie. Standing beside the Governor General is not going to help him usurp power. Do you think we were all watching the ceremonies thinking, "Hmmm Harper is by the Governor General now. Maybe he is our Dictator. Yes. Praise Harper. Our Dictator."? Yes. Next we will all have pictures of Harper in our schools and homes, because he stood on the dais. The thing I always liked about Canada is that being small (in population) and insignificant, we are not such a serious nation. Maybe I was completely wrong. Maybe Harper feels the same way I do. Maybe in Alberta people are not uptight about things like this. Maybe he thought why not stand there by my friend the Governor General and show my support for the troops. Personally I think most people identify more with the Prime Minister as a leader anyway, than the symbolic ornamental Governor General. .

Yes, I am sure the soldier were passing thinking..."Oh man, what a state of confusion I am in. Who am I saluting here?" Man you people are sticklers. Strain a gnat, swallow a camel.

I can't believe people are serious about this. What difference does it make where he stood? Did the Governor General try to shoo him away? I think people are analyzing this too deeply. Maybe he stood just stood by her. Who cares? Do people have to dig up something so insignificant to badger Harper?

Because there have been conspiracies. So people look for them because of historical experience. Sort of a shrewdness. And also intrigue. The word "conspiracy" had to be invented to decribe something that was obviously an existing phenomenon. So there have been conspiracies. In a haze of billions of conspiracy theories, sooner or later one of them will end up actually being right.

I think it was passed in Manitoba or Saskatchewan courts that the verses in the bible calling homosexuality sinful are "hate literature" so I can understand Harper wanting to exclude homosexuals from this list. I think hate crime legislation is kind of crazy anyway. Perhaps it is needed, but it also must be kept in check. Hate crime legislation could end up meaning "if you want to hurt someone you had best be sure they are of the same race, gender, and sexual orientation as you." I believe a pastor in Alberta was charged for a letter of complaint he wrote to the government about his tax dollars funding Gay movements. This is the danger. As for Harper and China. Way to go Harper!

You are quite correct. That was the subject of discussion in synagogue a few Saturdays ago. It was a pretty good Seinfeld episode too. And your point in that pointless remark? I like the Hats. That was conversion to Judaism on Seinfeld. That was Latvian Orthodox Christianity. Wasn't* conversion to Judaism...sorry

People are making too much nonsense about religion now. This is not the Crusades or the Inquisition. Yet the opponents of religion seem to think it is. I do not belong to any organized church. I am a Christian though. But I have disagreements with organized churches on some issues. However, most people I know who belong to these religions are pretty good people. I don't see them giving me a problem over anything. Alot of Christian web sites I have checked out and books I have read do not promote hatred against homosexuals. They make a definite statement about it being sinful, but most of these writers encourage people to be patient and merciful and hope that they will change. There are many people out there who may be cruel to homosexuals. I know a lot of atheists who use the "F*****" word to describe them. But the religious people do not encourage that at all. Really the way people complain about the establishment and government and religion over tiny little things, seeking injustice in every word uttered by the "man" is getting ridiculous. I am not a Bush fan myself. But I was in a political chat room the day after the democrats won big in the house and senate. People in there were saying "Woo Hoo the fascist regime is fallen." Fascist! C'mon. I would like to see these people survive for five minutes in a real fascist country. They would whine themselves to death before they could be killed for dissent. Elton John is gay. He is openly gay. No one can stop him from being gay. I dont think he is having any problem from society. And he can parade around and display his gay pride if he wants. Really how is religion affecting his life so deeply. Are bishops donning uniforms and black army boots and raiding the homes of Elton John and other homosexuals dragging them out to be publically beaten? You would think he was in Nazi Germany the way he is complaining. Its not enough for some people to have their lifestyles legalized and to be able to display it. No they must silence all the people who speak out against them, who dont agree with them. Hmm....this sounds more like Fascism to me.

You are quite correct. That was the subject of discussion in synagogue a few Saturdays ago. It was a pretty good Seinfeld episode too. And your point in that pointless remark? I like the Hats. That was conversion to Judaism on Seinfeld. That was Latvian Orthodox Christianity.

Well I dont think it is so outrageous. Someone said one sixth of the panel would be cops. So its not really a bunch of cops picking judges. Its one cop, and some other folks. And I think the law enforcement maybe needs some representation on this board. OK, so we've had one side saying "Lawyers are all crooks." Then the other side calls this anti-lawyer bigotry while in the same breath they say "Cops are all crooks." My friend JBG on here is a lawyer, and I dont take too kindly to people lumping him in with crooks. And my brother is a police officer. Sure cops are going to be more about getting convictions. And sure lawyers are going to be about protecting the accused. These are their respective functions. But I dont see why a member of law enforcement should not have a position on that board as well as lawyers. As a lot of people pointed out, there are a lot of cases of these slap-on-the-wrist sentences. And cops would like to see something done about this. The views of law enforcement are very valuable since they are the hands-on people in the justice system. They are out there everyday. They see the crime scenes. They deal with it. The lawyers are more removed and abstract. Their view is important. But the police have an important aspect to bring as well.

Yogananda was not an historian. He was one of India's billions of mystical quacks. They are a dime a dozen over there. Televangelists times 100. Get a robe, grow your hair, talk soft like Maharishi and have a good understanding of "monism, kundalini, karma, etc" philosophy. Yogananda claimed he was William the Conqueror as well. Of these quacks I think perhaps the most brilliant minded were Jiddhu Krishnamurti and (not related) U.G. Krishnamurti. Not that I agree with them, but I think their intellects were quite spot on.

When talking about Christians everybody brings up Pat Robertson or Jimmy Swaggart. I think its getting a bit old now. I didnt even know who Pat Robertson was until I heard all this commotion about calling for a Chavez' assassination. Do you think everybody who is Christian worships these televangelist folks? Anyways I do believe that homosexuality is a sin. But I dont believe that this means you have to hate homosexuals either. People keep saying that Jesus was not religious. Well that may be. But I think people use this not-religious thing as a justification for anything. He still had a standard of right and wrong. And I firmly believe that he would not have condoned homosexuality. It is not a matter of singling out homosexuals. There are many sins in the Bible, and it says we all have committed at least one of them. So there is no reason for a heterosexual Christian to say, "Look at that horrible sinner. At least I am not like that." On the other hand there are many Christian who do this and who do not offer the same kind of mercy and understanding to homosexuals as they would other sinners. Rather they are mocking and mean. But I dont think most Christians are this way. I used to think so. But I think I was stereotyping alot of Christians before. If you (the reader) do not agree that homosexuals acts are sins, I cannot change that. But this is my view point. I do no hold this point of view as a personal attack on homosexuals. There is nothing religion can do to stop homosexuals. Religion just says there is a right sexuality and that homosexuality is not included in appropriate sexuality. If you do not agree with what it says, no one can stop you. But this is the position.

Yes perverted and corrupted by atheist perverts infiltrating the church and masquerading as Christians. Elton John is a good example as to why him and his filth should be put back in the closet and the door locked. UH.... Jimmy Baker, Pat Robertson, the lastest Meth using Gay preacher Haggard, how about the Catholic Priests who molested all those children. Were these people all athiests? Wake up man you've been brainwashed. Ever see the show Chris Angel Mind Freak? He is a crazy illusionist who astounds peole in this day and age where science is widely taught. Keep that in mind. Now most people/christians don't know that Jesus went to India during his "missing years". He learned mysticism form the Yogi's. It is actually in their texts. (read Paramahansa Yoganada) Now with his training in eastern mysticism, like the fabled climbing a rope that goes nowhere, imagine how he would have appeared to a bunch of uneducated, illiterate, scared and impoverished people. He would have appeard to have magical powers. Have you ever read the bible? Jesus himself says he is just a man, and that someday we will do as he does. I say Jesus was nothing more than a great illusionist, just like Chris Angel is. Thats a theory. One I dont think there is much evidence for. That Jesus went to India. I am not saying its not true or impossible. But there is no reason to believe that because some guy was written about in Indian texts who in the minds of very few people bears a slight resemblance to Jesus that this is the same man. I think there is more evidence to suggest that a Jesus was prophesied in Hindu literature. But once again, not enough to say for sure. I am a Christian. I believe Jesus existed. But there are a great many people out there who dont find there is enough evidence to suggest that the man ever lived. Therefore it is quite another thing to say he went to India as if it were an established fact.

Actually the black-white views exist on the leftist side as well. I know that many conservatives will call you a Bin Laden supporter if you say you dont like Bush or something. But not all conservatives think this way, or respond this way. Also leftists tend to do the same thing. If you support Bush, you are a Bible-thumping, Fascist, republican bigot. The portrayal of those who disagree as either a left or right "extremist" is something that happens all the time.

I dont think Don Cherry is meant to be taken seriously. I like to watch Don Cherry. I dont think he is the best commentator or the worst man alive either. He is on Hockey Night In Canada cuz people like to watch him. He is a character. Thats all there is to it. In that respect he is not unlike Rick Mercer. People dont really follow Don Cherry. I mean people might say they do, but they are joking too.

JBG said it perfectly. Political Correctness is getting to the point where a little slip or a mistake will get you a Scarlet Letter.

Hmmm. I don't think this case makes any difference in the belief that homosexual marriage is wrong. I know not everyone believes this, but the fact that a person who is anti-gay marriage has lost his reputation has little to do with anything. Let's take a case of something we can all agree is wrong. Since we dont all agree on gay marriage. How about littering. Ok, now lets say you (the reader) have a deep hatred of littering. And you belong to the North American Foundation of Anti-Litterers (fictional group). The President of this foundation is Mrs. Joan Cullingsworth (also fictional). Now you are watching the news one day and you see a breaking news report exposing the "secret lifestyle of excessive littering" Mrs. Cullingsworth has been living behind the scenes. You may call this woman hypocrite. But do you think this would change your views on "Anti-Littering". Would you all of a sudden become pro-littering?

I dont support any sort of revolution. Especially a Christian one. I am Christian and I believe revolution is contradictory to our faith. However, I think that there are some recent cases of paranoia about religion which are noteworthy. In Tennesee, I believe it was, students were barred from studying the bible at school on their personal time. "According to ADF, 10-year-old student Luke Whitson used his regularly scheduled recess time to read the Bible with a few friends on his school's playground. After receiving a complaint from a parent, the principal reportedly ordered the students to stop their activity, put their Bibles away and cease from bringing them to school." "An extremely disturbing precedent has been set in Canada that homosexual activists in the U. S. are trying duplicate. According to a December 2001 decision by a Saskatchewan court of appeals, the Bible is hate literature if it is quoted verbatim and in context when it is used to condemn homosexuality as sin." Cases like these. There are many.

Here's the thing about conspiracy theories---the federal reserve, Trilateral Commission, Illuminati, Masons, the global elite. There may be something there. But what? It gets confusing really. Who is in on it? Who isnt? So many things written about it. So many sources. Hmmm....if I belonged to some sort of global elite my response to so many conspiracy theory websites would be to start my own conspiracy theory site. I would trade emails with the theorists, and suggest my own theories pointing them in the wrong direction. I could create lots of aimless thinking and have people theorizing and arguing over the wrong things. I am not saying this is whats happening. But if the elite are so smart, I am sure they would have disinformation to keep those who are against them running in circles as well. But the thing is all this stuff about conspiracies is too confusing to ever figure out anyway. How can I possibly be aware of what everyone else is up to?

I always assumed that Canada was a different country from mine, they'd have their own language anyway. Canadian english is closer to actual English english than American english is. But other than a few differences of spelling (colour not color!) and pronounication it's basically the same. I find it funny how some Americans come here to visit (I live in one of the most popular tourist destinations in all of Canada. I see them enough to know) expecting things to be totally different and when they aren't really they seem disappointed. Or when they try to impress us poor Canadians. I've had conversations with tourists that what along the lines of: 'Excuse me, do you have so and so here in Canada?' 'Yes we do too. It's right over there' 'Ohh... I see. Well do you have blah blah blah?' 'Yes doesn't everyone?' 'Ummm...err I can't read this. It's in French. Here you read it!' 'I don't know French. Most people here don't. Flip the damn thing over' Those questions sound pretty normal to me. Like if I am in someone's house I might ask where the washroom is? Or where is you garbage can so I can throw this out? The people in your situation sound like they are inquiring politely.

well, where you their? i think it may have been more situational then universal, i think some people, not the people, discouraged him. i may have to do study on this, but if you are refering this to faith, then why did he go and do it? did he say that he does this for his faith? i agree science has a faith that is open to being disproven, and religon is not as welcoming to disproof. but i still have not had my answer from the other side, who is to lead you, men, or gods? i never questioned your faith, i questioned your reason, and from that i am asking for your logic, i do not need to be proven that science is a faith, i know that sometimes it is so. if you are to jump a gap, you may need a filler to get you to the other side, that can be faith, but for me, it is curiosity, i do not want any one outcome, i just want to see a result, whatever it might be. is that what compaires us to your philosiphy? are you curios of your god, do you question him? or as i learned in my youth not to, but to only have faith, i found that very hollow. so new question, are you hollow? Although I said I believe faith is a necessity in life, I never once said doubt was unnecessary. Anyways, the Columbus thing was about something interesting I had read not so long ago in a book on historical myths. I remember being taught and reading that Columbus was discouraged from crossing the ocean because he would fall off the edge of the world. Apparently this was not true at all, as scholars had already decided long before that the earth was round. The real argument was that Columbus underestimated the distance across the ocean. And they were right! Pretty interesting huh!

well, where you their? i think it may have been more situational then universal, i think some people, not the people, discouraged him. i may have to do study on this, but if you are refering this to faith, then why did he go and do it? did he say that he does this for his faith? i agree science has a faith that is open to being disproven, and religon is not as welcoming to disproof. but i still have not had my answer from the other side, who is to lead you, men, or gods? i never questioned your faith, i questioned your reason, and from that i am asking for your logic, i do not need to be proven that science is a faith, i know that sometimes it is so. if you are to jump a gap, you may need a filler to get you to the other side, that can be faith, but for me, it is curiosity, i do not want any one outcome, i just want to see a result, whatever it might be. is that what compaires us to your philosiphy? are you curios of your god, do you question him? or as i learned in my youth not to, but to only have faith, i found that very hollow. so new question, are you hollow? Although I said I believe faith is a necessity in life, I never once said doubt was unnecessary.

I think I do realize that, to an unusual extent. And I've knowingly and deliberately trained myself to recognize and avoid it. I laughed so hard at this! this is the best intellectual joke all summer! Wait, its fall...ok all year! You have gotten the "this is a funny joke" award! laminate it. and i am the same way, i take almost nothing on faith especially if it can't be proven. Why did people discourage Columbus from trying to sail westward to India?

I am not a masonry fan. Have you read any of their writings? The works of Albert Pike? The religious tolerance of the masons is a sham.

Yeah definitely it is a biased headline. I mean I dont know whether it was intentional or not. But yeah. I think we all know what McKay meant. This is the danger in making a comparison between things now when the two things have one common feature, but drastic differences in other respects. People will leap all over you. He used Christmas shopping as an illustration of something leading to crowds and confusion. Its something I think puts it into perspective for Canadians. I dont think he is expecting anyone to believe the situation in Lebanon is like Christmas. Lol. And I think, you know, most people have the brains to understand what he meant. Anyways yeah, you know putting the comparison in the headline. It seems they are giving great importance to something that happens to have a "let them eat cake" style ring to it. But I think it could have been a mistake, or even an attempt at humor. But yeah if the reporter was implying McKay thinks Lebanon is like a mall at Christmas, its definitely propaganda.