I was checking out some of the t-shirts and bumper stickers available on www.cafepress.com. They offer thousands, and the option to create your own. I did a search of “annoy a liberal”. Among the results of interest, I pass along the following:

Then I searched “annoy a conservative”. Here are some offerings:

Isn’t it interesting our tendency to dilute the convictions/beliefs of another person into a phrase that can fit onto a bumper sticker or t-shirt? People just are not so simple. Well, maybe some are. Some are quite willing to parrot the beliefs of another, even to adamantly accept them as personal convictions without due examination. Perhaps on the surface they sound good. And those who advocate such beliefs comprise a social group that is personally appealing. So I guess it is easy to believe something, advocate it, and even judge others who do not conform, without personally giving worthy process and examination to the matter.

Why do you believe? It is a great question. I am convinced most of us are truly afraid to give an answer. Instead, we attack the questioner, because it is a mighty big relief to take the focus off one’s faulty reasoning and shallow convictions, and watch the other guy squirm. Or we get stubborn about it. “I believe, and that’s just it.” Teeth are clinched, eyes set, and mind hardened. Sometimes it is impossible to admit you are wrong. It would require too brutal a personal honesty, and too many apologies to others.

I am not saying that reason is the great determiner of right and wrong. And I am not saying that the smartest person is always right. But I am saying that anything worth believing is equally worth examining. The more important the belief, the more thorough should be the examination. God, for example.

I will focus upon political/social issues for a few posts. Next writing, I want to consider the “Right To Bear Arms”. It is connected to the Second Amendment of the U S Constitution.
Do you have the “right” to own a bazooka?
The “right” to gather a militia and build a fortress in Idaho?
Does this refer to a collective, and not individual, “right”? Then, would the government be justified to seize all personal weapons?

We will talk about it with the next post.

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posted by: surrogate (reply)
post date: 01.03.08 (10:44 am)

It'll be fun to read.

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posted by: emerging (reply)
post date: 01.03.08 (10:53 am)

Great post - are you sure you're a preacher? All this talk about examining your beliefs and thinking for yourself? That's not something I usually hear from the pulpit - except in the case of the really good ones :) I believe that "fearfully and wonderfully made" means that God included a brain with the intention that I acually use it. Of course, I could be wrong ;)

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posted by: pcbiologist (reply)
post date: 01.03.08 (11:34 am)

Surrogate said: "It'll be fun to read."

Especially with the Supreme Court case going on. Quite an interesting blog. But I do love a good bumper sticker!

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posted by: PastorDave (reply)
post date: 01.03.08 (6:26 pm)

Reply to: surrogate
It will contain all the wisdom to be gained from Wikipedia and the NRA.

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posted by: PastorDave (reply)
post date: 01.03.08 (6:30 pm)

Reply to: emerging
Examining your beliefs & thinking for yourself, just makes sense. I'm still a person of faith. And, I'm Conservative in my Christian beliefs, although I guess such is a relative term. We should not feel threatened by questions. The worst and best a question can do is cause you to clarify what you think. It it can't stand the test, then it needs to be tossed.

The kids had a great Christmas?

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posted by: PastorDave (reply)
post date: 01.03.08 (6:33 pm)

Reply to: pcbiologist
You love a good bumper sticker? I don't like bumper stickers. My wife puts them on her car, and I'm always embarassed to drive it. Right now she has a Huckabee sticker. One time I bought a car that had a sticker proclaiming "Jesus Was A Liberal". It took me a good part of the day to peel it off. Maybe I could put a sticker on my car that says "I Hate Bumper Stickers"?

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posted by: surrogate (reply)
post date: 01.03.08 (8:31 pm)

Reply to: emerging

God DID give you a brain, but there's no law against trading up!

(Snicker. You may now kill me.)

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posted by: surrogate (reply)
post date: 01.03.08 (8:50 pm)

Reply to: PastorDave

Dave, Dave, Dave... oy.

I keep forgetting Jesus was a good conservative. He'd DEFINITELY be against all those awful social welfare programs that help poor people, oh and pro war, right? I can just hear him railing against the idea of universal health care. He'd be on that podium yelling out "In the Name of Father, every man for himself!"

A friend of mine has a bumper sticker that reads,
"Compassionate Conservatism: Everybody's got problems."

Come on... Put that bumper sticker back on your car. It was simple, but it was true. How about I make you a new one that reads "Wow! Jesus really WAS a liberal. How 'bout them apples?"

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posted by: pcbiologist (reply)
post date: 01.04.08 (9:12 am)

What I meant: I love SEEING a good bumper sticker. I wouldn't put one on my car either--it decreases the resale value, especially if the person you're considering selling it to is of the opposite political/religious persuasion.

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posted by: PastorDave (reply)
post date: 01.04.08 (10:03 am)

Reply to: pcbiologist
I understand. I notice them. I tire of seeing "My Kid Is An Honor Student At Blah Blah Blah..." I chuckle at the one that says "My Kid Can Beat Up Your Honor Student". Violent and politically incorrect, I know.

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posted by: bawdy (reply)
post date: 01.04.08 (12:16 pm)

I doubt Jesus would subscribe fully to the platform of either party.

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posted by: fractalmom (reply)
post date: 01.05.08 (6:37 am)

i look forward to what should be a really hopping blog.....

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posted by: kurtmaddox (reply)
post date: 01.05.08 (11:04 am)

I just spoke with the Lord and he's squarely in Ron Paul's camp! How else do we explain Ron Paul's ability to raise $20 million dollars last quarter? Lol! So much for the whole loafs and fishes thing -- THAT is a true miracle :-)

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posted by: kurtmaddox (reply)
post date: 01.05.08 (11:05 am)

Here's my slogan:

Annoy Everyone: Be a Libertarian!

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posted by: surrogate (reply)
post date: 01.05.08 (2:32 pm)

Reply to: kurtmaddox

How about this one? "Need a bunch of guns? Strangle a libertarian and clean out his bunker."

No?

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posted by: surrogate (reply)
post date: 01.06.08 (3:16 pm)

Reply to: bawdy

I agree. I don't think he'd get involved in party politics at all, but as far as what sort of programs he'd support? He did say "Give unto Caesar that which is Caesar's," didn't he? He knew those roads and aqueducts weren't going to build themselves.

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posted by: lorischuster (reply)
post date: 01.06.08 (4:32 pm)

There is enough stupidity and hypocrisy on both sides to go around. You're always stirring the pot, PD...keep up the good work! :)

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posted by: almsthvn (reply)
post date: 01.07.08 (6:36 pm)

The divisiveness of it all is what bothers me. The ancients weren't fooling around with the yin-yang concept: it takes both kinds of minds to keep the human race alive and well.

I don't care as much where a political candidate stands on the issues when they are in the privacy of their own home. What I care about is : will they surround themselves with people who are knowledgeable about all aspects of an issue, and then choose a path forward that is for the greater good?

In short - how well will they work with ALL elected leaders?
Maybe we should shelve the idea of fund-raising, or debates, and so forth, and just check their grade cards for "Plays well with others".

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posted by: kurtmaddox (reply)
post date: 01.08.08 (8:43 pm)

Reply to: surrogate

Ha! That's why I could never win the Libertarian nomination -- I don't own a single firearm! Talk about hypocrisy!!

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posted by: ggirl (reply)
post date: 01.09.08 (11:35 am)

Open and reasoned discourse--what a concept!

I don't understand why people feel the need to announce their position on things via bumper stickers. I don't really care what they think about anything, especially if it can be reduced to a bumper sticker.

Hope you have a great new year, PD!

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