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Government?

So all this talk about organized religion has made me wonder how many of you think our government is not much different than religion. I personally am baffled by anyone that "trusts" the government. United States??? How when we are clearly forced to choose sides and pick between the lesser of two evils.

Dida 7 Feb 8
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23 comments

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7

The government can be a force for good or an appalling source of evil. Who we vote for determines which one is true. Right now we need to vote a lot of them out.

Thanks @david7wk My thoughts are the same so will post under your comment. In Oz it makes very little difference which party gets in, no matter how many parties we have, twiddle dum and twiddle dee make sure no-one else has a chance. I do not consider that a democracy. No matter which one wins, we will support the USA no matter who is in power over there. I think the USA is like Oz, an election is like trying to decide the lesser of 2 evils which no matter how you look at is, is still evil. I treat it like religion, I tolerate it, I pay minimal tax and support my own causes instead, I vote for minor parties and determine my own preferences.

7

This theme of a mistrust in the government is from both sides of the aisle, and certainly there have been many incidents from the past to warrant such mistrust, but the government is suppose to be "by the people, for the people".

If we are not actively engaged citizens, voting and educating ourselves about government, the politicians, and the legislation that affects all of us, then we are indeed like the sheeple of religion.

Abso-fuckin'-lutely! ..I mean, I agree. Who was it that said democracy depends on there being an educated electorate? So we have an entire political party and their lackey faux news loudly preaching mistrust of "educational elites." We're screwed unless we can break the juggernaut of stupid combined with corporate greed that is eagerly duping the stupid.

7

We have to be active and attempt to make our government be "by the people. for the people..."
We are a nation that votes. Evangelism and religion, in general, have sabotaged our democracy. George W. knew this and that is why he became an Evangelist - lots of votes. I have seen Pastors dictate to their flock and even bus their parishioners to the voting booths. Evangelists are against educating the public among other things. So Big Money can manipulate them and overtake our government. We need our government - so we are stuck with our government and must make every effort to maintain our democracy. So vote! March! Support the factions you believe in.

Yes, what you said!

@Dida Please, please vote anyway. Those big wigs are so scared of the vote. There has to be a reason.

6

For me, a religion is any entity that utilizes something other than reason or facts to derive at their conclusions. This would most definitely include the United States. However, I can say from personal experience that it's employees don't like it when you compare the two.

5

I worked 34 years for the government including four in the military, I have a very good pension from them. I did not like it but I knew that I could retire at 55 with 30 years and that is what kept me going

5

No one should blindly trust government, for multiple reasons. Having said that, however, we still have to have it. The alternative is to let money and weapon power run absolutely everything. Without government, we have chaos. Think Somalia, or the mob running everything.
Government is ugly, dishonest, twisted, and endlessly frustrating. But our only options are to do what we can to make it accountable to the people or else accept that we will be controled by ruthless forces without any accountability. Right now there is a whole lot of accountability sorely lacking and desperately needed. To me our current national administration looks more like a bungling cluster of would-be mobsters than it does a U.S. government.

As for religion, we really Don't need it, so there's one difference.

Also well said! I like it when some of you do my thinking and writing for me. 🙂

4

Politicians are about promoting their "brand". That means they will aline and promote any popular cause to further promote their "brand". Government is not of and for the people it is about their own promotion.

Betty Level 8 Feb 8, 2018

@Dida

As long as it serves their brand, they'll lie all day long.

4

In early society, there was little distinction between government and religion. We are still dealing with the social engineering accomplishment of the Roman Empire and the Hebrew Nation, A government in the form of a Republic and Christianity. Government is not to be trusted it is to be controlled by voters, but unfortunately 49% of people didn't vote last election so Trump wins with about 25% of the people voting for him. We live in a Republic yes, but they screwed up and left the ability for democracy to win out if unified. That is why they are always dividing us, right?

jeffy Level 7 Feb 8, 2018
4

It's all about controlling us either way.

@Wildgreen do you think we elect our dictators?

3

Well.... I can see the government, I can see what it does, and how it does it. If im angry at the government I can effect change through either a grass roots effort, campaign donations, volunteer work, or becoming elected myself.

I... can pray to god.

Lol, I enjoy arguing so don't apologize for it. As long as everyone stays respectful it's fun.

That being said religious buildings are there to worship, pay respects to, or communicate with "god". They aren't a part of "god".

Government buildings are absolutely a part of government, its tangible, and real. While it may be like trying to hold up a wall made from peanut butter you can see tangible results of efforts... sometimes.

In so far as your second part I never claimed grass roots efforts would work, merely they are an option. They "do" work, sometimes. Probably less often than not, but they do. In so far as everything getting worse... well I'd argue for the most part almost everything has gotten better at least up till January of 2017.

3

I do not think that a religion is in any way comparable to a government. I do completely agree with your assessment of anyone trusting the government. The United States is nothing more than a propaganda organization. (IMHO)

Government is like a religion in that followers develop an emotional attachment to their party, and discussions that lead to disproving notions about their favored party often lead to responses similar to those of religious fanatics. Maybe even worse.
Oh, and similarly, people develop such a strong hate for their least favorite party, that any evidence offered that disproves their notions is summarily dimissed with similar accompanying hostility.

USA is a defacto McCarthyistic theocracy of zionists in office from the single duopoly party. ..pro choice facades notwithstanding

2

I don't trust much the government says, if anything.

2

Too much patriotism can be as bad as being a religious zealot.

2

That depends on the government. I'm referencing Secular governments here. Yes I trust Secular governments because they want to change with the times and are open to debate about what they protect and what they don't. I trust more that they change and keep evolving rather than trust that they really impose the policies they are supposed to. It only takes a new face to turn a bad law around in the United States. In theocratic governments that is a different story.

1

there in bed together. same meat different gravy.

1

I can't get into this, I'll be here all day, and EVERYONE will end up hating me.

@Dida I have a suspicion our views are probably similar.

1

I'm not sure the government is a religion, but both parties are sure trending that way.

Believe in THIS or be excommunicated!

1

Jumping to a conclusion would lead me to infer that you advocate a type of anarchy. Now I could comment further but I don't want to but words in your mouth.

Not necessarily. Speaking for myself, I couldn't agree with the OP more. But, I voted third party. There is a sensible solution to the two party system. You just have to get past the insurmountable wall of misinformation to see the true nature of the third party.

Anarchy is voluntary government ruling without violence. ...zionism is quadruple tithing murdering 94 Palestinians for every 6 IDF brownshirts killed....Greens Libertarians and other real parties are real choices without zionism. ...BlueREDS RedBLUES are the zionist Catholics fundies and Israelis with dual USA citizenships

@Dida It seems we're a sort of downfall; the ebbing of a cycle if you will. From republic to tyranny to sedition then bottoming out at dissolution. Are the checks and balances not holding as established by your forefathers? Perhaps they shiver yet to crumble. Maybe too many of us have sold our independence for the sake of comfort and liberty for the sake of security. But I know two things that must be in the hands of a good government. One is the maintenance of a rule of law and the security of a rigid and reliable infrastructure. All else should be the domain of the citizens. At least that's how I see a democracy. How to achieve that is another matter.

@Taijiguy Even here in Canuckistan, we only pay lip service to a multiparty system. The whole thing about openly declaring yourself Democrat or Republican undermines the concept of one person, one vote. There is a whole spectrum of issues that need to be addressed that would be fought over by minority governments and ignored by majority governments. I can see I'm just depressing myself right now and beginning to ramble. Should any real answers arise, I shall bring them forth for all to peruse.

0

the govt is your only friend . the corporations would have you in a work house

0

We make these same "lesser of two evils" a hundred times a day. It's called life, you don't get everything you want every time. You wore the least dirty shirt this morning because you didn't do laundry. You got a cup of coffee at Burger King because the line at Starbucks was too long. You gave your kid a lunchable because you forgot to hit the ATM last night. And yes, you should have voted for Hillary because she is a shit ton better than Trump even though Bernie was a better choice. Let me tell you how the Democrats make decisions: First, they have a convention. In said convention they have many caucus', a business caucus, a Latino caucus, a Handicapped caucus-a caucus for everything. In each caucus they debate what they want done by the next congress and send a delegate with these decisions to the platform committee of the party. The platform committee hammers out what they believe is politically feasible to advance to the national stage and get the most support and votes, it has many compromises and often promises future action on items that don't make it to the platform. This platform is now embraced by the candidates and reported in the media. This is called Democracy.

0

In the end , vice for virtue , you can't bite the hand that feeds you . It's dysfunctional 😐

Dougy Level 7 Feb 8, 2018
0
Distrust started during the Vietnam war because the second attack in the gulf of Tonkin was a lie. Kennedy's Bay of Pigs and Cuban Missile Crisis didn't help but I think most people still trusted him because he owned his problems and didn't try to cover up or point fingers.

Nixon really soured any trust that was left. between the illegal break ins and cover ups and the Saturday Night Massacre and Whitehouse obstruction of justice, all for digging up dirt on Democrats in the next election people just lost all faith in gov't. Watching it play out on TV for 2 solid weeks in detail was the last straw.
Trump is nailing the coffin closed on trust that will take years to even begin to return. The election process is the problem now. Good people that are qualified will not run because; the private sector pays a lot better, without having their whole life put under a microscope, it's either a 2, 4, 6 year job with no guarantee beyond that. Anybody with a family isn't gonna do that. That leaves us with what you see picking the lesser of two evils.
There is no easy answer here, to much money is involved. As long as people think the only way to win a election is to raise and spend ridiculous sums of money nothing is really gonna change.
The biggest change for the good of America is to find a way to win elections without raising a spending ridiculous sums of money. That would take big business out of the equation, making it possible to actually do something for the people and not just for big business. Don't hold your breath.

0

I always choose the greater good Ralph Nader Dr Jill Stein Green Party Presidential campaigns never corrupt duopoly BlueReds RedBLUES BOTH TrumpOLINI & Billary are the Goldman Sachs zionists

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