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Can you say 'God bless America'?

Can you say 'God Bless America'?

  • Yes, I am a Liberal, I can say it

    Votes: 5 15.2%

  • Yes, I am a Conservative, I can say it

    Votes: 18 54.5%

  • Yes, I am a Libertarian, I can say it

    Votes: 4 12.1%

  • No, I am politically correct

    Votes: 5 15.2%

  • I dunno

    Votes: 1 3.0%
  • Total voters
    33
Tucker Case said:
But is that profound difference actually evidence of a decline, or of an increased awareness of the less mainstream?
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I can see the decline in each mode... comparative and virtual. But then again, each of us has differing origins and experiences.

That said, I do think your analysis has a good measure of validity.
 
Tashah said:
I can see the decline in each mode... comparative and virtual. But then again, each of us has differing origins and experiences.

That said, I do think your analysis has a good measure of validity.
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Do I take it from your posts that you believe that the decline you're talking about is something you put down to the declining dominance of religion in society?
 
Andalublue said:
Do I take it from your posts that you believe that the decline you're talking about is something you put down to the declining dominance of religion in society?
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Its once lofty place as one of the binding fabrics of American society? Yes.
 
Tashah said:
Its once lofty place as one of the binding fabrics of American society? Yes.
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See, I would argue that the idea that religion was once a binding fabric of American society was never real. It was a binding fabric for the large segment of society that agreed with religion, but American society has always been more than just those who agree.

I would also say that is remains as a binding force, but that the difference these days is that the proportional segment of society that is serves to bind is smaller than it once was.
 
Tashah said:
Its once lofty place as one of the binding fabrics of American society? Yes.
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You might not be surprised to learn that I'd have a somewhat different analysis, obviously not based exclusively on US society, but certainly on predominantly Anglo-Saxon civilisation. I think that the decline in some 'traditional' values of respect, toleration, and politeness can also be seen as a consequence of the increasing individualisation of society resulting from the huge upsurge in the influence of radical protestant, particularly Calvinistic, Christianity. A theology that is based on a personal relationship with God, and which relegates ideas of congregation, community and family to being merely by-products of faith and not essential components of it will necessarily encourage a self-oriented attitude in its believers. Now obviously, not everyone follows such faiths, but sufficient numbers do for those individualistic attitudes to pervade the wider society. Strangely enough, those social movements of the Sixties such as feminism and gay liberation are also, in part products of that trend - to my mind, they are the positive products of it, but I would say that, wouldn't I?

The decline of a more communal approach to faith, family and co-existence to me appear to mirror precisely that shift away from the pre-eminence of church towards the pre-eminence of a 'personal faith'. Faith has become something to be shopped around for, a commodity that is now offered in a multitude of different brands just like other consumer durables. I don't know whether statistics exist to prove or disprove this, but I wonder whether religious affiliation is transferred from generation to generation as it used to be, so that your choice of church, mosque, temple and synagogue is now a matter of personal and considered preference rather than a cultural heirloom, passed down from parent to child, to grandchild. I suspect not, but that's speculation.

Anyway, those are just some thoughts, some ideas that have occurred to me over some time, and that I would offer as a hypothesis to explain the changes you mentioned.
 
Alfons said:
Every American must be a Patriot, except he is a liberal, communist or socialist.
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Alfons doesn't pull any punches, does he? :lamo
 
Andalublue said:
Anyway, those are just some thoughts, some ideas that have occurred to me over some time, and that I would offer as a hypothesis to explain the changes you mentioned.
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Oddly enough, I feel at completely at home in both environments (secular/religious)... the United States and Israel.
 
Tashah said:
Oddly enough, I feel at completely at home in both environments (secular/religious)... the United States and Israel.
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How do you think you'd feel in a much more markedly secular society such as Sweden or Scotland? I know it's pretty much a question of perspective, but many of us in Europe would identify the US as a much more 'religious' country than any with which we are familiar, and I don't make that comment with any value judgement placed on that being a good or bad thing.
 
Andalublue said:
How do you think you'd feel in a much more markedly secular society such as Sweden or Scotland? I know it's pretty much a question of perspective, but many of us in Europe would identify the US as a much more 'religious' country than any with which we are familiar, and I don't make that comment with any value judgement placed on that being a good or bad thing.
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I’m about 80/20 (secular/religious). One day I can be in Jerusalem which is perhaps the most religious city on earth, and the next day I’ll be at Fermilab (theoretical/experimental physics) which is perhaps one of the most God-less places on earth. I really have no problem with either environment. To better address your question though, I would truly mourn being denied either of these worlds.
 
Only Godless people protest God, and I don't care if you believe or not.

I won't try to make you believe so don't you tell me what I can think or say in public about God.

What is important is the message of Jesus and again I don't care if you don't believe in him, but I do think if we all believed in the words attributed to him hold up as a great guideline for life.

One thing you find not only in the Bible but as a basic tenant in 21 religions around the world.

"Do unto others as you would have others do unto you."

If we lived by this everything would change over night and prosperity would embrace the world, and we could then turn swords into plowshares.

God bless you and America.
 
Why would God bless an increasingly demoralized nation in terms of Christianity?
 
Tucker Case said:
For some reason I can't fully explain, this cracked me up.
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Lol. And for some reason I can’t fully explain, I’m always tempted to affix a Mezuzah by the entrance way :2razz:
 
Tashah said:
I’m waiting. Do tell..........
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I got this mental image of a bunch of athiest science geeks staring at the Mezuzah in confusion and perfoming tests on it in order to determine what it was and you looking at them shaking your head.
 
Tucker Case said:
I got this mental image of a bunch of athiest science geeks staring at the Mezuzah in confusion and perfoming tests on it in order to determine what it was and you looking at them shaking your head.
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:rofl

I kinda think that’s exactly what tempts me to actually do it.
 
megaprogman said:
I would rather say "God bless everyone"

God is god of everything, not a single nation.
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They're not talking about regular God. They're talking about the Tribal God Of The Teabaggers who wants to smite the gays and dark-skinned people.
 
Alfons said:
I don't ask for reciting of Pledge of Alliance, I want only know can you say as American Patriots very easy words like GOD BLESS AMERICA, please vote, thanks in advance for your opinions.

As a Conservative I can say:

God bless America!
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It doesn't matter whether your conservative or liberal or polka dotted, anyone can say God Bless America. Whether they mean it or not is another thing of course. But it certainly doesn't depend on political affiliation.
 
stelz said:
They're not talking about regular God. They're talking about the Tribal God Of The Teabaggers who wants to smite the gays and dark-skinned people.
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Oh, he sounds nice. Does he come with free chips and salsa?
 
Saying "God bless America" doesn't make you a "patriot" anymore than saying "Thank you Jesus" makes you a "Christian"...it is your actions...not your words.
 
Being neither liberal, conservative or libertarian, I am unable to answer your poll. But I can say 'God Bless America'.

I just don't, because I'm an atheist.
 
Patriotism is the virtue of the vicious.
 
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