How can an ethical objectivist celebrate Passover or Easter this weekend?

[galtgulch]

Thom:

Agreed. I was commenting to my friend about how fascinating any thread on this forum can germinate into remarkable observations and inspirations.

I intended this just to be a light thread and since I am just learning to post in a category, I actually "efforted" finding a thread that started as "humor" in the search menu and opened the last post and then started a new topic from there! lol

Perhaps Michael can grab Barbara's shared story as the start of a new thread on the meaning of forgiveness.

Adam

Adam,

I know that humor is important and existed for those enslaved in Communist totalitarian states and in the Holocaust in Poland and Nazional Zocialist Germany. So I should have no beef with it here and now.

Life goes on. Objectivists of all people are aware of the fact that we are on the fast train since the election toward our final destination which has an air of inevitability. Our illustrious lying leader, who bows to the kings of anachronistic regimes where women are flogged in public upon suspicion of adultery or stoned to death, is hell bent on riding the wave of his popularity to institute "a new America."

I will reiterate that Obama supporters are willing to give him time. This reveals a profound ignorance of both Obama's plan and goal and of the relationship between premises and their implementation.

Obama shrewdly kept his socialistic ideas to himself during the campaign except for the allusions to it in his comments about spreading the wealth to Joe the Plumber. He didn't openly argue for socialism in the debates. He spoke of now being the time in history. The voters thought he meant for a black man to become president. He meant for him to be elected so he could "change" America into a socialist society.

I happened to watch Rush Limbaugh speak to the American Conservative Union the other night. At one point he said that the root of Obama's organization, ACORN is "commune." The audience went wild.

Obama didn't win by much. How much damage can he do in his first term? Will he find a way to stay in office for another term? If so, will he find a way to become dictator for life after that?

Despite what we see as horror his supporters still find acceptable and he remains popular with over 60% approval rating. He is riding the wave of envy and hatred of capitalism among the ignorant. Only some of it is justified.

www.campaignforliberty.com 11Apr 6AM 142040, 6:30 142084, 9AM 142109

gulch

Edited April 11, 2009 by galtgulch

[BaalChatzaf]

www.campaignforliberty.com 11Apr 6AM 142040, 6:30 142084

gulch

Delenda Cartago est!

Delenda Obama est!

Ba'al Chatzaf

Edited April 11, 2009 by BaalChatzaf

[galtgulch]

www.campaignforliberty.com 11Apr 6AM 142040, 6:30 142084

gulch

Delenda Cartago est!

Delenda Obama est!

Ba'al Chatzaf

Ba'al,

At first i didn't quite understand in my deplorable ignorance, but thanks to the internet, google and Wikipedia I am closer to what you meant:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carthago_delenda_est

I think this is the relevant portion:

"Although no ancient source gives the phrase exactly as it is usually quoted in modern times (either Carthago delenda est or the fuller Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam), something like this wording can be inferred from several ancient sources, which state that the Roman statesman Cato the Elder would always end his speeches with some variation of this expression even if he had not been discussing Carthage in the speech.[3] Thus, it can also be used to refer to a tenacious, repetitive insistence on something."

www.campaignforliberty.com 11Apr 9:39AM 142113

I am off to the quarterly meeting of the Mass Liberty Preservation thingy in Worcester. I'll report back.

gulch

[SherryTX]

.

What I meant is "I am confused?" is I wonder why I have seen a lot of posts (across various Objectivist related boards) that make it seem like Judaism is a religion "better" or less guilty of damage than others.

Judaism has a rational objective ethical core within. Strip off the supernatural and ritualistic stuff and what you have left, you could easily agree with. What is left is not tainted by mawkish sentimentality as is Christianity. What is left is hard-core discernment of right and wrong.

I often mention that it is no coincidence that Objectivism was created by someone brought up in the Jewish culture. In fact the "first generation" Objectivists were mostly culturally Jewish although not observant. How come? For starters, Judaism is a properterian religion. It makes a distinction between what is mine and what belongs to someone else. Second, it emphasizes the centrality of contracts. Promises and commitments made for which value is received, must be kept. These are side effects of the original conditions in Judaism flourished. That is in a Bedouin culture where survival was close to the margins. Property had to be guarded, the flocks kept well or starvation and thirst follow rapidly. People had to keep their word. People who live close to the death margin become very tough if they are to survive. There is little room for error.

Ba'al Chatzaf

Hmm..okay, perhaps I do not need to start a new thread after all. This is the best explanation anyone has ever given me. I will give this a lot of thought - thanks for taking the time to respond, and for not being offended by my question (I think I worded things rather poorly and in the wrong spirit, looking over it now, and appreciate everyone's patience!)

[Reidy]

Eat a pork roast. Serve the leftovers on Good Friday.

[Kat]

How can an ethical Objectivist celebrate Passover or Easter this weekend?

by eating chocolate! Happy bunny day!

[Rich Engle]

Yeah, what Kat said. If you want to have fun with it, do so. If not, no worries.

I mean, the holiday rituals are so blended now that the best thing to do is make a party out of it, if anything. It's for the kids: they like getting fun stuff for Easter.

[galtgulch]

I wonder if the ancestors of any of today's Jews were Jews in the time of Christ. The lost tribes of Israel and all of that.

--Brant

Given that we have two parents, four grandparents, eight great grandparents it becomes evident that the further back in time one goes that there were more people living in those days whom you are descended from and related to. So it is likely that anyone living today is a descendent of virtually everyone living in ancient times, at least in ones religion or part of the world.

Then since everyone living today probably has a common ancestor whom you share, we are ultimately all related. At the very least we are all members of the human race.

It is comforting that all we owe to each other is the obligation to leave them alone and free to go their own way.

The sooner more of us join in the struggle to fashion a modification of the current system which binds us together and makes us responsible for others through the system of taxation, the sooner we will be closer to being truly free.

Go here and join up:

www.campaignforliberty.com 12 Apr 142343

gulch

[SherryTX]

How can an ethical Objectivist celebrate Passover or Easter this weekend?

by eating chocolate! Happy bunny day!

HAHA!

We decided to do the egg painting/hunt next weekend - too much going on this weekend for me to get out to the store. And hopefully everything will be half price hahah.

I haven't even bought any candy yet - and I am a huge chocoholic.

My kids are making egg Sramlets for us now for a light brunch, and we are looking forward to feasting on sushi with our friends tonight!