Why do you Believe?
 

Seriously.....I just spent the better part of a day trying to figure out why we all seem to be at each others throats. From what I can tell....its actually very simple, and I hope to whatever Gods may decide to listen that this thread can shed a bit of light on the "Why".

I will allow no Bitching , Flaming , or Debate at all in this thread. It has only one purpose:

To define the REASONS we believe what we do.

With any luck at all, people may gain some understanding of each other by reading what is posted here.....if indeed....we all bother to do so.

Myself......

I firmly believe there is deception underlying much of the politics/government we see daily. Lacking the information to form a qualified opinion on what is "Really" happening, I tend to err on the side of caution. This leads me to distrust my Leaders on a Federal level, and makes me somewhat worried for what the future holds.
I tend to base my descisions on hard Data, and as this seems to be lacking for the most part I find myself in a position that is defensive. My personal hopes are for the removal of the current Administration, as I feel we are heading in a direction counter to the good of this country.

Understand.....this in NO WAY effects how I view this board.....and is the reason I do not post here, My opinion of politics is not relevant to how you treat each other.

I disagree with you. I watch our government at work on a daily basis, being yet another cog in the machine. I think that there is probably a LOT more idealism at work in our government than you give it credit for. I know that I signed up not for the money (which is 1/10th of what I'd reasonably be expected to make outside of Tha G) or for the power (which is beyond fleeting) but rather out of a genuine desire to do what I do for the good of the People. And rest assured, what I do IS for the EXCLUSIVE good of the People.

Of course, I just see "my little corner"...but I know a lot of people, and the opportunistic assholes are most definitely a rarity from what I've seen with my own eyes.

Please try to READ what is written....it may save us all a bit of trouble in the long run....


Now.....perhaps we should try again

I'm sorry, I thought my post DID give the reason that I believe what I believe....it's from my personal, first-hand knowledge of doing what I do. My post basically said "You believe what you believe, I believe something different, and here's why."

I am here to educate myself on people's opinions. I find that challenging a person's views is an excelent way to get a glimpsea their thought process and motivations. Certainly not here to change people's minds.

I believe what my senses tell me and my intellect can absorb. While obviously there is much that goes on which we do not see, I do not allow this to slip me into paranoia where I trust no one and cling onto absurd theories, that while possible are highly improbable. When data is lacking one must apply ockam's razor.

I also believe there are fundamental laws to human nature. We have evolved in such a manner and the best forms of governments are those which foster our strengths of what we are. Governments which rely on changing this fundamental nature will invariably lead to, at best, revolution, and as we have seen this century, genocide at worst.

william of occam?

edit...i can't do politics with people who don't even know who they're talking about...sorry...

Edit: I appears I have committed an unforgivable sin of a spelling error. I humbly apologize. The proper spelling of Ockam would be either Occam or Ockham. I hope no one was offended.

Obviously....this is a failed experiment.

Guess its back to square one

This is a good example of threads moving in directions we don't think about. We try to put together something that defines borders and ground rules and it sometimes does not work.

To nitpick over what one thinks that spelling of one's name is when it's acceptable to use both.

Occam's Razor
and William of Ockham, of which looking for property in the same land area of Surrey is still spelled Ockham

Try asking for directions to Munich, Germany or Vienna, Austria and you'll be looked at with puzzled looks from the locals that you are asking since it's München, Germany and Vien (pronounced Wine,) Austria.

What I see from the simple back and forth in this thread is that sometimes we cannot see the forest for the tree standing in front of us.

Having seen the family live under the Marcos Regime by an elected democratic process that turned into a dictatorship. I can see how power can be abused. Kings and Sultans of Asia make me realize that we at least can see change within our lifetimes, versus having to survive under tyranny.

I see the US Government as basically good, wanting to do the right things but having many agendas to appease, thus ending up really appeasing none. I like to help people with what money I can and I'll freely give it up what I will not tolerate is them sticking their hands into my pockets.