What is more corrupt... religion or politics?

Argument for religion...

Have you ever heard something like: “It isn't religion that's corrupt, it's the people who use it that are!”.

Both Stalin and Hitler used Christianity to rise to power and gain respect. Abortionists have been murdered by Christians fundamentalists before. Ted Haggard, the disgusting man who abused Christianity to spread propaganda and hatred against homosexuals, only to be revealed to be receiving monthly gay sex from a male trainer/prostitute, and bought drugs from this man? Mountain meadows massacre. Crusades. What about the brainwashed Muslims who destroyed the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001? The list could go on for days.

What about the trial of Kazimierz Łyszczyński, a known atheist, who was literally tried for atheism, and executed for it? Oh you don't believe in our god, then we will kill you, that makes sense right.

There are countless examples of religious stupidity, including the (possibly fictional) crucifixion of Jesus Christ. These all seem to point to it being corruption by humanity, instead of the grace of God, right? Then, consider this People supported all of those things for religious reasons. Because this is gods plan. If it's really these few people who are corrupting religion, how could they possibly have religious supporters? Wouldn't these other people see how horrifying these actions are? Wouldn't there god tell them these things were wrong?

Of course not. Religion is senseless dogma. It is there to CONTROL & TAX you. For most it does not help it holds you back from what you could really become. You want to believe in a deity? Be a theist or a deist. Most the founding fathers where one of these.

Religion, through its own purpose, is corrupt. You could say some people alter it to make it uncorrupt, but... Really? You're worshipping a guy who you've never met, because someone told you so. If your prophet, pastor, preacher, spiritual advisor told you god said gay marriage was now alright, most would say fine and move along. Just like with blacks most said god cursed them, interracial relationships are of the devil. As soon as society swayed so did every major religion, they suddenly had revelations it was alright now. As long as it exists in this form, it will be used for unthinkable atrocities. Until the superstitious prejudice, tradition and dogma are erased from religion, it's going to remain just as corrupt and controlling as it always has been. Just like politics:-)

Marriage

Larry King is getting his 8th divorce, Elizabeth Taylor is possibly getting married for a 9th time, Jesse James and Tiger Woods are screwing EVERYTHING, yet the idea of same-sex marriage is what is going to destroy the institution of marriage?? REALLY??

It has been a while.

So there was this big debate on facebook. My aunt copy and pasted a video about healthcare that if you did any research at all you could find out that it was complete bull $&^%. I am not for government healthcare at all, I am for reform but not government run care. I responded to her video and the other relative that posted it blindly. I said I was against Government run, but I am also against spreading lies and scare-tactics that we needed to be smarter about what we post. The fire storm then begun. I was messaged by several of her friends and other people how I was wrong, mean, evil, without morals etc. I was told not to mess with there freedom of speech but when I responded my comments were deleted. I don't understand people with a one track mind, that think if you don't fit in there moral compass you are wrong and going to hell.

Here is what transpired(as shown on my aunts blog) Post thoughts below I wont delete them ;-)

I posted the following youtube video on facebook and then my comments following:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcBaSP31Be8

Doesn't this sound like good, solid healthcare reform. NOT! This doesn't even sound like the United State of America. If you value choosing your doctors and having your doctors work for you and not the government, please oppose this bill. I honestly doubt that the government will submit to the conditions in this bill. ...They will use our taxes to pay privately. Those with enough money will do the same. Healthcare has already been stifled by government programs and rising costs of licenses and insurance due to so many lawsuits. Everyone should let the healthcare professionals be the professionals. They are the ones with the training in healthcare after all.

I was so annoyed at my nephew's responses to my post, that I just deleted them, but then I thought better of it and a send him a note. He left the same comments on my cousin's post (whom I originally got the video from) so that is what I will work from here; after that I will copy my note to him.

Paul: If that was a real bill I might be worried, but since that video is a complete lie im not worried. Might want to check your stories before you post crap like this. o to factcheck.com this video is a total lie. I am not for universal heathcare, but im not for spewing lies either. PEOPLE WE NEED TO BE SMARTER THEN THIS!

Paul: http://www.factcheck.org/2009/08/twenty-six-lies-about-hr-3200/

Andy: What everyone needs to understand is that this video is about the PROPOSED original House bill, not the one that passed the house, it was cut down substantially.

Paul: Incorect again, some of the language in that video is a complete fabrication.

Andy: At this point it doesn't matter, the bill that passed was not what was proposed.

Paul: It does mannner because people are using scare tactics like this. It makes it so partisan, everyone needs to do the research themselves not just spew lies.

Wendy: The original proposal was 2,000 pages long!! Why can't they put it in a simpler form for us to understand? Why does the government have to be involved? Medicare is bankrupt and Medicaid is bankrupt let the government fix that and then let them talk to us about healthcare!

Paul: I agree I agree I agree, But still makes no sense to post a video that just spreads scare tactics, and doesnt help the issue at all.

Now my note to Paul:

Heidi Sommerfeld Stevenson:
Every single presentation anyone watches or report anyone reads will carry some biases. That's always a given. If you read my comments, you would understand my biases...which have nothing to do with any partisan issue. My husband is in health care. He has worked hard for years and years, and he would have made more money teaching school or something. After selling his practice, we still had as much debt as his sell price. This is before paying taxes on the sell. And this is before we are looking at so called reforms. So in essense, he's been working for the government already. There's all the stupid Osha regulations and all the extra licenses and malpractice insurances you have to pay, and this because of government and lawyers sticking in their noses where they don't belong.
The so-called lies are that people can't receive health care currently, because they can. Bob has seen many patients who couldn't pay and so have many other doctors. Plus, there are already so many programs that help those who need it. The reform that the government is after will not improve health care; it will bring the quality way down across the board.
Back to every view having a bias. I feel like it's okay if Wendy or I want to post something that carries a bias. It shouldn't matter so much to you if we do. Yes, I believe that people should build on what they have in common, but I don't believe that it's okay to call someone stupid because they have a different view than you do. Just because we posted a video, it doesn't mean that we think that it's the gospel truth, or that you need to hurry and reform us. You carry your own biases in doing so. It seems to me that you care about standing up for people, issues, and ideas that you really don't even agree with. I agree with the sentiments of the video, and I have the right to do so. Yes, I know that it is biased: there is no such thing as unbiased media. Health care is a doctor to patient issue. The doctors are the ones with the training to know what care is needed, but they are already stifled by what insurances will allow (or not allow). If the government pushes through socialized medicine, there will be many other doctors, dentists, etc. who will switch professions. Small businesses struggle enough as it is; that coupled with private practice is tough enough; but making these professionals work for the government is criminal in my view. Such are my biases.

Paul:
Biased it diffrent the posting a video that is blatantly false. I agree wiht you on healthcare. It would be like me posting a video saying looky here the mormons practice polagamy today, GBH once said the book of mormon is not true it is made up we just like the money it pulls in. Mormons believe god is white & hates black people.

Paul:
you wrote "It seems to me that you care about standing up for people, issues, and ideas that you really don't even agree with. "

It doesnt matter if I believe in the content. I stand up for what I think is right and wrong plain and simple.

I stand up against Goverment healthcare because I think it is wrong.

I dont personally agree with gay marriage. I stand up for any consetting adults to be married becasue I think in witholding these rights is wrong.

I stand up for not posting blatant lies on the internet & using false scare-tactics because I believe it is wrong.

Me again:

To be fair here, I did look at Paul's link as well. It doesn't offer any proof that what I posted was a lie or that what he posted is the truth. The thing about following after truth is that we all need to be allowed to follow the dictates of our own conscience and that we should never feel bullied into changing our view because some person thinks his logic is more sophisticated than ours. Bogus, I say.

I hope for the sake of America that we will all be willing to make the sacrifices that we need to make this a better country than it currently is. I hope that we will be able to return to time tested values. I hope that there will be less greed and more brotherly love. But those things need to come from the heart, one individual at a time. I believe in a Zion community; I believe that the United Order is a heavenly thing; I do not believe that government mandated and imposed inequality will ever work. No one can be coerced into equality. It just won't work.

I hope for the sake of families and friends that we can be more respectful of one another's opinions and beliefs. It doesn't really matter who is right or wrong. It does matter how we treat each other.

New facebook status:

Heidi: I support the freedom of speech and the freedom of belief. I post what I want to post. I don't seek to be offensive, but I do have opinions. If you do not like my posts, you certainly have the freedom to disagree. But if you feel that you need to rudely correct or reform me, you may kindly remove me from your list of friends. There is actually nothing more partisan than not respecting another's right to his own view.

P.S. I resisted editing anyone elses comments. :-)

Replies to my status:

Maggie: You go Heidi!!!!

Paul commented on your status:


"You must be talking about me, why don;t you just man up and call me out if thats the way you feel. I also believe in freedom of speech, I dont believing in sending out lies to promote ones cause. I would never remove someone or ignore them because of there post that would be childish.

(Here Paul repeated his last note to me with a little extra.)

You wrote "It seems to me that you care about standing up for people, issues, and ideas that you really don't even agree with. "

It doesnt matter if I believe in the content. I stand up for what I think is right and wrong plain and simple.

I stand up against Goverment healthcare because I think it is wrong.


I dont personally agree with gay marriage. I stand up for any consetting adults to be married becasue I think in witholding these rights is wrong.(I do believe though if the people vote to ban it it should stand, power to the people, I just would not vote that way)


I stand up for not posting blatant lies on the internet & using false scare-tactics because I believe it is wrong.

Heidi: I deleted the above comment.

Paul commented on your status:


"You must be talking about me, why don;t you just man up and call me out if thats the way you feel. I also believe in freedom of speech, I dont believing in sending out lies to promote ones cause. I would never remove someone or ignore them because of there post that would be childish.

(Paul then posted the exact same message as above for a third time.)

Maggie: Marriage isn't a right. Maybe you should read the Bill of Rights before you start spouting off on Facebook and being mean to Heidi who is one of the sweetest most moral people on the planet.

Kitty: "wow,Heidi! What did you post about? That guy is really angry!"

Kitty and Kathy liked my status. Now I am going to delete my status post. Too many comments already.

New furniture box commercial

Max Hall needs to take lessons from Tim Tebow

I have something for you Max, a true sportsman after a game. I can't imagine what Max would have said if he would have lost..

Is religion do more good then bad or visa-versa?

So my cousin posted this picture on facebook, & it got me thinking. Does religion do more good or bad. 9-11 3,000+ people dead in the name of god, millions upon millions all murdered or killed in gods name. Family's broken, fathers won't talk to sons, brother don't associate with other brothers all because of religion.

If your open minded and like to read, I recommend reading "God is not great. How religion poisons everything." One of the most interesting books I have read recently.

What do you all think?

Would ObamaCare Kill Medical Innovation?

So how does everyone feel about the health care bill? Are you for it against it, somewhere in the middle?

I am totally for healthcare reform, there is a lot that needs to be done, but to socialize it & to remove profits from it would kill innovation.

"If you have cancer you want to be in the United states" What does that say about all the countries that have socialised healthcare? The average cost of a new medication cost over 1 billion dollars, they have to recoup the cost somehow, how come we support & pay uber high cost to attend a sporting event so an athlete can make ten of millions of dollars, or we buy a shoe that cost 150.00 to do the same. Yet we are unwilling to let the drug companies make profit on a drug that is saving are life. To me we have some bassakwards issues here.

If there is no incentive to make a profit, what will be the incentive to create & maintain new & ever evolving medications? I pay a ridiculous amount t of money each month to insure my family, yes it pisses me off when I have to pay it each month(i think Lauren & I could spend a month in Hawaii each year if I did not have to pay this), but if Melia or Cooper ever needs a life saving treatment it will all be worth it.

Reform needs to be done though, if you are paying the insurance companies should not be able to drop you, or refuse you. No pre-existing bull crap. Yes there needs to be some sort of low cost alternatives for people to get basic care. Bt forcing people to have health insurance & by not doing so you could get jail time, is not the answer. People are people & they should be able to decide what best suites there family. It is not the governments role to decide for him, or to charge the rich to pay for the poor.