Catholicism is still doing pretty well all considered after nearly 2000 years.

Pot/Kettle its a two way street.

The religions practiced freely (i use that term loosely) before these view points were formulated expressed and packaged as concepts anyway, that freedom was not granted.

That it (the notion of freedom) exists though is a treasure and it lies somewhere in between the two poles, that they'll ever co-exist without acromony is as probable as one cure all Idea that will be palatable to everyone.

Everyone has thier own outlook and we just have to live with that as best we can.

PEACE!!!

yes that's why the social/political environment in Italy is suffocating that's why stand up comedians and entertainers are thrown in jail because they make fun of the pope and the Catholic Church

it's a political mold here which religious institutions whit their political allies attack the fabric of modern society the US is a famous example of religious powers undermining the countries secularism and the counties democratic institutions

The these institutions are as much the fabric modern society as the people therin.

Democratic Institutions?

Surely your not serious? thats the biggest lie ever spun.

DEMOCRACY.HYPOCRACY.

Another opiate of the masses.

As for the second half of the argument, we are well aware that the American definition of "democracy" is laughable. Yes, these institutions and the people that fall into their jurisdiction, if you will, are a part of society because of the way things have happened over time. Enculturation is the proverbial pipe through which society ingests such opiates as the paradox of Representative Democracy or politically indoctrinated religion. Therefore, though we have a rough road ahead and no one claimed otherwise, because enculturation is a powerful force that makes society itself perpetuate it's own lies, causing people in general to have a strong conviction that these lies are the truth and that they need to live them to the fullest; convictions so strong that we leave out such important chunks of our history as the bill signed by our founding fathers at Tripilee that clearly states the importance of maintaining secularism in the United States and that we shall never be a religious nation of any kind. Though this heavily embedded enculturation has even the most intelligent conservatives believing that America is a true democracy and that we were founded as a Christian nation, forgetting that mottos such as "In God we trust" and "One nation under God" were not implemented until the 1950's/60's, we can still, slowly but surely, pull out of this problem. It was once thought slavery was a virtue that was woven into society. Now 100+ years later we look back and see the error of our ancestors' ways. That was the point that Menace was trying to argue, especially with the Noam Chomsky quote.

my new theme song



erikboyd60@hotmail.com

"True poetry can communicate before it is understood"

-T.S. Eliot

battle record:

7-0-0

im for any evidence towards scientific explanations

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain