Anti-Pollution laws have been becoming more stringent over time because there is more pollution being generated every year. Cars and factories have been becoming less polluting every year. The ever-expanding population has been outstripping the reductions in pollutants however. For example there were 100 people that owned 1 car each. There were 100 cars. Each car emitted 10 pounds of pollutants each year. That was 1000 pounds/year. That was 10 years ago. Now each car emits on average 7 pounds of pollutants each year. This is less pollution/car but the population has increased. There are now 160 people. That is 1120 pounds/year, an additional 120 pounds of pollutants/yr. The most common pollutants are CO2 and O3 .
Other pollutants are fertilizers and pesticides. These are examples of how farmland is also affected. There is less farmland available every year. What remains is farmed more intensely. This means less land being allowed to lie fallow, allowing the land to recuperate and to remain productive. Chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides are being used in order to keep it producing. Over grazing also negatively affects farmland. These all lead to Desertification.
Fertilizers and pesticides cause other problems too. Fertilizers cause less oxygen to be present in the ecosystem such as in run-off from farms. The run-off feeds streams and rivers. Algae live in the water and thus feed on the fertilizer. The algae also consume oxygen. Pesticides poison the ecosystem directly. It is on fruits, vegetables, grains and many others.
Each person in the industrialized world has the same impact as 20 in third world nations. People in the industrialized countries eat more livestock. It takes 16 pounds of grain to produce one pound of beef. Also the world is becoming increasingly industrialized. China is a good example of this. This makes population increases have a more negative impact on the ecosystem. Autos, fuel to generate electricity and household cleaners among a few.
Road rage is caused by many factors with density being one among them. Building roads years ago was less expensive. There was abundant not expensive land available. In order to build new freeways where they are most needed now, the land has already been developed. This adds significantly to the cost. Legal issues must be dealt with. The land might have to be seized using eminent domain statutes.
Our own density not only affects our own behavior but that of animals. Years ago humans were spread thinly around the Earth, only occupying a small percentage of the Earth's surface. The odds of animals encountering man were slight. One can determine if animals frequently encounter human beings. This is determined by animal behavior. Deer generally used to come out during the day. Now they generally come out at night. Urban sprawl is squeezing animals into smaller habitats. Some animals especially the large mammals need large undisturbed areas. Land is being used up at an unprecedented rate. Ideally their habitat should contain enough land to be totally self-sufficient.
Many people are now living in wooded areas. This puts their homes in forest fire danger. Years ago this was not much of a problem. Most people lived in the cities. Suburban living is a new phenomenon. This is contributing to urban sprawl, which is dangerously out of hand. When man puts out fires he is increasing the fire danger. Fire danger can be reduced in the wild by letting fires started by nature burn themselves out. Lightning and spontaneous combustion are examples. When fires are not allowed to burn themselves out brush builds up. Brush build up can cause spectacular fires when they do occur. Nature does a better job managing itself. Yellowstone National Park is a good example. The fires were started by lightning. The fires were allowed to burn themselves out. This is nature working at it's best.
Flooding is becoming more widespread. The Midwest, India, China, Chile and many other regions are being afflicted. Over-development is a factor in the increase in flooding. The water that used to be absorbed by the plants and soil is now flowing off of asphalt and buildings. If dikes and other flood control measures were not implemented the bad effects would not be as strongly felt. The frequency of floods would increase but the severity would be less. The riverbanks that overflow provide nutrients to the surrounding soil. The ancient Egyptians utilized this sustainable farming method with great success. The Egyptians knew when the floods came. They planted and harvested the crops accordingly. This was also a form of organic farming, the only sustainable method.
Logging adds to the problem of erosion. The roots of the cut trees decay. Once that happens the soil is no longer held together. It is washed away by the rain. The cut trees contain fiber, minerals and other valuable nutrients. These are normally returned back to the soil. These are needed to maintain a healthy soil.
Logging companies go after the old growth forests. Since the old growth trees can usually withstand forest fires they re-seed an area that has been burned.
Logging also affects water quality. The run-off from deforested areas causes the water to become muddy. The run-off reaches municipal water supplies. The municipality must spend more money to filter the water where it didn't have to before. The muddy water also affects salmon. It keeps the eggs from hatching.
Dams also affect salmon. They keep the fish from being able to return to their spawning grounds. Dams have been built to generate cheap electricity and to reduce pollution. They need reservoirs in order to function. Building reservoirs usually requires flooding land, which is becoming scarcer.
In Chicago back in the mid 19th century the drinking water was drawn from the same body of water as where the sewage was dumped. Believe it or not the drinking water was safe. The sewage outlet was at least 10 miles from where the drinking water was drawn. Not long into the future, the drinking water started to become contaminated. The population had increased to the point of almost having doubled.
It has been estimated that the world can support about 10,000,000,000 people. The population is now a little over 6,000,000,000. In recent times the population has been doubling every 25 years. It didn't grow at this rate in years past because of the lack of technology. Disease, animal attacks and lack of modern medicine keep the ancients' population growth at a snail's pace.
Each couple would have to average 2.2 kids in order to stabilize the population. Some couples don't have any kids and some people are not into the relationship and/or having kids thing. This will give some breathing room to couples that want more than 2.2 kids using the average of course. The world average is still too high. It must drop farther. Some people have kids just to help out on the farm. Outlawing child labor and enforcing it will help with this problem. Some have them to remain and/or get on welfare. Some of the new welfare reform laws may help out here. If society scorns people that have too many kids may work. When society scorned woman for having out of wedlock children the rate was much lower than it is today.
Researchers have just discovered how couples can choose what sex their child is going to be. This should help out in Asia. People in Asia usually want a male child. This will keep many from having one child after the other until they if ever have a male. Another benefit is that there will be fewer females to have children.
Education is another tool that may help out the situation. It is not utilized in the U.S. Over population can be, and in fact is, a problem here too.
In summary over population has reached a threshold. Not only is it directly affecting the ecosystem but is also competing with it financially. People should never forget that they are part of the ecosystem. Highways, water supplies, farming, pollution controls and flood controls are being taxed to their limits. Costs to build these new facilities are increasing faster than mankind's ability to pay for them. The effects are now starting to happen at an exponential rate instead of at a linear rate, the avalanching affect.
Mankind should not try to manage nature. We can barely manage ourselves. Mankind should gracefully accept the cycles that nature goes through. Man expects events to remain too predictable. These cycles are riverbanks overflowing, droughts and swarms of insects to mention a few.
The Earth's estimated population limit is expected to be reached in a generation. Recycling and conservation will buy some time. These can only take us so far, however. The first step is to stabilize the population. The final solution is to slowly reduce the population to an amount which is sustainable. The estimate for this is about 2,000,000,000. This is the estimated amount for a healthy ecosystem. The 10,000,000,000 number is just for survival. The choice is ours.
says Micheal Royce, a former salesman and author of Beat the Car Salesman (Powersource Press, $8.95).
Ronald Wlosinski is taking a dealer to court because he was charged for a warranty he did not want. "Wlosinski was asked if he wanted a 'rental car warranty' in case something happened to his leased car," 4 Micheal Morris, a Birmingham,MI attorney explains. When he declined, the finance manager jumped up and said, "These damn calculators-I will be right back," 5 and left the room. He returned with a lower lease price, but the warranty was still written into the price. "their scheme was to include the warranty in the lease price at the beginning so that if the customer turned it down, the cost of the warranty would still be in the payment. If the customer said he wanted the warranty, the dealership would sell it to him twice," 6 Morris explains. "The case is pending in Wayne County (Mich.) Circuit Court" 7.
Extended warranties are sold by the dealers. They range in price from $500.00 to $1,000.00. There is plenty of room to bargain. These warranties have much profit built into them. Remember the factory warranties are usually well enough to cover any problems.
The dealers have been known to sell insurance without a proper permit. "My parents leased a car in the past and their insurance covered it in the same way as a car that has been paid off. I rented a car a year back and my insurance covered it with the same coverage as my own car." 8
Here are additional tricks that these dealers use to make a few bucks and then some. Rust
proofing is done at the factory. No further rust proofing is needed. The dealers try to sell it anyway.
Some rust proofing jobs done by the dealer cost upwards of $1,000.00, as charged by a particular Hyundai dealer. Undercoating is another rust proofing option. Fabric protection can easily be accomplished by the consumer. Auto supply outlets sell a can of spray for fabric protection. It typically sells for $6.00. Fabric protection done by a dealer can run $200.00. Paint Sealant runs around $300.00. Paint sealant is a fancy wax job. Adding gold trim and the works costs the consumer $500.00 on some cars. The dealer only has to dish out $125.00 for it. The dealer has made $375.00.
Some dealers try to make the customers feel guilty. The finance manager of a large East coast dealership once told a reluctant buyer, "We are very disappointed in you. We are selling you the car at cost and thought you would reciprocate and buy the credit life insurance." 9 Disability coverage is promoted by F&I. This would pay for the portion of the car loan during the time one cannot work. One is better off buying insurance from an insurance agency and taking out a loan from a financial institution such as a bank or credit union. One should buy food from a food market, a car from a car dealer,etc. "Just say no to anything you do not like," 10 advises Jeff Gutierrez, a 15-year veteran of the business. "That was Nancy Reagan's answer to drugs, but it works just as well in F&I." 11
The author made a good presentation overall. The article was very easy to understand. She explained what all the terms she used meant such as F&I and NADA. Her paragraphs were not too long. This helped to break down the report as it was organized into different categories. It was also helpful in that I was able to skim over it for subjects I may have missed when reading the report earlier. There was much information that was presented in a relatively short article. She presented information that I have not heard from other sources such as television, radio and the newspapers. She also did not drift from subject to subject. She stayed on the main point, how the F&I in dealerships try to rip people off and more often than not succeed. On the down side, She did not keep all the information together. On page 102 she had two paragraphs about interest rates of loans separated by information on commissions and ethical behavior. I would have had one paragraph follow the other.
I disagree with NADA that dealers must sell all of these extras to make a buck. If they were honest from the beginning, I believe they would have more customers than they knew what to do with. They would then not need the $150,000.00+ people in the F&I department. They would also save money on less law suits. I would rather make money with less stress than with more. It sounds so simple to me.
I agree with Ronald Wlosinki about taking a car dealer to court. If more people did this I believe this might change the dealer's attitude. I agree that the rust proofing job performed by dealers is unnecessary. I do believe that undercoating is beneficial. When one is driving out on the road rocks and other debris are constantly bombarding the bottom of the car. It is similar to a very slow sand blasting job. The debris will chip away at the undercoating instead. As long as the car is not scratched the body will last many years.
I agree with the author that an extended warranty is not needed. If a vehicle is going to have a problem it usually happens in the first few years. "This has been the case with many of my friends and I." 12
When the dealers try to make customers feel guilty they are crossing the line by leaps and bounds. This is a type of harassment. I believe this should be on par with other types of harassment. The facts should speak for themselves as to whether or not a customer buys a car.Disability insurance is not needed. "If most people become disabled they usually receive some form of compensation such as SSI, unemployment insurance, workman's compensation, etc."13
With all this information out there is no excuse for not getting a good deal. Happy hunting.
The following reasons are why I feel that the U.S. should not have entered the Vietnam War.
Franklin Roosevelt told the French that they should not control Vietnam anymore. He also said to the British that the days of colonialism are over. Ho Chi Minh helped the U.S. fight the Japanese in WW2. He said that maybe the Vietminh should end up with Vietnam after the war. Unfortunately Roosevelt passed away before the war ended.1
The 1954 Geneva Conference stated that Vietnam would be temporarily divided along the 17th parallel. The Vietminh would control the North and the State of Vietnam the South. The country would be reunited in 1956. Countrywide elections would be held at the same time. The Vietminh agreed to move the majority of their forces north of the 17th parallel. They would also give up what they had controlled south of the 17th parallel. Additional troops and military supplies were not allowed to enter the country. "As well as the establishment of foreign military bases and alliances; and formed an International Commission for supervision and Control (ISOC) to enforce its terms. The United States, though it declined to endorse the Geneva Accords, promised to refrain from the threat or use of force to disturb them.... " If the elections were held, Ho would have won with 80% of the vote.2 It would looked good for democracy to have the elections.The U.S. could say to Russia and China, "Even though we know we were going to lose, we did the right thing by having the elections." There was an election in S.V. between Diem and Bao Dai. Diem had rigged the vote. He had made it seem that he had won with almost 99% of the vote. The U.S. was supporting a corrupt government.
Ngo Dinh Diem became the Prime Minister of S.V. in 1954. He was a very devout Catholic. The majority of the population in Vietnam was Buddhist. He did not respect their culture. He was looking at matters only from a Catholic point of view. In order to isolate the V.C. he moved villagers from their villages to protected ones. The villagers consider their villages sacred. Their deceased loved ones, which they honor, are buried there,. Diem also did not allow the villagers to pick their own leader anymore. 3 He didn't even allow the Buddhists to have a parade during one of their holidays. He let the Catholics have their parade. In 1963 he arrested or assaulted thousands of Buddhists just because they protested his policies.
France had ruled Vietnam since 1852. They had ruled there with an iron fist. Because of this, Vietnam was never able to gain the experience of governing itself. It was never able to maintain a stable government until Hanoi had annexed it. N.V. has been organized for centuries.
Johnson was too worried about politics. It takes more courage to admit that one is wrong. Johnson did not have that courage. He also did not tell the American people that he was escalating the war. I think that he was a coward and corrupt. I also support the view that he wanted to make his buddies in the war business rich. He should have also tried to help the country out as a whole more, instead of mainly his precious "Texas." He should have taken the higher ground and stayed out of 'Nam. He was too worried about being viewed as weak. The U.S. kept looking at things the way it had since 1945. It did not reexamine it views and policies. I believe that the U.S. did not care about S.V.'s people. The U.S. simply wanted any anti-Communist regime in power, politics as usual.
The S.V. people did not feel that the regime in S.V. was worth fighting for. They would not rally to the anti communist cause. Some believed that if the U.S. provided more combat troops, S.V. would let the U.S. take up the slack. S.V. would not redirect the freed resources to the war effort. Saigon was continually losing soldiers due to desertion. They also kept continually losing land to the V.C.
"The largest percentage of the rebel Vietcong forces are made up of South Vietnamese who joined the communist cause. The Vietcong guerillas are largely self-sufficient. They get 90% of their military supplies in raids on government outposts, ie., they are waging their war with U.S. weapons. When they run short of guns or ammunition they don't have to depend on supply lines from the north; they simply stage another raid."4
George Ball said "If Germany-a modern, industrialized nation with numerous strategic targets-had endured heavy bombing and continued its military production, how could the U.S. compel N.V. -an underdeveloped, agrarian country with few strategic targets-to cease its support of the Vietcong through human transport down hundreds of miles of jungle trails?"5
Hubert Humphrey said "The American people had not elected Johnson for his military zeal. Goldwater had offered that."6 He also said it was "His ability to fashion political solutions."6 He went on to say, "People will be counting on Johnson"6 He went on to say, "to use on the world scene his unrivaled talents as a politician."6 Lastly he went on to say "Liberals, independents, and labor-not right-wing successors of McCarthy-would abandon the President and sunder the Democratic coalition essential to passage of his Great Society."6
The U.S. military was adapted and trained for a war in Europe. This was due to a possible Soviet invasion. France was not able to train their troops for jungle warfare using guerilla tactics. Maxwell Taylor did not think that the U.S. would be able to do it either.
Taylor said "that direct American intervention also posed serious political risks by reawakening Vietnamese fears of western imperialism"7
McGeorge Bundy did not agree with the domino theory. He felt that the loss of S.V. would be no big deal to U.S. interests. He said, "Washington could claim special circumstances whenever it wanted. Saigon's political debilities were so severe, so profound, and there for all the world to see."8
Senator Frank Church of Idaho said "If the long, long struggle that these people have engaged upon is any indication of their resolution, then our bombings will not break their spirit or solve our problem."10 He did not feel that bombing would bring Hanoi to its knees. When Johnson was talking to Bill Moyers he said, "If I were Ho Chi Minh, I would not negotiate."11 Johnson believed that if "The communists waited patiently, the prize might simply fall into their lap."11
In a Gallup poll taken in March '65 42% of the population favored sending in more soldiers and more aircraft. 41% of Americans wanted negotiations. A short time before, a clear majority of Americans wanted to use force.
World opinion was against the U.S. Where the U.S. had world support or atleast backing from its allies, it was successful in its military campaigns. The U.N. also proposed a plan to halt the war. It includes halting the bombing and a police force from Asia and Africa. The police force would make sure whatever agreement was reached would be abided by. The U.S. did not give it a try.
Hanoi sent out diplomatic signals that they would negotiate. They changed the message that they had broadcasted earlier. The broadcast said, "The DRV government ... resolutely demands that the U.S. government ... let the S.V. people decide their own internal affairs."14 The book goes on to state: "Noticeably absent was any mention of the NLF, or an insistence on its political program."14 The NLF(The Vietcong) was mentioned in earlier demands from Hanoi.
The U.S. expected much more from Hanoi then it was willing to give back. The U.S. expected them to swallow their pride while the U.S. would not. The U.S. also expected Hanoi to stop carrying out military actions in S.V. while the U.S. could. "Washington had asked N.V. and the Vietcong to cease their activities in the South-to forfeit their strongest bargaining chip-while the U.S. surrended only half its chips-the air war against the North."13 Hanoi also did not like the U.S. offer of economic aid to end its part in the war. It would have to give up its goal of unification. The cost to the U.S. would be very small indeed.
Clark Clifford said that the U.S. should not send in more ground troops. He warned that to do so would be a signal "to win the war on the ground."12 Mike Mansfield warned Johnson that "the rate of commitment is accelerating, and a course once set in motion, as you know, often develops its own momentum and rationale whatever the initial intentions."15 Mike Mansfield also warned, "Escalation threatened to damage not only LBJ's Great Society but the very sources of American power."9
The U.S. thought the Vietnamese people were on their side. The French thought the same thing. The French also thought that by providing troops that it would rally the Vietnamese to their side against the Vietminh. Again, the U.S. thought the same thing. An old saying goes something like this: "If one does not learn history, one is doomed to repeat it." The arrogance is unbelievable, coming from the U.S. that is. "And yet-despite all their efforts, all their expectations, all their confidence-the French were finally defeated-after seven years of bloody struggle.
I did not believe that the war was moral. I also believe that if there is going to be war then lets take it seriously. The generals should run the war. The press should also be at their side to keep them honest. Some of the actions don't have to be reported immediately due to giving away too much information to the enemy. This could endanger U.S. troops. By knowing that they will be reported shortly after the war or after a particular action this will help to keep the Generals honest.
Over 55,000 Americans were killed in the war. Many more were maimed and injured. Many, if not most, did not want to be there. Considering that U.S. interests were not threatened, why the loss of so many lives? The government had so much power over these people who lost their lives, and to what cause? If there were enough volunteers to carry on the war that is one thing. To put peoples lives on the line against their will is another. I might go along with the latter if a hostile force was invading the U.S. In the country being invaded, the people there must have the will to fight. They must be organized and able to function as a group. They must utilize all their people in the war effort. If it is a small country and it needs more troops than it can provide, then perhaps having volunteers from other countries to help out is honorable. If it does have enough troops than materials and advisors should suffice. The majority of people in that country must want the assistance. They must also accept what ever strings may be attached to the aid.
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Why Organized Religion turns off many People
Rel-312
Dec 2, 1999
This report is about why many people are not impressed with organized religions such as the Jewish, Christian, Islamic and Hindu religions. There has been the problem of evil and duplicity in these religions. These religions also have problems with social conscienceness. Freedom to drink alcohol, freedom to choose, sexual orientation, and others are some of the issues that many religious people say are problems.
Many churches have conflicting views. One such view is whether or not Jesus is the son of God. Many churches say that Jesus is the Son of God but many others say that he is not. William O’Hair, Madelyn Murray O’Hair’s son and the director of the Religious Freedom Coalition in Washington D.C. said, "I can find Baptist preachers--in big churches--that will tell me that Christ isn't the Son of God. I don't need to go to the atheists to have somebody to tell me that."1God forgives us sinners is another inconsistency. Some religious people say if one doesn’t believe in God one will go to hell. It shouldn’t matter if one believes in God or if one doesn’t believe in God. One should automatically go to heaven because one is forgiven for one’s sins.
Religious views keep on changing. One day it is Polytheism, the belief in many Gods. Another day it is henotheism, the belief in many Gods but allegiance to one. In the recent past it was monotheism, the belief in one God.2 I wonder what the latest view is today.
Most Protestant Christians are against abortion but many favor the death penalty. With regard to the death penalty, in the 10 commandments it says, "Thou shall not kill."
The Bible has some inconsistencies. Is it meant to be interpreted literally or metaphorically?3 Here is an example, "Slaves shall obey their masters." It is doubtful that this means that there should still be slavery. Many Christians still believe it. It was written in ancient languages. Some words in other languages have an emotion attached to them. It is very hard if not impossible to translate. Sometimes an experience or event has to be mentioned to convey the meaning. Many may not have experienced the event.4
Here is another example of a language inconsistency, the doctrine of incarnation and it’s meaning. "The attributes of God are embodied in Jesus." Are these metaphysical attributes of God? It could also mean that Jesus acts like God. "God’s love is continuous in character with that displayed in the life of Jesus."5 The same question arises in this statement too. Here are two modern examples of misinterpreting a statement. Someone is flying high. Is one flying an airplane at a high altitude or is one high on pot? Someone is Gay. Does this mean that someone is happy or that one is homosexual?
When scientists did not agree with the church, it went into a frenzy. Evolution is a good example. Galileo is another example. He was trying to find the secrets to the universe. He said that the Earth was not the center of the universe. The Catholic Church was not happy about the matter and put him in jail for it.6 Salmon Rushdie’s life was in danger because Islam’s hierarchy didn’t like what he had to say. He was accused of fueling western prejudices against Muslims. He said the Muslims were violent and ignorant.7
Some religious people become angry if one doesn’t believe in God. This is another example of what can happen when one doesn’t agree with the church. Human beings are the ones doing the preaching. But because I'm also a human being, my belief carries just as much weight as theirs does. If one chooses not to believe them that is one’s right. The non-believers don’t become angry with the people that believe in God. Anyway, what these people are preaching is inconclusive to many people. If there is a God he must understand this. If God is all knowing and omnipotent, God should understand human nature. Human doubt and the lack of proof should be good reasons that some don’t believe. If God decides to preach to us directly, then perhaps, we better obey.
Many so called religious people lie. For example, many religious leaders say that children cannot pray in school. That is not true. The prayer simply cannot be lead by the school. The Supreme Court, in 1963, decided to prohibit public schools from initiating prayer.8They can sit at their desk and say out loud, but at a reasonable volume, their prayer. They complain about gays having the in your face attitude. Their in your face attitude is worse. They expect a government endorsement of their prayer. This would be by having the school lead their prayer.
Many in religion say that gays want special rights. That is not true. They say that gays wanting to get married and being allowed to raise children are special rights. If gays are asking for the same rights as everyone else, such as what the heterosexuals already enjoy, how can that be a special right? A special right is a right that others can’t enjoy. To be fair, any consenting adults should be able to get married. The dark ages are over, I hope.
Many in the religion say that the world is going to end at the end of this millennium.9 It seems that many are doomsayers. It is not likely that the world will end in the year 2000. The U.S. and Russia are moving along with arms control. Astronomers say that there are no asteroids that will hit the Earth for some time. At present, there are no major wars going on or signs that one is about to start.
How can God love one and then expect one to be his servant. It seems that many Christians are saying that God expects one to be without flaws. To be human is to be imperfect. It is not humanly possible to have no bad habits. What are considered bad habits are disputable anyway. "There were so many things about Christianity I never understood. How we were supposed to miraculously just change overnight, stop all the 'bad habits' and simply become better just for saying ‘I am God's Servant’. I never understood how God could love somebody so much and still have a ‘Master and Servant’ relationship. I felt the truth in the Protector in God and his Angels, but I never understood how a God who gave Free Will to his people could then turn around and Command."10
The Christian Church has encouraged violence through religious wars and the suppression of civil rights for blacks before 1964. Perhaps this refers to the "holier than thou attitude" which could be of racism, class distinction, etc. "One way we Christians have avoided seeing our own reflections in the mirror are to pretend that this is a story about Romans and Jews. As long as they remain the villains, then we are off the hook--or so we think. Unfortunately, this is not a story that happened long ago in a land far away."11They refers to the Jews and Romans. We refers to Christianity. The Catholic Church supported the holy wars. White Anglo Saxon Protestants, for the most part, had stood in the way of civil rights in the South Eastern U.S. in the 60’s and before. This was also true of South Africa until about 1990.
Martin Luther King was a black Christian minister. He upset those in the courthouse and the temple much like a modern day Jesus. Here is a statement about someone like King and about King himself. "Sons and daughters of God are killed in every generation. They have been killed in holy wars and inquisitions, concentration camps and prison cells. They have been killed in Cape Town, Memphis, El Salvador and Alabama. The charges against them have run the gamut, but treason and blasphemy have headed the list, just as they did for Jesus. He upset those in charge at the courthouse and the temple. He suggested they were not doing their jobs. He offered himself as a mirror they could see themselves in, and they were so appalled by what they saw that they smashed it. They smashed him, every way they could."12 The holy wars refer to the Crusaders, supported by the Catholic church, which tried to take over Jerusalem. The inquisitions are about people being killed in Europe for their beliefs being different than that of the establishment. The concentration camps are a reference to Hitler, who ordered the mass execution of over 6,000,000 Jews and others. He claimed to be a Christian. Cape Town, South Africa is about apartheid, in which Blacks were second class citizens. Memphis, Tennessee is about Martin Luther King, a civil rights activist. In El Salvador, protestors against the government were shot in public. The U.S. was backing the corrupt government in El Salvador, yet many politicians say that they are Christians. They also keep mentioning that the U.S. was formed on Judeo-Christian values. Lastly the civil rights marches in Alabama is mentioned.
Many people are still not being treated properly. Southern Baptists have in their church doctrine that women must submit to men.13 "Many women around the world are still being mistreated too. The women in Islamic countries are good examples of this."14
In the 60's and earlier the white jury white sheriff people treated the Negroes, well to put it mildly, not too kindly. In the bible it says, "Do unto others as you wish them to do unto you." The Koran and Muhammad say that Islam is supposed to accept Jews and Christians.15The Moslems are trying to push the Israelis out to sea.
The Crusaders caused violence and were victims of the Catholic Church they were fighting for. "Many of the crusaders felt they could right the past. Many were driven by guilt for what they have done in the past. This was against local churches and monasteries. Many, if not most, of the Crusaders were convinced that they were joining a crusade to cleanse the world of evil."16 Two wrongs don’t make a right. They caused massive destruction to the Jews and Arabs that lived in and near Jerusalem.The Crusaders were fighting the Jews and Arabs over Jerusalem.17The Catholic Church should have tried to discourage the crusaders. Sending missionaries would have been the best route to take. The cost to these crusaders was also extremely high. If the crusaders had any illusions at the time they took the cross, often fired up by a manipulative pope and clergy, the need to face practical problems must have brought them back to earth. Many of the heroes of the First Crusade returned to find property usurped and their own families plundered, for the Church's protection of a crusader's lands was quite ineffective. No motive of profit was found. Only 4 Crusaders were found to have made any profit." There was little written about the returning crusaders compared with the glory of the crusaders."18
There are still wars and conflicts being fought over religion. There is the situation in Northern Ireland where Catholics and Protestants, both Christian religions, refuse to live peacefully together. The Indian-Pakistan conflict is another example, with Muslim Pakistan and Hindu India having many conflicts with each other. Both countries now possess nuclear weapons. This makes religious bickering more dangerous than ever. People in power that may be willing to die in the name of God makes the use of these weapons more likely.
Wars and the mistreatment of women and minorities are not the only kinds of violence emanating from religion. There was a gay wedding between Jeffrey Newman and Jeffrey Parker in Canada. Jeffrey Newman is the president of the gay financial network and Jeffrey Parker is a men’s accessories designer. The exact location of the wedding was not made public because of threats and safety concerns. The wedding was live on the Internet. Angry anti-gay protestors from the U.S. burned the Canadian flag in front of Canada’s Supreme Court. These protestors became involved in a scuffle with counter demonstrators. Also in Montreal’s Dorchestor square, a busy public place downtown, 10 U.S. religious protestors showed up. These protestors displayed a Canadian flag labeled "Fag Flag." Punches and Shoves were then exchanged. Members of this anti-gay group are followers of the controversial pastor Rev. Fred Phelps.19 At least for the most part drag queens and gay activists try to gain attention through parades and lobbying. Sometimes they may simple kiss and hold hands in public. They do not cause violence. Prolifers are blowing up abortion clinics but prochoice people, yet another group the church is fighting, are not blowing up churches.
The day after Mathew Sheppard, a gay college student who was killed, religious people were posting signs saying "Fags go to hell." The people that killed sheppard fooled him into thinking that they were gay. They brought Sheppard out to the countryside and hung him on a fence to die.
The church may not be as sure about it’s beliefs as it should be. Some in the church try to teach church doctrines to youth. The youth are much easier to brainwash than adults. It might be better that these doctrines be presented to people as adults. If a child has not been taught these controversial values they will probably be more open to diversity. For example they would let themselves get to know people of other creeds, races, different sexual orientations, etc. Once they have been able to deal with various people as a child then as an adult tell them about the doctrines. At this point they will be much better able to sort out what is wrong, such as bigotry, racism, untrue stereotypes, etc from the truth and what is right. As part as an instinct for children to increase their chances of surviving through childhood they tend to believe what they are told by their elders. This enables them to learn society's customs. It also helps to keep them out of danger. They learn not to put their hand in a fire, not to get near snakes and not to eat berries. It does have it’s downfalls such as beliefs that are questionable or an issue that one should decide for oneself. An example of one of these beliefs is one believing in the great juju in the sky. Another one is that one must kneel down and face east and pray five times a day. If a child is told by many authority figures that he or she will go to hell if he or she doesn’t believe in God he or she will probably believe it. These authority figures may warn the child that when he or she becomes older others will tell the child that the religious beliefs are not true. The authority figures warn the child that these other people will have good arguments and that the child may be tempted to believe them and are the work of Satan. This is exactly what many creationists in this country have been primed with.20
Many religious leaders commit the same sins as most people do. They are human beings too, therefore having the same human temptations and flaws. If they don’t act on these then they are taking the higher ground according to their beliefs. Some will go on a crusade to criticize others. Some will have sex with a prostitute or some will simply try to use religion to pad their pockets. Many people interpret the Bible to promote their own agenda. Some religious leaders, such as Jim and Tammy Fay Baker, unfortunately, were able to swindle many people out of their money. They and many others succeeded in convincing many that what they were doing were in the name of God.
Jimmy Swagget, one that gives the image of the typical conservative right wing Southern Baptist, had sex with a prostitute. Before this incident, he was preaching full steam ahead about "Us Sinners." Here are a few quotes in response to Swaggert. In the Bible it says "Thou shall not judge and thou shall not be judged". Karen Armstrong says, "We can assume that he loves what we love and hates what we hate, endorsing our prejudices instead of compelling us to transcend them."21 Thomas Aquinas says "Hence in the last resort all that man knows of God is to know that he does not know him, since he knows that what God is surpasses all that we can understand of him."22
The following also address the problem of people claiming what they are doing is in the name of God. It also goes out to those that believe these "God Knowing people." These so-called "God knowers" have no more goodness and don’t know anymore about God than the average Joe Smoe. In her article "The Perfect Mirror", Barbara Brown Taylor said, "Beware of those who claim to know the mind of God and who are prepared to use force, if necessary, to make others conform. Beware of those who cannot tell God’s will from their own."23
Judas was supposedly religious but he turned against Jesus. "He was there when the Romans came to arrest Jesus. This was just before Jesus was hung on the cross. It is possible that some religious leaders today are just like Judas, especially when push comes to shove."24 Judas expressed a human trait by going with the winner, the Romans.
There have been scandals in the Catholic religion about Priests having sex with minors, particularly with the altar boys. This proves that these Priests have human desires and human flaws, putting them on the same level as everyone else.
Religion can be dangerous to the environment. The world is overpopulated. "Many in the Christian religions oppose family planning."25 Religion does not force people to become pregnant, but it does try to thwart the right of people that want to have sex for pleasure. It does not want to allow them to utilize various birth control options. People are not going to stop having sex just because the church says it is wrong. Consenting adults have the right to have sex and have a right to various birth control options.
Many Hindus believe that the Ganges River is so holy that it cleanses itself from the massive pollution, mostly made up of human waste, it is receiving.26 Yet the pollution stares them in the eye every day. How much worse will it have to become before the Hindus make an effort to control their population? Sewage treatment plants are being built, but this will only delay the inevitable, the destruction of the Ganges River by an ever increasing human overpopulation. Their religious beliefs will not clean it up.
"Many Jews and Christians and others believe that mankind is apart from nature."27 One should look up at the sky above a major city and see the haze. One should check the rivers near industrial centers. One should check the area where a major earthquake strikes such as in Northridge and in San Francisco. How about in Turkey and in Mexico City? People live in this pollution and they are affected by natural disasters, therefore they are a part of nature. Nature and people affect each other.
"The Vatican has recently spent over one billion dollars on a restoration project."28 Why wasn’t this money used towards the betterment of mankind? Isn’t the church supposed to help humanity? They expect me to help out though by giving a "donation."
Sexual Orientation is a social issue of growing importance today. It illustrates some excellent examples of religious intolerance. Philip Movius of Ex Gays says that he is not homosexual anymore. Philip had 76 male partners. Rob Nelson the moderator of Full Nelson said to Philip, "Is it like an alcoholic having to completely refrain from alcohol?"29 Philip then said, "He was attracted to men because they had what he didn’t such as a muscular build." Here is a response to that. There are good-looking men attracted to good-looking men. Some people may change their behavior but the feeling from the heart does not change. Does a heterosexual man have feelings for a women at one time and doesn’t at other time? The mainstream Catholic and Protestant Churches take the view that Gays can change what they feel in their heart. Can a heterosexual change one’s heart to be gay? These churches say that the environment determines homosexuality, but yet it is common to have in the same family where there is more than one sibling, one that is homosexual and another sibling that is heterosexual. Could society be wrongly influencing the majority to be heterosexual? Whether people are born gay or choose to be gay is not the point. It is simply one’s right to be whatever sexual orientation one is or wants to be. Joan Garry, a gay rights activist, says, "These churches say they help gays but they are against hate crimes legislation and are also against legislation to protect gay youth from harassment in schools." This is simply mean. The churches say they are for peace and goodwill for mankind. If this is true why don’t these churches should support the above legislation. Hate crimes are special, contrary to the churches view. A hate crime is not only directed at the victim, it is also directed at people in the same group as the victim.30 These churches say that being gay is a sickness. If this was true then gay people should receive some sympathy from these churches. The American Psychiatric Association disagrees with the churches.
The churches should back off by not preaching to people that don't want to hear it, because if they don’t, it will only make matters worse. Because of this form of harrassment, religion doesn’t look good in some people’s eyes. It is a form of harassment. Most just keep preaching the same message. They should say something new, such as proof that would satisfy non-believers. If they can't produce this proof then they should clamp it. If religious people want me to believe in God than the burden of proof is with them to prove God’s existence. Since I am not preaching to them not to believe in God I am relieved of that responsibility. The following applies to these people, in that they seem to know God. They say that God says certain things are immoral. "The Spanish philosopher, Joseph ibn Saddiq said that if we claimed to understand God that would mean that he was finite and imperfect."31
Many religious people are very opinionated. Some were so strongly so that force was used to make people conform to their beliefs. This turns some people away from organized religion. Many of the quotes mentioned in this report by philosophers are geared towards these people. I will mention two of them next. The next one is in reference to people that may have been proven wrong but won’t acknowledge the fact. This is even more so if the truth emanated from some one they don’t consider moral.Yaqub ibn Ishaq al-Kindi, the first Muslim to apply the rational method to the Koran said, "We should acknowledge truth and assimilate it wherever it comes from. There is nothing of more value than trying to seek the truth. It honors one in doing so."32 The next quote is in reference to people that do not think that there is a possibility tht they may be wrong about a belief. From the First Epistle of the Brethren, "a seeker after truth must shun no science, scorn no book, nor cling fanatically to a single creed."33
Sexual freedom such as Gay rights and legalized prostitution, marijuana, certain television programming, video games, abortion, gambling, alcohol laws such as all night bars and Sunday shopping are examples of their so called anti-morality. Friedrich Schleiermacher says that dogmas are not divine facts.34 My dad grew up in the southeastern U.S. as a southern Baptist. He told me that the movie "Harper Valley PTA" starring Barbara Eden was realistic. The movie was about hypocrites. The people did the very deeds mentioned above that they would hope to abolish. Again Jimmy Swagget is a good example. So where do they really stand? Is this also another religious inconsistency?
The religious people that are anti-gay, anti-alcohol, anti-choice, anti-scientific, etc don’t have to participate in these activities. They don’t have to live their life in the so-called "anti-moral realm." They don’t seem to be happy that they have a choice, that is, they don’t have to participate in these "anti-moral" activities. I am somewhat happy that I have somewhat of a choice that I don’t have to live my life according to their values. Many of them want to impose their values on me. Some have already been imposed in many areas of the country such as no Sunday Alcohol sales. I agree with Jessy Ventura when he said "religion tries to mind people’s business."35
If the church is not battling gays, it is battling pro-choice people. If they can’t ban alcohol completely they try to ban it on Sunday, trying as usual to force their beliefs on others. One is not forced to drink alcohol. The church is also battling science over evolution, such as what happened when the majority of the Kansas school board voted out evolution in the public schools. These particular board members did not make it known before they were elected to the board that they favored eliminating evolution. The proevolution side is gearing up to counter these religious people. The issue may also end up in court.36 The church, it seems, is on a crusade against the world.
What they and I consider moral are two different things. I may be stubborn as far as my belief in religious free choice or freedom from religion. I don’t tell people how to lead their lives as long as they don’t preach to me or try to pass laws to restrict my freedom and choice. Freedom may cost more as far as taking care of people that have smoked, drank, had a lack of exercise, etc. I would rather have some breathing room and pay a higher price. Freedom is not cheap.
My instructor pointed out that people seem to take more interest in controversial characters such as Jimmy Swaggert and Jim Baker.37 Others such as Billy Graham generate only a fraction of attention of what the controversial ones do. It may not be right but it is balanced. The same happens to the people on the other side of the fence as well. Drag queens and rampant sex seems to be what many think of the gay crowd or what is presented to them by the media.
Ideally people should act good because of the goodness of one's heart. I would rather deal with people that act this way. Morality can’t be legislated. If goodness doesn’t come out of one’s heart then it is not genuine. People should not act good because of the fear of God. If most people were like this I feel that the world would be like living in an institution for the mentally insane or with people that are depressed. A person living in fear of God is not my cup of tea. People that commit crimes belong in jail. This way the majority of people, which in my opinion are good, can live in relative safety. If more things were made illegal or enforced with more vigor such as the issues mentioned before, more decent people would end up in jail.
There is some hope for the future. Most people under the age of 60 I have talked to are very progressive. They believe that sex between any consenting adults should be legal. William Blake said the Christian God had been made to promulgate unatural laws to repress sexuality, liberty, and spontaneous joy.38 They feel that marijuana should be legalized. Adults should be able to have alcohol any time they want to as long as it is in the right place, such as in a bar and not on the road. Las Vegas has the right idea because it allows all the establishments, which includes bars, stores, restaurants, liquor stores, etc, to stay open all night. No one is forced to go to these places. The time of day doesn’t determine whether or not something is wrong. It is morally ok to eat or drink at 4pm but it is a sin to eat or drink at 4am? The church has always tried to stand in the way of these rights. This turns many off from organized religion, it wanting of control. In my view this positive change had started when Rosa Parks, a black woman, sat in the front of a bus in the 50's when it was not legal for a Negro to do so. Martin Luther King, a black Christian minister, gave vigor to the civil rights movement back in the 60's. Other minorities are now starting to assert their rights such as Gays and Lesbians. Some right ring religious people seem to be moderating towards a more progressive view now. "Jerry Falwell recently meet with some of the leaders from some of the Gay and Lesbian organizations. They agreed not to agree on the morals of homosexuality. They did agree to lower the tension between them by not attacking each other."39 I hope that Jerry will remember in the future a quote from the Bible that says, "We shall love each other unconditionally."
There is still more that needs to be done. Executive director, Morris Dees of the Southern Poverty Law Center says, "There are still ministers that preach intolerance."40 Some hate groups such as the KKK and neo-nazi groups have a Christian identity. Although some of the stereotypes are starting to change, many in the church are still behind the times and are not seeing the truth. For example, many say that all or most gays are pedophiles, but the fact is most are not. At least most don’t act on these feelings if they have them. This also applies to heterosexuals. People that are different in some ways can see eye to eye on many other issues. For example I know gays and heteros that agree on welfare reform. I know religious and non-religious alike that both agree murder and stealing are wrong. Sometimes things come more slowly to many of those in many churches.
If religion ever becomes the dominant political power again we will all be in trouble. "Jesus was not brought down by Atheism and anarchy. He was brought down by law and order allied with religion, which is always a deadly mix. Temple police are always a bad sign. When chaplains start wearing guns and hanging out at the Sheriff’s office, watch out. Someone is about to have no king but Caesar."41 In closing "If one doesn't learn from history one is doomed to repeat it."
Citations Page
1"Madalyn Murray O'Hair's stepchildren seek atheists' revival."
Christianity Today. , V. 43 no3 (Mar. 1 '99) p. 24-6
2
Karen Armstrong, A History of God (First Ballantine Books, September, 1994)
3
Class lectures (Oct 7, 1999)
4
Ibid.
5
John Hick, Philosophy of Religion ( Prentice Hall, 1990 ) p. 88
6
Karen Armstrong, A History of God (First Ballantine Books, September, 1994) p. 290
7
"You’ve imprisoned us, Mr. Rushdie." New Statesman., v. 127 no4405 (Oct, 2 ’98) p. 30-1
8 "Madalyn Murray O'Hair's stepchildren seek atheists' revival."
Christianity Today. , V. 43 no3 (Mar. 1 '99) p. 24-6
9 Ibid.
10
(http://geocities.datacellar.net/WestHollywood/Chelsea/1404/tym_me.htm)
11 "
The Perfect Mirror." The Christian Century. , V. 115 no9 (Mar. 18-25 '98) p. 283
12
Ibid.
13
CNN Headline News(Nov 8, 1999)
14
Karen Armstrong, A History of God (First Ballantine Books, September, 1994) p. 158
15
Ibid. , 155
16 "
The first Crusaders, 1095-1131 (book review)." The Catholic Historical Review. , V. 84 no3 (July '98) p. 536-7
17
Karen Armstrong, A History of God (First Ballantine Books, September, 1994) p 197
18 "
The first Crusaders, 1095-1131 (book review)." The Catholic Historical Review. , V. 84 no3 (July '98) p. 536-7
19
"Cyber Marriage targeted by Hackers and Hate mongers" Out Magazine-New Mexico (Nov 1999) p. 32
20 "Religion is a virus." Mother Jones. , V. 22 (Nov./Dec. '97) p. 60-1
21
Karen Armstrong, A History of God (First Ballantine Books, September, 1994) p. 210
22
Ibid. , 205
23
"The Perfect Mirror." The Christian Century. , V. 115 no9 (Mar. 18-25 '98) p. 283
24
Ibid.
25 ABC’s World News Tonight (summer 1999)
26
CNN’s Perspective (Oct 9, 1999)
27
Class lectures fall 1998 Dr. Frey wildlife biology 110
28
NBC’s Nightly News (Oct 4, 1999)
29
Fox’s Full Nelson (Nov 7, 1999)
30
Ibid.
31
Karen Armstrong, A History of God (First Ballantine Books, September, 1994) p. 191
32
Ibid. , 173
33
Ibid. , 180
34
Ibid. , 350
35
CBS’s Evening News (Oct 1, 1999)
36
CNN
37
Discussion with Instructor Week of Nov 1, 1999
38
Karen Armstrong, A History of God (First Ballantine Books, September, 1994) p. 349
39
CNN’s Headline News (Oct 23, 1999)
40
C-span (Oct 23, 1999)
41
"The Perfect Mirror." The Christian Century. , V. 115 no9 (Mar. 18-25 '98) p. 283
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I am writing my report about Human over population. Human over population is affecting the whole ecosystem. Pollution, road rage, floods, fire dangers, cost of living, more confrontations with wild animals, animal behavior and many other factors too numerous to mention in this report. It is not simply humans affecting nature but humans affecting the whole ecosystem. Humans after all, are part of the ecosystem. What we do to the ecosystem we do to ourselves. We impact the quality of life for the whole ecosystem, which again includes ourselves.