Rory has asked more questions.
Have you ever watched a long-running televised series from start to finish, and once you have reached the end, you wanted to watch it again or is once enough for you and time for a new long-running series?
No. There were many that I enjoyed but my time and interests have always been fluid. As I dislike schedules, to interrupt life to sit in front of a TV at a specific night and time, wasn’t a high priority for me. Once shows went into syndication, it was a delight to happen upon episodes that were new to me, though.
Do you think traditions are essential to society – if so, why and if not, why not?
Absolutely and unequivocally, “Yes”. Traditions are the glue that binds a society and country. That alone is a sound reason for limited and merit-based immigration practices. To dilute traditions, endangers the whole of a society. IMHO… Immigrants must show an interest in assimilation or be denied.
For anyone gasping over this, assimilation doesn’t mean erasing any immigrant’s cultural or religious customs (In the case of the U.S.-unless they are directly ‘at odds’ with our Constitution).
Assimilation means there’s an importance for the immigrant to learn the primary language, respect that country’s laws and customs, and to raise their children to participate in the country’s traditions. [Otherwise, they are no more than tourists.]
I know of no country that allows for as many exceptions to their own traditions (even to the point of allowing the villainization of basic principles and historical records) more than the U.S. It will be our undoing and those who encourage those exceptions, are either ignorant of the lessons of history or maliciously promoting that division.
What would be easier to throw away deep love or deeply lined rich pockets – flipside – can money buy love?
There are many, many, kinds of love. Romantic love seems the most fragile, IMHO.
As for money ‘buying’ love, there are also many ways people define “love”. (IMHO… sadly a great many have never known ‘love’.) I assume some people think that it can be bought but it’s not me.
To me personally, money means very little, but for others, money is their security, status, power, and motivation for living. Those people are actually the most impoverished among us.
As for those ‘kinds’ of love, I would never suggest to anyone, who values their health, to test the depth of the bond of (most) fathers and mothers with their children or grandchildren. You won’t enjoy the outcome.
https://earthlycomforts.uk/2023/03/09/a-wild-aloha-to-you-25/
Sillyfrog's Blog 
Our schools have worked long and hard to teach multiculturalism, which is the belief that all cultural beliefs, especially religious beliefs have equal value. Why have they done that. It sounds like some sort of kindness or an act of humility, but it is actually an act of pure arrogance. We forget the logical consequence of believing all religious beliefs are equally valid. The only way all religious beliefs can be equally valid is for all of them to be invalid.
Our traditions are based on our religious beliefs. The fact that so many have so little regard for our traditions is why our borders are wide open.
I often want to ask if a tribe of people who religiously believed that they have the right to steal and eat other peoples’ pets, if the “tolerant” types would say that’s okay.
Their ‘tolerance’ goes only so far as their own selfish sensibilities. Our country was created according to Judeo-Christian values. If they understood that, we wouldn’t be under assault.
We all believe in some kind of god. Secularist believe in idols like stuff, sex, science, state, and self. They are like the Pagans of old. There idea of tolerance is a sketchy thing.
I know many good people who don’t commit to a religious belief. BUT the level of their ignorance of where their “fine American values” originated as taught to them by their parents or other good people is stunning.
I am 71 and a military brat. I got my education in various states and in DoD schools. I was raised as a Catholic. I attended catechism and went to church every Sunday. I even spent the 5th and 6th grades in a Catholic school. but that was not enough to outweigh the damage of a largely secular education.
I learned that religion starts wars. When I read “The Age of Reason” by Thomas Paine, Paine convinced me that Christianity did not make any sense. I did not receive enough of a Biblical education to answer Paine’s arguments, and there wasn’t anyone around me who knew enough to explain why Paine was wrong.
I had almost no religious ‘training’. My two sets of grandparents were opposite in their American citizenry. One side were first- and second-generation immigrants and the other had roots in the American Revolution. Both sets were American in their beliefs in our Freedoms, civil responsibilities, and allegiance to our Constitution. My religious views developed naturally through my own observations … especially from Nature. I believe the stability of family allowed for that.
It’s true IMHO that the destruction of nuclear families has produced people so untethered from a sense of ‘belonging’ and ‘meaning’ that nihilism (whether they know it or not) is their ‘religion’. To believe in “nothing” is so much of their purpose, they want to destroy anyone who has beliefs… including moral, philosophical, or patriotic ones. It’s a deeper problem than just an argument over religion, I’m afraid.
There are three ways of knowing God:
1. Nature or natural revelation.
2. Consider.
We have a longing for God, that there is something more than this life. Most of us have sense of right and wrong.
3. We have divine revelation, especially the Bible.
People believe the Bible for various reasons, but to believe the Bible we have to read it. Few do these days. So, the Bible has become a book that everyone thinks they understand when almost no one has read it. I did not read it until I was in my fifties.
that part you said about not testing the love of a mother or father for their offspring? That is so true, same goes for grandparents, that is a deep, deep love, which shouldnt ever be tested!
👍❤
And don’t mess with momma. Love the elephant picture.
“The females of the species are more deadly than the male”- Rudyard Kipling
😉❤
Interesting answers indeed Susan, and interesting reading the immediate and following conversations.
I’m pleased that you read them all. Thank-you. 😊
My Pleasure 🙂
I was recently reminded of my need to revisit Constitution, Bill of Rights, etc., because well – it’s been awhile since I was doing deep study of that – and my brain tends to read/research a lot, but then, I just ‘distill’ things into ‘broad strokes’ – sigh – which leaves me thinking, “Oh, yeah! I forgot that line/article/debate’ was held at the time. I so often struggle in conversations with folks on topics that seem, to me, to be a ‘blurring of lines between church/state’ EVEN when we share in common, Judeo-Christian core values –
I’ve ALWAYS struggled with that – for instance – some…um…progressives of the time? Long ago, when I was in high school, there was a semester class available for 11th-12th grade students titled, “The Bible as Literature” – and some folks thought that was ‘wrong’ and I didn’t – I mean – the prose, the stories committed to paper from oral traditions – what’s wrong with that?
AND there was a choice that semester – you could alternatively, take instead, a class on “Greek & Roman Mythology Literature” – again, a moment in time, when oral traditions were committed to written down/preserved –
World History class during that time? barely covered the King Henry VIII, the Reformation, Charles Cromwell, etc., and yet – for me? As an adult? I look back to the individuals that showed up for the first and second continental congress – they were not very far removed in time from the horrors/persecution of people on the European contintnet over religion – or the potential for issues with standing armies – I wonder how many of them had a ‘classical’ education, which included the history of the Greek, the Romans ?
How many were raised in households where the first book they learned to read in was the King James Bible?
How many had finally realized that no matter how ‘successful’ they were, in the “New World” they were still seen as nothing but ‘colonial [low-class]’ in the social & power structures of England?
I was very intrigued by the q&a, plus various comment threads, on the portion about Traditions – and I struggle, often, in conversations with ‘both side’ of the arguments put forth on ‘today’s struggles’ for our vast country, full of geographical, historical differences, to hold together as a collective, that stands together for strength and mutual support in face of challenges to be faced that are bigger than one state to meet on their own (natural disasters, national infrastructure, etc., ) – I guess, for myself? The ideals and ‘goals’ of “THIS is WHO We Wish to Be (to avoid the horrors of the past) are laid down, in our founding documents, and yet – as an individual?
I struggle every day, in so many ways, to say – “Okay – this, right here, is what choice is before me – what shall I choose? The easy way out, or the hard road of living up to the ideals listed in all the aspiring works written, and have lasted – for ever so long – from those long, long ago – ”
Thanks for listening! 😀
What a beautiful thoughtful comment! Thanks.
Many of our founders used ancient ‘thought leaders’ as inspiration. Hillsdale College has an excellent FREE course “Aristotle: How to lead a GOOD life” It was life changing for me.
I have on ‘my current’ list of ‘to-dos’ Constitutional Law and “The Stoics” – 😀 So interesting that you mention Hillsdale College – I get mailings from them all the time – I never signed up for, have no memory of why – but I have seen a change, too, in their mailed offerings, the past couple of years – as far as language used, goes – but perhaps – I’m just paying more attention to ‘individual words used’ to create a narrative, than I used to –
There was one thing, though, just so I ‘report in’ fairly – a person I do not agree with on so many ever lovin things and I had a long back and forth via email, then a phone convo, which, much to my shame, I managed to ‘try to word/ask the same question over and over, in different ways” that I couldn’t finish the thought on, before interrupted, and quick rapid breathing on their end of the phone (meaning – I feel bad I stressed them out that badly, while I said repeatedly, “I hear you, but I’m asking – what changed? Because we previously supported such projects – – ” – last week – about organizational/operational things on a non-profit I volunteer for – –
I went to bed worried about it, because it was the second time in 18 months the same topic appeared and even back then! I had been ‘defeated by vote’ on the matter, but never really received, the answer to the question I was asking – figured I just hadn’t asked it right – 😀
But I woke up at 1:34 in the morning, scrambled out of bed and dove into the archives of “back when we did such things” and ta-da! Found the answer! And conveyed it the other person (I did wait until after 8am to send an email – LOL) but – I FOUND what the difference was, and once I factored that in, their position made perfect sense to me, and I said, “I get it, I remember now, this is why it was in my memory – and WHEW! You’re right – I know why it was different for that past time, and we can lay this to rest – thanks for hanging in there with me!”
I guess, for myself, it ‘hurts’ to know that no matter how hard I try to say, “Um, what has changed/what’s different, now… I’m not arguing with you, I’m just confused, because we previously have….” to find that many folks are unwilling to hang in there for the hard conversations – etc. to get to the core matter at hand – –
I’m not the greatest communicator in the world, in short succinct form (as you WELL know! too many words TLDR (too long, didn’t read) fame – 😀 And yet, to me? So many challenges that ultimately affect us ALL will NOT be solved unless hard conversations had, and every one shows up to ‘lets focus on possible solutions we can all agree on” – 😀
Absolutely! (That’s my short answer.)
It’s come to my attention that ‘we who are curious and express our honest concern about what’s happening to our country’, have become a villainized sector by media and those actively trying to destroy our country. (Many of whom hold government positions.)
Our rattled, frightened, and fragile fellow Americans who we used to comfortably disagree with, are now sadly regarding us differently. They are of course ‘tools’ of authoritarian malicious intentions and “Know not what they do.”. I have not changed. It was most definitely their outlook that was tampered with. Talking to people who NOW believe, at some level, you are a “bad guy” is difficult.
My approach (I still believe in their goodness) has taken a lot of sharpening of skills. Seems to me, behaving openly kind, tolerant, and welcoming can break the ‘spell’ with some of them. Keep up being you just the same. ❤
I read your comment at https://citizentom.com/2023/03/10/you-want-to-debate-a-liberal-democrat/ – I agree! For myself, our Founding as a Nation, in every level and heated arguments, as well as many arguments over the ages (prohibition, suffrage, civil rights, pro choice/life’ etc., etc, etc.) have ALL too often, to me? tried to ‘label or mix’ politics with religion, on broad stroke/national labeling fronts – to me? ITs JUST not that frickn’ cut and dried – sigh –
There has been a quote that started running through my mind about 2006 – and increasingly runs through my mind – it is a version of “Most of the harm in the world is done by good people with good intentions” – – as I went to look up ‘the author’ of that quote – here’s all the various ways the same sentiment has been expressed over recent times – – LOL: https://quoteinvestigator.com/2019/12/19/intentions/
I wrote a Six Minute Story rather recently on my page entitled Evil Cloaks Itself in Beauty. It is on that very topic! Thanks so much for this ‘meeting of the minds’. I have neglected my ordinary duties this morning but well worth it. LOL
P.S. I was very relieved to see Citizen Tom’s various posts, as, for myself, I have recently learned that many in my circle who speak/quote the Bible, have, themselves, never read it in it’s entirety – AND I find for myself – was raised to be aware of – the ‘face & awe of God’ if you will, in the natural landscape around me – and yet, that, too, from other’s in my circle, seems to be seen as “heresy’ – and on other fronts? As just common sense – sigh – I think the fraying of traditions that I mourn the most is that I feel as if it’s increasingly hard to have a basic conversation with those I’ve known for decades – we may have attended different religious services, supported different parties in electoral duties, may have disagreed locally on what ‘solution’ was best for our community to face a challenge – but it was still a discussion on the ‘challenge/possible solutions’ – rather than something that descended into ‘personal attacks on the ‘worthiness’ of the individual or how they were either a ‘religious nut’ or ‘a heretic’ as case might be – sigh – I’ve never been personally so reminded of such divides in our country as I have the past few years, as I have convos with many known to me over a long time – and, it feels as if, any bridge in common, to discuss to bring to the convo on ‘okay – what’s the solution?” ends up causing more problems than it solves. I don’t think I’ve lost my mind or have forgotten our personal history, but – – I could – – – be – – – wrong – – – 😀
I responded to Tom’s post on his own blog today. As an outside observer it seemed to me he had fallen victim (as so many have) to the tactics of intolerance. I don’t blame him and those intent upon dividing us are artfully clever at framing conversations as binary choices.
I’ll add a link to his words that contain my response.
We must not allow others to ‘frame’ conversations in binary terms. Your thoughtful, curiosity, is MOST refreshing!
“thoughtful curiosity is refreshing” – ahhh…<3 Thank You for being so kind, cuz me trucking 'outloud' my internal debate team on topics is usually labeled, "You just like picking fights, don't you??" So – um, thanks for giving my natural way of being, trying to see as many sides of an issue as I can/learn more, as "thoughtful curiosity" – I LIKE THAT Label! Thus, adopting it! 😀
Here’s Tom’s newest post that also contains my response. ❤
https://citizentom.com/2023/03/10/you-want-to-debate-a-liberal-democrat/
P.S. I followed his blog – unfortunately – I won’t be commenting on/asking questions – etc., though I am enjoying reading – why? sigh – I couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t see way to leave comment, etc., and then checked my browser – which was blocking functionality – because of ‘twitter’ integration?? Sigh – I’m not a Twitter user – nor do I follow/read there – so – um, if I unblock, to comment – for good or ill or whatevs, anyone who might respond there – to questions I ask? I would be unaware of – sigh – but – well – interesting read through of his blog thus far and I can only say, I have ‘personal answers’ to some of the questions posted – regarding what to ‘ask a Liberal democrat’ post (um, I don’t consider myself one, but…been accused of being one…) LOL sigh – I MISS out on so many interesting conversations, because, I’m unwilling to add a 3rd social media thing to keep up on, when I’m not even keeping up with my first (here) or my second (work related as backup for others at FB) – – sigh – sigh – only so many hours in the day – but when I just say, “enough! I NEED a minute to reboot/recalibrate me self!” – I log in here first – My convos with you, is ONE of the reasons why – THANK YOU!!!
🙂 ❤