Why Christian and atheist libertarians get along

Written by Kenn Gividen


I’mrepparttar most religious guy inrepparttar 105748 Libertarian Party. At least that’s what my friend, Charlie, decided. I don’t know if his bit of insight was meant to be a compliment or a mere observation. Either way, I suppose there are others more deserving.

For his part, Charlie is a declared atheist. And, therein lays a dilemma for some libertarians. How can I — a certified, card-carrying Bible thumper — stand shoulder to shoulder with a guy who’s never thumped a Bible in his life?

In spite of ourselves

One may assume there is a détente in whichrepparttar 105749 discussion of religion is avoided like a trip torepparttar 105750 dentist. One would be wrong. I find few things more intellectually stimulating than a lively spat with a well-informed atheist — particularly when feeble attempts are made to defendrepparttar 105751 untenable; eg, evolution.

Or, one may assume there is a level of irreconcilable toleration. Not so. Some ofrepparttar 105752 best Christians I know are atheists. By that, I mean, atheists usually surpass Christians in areas such as morality, decency and human kindness. I don’t tolerate these people. I like them. I enjoy their company. I’d rather hang out with a crowd of honest atheists than a church full of back-stabbing Baptists any day ofrepparttar 105753 week, including Sunday.

So why do libertarian Christians and atheists get along?

Exclusion doesn’t work

The answer can be found inrepparttar 105754 word, “inclusion.” Think about it.

When Protestants control a government – say Northern Ireland, for example – Catholics and other non-Protestants have a tough way to go. And when Catholics take charge – as in Ireland – Protestants find themselves onrepparttar 105755 outside looking in.

Come to think of it, when any religious group takes control, all others face dire consequences. Considerrepparttar 105756 history of England. Bloody Mary had at least 275 Protestants burned atrepparttar 105757 stake (includingrepparttar 105758 Archbishop of Canterbury) during her brief five-year term as Queen of England. A century later, Protestant Elizabeth I was executing Catholics. For their part, Muslims have a history of killing both Protestants and Catholics, not to mention Jews.

Life, some think, would be simpler — if not safer — if no religious sect controlled government. Let’s put atheists in charge, they say. That would end sectarian bloodletting.

Ten Thousand Fugitives and the Beach Boys

Written by Roger Wright


Connecting Ten Thousand Fugitives andrepparttar Beach Boys

My soul is starved and hungry, ravenous— insatiable for your nourishing commands. Psalm 119: 17-33

Driving betweenrepparttar 105747 two lunches I had that day. Mike Love’s reed thin voice leading up torepparttar 105748 radio news that “Torture Guy” (Our American Attorney General) had somehow slappedrepparttar 105749 cuffs on 10,000 fugitives almost all at once.

The sun baked nasal Beach Boy surf tones heraldingrepparttar 105750 first cannon shot of actual class warfare inrepparttar 105751 United States. Karl Rove commandsrepparttar 105752 guns to be turned on our own. Karen Hughes spins it so soccer moms can quickly nod yes and then get back on their cell phones. Condi stamps a black stiletto boot and raises her eyebrow. And Brian Wilson’s lyric kicks offrepparttar 105753 parade in my car:

Well I’m not braggin babe So don’t put me down But I’ve gotrepparttar 105754 fastest set of wheels in town.

Ten thousand fugitives in 24 hours????????

Alone, justrepparttar 105755 number andrepparttar 105756 time frame is alarming. But that it’s coming from “Torture Guy”---makes me remember that soon, on this long drive back home fromrepparttar 105757 wild and distant suburbs of Chicago (where all food comes from Olive Gardens, Applebee’s and Bennigans)—it makes me remember that if I just take Oakton east, I’ll go right by Steak and Shake.

Because if this is it, ifrepparttar 105758 country has now been lead to implode---I better grab another lunch. Never mind that I just finished lunch 5 minutes ago. And that it wasn’t at a chain restaurant. I better eat again.

Wonder whatrepparttar 105759 ethnic and racial breakdown of that mass arrest would be? Wonder if there’s a religious element to this? Did Jerry Falwell giverepparttar 105760 word that we could finally round up allrepparttar 105761 Muslim Americans? Wonder why that first lunch left me feeling so empty?

What would Brian Wilson do? Would he grab another lunch? Would he wonder why Kaufman’s Deli on Dempster in Skokie had somehow left me with a rye bagel that was just short of stale, cream cheese whipped with air, , lox that didn’t tingle with tasterepparttar 105762 way a special, sometimes treat should. Nova lox that brings on a train of thought that goes: I can’t get this very often---way too expensive. . .especially when you have no money coming in. . . .so why can’t I taste this????

I am pulling out intorepparttar 105763 traffic on Dempster, one hand onrepparttar 105764 wheel,repparttar 105765 other stuffing potato chips into my mouth just a little too fast as I look east for lines of Federal Marshalls. But all I see is McDonalds andrepparttar 105766 Skokie Swift train.

Why can’t I taste these potato chips? Only salt andrepparttar 105767 bulk. And why do they keep making me even hungrier? Boy some fries would go good now. . . Why am I so hungry?

And how many people does it take to arrest 10,000 in a day? Did they put them on trains and roll them out to Utah, string up some barbed wire and callrepparttar 105768 place a Relocation Camp? What kind of paperwork was generated? And most of all: why do I keep stuffing these potato chips in my mouth just a little too fast?

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