Politics is the new Religion

[Undertoad]

Promising two alternate realities, one heaven the other hell, based on whom you worship

True believers hanging on long speeches from on high explaining what they should think

Supporters spreading the good word and writing checks for the collection plate

[sexobon]

Does that make an abstaining voter a political atheist or agnostic?

[Undertoad]

Originally Posted by sexobon

Does that make an abstaining voter a political atheist or agnostic?

Or, one can be quite spiritual and still dislike Religion, or the official Religions, for what they have done to systems of belief.

[BigV]

there's not enough information to determine. some abstain because they don't believe, your atheists. henry quirk is a good example we both "know". some believe, yet still abstain because they believe, but know better. Griff's an example of this kind of believer, he believes in the reality of the system, but not in one, true, path.

[Undertoad]

Whom you worship is almost always a product of your friends and family, and where you live, and what culture you grew up in.

[sexobon]

Maybe those who abstain are mostly the agnostics and those who mock the system by casting a protest vote (e.g. writing in "Mickey Mouse") are the atheists. Possibly more parallels there.

[fargon]

I am a believer, for me it was a physical experience. I cannot deny it

[henry quirk]

Seems to me, to be a political atheist is to say 'I don't believe in politics', which is dumb cuz politics is just a kind of human interaction, and humans interacting is demonstrably real.

I like 'heretic' better but that carries (to me) a sense of active rebellion, and I just ain't the time, energy, or interest for that.

Non serviam, as declaration, works, but isn't easy to label.

Indifferent (with a clinched fist)?

Apolitical (but knowing)?

*shrug*

[El Veto-Voter]

Originally Posted by henry quirk

Seems to me, to be a political atheist is to say 'I don't believe in politics', which is dumb cuz politics is just a kind of human interaction, and humans interacting is demonstrably real.

I like 'heretic' better but that carries (to me) a sense of active rebellion, and I just ain't the time, energy, or interest for that.

Non serviam, as declaration, works, but isn't easy to label.

Indifferent (with a clinched fist)?

Apolitical (but knowing)?

*shrug*

What is the supreme religion on this planet?

Catholicism, Protestantism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Communism, Agnosticism, Liberal, Conservative, and all the others are just subsets of the one supreme religion: The Cult of the Omnipotent State!

"Infidel" seems to be an appropriate, if negatively charged, label for one who refuses to accept the precepts of any "faith". It literally means, "one without faith", and infidels were actively hunted down and killed in the dark ages (because they tended to shed light on things that the authorities preferred to keep in the dark).

I don't take offense at being called an "infidel" because I know its real meaning. Likewise with a lot of other good words that have developed negative stereotypes over the years.

One such term is "apathetic". It literally means "not pathetic". Now, how can it be better to be "pathetic" than to be "not pathetic"?

El Veto-Voter
www.HaltVote.com

[tw]

Originally Posted by El Veto-Voter

What is the supreme religion on this planet?

Science. Science explains god's laws better than anything else. Even terrorists worship it 'teachings' - ie big guns and bombs. God did not stop sending disciples after Christ died. We all know them as Einstein, Gandhi, Newton, Mandella, Higgs, Gauss, Bardeen and Brattain.

[BigV]

Originally Posted by El Veto-Voter

snip-- l
One such term is "apathetic". It literally means "not pathetic". Now, how can it be better to be "pathetic" than to be "not pathetic"?

El Veto-Voter
www.HaltVote.com

Welcome to the cellar, El Veto-Voter!

I'll answer your question. It's better when the correct understanding of the word in your context is used, meaning feeling or passion or motivation. Being apathetic is to be without those qualities. And you don't strike me as apathetic.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Originally Posted by henry quirk

I like 'heretic' better but that carries (to me) a sense of active rebellion, and I just ain't the time, energy, or interest for that.

Non serviam, as declaration, works, but isn't easy to label.

Indifferent (with a clinched fist)?

*shrug*

Perhaps that fist is not wholly clenched. I dunno either.

[Griff]

AP Fact check for yesterday's nonsense.

https://apnews.com/7c6c47ba0bef4fb26ca667e4ea15e131

HEALTH CARE

TRUMP: “We protected your preexisting conditions. Very strongly protected preexisting ... and you don’t hear that.”

THE FACTS: You don’t hear it because it’s not true.

People with preexisting medical problems have health insurance protections because of Obama’s health care law, which Trump is trying to dismantle.

One of Trump’s alternatives to Obama’s law — short-term health insurance, already in place — doesn’t have to cover preexisting conditions. Another alternative is association health plans, which are oriented to small businesses and sole proprietors and do cover preexisting conditions.

Neither of the two alternatives appears to have made much difference in the market.

Meanwhile, Trump’s administration is pressing the Supreme Court for full repeal of the Obama-era law, including provisions that protect people with preexisting conditions from health insurance discrimination.

With “Obamacare” still in place, preexisting conditions continue to be covered by regular individual health insurance plans.

Insurers must take all applicants, regardless of medical history, and charge the same standard premiums to healthy people and those who are in poor health, or have a history of medical problems.

Before the Affordable Care Act, any insurer could deny coverage — or charge more — to anyone with a preexisting condition who was seeking to buy an individual policy.

Democratic attacks on Republican efforts to repeal the health law and weaken preexisting condition protections proved successful in the 2018 midterms, when Democrats won back control of the House.

[sexobon]

In the OP scenario of politics is the new religion promising two alternate realities, one heaven the other hell, based on whom you worship, I'll go with the political atheists being the ones who don't worship anyone and demonstrate it by casting protest votes as opposed to the agnostics who don't vote 'cause they don't think they have reach.

Just another way of looking at it.

[elSicomoro]

New? You're behind, UT.

There are always people that are going to blindly worship at the altar of the donkey or the elephant. Me? I hang with the donkeys, but I have my glasses or contacts on. Fortunately, my state Democratic party seems cool with that.