In election-year pandering they trust

July 14, 2006

The [tag]Senate[/tag] has a limited amount of time left this session and plenty of proposals lawmakers would like to try and pass, but the chamber found time yesterday to approve a resolution that “celebrates, commemorates and reaffirms” the national [tag]motto[/tag]: “[tag]In God We Trust[/tag].”

James Dobson and Focus on the Family are thrilled.

“It is heartening to see the men and women elected to serve the people formally acknowledge once again, the true source of the blessings we enjoy as a nation,” Dr. James Dobson, chairman of Focus on the Family Action, said.

According to the resolution, sponsored by Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), Americans are now supposed to “reflect” on the motto and recognize “the integral part that the national motto of the United States has played in the life of the Nation.” Considering the fact that “In God We Trust” wasn’t even the motto for our first 200 years (“E Pluribus Unum” was), I’m not quite sure what Brownback wants to think about.

Maybe we should “reflect” on the fact that hollow, election-year stunts like these are last refuge of scoundrels. The Senate’s really been on a roll lately, hasn’t it? Flag burning, gay marriage, euthanasia, and “In God We Trust.”

The world’s most deliberative body, indeed.

In God I trust, to men who keep God’s name on their lips to justify all their sins I don’t turn my back.

That’s my motto for America.

  • Now, now. The wise Ms. Noonan has already explained that if the issues are any more complicated than blind trust in vapid mottos, well, that’s just too difficult for us to fairly expect our elected officials to handle.

  • I can see why the Republicans are thrilled about this, “In God we trust” is on the money and money is their god.

  • Next up, replace that secular humanist, non-God mentioning Star Spangled Banner with God Bless the USA as our national anthem

    What ever happened to ‘E pluribus unum?” Too non-paritsan and unifying?

  • “In God We Trust” was added in the mid-’50s, right around the same time that “Under God” was added to the Pledge. Both were efforts to distance America from the godless Commies of the Soviet Union.

  • No doubt Dobson was thrilled since it was another minor but significant step in building up the required meme to establish a right-wing theocratic government in this country, which is what he’s really after.

    But he can’t have my rights just yet. I’m still using them, thank you very much.

  • Ultimately only 2 important questions to answer in life. Everything else really hinges on them.

    1. Is there a God?
    2. If so what is the implication for me/us?

    Accountability and integrity in anything in life, especially national leadership is essential. May I suggest His standards are much higher than any of ours and it is the ultimate accountability. Failing to recognize that, and worse yet, shooting at Him is just plain foolish.

  • 1. Is there a God?
    2. If so what is the implication for me/us?

    3. If there isn’t a God, or if there is, why should I behave any differently?

    I believe in the Golden rule, that Humans are distinct from Animals in that we have compassion, and that Good Works are the essence of a well lived life.

    Aren’t those good enough preceipts on which to build a meaningful life?

  • Actually, Lance, not all humans have compassion. Those who lack it completely are called sociopaths or psychopaths. I imagine that if it were possible to measure compassion, we’d find a bell curve, just as we do with intelligence, or height or weight or whatever. An EQ, like IQ, an “empathy quotient.”

    I also fear that many humans would, in fact, change their behavior if they weren’t afraid of the wrath of God.

  • I think next they’ll have the “anti apple pie desecration act.”(which would probably ban the movie “American Pie”) Or perhaps they’ll have a resolution which states “we think puppies and kittens are cute” Then they’ll accuse Democrats of being Anti-apple pie and anti-cute pets.

  • That’s a point, Hark. But than, I suspect that Koko the Gorillia’s EQ is probably higher than Dick Cheney’s. I was just trying to express a broad concept. At some point Human Beings began to understand that they could keep a member of the tribe with a broken leg alive and eventually that member would recover and become productive again. Animals usually just let the sick and wounded get cut out by predators.

    As for humans who ‘behave’ only because they believe in God’s wrath, consider in balance the humans who ‘misbehave’ because they are sure of God’s forgiveness. As I’ve said before, Jimmy Swaggert asking his favorite whore to pimp her teenaged daughter to him, then declaring to his congregation that ‘God Forgives Him’ proves that religious people do not in fact ‘behave’ because they fear God, they justify their immorality because they claim God’s sanction.

  • “Actually, Lance, not all humans have compassion. Those who lack it completely are called sociopaths or psychopaths.”

    I thought they were called Republicans. I think that, once we take back the House and Senate, we should propose and enact legislation returning the traditional motto, “E Pluribus Unum”. That says so much, much more about the true nature of this nation than the simpy (and in many cases – me, for an example – lying) “In God We Trust”.

    Every state that has an established religion proclaims something to the effect “In God We Trust”. The Nazis had “Gott Mit Uns”. It’s the United States of America which, uniquely, draws its strength from the diverse peoples who make it up. “E Pluribus Unum” — even expressing the thought in a dead language says so much about us and those who founded our nation. The Democrats need to make at least a part of their message “Back to basics”.

  • If there is a God, is there accountability, and if so what’s the standard, Jimmy Swaggart included? There is always the danger of not wanting to ask the question/face the truth for fear of the implications to the way I want to live. Pointing the finger at somebody else does not absolve me of my responsibility or accountability. Hiding behind God or using those who do as an excuse to dodge the questions is to live in peril. Time/eternity is the ultimate revealer of all truth. We have the freedom to make a lot of very important choices about that in the mean time. Hopefully we choose wisely.

    Have appreciated the interaction. Have a great weekend.

  • Ultimately 2 important questions in life.
    1. What is matter?
    2. Does it?

    And, Lance, don’t be animalist — of course animals have compassion!

    OM MANUI PADME HOUNG

  • “And, Lance, don’t be animalist — of course animals have compassion!” – Goldilocks

    Then maybe they are not so much ‘animals’ as we would like to believe.

    There was a nifty little commentary, I forget by whom, that pointed out that horses will swim, gorillas will not, but humans will. Horses don’t understand that they could drown, gorillas do and won’t try, humans do but will try.

    So where do you draw the line? Which is smart enough to deserve respect and protection?

  • In God we Trust indeed. Iraq is in the throes of a sectarian civil war. The Taliban is controlling southern Afghanistan. Israel has gone berserk and is shelling Gaza and Lebanon civilians and inrastructure out of existence.

    Bush and Cheney have done the work of Christ and have brought democracy and peace to the Middle East.

    Heck of a Job, Cheney, Rummey, and Bushie!

  • — Lance (#16)

    Better to have _ _ _ _ and lost than never to have _ _ _ _ at all ?

    BIIIG story. Me no want go there.

    B u u u t… 03.40 am.. What the heck.

    What’s with the line? Me no see no lines.

    Has compassion really got anything to do with ‘deserving’?

  • No, this is not fair. I trust you are asleep, though I do not presume.

    Back to your original comment #9. I like the point very much and I go with it (Good Works etc..). What stuck in my throat was the bit about Humans, Animals and compassion. I don’t see compassion as a fixed thing, dished out at birth or whatever, and then that’s it you’ve either got it or you haven’t, or you’ve got a lot of it or a little of it. Compassion is something you can waken up to and develop. Not everyone does that, maybe some go the other way, but at least it’s possible to become a better person.

    I also believe in rebirth. So, for me, an animal also has the chance to develop over lifetimes better and better etc. And the same is true for even the worst of humans. It’s not easy any of this, and I’d never want to inflicit it on anyone, but it comes up from time to time, and it’s quite interesting to chew around on in the small hours.

    Still looking for that line though.

    I also go with hark’s “empathy quotient”. It could go a long way to helping solve some radical (pun optional) problems. Nice counterbalance to the IQ meme.

  • “What stuck in my throat was the bit about Humans, Animals and compassion.” – Goldilocks

    If you are going to say animals have ‘compassion’, you are going to have to come up with some ancedotal evidence and then we can argue definitions. Just claiming animals have compassion like humans begs the definition. I gave you one that fits into what I am trying to say.

    It really doesn’t matter if it ‘sticks in your throat’. That’s not the basis of a rationale argument. I’m not being mean to animals, I am just trying to assert a difference between us and them that does not come down to “God Created Man and Gave Him Dominion over All the Animals of the Earth and Sea”.

    You are of course right that compassion is developed through the socialization of the child.

  • Lance and Goldilocks, I am late to this discussion. Hark’s comment (#10) on Lance’s “compassion” comment (#9) is that not all humans have compassion. Goldilocks makes a great qualification (#19) in that the amount of compassion one person has is a variable; it is not static. I agree with all of this, and the commentary about whether animals can have or express “compassion” in the human sense — and how to determine yes or no — is not necessary to the original post here regarding the Rethugs’ penchant for election-year pandering.

    Goldilocks’ point is consistent with the doctrine of salvation, in that we can all be reclaimed by the Love of God (or, as she [?] says, “reborn”). I would, therefore, submit that the CAPACITY TO FEEL human compassion is inborn except in a minute minority where there is some genetic flaw. On the other hand, the actual EXERCISE of one’s compassion, and to what EXTENT/LEVEL it is exercised, IS A MATTER OF CHOICE.

    One can alter the amount of compassion shown to one’s fellow travelers on this planet. After all, compassion is one of those emotions that is meaningless unless it is expressed in actions. Love means nothing if it is not given away to others. Jesus said, “Love thy neighbor.” He goes on to REQUIRE that our love be expressed in helping “…the least of these, My brethren…”

    As we have seen with The Royal Buffoon, one can make all the claims of being a “compassionate conservative,” but it is — and can only be — one’s BEHAVIOR that will illuminate and reveal one’s character for compassion, for integrity, for honor, or for any other of the traits that define us as “human.”

  • If you are going to say animals have ‘compassion’, you are going to have to come up with some ancedotal evidence and then we can argue definitions. — Lance.

    Taking Analytical Liberal as read, and assuming an adequate EQ, when I see a cow licking, nursing and looking after its calf I see compassion. When I see my dog getting upsetting when I’m upset or hurt I see compassion and a lot of empathy. Where the F**? would Disney be if animals did not, by popular perception, have compassion?

    Throat well clear, thanks.

    • Comments are closed.