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It's very obvious to me that a young Black man in this state, Florida, is not allowed the same rights under "Stand Your Ground" as a person who is not Black. If you listen to the 911 recording of Zimmerman on the phone with the 911 operator, you can clearly hear that Zimmerman is not just following Martin (which the 911 operator asked him NOT to do), he is "running" after him. Everything in Zimmerman's pockets can be heard clanking and jingling. So when Martin turned around and stood his ground, the jury system here found Zimmerman not guilty of murdering Martin because Martin - in effect - stood his ground. Lord knows, we can't have that!!!! The stand your ground law was intended to protect white people, not black people! Now which one of these players REALLY had the right to stand his ground? That question never came up at trial.
I wonder what Zimmerman, the wannabe cop, would have done in the same situation if he had not been given a concealed weapons permit and a gun. Would he have still chased after that suspicious-looking black man wearing a hoodie, or would he have stayed in his car?
The Stand-Your-Gun law inflicted on the citizens of this state MUST be repealed. It was passed by a racist governor, in a state where racism among some whites is worn like a badge of honor. It's sickening. I live here. I overhear these racist conversations all the time, the word "nigger" is used here on the west coast of Florida more than I ever heard it used in the 30 years that I lived in Miami, and any progress made in the past 50 years towards easing race relations have been totally wiped out by the few years this racist governor, and thieving governor has been in office.
If the DOJ needs to do any investigating, it needs to carefully investigate Gov. Scott for hate crimes.
Is that a pistol in your pocket, or are you just afraid to see me?
wWhat about Trayvon Martin's right to stand his ground? why did the court and jury accept Zimmermans version that TM attacked? the prosecutor did not do a well enough job of ringing the obvious bell.
Palindromedary ~ It is interesting indeed! But what you must realize about Religions and "Religious" People is that as the old saying goes--It takes all kinds. For instance I believe in God. My God isn't a person per se; but rather an immense energy field with a conscious. I don't particularly believe in any Devil other than the one people conjure up in their own mind to blame their own misdeeds on. Angels and Demons are such cloudy topics to me I have to say I don't know and need proof. It's just too easy to imagine those things into existence. The human mind is a powerful thing; and, God can assume any form it desires. Therefore, I don't take any accounts of encounters too seriously. I try to keep an open mind while maintaining a health skepticism. Nevertheless you can never discount the potential of the imagination of the human mind.
That said about the human mind, I guess that must be what it really comes down to, isn't it? Whatever the human mind can believe it can somehow conjure into existence. A serious Theologian differs from a serious Believer in that they rely more on concrete evidence than speculation and myth. Although they both tend to take prophecy and doctrine seriously the Theologian tends to look at it more practically than believers. After all, if you believe in a red man with horns and a pitchfork living underground in an inferno somewhere, where is the big leap of faith to believe in 7 headed fire breathing dragons; or, for that matter, Santa Claus, Elves, Frosty the Snow Man, Big Foot, Unicorns, The Sand Man, The Tooth Fairy, The Boogie Man, Leprechauns, and the Easter Bunny.
The big difference in Faith from Believers is that the Theologian asks questions. Good questions! And seeks answers, knowledge, and understanding. For instance, the story about King Nebuchadnezzar and the prophet Daniel. When Nebuchadnezzar dreamed about the giant gold statue he knew right away two things. First that God was giving him a message; and two, he didn't have a clue as to what that message was. Not for a second did he think that his kingdom was going to be attacked by a solid gold giant. He knew that the message was a metaphor for something and learned what that was through the prophet Daniel; who, God endowed with the talent to understand such things. As a reward for explaining the dream Daniel received a cushy Government job in the King's palace. Nice the way things work out sometimes.
There is nothing wrong with asking questions. There is nothing wrong with seeking understanding. To anyone who studies scripture it clearly states:
Yet how many people line up to fill churches, temples, and synagogues on their knees do so asking no questions; seeking no answers, and are unable to even explain logically why they are there or what they are doing? God has no reason to want people to honor him without understanding--only man does. God wants understanding; for, only through understanding does faith have any real meaning.
My friend when you read the Book of Revelations and look at it as a metaphorical puzzle you see patterns that explain the world today. For instance one famous misunderstood metaphor is MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. She is pictured as being decked out in jewelry and holding a cup of wine that is full of abominations of the blood of saints and martyrs. She and all the kings of the world have been made drunk with her wine. (Rev 17. I won't bore you quoting the whole passage here. You know where it is if you want to see it.)
Of course this is no myth, it is a metaphor. You see the cup of filthiness is the petroleum industry. The blood of the saints in the cup is actually oil. The GREAT WHORE are the middle eastern oil producing nations. The "drunkenness" of the Kings of the world is the great wealth from oil. They are so enamoured with the easy money from petroleum that they aren't capable of doing their job and put money above even the ability of the environment to sustain human life. Meanwhile the Cabal that controls the Kingdoms murder anyone who attempts to defend the environment; thus explaining the blood of saints and martyrs. You don't have to be Daniel the Prophet to put this puzzle together, it's a piece of cake. However, you do have to think, ask questions, and above all, believe there is an important message recorded in the literary work. To do that, you need some faith, or at least some healthy atheistic curiosity. A little imagination goes a long way too.
Personally, I get a kick out of interpreting literature. The same as the kick I get from writing these posts. I hope to arouse, amuse, and inform as many people as I can. In my own way, this is my own Religion.
I think a great place for Thom to submit an article about racism would be to Playboy Magazine. Now that I am old, I do read the articles and letters to the editor. At least 80% of the readers of that magazine must be libertarians (for some obvious reasons). An article (maybe just a transcript) of Thom's rant on Libertarinism being the velvet glove on the iron fist of racism would be so appropriate. I think the editors of Playboy would love it.
Ashamed to be a Floridian.
My favorite tweet post-verdict: "How can the system fail someone it was never designed to protect?"
DAnneMarc: Oh, I get it! Metaphors! Of course, so you mean that Satan...demons....God...Heaven and Hell...they are all just metaphors? They don't actually exist...they are just metaphors? Of course, many religious people evidently don't get that because they believe that these things actually exist....that they are not "just metaphors". People who believe in 7 headed monsters, ghosts, devils, demons, Satan, and God usually believe that they are ALL real...they even talk to one of them...God...as if it really matters. But then believers, especially when trying to look not entirely obtuse, try to pick and choose which superstitious ideas are real and which are merely just metaphors. They attest that God and Satan are real but some of those other attestations, as written in the Holy Book (the supposed "inerrant word of God"), are merely metaphors. Interesting how people can rape their own minds like that.
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Palindromedary ~ While we are at it, that seven-headed monster you speak of didn't breath fire or actually exist. It was a metaphor; and, also had ten horns. It is common knowledge amongst serious theologians that this symbol represent the countries of NATO in modern times. One of the seven heads was "wounded as to death" (ie the Kennedy assassination) and given life. (ie subsequent Presidents.)
Your lack of faith imposes upon you a lack of understanding as to the big picture of what is really going on. I might suggest that you adopt a more scholarly, unbiased, and neutral approach to research. After all, is that not the fundamental overriding principle of the scientific method, anyway?
Don't allow your personal prejudices and preferences to blind you to the BIG PICTURE. If you do, you might not even see that truck coming that eventually runs you over.
Palindromedary ~ Thanks for the prompt response my friend. I'm sorry I missed it, till now; but, as they say, better late than never. Besides that is a very good question. "Satan" from "CLUB SATAN" is the perfect word to describe this group set. As 2950-10K speculated in that same blog this is a generic term that is generically applied to many different groups around the world that subscribe to the same philosophy. It is an evil philosophy that is both spawn from and hides in religious societies. It is a philosophy that has existed since the dawn of time. If you want to give an eternal entity or ageless philosophy of evil a name that people are familiar with "Satan" is the word you use. It just simplifies the defining process and simplification along with identification are essential in dealing with this problem.
Anonymity and secrecy are the power of these groups. Take the KKK for instance. They are a subculture in "CLUB SATAN." You might have quite a task at hand if you were to oppose the Grand Wizard because he hides behind a mob of unknown people in hoods. Take the hoods off and the Grand Wizard becomes Bob. You can deal with Bob.
Odd that you've mentioned Santa Claus. I see you are aware that Santa is an anagram for Satan? Just put the 't' in the middle and move the 'n' to the end and Santa Claus becomes Satan Claus. In the verse you quoted it is true that Santa is claiming the same powers of God. Spooky don't you think that our culture would blaspheme the creator with a children's song honoring the birth of Christ? Now the NSA is claiming the same powers and rights. What better name to associate these Cabals with other than "Satan"? After all, aren't' they doing exactly what prophecy says Satan will do in the end times? If it quacks like a duck, call it a duck.
Anyway, I apologize for thinking you were ignoring me and assuming you couldn't find the backdoor way of accessing the blog. I hope my use of a superstitious iconic word hasn't offended you. I suppose, you could just as easily call these groups "A Bunch of Nosy, Power-hungry, Greedy Jerks". After all, that's all they really are anyway. Yet somehow it just doesn't have the same ring to it. Also, by their own actions they certainly seem to be invoking a lot more than just philosophy into their lives. Therefore, I prefer a more catchier name that people can remember and is more specific. If you have another one in mind, please share.
Thanks again for the response!
Palindromedary ~ Thanks for the prompt response my friend. I'm sorry I missed it, till now; but, as they say, better late than never. Besides that is a very good question. "Satan" from "CLUB SATAN" is the perfect word to describe this group set. As 2950-10K speculated in that same blog this is a generic term that is generically applied to many different groups around the world that subscribe to the same philosophy. It is an evil philosophy that is both spawn from and hides in religious societies. It is a philosophy that has existed since the dawn of time. If you want to give an eternal entity or ageless philosophy of evil a name that people are familiar with "Satan" is the word you use. It just simplifies the defining process and simplification along with identification are essential in dealing with this problem.
Anonymity and secrecy are the power of these groups. Take the KKK for instance. They are a subculture in "CLUB SATAN." You might have quite a task at hand if you were to oppose the Grand Wizard because he hides behind a mob of unknown people in hoods. Take the hoods off and the Grand Wizard becomes Bob. You can deal with Bob.
Odd that you've mentioned Santa Claus. I see you are aware that Santa is an anagram for Satan? Just put the 't' in the middle and move the 'n' to the end and Santa Claus becomes Satan Claus. In the verse you quoted it is true that Santa is claiming the same powers of God. Spooky don't you think that our culture would blaspheme the creator with a children's song honoring the birth of Christ? Now the NSA is claiming the same powers and rights. What better name to associate these Cabals with other than "Satan"? After all, aren't' they doing exactly what prophecy says Satan will do in the end times? If it quacks like a duck, call it a duck.
Anyway, I apologize for thinking you were ignoring me and assuming you couldn't find the backdoor way of accessing the blog. I hope my use of a superstitious iconic word hasn't offended you. I suppose, you could just as easily call these groups "A Bunch of Nosy, Power-hungry, Greedy Jerks". After all, that's all they really are anyway. Yet somehow it just doesn't have the same ring to it. Also, by their own actions they certainly seem to be invoking a lot more than just philosophy into their lives. Therefore, I prefer a more catchier name that people can remember and is more specific. If you have another one in mind, please share.
Thanks again for the response!