I got wind of AR and signed on 20 years ago today. Learned a lot and have benefitted from the honest folks here. Lots of weirdness here but a lot of great folks.

Hope Saeed keeps this up and running and deletes the Political Forum someday....

Happy Anniversary to me....

How would the rest of the world survive without laughing at you lot on the PF?

I think the question is "how would the world survive without me laughing at some of the bizarre stuff people post there".

The PF proves that the theory of evolution is totally wrong and that the human species is devolving at an accelerated rate not seen since Cain and Abel.

Just do us (and them) a small favor. Change the name to the Political Crater. That might save a few unsuspecting souls.

I have never jumped into the Political Forum!!

I get enough of that Shxx on the news!!

What have I missed??

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Just do us (and them) a small favor. Change the name to the Political Crater. That might save a few unsuspecting souls.

Or Political Toilet....

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
I got wind of AR and signed on 20 years ago today. Learned a lot and have benefitted from the honest folks here. Lots of weirdness here but a lot of great folks.

Hope Saeed keeps this up and running and deletes the Political Forum someday....

Happy Anniversary to me....

why censorship? just don't read it. but you read it and it bothers you, so you want it deleted so you are not tempted to read and get offended.

thin skin is a bad look.....bob

PF is a blast
But I regress
Great hunting/shooting forum/platform thanks to Saeed

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Just do us (and them) a small favor. Change the name to the Political Crater. That might save a few unsuspecting souls.

Will be happy to, as soon as you lot change YOUR "political system" to something more appropriate name to reflect its true actions in our modern times!

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
Just do us (and them) a small favor. Change the name to the Political Crater. That might save a few unsuspecting souls.

Will be happy to, as soon as you lot change YOUR "political system" to something more appropriate name to reflect its true actions in our modern times!

on that one i will say even incorrect it is better to be ruled by elected than born king or queen ... but that is just me.

Unless I am the king....

quote:

Originally posted by dogcat:
Unless I am the king....

I doubt that you could get worse with a nasty king in charge!

At least, a nasty king could get his head blown up.

In your system, one deranged idiot is replaced by another one, most cases even worse!

Your Party Politics has absolutely no sense whatsoever!

Saeed,
Your last comment is text book perfect.
It does not make sense. Nor does having a king or born in place leader or a dictator.

Am not sure what you know about the Bible, but the great example of a king was Saul - David's nemesis.

The Hebrew people, after being led by Moses (God's specifically chosen leader), then Joshua (again, chosen by God) who conquered the PROMISED land, the people were to have God as their only leader. The people decided not to obey and suffered the consequenses.

That is when the Judges (12 of them) arose and led Israel, the last being Samson follwed by the prophet Samuel. The people again demanded a king to "be like the nations around them".

God told them through Samuel that they would not like that at all, but gave them/chose for them Saul. A complete trainwreck of epic proportions.

The mess was intense and God instructed Samuel to go to Bethlehem in search of the king that would obey God and be one who "is after God's own heart". David was selected by God from among Jesse's sons. This was per prophecy.

David is drafted into Saul's service after he kills Goliath and then wages steady was on the Philistines for many years.

David rises and ultimately is king when Saul and his son Jonathon are killed in a battle.

David rules wisely but does not always obey (Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite come to mind). David is the finest king Israel ever has. His son Solomon takes over and it is downhill slog from there.

Since 940 BC, roughly when Solomon dies and Israel divides into civil war, there has not been a kingdom or a government or a country devoid of corruption and really bad leadership.

I dare anyone to name a single one.

The point is that when people - you, me, any race - decide that they know more than God or they are wise enough or strong enough or whatever enough to make their own rules to live by - failure is always 100% certain.

Where does that leave us mere mortals???

Well, we know from the Bible and likely other "holy" books, that men will always choose for themselves and serve themselves left to their own choices. However, in spite of this, in the Christian Bible, we have commands to "obey the government, pay taxes, etc. ". The is based on the belief that "everything that happens and that everyone in leadership/government is there at God's direction/control".

Based on faith in God, we are to obey the government. Does that mean that the government is good or God fearing? No, of course not. Case in point - Germany before WWI and WWII. Germany is a country with a state religion - Christian Lutheranism - that comes from the 1500's and Martin Luther. Nothing in the Lutheran church teaches or leads to the holocaust or other atrocities committed by that countries people. So, they had a religion but did not obey or follow the basic tenets of it.

Same in the USA in the 1860's, our Civil War. Both sides believed God annointed/chose them to do what they were doing. Because the North prevailed, does that mean God was on the side of the North? No. It happened for a greater purpose that we, in America, are still trying to figure out.

All of this to say - our two party system was never originally set up to be the beast it is today. Originally, it was set up to give voice to reasonable discussion to try to find a fair/equitable/"right" way to govern the people. The theory is that people choose leaders who are "good" and will "do the right thing". The issue is that we have been trying this since the Garden of Eden and King Saul and King David and NO ONE HAS GOTTEN IT RIGHT.

Is the system flawed? Of course, flawed men set it up and try to make it work without relying on the basic instruction/commands laid down by God thru Moses, the Prophets, Jesus and the disciples. We cannot create a "perfect" system because we are incapable of perfection. Period.

So, what do we do? Realize that as people of faith, in my case a Christian, I am not a citizen of this world but the next. In that world, Christ is on the throne and there is nothing but perfection in how heaven is set up. I get it that many do not believe this, but I offer - what do you look forward to? What do you see in this world that offers any solution to how the various governments/people/leaders try to lead? They do not seek God "with their full heart, above all else". As Jesus told the Pharisees when asked what is the greatest commandment from God - " Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind and all your soul". The second greatest, even though the Pharisees did not ask for it is - "Love your neighbor as yourself".

Set up a government like that and it may work for a time, but people, being sinful and self-ful, will revert to themselves. A tradegy as that is not the way things were to go in Eden. We reap what we sow.

So, our two party system is really not a system or a "party". It is a messy way of people trying to grab all they can for themselves and call it government. Rarely does a leader come along that does not fall into this mess.

End of sermon....

PS - you can post this in the political forum if you wish....

Dogcat, your sermon is far too thoughtful to be moved to the PF. Thanks for taking the time.
Our two-party system was exactly the sort of thing the Founders dreaded and hoped to avoid, and it certainly has given us a mess.
I'll have been here 24 years this June, God willing. I have learned a great deal, "met" some wonderful folks and surely had some smiles along the way. It is a great forum.

And the best part is all 3 major religions are involved here.

An idea by a Muslim Arab.

To a brother Jew who knew computers.

They set up this site for Christians to have a go at each other!

May your God - whoever it is - have mercy on you!

BRILLIANT!!

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
And the best part is all 3 major religions are involved here.

An idea by a Muslim Arab.

To a brother Jew who knew computers.

They set up this site for Christians to have a go at each other!

May your God - whoever it is - have mercy on you!

Saeed,
That is the point. What God shows mercy??? Only one because there is only one God. There cannot be more than one by the very definition of a god.

We, as the "created", do not get to pick which god we will serve, because there is only One. If we delude ourselves to think there is more than one or that we can define who god is, then we are very lost. God made us, not the other way around.

The other point, be it trifling, is that "your God, whoever it is" , is not accurate if you are referring to Islam, Judaism and Christianity. We worship One God. We KNOW who He is. The best part, which is why I chose faith in Christ is that the One True God knows who I am, because He died for me, wiped out my sin by His shed blood, in order that I may have eternal life with Him.

If that is not mercy, then I dare say, I would struggle to see a better or more worth example.

Again, end of sermon.

Religions, each one of them, defines themselves as the final word of God.

Who knows which is more accurate?

Point is believe in whatever you wish.

And let others believe in theirs.

If everyone followed this, there wouldn’t be religious wars.

Many of which raging about he globe right now!

Politics has hijacked religion.

If you stand against a nasty political party, you are accused of being anti religion.

i've only been around here for 19 years but i did make a huge mistake and go to the pf once
i was immediately punished by having a blazer appear in my gun cabinet never going there again

Twenty years ago we could not drag and drop photos on AR. Still can't. I love Saeed's generosity, but truthfully, the website is antiquated and many members have moved on to other sites.

I must commend Saeed on his very sensible and tolerant view on religions, all of which are, by definition, human constructs.
Half the wars and problems of this world are caused by religious zealots, be they Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu or even climate or PETA activists .
All such zealots have such total faith in their personal beliefs that they cannot condone, understand or tolerate the beliefs of others. Unfortunately, "Faith" as Mark Twain said, is the ability to convince yourself of the truth, of that which you know ain't so!
On the other hand, Saeed, despite his wide experience of the world, is blinded to the advantages of democracy by being the beneficiary of a system of total monarchy by being a member of the ruling family.
Winston Churchill said that democracy is the worst possible form of government, except for all the other systems!
The disadvantages of the American system are obvious when it looks like an eighty year old with a bit of dementia will be set against another geriatric with a bit of megalomania in the next election. You can visit any Rotary Club in the States and meet at least a dozen fine citizens who would make a better job than either of the two main candidates.
Personally, I prefer the compromise of a constitutional monarchy, a system which serves most of western Europe well, by balancing the monarch who is head of state, but has no power, with a parliament that governs, but can be easily changed by the will of the people.
I don't expect many Americans or Arabian princes to agree with me because neither are likely to want to change or compromise to a more sensible system.

quote:

Originally posted by the Pom:
I must commend Saeed on his very sensible and tolerant view on religions, all of which are, by definition, human constructs.
Half the wars and problems of this world are caused by religious zealots, be they Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu or even climate or PETA activists .
All such zealots have such total faith in their personal beliefs that they cannot condone, understand or tolerate the beliefs of others. Unfortunately, "Faith" as Mark Twain said, is the ability to convince yourself of the truth, of that which you know ain't so!
On the other hand, Saeed, despite his wide experience of the world, is blinded to the advantages of democracy by being the beneficiary of a system of total monarchy by being a member of the ruling family.
Winston Churchill said that democracy is the worst possible form of government, except for all the other systems!
The disadvantages of the American system are obvious when it looks like an eighty year old with a bit of dementia will be set against another geriatric with a bit of megalomania in the next election. You can visit any Rotary Club in the States and meet at least a dozen fine citizens who would make a better job than either of the two main candidates.
Personally, I prefer the compromise of a constitutional monarchy, a system which serves most of western Europe well, by balancing the monarch who is head of state, but has no power, with a parliament that governs, but can be easily changed by the will of the people.
I don't expect many Americans or Arabian princes to agree with me because neither are likely to want to change or compromise to a more sensible system.

I've given much thought to your point about Monarchy vs a Representative Democracy.

The Monarchy has one GIANT advantage over our form of Government, Legacy.

We elect a new parade of fools every 2, 4 and 6 years. None seem to be any better than the previous. They have a term, they do whatever damage to the country, the economy or our lives, then just move along with no responsibility as to their voting records.

A Monarchy has a legacy to be responsible for, and mindful of. That family will be there in perpetuity. Their decisions and policies need to stand the test of time, unlike ours.

I know many of you seem to have a bit of a convoluted idea about our part of the world.

But, we have always been very tolerant of others.

Always has been, and still do.

As a wag once said, we should put the same stock in a man's profession of faith as we do in his claims that his wife is beautiful and his children are intelligent.

I believe in that sentiment, although I will grant that the wag in question found a rather cynical way to say it.

I just want to practice law and go hunting. That's pretty much it.

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
I just want to practice law and go hunting. That's pretty much it.

You are involved in two extremes.

Hunting, in its pure form, is as clean as anything can get.

Lawyering, as far as we know, is as dirty as it gets!

Dogcat: I blame you for my addiction to Eland Hunting in Namibia. After reading your report about your Eland hunts I thought to myself “I’ve got to try that.” Six safaris later, I’m stil addicted to chasing those elusive giants. At the age of 77 I’ll still keep feeding my addiction and I thank you for opening my eyes to the joys of pursuing this great game animal.