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Birth Control for All?
July 28, 2011 | 62 comments
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Hindsight No Longer 20/20
July 14, 2011 | 66 comments
Another Perspective
‘I’ Is for Indoctrination
Polluting our children in the name of “environmental literacy.”
(Page 2 of 2)
The guide also suggests the schools should convince students that we are on the brink of an environmental crisis, stating students shall “[i]nvestigate, analyze and explain how human impacts threaten current global stability and if not addressed, will irreversibly affect earth’s systems.”
Proponents of Maryland’s new requirement argue that environmental education boosts student performance by involving their local environments in a hands-on way that will motivate them to achieve.
But while the importance of hands-on experience and enthusiasm to academic success is widely accepted, there are plenty of ways to incorporate these things into public education without telling students what environmentally oriented laws to support and what political opinions to hold. Labs, for instance, or environmental education that is based in science rather than political ideology are excellent ways to get students to experience first-hand the subjects about which they learn.
Instead, Maryland has opted for a new mandate for its public schools, which will remove power from local high schools, giving the State Superintendent the authority to audit their curricula for adherence to environmental literacy standards (whatever they are), and possibly forcing them to limit other areas of education to make room for the environment.
As Jennings told Fox, “They can’t just keep adding on and on, so they will have to make room for this by pushing other things out of the curriculum…”
In fact, in a document published on the Maryland Department of Education website, John Franklin of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development concedes there is a conflict between time devoted to environmental literacy and time devoted to more traditional subjects, such as science and math. Franklin, alas, was arguing that the push to divert money toward math and science education is misguided.
With national math and science scores lagging and thousands of young minds vulnerable to school-driven political influence, the country should think carefully before following Maryland’s lead on environmental education.
About the Author
Lucia Rafanelli is an editorial intern at The American Spectator.
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Negro X| 8.3.11 @ 6:29AM
Meanwhile, the asians continue surge ahead in education while american student look for someone to blame and bask in their victimaztion.
Red at Heart| 8.3.11 @ 7:16AM
The indoctrination of our children is coming from all directions; from the First Lady making appearances on Sesame and ICarli TV shows, pushing her anti-foodi agenda to social conscience being touted on backpacks and clothing. I shopped for school clothes for my grandchildren this week. At Macy's I could have purchased a girls' t-shirt with slogans touting wind and solar energy and a boys' t-shirt that touted "Viva la Mexico!" at Penney's. Other shirts for kids carry slogans such as "Born to be Green", etc. A popular (and expensive) girls' clothing store called, "Justice" is wall to wall with slogan clothing about social justice, green energy, etc. American parents and grandparents need to wake up now and research what is going on in our schools: do internet searches, including YouTube on Consensus Math, Agenda 21 and International Baccaulaureate school programs. While mom's and dad's are consumed with being able to hold a job, pay the mortgage and buy food and gas, the social agenda is aimed at their kids. They can't quite convince adults, but now that the White House contains a social agenda president, they are going after our kids. Adults in America need to be doing their own homework on what is being taught and sold to our kids now!
Mike D.| 8.3.11 @ 7:39AM
One answer, home schooling. My cousin and sister both home schooled their total of 6 kids.
6 that won't become little socialist digits and have been taught to think.
Ted| 8.3.11 @ 11:49AM
Mike D.
Do you happen to know which curriculum they used?
Occam's Tool| 8.3.11 @ 9:03PM
For math, John Derbyshire recommends the Singapore Curriculum, Ted. You might also check out Bill Bennet's website---I believe he offers some home schooling curriculums.
Occam's Tool| 8.3.11 @ 9:03PM
Both my babies are homeschooled. Both think Barack is a toad.
Occam's Tool| 8.3.11 @ 10:51PM
Speaking of indoctrination, here's the July Body-Count from the Practitioners of the Religion that Ron Paul supports against Israel:
Monthly Jihad Report (from The Religion of Peace website)
July, 2011 Jihad Attacks: 167
Countries: 20
Religions: 5
Dead Bodies: 693
Critically Injured: 1088.
Funny how little of this went on the Mainstream media, eh?
Ted| 8.5.11 @ 12:29PM
Dr. Occam,
Yes, I have heard really good things about the Singapore Math curriculum.
mames| 8.3.11 @ 11:24AM
Sorry to say that until we abolish the government run school system we are in serious trouble. The Government schools indoctrinate everyday and always have. back as far as FDR support. The vast majority of mind numbed adults do not care and have no problem shipping their children off to these indoc. camps --- until they stop sending them there this will continue AND yes they have a options and YES these options involve sacrifice but if you care about your children you will keep them out of there. Real future leaders will not come from these indoc camps, we will get more of the same morons as in congress as today. ABOLISH GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS.
BsT| 8.8.11 @ 8:49PM
Niel Postman wrote a good book called "The End of Education" referring to what the purpose of education is. Initially it was to support religion, but with us growing increasingly secular that is no longer its purpose or end. Next we went to job preparation, but now schools exist partially to indoctrinate to the new religion of statism and as a cheap day-care provider for the parents.
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 8.3.11 @ 7:49AM
They can't teach them to read or write or do math. Perhaps it's best they teach them to lie and deceive. At least then they can seek employment as a politician.
Indy| 8.3.11 @ 9:45AM
What makes you think Catholic schools aren't teaching some of this? There is a very strong leftist view in the Catholic Church. While I do support Catholic education, parents must be heavily involved and read textbooks / assignments..."social justice" is a term I hear often in church but no context as to what it means - does it mean we should be more charitable to help those less fortunate (I support that) or does it mean the government must redistribute wealth (I do not support that position), churches are becoming too involved in government.
Mike D.| 8.3.11 @ 9:50AM
Catholic schools are no sanctuary for leftist teaching believe me. I had 8 years of Nuns in the 60's and they tilted leftist even then, but they were hard core fundemental teachers first. I interviewed one of the Nuns I had in 4th grade a few years ago and it was like talking to Karl
Marx's sister. The order of Nuns I had are fully leftist in political views now and routinely ally with the enviro-pagans on public protests and displays.
Ted| 8.3.11 @ 11:51AM
It depends on the religious order in question. And further, it depends on the monastery or convent in question.
The Nashville Dominicans are an orthodox, vibrant, "old school" religious order which takes teaching seriously.
mames| 8.3.11 @ 11:30AM
Collectivist Roman Catholics are a hotbed of Marxism all over the world. They love central planning.
Ted| 8.3.11 @ 11:52AM
Evidently you missed Pope John Paul II's implacable opposition to Marxism and his efforts to combat it in the Church....
mames| 8.3.11 @ 4:11PM
Y a missed that papal bull, s.
TrueBlue| 8.3.11 @ 12:19PM
That's the same for every religion that preaches helping out those in need, and sadly taken to far greater degrees than it should be. That said, anyone that actually reads the Bible should know, “Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s."
Religion does not force people to take certain actions, because forcing them removes one's free will. Also, if you are forced it is not a redeeming act, so does not make you a better person. Jesus died for our sins, but you still have to accept God into your heart, it cannot be forced upon you by another. By trying to get government involved in forcing people to think or act in a certain way, punishable by law, you only make it harder for someone to actually be a good person, you remove their free will. People will follow the law first, more immediate punishment being of greater concern to most people than life after death.
Laws that ensure the safety of the society have a purpose since, unfortunately, most people would not act in a moral fashion if no physical punishment awaited them. Laws that completely restrict every aspect of life however serve only to drive people AWAY from God, not toward Him. Any Christian that tells you otherwise needs to go back and read the Bible again.
There is a very careful balance that must be maintained between law and freedom and we are far over the line in the wrong direction. Any
mames| 8.3.11 @ 11:29AM
Be careful of those as well. Many of the Catholics and many leftist evangelicals are as bad if not worse as they ties these agendas to guilt about PLEASING GOD. Talk about heavy handed. If you go the parochial route stay actively involved in what they are teaching. WE went parochial and still we had to correct a couple of teachers on the realities of global warming bs.
Vasu Murti | 8.4.11 @ 2:10PM
Fast Johnny:
Keep the public schools religion neutral!
This was a point I made on the Democrats-For-Life e-mail list in 2000. I said when it comes to talk about abortion, let's "keep it secular."
Louis Shapiro (Shapiro is a Jewish name, but he's Catholic), a former Republican, disagreed.
Louis said he and other Christian conservatives don't want to impose their religion on others, but do want religion in the public square.
Louis complained that because of radical secularism, "...we can't even mention God at a football game."
My friend Greg (raised Catholic and influenced by a born again Christian older sister) who first got me interested in religion and politics when we were in high school during the Carter Administration, reacted by asking in a phone conversation: what would a religious person be doing at a football game in the first place?
I agreed with Greg: wouldn't a religious person be leading a sheltered or cloistered life at temple, monastery, or nunnery? Or off somewhere meditating in the Himalayan mountains?
What would a religious person be doing at a sporting event, an event which serves no higher purpose, only sense gratification?
Dr. Larry Shinn observes:
"...there is a similarity in the Krishna and the Catholic traditions in their stress on formal rituals, the abundant use of iconography, their hierarchical institutional/authority structure, their strong emphasis on the private prayerlife, and their ideals of the monastic life of full time religious service and personal piety."
Ironically, when complaining about not being able to mention God at a football game, Louis Shapiro was referring to a lawsuit which was brought by Mormons and Catholics in 2000 against Protestant bias in prayers being recited before football games.
This kind of bias has happened before. In his 2003 book, Why the Religious Right is Wrong About Separation of Church and State, journalist Rob Boston writes:
"Catholics did not start arriving on American shores in significant numbers until the late 1830s and 1840s and with the great waves of immigration in the post-Civil War era and early twentieth century.
"The small numbers of Catholics who did choose to live in America could find life difficult. Guaranteed the right to worship by the Constitution, they no longer had to worry about their priests being shackled and thrown into prison or their churches being raided by agents of the state.
"However, many overt forms of prejudice still existed, especially in employment. But the one area where Catholics encountered the greatest frustration was in the public school system...
"Catholic children were not simply required to sit through religious exercises alien to them; they were often forced to take an active role in them.
"Great insensitivity reigned in some parts of the country as the Protestant majority laid down the rules for religious exercises in public schools...
"Things quickly got ugly. Even though the Catholic parents were not requesting that the religious practices be terminated--merely that their children not be required to sit through them--violence erupted...
"During a similar flap over religious exercises in Philadelphia's public schools in 1844...a riot broke out in that city that lasted three days. Violence erupted after the city's Board of Education voted to allow Catholic children to be excused from mandatory religious exercises or use their own version of the Bible.
"Again, all the Catholics were asking for was that their beliefs be respected, not that the Protestant practices be stopped entirely.
"Catholic churches and the homes of Catholic parents were burned; thirteen people were killed.
"In later years violence on a smaller scale broke out in other areas. In 1854 in Ellsworth, Maine, an outraged mob tarred and feathered a missionary priest, John Bapst, after he urged a parishioner to go to court and fight a school board regulation requiring children to read the King James Bible.
"Abuses such as these led to the creation of the Catholic school system in America. Fed up with the overt Protestant flavor of the public schools and desiring a system that would inculcate their own values, American Catholics created one.
"Early conflicts over religion in public schools led to court battles in several states. In many cases, the actions were filed by disgruntled Catholic parents--sometimes backed by Jews--who desired a secular educational system.
"In light of this history, it is remarkable that today some conservative Catholics have joined the movement for a school prayer amendment. How easily some forget their own history!"
W| 8.4.11 @ 2:23PM
Vasu, I am aware of the history you cite..I am not sure about the amendment, but people today are not forcing anyone to pray or take part in the religious observance of a different religion. They are asking for permission to pray, silently, and not impose their prayer on another. The comparison between today's amendment and the events of 150 years ago are apples and oranges, totally different.
spektator| 8.4.11 @ 7:27PM
Further, we don't want enviro-religion stuffed down our throats -- this stuff is utterly unscientific. Public schools, as presently constituted, are an affront to a free people. Public charter schools, if properly constituted and governed, could be an acceptable alternative.
Drudge Ette Obama| 8.3.11 @ 7:57AM
Here's some news - it's not just the little kids. The 20-somethings are already fully-indoctrinated and roaming the earth. But they aren't too good at explaining their beliefs - it's fun to ask them to explain and then watch the unraveling. They like their $5 coffees and battery driven IPODS, as well as air conditioning and McDonald's. Don't try to take them away.
mames| 8.3.11 @ 11:42AM
You touch upon the extremely weak spot of the indoctrinated. No intellectual work has ever been done by them as they are products of "feed em and spit back out" "teachiing". Debate is their weakest, softest spot. Careful Socratic questioning usually causes them to think for the first time in their lives. Their reaction is either to want to know more or call you names (as trained by congress) and run away mad. My son is 21 and it is a thrill to sit and watch he and his friends who are mostly conservatives, debate with their thought deprived friends. There is hope if we keep them away from government schools.
Thank God my cathecism Pastor taught me all the major denominational belief systems, drilled us on facts and forced us to think and apply before we could "graduate". That was a religious education not an indoctrination and has served me well all my life. What a gift these children are not receiving.
OldSeabee| 8.3.11 @ 8:03AM
I kind of remember both Lenin and Hitler saying something like: "Give me a generation of children and the nation is mine." I have noticed my 11 year old granddaughter reciting PC nonsense, and her democrat loving parents think she is OK. I do try to talk her out of her misinformation, which makes them mad. Catholic schools are not the best alternative. Home schooling may be; in VA the Commonwealth oversees the curriculum.
Fast Johnny| 8.3.11 @ 9:18AM
Keep the faith, I have a 4 year old daughter that is better informed than her namby-pamby 10 and 13 year old cousins, whose libtard parents are playing at social climbing in a swank suburb of NJ, while pointing at others as evil doers in our society because of wealth. She thinks Clint Eastwood and John Wayne are handsome (she told me while I was watching one of my dvds) and she likes to fish and asked if one day, when she grows up, if she can have my bass boat. She also loves her ballet and tap classes and prefers dresses for school over pants. She calls 'em like she sees 'em, and my wife and I have no intention of forcing a liberal agenda down her throat. Somehow and it wasn't from us, she saw the President's picture in a magazine when she was 3 and said there is "Mr Bossy", and no it has nothing to do with social strata and race, her circle of friends in Pre-K are about as diverse and multicultural as can be. Refreshingly clear and unhindered thoughts from solidly middle class child, being raised by a solidly middle class family. Believe me, if I catch her coming home with a Howard Zin written textbook from school, there will be at least one mother and father asking the teacher to provide concrete examples and reliable references for the revisionist and apologist history being taught.
So, don't give up yet, Old Seabee there is still hope for the next generation. I am counting on children like her to be the leaders of tomorrow, it might just turn out that our greatest generation is yet to come as long as we take care not to allow for the complete wussification of today's children.
crookedwren| 8.3.11 @ 9:29AM
My sons were both indoctrinated, and I was oblivious back then. But I have hope. David Mamet's new book "The Secret Knowledge" is a profound example of a "reformed Liberal" unafraid to face reality.
I'd suggest getting it, reading it, and passing it on to the parents. I'm going to be giving it to my sons for Christmas. They may not read it, or they may be upset with me for giving it to them, but that's too bad. They need to know what the Left has wrought in this country, and know the insanity for what it is.
Mamet, for those who might not know, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright who has been "mugged by reality." His early plays are tough, profane attacks on Capitalism. But he has recognized the unalterable Truth, read Hayek's "Road to Serfdom," and has much to say to the intellectual Left.
He has much to say about our Liberal Arts educational system and its inherent failure.
Mike D.| 8.3.11 @ 9:58AM
At least your trying. Utopianistic concepts are easily accepted by those young people who have not been taught to think critically. Communism and the rest of the leftist "ism's" provide the perfect answers to all lifes "unfairness" and what could be wrong with that? After all who could be against fairness? Its a easy sell to those who don't know any better, by in most cases teachers who are as historically retarded as those they profess to teach. The left has done its work well, get hold of a generation while that generation is at its most vulnerable and its game, set, match!
mames| 8.3.11 @ 11:56AM
liberal arts INDOCTRINATION! Education implies examination of all aspects of a given topic not just what YOU want the student to know.
Mamet is a unique man and is so impressively honest. I admit that although I did not agree with most of Mamet's agendas in his past plays he is and was a excellent writer with a keen eye for realistic dialog. He admits that his world was so isolated in a liberal world that when he met a respected conservative it was a revelation for him. We cannot assume because someone is successful that they are truly educated. Most of the CEOs in the world today know one thing, how to kiss butt and climb the ladder. They are soul less folks with no core belief system. If you watch these men and women cave to the feds you know what I mean. Imagine if they had principled integrity and a educated mind how they could cut those congressmen to shreads. Men like Immelt is what we have bred.
W| 8.3.11 @ 8:07AM
These kids will not know any geography, math, history, english, or the classics in literature, but they will know all about recycling and the ozone level.
Nina| 8.3.11 @ 9:05AM
It's a feel good reaction. See how caring they are about "mother earth"? I know someone who's father worked for the electric company and he used to tell her all the time it takes more energy to turn lights off and on than it does to just keep them on. She leaves her lights on ALLLL the time. All the heavy duty appliances use more energy everytime you turn them on, leave them on. Well, I guess when they march in and take our air conditioners out of our homes, that will save electricity. Every single time my grandkids talk PC environmental crap, I correc them and point out something that doesn't work about it. Toilet paper, save the trees, okay what are you goig to use as toilet paper then? That makes them think a bit. Then I insert the fact that the more paper companies that close, the more and more people are out of work and have no other jobs to go to. Also the fact that the trees used are raised for that purpose now, not just indiscriminate cutting down of trees. Also, trees need to be thinned out or they can attribute to forest fires where firefighters cannot reach, which in turn kills the little deer and other animals and then they lose their homes, and on and on it goes. That makes them think. However, I really wish they would ask these things in the classroom and confront these teachers more but they don't want to be noticed like that....so it continues. If more kids questioned these teachings but then again, if they really taught what they were supposed to in schools....shoulda, woulda, coulda....home schooling people is the way to go these days!
Derek Leaberry| 8.3.11 @ 9:10AM
Environmentalism is hardly the worst indoctrination attempt by the Gramscian public schools. Every deviant behavior, from homosexuality to casual sex to all sorts of immorality, is endorsed by the public schools. Many in the conservative movement, from Ann Coulter to Philip Klein to Aaron Goldstein to Laura Ingraham, seem infected by the kultursmog of the Left. The best solutions to this indoctrination are religious schools and homeschooling. Those who place their children in government schools pollute the minds of their own children.
W| 8.3.11 @ 10:06AM
You are familiar with Antonio Gramsci! I always knew conservatives are the smartest and well read. But I disagree with you about Laura and Ann. There is always some disagreement but after reading Laura and Ann's books, and their columns, I cannot think of any disagreement with those two.
Derek Leaberry| 8.3.11 @ 2:18PM
Ann Coulter and Laura Ingraham, from what I've heard them say, seem very comfortable with the modern culture and seem to be very tolerant of homosexuality. Miss Coulter even spoke at a GOProud event. Miss Ingraham has adopted two children without the benefit of marriage.
W| 8.3.11 @ 2:55PM
"very tolerant of homosexuality,"
What do you propose? They are american citizens and our fellow human beings, toleration is good. And if Laura wants to adopt, why should she get married? I am sure she is a fine mother and is raising her children well.
Al Adab| 8.3.11 @ 3:18PM
Our many friends like Derek always confuse tolerance with acceptance. They are not the same and certainly not to be imposed as mandatory by government. We can tolerate perversion as anothers' choice without accepting it as legitimate.
Stormzeye| 8.3.11 @ 3:21PM
I agree. Anne and Laura are very bright and honorable people. Coulter's book "Demonic" is an extraordinarily well written and well documented expose of the Left's mob mentality from the French Revolution up to the madness displayed by public service unions in Wisconsin...a MUST READ.
W| 8.3.11 @ 5:11PM
All of Ann's books are excellent, especiall Demonic. Should be required reading in the schools.
Petronius| 8.3.11 @ 10:12AM
To be successful in school the only thing required is giving teacher what she wants. Those who don't get flunked. The one thing in our favor is that the desire for pleasure and good living eventually trumps phony altruism or what ever else is the cause du jour. If only H. L. Mencken were still alive and writing expose's on today's crop of advocates. He could fill another 10 volumes of His Prejudices. He hated fraud. And eco wankers are among the worst.
Tina B| 8.3.11 @ 12:54PM
P- Eco wankers, I love it!
Doctor Right| 8.3.11 @ 10:47AM
I grew up in Maryland, and lived there for 23 years.
It is nothing but a fiefdom of the Democrat Party, and the Democrats in Maryland are among the dumbest liberal dolts in the entire country.
With rare exception, the congressmen and senators they send to Washington are bought-and-paid-for stooges that do what their masters tell them to do. Barbara Mikulski is a useless troll, and Ben Cardin is Chuck Shumer-lite, without all of Shumer's personally redeeming qualities (sarcasm intended). It's amazing that a twit like Steny Hoyer has risen to be 2nd in command of the House Democrats, but I guess that even a monkey can raise his hand and use a rubber stamp...and hey, why insult the monkey with the comparison, right??
And don't even get me started on the idiot Governor. Martin O'Malley may be the biggest lightweight in any Governor's chair in the nation. His campaign for Mayor of Baltimore was basically "Hey, I'm not another black, inner-city kleptocrat...so vote for me, 'kay, Hon?" After defeating Republican incumbent Bob Ehrlich to be Governor, O'Mally did NOT leave Baltimore City in better shape than he found it. Baltimore is a crime-ridden cesspool waiting to boil over, and unless someone serious (ie, NOT a Democrat) becomes Mayor, it will be the next Detroit.
I watch Maryland's continual decline with equal measures sadness and glee. Sadness that a once clean and wonderful city like Baltimore full of hard-working people and diverse, ethnic neighborhoods has disappeared to be replaced by another nightmare from the Dept of HUD. And that a beautiful, economically thriving state has been brought down by over-taxation and ever-increasing entitlement programs.
But glee that the failure of the liberal experiment is on full display in Maryland...and hope that it can one day be restored to it's former glory.
Ted| 8.3.11 @ 11:56AM
Yes, Maryland has sunk pretty low.... But not to worry, they are trying hard for gay "marriage" again, so then all problems will be solved....
Occam's Tool| 8.3.11 @ 9:08PM
Dr. Right:
Gotta tell you I got a rival for worst guv'nor. The one in Minnesota, although quite Liberal trust-fund Leftist, was once voted in the 5 worst US Senators from Time Magazine. Now he's an ineffectual Governor who created a roughly 3 week government shutdown, including State Parks and LICENSING, during the height of Tourism season.
I see you 1 Libtard Jack and raise you with a Queen.
Joe D.| 8.3.11 @ 11:43AM
I agree, as a angry MD, that you are right. Will they listen. No. We have to stop them and reverse this stupid bill.
Indy| 8.3.11 @ 11:59AM
I encourage all readers here to find the recommended reading lists for their schools, public and private and have a look...it was alarming to me. Look by subject, it's not just English - look at AP Science Classes, History, etc. and then take action, question why items such as Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" is on the list and why "The Law" by Frederic Bastiat is not included. You could also go to public libraries and look at recommended reading by age group, I wonder what you will find?
Al Adab| 8.3.11 @ 12:01PM
It is simply a matter of using the public schools to indoctrinate the children into the Stae Religion worshiping the idols of our age, one of which is Gaia or Environmentalism. Taxation to support a Stae Religion should be anathema to citizens. We are not subjects of our government but ourselves the sovereigns of our nation.
John II| 8.3.11 @ 1:10PM
It's been fascinating, if not surprising, to watch the educrats in action over the past several decades. The most ferocious indoctrinators in secular political correctness are the same school-marmish jackasses who ban any mention of, allusion to, or expression of Christianity from their arid curricula.
Yet they coo over Islam, which actually practices what they accuse Christianity of: intolerance, suppression of women, persecution of homosexuals, anti-intellectualism, etc.
What precisely is it that the Western religion of secularism has in common with Islam? (Hint: I've already given a partial list--but I'm looking for a more unified response.) Answer that question, I reckon, and you'll go a long way towards understanding the unfolding crisis of the West.
And now back to "The Red Badge of Courage" (1951), an early foray into the intermittent Americano habit of navel-gazing, which drains the flick of dramatic energy despite tolerable performances by Audie Murphy, Andy Devine, and John Dierkes.
Al Adab| 8.3.11 @ 1:38PM
John:
Islam as it is institutionalized maintains a totalitariam claim over its adherents in all aspects of their lives. It imposes obedience (the word means submission) rather than voluntary claims on the conscience. Islam purports to respect other "people of the book" but imposes through the secular power a tax on non-belivers. There is a mergance of the political and religious authority which is why the constant call for a Califate. As such it does not provide freedom for the individual but limits freedoms in accordance with practice of faith. The early conflict between the Umayyads and Asassids is revelatory of the modern tensions in the Islamic world, the Dar-al-Islam or House of Islam. You might wish to read Albert Hourani's History of the Arab Peoples.
On that topic. This is the month of Ramadan. Please pray for the Christians in Islamic lands as this time is dangerous for them personally as well as for their businesses and families. The behaviors required during Ramadan "out" the Christians to their peril from their less tolerant Moslem neighbors.
Al Adab| 8.3.11 @ 2:12PM
Oops, Abassids and Caliphate. Sometimes my head gets ahead of my fingers.
W| 8.3.11 @ 5:13PM
Well said, Al Adab. Pray for the Christians, and anybody else unfortunate to live under the radical Islamists.
Al Adab| 8.3.11 @ 6:39PM
Thank you W:
As you might imagine, I am somewhat versed in Islamic culture.
W| 8.3.11 @ 7:51PM
We have Syrians in my family by marriage, and have several Syrian and Lebanese friends. They all left the area, mostly after WWII, and are all doing well in business here. They are Orthodox Catholics. I notice some good natured rivalry between the Syrian and Lebanese, is that true.
Stormzeye| 8.3.11 @ 3:40PM
John, I would say that the Western "religion" of secular humanism, like Islam, is too involved with the material world, e.g. politics, conquest, Sharia Law, notions of social justice. They share in a lack of spiritualism and mysticism which the Sufi branch of Islam (regarded by Wahabis and Salafis as apostates) promotes as a way of connecting with God.
Occam's Tool| 8.3.11 @ 9:09PM
John II---was "To Hell and Back" a better film with Audie Murphy? You know---he never went shirtless in any of his movies because of the Battle Scars.
David| 8.3.11 @ 12:44PM
You must be mistaken.
Matt Damon's mom is a teacher and according the Mr. Damon teachers are perfect. By following that reasoning, they would never do such a thing.
Dur.
Bill| 8.3.11 @ 1:54PM
What is the meaning of the statement, "...differences in the behavior of individuals arise from the interaction of culture and experience"?
First, differences in the behavior of individuals arise from many things. What exactly is "the interaction between culture and experience?" Isn't culture an expression of the experiences of a group? So how does experience interact with the experiences of a group, and how does that affect the behavior of individuals?
I'm confused; can someone explain this statement to me?
Stormzeye| 8.3.11 @ 3:28PM
If only young people were taught HOW to think, not WHAT to think. We must re-vamp how our teachers are taught. Our Schools of Education have for too long been purveyors of "gut" majors for the intellectually challenged.
Bill| 8.3.11 @ 5:36PM
For example, early Western philosophy made a strong distinction between rationality and spiritual. As a result, Westerners have developed a cultural view in which philosophy and religion are distinctly different, and, stemming from that assumption, Westerners are more favorable in their cultural views to the idea of separation of church and state than nearly all other cultures. How, then, would one's personal experiences with reason or religion be affected by the Western assumption of a distinction between church and state, and would that behavior have much relevance to anything beyond the interior views of the individual?
Bill| 8.3.11 @ 5:49PM
Let's assume that Joe as a child is taught civics in school, where the separation of church and state is taught as a basic principle of our culture.
Joe, as it happens, grows into a devout Catholic. His behavior as a citizen will be colored by his strong religious beliefs. Does that mean that he will cultivate political views and behaviors that mix religion and politics? Frankly, I doubt it. There might be some religious citizens who believe that, but I suspect that the opposite (that people, whether religious or not, maintain the cultural distinction between church and state, in this culture) holds true the vast majority of the time.
And the bottom line is that I'm 64 years old, teach school, and work in a profession where thinking like that has been taught to me. To expect someone in elementary school or high school to take the statement cited in my first post above seriously and deal with in any coherent manner is to ask a hell of a lot of young people. Most of them will go "Huh?" when they are asked to expand on such a statement.
Bill| 8.3.11 @ 6:15PM
What is much more likely to happen to Joe as he travels through the educational journey that this culture makes available, is that he will be taught that his religious (which he values very highly) are essentially worthless and highly subjective, and therefore worthy only of existing in his mind and find no expression except in church. In short, the concept that "...differences in the behavior of individuals arise from the interaction of culture and experience," as a pedagogical device, will be ignored and treated like the bull puckey it is, by the very teachers who will proclaim its high value in understanding the education of our children.
Jim| 8.3.11 @ 3:42PM
NASA's new mission, indoctrination of our kids.
Have a look at NASA's climate site for kids and educators.
Climate Kids
http://climate.nasa.gov/kids/index.cfm
Wonder how much input James Hansen has had on this site?
POST American| 8.4.11 @ 12:00AM
Identify, and call out ALLLLL the Rockefeller/Freemasonry
ops from our educational establishment.
Seperation of church and state DEMANDS this.
Evolution/ Social Darwinism IS and always
was the core agenda of Freemasonry and its
'benny violent' (order out of chaos) agendas.
Disposing of the ITs and 'bringing through'
an incested 'E--leet' is the 'ideal'.
Age of transparency -----time to call it out
and get this crap, these vampires, out in the open.
And, of course, get it OUT of your churches
--usually under the guise of the Rockefeller
/Eugenics 'Council of Churches' cover op.
They've degraded and destroyed our religion
and our culture, and are finishing off with
our sovereignty, and our very lives, and the
lives of our posterity.
UNTIL we get these monsters to justice,
get them OUT of the churches. WE CAN DO
THAT.
THEN clearly identify, and, as much as possible,
get them OUT of education and media.
-------------------THIS IS KEY---------------------
Take NOTE --ALLLLL of Hollywood answers
to the 'benny violent' agenda and is directed
from the capstone --as is our set up 'POP' music
biz ----newspapers ---magazines and TV.
This is a seperation of church and state issue
that surely eclipses the very worst days of
any old state-church corruption and enmeshment.
Dwight| 8.5.11 @ 2:31AM
Oh my God! They're going to teach our children about plants!!! Lock your children up! Home school them.... ahhh
Give it a rest. Is this really something we need to be worrying about? You're scraping with this looney toon conspiracy theory crap.
POST American| 8.6.11 @ 12:12AM
--------------SUMMER VIEWING LIST---------------
'The LONG History of EUGENICS'
ALAN WATT
(Google Video)
'ALEX JONES/ FREEMAN' 6 pt interview
(Google Video)
'ENDGAME'
(esp. the second half)
(Google Video)
'The Money Masters'
William Still
(Google Video)
'Hollywoodism'
and
'SIN Cities'
CBC documentaries
(Google Video)
John C. Coleman interviews
(Google/Youtube videos)
----CENSORED----
EUGENICS, Globalism and USURY working
on behalf of an ever more inbred, ever more psychopathic, self-annointed
E---leeeeet REMAINS the issue of our time
---and ALLL TIME.