Cliff LyonThe Incompetence of World Domination
I started out this morning thinking about how secretly hopeful Senator Buttars must be that his doctors’ education wasn’t dictated by him and why we have to repeat another painful “Scopes Monkey†cycle.
Then as I was scraping eggs from the frying pan into the sink I began ruminating, as I frequently do, about how in spite of the 99.9% of scientists who agree about the cause of global warming, so many with no scientific education will defend Bush’s denial of it with such conviction and how a longtime director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies resigned after being silenced by the administration and a 24-year-old Bush-campaign-worker-NASA-appointee who lied about graduating from college.
So I decided to write about the incompetence of the Bush administration at every level.
Then I read a letter to the editor today which described well the irony in the juxtaposition between Barry Goldwater conservatism of less government encroachment and the republicans of today which I always chalk up to the unintended consequences of the unholy alliance between Bush and the Christian conservative crowd and the subsequent mob rush to “get religion†further consolidating an inordinate amount of power in one party’s hands which insured their being able to “produce†for the corporate campaign contributors which fostered the hysterical money-grab ending in the complete abandonment of conservative principles, Abramoff, wire-tapping, etc.
And so I decided to write about that.
But while reading about the administration’s attack on our national parks, I stumbled upon this great read recounted in the tradition of medieval story telling; starting with the discovery of gun powder and on through the ebbs and flows of our preeminence in science and its importance in maintaining military superiority ending with what was for me the revelation that the Bush administration’s miserable record on education, science, research, energy and the environment and the unprecedented string of resignations and terminations from government office of the most highly regarded and experienced professionals is merely the fallout of a well-orchestrated and utterly corrupt plan to achieve world domination of western Christianity.
“[Scientific] Materialists also undermined personal responsibility by asserting that human thoughts and behaviors are dictated by our biology and environment. The results can be seen in modern approaches to criminal justice, product liability, and welfare. In the materialist scheme of things, everyone is a victim and no one can be held accountable for his or her actions.â€
…and so I decided to write about that.
February 10th, 2006 at 9:44 pm
I thought this was not going to be the typical left leaning blog. You clearly have it out for Bush.
But then again, it would be hard to be a worse president.
Perhaps Ken will confirm or deny the plan for world domination.
February 10th, 2006 at 10:00 pm
Yeah? Did you read the Wedge article?
Science has certainly led to materialism, and psycology has allowed everyone to believe they have an excuse for everything they do so its not their fault. So why try?
If you really understand Jesus, you will see that as the article says, christianity is the origin of democracy and the concept of compassion for the least among us. The founding fathers understood this and that is what inspired the constitution which does not provide for welfare by the government. Read it!
You people think too much!
February 11th, 2006 at 2:24 pm
I wish you had stayed with Buttars!
The more I think about the Buttars bill, the more I hope it passes from bill into actual law here in Utah. Then, I hope that some biology teacher in Utah or Davis counties, or elsewhere, is charged under and prosecuted according to the new law, just as John T. Scopes was charged and prosecuted by Tennessee authorities circa 1925. Then I hope the spotlight shines on Utah and brings to world attention (if not already there) just how bleepin’ backward the folks at the helm of this state truly are. The process may simply be a necessary unpleasantry for us to endure - give the “pigs” the legislation they demand.
The mindset of legislators (and their supporters) here in Utah brings to mind the old saying: “pigs get fat; hogs get slaughtered.” Utah legislators have been gorging themselves, pig-like, at the trough for many years and are on the bridge of becoming hogs. Let them feed a little longer - a year or two should be sufficient. An hog-roast of enormous proportion will eventually result and I, as I suspect many others, will enjoy watching Buttars and his contemporaries be slaughtered and roasted in a fashion befitting only the fattest of fattened hogs!
Sooner or later, the pendulum will swing back from the right!
February 11th, 2006 at 2:39 pm
The elections are in Nov. Will any one remember 8 months from now what the pigs and the ducks were doing this winter. I for one certainly will.
February 11th, 2006 at 4:31 pm
Clint
You warn us about the dangers of Christian world domination, while you completely dismiss and trivialize Islamic world domination. Which one is the greatest danger? While Christians certainly desire everyone to be Christian the same as Muslims desire everyone to be Muslims, the two camps go about it in diametrically opposing manners. Christians seek to win converts based on persuasion and free will, while Muslims historically and in modern times seek to win converts by conquest and compulsion.
In the Dark ages Christians leaders did seek to force people into their faith, but they did not do so based on scripture, but by their own desire for power. Once the printing press was invented and Christians were able to read the Bible for themselves, they soon found out that there was no scriptural bases for what their leaders were doing. This was the catalyst for the reformation and enlightenment. However, in Islam the Koran is explicit in its command for world domination. It specifically calls for the death and/or subjugation of the un-believer. While the Bible preaches free will the Koran teaches submission. In fact the word Islam itself means to submit. This is why there most likely will never be an Islamic reformation and a new enlightenment.
Now, which one is the more dangerous, Christianity or Islam?
February 11th, 2006 at 5:31 pm
So Ken,
First, let me clarify. I’m not saying the idea of Christian world domination is dangerous or more so than Islamic domination, I’m suggesting that the pursuit of that goal may explain the huge contrasts in this presidency over others in terms of what many see as corruption, failures, and incompetence.
And I would say, if asked, that the idea put in motion would be a bad idea, and I certainly don’t think it is the proper response to your suggestion that Islam is attempting the same thing. I don’t really see any evidence of that. But if Islam (whoever that is) is really trying to dominate the world, we screwed up by taking out a secular gov’t in Iraq and replacing it with a religious one.
Do you agree with my assertion that the Bush administration’s apparent incompetence (FEMA, WMD, mass resignations), failures (Soc Sec reform, conduct of the war in Iraq, energy conservation, NCLBehind), and attempt to dismantle the middleclass, Medicare, Medicaid, Soc Sec, and the environment), are all purposeful components of a strategy for the world domination of western Christianity?
Are you saying that since Islam seeks to dominate the world, that we’d better jump in and establish Christian world dominance?
February 11th, 2006 at 6:27 pm
I think Cliff gives too much credit to the administration. Since when does sheer incompetence, policy failures and attempts at dismantling the middle class evidence a strategy for world domination of Western Christianity? I don’t get it.
February 11th, 2006 at 7:50 pm
Nephi,
Thats exactly what I’m suggesting. This Wedge document suggest the discovery institute is trying to dimantle the scientific establishment as it exists and to return us to a simpler time. if true
February 11th, 2006 at 10:22 pm
I would like to take issue with your assertion that 99.9% of scientists agree that global warming is real, and is human caused. Global warming is still under debate especially the aspect that human behavior is it’s chief cause, and even fewer that say we can fix the problem no matter what we do.
Countries that fought to ratify the Kyoto protocols are now admitting that it is a complete failure. They now realize there is an enormous cost for little or no benefit. The President was right, including President Clinton I might add, to reject the Kyoto protocols. Its main purpose from the beginning was to transfer wealth from the United States to developing countries. You know it was a bad treaty when some of the biggest polluters like The Peoples Republic of China were exempt from it.
Unfortunately, if the Earth is warming, no matter what is causing it everyone and every thing is going to have to adapt to it, otherwise Darwin’s theory comes into effect and only those capable of adapting will survive. That is natures way you know. No government policy or expenditure can change that.
I love science and I don’t reject things out of hand just because they go against my preconceived notions. What I do not do however, is blindly follow science and accept everything as fact when in my opinion the facts are not there. I follow the scientific method that nothing is proven until it can be demonstrated and independently reproduced. So far we have only received anecdotal evidence of global warming and no clear-cut proof that human behavior is to blame. Until then I will remain skeptical like every scientist should be until there is conclusive proof.
Global warming has become a scientific dogma were any heretical voice is silenced. Why would any scientist risk their careers by speaking out against it? Luckily there are still a few Galileos out there that will dare question the conventional wisdom of the day. If only there were more.
February 12th, 2006 at 2:31 pm
Wait a second. Ken, are you arguing that because Kyoto is a failure, then Bush’s refusal to acknowledge global warming is somehow justified? This is standard conservative doublespeak! The success or failure of Kyoto is not the point. The point is to acknowledge the very likely possibility that global warming due to modern man is occurring and then to seek means to address the problem. Bush has failed utterly on both these important steps, and no amount of conservative doublespeak can change that fact!
February 12th, 2006 at 5:01 pm
Why should President Bush acknowledge something that is still in the realm of theory? Until we understand exactly what may be causing global warming it is irresponsible to spend billions of taxpayer dollars on a solution that may have no impact at all on global climate, but have a major impact on our economy.
What if global warming is a completely natural occurrence? Would it be right for man to intervene in that situation? Trying to stop nature can be a dangerous undertaking. For instance, suppose we found a way to completely stop hurricanes, or even just lesson their severity? Would that be a good idea? Like them or not hurricanes help control global temperature. We could really throw nature out of balance by doing that. All we can do is try and mitigate the damage hurricanes cause and learn to live with them. Its the same for global warming. If the Earth is warming then we must do what we can to mitigate any potential damage. With all of our technological advancements we are still not at a point where we can affect climate in any meaningful way, but we are very capable right now of lessoning any damage it could cause. Instead of trying to hold back a wave with a broom, lets just learn to ride with it.
February 12th, 2006 at 7:54 pm
Ken supplies lots of “if” hypotheticals that appear to argue in favor of and support moving ahead with the current status quo - more studies, etc. Here is one hypothetical to consider in response: what if global warming is true, as many scientists and their models predict? Might turn out to be the broom-ride of our and our offspring’s lives.
February 13th, 2006 at 11:18 pm
Nephi
I am certainly not against studying global warming, but lets have a true scientific study. True science will try to disprove a hypothesis as much as prove it. Junk science is the result of only searching for evidence that supports a theory while at the same time discounting and even ignoring evidence to the contrary.
Global warming has become too poisoned politically for true scientific studies to occur. Environmental activists are to blame because they packaged global warming into a political agenda of anti-capitalism, and anti-growth. The world is not willing to curtail growth and prosperity in order to accommodate “remedies†that will cost billions and produce little or no benefit. We could destroy every car tomorrow and there is no evidence it would have any meaningful impact on global climate.
The argument that we must do something just in case global warming is real and is human caused is like saying we must prepare for an alien invasion because it might happen, or spending all of our money on the lottery because we might win. They are all logical fallacies.
February 14th, 2006 at 8:51 am
I respectfully disagree. The junk science that we see today comprises studies based on poor data and analysis that conclude that global warming is a farce or something not yet proved. A majority of top-notch scientists and government research labs - e.g., NASA - unequivocally conclude that global warming is occurring. Were these same folks to have concluded that Saddam possessed WMD back in 2003, you can rest assurred that those studies would have provided front-page conclusive evidence for the administration’s decision to engage Iraq. Yet where the these top-notch scientists make predictions that go against the policy of the administration, the studies, no matter how well-grounded in fact, are relegated to the junk pile as untrustworthy. Let’s be honest - how much longer are we going to let the current administration hoodwink us? The fact that so much effort has been devoted by the administration to silencing NASA and other scientists on this point is telling!