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Unfolding Nature Shop: Unfolding Nature: Being in the Implicate Order

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God Bless America
    #4450893 -

On my drive to school today while in a some what congested section of the road I encountered a car with a bumper sticker that read "God Bless America." Perhaps it was the lack of sleep, or perhaps the boredom induced from the lack of movement in response of the traffic, but this sticker seemed incredibly absurd to me.

If you break it down, this string of words which we are told makes sense, in reality, makes absolutely no sense. It is an abstraction (God) "blessing" another abstraction (America). Was it representative to only North America? I highly doubt the bumper sticker referred to all of America, that is to say the lands of the western hemisphere including North, Central, and South America, along with the West Indies. North America is distinguished by completely arbitrary legal borders that can change over night.

Does this mean God blesses America, but when America begins to merge with, let's say, Canada, he no longer blesses it?

Also, which God (or god, with little g) does this refer to? The Buddhist vision of a god? Or perhaps Islam's perspective? Call me crazy, but I have a hunch it may be only referring to the Judea-Christian model of a God.

And what exactly is it meant by bless? Could this bumper sticker possibly suggest that God consecrates North America over the rest of the world, making it dedicated to a sacred purpose somehow elevated in perspective to "the other"?

I could go on, but out of concern of my unnecessary consumption of your time, I'll stop.

And that's my rant for today.

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Re: God Bless America [Re: spud]
    #4452122 -

Yeah man, i totally agree with you..

Im not American but i totally feel what you are saying..

"God Bless America" is basically a sloagan, a marketing tool for patriotism.

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Re: God Bless America [Re: spud]
    #4452133 -

Yeah man, i totally agree with you..

Im not American but i totally feel what you are saying..

"God Bless America" is basically a sloagan, a marketing tool for patriotism. Its a bit like "Enjoy, Coca Cola"

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Re: God Bless America [Re: spud]
    #4453257 -

Why do you even give a fuck? One of the things the United States guarantees is freedom of speech. Why do you care if someone has a stupid bumpersticker. A week ago I saw an $25,000 or so Hummer being driven by some dude dressed like he was loaded with a bumpersticker that said "Capitalism: Its looks good on paper, but it doesn't work." I don't give a shit if this idiot wants to down the system that let him own that Hummer. He is a free individual. Why begrudge someone their freedom to express their love for their country in the mode of their choice....it's no skin off your back.


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"A warrior is a hunter. He calculates everything. That's control. Once his calculations are over, he acts. He lets go. That's abandon. A warrior is not a leaf at the mercy of the wind. No one can push him; no one can make him do things against himself or against his better judgment. A warrior is tuned to survive, and he survives in the best of all possible fashions." ― Carlos Castaneda

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Re: God Bless America [Re: Huehuecoyotl]
    #4453279 -

Huehuecoyotl said:
Why do you even give a fuck? One of the things the United States guarantees is freedom of speech. Why do you care if someone has a stupid bumpersticker. A week ago I saw an $25,000 or so Hummer being driven by some dude dressed like he was loaded with a bumpersticker that said "Capitalism: Its looks good on paper, but it doesn't work." I don't give a shit if this idiot wants to down the system that let him own that Hummer. He is a free individual. Why begrudge someone their freedom to express their love for their country in the mode of their choice....it's no skin off your back.


It didn't sound to me like spud had an axe to grind here, and certainly wasn't begrudging the guy's right to have that bumpersticker. He was just doing what I often do: questioning the reality with which he is presented. It's what separates the intellectuals from the complacent.


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Re: God Bless America [Re: Silversoul]
    #4453413 -

It sounded like resentment to me. Maybe I am over sensitive. I am a patriotic American having served in my country's Armed services. I do not agree with my country's politics always, but I am fond of it. I do think the notion of God blessing anything is ridiculous, but there are many Christian types who do not. It also must be said that he is ridiculing a theology for not being tolerant of others when he is showing intolerance himself.


--------------------
"A warrior is a hunter. He calculates everything. That's control. Once his calculations are over, he acts. He lets go. That's abandon. A warrior is not a leaf at the mercy of the wind. No one can push him; no one can make him do things against himself or against his better judgment. A warrior is tuned to survive, and he survives in the best of all possible fashions." ― Carlos Castaneda

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Re: God Bless America [Re: Huehuecoyotl]
    #4453505 -

are you not doing the same with his point of view?

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Re: God Bless America [Re: Huehuecoyotl]
    #4453544 -

To me it seemed like he was simply ridiculing the idea that a divine being would bless a specific area within man-made geopolitical boundaries. That's not intolerant of him. It's insightful.


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Re: God Bless America [Re: Huehuecoyotl]
    #4453774 -

Huehuecoyotl said:
Why begrudge someone their freedom to express their love for their country in the mode of their choice....it's no skin off your back.


Can you please point out where I "begrudged" the individual. Or actually, how about you point out any comment I made about the individual at all.

You're doing exactly what you are criticizing.

Kudos.

I have absolutely no resentment, you seem to be full of it. No reason to curse. No reason to accuse.

I question what I see, if this angers you then I'm sorry.

As for ridiculing a theology, can you show me where I do this?

I am a theist myself, so I find this accusation extremely interesting.


Edited by spud (07/26/05 01:10 AM)

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Re: God Bless America [Re: Silversoul]
    #4453777 -

Paradigm said:
To me it seemed like he was simply ridiculing the idea that a divine being would bless a specific area within man-made geopolitical boundaries. That's not intolerant of him. It's insightful.


Thank you Paradigm. I made a mistake in assuming that anyone with the attribute of literacy would see it the same way.

That was exactly my point.

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Re: God Bless America [Re: Huehuecoyotl]
    #4453907 -

i dont know if anyone felt resentful, you may be right, i do not know his feelings
i just want to say, mabye it's okay to feel resentful, if that's how a person feels :heart:


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"consensus on the nature of equilibrium is usually established by periodic conflict." -henry kissinger

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Re: God Bless America [Re: spud]
    #4454383 -

Oh no...it does not anger me. I was just commenting on your "observation" because it seemed petty and somewhat pointless. You are entitled to your views completely, just as I am entitled to comment on them. Come on....you don't post things publicly and expect total agreement do you? It must be noted that by "ridiculing the idea that a divine being would bless a specific area within man-made geopolitical boundaries" you are ridiculing the core beliefs of thousands of people world wide of varying religions. There are many Christians and Muslims who have exactly that viewpoint....if not why would "God Bless America" have ever been written. I think the song was meant to be taken quite literally. So I think that I am not incorrect in my assumptions.


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"A warrior is a hunter. He calculates everything. That's control. Once his calculations are over, he acts. He lets go. That's abandon. A warrior is not a leaf at the mercy of the wind. No one can push him; no one can make him do things against himself or against his better judgment. A warrior is tuned to survive, and he survives in the best of all possible fashions." ― Carlos Castaneda

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Re: God Bless America [Re: spud]
    #4454386 -

as american as
apple pie and
bumperstickers

or free speech and
bumberstickers


(this is why I like to make short posts - keeps the traffic moving)


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:brainfart: _ :finger:

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Re: God Bless America [Re: redgreenvines]
    #4454852 -

I would prefer "YHWH bless USA"

:grin:

edit: dammned godnames...god has no names ! :tongue2:


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Though lovers be lost love shall not  And death shall have no dominion
......................................................
"Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men."Martin Luther King, Jr.
'Acceptance is the absolute key - at that moment you gain freedom and you gain power and you gain courage'

Edited by BlueCoyote (07/26/05 09:34 AM)

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Re: God Bless America [Re: BlueCoyote]
    #4454885 -

It is slightly more traditional...


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"A warrior is a hunter. He calculates everything. That's control. Once his calculations are over, he acts. He lets go. That's abandon. A warrior is not a leaf at the mercy of the wind. No one can push him; no one can make him do things against himself or against his better judgment. A warrior is tuned to survive, and he survives in the best of all possible fashions." ― Carlos Castaneda

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Re: God Bless America [Re: Huehuecoyotl]
    #4454896 -

Hue, but then you will see which g*d is meant and what folk wants him to bless their country :smile:


--------------------
Though lovers be lost love shall not  And death shall have no dominion
......................................................
"Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men."Martin Luther King, Jr.
'Acceptance is the absolute key - at that moment you gain freedom and you gain power and you gain courage'

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Re: God Bless America [Re: BlueCoyote]
    #4454911 -

Right off...it sounds Jewish....old Jewish.


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"A warrior is a hunter. He calculates everything. That's control. Once his calculations are over, he acts. He lets go. That's abandon. A warrior is not a leaf at the mercy of the wind. No one can push him; no one can make him do things against himself or against his better judgment. A warrior is tuned to survive, and he survives in the best of all possible fashions." ― Carlos Castaneda

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Re: God Bless America [Re: Huehuecoyotl]
    #4454926 -

oy gevalt!
would be a jewish bumpersticker


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:brainfart: _ :finger:

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Re: God Bless America [Re: redgreenvines]
    #4454962 -

I knew a kid in college with one of those jesus-fish type bumper magnets that said "GEFILTE" in it  :grin:



I used to have this one:



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Kumbayah my lord, Kumbayah...

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Re: God Bless America [Re: spud]
    #4454974 -

Although I did find it interesting (on a more serious note) shortly after 9/11 when all the "patriotic" billboards went up, they all said "God Bless America", and none of them said "United We Stand."  I think the latter would have been a much better platform at the time... :shrug:


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Kumbayah my lord, Kumbayah...

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Unfolding Nature Shop: Unfolding Nature: Being in the Implicate Order

General Interest > Philosophy, Sociology & Psychology
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