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POPSNazi Christian Propaganda Christianity was used by the Nazis as propoganda in a similar way that it is used by Marxists in Black Lib Theology and the same way Militant Islamists take liberties with Islam. From article: "The German Protestants, in doing this, have been the first body in Germany to stand up against the dictates of Hitler, and have shown courage and determination. They have also shown that the Nazi interpretation of religion is not accepted by the mass of pious people in Germany, and that the idea of a military, patriotic Christ has not yet conquered over the gentler, nobler idea which inspires better Christians than the Nazis, and which is summed up in the teaching, “Love thy neighbour as thyself.” There was a similar relationship between the Chruch and Mussolini, who despised Theists and the organized Church. Fascism was characteristically anti-Christian in practice - public and personal. "
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POPSThree Distinct Strands The hard left is the core left, the armature without which the other factions would fall apart. They are directly descended from the communist groups (the CPUSA, Trotsyites, and so forth) of the ‘30s and ‘40s, through New Left organizations such as the SDS and the Weathermen. The hard left consists of intelligentsia and activists, people who spend their lives reading Alinsky http://www.fraw.org.uk/library/002/anarchism/alinsky_radical.html and Gramsci http://www.marxists.org/archive/gramsci/intro.htm and trying their damndest to put those dicta into practice. They are usually found in universities and surrounding communities, though they are also present in left-wing think tanks and lobbying outfits. Most of us will go through life without ever knowingly encountering one of them. Through their intellectual control over the much larger wimp left (who would be utterly lost without their direction), they possess influence all out of proportion to their numbers.
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POPS"Blue Planet in Green Shackles" Czech President Vaclav Klaus Klaus said poor nations would also be hurt by efforts to impose limits and standards on emissions of gases believed to cause global warming. "They will not be able to absorb new technological standards required by the anti-greenhouse religion, their products will have difficulty accessing the developed markets, and as a result the gap between them and the developed world will widen," "This ideology preaches earth and nature and under the slogans of their protection -- similarly to the old Marxists -- wants to replace the free and spontaneous evolution of mankind by a sort of central, now global, planning of the whole world," he added. "No government action can stop the world and nature from changing. Therefore, I disagree with plans such as the Kyoto Protocol or similar initiatives, which set arbitrary targets requiring enormous costs without realistic prospects for the success of these measures," he said.
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POPSHumanity, Divinity, and Beauty I wonder if this striking interpretation of aesthetics (one which I find quite appealing) still holds true in the cynicism of post modernism? Although it certainly can be found to echo in Kandinsky's "Concerning the Spiritual in Art" what of the later Deconstructivists, Marxists, and other self-styled "realists" who attacked the very idea of beauty? On the other hand, it may be that in these dark times our cynicism is spent and an idealistic revival of Romanticism might rise in response to the desperation and alienation that has become almost universally felt through the deep ideological conflicts marking the beginning of the 21st Century. Another thought: does not this empowered sense of self-determination ring true with the most admirable aspects of Existentialism? ...oh, and sorry for all the alliteration. Don't know how it snuck in there! :P
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POPSWhat is "sustainability"? Michael Pollan gives a succinct definition of unsustainability. It implies the corollary: a sustainable practice or system renews and safeguards the conditions on which it depends.
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POPSI'm afraid I agree with Pat Buchanan We are entering the age of corporate totalitarianism. American companies are now global companies and American sovereignty is secondary to the wishes of the global capitalist. I'm as big a capitalist as anyone, but tyranny can come from any faction. The mainstream of America is being ripped by forces at both ends - Cultural Marxists on one end and corporate totalitarianism on the other.
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POPSAmericans Turn to Youtube for War Movies During WWII, Hollywood was on America's side. In stark contrast, today's celebrities get more coverage if they take the Sean Penn/Susan Sarandon et al position, speaking at demonstrations with United for Peace and Justice and appearing alongside Code Pink marxists. Any shred of patriotism or love of country is spurned in Hollywood today. But there are consequences. As Van Helsing points out, "Hollyweenies are too drunk on moonbattery to realize that movies on Iraq acknowledging Americans as the good guys could make them some money". It goes far beyond money, though. People are turning the boob tube off, and theatres screening anti-war marxist/leninist/Stalinist Hollywood tripe are empty.
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POPSMurtha runs for the hills The recommendation is that the charges be dropped. But Murtha, supported by Marxists like Code Pink and Cindy Sheehan, will have none of that! And those are his wacky nutbase.
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POPSimperialism Strangely, the U.S. reign over the oil rich Middle East country of Iraq fits the definition of imperialism. Our alliance with Britain in the status quo seems natural considering Britain's imperialistic past. The U.S. made a "pre-emptive" strike on Iraq without finding Weapons of Mass Destruction so what is the purpose for such measures if the original reason turned out to be false? You be the judge.
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POPSDarfur and the 'Dark' Continent Harsh words, especially when applied to all the plights in Africa, but I find it difficult to argue with the logic. Isn't it time the West dealt with Africa on the basis of respect rather than from a paternalistic guilt for past colonialism and slavery?
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POPSObscure light-bulb jokes Two more: Q: How many postmodernists does it take to change a light bulb? A: In a Derridaist reading, wherein light is a social construct, there is a dialectic between Darkness as a reality and reality as a mode. Q: How many surrealists does it take to change a light bulb? A: Fish.