The whole point of free speech is not to make ideas exempt from criticism but to expose them to it.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

A rant from an expert

Dennis Miller was mentioned in a post below as being an example of a comic from the right hosting his own news show. My friend Bill called him a sellout. I disagree. He's been consistent in his call for a solid defense, fiscal responsibility and keeping religious zealots out of government.

4 comments:

Bob Ellis said...

Dennis Miller is a partially-converted liberal. I love most of what he has to say on the issues these days, but this is an illustration that his conversion is not complete.

While most of his statement here seems to highlight true religious wackos (Islamic terrorists, abortionist-killers, etc.), he misses the boat on some basic truths about religion—one of which is that if you’re going to bother to believe in a transcendent philosophy at all in the first place, you should believe in it enough to take it seriously.

Due to your ignorant comment about “keeping religious zealots out of government,” I strongly suspect that your own understanding of both religion and the American form of government is so uninformed that you believe that the very men who founded our country and set up it’s government should be kept out of government.

Consider what religious extremists they were:

Religion is the only solid base of morals and that morals are the only possible support of free governments. Therefore education should teach the precepts of religion and the duties of man toward God. - Gouverneur Morris, signer of the Constitution

We profess to be republicans and yet we neglect the only means of establishing and perpetuating our republican forms of government. That is, the universal education of our youth in the principles of Christianity by the means of the Bible. - Benjamin Rush, doctor and signer of the Declaration of Independence

the only foundation for…a republic is to be laid in Religion. Without this there can be no virtue, and without virtue there can be no liberty, and liberty is the object and life of all republican governments. – Benjamin Rush

The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time. – Thomas Jefferson

If men are so wicked with religion, what would they be if without it? – Benjamin Franklin

The genuine source of correct republican principles is the Bible, particularly the New Testament or the Christian religion. . . . and to this we owe our free constitutions of government. - Noah Webster

Let every student be plainly instructed and earnestly pressed to consider well, the main end of his life and studies is, to know God and Jesus Christ which is eternal life (John 17:3) and therefore lay Christ at the bottom, as the only foundation of all sound knowledge and learning. - Harvard’s Rules and Precepts from 1636

Cursed is all learning that is contrary to the Cross of Christ. - 1746 founding statement of Princeton

Statesmen, my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand. - John Adams

Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion…are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments. - Charles Carroll, signer of the Declaration of Independence

The great pillars of all government and of social life [are] virtue, morality, and religion. This is the armor, my friend, and this alone that renders us invincible. - Patrick Henry

Human law must rest its authority ultimately upon the authority of that law which is divine …. Far from being rivals or enemies, religion and law are twin sisters, friends, and mutual assistants. Indeed, these two sciences run into each other. - James Wilson, signer of the Declaration


Religion should therefore be considered as the first of their [Americans] political institutions. From the start, politics and religion have agreed and have not since ceased to do so. - Alexis de Tocqueville


What terrible religious zealots these idiots were!

Taunia Adams said...

I think it's a great idea to have Ellis and Sibson show up here. Short of visiting a mental ward, where else would we get our daily dose of genuine grandiose insanity? (I'm still working on really good insults, bear with me.)

"Due to your ignorant comment about “keeping religious zealots out of government,” I strongly suspect that your own understanding of both religion and the American form of government is so uninformed that you believe that the very men who founded our country and set up it’s government should be kept out of government."

You consider Jefferson, Hamilton, et al, religious zealots, Ellis?

From Merriam-Webster, on-line:
zealot: 1 capitalized : a member of a fanatical sect arising in Judea during the first century a.d. and militantly opposing the Roman domination of Palestine
2 : a zealous person; especially : a fanatical partisan, a religious zealot.

Are you a fanatical partisan, Ellis?

I'd take Bill Maher over Miller anyday.

Bill Fleming said...

You put your finger on it Taunia. For as much as Ellis and Sibson read and write, the fact remains that bottom line, they simply do not as yet comprehend their own native tongue.

It's not enough to use the words, boys. You have to understand the meaning of them.

A little tutoring along those lines may be just what the doctor ordered. Well done Ms. Adams.

Randall said...

"I am a Christian, in the only sense in which he wished anyone to be: sincerely attached to his doctrines in preference to all others, ascribing to himself every human excellence, and believing he never claimed any other."

Thomas Jefferson: syllabus to the Jefferson Bible