Epicurus Wins Greek Election or Pain Must Be Shared to Be Fully Enjoyed
January 31, 2015 Leave a comment
My last two posts took you for a ride in the “Wayback Machine”. The ride, with no cost to you and minimal effort on your part, took you back to the time of Epicurus, the Greek philosopher. Then I forwarded the machine to our present time, the age of the Angry Atheists. Today’s post will take you for a ride in the “Lean Forward” Machine.
The “Lean Forward” Machine is not like the “Wayback Machine”. Whereas the “Wayback Machine” records and regards history in its travels as an annotated time line worthy of informing present decision-making regarding morals, social concerns, spirituality, politics and economics the “Lean Forward” Machine says “phooey with all of that”:
“Let’s go full steam ahead to the future. “We have the omniscient and omnipresent being-‘perfected’-as-we-speak-with-your-tax-dollars Government (of Titanic proportions mind you) to pilot us (in ad hoc fashion mind you) to the Elysian Fields of the Brave New World.”
At this point you should know that the “Lean Forward” Machine is regarded by some as a religious temple. Some even call it by the sacred name of its goddess-“Progress”.
But, before we “Lean Forward” into unreality let us take at quick look at Epicurus’ homeland today to get a reality check on effects of his philosophy:
Epicurus’ party pic
Left-Wing Syriza Party Wins Big as Greece Rejects Austerity
ATHENS — Greece’s left-wing Syriza appeared on course to trounce the ruling conservatives in Sunday’s snap election and could win the absolute majority it wants to fight international creditors’ insistence on painful austerity measures.
Tsipras’ campaign slogan “Hope is coming!” resonated with voters, weary of austerity after six years of constant crisis that has sent unemployment over 25 percent and threatened millions with poverty.
“Hope is coming!” Wait! Where have I heard that before?
Anyway, Greece, the land of the ancient philosopher Epicurus, has rejected austerity and forsaken posterity!: “My friends, let us make Epicurean lifestyle the epicenter of things! Eat, drink and be merry with impunity! Run up the tab! The gods don’t care. Why should we?”
There you have it my friends. Sorry to say but it appears that the ticket for the “Lean Forward” Machine return trip would cost you everything. And, if you did go, you would not see your children and grandchildren flourishing. Rather, you would not find them at all, having vanquished in the Farmworkers’ Grape Pickers Camp; having been cast into the great winepress of the wrath of Progress.
I’m not going with you to look for my future in the “Lean Forward” Machine. I have not lost the Spirit or my faith in God. I have the Kingdom of God here on earth to tend to whether or not my belly is full. The Kingdom of God is my vocation, my calling, my camp.
“Instead, make your top priority God’s kingdom and his way of life, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew’s Gospel 6, verse 33
Depends On You
July 14, 2012 Leave a comment
The 2012 Presidential and congressional elections will be reflections of who you are. You will be deciding whether you want to be represented as a slave under a bigger more intrusive government with its plantation inducing mentality or whether self-government and self-determination will best speak for you. The former is easy – show up and do nothing except what the master tells you to do. The latter requires blood, sweat and tears.
Let me ask you straight up: what would provide you with more self-esteem? A government welfare check for subsistence or a check handed to you by your accountant after your company succeeded and made a profit? Or equally, a check handed to you by your employer because the company you work for succeeded to make payroll for another week because of your input? The former just pays the bills (and likely buys several lottery tickets). The latter provides for yourself, your family, your grandchildren and much more.
Another question: With those same checks in hand would the person with the government welfare check be more willing to give to charity or would the person who was handed the profit-sharing dividend or a paycheck be more willing to give to charity? (A Christian would have to be the second kind of person. King David once said, “I will not offer to the Lord something that costs me nothing?”)
You don’t have to think hard about this. The answer is obvious to most right thinking people, the vision is clear, but it is hidden from those who vote for Obama and the Democrats.
Progressives and their “Lean Forward” campaign (funded with monies from foreigner George Soros) want the U.S. government to dole out cradle-to-grave entitlements thereby making Americans utterly reliant on the political ruling class and their condescending “we-the-government-know-what’s-good-for-you” pseudo-altruism. In reality, these two-armed bandits want more gambling revenue to throw at money laundering schemes like Solyndra.
Thomas Sowell in his book of articles and essays The Thomas Sowell Reader describes the Big Government vision promoted by the ruling class “anointed” …
Below are two contrasting videos: one video depicts a life on government programs ala The Life of Julia. The other describes you as a self-governing self-determining free person. I ask you, who is more empowered? You already know the answer. Vote the answer and not what the plantation’s political ruling class is promoting via the main stream media (MSNBC‘s Lean Forward Campaign, Media Matters, etc.).
Is the future of America you holding your DMV issued health-care card and food stamps? Or is the future of America (you and me) dependent on our own self-government and our own self-determination while holding on to our self-esteem and liberty? For a while fascism’s authoritarianism feels safe and secure but that quickly changes. You soon become a slave or an automaton in the system. Liberty on the other hand is scary good. As I have said liberty requires responsibility on your part but liberty is supremely worth it.
Yet, if the Obama plantation feels safe, if you see yourself as dependent on the master for your life then go with that but please don’t vote to take others with you.
Others have made freedom and choice their life:
http://demetriuspeaks.com/2012/07/06/what-it-means-to-be-a-black-conservative/
Thomas Sowell notes in another article, “Entitlement is just a fancy word for dependence.”
The full article here:
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/267898/dependency-and-votes-thomas-sowell
Who represents you in Washington is a reflection of you. Do you like what you see?
Democrats and the plantation:
Independence Day:
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Filed under 2012 election, commentary, Conservatism, Economics, Life As I See It, Political Commentary, Politics, Progressivism, Writing Tagged with 2012 elections, Big Government, current-events, Economics, entitlement programs, food stamps, government welfare, lean forward, MSNBC, Obama, politics, progressives, Thomas Sowell, welfare, welfare check