Truth is stranger than fiction - The Sarah Palin Chronicles

[VictorCharlie]

Would it bother you if they simply left the Family part off? I wouldn't vote for someone if I didn't believe we shared many of the same values. I can't imagine most people would either.

[CGM]

Family is issue that transcends left or right in politics. So I am very skeptical of politicians who are big on promoting family values, cause it usually is tied closely to their religious, moral, and political beliefs. And very often those who define themselves politically in a significant way according to their family or moral values are also those who would tell others what their values should be. Draw your own conclusions about what side of the political spectrum you find people who are unduly concerned about the morality or values of others.

In answer to your question, the paragraph above describes something that I don't like, however I am not fooled by their use of the term family. They can driop their use of the word, but it wouldn't really change much. And no, I don't choose my leader according to his/her particular morality or religion or belief of what a family should be, and whether it matches mine, and I particularly oppose people who would impose their beliefs in these areas on others.

[VictorCharlie]

Family is issue that transcends left or right in politics. So I am very skeptical of politicians who are big on promoting family values, cause it usually is tied closely to their religious, moral, and political beliefs. And very often those who define themselves politically in a significant way according to their family or moral values are also those who would tell others what their values should be. Draw your own conclusions about what side of the political spectrum you find people who are unduly concerned about the morality or values of others.

In answer to your question, the paragraph above describes something that I don't like, however I am not fooled by their use of the term family. They can driop their use of the word, but it wouldn't really change much. And no, I don't choose my leader according to his/her particular morality or religion or belief of what a family should be, and whether it matches mine, and I particularly oppose people who would impose their beliefs in these areas on others.

Just to make sure I am following you...Morality is not an issue you take into consideration when voting for a candidate? Really? To me the simple act of voting is in essence an effort to impose beliefs on a group. We vote for politicians that we believe share a similar ideology, in hopes they will enact laws/policy favorable to us and our belief system. From your post I believe you are speaking specifically of issues like creationism, prayer in school, gay marriage, abortion etc closely tied to the religious right. I don't really differentiate between religious or political ideology. To me there is little difference between a bible thumping southern baptist or a tree hugging secular progressive. Only opposite ends of a irrational, ignorant and uncompromising coin.

[CGM]

Family is issue that transcends left or right in politics. So I am very skeptical of politicians who are big on promoting family values, cause it usually is tied closely to their religious, moral, and political beliefs. And very often those who define themselves politically in a significant way according to their family or moral values are also those who would tell others what their values should be. Draw your own conclusions about what side of the political spectrum you find people who are unduly concerned about the morality or values of others.

In answer to your question, the paragraph above describes something that I don't like, however I am not fooled by their use of the term family. They can driop their use of the word, but it wouldn't really change much. And no, I don't choose my leader according to his/her particular morality or religion or belief of what a family should be, and whether it matches mine, and I particularly oppose people who would impose their beliefs in these areas on others.

Just to make sure I am following you...Morality is not an issue you take into consideration when voting for a candidate? Really?

To me the simple act of voting is in essence an effort to impose beliefs on a group. We vote for politicians that we believe share a similar ideology, in hopes they will enact laws/policy favorable to us and our belief system.

My original comment was to express skepticism at politicians who define themselves by their promotion of family values. When you examine closely what they are saying, it's usually something more than just support of family, it ties in with other things. Support of family can mean different things to different people. You will be hard pressed to find a politician who does not support "family". They all do. But they don't all define themselves that way. Which is why I think it is usually bullshit for a politician to attempt to define or differentiate themselves as being pro-family.

Our discussion seems to have morphed into something bigger, which was not what I had wanted, but ok I'll take a shot at it.

We seem to differ a little in our definition of morality. Sure, when I vote I choose a party whose ideology matches mine. That doesn't mean the leader's moral or religious beliefs need to match mine, because typically those are things that do not have a big effect on my life.

From your post I believe you are speaking specifically of issues like creationism, prayer in school, gay marriage, abortion etc closely tied to the religious right. I don't really differentiate between religious or political ideology. To me there is little difference between a bible thumping southern baptist or a tree hugging secular progressive. Only opposite ends of a irrational, ignorant and uncompromising coin.

OK, well I do differentiate between religious and political ideology. Politics shouldn't be about religion. It's a little thing called separation of church and state. As for morality, Pierre Trudeau, who was a very influential Canadian Prime Minister, once said "The state has no business in the bedrooms of the nation". I agree. I don't equate environmentalism with religion, concern for the environment should transcend religeous beliefs. Unfortunately environmental concerns do not seem to transcend political ideology, but that's a different story. You haven't given any examples of those you dismiss as tree huggers, so I won't comment, except to say that I would not be surprised if you see more tree-huggers than I do, but that's a different story.