Polygamy Porter wrote:Scottie,
If you do not enjoy being an American, then please, by all means go live somewhere else.
I agree with scottie here. This post totally ignores what his point is.
Polygamy Porter wrote:Horse crap Dude.
I would die for this country. I served in the Army.
You know why I'd die for this great country? Cuz I live in it and it has given me much happiness and joy. Tangible things that I use in my life as I am free to pursue my path to happiness.
Religion and specifically Mormonism(since this is mo'dis.com) promises you NOTHING for this life. ZIP, zilch, nada. So if you want to die for NOTHING go right ahead!
The fact that you served in the army or would die for this country pays nothing towards your argument. Scottie's point here is that just because you think this is the greatest country in the world doesn't make it so, and could (in fact) be founded upon lies and deceit. There seem to be plenty of Muslims willing to die for their countries and their way of life as well. So the fact that you are willing to die for yours does not add any validity to your argument here.
If you are telling us that you would die for tangible things, meaning cars, houses, things of this sort, then that's pretty shallow. I would never give up my life for things like this. If (on the other hand) the things you would die for would be your family, and your way of life (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness), then you are not laying your life down for tangible things, but for concepts and "morals" (minus a family, which is something most men would lay their life down for, regardless of country).
The US gives people promises and hope that they can make a better life for themselves, which is evident from all the (il)legal immigration that comes to this country everyday. That's a fairly strong correlation to people who join the church for promises of a better life through structure and submission towards God's plan and laws. Does this mean that everyone who joins the church or immigrates to this country DOES find a better life? No. Does this mean that the whole thing is a lie? In both cases, the fact that its a lie is more of a personal judgment than anything else. One could easily look at church history or facts and figures given out in the modern church and say that its a lie, but one could easily look at what and how the US government has operated and still does to this day and say the same thing.
A testimony isn't a lie someone tells themselves to feel better about something and strengthen their belief in it. A testimony is the things which the individual builds their belief upon some concept. In both cases (ANY Church or belief, or the US Government) the testimony can be called a lie if the person calling it as such has a point of view in which the things the testimony is built upon are considered false. In other words, just because someone has a testimony doesn't mean it is something they tell themselves strengthen a lie they have. A testimony is not inherently a lie or the truth. A testimony is. To call it a truth or a lie takes a point of view, which is subjective.
To quote Dave Matthews (very appropriately here).....
"Go ahead and dream. Go ahead believe that you are the chosen one."
In other words, if you think your way is the best and everyone else's way is wrong, then you (in a way) believe that your path is the path of the "chosen one" and you are disillusioned. When people realize that there is more than one path home, and though there is only one path for you, all paths are true, when people realize this, then the world will actually begin to mature properly. Mankind is still stuck well within his adolescents, like middle school kids who think their "clique" is the right one, and everyone else's is just wrong. Fools are we that hate's the gate to peace.