Is Radical Religious Conservatism a form of Psychopathology?

Conservatism is a political and social term whose meaning has changed in different countries and time periods, but which usually indicates support for the status quo or the status quo ante. Cultural conservatism is a philosophy that supports preservation of the heritage of a nation or culture.
The political term conservative was coined by French politician Chateaubriand in 1819. In Western politics, the term conservatism often refers to the school of thought started by Edmund Burke and similar thinkers. Scholar R.J. White wrote: “To put conservatism in a bottle with a label is like trying to liquefy the atmosphere … The difficulty arises from the nature of the thing. For conservatism is less a political doctrine than a habit of mind, a mode of feeling, a way of living." Russell Kirk considered conservatism "the negation of ideology".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservativism

Psychopathology as a descriptive term
The term psychopathology may also be used to denote behaviors or experiences which are indicative of mental illness, even if they do not constitute a formal diagnosis. For example, the presence of a hallucination may be considered as a psychopathological sign, even if there are not enough symptoms present to fulfill the criteria for one of the disorders listed in the DSM.
In a more general sense, any behavior or experience which causes impairment, distress or disability, particularly if it is thought to arise from a functional breakdown in either the cognitive and neurocognitive systems in the brain, may be classified as psychopathology.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychopathology#Psychopathology_as_a_descriptive_term
Religious conservatism
Religious conservatives seek to apply the teachings of particular ideologies to politics, sometimes by proclaiming the value of those teachings, at other times seeking to have those teachings influence laws. Religious conservatism may support, or be supported by, secular customs. In other places or at other times, religious conservatism may find itself at odds with the culture in which the believers reside. In some cultures, there is conflict between two or more different groups of religious conservatives, each claiming both that their view is correct, and that opposing views are wrong.
Because many religions preserve a founding text, or at least a set of well-established traditions, the possibility of radical religious conservatism arises. These are radical both in the sense of abolishing the status quo and of a perceived return to the radix or root of a belief. They are ante conservative in their claim to be preserving the belief in its original or pristine form. Radical religious conservatism generally sees the status quo as corrupted by abuses, corruption, or heresy. One example of such a movement was the Radical Reformation within the Protestant Reformation and the later Restorationists of the 1800s. Similar phenomena have arisen in practically all the world's religions, in many cases triggered by the violent cultural collision between the traditional society in question and the modern Western society that has developed throughout the world over the past 500 years.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_Conservatism#Religious_Conservatism

The inability to change over time usually leads to extinction. There are rare examples of organisms that have found an environmental niche that has remained unchanged for tens or even thousands of thousands of years and there by they have remained on this planet an unchanged life form.

Written religious texts or well-established traditions tend to be static as apposed to living documents. The conservation of the behaviors and beliefs that are based upon ideologies that were formed in the past promotes conflict. The disability that comes from irresolvable conflict is a social impairment that can lead to the death of the participants, without remorse on the radical conservatives’ part. This sounds like psychopathology to me.

Small Government

We only need one rule, this my Dad got correct, 'Treat others as you want to be treated'. And in a perfect world there wouldn't need to be any one to enforce the Golden Rule. But in the real world small government can not be just one rule to live by. It must be a plethora of laws and rules to enforce this one small rule.

In addition to the new rules the constitution is there to be the bassis upon which we built the rules to protect you from those that will not treat you as they want to be treated. Beyond the rules to enforce the small rule we also need a way to deal with the infrastructure and defence of our nation. So we need a lot of rules.

It is a big world and we would not be comfortable in it with small government.

Mercenaries

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hessian_(soldiers)

During the American Revolutionary War, Landgrave Frederick II of Hesse-Kassel (a principality in northern Hesse) and other German leaders hired out thousands of conscripted subjects as auxiliaries to Great Britain to fight against the American revolutionaries. About 30,000 of these soldiers were sold into service, and they came to be called Hessians, because 16,992 of the total 30,067 men came from Hesse-Kassel. Some were direct subjects of King George III; he ruled them as the Elector of Hanover. Other soldiers were sent by Count William of Hesse-Hanau; Duke Charles I of Brunswick-Lüneburg; Prince Frederick of Waldeck; Margrave Karl Alexander of Ansbach-Bayreuth; and Prince Frederick Augustus of Anhalt-Zerbst.

The troops were not mercenaries in the modern sense of military professionals who voluntarily hire out their own services for money. As in most armies of the eighteenth century, the men were mainly conscripts, debtors, or the victims of impressment; some were also petty criminals. Pay was low; some soldiers apparently received nothing but their daily food. The officer corps usually consisted of career officers who had served in earlier European wars. The revenues realized from their service went back to the German royalty. Nevertheless, some Hessian units were respected for their discipline and excellent military skills.

http://member.tripod.com/~Silvie/Hessian.html

http://www.blackwaterusa.com/

You deside.

Economic Stimulus

The basis of our economy is the worker. The majority of the buying power comes from the 40k to 110k job. If these jobs are more prevalent and secure with every reason to expect them to gain at a rate greater then the rate of inflation then money can be saved and spent.

If more jobs, starting around 15 to 20k, with good benefits (retirement, insurance, vacation) and opportunities for advancement, can be produced in an effort to build and repair our country (infrastructure), financed by the government, we can start to buy homes again and stuff to put in them. Now that would be a economic stimulus plan I can believe in.

World Leaders

The Chinese are coming up against some hard realities. Probably the worst hurdle they have to cross is their own corruption. They are so corrupt that they will even poison their own children for a profit. They send their relatives overseas for education, vacation or their health and then they take what they can until they are about to be caught then they flee the authorities. They don’t float their currency so we can’t compete with their production costs. They pollute their water and air. They defile the land. Their only motive is to gain a short term advantage. And it is coming back to bite them. Their people are rioting and have the numbers to demand fair treatment.

We support them with our greed. We need to make moral choices not easy choices. We need to take care of our people and the environment that they depend upon.

If we can become a moral nation that cherishes the earth and the people that live on it then we can be the example that the rest of the world once again turns to. We can be the world leader that we once were. We can be the 21st century world leader that is missing and so desperately needed.

His Legacy.

If the 43rd president is looking for a legacy, I think he need look no further then the offhanded comments of current world leaders who reprimand their piers when they get out of line by saying, ‘You don’t want to be like Bush do you?’

43 is characterized as an instinctually lazy cheerleader who gets board easily with the mundane work necessary to govern.

I think I would like to talk baseball with him as long as it was in the first innings, before his mind started to wander but I’m glad he will no longer be president.

History revisionists aside, 43 has to be the least effective and the most destructive president that we have had the displeasure to be accosted by.

Don’t let the door hit your lamest of duck ass on the way out 43. You will not be missed.

US Auto Industry

There are two important goals in maintaining US auto manufacturing. The first goal is; maintaining the US work force. There are a long list of workers that depend upon the US auto industry. If the US auto industry can produce quality vehicles, which have the fuel efficiency we need to become independent from energy sources that are beyond our control and they are sold at a price that is comparable to vehicles that are either manufactured beyond our borders or within our country but with the profits going elsewhere, then there is no reason for the US auto workers to loose their source of income. And that brings me to the second goal; the profits from US auto sales need to stay here. Foreign manufactures, producing vehicles within our borders, sends the profits from the sales of those autos else where. Having foreign auto companies produce autos here helps US workers but sending the profits beyond our borders should be unnecessary if the US auto companies can compete. If foreign auto makers can produce high quality, fuel efficient cars at a reasonable price so can we. So it is time for the US automakers to drag themselves into the twenty-first century or disappear, their choice.

Henry Ford started his company with the goal of building a car that his workers could afford. Tat seems like a goal they should get back to.

The death of idiocy

Why do we have to support points of view that are based on false information? Why do we have to even acknowledge someone that is spreading lies? Don’t we give them strength and credibility by acknowledging them? Can’t we just say they are lying and here are the facts? Or better yet, can’t we just say, here are the facts and not mention the lying source at all?

When published information is retracted the incorrect information is not reprinted just the correction.

And what ever happened to the practice of shunning? Can’t we just stop recognizing that someone exists? If we shunned a person effectively enough eventually wouldn’t they just go away, shrivel up and die?

Priorities?!

AP - Thu Nov 27, 4:22 PM ET
WASHINGTON - An animal rights group is urging Iraqi authorities to find better ways to eliminate stray dogs after 200 of them were killed in Baghdad this week by poisoned meat and rifles.

HOW ABOUT HUMANE TREATMENT OF PEOPLE IN IRAQ!

Scaredy Cats

The fear of becoming extinct is a mighty fear. It can cause irrational terror and violent, brutal, deadly behavior. It spurs people to act on their anxieties in order to stop the forces that are perceived to be threatening them.

These scaredy cats are short sighted. They can’t see beyond their short lives. Ultimately all humans will disappear. This wonderful planet will dry up and become an inferno. And then, the sun we all so depend on, will go cold and our solar system will float lifelessly through the through the cold, dark universe.

These angry, isolated minorities fear the disappearance of blond hair and blue eyes. How foolish! They don’t understand that brown hair and brown eyes are dominant human traits. (Or maybe they do!) And that it is the happiness and preservation of all humans that is important.

The rules of genetics can not be stopped. It’s not just a good idea, it’s a law! These people fear the very basis for their own existence. They fear their own humanity.

Bright Lines

A "bright line" is a single numerical value between unacceptable and negligible magnitudes of risk or exposure concentrations of concern. Bright lines are chosen to provide pragmatic definitions of "safe" and "unsafe" for those making risk-management decisions and for those implementing or enforcing decisions. An example of a bright line is an excess-cancer risk of about 10-5: if a risk assessment predicts that more than one case of cancer is likely to occur as a result of exposure to a substance in a population of 100,000 people exposed to it, that risk is judged unacceptable and protective action is required; a predicted risk of less than 10-5 is considered negligible and requires no protective action. Risk-based decisions are generally converted to measurable exposure or emission limits for implementation and compliance. Regulated parties are expected to demonstrate that estimated exposures or risks are below the bright line to operate a manufacturing facility, introduce a new product to the market, or sell foods with low concentrations of contaminants.
Bright lines are generally used with single point estimates of risk to judge safety; Science and Judgment in Risk Assessment characterizes bright lines and point estimates of risk as "magic numbers" whose use is inconsistent with knowledge about the distributions of risk and their inherent uncertainty (NRC 1994a). Strict use of bright lines is also inconsistent with the risk-management framework and with the inclusion of cost and other considerations in decision-making. Bright lines that are health-based standards provide useful goals, however, to guide a decision-making process.

http://www.riskworld.com/Nreports/1996/risk_rpt/html/nr6aa016.htm

I didn't know.

Mental Health Benefits

Once we have secured the defense and general welfare of our nation, i.e. once we have an abundant supply of good jobs and the necessary benefits that must go with a good job to provide the security we need to get a good nights sleep, we need to provide assistance for the less fortunate. I hate to put this on the back burner until we are more secure, but we must prioritize.

With the economic climate as it is today it is difficult or impossible to tell the reasonably afraid from the neurotically afraid. Once we have arrived at the point where we have little or no reason to vote out of fear we can start to help those that are still disabled by it. There are people with obvious physical disabilities that will get immediate attention. I am more concerned with the mental health of those that are still afraid when the majority of our working, productive people are not. As we identify the fearful and get them the help they need to feel secure our country will find its resources greatly enhanced.

With our receding fear will come a reduction of use of sentences that end in an upward inflection.

Consider the difference in the feel of the following sentence, the meaning of which and the personal feeling that goes with it, totally dependent on inflection. Said with an upward inflection at the end of the sentence there is a sense of incredulousness. “Can you believe what they have done?” And then said with a downward inflection at the end there is a sense of wonder and relief. “Can you believe what they have done?” Irony can be replaced with wonder and fear with hope.

So I am proposing at least a five fold increase in our mental health benefits. It is the only way I can see of making the fearful conservatives feel at ease.

We're Number One!

Why do we have to be number one? Why do we have to even be a ‘super power’? Is economic superiority and military might the end all and be all of our existence?

We are 14th in scientific literacy, 9th in adult literacy, 44th in life expectancy for women, 9th in GDP per capita, but we are 1st in military spending and adults prosecuted per capita and prisoners per capita and municipal waste generation. (Per http://www.nationmaster.com/statistics ).

I think it is time we adjust our priorities.

How come Iceland gets to be #1 in net happiness and we are only 13th.

How Difficult Can It Be?

In the United States of America, the majority of us that vote have a common goal, in that we want to feel safe. To feel safe we need a source of income so we can provide for our needs and the needs of our dependants and acquire some of our wants. We also need supplemental resources, some insurance if you will, that can provide for what we can not buy for ourselves. We need some assurance that there will be a consistent future so that we can leave to our children and grand children a world that they will feel safe in and prosper.

Who can we trust to look out for our future, our safety? Who can we trust to look out for the future of our country? Who will represent us as we work?

The founding fathers were smart enough to outline the protection of our freedoms and rights in the constitution. They understood the fear of a power greater than themselves, a power that did not have their best interests at heart. They fought and died to make our constitution the basis that is the foundation of a country where all of the citizens can live in relative peace and the world can feel comfortable with us as a neighbor.

They understood that the constitution was written by men in a time that had its own challenges and that this wonderful document was not expected to be perfect for all time. It can and should change over time but anyone who wanted to change it should be looked upon with suspicion, especially if they were attempting to limit rights and/or freedoms by changing the constitution as apposed to change that would further protect our rights and freedoms.

So how difficult can it be to find people we can trust to represent us in our search for a good nights sleep? There must be people out there, in the service our country, that we can elect to protect the constitution and the protection our freedoms, which are found within it.

So our chore is to recognize these people. I think the people we are looking for would be ones that are trying to help us feel safe not people that say ‘Be afraid, be very afraid!’ The people we can trust are attempting to secure good jobs for us, jobs that have good benefits and a future in the 21st century. We need jobs that help us to provide for our needs not jobs that fulfill our wildest dreams and wants. We need jobs that repair and extend our infrastructure. We need jobs that clean up our environment and make our world a safer place within which to live.

We do need military protection but we do not need to fight all of the world’s injustices. We do need to share our knowledge but we do not need to maintain the infrastructure of the world beyond our borders. We do need to be part of the world’s might but we do not need to be the world’s police force.

We need to be the best example of what a country can be, a country where people, all of the people, feel safe and supported. We need to be the country where injustice is not tolerated. We need to be the best example of what is possible.

As you find people who understand this, vote for them and we will all feel safer. It’s not that difficult.

And if you want to be elected speak to us about how you will help us provide for our needs. We, the working people of this country, are the majority. Speak to us honestly and openly and we will choose safety and through hard work. Speak to us about homes, health care, training/education, retirement, the defense and general well being of our country. But most of all speak to us about jobs, 21st century jobs.

Reposesed Republic

On January 20th, 2008 we will reposes the republic. A large dumpster will be needed to get rid of all of the garbage and much of the first few weeks and months will be spent repairing what the previous residents have trashed, not the least of which is the constitution. We need to be protected.

I am just one man and there are much stronger forces out there that do not necessarily have my best interests in mind as they go about their daily business.

I believe that with President Obama on watch we can look forward to a brighter future. I feel like I can let down my guard a bit now that I have a high level of trust in our representatives.

Please build me a safe house where I can grow old and watch the next generation succeed.

By Losing they won.

During an interview I heard a conservative talking head say this about the 2008 Presidential election, 'It's no big deal.' And for the people who did not vote or did not vote for Obama and Biden I guess it wasn't a big deal, for in loosing they won.

For the vast numbers of middle class and 'average Joe' Americans the election of a party that will make us safer on all levels was a win; safer roads and bridges (more jobs), better schools - smarter kids (more jobs), more complete and competent national security (more jobs), better health care (more jobs), and fewer wars.

And they will get a tax break to, now that's sweet.

With any luck at all there will be a push to increased the mental health benefits too and if we can just get the conservative right to go to mental health counseling maybe they would see who is fighting for them and who is just out to use them and is always just fighting for themselves.

We can only hope.

Minority Rules?

Why does the Christian Right think they can dictate to our country? They have this bizarre belief that they are a majority here. And those that are bright enough to realize that they are not believe that 'God' is on their side and so they know what happens after death and how it is decided who is punished and who is rewarded. And we're not talking 71 virgins (which, by the way, is translated some places as '71 white raisins'!). All belief in the afterlife that includes exclusion and punishment of some and inclusion and rewards for others is dangerous. Because those that are labeled as being in the 'reward group' see those in the 'to be punished group' as a threat. This leads to many bad scenarios. But I digress.

If someone is going to be operated on, if we are building a rocket to the moon, or a bridge across a river or even if you are just looking for a piece of art for your living room, you look for the best and brightest to accomplish these things. You make your choice on the perceived competence of the builder involved.

As much as I value my friends I am not going to turn to them to do my dental work or even clean my teeth! When I want to get something done I find the best person I can higher to accomplish the task. I don't ask them who they voted for in the last election or what their beliefs are about an afterlife. I go the the local records department and see if the are licensed and bonded and find out what kind of legal action has been brought against them in the realm of their expertise.

The religious right is so stupid on so many levels when they vote as a block to support the Republicans who say they are against a woman having control over their own body and against all people having the right to chose whomever they want as a loving and legal life partner. Morality can not and should not be legislated. You can not control what I think or believe. Any one who votes for a representative with out regard to the candidates views on how tax burdens are to be set (the more you make the more you contribute to the general good?) and distributed in an effort to keep us all safe, healthy and educated (sewers, health care, law enforcement, infrastructure, jobs, education, environment, foreigner policy) is not voting in their own best interest.

Our country is too important to put in the hands of any but the best and brightest representatives. If our government is filled with intelligent, competent individuals we have a chance to accomplish not only the mundane that keeps our country healthy from day to day but also the unforeseen. We need people making these most important decisions that are brilliant, not merely the average Joe.

There is nothing I won't do for my grand child and that includes vote. And I am voting for smartest people I can find that make their decisions based on deliberation not on some set of rules that were written down sixteen hundred to two thousand years ago or maybe more. It is the twenty first century and our human history must be used as a guide not a template.

Day One?

With all the noise that was made about weather or not President Obama would be ready on 'Day One' I think it is wonderful to see that it seems like he will be ready on about Day Minus 65!

Special?

Why do so many of the residents of the United States of America think they are some how special? Our country is special. We have an unusual constitution and we have been unusually successful as a nation when compared to most other modern countries. We have a special collection of natural resources within or borders, but we as a people are no different than any other nation of people.

All nations have people who love their children and want a better, safe and comfortable world for them to grow up in. We all as individuals want to prosper and most feel an impulse to do the right thing. And every nation has its bad people.

So where does the American arrogance come from, the ugly American that makes unreasonable demands and expects other nations to bow to our their? Would it be so bad if we were no longer considered to be the biggest, baddest nation on earth? If we were number two or three or twenty three? Would we be a better, more humble resident of this planet? Would we loose the ugly arrogance that the rest of the world finds so offencive?

And if we are actually the best, biggest and brightest nation in the world do we have to keep bragging about it?

"Hey U.S., I think you have an inferiority complex. If you were really so great I think you would just shut up and be great!"

I think it is time the United States of America grows up and quits throwing its weight around. As President Clinton said I think the people of the world "... are more impressed by the power of our example then they are by the example of our power."

The best leaders seldom get their way because it is a good leaders most important task to discern the will of the people and then see that it comes to fruition. Only the worst leaders try to impose their will on their followers.

We now have an amazing leader and it is time for our wonderful nation to follow President Obama's example. We must each be mature and responsible examples of positive, adult leadership and as representatives of this wonderful nation we must lead and stop trying to impose our will on the rest of the world.

It's the responce, Stupid!

A crisis does not make the man. It is the response to the crisis that defines who we are. In fact a crisis can make you a better person. It can make you understand and appreciate your self better. A crisis is an opportunity to prove your abilities to others if not if not your self.

A crisis can not be blamed for your defeat. The person who was defeated must take that responsibility.

Imperfect

If you think President Obama fails please ask if it is because he chose not to succeed or because the task has insurmountable requirements or maybe because your expectations are unreasonable.

I trust President Obama. He is a brilliant man with the best interests of the United States of America at heart. He wants me to be happy. He wants me to be comfortable. He wants me to be successful. He wants be to be healthy. If I am not, it is not up to him to reach into my life and make it so.

I believe he will do everything in his power to give me the tools and resources I need to reach my goals. And when he fails I will ask why but not blame him even if it is his fault. For I am an imperfect man.

Next

We have been given permission to do what is right. Next comes the difficult and long task of building a safe and fair home of the free and land of the brave.

Now let's get to work and if you need help you are not alone.

Power Managment

President Obama is now tasked with the daunting task of distributing the finite power of his office. He will disappoint some and anger others but I am confident that he will make the best use of the power he has been charged with.

For the first time in many years the United States of America is on a positive path of change and President Obama is the one we need to effectively pilot us into the twenty first century. I trust him and I hope he quickly has enough obvious success so that those who did not support him this election season are convinced that they too can and should support his lead.

President Obama

General Barack Obama, I am looking forward to watching you ascend to commander-in-chief and choose your generals. I don't expect the transition to be easy but I have faith that it is something you can do and do well. Sleep well, the world is a better place now because you are here to lead us.

dF

VOTE

On 9/11 we were attacked. In part it was an attempt to cripple us financially. Our greed and over the top life stile are an affront to much of the world.

What was not accomplished then has been accomplished by greedy, self absorbed CEOs who don't care about any one but them selves.

I do not know any one who makes $250,000 a year and would like to make one third that much. I could live quite comfortably on $83K a year.

Please vote and help me get our country back.

"We the people, in order to form a more perfect union..."

dF

Why can't the fishermen kill the sealions?

PETS!

Why are pets allowed in public? Why am I having to avoid them? Why don't they have to stay on private property?