Random Thoughts Thread

[dsheinem]

It's very clear to me that what Hobby Lobby is doing has less to do with religious beliefs and more to do with financial concerns. They're just using religion as an excuse because it turns an otherwise hopeless fight into a national controversy.

This is a company that has recently been taken to court for deceptive advertising, keeping items on sale permanently and pretending their retail price is a sales price. I don't think they truly care about any sort of theological morality.

Hobby Lobby sucks.

Are you suggesting that the controversy helps their bottom line or that they are somehow saving a lot of money by not providing four specific drugs? They've been making more money every year (annual revenues are regularly going up and they are expanding) and aren't publicly traded, so I don't think it is a money thing (other than avoiding fines for taking their particular moral stance).

[dsheinem]

It's very clear to me that what Hobby Lobby is doing has less to do with religious beliefs and more to do with financial concerns. They're just using religion as an excuse because it turns an otherwise hopeless fight into a national controversy.

Um.....and they are trying to same money on contraception? It's not exactly cancer therapy

The religious contraception debate is an excuse to not be forced to offer medical coverage, period.

Maybe I misunderstand the ruling, but they aren't being exempted from Obamacare as a whole, right?

[Gunstar Green]

Maybe I misunderstand the ruling, but they aren't being exempted from Obamacare as a whole, right?

Honestly I've not been following the whole debacle too closely, but I recall that was their initial goal early in this fight. It does appear the ruling doesn't allow them to opt out completely though, you're right.

[the King]

So if I am a muslim/jew and I start a firm in America does that mean I can "force" all women who work for me to wear a hijab? Either hide your skin and hair or you're fired?


Also fighting so hard for the rights of sperm and an egg, only to be so against free healthcare/education and in general supporting the baby that will be born from that sperm and egg till it's able to become independent, imo goes against everything the bible teaches, that's what I meant with my comment.

There is no such thing as free healthcare/education. Someone has to pay the bill.

[ZeroAX]

There is no such thing as free healthcare/education. Someone has to pay the bill.

Yeah so? That's the point of grouping up into an entity known as a "state" or "country". Individuals getting together with rules working for the greater good. And if I am healthy and someone else has cancer, I consider it the greater good to take some of my taxes to help him through his sickness.

[mjmjr25]

That grouping is into a socialist state as you describe. One of the problems of socialist policy is abuse. You have an illness and can't work; your neighbor also claims to have illness and can't work - but everyone who sees him riding his bike and smoking his government paid for cigs knows he can. Communisim / socialism / equality sound great in theory of course, but rarely are they not abused. Man is fallible and no matter how good the man, he is man and will be seduced on some level by power, money, property, opportunity, sex or other. There is no perfect government governed by man.

I had a pastor about 6-7 years ago now and he made a comment during his sermon to the effect, "I sincerely hope we all are voting for Mr. Obama - so we can really get help to those who need it." He continued on with an anti-conservative, anti-republican rant. Now I personally don't get too wrapped up on politics and I won't bore you with why and my incessant "this is all temporal, it's serious, but it isn't actually serious" commentary. I'll tell you this though, I was offended that our pastor was commenting on politics - it is something very rarely done in the Methodist church. There is a sense of pride in our tolerance, understanding, and our want to help others and not seek credit or other addulation. I approached him after the sermon and told him I was surprised at his comments about suggesting it would be "wrong" to vote republican.

He said (and I remember it well), "Mike, don't you want to help those who struggle, those who are dismissed, those who don't get fair treatment?" I said, "Of course, I believe as many republicans want that as democrats, I believe they see different means to accomplish that." He said, "But wouldn't it be great if we could make it happen? Get this money to those who need it". I said, "Wouldn't it be great if we could make it happen on our own, without a government determining who should and shouldn't get help?"

The point being - we should be able to take care of each other, give our time, our money, and our energy to those we believe we should give it to. We shouldn't be so robotic we need government entities to determine where our money and time should go. If I want to give time or money to the local CHUM, or Planned Parenthood, or Healthcare for the poor, i'd like to achieve a system where we as individuals determine what we choose to give. If we are as good as we believe we are - there should be no problems taking care of each other and there would be greater individual investment both as giver and recipient.

[ZeroAX]

No one claims a sickness and doesn't work. People claim a sickness and get meds for it. And it's not socialist it's called a welfare state and it's provided by MANY capitalist countries like the UK, Sweden, Germany ect. Maybe if you guys researched more how things work abroad, or travel more often you'd see how there are a lot of things you can learn from other nations.

And I've lived in America, I loved many things about it as a country, but man education and health care is really NOT one of them.

[MrPopo]

Maybe if you guys researched more how things work abroad, or travel more often you'd see how there are a lot of things you can learn from other nations.

That's how we know you're not an American; you think you can learn things from other countries

[TSTR]

Yo, this ish getting into "So the whole world is kind of falling apart" thread territory. Can we talk about poop or something?

I've been eating a ton since being sick, and my BM's have been wonderfully solid and girthy. Big improvement over my gastrointestinal state while in Mexico.

[dsheinem]

Can we talk about poop or something? I've been eating a ton since being sick.

I think we've gotten to the bottom of your problem.