I cannot believ he said that in public - what an unparalleled and ignorant remark - there is no cause that supports slavery. Let the chips fall on the right decision and not chance your fate on supposition. P.s. I agree with Bill and Archer AL destroyed the Republic.

Nothing is that simple...

Precisely! – It seems there must be a crisis or a catastrophe to allow new laws to be created and therefore the origin of the crisis or catastrophe is highly suspect. All this we allow to happen while we sit comfortably in our armchairs. If we would only elect representatives into the halls and corridors or power that were educated and had a history of intellectual political rhetoric much of what we are now experiencing would not happen. And, maybe just maybe a new age of enlightenment would twinkle on the horizon.

This is a reflection of our government and society today. When we elect our representatives to the highest offices in government that we know to be ignorant (usually corruption follows) then it is us who are the ultimate sovereignty that should be prosecuted - and I think that is now taking place.

You expect otherwise from me Right! - A great Welshman

Excellent reply Dick - don't let these bully's deter you from good thinking and sound judgment. Socialism as in social reform social this social that means a group being social no more no less - it also means helping those who are unable to fend for themselves and who unable to afford the medical care they need and shelter - it protects them from the greedy, the bully's of this world, the Scrooges and the uncompassionate. What codswollop to align socialism with communism and fascism. If you want no quarter on Liberty read F.A.Harpers definition - by the way I disagree with that too.

So, what's the point.... that we go back into our caves...

Excellent Mencken...

What absolute balderdash – it’s about time we stop this rubbish concerning the armed forces and killing our young men and women – of course it is voluntary but that does not mean every decision that is made by your President must be obeyed – authority must always be questioned – it is this mindless duty without question that is the cause of wars. You, yes you, have the power to stop wars not the President – if we said no this WAR is not a right then it would revert back to people power. We follow blindly – so you volunteer to serve your country which is most admirable and brave of you, does that give you the right to kill on behalf of your government in wars that are not just? Are you not allowed to question why? The war machine and its propaganda ministers are well versed in the use of words such as patriotism, loyal, freedom, and democracy. The public is ignorant to the reasons for war and the reality behind its decision - we just go along blindly under the banner of patriotism and loyalty to our leader. The news media is to frighten to provide opposition as its finances are based on popular opinion and commerce (greed). And individuals are afraid to say NO, this was is wrong. As Russell said ‘ War does not determine who is right only who is left.

Editor - what were you thinking - at last we all are 100% in agreement.

Well said Daniel Webster - there should be a mechanism to rein in the powers of the President (especially a President not voted in by a majority of the American people and where MANY voting irregularities took place) and his cohorts when they go berserk as they have demonstrated these last 6 years or more. By the way, it was German that nearly became the first language of America.

Cherry picking at its best... and those who harvest have their own baskets.

9-11 was a criminal act not an act of War between nations - thanks for the Kool aide

As a Democrat, liberal and socialist, I gave it 5 even though it may not be probable...

Today the political spectrum swing very much the other way - its the intolerance of non-religious elements and minorities that we need now to confront - let's embrace our differences and export that instead of war.

Excellent definition and reason.

Perfect...

Valued obviously not by our government

The keys words here are 'for the development of individual lives' - it doesn't mean welfare or a dictatorial state. Presently, individuals exist for the development of the state – meaning King George and his cohorts. Sir Julian Huxley was an internationally acclaimed author and humanist and I think he knew exactly what he was saying.

But words are the cause of violence – for government to act forcibly they must first pass legislation - words. Common sense is the order of the day - if you insight violence through words then you are as much to blame as the assailant. Hitler used words to rally his support and the rest is history. The violence in our major religious books is without doubt the most insidious.

After yesterday, this is a good follow up.

Bruce, Concepts (ideas, plans, etc.) are just concepts and as you rightly say "concepts can't be denied" you can't deny an idea regardless of its ethics or its intangible qualities. Though you may deny a plan (concept) that doesn't work, like building a house on sand, teaching children calculus too early or too late, and so on -- you are not necessarily denying the concept but the results of the concept. Being caught up in the spirit of things is an easy concept to grasp; this is a primary reason why groups meet in the first place -- if I need to be caught up in the world of art I'll go to a discussion on art, or, I'll go to the local high school football game to be caught up in the spirit of football -- though there is another component to these analogies and that is simply 'a need to belong' a need to have companionship with your peers. I prefer the theory of action with regard to happiness and a belief in oneself -- concepts are good but they are empty without participation in that which you plan and experience. Kindness and compassion do not need praise, they are attributes of the living and what they do for each other. There is a part of me that has room for the power of the spirit but before that arena is open to the public I feel there are some real basic recipes we need to practice first. I believe religion (a belief of involvement in the divine) does fill a void for many people -- though it is my concept that this can only occur if you understand yourself and obtain the power from within before venturing into unknown territory -- peace and love for our fellow human beings can only come about from within us, and not on a pew.

Bruce you have a point and to that point one cannot claim that God (spirit) does exist - Kindness and compassion is my religion and that's not material. Though, I do like the Spirit concept you have and if that spirit has domain over us then I have some serious questions.

You don't need a dictionary to define morality you are the best judge of wrongness and rightness.

Well said Reston - today is proof Mr Adams didn't understand the implication of this myth. God please save me from your followers - what absolute poppycock – our founding Fathers knew well the reason for separation of state and church. Morality has nothing to do with religion, nothing what so ever. Religion is a belief in a divine being (not necessarily Christ or any other named God) and has very little to do with ethics and morality – just look at the history books, or more recently, those who profess to be Christian and their acts of immorality. I can’t believe this dialogue, it’s as if we are still in the middle Ages. Please, please do not confuse morality with religion – I’m afraid Mr Adams has it wrong this time. It’s kind, compassionate, and honest people that are the bulwarks of lasting liberty not religious fundamentalism. America has one of the highest numbers who profess to be religious (85%) and the highest numbers of regular church goers, yet we have the highest crime rates in the so-called “civilized” world. I have seen more good and more compassion by those who claim they are atheists than my religious brothers - read Roberts G. Ingersoll "If there is a God..." Why must we always align morality, "pure virture" and ethics with religion - these qualities have been around for a long time and well before Christ; they are even recorded in literature before Moses which was later plagerized into the Ten Commandments.