Staying Home to watch the Inaguration?

Throwing them all in jail isn't a bad idea. All of them. ....

I'm sure I'm going to get flamed for this, but this needs to be said.

I've heard it said that Obama has made history by being elected as the first African-American President in the history of the United States. I do know what they mean, and it is a valid point. However...... I'd like to propose something else:

Barak Obama is not the first African-American President of the United States.

Before you get angry about that, read on and see why.

For many many years we have heard about African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Italian-Americans, Jewish-Americans, etc., ad nauseum. While it is true that all these terms have American as the root, they still emphasize differences. "I am an African-American. You are not." I am an American. Period. This is not a country of people who are united by blood, religious beliefs, race, or any of that. This is a country where we are united by a shared belief that we are all equal, and deserve to live in freedom. We are Americans, and nothing but Americans.

If you choose to celebrate your heritage, great, I'm all for it. But you are not a part of any hyphenated group in this country, you are an American. I am an American. We are all together.

These hyphenated terms need to be dumped on the trash-pile of history and we all need to move forward as Americans, united by our one common cause, not divided by our differences that brought these hyphenated terms into play in the first place!

If only this were possible.

Yep, he did. Amazing how prejudice slides right through if the majority believes it. Atheists are not 'non-believers' by not believing in a theist point of view, any more than theists are non-believers for not joining in support of secular humanism. Both are beliefs. Pagans are not 'non-believers', even if many choose to not believe in the supernatural over the natural.

So evidently if you don't believe in one of the beliefs that Obama can get his head around, you are a non-believer. Sad.

There were better, much better ways, of saying it, as in 'a full spectrum of beliefs' or similar.

almost any religion is the belief in the supernatural.

almost any religion is the belief in the supernatural.

Yes; if there's no supernatural involved, then it's a philosphy, not a religion. More or less.

Anyways.....so where is the SL build reproducing the Inauguration?

Where's the Dick-Cheney-in-a-wheelchair avatar?

No. Most of the ones you accept, perhaps. Most pagan religions see it as an extension of the natural. Big difference.

Wrong. The split between the natural and supernatural is not the line between religion and philosophy. It may cater to a need for a belief in free will so everyone can believe they can instantaneously achieve an enlightened state beyond their worldly experience or something, but it isn't necessary for religion and many religions do not require or have a belief in the supernatural. Some of us believe it is enough to have a strong awareness of the natural. Talk to many of the Wicca, Druids, or followers of Gaia and other pagan religions, among others. Look up Religious Humanism. Maybe go beyond Wikipedia and actually read on the subject(s).

Many Buddhists do not believe in the supernatural, but, again, see all as an extension of the world, just perhaps not as many see it.

I hope he wasn't stupid enough to characterize non-theists as non-believers. Theists have as many things they choose to not believe in as non-theists. Those that choose to believe in the acceptable forms of the supernatural also have no monopoly on belief either.

I think Michelle Obabma will make a lovely First Lady. I loved the yellow dress she wore yesterday.

I actually looked at this as "We have made history in that enough of our country were able to get past the racial issues and elect a black person to be our leader". Given some of the racial issues that I still see going on in today's America, I am proud of my country for making that progress.

I'm sure I'm going to get flamed for this, but this needs to be said.

I've heard it said that Obama has made history by being elected as the first African-American President in the history of the United States. I do know what they mean, and it is a valid point. However...... I'd like to propose something else:

Barak Obama is not the first African-American President of the United States.

Before you get angry about that, read on and see why.

For many many years we have heard about African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Italian-Americans, Jewish-Americans, etc., ad nauseum. While it is true that all these terms have American as the root, they still emphasize differences. "I am an African-American. You are not." I am an American. Period. This is not a country of people who are united by blood, religious beliefs, race, or any of that. This is a country where we are united by a shared belief that we are all equal, and deserve to live in freedom. We are Americans, and nothing but Americans.

If you choose to celebrate your heritage, great, I'm all for it. But you are not a part of any hyphenated group in this country, you are an American. I am an American. We are all together.

These hyphenated terms need to be dumped on the trash-pile of history and we all need to move forward as Americans, united by our one common cause, not divided by our differences that brought these hyphenated terms into play in the first place!

You would like my husband. He happens to be a black man. Whaaa??? Did I actually say "black?" Yep, I sure did. If someone calls him African-American you will see the steam rise from his head. He will then inform them that he is not in Africa, he's never been to Africa, nor does he have any plans to ever go to Africa. He will then look you square in the eye and tell you he is an American, plain and simple.

God, I love him.

Read my sig.

Many Buddhists do not believe in the supernatural, but, again, see all as an extension of the world, just perhaps not as many see it.

You certainly do seem emotional about the topic. I would question whether the patronizing and even hostile tone of your post serves your purpose, but that's for you to learn through experience, I suppose.

At any rate, I don't see that you've made the case that "many of the Wicca, Druids, or followers of Gaia and other pagan religions" have no belief in the supernatural.

You could always try again (assuming we're permitted to go on discussing this).

many Buddhist.. in fact shall we say ALL Buddhists in Japan are are also Shintoists...

But to see something as an extension of the world because you want to or because it is part of your religion, doesnt make it any the less supernatural.

...bicycle racing... I am qualified to speak on them.

Typical definitions of supernatural:

1. Of or relating to existence outside the natural world.
2. Attributed to a power that seems to violate or go beyond natural forces.
3. Of or relating to a deity.
4. Of or relating to the immediate exercise of divine power; miraculous.
5. Of or relating to the miraculous.

3 does not make believing in the Green Man supernatural; it comes from the fact that many religions do have their deities as supernatural and 3 is an extension of that. All of the other definitions make the supernatural clearly NOT an extension of the natural, but coexisting along side it as a different existence. While the supernatural of Shintoism is not an area that I can speak, supernatural as an extension of the natural is not part of the Judeo-Christian theology, especially the Christian. So, yes, thinking my deities are part and parcel and completely of the natural world means that they are not supernatural. There are religions that believe that their deities have both natural and supernatural components (and certainly that could extend to the 'clay vessel' argument for the imperfect knowledge of Jesus Christ while on earth), but that is not what I believe and is not the standard explanation of most neopagan views of the deities. They ARE of this world.

Typical definitions of supernatural

So has everbody oredered their Commemorative Obama Plate?