Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Liberal obfuscation

2010-02-18T20:32:01Z

CarlSfromMN:

'''Liberal obfuscation''' refers to the tendency of [[liberal]]s to cloak misrepresentations of controversial issues, often by employing spin or [[Liberal wordiness|excessive wordiness]].

Examples of liberal obfuscation include:

* To cloak the idea that [[abortion]] carries a greater risk of breast cancer than childbirth, it is phrased as, "Abortion fails to provide the decrease in risk that giving birth provides."<ref>See [[Talk:liberal denial]].</ref>
* Instead of admitting that [[Democrats]] were wrong in opposing the [[Gulf War]], [[John Kerry]] stated, "There is not a right or wrong here. There was a correctness in the president's judgment about timing. But that does not mean there was an incorrectness in the judgment other people made about timing. ... Again and again and again in the debate, it was made clear that the vote of the [[U.S. Senate]] and the [[House]] on the authorization of immediate use of force on Jan. 12 was not a vote as to whether or not force should be used."
* Instead of apologizing for offensive statements, liberals will rely on their friends and supporters to claim that the statements were "misrepresented." For example, when [[Michelle Obama]] said that "for the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country," it was widely regarded as an unpatriotic or anti-American statement. ''The New Republic'' columnist Ed Kilgore, however, jumped to her defense by saying that her statement had been distorted and taken out of context.<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/30/opinion/main4220027.shtml], New Republic, Michelle Obama: Iron Woman, June 30, 2008</ref>
* Instead of utilizing a straightforward understanding of the Second Amendment, liberals make highly convoluted and wordy arguments in order to make it seem to allow heavy [[gun control]].



== See also ==

*[[Liberal style]]
*[[Liberal wordiness]]

== References ==
<references/>

==External Links==
*[http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/012/552odzio.asp?pg=1 How to Speak Liberal... Start by obfuscating]
*[http://dartreview.com/issues/2.17.99/obfuscate.html Obfuscation and Liberal Education]

{{liberalism}}

Talk:Liberal hate speech

2010-02-18T20:20:41Z

CarlSfromMN: /* "Others" */

== Examples ==
How is Limbaugh a person with disabilities? And how is hating Ann Coulter the same as hating women? I hate many men, but I don't hate men as a concept. Seems [[deceit|deceitful]] overgeneralization to me.-[[User:Baruch|Baruch]] 18:38, 18 August 2007 (EDT)
#deaf
#drug addicted (per ADA); incidentally, Limbuagh did not become drug addicted by use of street drugs, the physicians over-perscribed medication; this is a serious question some people have about modern medical ethics.
#back surgery which led to the drug addiction
#persistent weight problem. [[User:RobS|Rob Smith]] 18:00, 19 August 2007 (EDT)
::I'm not defending the liberals attacks on Coulter, mind you, but it seems to me that it's not hate speech. I read over your homosexuality articles, and you seem to agree with me that people have an overbroad definition of what constitutes a hate crime, and hate speech. However, this article is guilty of the same overgeneralization! In your own words, speaking out against a gay man isn't hate speech; just so, speaking out against a woman isn't hate speech against women. Would you like me to correct this article accordingly?-[[User:Baruch|Baruch]] 16:10, 19 August 2007 (EDT)
:For the time being, for the most part we have examples of hate speech directed against individual persons, and not necessarily against broad groups. But it's still hate speech. And I will produce enough evidence to fit the broader defintition. Likewise, we will not let go unexamined the regular 'class hate' liberals & communists employ. [[User:RobS|Rob Smith]] 18:00, 19 August 2007 (EDT)

*Unfortunately, most of what has been directed towards Coulter is indeed hate speech. They seek to apply false motives to her words, then repeat forever those falsification until people cannot tell what is false and what isn't, like the "Faggot" and "Jersey Girls" incidents. It is an organized leftist plan to marginalize and discredit her.

Definitions of Hate speech on the Web:

* type of speech which is used to deliberately offend an individual; or racial, ethnic, religious or other group. Such speech generally seeks to condemn or dehumanize the individual or group; or express anger, hatred, violence or contempt toward them.
www.historycentral.com/Civics/H.html

* Hate speech is a controversial term for speech intended to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against someone based on their race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. The term covers written as well as oral communication.
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech
--[[User:TK|şŷŝôρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|Ṣρёаќǃ]] 16:49, 19 August 2007 (EDT)

TK, I fixed your erroneous tabbing. But you miss the critical point: such speech must be ''because of'' race, ethnicity, etc., not just incidentally related to such traits. By your definition, saying "homosexuality is a sin" would be hate speech. That's a result that neither of us want.-[[User:Baruch|Baruch]] 16:51, 19 August 2007 (EDT)

*This isn't a Court of Law, Baruch. --[[User:TK|şŷŝôρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|Ṣρёаќǃ]] 17:13, 19 August 2007 (EDT)

Nor is it, apparently, a court of reason. I'm fighting a losing battle, so I'll go back to contributing. I'm here for the class, anyways, but maybe you guys should take some time to look over your reasoning.-[[User:Baruch|Baruch]] 17:28, 19 August 2007 (EDT)

*That won't be necessary. Godspeed, Baruch, Godspeed! --[[User:TK|şŷŝôρ-₮K]][[User_Talk:TK|Ṣρёаќǃ]] 17:49, 19 August 2007 (EDT)

== Liberal Hate Against Women ==

How can you justify this entry:

In August 2007, Democratic Presidential hopeful John Edwards viciously attacked social commentator Ann Coulter, calling the petite embodiment of women's aspirations for equality in the marketplace of ideas a "she-devil"

When Ann has been quoted as saying:

"I think [women] should be armed but should not vote. No, they all have to give up their vote, not just, you know, the lady clapping and me. The problem with women voting -- and your Communists will back me up on this -- is that, you know, women have no capacity to understand how money is earned. They have a lot of ideas on how to spend it. And when they take these polls, it's always more money on education, more money on child care, more money on day care."
[[User:PastafarianBeliver|PastafarianBeliver]] 12:25, 21 January 2008 (EST)

== This is all the Liberal Hate Speech they could find? ==

When you consider the stuff that comes out of Conservative Mouths every day about every minority in existence (Including the ones listed on this site), it really makes you wonder why they even bothered making this page. {{unsigned|Sirreality}}

== Which party is racist/sexist? ==

I've been noticing how conservapedia has been accusing democrats of be racist/sexist more and more frequently, but the two candidates for the democratic nomination are a woman and a black man. While the candidates for the republican nomination were all old white men. Now hating anyone for something they cannot control is one of the most vile and base things you can do. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have both had staffers who have said some things they should not have, but the point is that they are the candidates. I'm interested in other peoples opinions. [[User:Rellik|Rellik]] 18:23, 15 April 2008 (EDT)

== Colin Powell Removal ==

The quote has been up with a fact tag for over a week now. If a citation can't be provided by tomorrow morning, I am going to delete the quote. I think common practice should have the removal of examples or quotes when a fact tag is attached for at least 7 days. --[[User:Jareddr|Jareddr]] 11:52, 15 June 2008 (EDT)

==Howard Dean==
I don't see how the Howard Dean entry is an example of hate-speech directed against African-Americans, though since my edit was reverted I assume some people do. From my POV, it seems to be aimed against the Republican Party, rather than African-Americans. Not least since the quote was from a speech he gave in front of the African-American caucus according to the supporting citation. Now I know Mr Dean has a history of self-destructing on the campaign trail, but even he isn't *quite* that stupid! I realise that any quote is open to a degree of interpretation, so if someone reads it as offensive hate-speech, I respect that, but I'd prefer if they explained their POV --[[User:J00ni|J00ni]] 12:13, 6 July 2008 (EDT)
:The implication that I saw from Dean's quote was that Republicans are racist, which by and of itself is a lie. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] 12:19, 6 July 2008 (EDT)
::I totally agree with you on that point, and disagree with Dean's implication (since in my experience racism transcends political affilliations). However I still don't think that what he said counts as an example of hate-speech against African-Americans --[[User:J00ni|J00ni]] 12:22, 6 July 2008 (EDT)
:::Dean also referred to the hotel staff as being African-American in his little joke. That's a stereotype of them as being subservient, always carrying someone else's baggage; they've been portrayed that way in many books and films over the past 150 years. When Dean says that Republicans could only fill up the room with "people of color" by using the hotel staff, he's playing in to that stereotype. If you kept the joke, yet replaced Dean with Karl Rove, then the hue and cry of racism would make the front pages of every paper in the country. [[User:Karajou|Karajou]] 12:39, 6 July 2008 (EDT)
::::Firstly on the Karl Rove point, as I am not American I cannot fully relate to your analogy - but I think I see your point.

::::Whilst I see your point about black subservience, I think it is a somewhat tenuous link, and not hardly qualifying as 'hate-speech' (though perhaps a hypocritical inherent racism on Dean's part). And judging by the fact that Dean was not lynched by the audience, it would seem that they did not make the connection you suggest. Perhaps this would be better as an example of Liberal Hypocrisy than hate speech --[[User:J00ni|J00ni]] 12:48, 6 July 2008 (EDT)

I think you're both right, Jooni & Karajou. Specifically, it's liberal hypocrisy about speaking. Liberals claim to be upholding a standard when they criticize others, yet they violote the very same standard they profess to uphold.

Perhaps it would help to assemble half a dozen or more examples, and place them in a table. Liberal examples on the left (no pun intended ;-) and conservative on the right. We can compare the reaction or backlash to the remarks, based on their actual content. But I'm guessing the reaction will be skewed by the [[political spectrum|side]] the speaker is on much more than what they actually said. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 18:05, 8 July 2008 (EDT)

=="Others"==
The subhead "Against white males" was reverted and "Others" restored. Can it be substanitated with a citation to a law that white males are a "legally protected class" as the article's intro defines it? Likewise, the catchall "others" belongs at the bottom of the list as an afterthought being that it doesn't really even meet the qualifications as strictly here defined. [[User:RobSmith|Rob Smith]] 15:13, 18 February 2010 (EST)
:It was established, I believe, in ''Regents of the University of California v. Bakke'', that reverse-discrimination of that sort is against the law, so in that way white men are a "legally protected class." I am unsure if a racially motivated crime against a white person can be prosecuted as a hate crime. [[User:CarlSfromMN|CarlS from MN]] ([[User talk:CarlSfromMN|Talk]]) 15:20, 18 February 2010 (EST)

Talk:Liberal logic

2010-02-18T20:08:05Z

CarlSfromMN: /* Incorrect, not inconsistent */ new section

''that new laws reducing the gun ownership rate by 0.1% and a subsequent election of a left wing government are not linked''

What on earth is this tripe supposed to mean? If gun ownership had not been reduced by 0.1% a left wing government (where? how?) would not have been elected? How? By the 0.1% blockading the polling stations with their weaponry? Or is some other 'reason' bubbling away in the peculiar mind of whoever came up with such an argument? [[User:Sawneybeane|Sawneybeane]] 16:20, 15 February 2008 (EST)

: It's obvious. [[User:Ferret|-- Ferret]] [[User talk:Ferret|Nice old chat]] 17:13, 15 February 2008 (EST)

:: I see that this particular example of liberal logic has now been accepted as OK, and deleted from the article. [[User:Ferret|-- Ferret]] [[User talk:Ferret|Nice old chat]] 05:45, 23 February 2008 (EST)

:''"...the largely defensive weapon of gun..."'' I liked that actually! [[User:Feebasfactor|Feebasfactor]] 16:55, 15 February 2008 (EST)

== "except the conservative truth" ==

I wonder if anyone would agree that reverting my edit from reading "conservative views" to reading "conservative truth," and thereby implying that "conservatism = THE TRUTH" can be interpreted in light of items 3, 4, 7, 11, 12, and 19 of the [[extremism]] article.[[User:Rodney|Rodney]] 17:34, 16 February 2008 (EST)
:I'd say that article probably needs to be fixed for "[[liberal bias]]" anyway. [[User:Feebasfactor|Feebasfactor]] 18:42, 16 February 2008 (EST)
::ROFLMAO! [[User:Rodney|Rodney]] 18:43, 16 February 2008 (EST)

== Removed "poor" ==

A correlation absolutely can be disproved by a good counterexample. (Correlations are, by themselves, rather weak arguments anyway.) It's only ''poor'' counterexamples that could be considered an illogical refutation of a correlation. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 01:01, 18 February 2008 (EST)
:Ok, causation can also be disproved by a good counterexample. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 17:53, 18 February 2008 (EST)

:: Thanks for illustrating an embrace of [[liberal logic]], HelpJazz. Can you explain how to back up your statements?--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 18:09, 18 February 2008 (EST)

:::Please don't make accusations; you know I'm not a liberal, and it's kind of insulting to insinuate such. If you aren't going to allow discussion of the content then please lock down the page to save me the embarrasment.

:::I read the claims again and I guess I see where you are coming from. What I meant was that you can weaken a correlation by a good counterexample. I'm not sure if you can completely disprove it, but you are probably right there, as well.

:::"Causation" depends on how the English is structured. If you mean by "causation" that something is definitely or is assumed to be a causation, then you are right, it cannot be disproved by a counter example, because it is a causation and that's that. I took "causation" to mean the more general "claim of causation", since there really are no definite causations, in a technical sense. In this case, a claim of causation can be weakened by a counterexample, and even disproved, if the counterexample is good enough.

:::Off the top of my head this is what I mean: '''claim of causation''': ''All crimes are caused by hate.'' '''Counterexample''': ''This crime was caused by poverty.'' It's a poor example that I came up with off the top of my head, but clearly you can see that some claims of causation can be disproved by counterexamples. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 18:19, 18 February 2008 (EST)

:::: HelpJazz, you're adamant that [[liberal logic]] is correct, yet you can't show why. I never said that you are a [[liberal]], but you are insistent on this point of [[liberal logic]].

:::: Your explanation above simply demonstrates that a counterexample can disprove a claim of universality about "all". That's obvious, and obviously not what this entry is talking about.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 19:10, 18 February 2008 (EST)

:::::I'm not sure I could ever explain it to your satisfaction, so I guess there's no sense in trying. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 19:12, 18 February 2008 (EST)

:::::: HelpJazz, please do yourself a favor, and reject the [[liberal logic]]. I'm not spending my time on this for my sake, but for yours. You have [[free will]] to persist in a mistake, or to abandon it.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 19:52, 18 February 2008 (EST)

:::::::Thanks, I think. [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 01:20, 19 February 2008 (EST)

== Move on ==

Just a thought - it seems perfectly reasonable (and logical) to "move on" past the misdeeds of an '''ex'''-president, and equally reasonable to be concerned about those of a possible '''future''' president - whether McCain or Obama. Are you sure this is a good example of "liberal logic"? [[User:Humblpi|Humblpi]] 13:58, 24 February 2008 (EST)

== Um... ==

..."one athiest who remained sane"?! Are you implying that atheists, as a whole, are crazy? --[[Special:Contributions/AutoFire|trans]][[User:AutoFire|Resident Transfan]][[User Talk:Autofire|form!]] 17:37, 20 April 2008 (EDT)

: Many bright and famous people have gone crazy after embracing [[atheism]], such as [[Nietzsche]], and there is a correlation.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 19:14, 20 April 2008 (EDT)

:Can you show me one study that at all correlates atheism and mental insanity? [[User:AndrasK|AndrasK]] 21:21, 3 May 2008 (EDT)

:No, of course he can't. Because there are not any. Even if we did assume that Nietzsche's insanity was brought on by his atheism the correlation coefficient would be infinitesimal and statistically insignificant. Correlation on its own does not equal causation. There has to be some sort of reproducible mechanism. And that's assuming that we give him the case of Nietzsche, whose mental breakdown was clearly not brought on by an atheistic philosophy. [[User:Dduerr|Dduerr]] 3 June 2008

:: Dduerr, have you looked yourself for studies? Lots of examples to suggest a correlation, and causation.--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 17:14, 3 June 2008 (EDT)

:::Yes, I have. And I didn't find any. Since you seem to have had more success perhaps you could provide the citations? [[User:Dduerr|Dduerr]] 3 June 2008

==Fox News and Liberal Bias==

I think it's almost impossible to find a liberal who believes that Fox News has a liberal bias. Also this entry contradicts the [[Liberal denial]] article, which states that liberals tend to refuse to recognise bias in the media. [[User:StatsMsn|StatsMsn]] 21:09, 3 May 2008 (EDT)

== Um... (2.0) ==

Are any of the points on this article supposed to be the beliefs of liberals? Let me stress that I am not a liberal, but I do have friends that consider themselves liberals and this does not in any way resemble their beliefs.--[[User:JArneal|JArneal]] 20:36, 7 November 2008 (EST)

: You'll have to support your claim better than that. Or should we add your approach to the list?--[[User:Aschlafly|Aschlafly]] 20:40, 7 November 2008 (EST)

::As a Canadian, and thus, by American standards, a liberal, I can safely say this list is a load of bollocks and nothing more. [[User:HDCase|HDCase]] 21:07, 7 November 2008 (EST)

:: Aschlafly, you have to support ''your'' claim before you even make this topic an article. It isn't fair to group people together and insult them this way.

:: And why did you imply that I am a liberal? Please, tell me what it was about my statement that made me a liberal. I have already told you that I am not a liberal. Are you saying that just because I have some liberal friends I am a liberal? I'll have you know that I am at odds with them on many issues, and I debate with them almost every day! Do ''not'' put me in that group, especially since on this site, calling someone a "liberal" is an insult. --[[User:JArneal|JArneal]] 20:15, 14 November 2008 (EST)

== Remove "ideologically motivated" tags ==

By claiming that the tags are "ideologically motivated" does that mean you are claiming they are unnecessary? Don't hide behind "he's a liberal, he's a liberal" to avoid doing the work required by the Commandments. (Additionally, you *removed* citations by doing a blind reversion). Unless there's a real reason for undoing the fact tags, I'm going to put them back in (along with the other changes you removed). [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 18:01, 15 November 2008 (EST)

:If anyone thinks we need sources for these, please help me find quotes or examples. That is more productive than mass fact-tagging. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 20:55, 15 November 2008 (EST)

::I think the burden of proof falls on the person making the claim. --[[User:CPAdmin1|Tim]] (CPAdmin1)[[User talk:CPAdmin1|talk]] [[User:CPAdmin1/Polls|Vote in my NEW polls]] 20:58, 15 November 2008 (EST)
:::When I see <nowiki>{{fact}}</nowiki>-tags being placed on nearly every bullet point in such a long article, it certainly seems to be ideologically motivated -- you are questioning the entire validity of the article, rather than just one ore two points. Many of these points are clear, so the fact tags betray a case of [[deliberate ignorance]] and we won't cave into that time-wasting tactic. -[[User:Foxtrot|Foxtrot]] 06:30, 16 November 2008 (EST)
::::The difference comes when every statement where he didn't add a fact tag, he added a citation. Which leads me to believe that he did try to look for citations but couldn't find them. If he were truley "ideologically motivated" wouldn't it have been more effective for him to add fact tags to everything, so as to not provide any help to the opposing "ideology"? [[User:HelpJazz|Help]][[User talk:HelpJazz|Jazz]] 13:13, 16 November 2008 (EST) PS: you said "you are questioning the entire validity of the article, rather than just one or two points" -- So? What if the entire validity of the article is at issue?
:::::I can't speak for his motivations, I can only speak for the effect it creates: that the whole article looks like one big citation tag. The entire validity of this article is NOT at issue. It was created by Andy half a year ago and has had a large number of editors contribute and refine it. For Ferno to come in now and add cite tags to the majority of the points betrays either a wanton arrogance or else an ideological motivation. -[[User:Foxtrot|Foxtrot]] 02:49, 17 November 2008 (EST)

::::::The problem is, of the 31 points on there only 8 have citations. Many of the points just do not seem true to me, but I'm not going to get into an argument about that because I obviously have a bias. Many of them just appear to be insults and I wanted to see examples of them. '''[[user:FernoKlump|FernoKlump]]'''[[User:FernoKlump/petition|Look at this petition!]] 23:51, 17 November 2008 (EST)

::::::I think it's disturbing that some people think that an article is accurate just because it has existed a long time. I think it's even more disturbing that some people think that an article is accurate just because a sysop created it. No one is infallible.

::::::If an article has no sources to support it, it deserves to look like one big citation tag. Not that I would make an article that way. But for a user who has found a number of sources to be criticized for putting fact tags on the article he edited is unfair. The article has lasted long enough for someone to find sources, anyway. --'' '''[[user:JArneal|JArneal]]''' '' 18:23, 18 November 2008 (EST)
:::::::I think it's disturbing that you are blowing around a lot of talk. If the points are inaccurate, then disprove them! Did you consider that maybe the reason the article isn't crowded with citation tags is because the points are accepted to be true and the questionable ones have already been removed? We don't need citations for statements like "the sky is blue" or "Hilary is a liberal". -[[User:Foxtrot|Foxtrot]] 03:21, 19 November 2008 (EST)
::::::::I don't know how you would go about disproving some of these. For example, look at the second one. I have never heard ''anyone'' make that argument. You can't prove or disprove it because its just random. Besides, the commandments say everything that is posted should be true and verifiable. Logic dictates that this would mean when someone adds to an article they should use references, instead of just making it up off the top of their head. '''[[user:FernoKlump|FernoKlump]]'''[[User:FernoKlump/petition|Look at this petition!]] 09:48, 19 November 2008 (EST)
::::::::::Just to be clear, is this what you're referring to? ''insisting that someone needs to experience something (e.g., drugs, pornography, gambling, etc.) before being able to criticize it'' If so, I'm very surprised this is the one you chose. It's clear and flawed liberal reasoning: "don't knock it 'til you've tried it". They say you have to try something before you can have ''any'' basis for judging it as bad (funny how they don't pull this argument when a conservative judges something as good without having tried it). They will ask, "how can you ban homosexual marriage -- have you ever met a homosexual couple?" They might as well be asking "how can you ban homosexual activities -- have you ever seen them performed?" My natural revulsion at the thought gets labeled as "closed-mindedness", rather than the liberals being blamed for shoving such offensive thoughts into my face. This very "logic" is being used right here on Conservapedia, with the countless liberal-leaning editors who chastise me for having a negative opinion of [[Brokeback Mountain]] without having seen it. It's nonsense -- I know basically what the plot is about and can say with certainty that any positive picture it paints of homosexuality is nothing more than manipulation. But I'm being sidetracked -- to get back to the point, liberal logic diverts the issue at hand by flipping the playing field. Rather than them being on the offensive for making such wild points, they paint the conservative as being on the defensive for not wanting to open up to "new ideas". It's hogwash. -[[User:Foxtrot|Foxtrot]] 04:22, 21 November 2008 (EST)

::::::::If the statements were accepted to be true, then you're right, they would not need citations. But they are not accepted to be true, which is the point of the argument in the first place! If FernoKlump thought it was common knowledge, he wouldn't have placed fact tags. --'' '''[[user:JArneal|JArneal]]''' '' 18:15, 19 November 2008 (EST)
:::::::::JArneal, you're ignoring the point I already made, which is that they '''were''' accepted to be true, by Andy and the dozens of editors who have edited it in the half year it's existed. Ferno and you seem to be the only ones who suddenly have a craving to fact-tag the whole article and the more you insist to the contrary, the more it looks like [[deliberate ignorance]]. -[[User:Foxtrot|Foxtrot]] 04:25, 21 November 2008 (EST)

The Conservapedia Commandments state that everything must be true '''and verifiable'''. If it's common knowledge then it does not require a source, but in this case it is not common knowledge. For example, "insisting that someone needs to experience something (e.g., drugs, pornography, gambling, etc.) before being able to criticize it ". Is it common knowledge that liberals do this? Don't you think the point could be enhanced with an example or a source? And that is what I am asking for, sources. Not fact tags.Adding fact tags is a way of asking for sources. And don't confuse my motives. I have been contributing here since March and I have never vandalized or created parody. I have only worked toward bettering this wiki. So don't assume I am only a troll. '''[[user:FernoKlump|FernoKlump]]'''[[User:FernoKlump/petition|Look at this petition!]] 10:36, 21 November 2008 (EST)

:Don't worry, Klump. You do good work, and you're raising a good point. My complaint is directed only at those who use fact-tagging as a form of drive-by shooting. I may even have been the person who created the {{tl|fact}} template; I don't remember clearly that far back. We frequently do need to back up '''what we think is right''', and we conservatives should not expect a free ride. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 11:03, 21 November 2008 (EST)

::Klump, I found a cite for the point you isolated as particularly unverifiable. It took me less than a minute to find and I'm sure I could find other examples just as easily. This is not an obscure or tenuous point that is being made... -[[User:Foxtrot|Foxtrot]] 14:09, 21 November 2008 (EST)

:::You may have misunderstood me. I didn't say that point was particularly unverifiable, I said that it wasn't common knowledge. Earlier in the conversation I'll admit that I said that you couldn't prove or disprove it, but the point I was trying to make was that there wasn't a way to ''disprove'' it. That was a mistake on my part. But thanks for finding that source. I've added two already at the same time I added the fact tags. '''[[user:FernoKlump|FernoKlump]]'''[[User:FernoKlump/petition|Look at this petition!]] 18:37, 21 November 2008 (EST)

==Tags and locks==

If you spend more time justifying the placement of a fact tag than you spend on research, that is a great waste of effort. I thought this argument was settled earlier in this month, when I blocked someone for fact-tagging and then he outright refused to do any research.

Stop trying to "prove that CP is biased" with arguments on talk pages. You're not going to change anyone's mind that way. Unlike liberals, who go along with whatever their allies say, conservatives think for themselves and want to see evidence for claims.

So if you can disprove a conservative claim, by all means show some evidence that disproves it. Saying, "I already answered that" is as foolish as those academics interviewed on [[Expelled]] saying that evolution was "already proven".

Again: unlike liberals, we do not censor the opposing view here at CP. We provide them an opportunity to prove their case. I suggest you avail yourself of that opportunity. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 08:37, 21 November 2008 (EST)

:That might be difficult as long as the article is locked. . . . [[User:Sideways|Sideways]] 08:44, 21 November 2008 (EST)

::I just edited [[Liberal logic]]. Why did you say it was locked? --[[User:PoorBoy|PoorBoy]] 08:51, 21 November 2008 (EST)

:::Apologies. I tried to edit it earlier & couldn't. Maybe the overnight editing lock was still on. [[User:Sideways|Sideways]] 08:57, 21 November 2008 (EST)

No problem. I used this episode as food for thought and added 3 items to the [[liberal logic]] list. Hey, that reminds me: assuming that because something once was true, it still must be true. --[[User:Ed Poor|Ed Poor]] [[User talk:Ed Poor|Talk]] 09:00, 21 November 2008 (EST)

== Incorrect, not inconsistent ==

I removed several points from this list describing statements that were incorrect, but not logically inconsistent (''e.g.'', the "wondrous, pristine ANWR" point), which are probably more suited to the [[liberal lies]] article. [[User:CarlSfromMN|CarlS from MN]] ([[User talk:CarlSfromMN|Talk]]) 15:08, 18 February 2010 (EST)

Liberal hate speech

2010-02-18T20:02:42Z

CarlSfromMN: /* Against Jews */ Removing dead link.

'''Liberal hate speech''' is [[hate speech]], that is, widely provocative speech to denigrate a legally protected class or group of citizens defined by legislation, employed by [[liberals]]. Liberals claim to support [[tolerance]], but their use of liberal hate speech tends to put the lie to this claim.

==Against the disabled==

*Obama [[White House]] Chief of Staff [[Rahm Emanuel]] is reported to commonly denigrate persons he disagrees with as "retarded;" he was pointedly criticized for this by [[Sarah Palin]].<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/03/AR2010020303001_pf.html</ref>
*Former Vice President, Nobel Prize winner, and senior [[Democratic Party]] elder statesman [[Al Gore]] mocked children with Down syndrome by referring to his political critics as having "an extra chromosome."<ref>http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/miller200406010833.asp</ref>
*Liberal pundit and columnist [[Maureen Dowd]] referred to "extra chromosome conservatives" in an interview with [[Bill Maher]]'s on HBO. The [[National Down Syndrome Society]] issued a statement saying use of the term "extra chromosome" as a negative descriptor "is insensitive and demeaning to the more than 350,000 people in the United States who have Down syndrome, which occurs when there is an extra copy of the 21st chromosome. Regardless of who originally coined the term... Ms. Dowd has perpetuated it as a slur against hundreds of thousands of Americans who are contributing members of society and who deserve the same respect that we all expect."<ref>http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1195999/posts</ref>
*On March 3 2009, President [[Barack Hussein Obama|Obama]] ridiculed children with disabilities on [[Jay Leno]]'s program when answering a question about his bowling prowess. Obama said "It was like Special Olympics." <ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb-ZSZNaCc0</ref><ref>[http://weblogs.newsday.com/entertainment/celebrities_blog/2009/03/barack_obama_jay_leno_and_the.html Barack Obama, Jay Leno and the Special Olympics line] Newsday.com, March 20, 2009</ref> <ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs3aRxTTgaI&annotation_id=annotation_900911&feature=iv</ref> The CEO of the Special Olympics defended the program noting the President had "set us back decades with his comments."<ref>http://www.necn.com/Boston/Politics/2009/03/20/Obamas-comment-sets-us-back/1237552251.html</ref> Gov. [[Sarah Palin]], whose youngest son Trig was born with Down syndrome, observed, "This was a degrading remark about our world's most precious and unique people, coming from the most powerful position in the world." In her resignation speech as Governor of [[Alaska]], Palin stated:
<blockquote style="font-style: italic">[T]his decision comes after much consideration, and polling the most important people in my life - my children, where the count was unanimous. In response to asking: 'Want me to make a positive difference and fight for ALL our children's future from OUTSIDE the Governor's office?' It was four "yes's" and one "hell yeah!" ... much of it had to do with the kids seeing their baby brother Trig mocked by some pretty mean-spirited adults ..."<ref>http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/2009/07/full-text-of-palins-resignation-speech.php</ref></blockquote>
*News24 of South Africa has on its website an obituary for [[Ronald Reagan]] entitled, ''Gay about Reagan's death''. <ref>[http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1538744,00.html ''Gay about Reagan's death''], News24, 07/06/2004.</ref> and quotes Jon Beaupre, a gay journalist and Los Angeles radio talk show host as saying, "I have a feeling that an awful lot of [[gay]] people are going to be cheering, that 'Ding-dong! The wicked witch is dead'."
*Actor [[George Clooney]] is unapologetic about tasteless ridicule of an [[Alzheimer's]] sufferer:

<blockquote style="font-style: italic">
:'''KURTZ:''' O'Reilly also criticized you for making a joke about [[Charlton Heston]], the former NRA chief, having Alzheimer's.

:'''CLOONEY:''' Yes.

:'''KURTZ:''' Was that in poor taste in retrospect?

:'''CLOONEY:''' Yes, oh, yes. It was in poor taste. It was a funny joke. It was in a room of 100 people. Yeah, (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I have a lot of good friends who -- in fact, I have a very good friend who is dying of Alzheimer's. And it was just a funny joke. <ref>[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0310/26/rs.00.html Interview With George Clooney], Transcript CNN Reliable Sources, October 26, 2003.</ref></blockquote>

*Multi-billionaire Democratic Party donor [[George Soros]], on [[CNN]], groundlessly compared President [[George W. Bush]], who may suffer from dyslexia,<ref>http://books.google.com/books?id=Wty3o92hyigC&pg=PA43&dq=George+Bush%2Bdyslexia#v=onepage&q=George%20Bush%20dyslexia&f=false</ref> to [[Nazi]]s.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DuafAqAHrc</ref>

*[[Democratic]] Senator [[Al Franken]] of Minnesota peddled a book entitled ''[[Rush Limbaugh]] is a Big, Fat, Stupid Idiot'', viciously ridiculing a person struggling with obesity and deafness.

* In 2007, [[White House]] Press Secretary Tony Snow announced his cancer had returned. Commentators on the left-wing [[Daily Kos]] website remarked, "the world would be better off without him".<ref>http://www.dekalb-chronicle.com/articles/2008/10/30/opinions/national_columnists/doc4906535aad7b3848499949.txt</ref>

*[[Liberal]] talk radio host [[Mike Malloy]] lashed out at [[conservative]] commentator [[Glenn Beck]], a recovering [[alcoholic]], told his radio audiend "I have good news to report. Glenn Beck appears closer to suicide. I'm hoping that he does it on camera....given his alcoholism and his tendencies towards self-destruction, I am only hoping that when Glenn Beck does put a gun to his head and pulls the trigger, that it’s on television, because somebody will capture it on YouTube and it will be the most popular little piece of video for months."<ref>http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=52109</ref>

*Congressional [[Democrats]] wrote into the so-called "[[health care reform]]" bill of 2009, the outdated and offensive language, "A hospital or a nursing facility or intermediate-care facility for the ''mentally retarded'' . . ." (emphasis added).<ref>http://www.nypost.com/seven/07262009/news/nationalnews/retarded_house_bill_181448.htm</ref> Families of the learning-disabled, mental health experts, and advocates were outraged at the insensitivity of the proposed language in the new law (a rare example of liberals criticizing their own, albeit hypocritically).<ref>http://patterico.com/category/political-correctness/</ref>

==Against women==

*In August 2007, former [[Democratic]] Presidential, Vice-Presidential candidate and amateur [[pornographer]]<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/06/29/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5122267.shtml CBSNews.com], June 29 2009.</ref> Senator [[John Edwards]] viciously attacked social commentator [[Ann Coulter]], calling the petite embodiment of women's aspirations for equality in the marketplace of ideas a "she-devil" <ref>[http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/08/edwards-calls-c.html Edwards Calls Coulter 'She-Devil'], ''ABC News'', August 17, 2007.</ref>
*Liberal "comedian" and "entertainer" [[Sandra Bernhard]] made extraordinary offensive, vicious, despicable and threatening remarks to Gov. [[Sarah Palin]] during a so-called "comedy performance" before a paying audience.<ref>http://beltway.blips.com/video/sandra_bernhard_dishes_sarah_palin_at_theater_j/</ref>
*During the 2008 Presidential election campaign season, Barack Obama compared Sarah Palin to a pig. <ref>http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3473318/9666330</ref>
* 'Alternative' comedian [[Ben Elton]]'s repeated references to [[Margaret Thatcher]] as 'a mad old cow', a sexist jibe that belied his supposed pro-feminist stance. <ref>http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/feature/44</ref>
*Dana Milbank hosted a comedy sketch matching various politicians to types of beer; [[Sarah Palin]] was matched to "Arctic Devil" and [[Hillary Clinton]] to "Mad B****."<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YArTpukehYY</ref> This caused the [[feminist]] group, the ''Center for New Words'', to demand that the sketch's sponsor, the ''Washington Post'', fire everyone involved with it.<ref>http://www.centerfornewwords.org/wam/wapoletter.php</ref>

==Against African-Americans==

*The tell-all book ''Game Change'' reports that Senate Democratic Majority Leader [[Harry Reid]] said America would vote for Barack Obama because he was a "light-skinned" African-American "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."<ref>http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=35188</ref>

*Former Democratic President [[Bill Clinton]], when asking Sen. [[Ted Kennedy]] for his endorsement of [[Hillary Clinton]], said of Obama: "A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee."<ref>http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=35188</ref>

*[[U.S. Supreme Court]] Justice [[Clarence Thomas]] has been the relentless target of the most vile liberal hatred since his appointment, being viewed as a "race traitor" on account of his [[conservative]] views.

*[[Colin Powell]] is a respected and popular statesman who rejected offers to be drafted for President in 1996. In an interview, [[liberal activist]] Harry Belafonte, who is also African-American, stated, "There are those slaves who lived on the plantation, and there were those slaves who lived in the house. You got the privilege of living in the house if you served the master to exactly the way the master intended to have you serve him. That gave you privilege. Colin Powell is permitted to come into the house of the master, as long as he will serve the master according to the master's dictates." <ref>[http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/01/30/157217&mode=thread&tid=25 Interview with Harry Belefonte], ''Democracy Now'', January 30th, 2006.</ref> In a highly visible action reminiscent of the [[Maoist rectification]] campaign, Powell later admitted to errors and his reputation partially rehabilitated among [[leftist]]s by endorsing Barack Obama for President in 2008.

*Former [[Vermont]] [[Governor]] and current DNC chairman, [[Howard Dean]] joked during a speech, “You think the Republican National Committee could get this many people of color in a single room? Only if they had the hotel staff in here.” <ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17718-2005Feb11.html], The Special-Interest Group Hug, Feb 12th, 2005 </ref>

*Leftist "entertainer" [[Sandra Bernhard]] described what in her view is stereotypical of the behavior of African American men in Manhattan.<ref>http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tim-graham/2008/09/19/sandra-bernhard-palin-would-be-gang-raped-blacks-manhattan</ref>

*Senator [[Barbara Boxer]] ([[Democratic Party|D]]-[[California|CA]]) made racially condescending remarks to the CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce during a Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee hearing on [[Global warming]].<ref>http://www.breitbart.tv/god-awful-black-chamber-of-commerce-ceo-rips-sen-boxer-for-condescending-racial-remarks/</ref>

==Against Hispanics==

*[[Alberto Gonzales]], the first Hispanic U.S. Attorney General, was consistently mocked on liberal websites as "Alberto 'Speedy' Gonzales" <ref>[http://boards.historychannel.com/thread.jspa?threadID=800028910&start=0 ''Speedy Gonzales to Resign''], Aug 27, 2007. Retrieved from History.com message boards August 30, 2007.</ref> during his tenure. Speedy Gonzales is a reference to a disparaging stereotypical cartoon character of Hispanics that Hollywood attempted to popularize in the 1950s and 60s. Upon his retirement, ''[[NBC News]]'' anchor [[Matt Lauer]] called Gonzales "a piñata" for the Democrats.<ref>http://newsbusters.org/static/2007/08/2007-08-28-NBC-TDYpinata.rm</ref>

==Against Jews==

*Rev. [[Jesse Jackson]] said on January 25, 1984, "all Hymie wants to talk about, is Israel; every time you go to Hymietown, that's all they want to talk about." <ref>[http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=187440 Jesse and the Jews], Michael W. Hirschorn, ''The Harvard Crimson'', March 05, 1984.</ref>

*[[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals]] (PETA) equated the victims of [[National Socialism]] with slaughterhogs and broiler chickens in a fundraising effort.
[[Image:PETAHolocaust plate.png|thumb|400px|right|Image from a PETA fundraising effort. The group claimed, "Six million Jews died in concentration camps, but six billion broiler chickens will die this year in slaughterhouses." [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/12/21/INGH63PBJ81.DTL]]]

*Anti-war activist [[Cindy Sheehan]] said "Casey was killed for lies and for a [[PNAC]] Neo-Con <ref>[http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=vx&list=h-antisemitism&month=0304&week=&msg=4zdiWX1EuCVzeRLDdQySKA&user=&pw= 'Neo-conservative' is a codeword for Jewish], Dr. Barry Rubin, director of the Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Institute, Interdisciplinary Center of Herzliya, H-Net discussion April 6, 2003.</ref> agenda to benefit Israel", <ref>National Review, [http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=N2FjYjA3NDU2NThiZjI4YzFkYTdkZmViY2M5M2U4MTE= ''Dear Useful Idiot''], Catherine Seipp, May 26, 2006. </ref> accusing members of a vast right-wing Jewish conspiracy of being responsible for her son's death to benefit Israel.

*Former First Lady and Secretary of State [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]] referred to a campaign subordinate as a "Jew bastard."<ref>[http://www.amazon.com/State-Union-Complex-Marriage-Hillary/dp/0060193921]</ref><ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3827/is_200007/ai_n8910772 Did Hillary commit a hate crime?], Human Events, July 28, 2000. </ref><ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/US_election_race/Story/0,,344475,00.html Hillary faces voters' wrath for alleged ethnic slur], Michael Ellison, London Guardian, July 18, 2000.</ref><ref>[http://www.sobran.com/columns/1999-2001/000718.shtml Hillary’s Manners], Joseph Sobran, July 18, 2000.</ref><ref>[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=15015 I agree with Clinton!], Joseph Farah, WorldNetDaily, July 20, 2000.</ref>

*[[Richard Dawkins]] claimed that Jews "more or less monopolize American foreign policy." His comments have been criticized by the Anti-Defamation League as "classic Anti-Semitism."<ref>[http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/134346 Dawkins: Jews Control US Policy], Israel National News, October 8, 2007.</ref>

*[[Ward Churchill]] was referring to the victims of the 9/11 attacks as "little Eichmann’s", comparing them to the infamous Nazi leader.

*[[Barack Obama]]'s pastor and mentor [[Jeremiah Wright]], being asked a question about Obama, said, "Them Jews aren't going to let him talk to me." The story was buried by the liberal-aligned [[MSM]].<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06/10/wright-suggests-jews-white-house-wont-let-speak-obama/</ref>

*Rev. [[Al Sharpton]] picketed a Jewish store in Harlem, NY over a landlord dispute. Sharpton personally incited the protesters chanting 'bloodsucking Jews.' When it was all over, a protester ran into the store shooting people and set the place on fire. <ref>[http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110004192 Democrats Embrace 'Impresario of Hatred'] Wall Street Journal, October 20, 2003</ref> Sharpton also played a part in inciting the [[Crown Heights riot]] by referring to the Jews of the area as "diamond dealers."

==Against South Asians==

*[[Michael Moore]] affecting a mock Indian accent live on air and ridiculing CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta's name. <ref>[http://www.racewire.org/archives/2007/07/moore_attacks_cnn_network_spew.html Moore attacks CNN network, spews anti-South Asian sentiments], ''RaceWire.org'', July 10, 2007.</ref>

==Against Christians==

*[[Extremist]] [[Katherine Yurica]] stated the [[Republican Party]] gained power through "[[Hitler]]ian tactics", that [[evangelical]] leaders from [[Billy Graham]] to [[Jerry Falwell]] "had to have read Hitler’s [[Mein Kampf]]," and that [[Christian]]s have "[[fascist]]ic tendencies."<ref>[http://www.ird-renew.org/site/apps/s/content.asp?c=fvKVLfMVIsG&b=494491&ct=928973 ''President Bush Called “Evil,” Evangelicals Equated With Nazis at NCC-Supported Conference''], John Lomperis, The Institute on Religion and Democracy. </ref><ref>[http://the-fourth-world.blogspot.com/2006/11/apocalypse-no-christian-fascism-and.html Apocalypse No! Christian Fascism and the Nazi Legacy], Apocalypse No! An Indigenist Perspective, by Juan Santos, November 01, 2006.</ref><ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:Requests_for_comment/Pravknight#POV_editing Wikipedia talk:Requests for comment/Pravknight/POV editing], Retrieved from Wikipedia October 22, 2007.</ref>

*[[Richard Dawkins]] in his 2006 book ''The God Delusion,'' states fundamentalist religion "saps the intellect,"<ref>[http://www.sciencefriday.com/pages/2006/Oct/hour2_100606.html Sciencefriday.com page on Dawkins]</ref> and refers to belief in [[God]] as a "mind-virus."<ref>[http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/47052/ The Dawkins Delusion] by Alistair McGrath</ref>

*Liberals and [[liberal Christian]]s regularly promote their [[theory of Fundamentalist anti-Semitism]], a long-standing hoax falsely accusing [[Conservative Christian]]s of anti-Semitism. In reality, a 30 year study of the [[liberal Christian]] magazine ''[[The Christian Century]]'' concluded that it was in fact consistently anti-Semitic.

*In his latest book ''The Resilience of Conservative Religion'' (2002), [[liberal]] professor of sociology [[Joseph B. Tamney]] puts Christian conservatives into the same religious category as one of the most radical and most hate-filled Islamic figures of the late 20th century: [[Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini]].

==Against prominent conservatives==

* A written response about [[Vice President of the United States of America|Vice President]] Dick Cheney's trip to [[Afghanistan]] and an attempt against his life "Better luck next time" <ref>http://newsbusters.org/node/14164 , Newsbusters.com Bill O’Reilly Disgusted, July 17, 2007</ref>

* Actor [[Alec Baldwin]] urged a television audience of approximately 3 million viewers to [[murder]] Congressman [[Henry Hyde]]. <ref>[http://www.mrc.org/cyberalerts/1998/cyb19981215.asp#5]</ref>

*[[Clark Clifford]], a high level trusted confident, cabinet secretary, and Ambassador-at-Large to [[Democratic]] Presidents [[Truman]], [[Lyndon Johnson]], and [[Jimmy Carter]] referred to President [[Ronald Reagan]] while in office as "an amiable dunce." Clifford was at the time caught up in the notorious [[BCCI]] scandal.

==Homophobia==

Although [[conservative]]s do not consider opposition to homosexuality to be "hate speech," liberals do, and thus it is notable that several liberals have made homophobic remarks.

*[[HBO]] ''[[Real Time]]'' host [[Bill Maher]]'s on-air [[homophobic]] comments about Republicans were [[censor]]ed by CNN. <ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2006/11/08/censored-by-cnn-bill-mah_n_33701.html Censored by CNN : Bill Maher Suggest RNC Chair Mehlman is Gay], ''The Huffington Post'', November 8, 2006.</ref>
*[[Democrat]] [[Fred Phelps]] is known for notorious inflammatory anti-homosexual rhetoric.<ref>[http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=21229 The "God Hates Fags" [[Left]],] By Mark D. Tooley, FrontPageMagazine.com, February 09, 2006.</ref> (Although Phelps is universally condemned for his remarks in very strong terms by both conservatives ''and'' liberals, liberals tend to hold him up as a [[straw man]] example of the homophobe.)

==Race baiting==

*An anonymous editor at the ''New York Times'' attacked Rep. [[Tom DeLay]] with the most vile [[hate speech]] in DeLay's [[Wikipedia]] biographical entry.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tom_DeLay&diff=prev&oldid=85320018</ref><ref>[http://wikiscanner.virgil.gr/name2ip.php?orgname=New+York+Times&location=</ref>

==Against others==

*[[U.S. Supreme Court]] Justice [[Sonia Sotomayor]] has stated, "gender and national origins may and will make a difference in our judging....a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male."<ref> Sotomayor, "A Latina Judge’s Voice," (2002), [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/us/politics/15judge.text.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all online edition]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://hq.protestwarrior.com/?page=/featured/PHS/PHS.php Bryan Henderson's attempts to balance socialist political science teacher], a civil libertarian come face to face with leftist hate.
*[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=29414 Liberal hate speech], Judith Reisman, ''[[WorldNetDaily.com]]'', October 25, 2002.
*[http://www.godhatesfredphelps.com/ God Hates Fred Phelps], Retrieved from http://www.godhatesfredphelps.com/ October 25, 2007.

{{liberalism}}
[[Category:Liberalism]]
[[Category:Liberal Traits]]

Liberal logic

2010-02-18T19:59:43Z

CarlSfromMN:

'''Liberal logic''' is a term used to describe arguments made by some [[liberal]]s that may appear logical, but are actually nonsensical. Here are some examples:

# Assuming something is true, merely because another liberal said so (see [[appeal to authority]]).
# Denouncing real or perceived censorship of their viewpoints, while advocating for censorship of their opponents.
# Frequent reliance on [[circular reasoning]].
# Insisting that someone needs to experience something (e.g., drugs, pornography, gambling, etc.) before being able to criticize it.<ref>[http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1808 Bryn Mawr report on marijuana]. Many commentators said the reporter had no justification for his views since he had never tried marijuana. Examples of such liberal logic included: "There are pros and cons to everything under the sun. That dosen't (sic) mean that you shouldn't try it all...Besides marijuana is so much more beneficial then everyone realizes." which was smartly replied to by another commenter with: "Following your logic, obviously there are PROS to:
*jumping off the Empire State Building
*anorexia
*drunk driving
*smoking crack or meth
*child molestation
*Shall I keep going?...
Sorry, but not only is your drug-induced logic utterly flawed, but you don't exactly exude intelligence. Forgive me if I don't join your crusade." </ref>
# Claiming one's personal experience as a premise in a logical argument.
# Claiming that it is "normal" to switch from having sex with women to having sex with men, but that doing the opposite is impossible.
# Criticizing [[Christians]] for literal interpretations of [[Genesis]], but then insisting on hyper-literal, often nonsensical interpretations in an attempt to find contradictions in the Bible.
# Insisting that the [[Bible]] literally prohibits judging anything.<ref>Rather, it warns that "With whatever judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged" (Matthew 7:2), which condemns [[hypocrisy]] rather than judgments in general.</ref>
# Belief that a [[correlation]] and/or [[causation]] (''e.g.'', between [[atheism]] and [[suicide]]) can be disproved by a [[counterexample]] (e.g., one [[atheist]] who died a natural death)
# Responding to a logical comment or question with an expression of personal like or dislike (for example, a Christian responding to the Sixth Commandment by saying, "But I like [[Adultery|it]]!").
# Never admitting shame for [[liberal]] behavior, but often telling others they should be ashamed of themselves for the same behavior.
# Stating that [[Americans]] should "move on" past the misconduct of Democratic politicians such as [[Bill Clinton]] and [[Ted Kennedy]], but should ruminate endlessly on the perceived misdeeds of Republicans, such as [[George W. Bush]].
# Making highly implausible conjectures, such as that [[embryonic stem cell]] research will find a cure for paralysis before an alternative presents itself.
# [[Barack Obama]] on [[Afghanistan]]: with fewer soldiers, we didn't have enough ammo and humvees!<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/us/politics/21text-demdebate.html?sq=transcript&st=nyt&scp=2&pagewanted=print]</ref>
# Supporting [[free speech]] and tolerance when their views are threatened with censorship, but arguing that their opponents' views must be suppressed.
# While allowing that carrying an unborn child to term reduces the risk of breast cancer, denying that having an [[abortion]] deprives one of this reduction in risk.
# Claiming that Christian or religious cultural manifestations, such as classroom prayer, can cause harm to a society, but ignoring any harm caused by [[atheistic]] cultural manifestations.
# Claiming that [[abstinence]] does not reduce premarital sex and associated disease.<ref>http://media.www.mustangdaily.net/media/storage/paper860/news/2007/04/10/LettersToTheEditor/Teaching.AbstinenceOnly.Unrealistic-2831363.shtml</ref>
# Claiming that non-marital sex is acceptable and normal for Christians.
# Claiming that an increase in taxes always increases government revenue,<ref>http://capwiz.com/acu/issues/alert/?alertid=11534766</ref> when often people just work less and revenues then decline.
# Denying that widespread ownership of guns (often for defensive use only) can reduce crime.
# Claiming that [[Roe v. Wade]] ''cannot'' be overruled, or can only be overruled if it is a unanimous 9-0 vote (this argument tries to make irreversible law out of the dicta in a weak majority opinion in ''[[Planned Parenthood v. Casey]]'', even though the very creation of that "secret opinion" was procured by [[liberal deceit]].)<ref>See Jeffrey Toobin's ''The Nine''.</ref>
# Doing away with traditional language (such as "he" to refer to men '''and''' women), despite centuries of previous use.
# Criticizing the U.S. for not intervening during the [[Rwandan Genocide]], but then claiming that getting rid of a sadistic dictator by going into [[Iraq]] was wrong.
# Justifying dissent by claiming that they do it out of patriotism (''e.g.'', "dissent is the highest form of patriotism") but then defending outright treasonous acts.
# Arguing that because it is not known how [[God]] did a certain thing, God must not exist.
# Using a double-standard for racism and sexism when the target person is conservative.
# Claiming that it is extremely offensive to call any culture primitive or barbaric, but then insisting that the writers of the [[Bible]] were part of such a barbaric culture.

==References==
<references/>

{{Liberalism}}
[[category:Liberalism]]
[[Category:Logic]]
[[Category:oxymoron]]
[[Category:Liberal Traits]]

Liberal lies

2010-02-18T19:29:05Z

CarlSfromMN: Link.

It often happens that when a '''[[liberal]]''' runs out of arguments, he will tell '''[[Deceit|lies]]''' and utilize [[Liberal logic|blatant logical fallacies]].

==Race and political party==

For example, liberals have claimed for decades that [[Republican Party|Republicans]] are [[racist]] and that only [[Democratic Party|Democrats]] truly care about oppressed minorities. As evidence, they cite the facts that [[John F. Kennedy]] and [[Robert Kennedy]] helped [[Martin Luther King]] with the [[civil rights movement]], and that [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] signed the [[Civil Rights Act]]. They also cite the exodus of segregationists from the Democratic Party in the middle of the 20th century, as in [[Strom Thurmond]]'s 1948 presidential campaign.

However, they ignore that it was the [[Republican Party]], founded specifically as an anti-slavery party, that freed the blacks; that White House support for civil rights tended to be the exception, not the rule; and that [[George W. Bush]] appointed more people of color to prominent offices than any president before him.

==Science and economics==

Like many other groups, liberals will lie about science for political purposes. For example, most economists consider intemperate [[wealth redistribution]] to be poor economic policy, but these findings are ignored. More recently, they have turned to sneakier methods, such as the "[[carbon tax]]" mandated by the [[Kyoto Protocol]], which has less to do with sound environmental policy than with establishing a larger government bureaucracy, which can then be relied upon to support the liberals.

{{Liberalism}}

Liberal lies

2010-02-18T19:28:17Z

CarlSfromMN: /* Race and political party */

It often happens that when a '''[[liberal]]''' runs out of arguments, he will tell '''[[Deceit|lies]]''' and utilize blatant [[Logical fallacy|logical fallacies]].

==Race and political party==

For example, liberals have claimed for decades that [[Republican Party|Republicans]] are [[racist]] and that only [[Democratic Party|Democrats]] truly care about oppressed minorities. As evidence, they cite the facts that [[John F. Kennedy]] and [[Robert Kennedy]] helped [[Martin Luther King]] with the [[civil rights movement]], and that [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] signed the [[Civil Rights Act]]. They also cite the exodus of segregationists from the Democratic Party in the middle of the 20th century, as in [[Strom Thurmond]]'s 1948 presidential campaign.

However, they ignore that it was the [[Republican Party]], founded specifically as an anti-slavery party, that freed the blacks; that White House support for civil rights tended to be the exception, not the rule; and that [[George W. Bush]] appointed more people of color to prominent offices than any president before him.

==Science and economics==

Like many other groups, liberals will lie about science for political purposes. For example, most economists consider intemperate [[wealth redistribution]] to be poor economic policy, but these findings are ignored. More recently, they have turned to sneakier methods, such as the "[[carbon tax]]" mandated by the [[Kyoto Protocol]], which has less to do with sound environmental policy than with establishing a larger government bureaucracy, which can then be relied upon to support the liberals.

{{Liberalism}}

Liberal lies

2010-02-18T19:26:37Z

CarlSfromMN:

It often happens that when a '''[[liberal]]''' runs out of arguments, he will tell '''[[Deceit|lies]]''' and utilize blatant [[Logical fallacy|logical fallacies]].

==Race and political party==

For example, liberals have claimed for decades that [[Republican Party|Republicans]] are [[racist]] and that only [[Democratic Party|Democrats]] truly care about oppressed minorities. As evidence, they cite the facts that [[John F. Kennedy]] and [[Robert Kennedy]] helped [[Martin Luther King]] with the [[civil rights movement]], and that [[Lyndon B. Johnson]] signed the [[Civil Rights Act]]. They also cite the exodus of segregationists from the Democratic Party in the middle of the 20th century, as in [[Strom Thurmond]]'s 1947 presidential campaign.

However, they ignore that it was the [[Republican Party]], founded specifically as an anti-slavery party, that freed the blacks, and also that White House support for civil rights tended to be the exception, not the rule. They also ignore that [[George W. Bush]] appointed more people of color to prominent offices than any president before him.

==Science and economics==

Like many other groups, liberals will lie about science for political purposes. For example, most economists consider intemperate [[wealth redistribution]] to be poor economic policy, but these findings are ignored. More recently, they have turned to sneakier methods, such as the "[[carbon tax]]" mandated by the [[Kyoto Protocol]], which has less to do with sound environmental policy than with establishing a larger government bureaucracy, which can then be relied upon to support the liberals.

{{Liberalism}}

Liberal hate speech

2010-02-18T19:10:50Z

CarlSfromMN:

'''Liberal hate speech''' is [[hate speech]], that is, widely provocative speech to denigrate a legally protected class or group of citizens defined by legislation, employed by [[liberals]]. Liberals claim to support [[tolerance]], but their use of liberal hate speech tends to put the lie to this claim.

==Against the disabled==

*Obama [[White House]] Chief of Staff [[Rahm Emanuel]] is reported to commonly denigrate persons he disagrees with as "retarded;" he was pointedly criticized for this by [[Sarah Palin]].<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/03/AR2010020303001_pf.html</ref>
*Former Vice President, Nobel Prize winner, and senior [[Democratic Party]] elder statesman [[Al Gore]] mocked children with Down syndrome by referring to his political critics as having "an extra chromosome."<ref>http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/miller200406010833.asp</ref>
*Liberal pundit and columnist [[Maureen Dowd]] referred to "extra chromosome conservatives" in an interview with [[Bill Maher]]'s on HBO. The [[National Down Syndrome Society]] issued a statement saying use of the term "extra chromosome" as a negative descriptor "is insensitive and demeaning to the more than 350,000 people in the United States who have Down syndrome, which occurs when there is an extra copy of the 21st chromosome. Regardless of who originally coined the term... Ms. Dowd has perpetuated it as a slur against hundreds of thousands of Americans who are contributing members of society and who deserve the same respect that we all expect."<ref>http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1195999/posts</ref>
*On March 3 2009, President [[Barack Hussein Obama|Obama]] ridiculed children with disabilities on [[Jay Leno]]'s program when answering a question about his bowling prowess. Obama said "It was like Special Olympics." <ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vb-ZSZNaCc0</ref><ref>[http://weblogs.newsday.com/entertainment/celebrities_blog/2009/03/barack_obama_jay_leno_and_the.html Barack Obama, Jay Leno and the Special Olympics line] Newsday.com, March 20, 2009</ref> <ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs3aRxTTgaI&annotation_id=annotation_900911&feature=iv</ref> The CEO of the Special Olympics defended the program noting the President had "set us back decades with his comments."<ref>http://www.necn.com/Boston/Politics/2009/03/20/Obamas-comment-sets-us-back/1237552251.html</ref> Gov. [[Sarah Palin]], whose youngest son Trig was born with Down syndrome, observed, "This was a degrading remark about our world's most precious and unique people, coming from the most powerful position in the world." In her resignation speech as Governor of [[Alaska]], Palin stated:
<blockquote style="font-style: italic">[T]his decision comes after much consideration, and polling the most important people in my life - my children, where the count was unanimous. In response to asking: 'Want me to make a positive difference and fight for ALL our children's future from OUTSIDE the Governor's office?' It was four "yes's" and one "hell yeah!" ... much of it had to do with the kids seeing their baby brother Trig mocked by some pretty mean-spirited adults ..."<ref>http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/2009/07/full-text-of-palins-resignation-speech.php</ref></blockquote>
*News24 of South Africa has on its website an obituary for [[Ronald Reagan]] entitled, ''Gay about Reagan's death''. <ref>[http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1538744,00.html ''Gay about Reagan's death''], News24, 07/06/2004.</ref> and quotes Jon Beaupre, a gay journalist and Los Angeles radio talk show host as saying, "I have a feeling that an awful lot of [[gay]] people are going to be cheering, that 'Ding-dong! The wicked witch is dead'."
*Actor [[George Clooney]] is unapologetic about tasteless ridicule of an [[Alzheimer's]] sufferer:

<blockquote style="font-style: italic">
:'''KURTZ:''' O'Reilly also criticized you for making a joke about [[Charlton Heston]], the former NRA chief, having Alzheimer's.

:'''CLOONEY:''' Yes.

:'''KURTZ:''' Was that in poor taste in retrospect?

:'''CLOONEY:''' Yes, oh, yes. It was in poor taste. It was a funny joke. It was in a room of 100 people. Yeah, (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I have a lot of good friends who -- in fact, I have a very good friend who is dying of Alzheimer's. And it was just a funny joke. <ref>[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0310/26/rs.00.html Interview With George Clooney], Transcript CNN Reliable Sources, October 26, 2003.</ref></blockquote>

*Multi-billionaire Democratic Party donor [[George Soros]], on [[CNN]], groundlessly compared President [[George W. Bush]], who may suffer from dyslexia,<ref>http://books.google.com/books?id=Wty3o92hyigC&pg=PA43&dq=George+Bush%2Bdyslexia#v=onepage&q=George%20Bush%20dyslexia&f=false</ref> to [[Nazi]]s.<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DuafAqAHrc</ref>

*[[Democratic]] Senator [[Al Franken]] of Minnesota peddled a book entitled ''[[Rush Limbaugh]] is a Big, Fat, Stupid Idiot'', viciously ridiculing a person struggling with obesity and deafness.

* In 2007, [[White House]] Press Secretary Tony Snow announced his cancer had returned. Commentators on the left-wing [[Daily Kos]] website remarked, "the world would be better off without him".<ref>http://www.dekalb-chronicle.com/articles/2008/10/30/opinions/national_columnists/doc4906535aad7b3848499949.txt</ref>

*[[Liberal]] talk radio host [[Mike Malloy]] lashed out at [[conservative]] commentator [[Glenn Beck]], a recovering [[alcoholic]], told his radio audiend "I have good news to report. Glenn Beck appears closer to suicide. I'm hoping that he does it on camera....given his alcoholism and his tendencies towards self-destruction, I am only hoping that when Glenn Beck does put a gun to his head and pulls the trigger, that it’s on television, because somebody will capture it on YouTube and it will be the most popular little piece of video for months."<ref>http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=52109</ref>

*Congressional [[Democrats]] wrote into the so-called "[[health care reform]]" bill of 2009, the outdated and offensive language, "A hospital or a nursing facility or intermediate-care facility for the ''mentally retarded'' . . ." (emphasis added).<ref>http://www.nypost.com/seven/07262009/news/nationalnews/retarded_house_bill_181448.htm</ref> Families of the learning-disabled, mental health experts, and advocates were outraged at the insensitivity of the proposed language in the new law (a rare example of liberals criticizing their own, albeit hypocritically).<ref>http://patterico.com/category/political-correctness/</ref>

==Against women==

*In August 2007, former [[Democratic]] Presidential, Vice-Presidential candidate and amateur [[pornographer]]<ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/06/29/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5122267.shtml CBSNews.com], June 29 2009.</ref> Senator [[John Edwards]] viciously attacked social commentator [[Ann Coulter]], calling the petite embodiment of women's aspirations for equality in the marketplace of ideas a "she-devil" <ref>[http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/08/edwards-calls-c.html Edwards Calls Coulter 'She-Devil'], ''ABC News'', August 17, 2007.</ref>
*Liberal "comedian" and "entertainer" [[Sandra Bernhard]] made extraordinary offensive, vicious, despicable and threatening remarks to Gov. [[Sarah Palin]] during a so-called "comedy performance" before a paying audience.<ref>http://beltway.blips.com/video/sandra_bernhard_dishes_sarah_palin_at_theater_j/</ref>
*During the 2008 Presidential election campaign season, Barack Obama compared Sarah Palin to a pig. <ref>http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3473318/9666330</ref>
* 'Alternative' comedian [[Ben Elton]]'s repeated references to [[Margaret Thatcher]] as 'a mad old cow', a sexist jibe that belied his supposed pro-feminist stance. <ref>http://www.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/feature/44</ref>
*Dana Milbank hosted a comedy sketch matching various politicians to types of beer; [[Sarah Palin]] was matched to "Arctic Devil" and [[Hillary Clinton]] to "Mad B****."<ref>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YArTpukehYY</ref> This caused the [[feminist]] group, the ''Center for New Words'', to demand that the sketch's sponsor, the ''Washington Post'', fire everyone involved with it.<ref>http://www.centerfornewwords.org/wam/wapoletter.php</ref>

==Against African-Americans==

*The tell-all book ''Game Change'' reports that Senate Democratic Majority Leader [[Harry Reid]] said America would vote for Barack Obama because he was a "light-skinned" African-American "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one."<ref>http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=35188</ref>

*Former Democratic President [[Bill Clinton]], when asking Sen. [[Ted Kennedy]] for his endorsement of [[Hillary Clinton]], said of Obama: "A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee."<ref>http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=35188</ref>

*[[U.S. Supreme Court]] Justice [[Clarence Thomas]] has been the relentless target of the most vile liberal hatred since his appointment, being viewed as a "race traitor" on account of his [[conservative]] views.

*[[Colin Powell]] is a respected and popular statesman who rejected offers to be drafted for President in 1996. In an interview, [[liberal activist]] Harry Belafonte, who is also African-American, stated, "There are those slaves who lived on the plantation, and there were those slaves who lived in the house. You got the privilege of living in the house if you served the master to exactly the way the master intended to have you serve him. That gave you privilege. Colin Powell is permitted to come into the house of the master, as long as he will serve the master according to the master's dictates." <ref>[http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/01/30/157217&mode=thread&tid=25 Interview with Harry Belefonte], ''Democracy Now'', January 30th, 2006.</ref> In a highly visible action reminiscent of the [[Maoist rectification]] campaign, Powell later admitted to errors and his reputation partially rehabilitated among [[leftist]]s by endorsing Barack Obama for President in 2008.

*Former [[Vermont]] [[Governor]] and current DNC chairman, [[Howard Dean]] joked during a speech, “You think the Republican National Committee could get this many people of color in a single room? Only if they had the hotel staff in here.” <ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17718-2005Feb11.html], The Special-Interest Group Hug, Feb 12th, 2005 </ref>

*Leftist "entertainer" [[Sandra Bernhard]] described what in her view is stereotypical of the behavior of African American men in Manhattan.<ref>http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tim-graham/2008/09/19/sandra-bernhard-palin-would-be-gang-raped-blacks-manhattan</ref>

*Senator [[Barbara Boxer]] ([[Democratic Party|D]]-[[California|CA]]) made racially condescending remarks to the CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce during a Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee hearing on [[Global warming]].<ref>http://www.breitbart.tv/god-awful-black-chamber-of-commerce-ceo-rips-sen-boxer-for-condescending-racial-remarks/</ref>

==Against Hispanics==

*[[Alberto Gonzales]], the first Hispanic U.S. Attorney General, was consistently mocked on liberal websites as "Alberto 'Speedy' Gonzales" <ref>[http://boards.historychannel.com/thread.jspa?threadID=800028910&start=0 ''Speedy Gonzales to Resign''], Aug 27, 2007. Retrieved from History.com message boards August 30, 2007.</ref> during his tenure. Speedy Gonzales is a reference to a disparaging stereotypical cartoon character of Hispanics that Hollywood attempted to popularize in the 1950s and 60s. Upon his retirement, ''[[NBC News]]'' anchor [[Matt Lauer]] called Gonzales "a piñata" for the Democrats.<ref>http://newsbusters.org/static/2007/08/2007-08-28-NBC-TDYpinata.rm</ref>

==Against Jews==

*Rev. [[Jesse Jackson]] said on January 25, 1984, "all Hymie wants to talk about, is Israel; every time you go to Hymietown, that's all they want to talk about." <ref>[http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=187440 Jesse and the Jews], Michael W. Hirschorn, ''The Harvard Crimson'', March 05, 1984.</ref>

*[[People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals]] (PETA) equated the victims of [[National Socialism]] with slaughterhogs and broiler chickens in a fundraising effort.
[[Image:PETAHolocaust plate.png|thumb|400px|right|Image from a PETA fundraising effort. The group claimed, "Six million Jews died in concentration camps, but six billion broiler chickens will die this year in slaughterhouses." [http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/12/21/INGH63PBJ81.DTL]]]

*Anti-war activist [[Cindy Sheehan]] said "Casey was killed for lies and for a [[PNAC]] Neo-Con <ref>[http://h-net.msu.edu/cgi-bin/logbrowse.pl?trx=vx&list=h-antisemitism&month=0304&week=&msg=4zdiWX1EuCVzeRLDdQySKA&user=&pw= 'Neo-conservative' is a codeword for Jewish], Dr. Barry Rubin, director of the Global Research in International Affairs (GLORIA) Institute, Interdisciplinary Center of Herzliya, H-Net discussion April 6, 2003.</ref> agenda to benefit Israel", <ref>National Review, [http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=N2FjYjA3NDU2NThiZjI4YzFkYTdkZmViY2M5M2U4MTE= ''Dear Useful Idiot''], Catherine Seipp, May 26, 2006. </ref> accusing members of a vast right-wing Jewish conspiracy of being responsible for her son's death to benefit Israel.

*Former First Lady and Secretary of State [[Hillary Rodham Clinton]] referred to a campaign subordinate as a "Jew bastard."<ref>[http://www.amazon.com/State-Union-Complex-Marriage-Hillary/dp/0060193921]</ref><ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3827/is_200007/ai_n8910772 Did Hillary commit a hate crime?], Human Events, July 28, 2000. </ref><ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/US_election_race/Story/0,,344475,00.html Hillary faces voters' wrath for alleged ethnic slur], Michael Ellison, London Guardian, July 18, 2000.</ref><ref>[http://www.sobran.com/columns/1999-2001/000718.shtml Hillary’s Manners], Joseph Sobran, July 18, 2000.</ref><ref>[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=15015 I agree with Clinton!], Joseph Farah, WorldNetDaily, July 20, 2000.</ref>

*[[Richard Dawkins]] claimed that Jews "more or less monopolize American foreign policy." His comments have been criticized by the Anti-Defamation League as "classic Anti-Semitism."<ref>[http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/134346 Dawkins: Jews Control US Policy], Israel National News, October 8, 2007.</ref>

*[[Barack Obama]]'s pastor and mentor [[Jeremiah Wright]], being asked a question about Obama, said, "Them Jews aren't going to let him talk to me." The story was buried by the liberal-aligned [[MSM]].<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06/10/wright-suggests-jews-white-house-wont-let-speak-obama/</ref>

*Rev. [[Al Sharpton]] picketed a Jewish store in Harlem, NY over a landlord dispute. Sharpton personally incited the protesters chanting 'bloodsucking Jews.' When it was all over, a protester ran into the store shooting people and set the place on fire. <ref>[http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110004192 Democrats Embrace 'Impresario of Hatred'] Wall Street Journal, October 20, 2003</ref> Sharpton also played a part in inciting the [[Crown Heights riot]] by referring to the Jews of the area as "diamond dealers."

==Against South Asians==

*[[Michael Moore]] affecting a mock Indian accent live on air and ridiculing CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta's name. <ref>[http://www.racewire.org/archives/2007/07/moore_attacks_cnn_network_spew.html Moore attacks CNN network, spews anti-South Asian sentiments], ''RaceWire.org'', July 10, 2007.</ref>

==Against Christians==

*[[Extremist]] [[Katherine Yurica]] stated the [[Republican Party]] gained power through "[[Hitler]]ian tactics", that [[evangelical]] leaders from [[Billy Graham]] to [[Jerry Falwell]] "had to have read Hitler’s [[Mein Kampf]]," and that [[Christian]]s have "[[fascist]]ic tendencies."<ref>[http://www.ird-renew.org/site/apps/s/content.asp?c=fvKVLfMVIsG&b=494491&ct=928973 ''President Bush Called “Evil,” Evangelicals Equated With Nazis at NCC-Supported Conference''], John Lomperis, The Institute on Religion and Democracy. </ref><ref>[http://the-fourth-world.blogspot.com/2006/11/apocalypse-no-christian-fascism-and.html Apocalypse No! Christian Fascism and the Nazi Legacy], Apocalypse No! An Indigenist Perspective, by Juan Santos, November 01, 2006.</ref><ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia_talk:Requests_for_comment/Pravknight#POV_editing Wikipedia talk:Requests for comment/Pravknight/POV editing], Retrieved from Wikipedia October 22, 2007.</ref>

*[[Richard Dawkins]] in his 2006 book ''The God Delusion,'' states fundamentalist religion "saps the intellect,"<ref>[http://www.sciencefriday.com/pages/2006/Oct/hour2_100606.html Sciencefriday.com page on Dawkins]</ref> and refers to belief in [[God]] as a "mind-virus."<ref>[http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/47052/ The Dawkins Delusion] by Alistair McGrath</ref>

*Liberals and [[liberal Christian]]s regularly promote their [[theory of Fundamentalist anti-Semitism]], a long-standing hoax falsely accusing [[Conservative Christian]]s of anti-Semitism. In reality, a 30 year study of the [[liberal Christian]] magazine ''[[The Christian Century]]'' concluded that it was in fact consistently anti-Semitic.

*In his latest book ''The Resilience of Conservative Religion'' (2002), [[liberal]] professor of sociology [[Joseph B. Tamney]] puts Christian conservatives into the same religious category as one of the most radical and most hate-filled Islamic figures of the late 20th century: [[Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini]].

==Against prominent conservatives==

* A written response about [[Vice President of the United States of America|Vice President]] Dick Cheney's trip to [[Afghanistan]] and an attempt against his life "Better luck next time" <ref>http://newsbusters.org/node/14164 , Newsbusters.com Bill O’Reilly Disgusted, July 17, 2007</ref>

* Actor [[Alec Baldwin]] urged a television audience of approximately 3 million viewers to [[murder]] Congressman [[Henry Hyde]]. <ref>[http://www.mrc.org/cyberalerts/1998/cyb19981215.asp#5]</ref>

*[[Clark Clifford]], a high level trusted confident, cabinet secretary, and Ambassador-at-Large to [[Democratic]] Presidents [[Truman]], [[Lyndon Johnson]], and [[Jimmy Carter]] referred to President [[Ronald Reagan]] while in office as "an amiable dunce." Clifford was at the time caught up in the notorious [[BCCI]] scandal.

==Against white men==

*[[U.S. Supreme Court]] Justice [[Sonia Sotomayor]] has stated, "gender and national origins may and will make a difference in our judging....a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male."<ref> Sotomayor, "A Latina Judge’s Voice," (2002), [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/15/us/politics/15judge.text.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all online edition]</ref>

==Homophobia==

Although [[conservative]]s do not consider opposition to homosexuality to be "hate speech," liberals do, and thus it is notable that several liberals have made homophobic remarks.

*[[HBO]] ''[[Real Time]]'' host [[Bill Maher]]'s on-air [[homophobic]] comments about Republicans were [[censor]]ed by CNN. <ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2006/11/08/censored-by-cnn-bill-mah_n_33701.html Censored by CNN : Bill Maher Suggest RNC Chair Mehlman is Gay], ''The Huffington Post'', November 8, 2006.</ref>
*[[Democrat]] [[Fred Phelps]] is known for notorious inflammatory anti-homosexual rhetoric.<ref>[http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=21229 The "God Hates Fags" [[Left]],] By Mark D. Tooley, FrontPageMagazine.com, February 09, 2006.</ref> (Although Phelps is universally condemned for his remarks in very strong terms by both conservatives ''and'' liberals, liberals tend to hold him up as a [[straw man]] example of the homophobe.)

==Race baiting==

*An anonymous editor at the ''New York Times'' attacked Rep. [[Tom DeLay]] with the most vile [[hate speech]] in DeLay's [[Wikipedia]] biographical entry.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tom_DeLay&diff=prev&oldid=85320018</ref><ref>[http://wikiscanner.virgil.gr/name2ip.php?orgname=New+York+Times&location=</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
*[http://hq.protestwarrior.com/?page=/featured/PHS/PHS.php Bryan Henderson's attempts to balance socialist political science teacher], a civil libertarian come face to face with leftist hate.
*[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=29414 Liberal hate speech], Judith Reisman, ''[[WorldNetDaily.com]]'', October 25, 2002.
*[http://www.godhatesfredphelps.com/ God Hates Fred Phelps], Retrieved from http://www.godhatesfredphelps.com/ October 25, 2007.

{{liberalism}}
[[Category:Liberalism]]
[[Category:Liberal Traits]]

Hollywood values

2010-02-18T17:38:05Z

CarlSfromMN: Copyedit, clean up, alphabetize, etc., etc.

'''Hollywood values''' are characterized by decadence, [[narcissism]], rampant [[drug|drug use]], [[Fornication|premarital]] and [[adultery|extramarital sex]] (leading to the spread of sexually-transmitted [[disease]]), lawlessness and death. A poll by MSNBC said that 60% of [[Americans]] agree that "Hollywood's values are not in line with the rest of America and that the quality of movies has diminished in recent years."<ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11714540/</ref>

The lack of conservative [[morals]] and [[values]] in [[Hollywood]] culture has been cited by a great many conservatives and others as a force that is destroying the fabric of American culture, particularly the family. However, although most prominent Hollywood figures accept this complacently, a handful of them have strongly opposed it. [[Ronald Reagan]], [[James Stewart|Jimmy Stewart]], [[Charlton Heston]], [[Walt Disney]], and many others practiced conservative values while working in Hollywood. Many Hollywood productions also reflect these values, irrespective of the star names associated with them; recent examples include ''[[The Chronicles of Narnia]]'' and ''[[Independence Day]].''

Hollywood values include a flagrant disrespect and disregard for:

* [[Marriage]] and [[abstinence]].
* [[Patriotism]].
* [[Religion]], or at least [[Christianity]].
* [[Accountability]].
* Family responsibilities, like childrearing.<ref>For example, [[Britney Spears]] has said that she "doesn't want [her] kids back." [http://www.nypost.com/seven/02132008/news/nationalnews/brit_doesnt_want_her_kids__1st_ex_97425.htm]</ref>
* The law in general.
* Commonly accepted behavioral boundaries and values of human decency.

==Deaths ==

A disproportionate number of those practicing Hollywood values have died untimely deaths. A sampling of deaths caused by Hollywood values include:<ref>http://www.abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/story?id=4174733&page=1</ref><ref>http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_18845.aspx</ref>
*[[John Barrymore]], 60, cirrhosis of the liver from heavy drinking.
*[[John Belushi]], 33, was a repeated drug abuser who ultimately died of a lethal injection of cocaine and heroin.
*[[Clara Blandick]], 81, suicide.
*[[John Bonham]], 32, after too much drinking, asphyxiated on vomit.
*[[Elisa Bridges]], 28, ''Playboy'' magazine model, drug overdose combining heroin, methamphetamine and other drugs.
*[[David Carradine]], 72, suffocation (most likely suicide; had history of suicidal thoughts, alcohol and narcotics abuse).<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,525177,00.html Thai Police: Carradine Death May Be Accidental Suffocation] Fox News, June 05, 2009 </ref>
*[[Stephen Clark]], 30, Def Leppard guitarist, overdose of drugs and alcohol.<ref>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1108020/bio</ref>
*[[Lana Clarkson]], 40, actress and model, murdered by [[Phil Spector]].
*[[Kurt Cobain]], 27, lead singer from the band Nirvana, a heroin addict who committed suicide with a shotgun blast to the head.
*[[Ray Combs]], 40, host of the TV game show Family Feud, committed suicide by hanging himself in a psychiatric ward.
*[[John Costelloe]], 47, actor from HBO's The Sopranos known as "Johnny Cakes", shot himself in the head. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,472864,00.html 'Sopranos' Actor Shocks Fans, Loved Ones With Holiday Suicide] NYPost, December 25, 2008</ref>
*[[Bob Crane]], 49, bludgeoned to death as the culmination of a bizarre life of sex addiction.
*[[Karl Dane]], 47, suicide by gunshot.
*[[James Dean]], 24, auto accident.
*[[Eazy-E]], 31, [[AIDS]] contracted through drug use.
*[[Brian Epstein]], 32, overdose of sleeping pills and alcohol.
*[[Chris Farley]], 33, overdose of morphine and cocaine.
*[[Judy Garland]], 47, overdose of sleeping pills.
*[[Lucy Gordon]], 28, British actress from the movie Spider-Man 3, hanged herself.<ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Movies/wireStory?id=7642829 Actress Lucy Gordon Found Dead at Age 28 in Paris, ABC News, May 21, 2009]</ref>
*[[Lee Grivas]], 26, the on-again, off-again boyfriend of actress Christina Applegate, 36, an apparent drug overdose.<ref>http://www.bloggernews.net/116552a</ref>
*[[Phil Hartman]], 49, murdered in his million-dollar house by his third wife Brynn Hartman
*[[Margaux Hemingway]], 42, suicide.
*[[Jimi Hendrix]], 27, an enthusiastic abuser of illegal drugs, choked on his own vomit after overdose of sleeping pills.
*[[Rock Hudson]], 59, AIDS.
*[[Michael Hutchence]], 37, asphyxiated during an auto-erotic act while alone in a Sydney hotel. His wife, Paula Yates (see below), also fell victim to Hollywood Values.
*[[Richard Jeni]], 49, suicide.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,258231,00.html</ref>
*[[Janis Joplin]], 27, heroin overdose.
*[[Heath Ledger]], 28, accidental drug overdose.<ref>"Prescription sleeping pills and anti-anxiety pills were found in bottles in Ledger's bedroom and bathroom, and police have speculated the death was caused by an accidental drug overdose." [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080123/ap_en_ce/obit_ledger]</ref><ref>"Ledger died of an accidental overdose of painkillers, sleeping pills, anti-anxiety medication and other prescription drugs, the New York City medical examiner said Wednesday." [http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,328828,00.html]</ref>
*[[Stuart Lubbock]], 31, found dead in the swimming pool of popular TV entertainer [[Michael Barrymore]], having suffered severe anal trauma, after a drug-fueled party at the star's home.
*[[Queen (band)|Freddie Mercury]], 45, born Farrokh Bulsara, lead singer of the band ''Queen'', AIDS-related bronchial pneumonia.
*[[Sal Mineo]], 37, murdered under circumstances that suggested "a homosexual motive."
*[[Marilyn Monroe]], 36, overdosed on sleeping pills.
*[[Keith Moon]], drummer of [[The Who]], 32, overdose of Clomethiazole prescribed to treat his [[alcoholism]].
*[[Jim Morrison]], 27, apparent heroin overdose.
*[[Chris Penn]], 40, brother of [[Sean Penn]], "died accidentally from an enlarged heart and the effects of a mix of multiple medications," possibly also as a side effect of being overweight.<ref>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2006/02/13/entertainment/e162146S51.DTL</ref>
*[[River Phoenix]], 23, overdose of cocaine and heroin.
*[[Dana Plato]], 34, ''Diff'rent Strokes'' star, suicide by drugs overdose after posing for [[Homosexuality|lesbian]] [[pornography]].
*[[Elvis Presley]], 42, large drug intake causes a cardiac arrhythmia and rumored to have suffocated on the carpet when he collapsed from a drug overdose.
*[[Virginia Rappe]], 30, died of a ruptured bladder incurred at a party hosted by [[Roscoe Arbuckle]].
*[[Brad Renfro]], 25, became addicted to heroin and was found dead after a night of drinking.
*[[George Reeves]], 45, played Superman from the series Adventures of Superman, suicide by gunshot.
*[[Anna Nicole Smith]], 39, accidental overdose on prescription drugs
*[[Layne Staley]], 34, found dead in apartment two weeks after a drug overdose.<ref>http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/staley1.html</ref> Layne promoted the use of hard drugs in the 1992 [[Alice in Chains]] song "Junkhead"<ref>http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Junkhead-lyrics-Alice-In-Chains/3A665DABDFC00AD54825688F0010CD45</ref>
*[[Sharon Tate]], 26, an actress with a [[hippie]] lifestyle who was murdered by followers of [[Charles Manson]], a [[Beatles]]-obsessed musician wannabe; Manson's followers murdered Tate, who was pregnant and only two weeks from birth, her unborn child, her prior lover who was staying with her while her husband, movie producer [[Roman Polanski]] (see 'Crime', below) was away, and another unmarried couple staying in the house. (It is believed that Manson had actually intended his followers to kill the home's previous residents, [[Terry Melcher]] (son of [[Doris Day]]) and [[Candice Bergen]].)<ref>The Polanski Problem [http://moviegeeksclub.blogspot.com/2008/04/polanski-problem.html]</ref> <ref>Sharon Tate Official Site: Sharon's Biography [http://www.sharontate.net/bio4.html]</ref>
*[[Lou Tellegen]], 52, suicide.
*[[Sid Vicious]], 21, [[heroin]] overdose, while awaiting trial for his girlfriend's murder.
*[[Kenneth Williams]], 62, overdose.
*[[Natalie Wood]], 43, drowned while intoxicated.
*[[Paula Yates]], 41, heroin overdose.

==Sexually Transmitted Diseases==

The intemperance in the area of sexual morality that is associated with Hollywood values has led to an incidence of sexually transmitted diseases among that population. Examples include:

* [[Rock Hudson]] died of AIDS-related complications after contracting the disease through homosexual intercourse.
* Michael Jeter, who was homosexual, also died due to AIDS-related complications.
* Freddie Mercury of the rock group [[Queen (band)|Queen]], notorious for his flamboyant onstage presence, also contracted AIDS through his wildly promiscuous homosexual lifestyle, and subsequently perished of the self-inflicted condition.

== Crime ==

Hollywood values often include being arrested or convicted for a variety of crimes, though the sentences are often comparatively light due to the celebrity status of the defendants. Here are some examples:

*[[Sean Bean]] was arrested and spent the night in a cell after allegedly beating his wife.<ref>http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5hR3pX0eEytJcMo7m5LRLHOYpasSA</ref>
*Todd Bridges assaulted a motorist and was repeatedly arrested for drug-related offenses.
*Gary Coleman was arrested for assaulting a woman by punching her in the face.
*[[Skylar Deleon]], former Power Rangers actor, will have three separate trials for four murders. The first trial is set for the murder of Tom and Jackie Hawks, who were allegedly bound to the anchor of their yacht and tossed overboard. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,433765,00.html 'Power Rangers' Actor Set to Stand Trial in Yacht Killings] AP, October 7, 2008</ref> he was sentenced to death for committing murder.<ref>http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=66850</ref>
*[[Snoop Dogg]], a popular [[rap|rapper]], was arrested in 2006 for [[marijuana]] possession. He is a libertarian<ref>http://www.ucllibertarians.com/celebrities.html</ref> who advocates marijuana use.<ref>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/dailydish/detail?blogid=7&entry_id=21457</ref>
*Leif Garrett, former teen actor, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. He has a number of former arrests including [[heroin]] possession. <ref>[http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2010/02/03/crimesider/entry6170622.shtml Leif Garrett Arrested: Former Teen Idol Busted for Controlled Substance, CBS News, February 3, 2010]</ref>
*[[Hugh Grant]] was arrested in 1995 when found in a car with a prostitute.<ref>[http://www.mugshots.org/hollywood/hugh-grant.html]</ref>
* [[Paris Hilton]] was convicted of driving while intoxicated, and then violated the terms of her probation, leading to a 45-day prison sentence.<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18472845/ Paris Hilton sentenced to 45 days in jail], MSNBC, May 4, 2007</ref>
*[[Stacy Keach]], movie actor, was sentenced to 9 months imprisonment in the [[United Kingdom]] in 1984 after being arrested at [[London]] [[Heathrow Airport]] in possession of a large quantity of [[cocaine]].
*[[Shelley Malil]], 43, worked as an actor in [[movies]] and television. He is charged with causing great bodily injury to and using a deadly weapon on Kendra Beebe, a 35-year-old [[mother]] of two. He appeared on the back patio of Kendra's house and stabbed her 20 times. Now held on a $10 million dollar bond. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Aug13/0,4670,ActorArrested,00.html 40-Year-Old Virgin' actor pleads not guilty] AP, August 13, 2008</ref>
*[[George Michael]] was convicted of "committing a lewd act in public", having been arrested in a public restroom by a plain clothes police officer.<ref>Police confirm George Michael arrest [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/75904.stmBBC]</ref> He was found to be in possession of crack cocaine and cannabis, but merely received a caution. <ref>http://uk.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUKLL28201720080921</ref>
*[[Nick Nolte]] was arrested for drunk driving in 2002<ref>http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/nolte1.html</ref>
*George O'Dowd, musician, better known by his stage name, [[Boy George]], has been convicted (and will likely go to prison) for handcuffing a male escort to a bed against his will and then beating him with a chain.<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1092168/Guilty-Boy-George-warned-judge-faces-jail-falsely-imprisoning-male-escort.html</ref> Earlier he had been convicted of cocaine possession.
*Redmond O'Neal, son of Farrah Fawcett and Ryan O'Neal, plead guilty to possessing heroine and methamphetamine as well as driving under the influence of drugs.<ref>http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080627/ap_on_en_ot/people_redmond_o_neal;_ylt=AiQCBwpJpxqBOFWVyqEycXsDW7oF Redmond O'Neal pleads guilty to drug charges</ref>
*[[Tatum O'Neal]] arrested in 2008 for [[cocaine]] possession. <ref>
[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,361361,00.html Tatum O'Neal Released After Drug Arrest], [[Associated Press]], ''[[Fox News Channel|Fox News]]'', June 02, 2008.</ref>
* Actress Lori Petty, who was featured in "Free Willy" and "A League of their Own," ran into a 14-year-old skateboarder and was arrested for felony drunk driving charges.<ref>http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7015343906</ref>
* Craig Phillip Robinson, the actor famous for playing Darryl Philbin on NBC's "The Office," "was arrested on June 29, 2008, on suspicion of possessing MDMA, also known as ecstasy, and methamphetamine."<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/TV/08/15/office.actor.arrested.ap/index.html</ref>
*Dana Plato was arrested for armed robbery and prescription forgery.
*[[Roman Polanski]], Polish-born film producer, is unable to return to Hollywood as he skipped bail and fled to [[France]] after being convicted in 1978 on charges of unlawful sexual intercourse with a thirteen-year old girl. However, he was arrested in Switzerland in September of 2009 and is currently jailed, awaiting extradition to the United States.
* [[Winona Ryder]] was convicted of convicted of vandalism and grand theft for stealing designer merchandise worth $5,560.40.<ref>http://www.courttv.com/trials/ryder/</ref>
* Rapper DMX (Earl Simmons) was caught on camera drag racing at a speed over 110 miles on a freeway, and then a SWAT team was used to arrest him three days later on drug and animal cruelty charges. "The Maricopa County sheriff's office says the 37-year-old, whose real name is Earl Simmons, at first tried to barricade himself in his bedroom. He came out as a SWAT team entered during the early-morning raid Friday."<ref>http://news.aol.com/entertainment/music/music-news-story/ar/_a/dmx-arrested-on-animal-cruelty-charges/20080509163709990001</ref>
* [[O.J. Simpson]] is widely believed to have murdered his wife and her friend, and though he was found not guilty in his criminal trial, he was found liable in a parallel civil trial. He has since been convicted of unrelated felonies.
*Musician/Producer [[Phil Spector]] was found guilty of second-degree murder for the shooting death of actress Lana Clarkson. He was convicted of second-degree murder. <ref>http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30194936/</ref>
*[[Kiefer Sutherland]] was given a 48-day sentence for DUI in 2007, an offense committed while still on probation following a 2004 conviction for DUI.<ref>Sutherland is released from jail [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7200633.stm BBC]</ref> He was also charged with misdemeanor assault for allegedly head-butting a fashion designer at a nightclub. <ref>[http://www.cnsnews.com/public/content/article.aspx?RsrcID=47880 ‘24’ Star Kiefer Sutherland Charged for Allegedly Head-Butting a Fashion Designer] Associated Press, May 8, 2009</ref>
*Elmore "Rip" Torn, actor, arrested for breaking into a bank and carrying a firearm while intoxicated. In 2009, he was given probation in a drunk-driving case. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2010/01/30/actor-rip-torn-arrested-allegedly-breaking-connecticut-bank/?test=latestnews Actor Rip Torn Arrested for Allegedly Breaking Into Connecticut Bank, Fox News, January 30, 2010]</ref>

== Falsehoods ==

Hollywood perpetuates a number of [[liberal]]-driven [[Essay:Liberal Falsehoods|falsehoods]]:

====Matthew Shepard fallacy====

Adherents to Hollywood values "green-lighted a troika of [[Matthew Shepard]] movies after he was senselessly killed because it affirmed their gut feeling that a gay young man living in backward America is destined for death at the hands of hateful ultraconservatives. A street in West Hollywood still stands in his name despite ABC News reporting the story false: He was killed by crazed meth addicts for drugs and money -- not because he was gay. Isn't that tragic enough? Yet Shepard is still the icon of gay victims' rights, and the mistaken story of his 'fate' soon thereafter befell Jake Gyllenhaal's character in 'Brokeback Mountain.' The Oscar statuette stands as the exclamation point."<ref>http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-op-dustup26sep26,0,1800794,full.story</ref>

====Inherit the Wind====

The film ''Inherit the Wind'' is presented as an historical account in order to smear Christianity. However, the play upon which the film is based was written as an allegorical criticism of "[[Joseph McCarthy|McCarthyism]]" and consequently contains numerous and blatant historical inaccuracies concerning the [[Scopes Trial]], including:

*portraying [[William Jennings Bryan]] as being ignorant, harsh and punitive, based on a false portrayal of his actions and testimony
*falsely claiming that at the end Bryan, in a senseless fit of madness, died in the courtroom amid caring and reasonable Darwinists
*portraying the Darwinists in a falsely positive light and the Christians as deceitful

In real life, Bryan and the Christians were charitable to the end, while the agnostic Darrow was deceitful in reneging on his promise to take the witness stand after Bryan did.

====[[Recount]]====

The 2008 [[HBO]] movie on the 2000 Presidential elections and its aftermath in Florida, which operates from the assumption that the [[Republicans]] stole the election there. Republicans are portrayed as ghoulish types who [[Astroturfing|manufacture demonstrations]]. Warren Christopher and James Baker both contend that the film’s portrayal of Christopher is hopelessly untrue. <ref>[http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/hbos-recount-hanging-chads-and-black-humor/ HBO’s Recount: Hanging Chads, Black Humor] The Washington Times, May 4, 2008</ref>

====[[Winter Soldiers]]====

The 1972 film about U.S. troops from Vietnam put on record as baby killers, human rights violators, and general disservice to America. This myth was propagated by a few anti-war activist liberal actors who either never saw combat in [[Vietnam]] or were never in the country. The initial result was to hold hearings in Congress over the matter. All allegations were proven fabrications, falsehoods, and lies.

====[[An Inconvenient Truth]]====

The 2006 "documentary" about man-made [[global warming]], created and hyped by [[Al Gore]], was found by a [[British]] court to contain at least [[Global arming#Al Gore's "Inconvenient Truth" Movie Claims|11 material falsehoods]]. The Science and Public Policy Institute has found 35 falsehoods associated with the film. <ref>[http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/monckton/goreerrors.html 35 Inconvenient Truths, Science and Public Policy Institute]</ref>

====[[Fahrenheit 911]]====

A [[Michael Moore]] film that was a false portrayal of why America fought a war against [[Saddam Hussein]]'s Iraq. The main theme was to attack [[George W. Bush]] during wartime.

==Disrespect for marriage==

On account of their distorted moral outlook, many celebrities and other practitioners of Hollywood values have no respect for the sanctity of marriage - their own or anyone else's. This is manifested in a high rate of marriage breakdown, and by various other home-wrecking activities.

*[[Elizabeth Taylor]] has been married eight (8) times, including a nearly 6-year marriage to [[John Warner|Senator John Warner]] (R-VA).<ref>http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000072/bio</ref>
*[[Valerie Bertinelli]] said her divorce from [[Eddie Van Halen]] was caused by infidelity and drug use on both sides. She said she was "destroying [her] body," trying to keep up with a rock-star lifestyle. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,332551,00.html Valerie Bertinelli About Divorce From Eddie Van Halen: 'I Wasn't An Angel Either'], [[Fox News Channel]], ''[[Associated Press]]'', February 26, 2008</ref>
*[[Zsa Zsa Gabor]] has been married nine (9) times.
*[[Mickey Rooney]] has been married eight (8) times, but has been with his last wife for 30 years after embracing religion and abandoning his previous lifestyle.
*[[Jerry Lee Lewis]] married six (6) times, once to his 13-year-old cousin, Myra Gale Brown.
*[[Charlie Chaplin]] married four (4) times, including his marriage at the age of 54 to an 18-year-old bride.
*[[Johnny Carson]] married four (4) times, and frequently made light of his having divorced three times, as if this were something funny.
*[[Meredith Baxter]] married and divorced four (4) times; she finally admitted in 2009 that she was a [[homosexual]].

== Offensive behavior ==

* Practitioners of Hollywood values frequently trash hotel rooms. Many examples of this can be seen on the [[Internet]].<ref>See, e.g., [http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2007/12/21/AR2007122101034.html]</ref>
*[[Mel Gibson]] was arrested after being stopped for driving at 84 mph in a 45 mph zone on a notoriously dangerous road in Malibu, California.<ref>''Mel Gibson apologizes after DUI arrest'' [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14080210/ Associated Press]</ref> A breathalyzer test confirmed he was drunk and next to him was an open bottle of Tequila; after being arrested he hurled anti-Semitic abuse at a Jewish police officer.<ref>[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2292336,00.html Mel Gibson rants against Jews in drink-drive arrest], Times Online, July 30, 2006</ref>
*The parents of [[Miley Cyrus]], just 15 years old, allowed [[Annie Liebowitz]] to pose the starlet without a shirt or bra (nominally [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/topless "topless"]) and with just a sheet covering her front for Vanity Fair magazine.<ref>http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/business/media/28hannah.html?_r=1&oref=slogin</ref><ref>http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20195785,00.html</ref><ref>http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,23608789-5001026,00.html</ref> "I took part in a photo shoot that was supposed to be 'artistic' and now, seeing the photographs and reading the story, I feel so embarrassed," Cyrus said Sunday in a statement through her publicist. "I never intended for any of this to happen and I apologize to my fans who I care so deeply about." <ref>http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gYLnT2kyPIgNUurQ71aNM3EJKpRAD90ARTGO0</ref> "[A] situation was created to deliberately manipulate a 15-year-old in order to sell magazines," a network statement said. <ref>http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gYLnT2kyPIgNUurQ71aNM3EJKpRAD90ARTGO0</ref>
*Many Hollywood stars who have purposely sought fame have then turned upon photographers and fans. [[Sean Penn]] is well known to lash out at photographers.
*The parents of 16-year old Jamie Lynn Spears allowing her unwed pregnancy to be publicly portrayed as a normal act even though she is a role model for millions of underage teenagers. Carolyn Kirk, the mayor of Gloucester, [[Massachusetts]], recently blamed the glamorizing of teen pregnancy by Jamie Lynn Spears for the 17 high school teenagers that got pregnant at the same time. <ref>[http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2008/06/gloucester_mayo.html Gloucester mayor rebuts report of teen pregnancy pact], June 23, 2008</ref>
*[[Ellen DeGeneres]] proudly displays her [[Homosexuality|lesbianism]] for all to see. On August 16, 2008, DeGeneres "married" Portia de Rossi in a small ceremony in Beverly Hills. Fox News called it "the biggest celebrity union since California legalized same-sex marriage." <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,405085,00.html Reports: Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi Wed] AP, August 17, 2008</ref>
*Rapper [[Kanye West]] and bodyguard attacked the paparazzi at [[LAX]] airport and allegedly smashed a camera on the floor valued at $10,000. The pair were arrested for felony vandalism. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,420869,00.html Kanye West Arrested in Altercation With Paparazzi] Ap, September 11, 2008</ref>
*[[Heather Locklear]] was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of a controlled substance. The officer noticed Locklear's car parked on a state highway and blocking a lane in Montecito, Ca. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,429388,00.html Heather Locklear Arrested on Suspicion of DUI] AP, September 29, 2008</ref>
*[[Charlie Sheen]] was arrested on Christmas Day for domestic abuse of his wife, Brooke. He was booked for second-degree assault, menacing, and criminal mischief. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2009/12/25/actor-charlie-sheen-arrested-domestic-violence-charges/?test=faces Actor Charlie Sheen Released From Jail After Domestic Abuse Arrest, Fox News, December 25, 2009]</ref> Sheen has a history that includes assaults against girlfriends and his former wife.
*[[Kourtney Kardashian]] gave a risque lingerie shoot while pregnant with her boyfriend's child. After birth, Mom and baby adorned magazine covers, highlighting the modern acceptance of single motherhood. The cover reads ''"Baby Mason will bring our family together,"'' obscuring the traditional meaning of family. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/entertainment/2009/10/16/kardashian-sisters?slide=2 The Kardashian Family, Fox News]</ref>
*Comedian [[Andy Dick]] was arrested for groping an employee and a patron of a nightclub in West Virginia. <ref>[http://www.herald-dispatch.com/breaking/x818845820/Andy-Dick-arrested-by-HPD Andy Dick charged with felony, shows still on, Herald Dispatch, January 23, 2010]</ref>
*[[Woody Allen]] seduced and took pornographic photographs of his wife-to-be, Soon-Yi Previn, the youthful daughter of his then-girlfriend [[Mia Farrow]].
*[[James Dean]] displayed an unhealthy interest in a twelve-year-old boy. His former director Elia Kazan later commented: "I've known many actors who have been twisted up in their sex lives, but never anybody as sick and unhealthy as Dean was."
* [[Helen Mirren]], who played Queen Elizabeth II in ''The Queen'', admits she used to use cocaine and was date-raped as a result of her poor life choices as a younger woman.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,414361,00.html</ref>

== Rehab ==
Hollywood values often result in [[Celebrity|celebrities]] going into rehab. Here are some examples:

*[[Kirsten Dunst]] was reported to have checked into the [[Cirque Lodge]] treatment facility in [[Utah]] after a week of hard partying at the [[Sundance Film Festival]], according to a source at the lodge, although the lodge's director of operations denies this. <ref name = "foxkirsten">
[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,329545,00.html Reports Say Kirsten Dunst in Rehab; Rep for Facility Denies It], ''[[Fox News]]'', February 08, 2008</ref>

The following all checked into the above facility seeking treatment for various psychological problems:

*[[Lindsay Lohan]]<ref name = "foxkirsten"/>
*[[Eva Mendes]]<ref name = "foxkirsten"/>
*[[Mary-Kate Olsen]]<ref name = "foxkirsten"/>
*[[Robert Downey Jr.]]
*[[Courtney Love]]
*[[Heather Locklear]]<ref>"A spokeswoman for the 47-year-old star said: 'Heather has been dealing with anxiety and depression.'" She "checked into a clinic in [[Arizona]] that treats depression."[http://www.pnas.org/content/101/11/3721.full]</ref>
*[[David Duchovny]], having boosted Hollywood Values through his role in a decadent television series, now finds himself trapped by the depravity that he promoted, and has had to enter rehab for his addiction to unchastity<ref>http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN2835847820080829</ref>.

== Hypocrisy ==

Hollywood personalities often propose legislation such as outlawing private gun ownership, or speak out against things such as anti-gun laws, but have at the same time acted in movies that promote different messages.

* [[George Clooney]], on hearing that fellow actor [[Charlton Heston]] suffered from Alzheimer's disease, said: ''"I don't care. Charlton Heston is the head of the [[National Rifle Association]]. He deserves whatever anyone says about him."''<ref>http://www.funnyreign.com/quotes-georgeclooney.shtml</ref> Clooney starred in the film ''The Peacemaker'', in which he played an American military man defending the country from a nuclear attack; scenes in the film showed him using a gun to defend himself and others.
* [[Mark Wahlberg]], upon meeting Charlton Heston on the set of the remake of ''Planet of the Apes'', rudely told him, "It was very disturbing meeting you." Later, Wahlberg would have this to say at the MTV Movie Awards: ''"I believe Charlton Heston is America's best villain because he loves guns so much. Maybe he should get the award for being president of the National Rifle Association."''<ref>http://www.keepandbeararms.com/information/XcIBViewItem.asp?ID=2360</ref> Wahlberg's character in ''Planet of the Apes'' uses a gun to defend himself and other humans from the apes who would rule over them.
* [[Chad Allen]], a gay actor, played a dual role as missionaries Nate and Steve Saint (both opposed to homosexuality) in the Christian film ''[[End of the Spear]]''.

==Using appearances to political ends==

*Rapper Kanye West infamously went far off script during a live benefit concert for victims of Hurricane Katrina, criticizing the media's treatment of images of black and white people and saying President [[George W. Bush]] "doesn't care about black people."<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/03/AR2005090300165.html</ref>
*During the live broadcast of the 2007 Emmy Awards, actress Sally Field went on a sputtering anti-war rant, eventually concluding by saying, "If the mothers ruled the world, there would be no g**d*** war in the first place." She received thunderous applause from the Hollywood audience for her vulgar remark.<ref>http://www.abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=3610891</ref>
*[[Michael Moore]] surprised no one by criticizing President Bush during his 2003 Oscar acceptance speech for "Bowling for Columbine," saying, "We live in the time where we have fictitious election results that elect a fictitious president. We live in a time where we have a man who's sending us to war for fictitious reasons, whether it's the fiction of duct tape or the fiction of orange alerts. We are against this war, Mr. Bush. Shame on you, Mr. Bush. Shame on you."<ref>http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20030323-2028-oscars-moore.html</ref>
*Actress Jessica Lange verbally attacked President Bush and the Iraq War during a 2008 commencement speech at Sarah Lawrence College in Yonkers, New York, stating, "We are living in an America that, in the last seven and a half years, has waged an unnecessary war, established prison camps, condoned torture, employed corporate armies, eliminated the right of habeas corpus, practiced extraordinary rendition, and believe me, this is only a partial list."<ref>http://cbs5.com/politics/Jessica.Lange.President.2.732264.html</ref>
*Actress Megan Fox was recently quoted by MSN in a piece entitled "The Wit and Wisdom of Megan Fox" discussing her new movie Transformers 2. She said "why not just take out all of the white trash, hillbilly, anti-gay, super bible-beating people in Middle America?” <ref>[http://www.onenewsnow.com/Blog/Default.aspx?id=559876 Megan Fox would barter using ‘Bible-beating white trash’]OneNewsNow.com</ref>

==Vanity and [[Idol]] Worship==

[[Hollywood]] places a value on appearance; this is driven into the minds of those who seek profits and adulation there, and such is the need to be rich and famous that anything goes, such as indecent exposure to audiences, deliberately inviting scandal for the sake of headlines, and attending ego-boosting ceremonies where fans breathlessly await the "stars'" arrival.

The culture around these celebrities has developed into somewhat of a hero-cult, minus the heroic behavior; this negatively affects the celebrities' fans, especially women, who tend to feel less worthy when exposed more to celebrity culture. Penn State's Media Research found the following regarding Women's magazines, "Past research indicates that exposure to thin models results in lower [[self-esteem]] and decreased weight satisfaction, and to increased depression, guilt, shame, [[stress]], insecurity and body dissatisfaction." <ref>[http://www.psu.edu/dept/medialab/research/selfworth.html Construction of Beauty as a Measure of Self-Worth] Penn State Media Research</ref>

==Award Shows==

Fans of Hollywood are served copious amounts of vanity and glamor as celebrities are greeted on the red-carpet attending award events. Paparazzi snap pictures and the stars are rated for their appearance in various tabloids and entertainment television. Once the celebrities have arrived at the awards, television cameras capture for the masses acceptance speeches of their beloved stars. Although the awards ceremonies were once limited to a couple of banquets such as the [[Emmy Award|Emmys]] or [[Golden Globe]]s, now some two-dozen award shows are vying for exposure, including the Golden Raspberry Awards, or "Razzies," created to honor the worst in film. Here are some examples of the behavior of stars at award shows:

*A notoriously self-serving [[Kayne West]] jumped onstage at the [[MTV Video Awards]] to interrupt an acceptance speech by Taylor Swift. <ref>[http://www.examiner.com/x-15972-Raleigh-Pop-Culture-Examiner~y2009m9d14-MTV-Video-Music-Awards-inspire-annual-controversy MTV Video Music Awards inspire annual controversy, Examiner.com, September 14, 2009]</ref>
*[[Mariah Carey]] attended the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Her acceptance speech was made while completely drunk. <ref>[http://neonlimelight.com/2010/01/06/video-mariah-carey-accepts-film-festival-award-drunk/ Video: Mariah Carey Accepts Film Festival Award Drunk, Neonlimelight.com, January 6, 2010]</ref>
*[[Miley Cyrus]] performed at the [[Teen Choice Awards]] in August 2009. The 16-year old was dancing around on a stripper pole. <ref>[http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1619183/20090820/cyrus__miley.jhtml Billy Ray Cyrus Defends Miley's Teen Choice Pole Dance, MTV.com, August 20, 2009]</ref>
*Actor [[Jack Black]] opened the 2009 MTV Video Awards by leading everyone in a prayer to [[Satan]]. <ref>[http://christianpress.com/content/entertainment/11-lifestyle/360-jack-black-leads-a-prayer-to-the-devil-at-the-2009-mtv-awards satan Jack Black Leads A Prayer To The Devil At The 2009 MTV Awards, Christian Press, September 14, 2009 ]</ref>
*Adam Lambert’s [[American Music Awards]] performance received over 1500 complaints for flipping off the audience, kissed a male keyboard player and fondled several of his backup dancers. <ref>[http://www.ecanadanow.com/entertainment/2009/11/28/did-you-find-adam-lamberts-american-music-awards-performance-offensive/comment-page-1/ Did You Find Adam Lambert’s American Music Awards Performance Offensive?, eCanadanow.com, November 28, 2009]</ref>

==Preying on Underage Stars==

Debbie Gibson said, reflecting on her life as a sixteen-year-old teenage pop star and her exposure to the very sinister side of show business, "It is very disheartening that there are so many older men that prey on young performers." This refers not only to predatory fans, but to older male record executives who took her to adult parties and attempted to seduce her with the aid of alcohol.<ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,533542,00.html?test=faces Debbie Gibson Speaks Out About Pedophile Fans Wanting to 'Corrupt Little Girls' Fox News, July 17, 2009]</ref>

==Productions==

The poor morals rampant in the Hollywood entertainment industry tend to show through in many of that industry's products: motion pictures and television programs that forsake actual content in favor of plumbing a cess-pit of debauchery, ''etc.'' Some recent examples include the television series ''Desperate Housewives'' and the TV series/movie ''[[Sex and the City]]''.

==Books==
* ''Hollywood Against America''
* ''Hollywood Babylon'' (1965) by Kenneth Anger (US edition)
* ''Hollywood Babylon II'' (1984) by Kenneth Anger

==See also==
*[[Supermodel]]s
*[[Gallery of American Heroes]]
*[[World Famous Pictures]]

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External Links==
*[http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5ic_Q3agTpruvzoCJ5UxWaAqGJW3A Bush attacks 'Hollywood values'], ''AFP'', Oct 1, 2007
*[http://www.thesmokinggun.com/mugshots/index.html Mug-shots of arrested Hollywood stars]

{{Liberalism}}
[[category:entertainment]]
[[Category:Liberal Traits]]
[[Category:Social Problems]]

Martin Luther

2010-02-18T16:13:20Z

CarlSfromMN:

'''Martin Luther''' (November 10, 1483 - February 18, 1546) was one of the most important leaders in [[Christian]] and [[Germany|German]] history. An Augustinian monk, priest, and professor of theology, he launched the [[Protestantism|Protestant Reformation]] and founded the [[Lutheranism|Lutheran Church]] as a branch of Christianity dominant in Northern Europe.

Previous reform movements in the [[Roman Catholic Church]] were small-scale and did not disrupt the medieval Church; disruptions had simply been schisms rather than over serious doctrinal questions. Luther was the first to break Roman Catholic unity, when he was excommunicated for the [[95 Theses]] he had written in 1517 as a direct challenge to Church practice. Furthermore, in his position had the backing of several German princes who resented the Italian domination of the Church.

A tireless writer of tracts and hymns, Luther used the newly-invented [[printing press]] to disseminate his works, which were highly influential in Northern Europe. He reshaped German religious culture through rejection of Catholic liturgy and clerical celibacy; he created a new Lutheran liturgy using his very popular hymns and his translation of the Bible into German helped to shape the German language.

To [[Mainline]] Protestants, Luther has always been a great reformer: an agent of and witness to Jesus Christ, upon whom God mysteriously chose to bestow a gift of deep insight into the [[Bible]] and the true nature of the Catholic Church, not unlike the kind of conversion experience vouchsafed [[St. Paul]]<ref>[[James Atkinson]], ''Martin Luther: Prophet to the Church Catholic'', (1983) , ISBN 0-8028-1260-0, pp.43-58</ref>. "Luther, and with him all the Reformers of the sixteenth century, German, Swiss, and British alike, believed that God spoke to them in the Scriptures in exactly the same way He had spoken to his prophets and apostles."<ref>''Martin Luther:Prohpet to the Church Catholic'', [[James Atkinson]], Eerdmans, 1983, ISBN 0-8028-1260-0, p.143</ref>" From the [[Roman Catholic]] perspective, Luther remains a monk who overeacted to the problems of the day and caused a great deal of needless trouble, although more recently the Catholic Church and several mainline Lutheran groups have signed a joint declaration resolving several of the theological differences raised by Luther.<ref>[http://archive.elca.org/ecumenical/ecumenicaldialogue/romancatholic/jddj/index.html Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification]</ref>

Luther's image changed over the centuries. Calvinists challenged his theology while Catholics systematically reviled his personality well into the 20th century. Lutherans saw him as an authoritative interpreter of the Word whose texts must be studied word for word, then as a prophet of God whose overall message was more important than particular writings, and finally as a hero of the German people who transcended religion.<ref>Robert Kolb, ''Martin Luther as Prophet, Teacher, and Hero: Images of the Reformer, 1520-1620'' (1999)</ref>

[[Image:Luther-Cranach.jpg|thumb|225px]]

==Biography==

Luther was born on Nov. 10, 1483, in the central German town of Eisleben in Thuringia. His father, Hans Luther, originally a peasant, learned mining skills, and became a businessman who owned several small foundries; his mother, Margarethe, came from an educated urban professional family. Luther was brought up strictly according to tradition; he entered the University of Erfurt in 1501, took a master of arts degree in 1505 and studied law in preparation for the legal career his father planned for him. Erfurt was the center of [[humanism]], and Luther was well educated by leading scholars there in [[Aristotle]] and the Latin classics.

Young Luther was tormented by the contemporary picture of man's destiny. Germany was at that time obsessed by a cult of death, which had arisen after the [[Black Death]] more than a century before; however, not even death was as appalling to Luther as the final judgment and the prospect of everlasting damnation. In July 1505, a thunderstorm overtook him. Struck to the ground by a bolt of lightning, he cried in terror to his father's patron saint, "St. Anne, help me! I will become a monk." Two weeks later he entered the strict Augustinian order.<ref>Albrecht Beutel, "Luther's Life," in McKim, ed. ''The Cambridge Companion to Martin Luther'' (2003) p. 3-19; Mullett, ''Martin Luther'' (2004), ch. 1, quote p. 27 </ref>

=== Monastic years ===

Luther took his final vows and in May 1507 he was ordained a priest. He was assigned to the town of Wittenberg, Saxony, the next year as an instructor in logic and physics at the new University of Wittenberg, with its 180 students. Luther spent nearly his entire life in Wittenberg. He was favored and protected by the government, thanks to the influence of his friend, the court chaplain Georg Spalatin (1484-1545). He learned Greek and Hebrew and carried out extensive study of the Bible, as well as standard theological treatises by Scholastic thinkers Peter Lombard (c.1100-60), John Duns Scotus (c.1265-1308), Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), Pierre d' Ailly (1350-1420) and William of Occam (1288-1347); however, his chief influence was St. [[Augustine]] (354-430), the reputed founder of his order. Another (lesser) influence was the Nominalist theologian Gabriel Biel (c.1420-95), who taught that sinners could attain genuine contrition for their sins. Biel clarified the issue and Luther in 1517 came down strongly in opposition to it.

The university awarded him the degree of doctor of theology in 1512. Luther rapidly advanced in his teaching career and became a successful administrator, also preaching regularly in the parish church. In 1510-11 he went to Rome on official business for five months, the first and only time he left Germany. In retrospect, he spoke of seeing Rome's corruption, but most historians believe these remarks were heavily influenced by his subsequent excommunication and alignment with German nationalism. In 1511 he did not yet share the views of Renaissance Germany's anti-papal and anti-Italian movement, of which he later became leader.<ref>Mullett, ''Luther'' p 46</ref>

=== Wittenberg ===

In October 1512, Luther received a doctorate of theology from the University of Wittenberg and soon after assumed a Bible-studies professorship there, endowed by his Augustinian order. Lecture notes exist for courses he taught, including ''Psalms'' (1513-1515 and 1519), ''Romans'' (1515-1516), ''Galatians'' (1516-1517), and ''Hebrews'' (1517-1518). During this time Luther rose within his order to the office of district vicar, later even overseeing the administration of Augustianian monasteries in Saxony.

Luther's fears continued to plague him. Repeated bouts of depression may have arisen partly from physical causes having to do with Luther's savagely ascetic lifestyle, which was self-imposed against the advice of his confessor. Of this experience, Luther wrote, "I vexed myself with fasts and prayers beyond what was common...if I could have got to heaven by fasting, I should have merited that twenty years ago.... I afflicted myself almost to death."<ref>Mullett, ''Luther'' p 44</ref>

In reaction to this attempt to justify himself by self-torture, he decided that [[Total depravity|nothing in the power of man is good enough to constitute a claim upon God]]. He utilized all avenues within the Church's penitential system so that the sins which he could not expunge or eradicate might yet be forgiven, only to discover that he could not confess all of his sins. Some sins were forgotten and others not recognized, for man does not see that he is a sinner until confronted by the accusing finger of God. The mystic way of ceasing to struggle and of surrendering oneself to the wonder and the goodness of God offered no solution; for Luther, God was a consuming flame.

The solution to Luther's problems came through the study of the Bible, part of his official duties. Luther later told of how religious experiences led him to two important theological discoveries: in 1514, a realization of the evangelical purpose of the Gospel, and in 1518 (possibly earlier) a replacement of scholastic theology with what he called the "theology of the cross."

In writing lectures on ''Psalms, Romans, and Galatians'' from 1513 to 1516, Luther came to the conclusion, fundamental to Protestant theology, that man depends for his salvation on the sheer grace of God, made available through the sacrificial death of Christ. Christ is not primarily the terrible judge who condemns sinners, but the redeemer upon the cross. Man has only to believe and to accept in trust what God has done to be forgiven, even though sin is never entirely taken away. This was to become the central doctrine of Luther's creed: the doctrine of [[Sola fide|justification by faith alone]].

The critical point at which Luther's position diverged from that of the Catholic Church was in his absolute denial of man's ability to do anything whatsoever toward his own salvation. The Church taught that, through grace, man is given by God the ability to fulfill His commandments. Since man is free to reject this grace, if he accepts it instead and performs good works, his deeds are meritorious. But Luther held that when good deeds are performed with an eye to reward, they are damnable sins.

===About indulgences===

Luther's actual breach with the Church was occasioned by the Church's use of ''indulgences'', or remissions by the Church of punishment time in Purgatory (a penalty for certain sins). Indulgences did not help souls sent to hell.<ref>For the Catholic position see [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07783a.htm W.H. Kent, "Indulgences" in ''Catholic Encyclopedia (1911)]</ref>Invented in the 11th century, indulgences at first only remitted penalties imposed by the pope on earth, but by the 1480s the pope claimed an extension to penalties imposed by God in Purgatory. Some popes undertook not only to remit penalties but also to forgive sins. In return for such benefits the recipients made cash contributions in accordance with their financial ability. The underlying theory of the entire transaction was that Christ and the saints had by their good works earned more credits than were needful for their own salvation and had stored up a treasury of merits from which the pope could make transfers to others.

The privilege of dispensing the particular indulgences which drew Luther's ire was granted by Pope Leo X to Albrecht, archbishop of Mainz. The public thought money was going to Rome to build St. Peter's Church; in reality, half the money went to Albrecht so that he could repay the loan that had enabled him to purchase from Rome a second archbishopric. The proclamation of the indulgence was entrusted to Johann Tetzel, a Dominican monk with considerable experience in the field. The indulgence was declared, in an accompanying document, to confer the forgiveness of sin, and there was the further statement that those who secured indulgences for relatives in Purgatory need not themselves be contrite. Tetzel assured his hearers that:<ref>A. D. Dickens, ''Reformation and Society in Sixteenth-Century Europe'' (1966) p 61-2. </ref>

<blockquote style="font-style: italic">As soon as the coin in the coffer rings 
The Soul from purgatory springs.</blockquote>

==Break with Rome==

===95 Theses (1517)===

On October 31, 1517, Luther nailed [[the 95 Theses]] or issues to the door of the ''Schlosskirche'' (Castle Church) in Wittenberg, starting the Protestant Reformation. The 95 Theses were complaints on the subject of indulgences intended to spark public debate,<ref>For the e-text see [http://www.projectwittenberg.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/luther/web/ninetyfive.html English translation]; and [http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~lyman/english233/sg-95ths.htm Lyman Baker, "Study Guide for the ...Ninety-five Theses"] </ref> a common procedure among theologians at that time.

Here are two of Luther's most important Theses:

*Thesis 82: ''Why does not the pope empty purgatory, for the sake of holy love and of the dire need of the souls that are there, if he redeems an infinite number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to build a Church? The former reasons would be most just; the latter is most trivial.''<ref>Luther wrote the theses in Latin. This one read, ''Scilicet. Cur Papa non evacuat purgatorium propter sanctissimam charitatem et summam animarum necessitatem ut causam omnium iustissimam, Si infinitas animas redimit propter pecuniam funestissimam ad structuram Basilice ut causam levissimam?''</ref>

*Thesis 86: ''Why does not the pope, whose wealth is to-day greater than the riches of the richest, build just this one church of St. Peter with his own money, rather than with the money of poor believers?''<ref>The Latin read, ''Item. Cur Papa, cuius opes hodie sunt opulentissimis Crassis crassiores, non de suis pecuniis magis quam pauperum fidelium struit unam tantummodo Basilicam sancti Petri?''</ref>

===Papal reaction to the 95 Theses===

The 95 Theses hurled Luther into the middle of controversy, leading to his excommunication by the pope in 1520 and to the Diet of Worms in 1521 declaring him outlaw in the Holy Roman Empire. Luther's role changed from that of a would-be reformer of the Catholic Church to a declared foe of that institution, as it refused to heed his call to bring its beliefs and practice into line with the doctrines he had been uncovering in his study of the Bible. He was thus the only one of the prominent Protestant Reformers not to break voluntarily with the Church.

Luther sharply attacked any linkage between the raising of money and the remission either of sins or penalties. He denied the jurisdiction of the pope over Purgatory, noting that if the pope could release souls, he should let them all out without collecting a penny. Many colleagues agreed with Luther thus far. But he went on to deny the fundamental theory of the treasury of the accumulated merits of the saints; he attacked not just the abuse of the indulgences but the core idea.

Luther sent a copy of the 95 Theses to Archbishop Albrecht, asking him to stop the indulgences. Printed copies in Latin and German began to circulate widely, and many clerics agreed with Luther. The alarmed archbishop forwarded the document to Pope Leo X (1475–1521, pope 1513–21). Leo was a Medici, the son of [[Lorenzo the Magnificent]]; he was an aristocrat of dilettantish learning and a worldly patron of expensive arts and architecture (especially St. Peter's church) that had to be paid for. He had no interest in correcting the abuses of indulgence vending. Now, Leo again endorsed the claims of the indulgence-vendors and affirmed that souls were immediately released.

Luther retorted that the pope was wrong – a nearly heretical statement. The pope summoned Luther to Rome, but Luther's prince, Frederick the Wise, Elector of Saxony, stepped in and insisted that his subject must have a fair hearing on German soil. The centuries-old German distrust of an Italian papacy was thus the first factor which gave Luther protection. German nobles did not like the flow of money to Rome, and in aid of cutting this off, they backed Luther.

A compromise was arranged: instead of going to Rome, Luther would appear at a hearing before Cardinal Cajetan, a Dominican, at Augsburg in 1518.<ref>The Dominican order was a great rival of the Augustinians, and theologians took sides with Cajetan or Luther accordingly. MacCulloch (2005), p. 125-6</ref> The Cardinal confronted Luther with the papal pronouncement, or bull, of Clement VI in 1343, which contained the doctrine of the accumulated treasury of the merits of the saints. Luther rejected this bull, thereby impugning not only the authority of a particular pope but also of the canon law generally. He refused to recant his argument that the efficacy of a sacrament depended on the faith of the recipient. Luther thus called into question central traditions of the Church, saying the office of the pope and his authority was in opposition to God's word, and that sacraments were not automatically effective. Cajetan branded Luther a heretic. The pope wanted to have Luther brought to Rome by force, but such an undertaking was now politically impossible.<ref>Mullett, (2004) p. 82-3; Smith, ''Life and Letters'' (1911), 48-54; for the Catholic viewpoint see [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03145c.htm John R. Volz, "Tommaso de Vio Gaetani Cajetan," ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'' vol 3 (1908)]</ref>

===''Exsurge Domine''===

[[Pope Leo X]] spent his time on the beauty flourishing during the [[Renaissance]], and was a patron of the great artist [[Raphael]]. Pope Leo X probably never recognized the significance of Luther and his followers. Some historians feel that if the pope had responded more seriously, then the subsequent schism in Germany would not have occurred; others argue that a Reformation was inevitable and that many leaders were emerging.

In 1520, Pope Leo X announced the papal bull [[Exsurge Domine]], which required Luther to withdraw 41 of his 95 Theses or be [[excommunicated]]. Luther refused and was then excommunicated by the Catholic Church.

===Luther counterattacks===

Luther was free to publicize his position widely, so everyone now recognized Luther as a defiant German rebel against the Church. He wrote a powerful series of pamphlets that rallied political and intellectual support.

* ''Address to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation'' called upon the rulers, including the emperor, to reform the Church. Luther demanded that the papacy be restored to the poverty and simplicity of the days of St. Peter, and that the finances and vast real estate holdings of the Church should be handled by national churches, not the pope. He also demanded the abolition of clerical celibacy, which the Germans had opposed when it had been brought in by Gregory VII in the 11th century.

* ''On The Babylonian Captivity of the Church'', written in Latin and directed at priests, was even more challenging. Luther attacked the sacramental character of the Church and thereby undercut many of its claims to power. The Church recognized seven sacraments, Luther only two (baptism and the Lord's Supper, both explicitly authorized by Christ). He argued that the Catholic Mass was not the true Lord's Supper, not being a repetition of the sacrifice of Christ, and that the wine as well as the bread should be given to the laity as well as the clergy. Church doctrine held that the bread and wine of the Eucharist are actually transformed into the body and blood of Christ; only the outward appearances, or "accidents," of bread and wine remain. This doctrine was called ''[[transubstantiation]],'' and was based on the philosophy of [[Aristotle]], with whom Luther took much difference. Luther offered his own doctrine of "Real Presence," that after consecration the body and blood of Christ are present "in, with, and under" the form of the bread and wine. The priest causes no miracle, because Christ is everywhere present and at all times; instead, he opens the eyes of believers to Christ where he is, because God's presence and Christ's presence, though universal, are not universally obvious. When this tract appeared, [[Erasmus]], the eminent humanist in Amsterdam, declared the breach between Luther and the Church was now irreparable.<ref>Kyle A. Pasewark, "The Body in Ecstasy: Love, Difference, and the Social Organism in Luther's Theory of the Lord's Supper," ''The Journal of Religion'' Vol. 77, No. 4 (Oct., 1997), pp. 511-540 [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-4189%28199710%2977%3A4%3C511%3ATBIELD%3E2.0.CO%3B2-Q in JSTOR]</ref>

* ''Freedom of the Christian Man'' went further, promulgating the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Luther declared the Christian to be free from all priestcraft; the priest is merely one who, out of the body of the universal priests, has been "regularly called" to perform a particular office.

===Diet of Worms (1521)===

The papal bull reached Luther on October 10, 1520. giving him 60 days to recant. Luther's reply was the tract ''Against the Execrable Bull of Antichrist''. After 60 days, he burned the bull in public. Formal excommunication was delayed as international politics came into play; Luther's protector, Frederick, Elector of Saxony, was a critical person no power dared to alienate.

It was then up to the German imperial authorities to take any legal action against Luther. The 21-year-old Holy Roman Emperor, [[Charles V King of Spain|Charles V]], ordered him to stand trial before an assembly (a "Diet") of estates of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] that met in the Imperial Free City of Worms (now part of Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany).

Though the Diet of Worms was an imperial meeting, it unexpectedly became a council of the Church; it would not take action without hearing Luther. Elector Frederick insisted that his subject be given a fair hearing, so the emperor, though an orthodox Catholic, issued the summons to Luther, who arrived after a triumphal tour across Germany. Luther admitted he wrote the pamphlets and explained on April 18:

<blockquote style="font-style: italic">Unless I am convicted by Scripture or by right reason (for I trust neither in popes nor in councils, for they have often erred and contradicted themselves) -- unless I am thus convinced, I am bound by the texts of the Bible; my conscience is captive to the Word of God, I neither can nor will recant anything, since it is neither right nor safe to act against conscience is neither. Here I stand; I can do no other. God help me. Amen.<ref>Luther may have added the famous line "Here I stand" later; Smith, ''Life and Letters'' pp. 118, 453</ref></blockquote>

The verdict on May 25, 1521 (the "Edict of Worms") was "guilty." Luther was declared an outlaw who could not be legally housed or fed, but could be legally killed. The lines of the Reformation were now hardened.

Luther had already left the trial before the verdict was rendered. He hid at Wartburg Castle at Eisenach under the protection of Frederick. Luther took the pseudonym ''Junker Jörg'' (Sir George), grew a wide beard and dressed like a knight.

==The Reformation==

===Wartburg (1521-22)===

While in hiding in Wartburg, the Reformation accelerated, stimulated by Luther's tracts and organized by his friends in Wittenberg, especially [[Philipp Melanchthon]], who always remained close, as well as the more radical Andreas Karlstadt. The liturgy was deliberately changed, with Luther's approval. For example, in a celebration of the Lord's Supper, they gave wine to the laity. Monks and nuns left the cloister and got married, and Luther concluded that they were right to do so.

As iconoclasts and other radical elements began to cause disorder in Wittenberg, Luther returned to restore order. The emperor wanted to arrest him but had to worry first about several serious wars.

===Confronting radicals===

Luther was always troubled by violence and challenges to state authority. He was opposed when reformers broke up Catholic Masses and smashed images and statues of saints.

Peasants, long smarting under social inequalities, revolted in 1524-26 in Saxony, Franconia, Swabia, and Thuringia using his name and that of Thomas Münzer (1490-1525). At first he tried to mediate; in his ''Admonition to Peace,'' Luther blamed the unrest on the rulers, who persecuted the gospel and mistreated their subjects. Many of the peasants' demands were just, he said, and for the sake of peace, the rulers should accommodate them.

On the other hand, Luther warned the peasants they were blaspheming Christ by quoting the gospel to justify their secular demands. He told them bluntly that the gospel taught obedience to secular authorities and the humble suffering of injustice. As rebellion spread Luther was appalled and denounced the rebellion. In May 1525, he wrote against the "Robbing and Murdering Horde of Peasants," urging the princes to "smite, strangle, and stab [the peasants], secretly or openly, for nothing can be more poisonous, hurtful, or devilish than a rebel. It is just as when one must kill a mad dog; if you do not strike him, he will strike you and a whole land with you."

Luther argued that man's chief duty on earth was work, in particular agricultural labor and the duty of the ruling classes was the maintenance of peace. He castigated all layers of society for not fulfilling their duties. The Peasant War broke the peace, an evil he thought greater than the evils the peasants were rebelling against. He later criticized the merciless ruling classes, who killed some 100,000+ peasants (as well as Münzer) to crush the insurrection.

As the institutional Lutheran church developed, secular leaders who professed Lutheranism gained increasing influence. In 1531, the Schmalkaldic League, an alliance of Protestant princes, was formed to defend the Protestant states against possible Catholic attack. In 1536, the Lutherans and southern Germans reached a concord on the Lord's Supper. (The southern Germans acceded to the Lutheran insistence that Christ's body and blood were received in the Lord's Supper even by the "unworthy," and Lutherans let drop the question whether this also applied to the "godless.") The agreement also regularized the military alliance between the northern and southern parties.

In the later part of his life, Luther was frequently ill, which caused his writings to become increasingly angry and short-tempered. His reading of the Bible revealed from the beginning there had been a perpetual struggle between the true and false church; what happened to the original church of the prophets and apostles could certainly happen to the Lutheran church as well. Luther concluded the papacy was the Antichrist and that his Protestant opponents were "false brethren," like those who had plagued the true prophets and apostles. The Turks, who threatened Europe from the east, were a clear sign of the end times: they were Gog and the little horn in the Book of Daniel.<ref>Edwards, ''Luther's Last Battles: Politics and Polemics, 1531-46'' (1983)</ref>

===Spreading the word===

For his last 25 years Luther was primarily the professor, the preacher, and writer.<ref>Edwards, ''Luther's Last Battles: Politics and Polemics, 1531-46'' (1983)</ref> He taught at the University of Wittenberg, where some 16,000 students were enrolled, 1520-60, most of whom became enthusiastic proponents of Luther's "New Theology." Since Luther remained under the imperial ban, it was Melanchthon, not Luther, who attended the many conferences where theologians disputed the new ideas.

Luther remained the symbol of the Reformation; his enemies derided him as the pope of Wittenberg. While in hiding Luther translated the New Testament from Greek into High German, marking a literary and cultural as well as religious revolution. It appeared in 1522; his translation of the Old Testament from the Hebrew appeared in 1534.

The Reformation was a triumph of literacy and the new printing press. From 1517 onward religious pamphlets flooded Germany and much of Europe. By 1530 over 10,000 publications are known, with a total of ten million copies. Luther strengthened his attacks on Rome by depicting the struggle between "good" and "bad" churches. From there, it became clear that print could be used for propaganda toward other agendas just as easily as in the Reformation; reformist writers used pre-Reformation styles, clichés, and stereotypes and changed items as needed for their own purposes.<ref>Mark U. Edwards, Jr., ''Printing, Propaganda, and Martin Luther'' (1994)</ref>

Illustrations in the newly translated Bible and in many tracts popularized Luther's ideas. [[Lucas Cranach the Elder]] (1472-1553), the great painter patronized by the electors of Wittenberg, was a close friend of Luther, and illustrated Luther's theology for a popular audience. He dramatized Luther's views on the relationship between the Old and New Testaments (what Luther called "Law and Gospel"), while remaining mindful of Luther's careful distinctions about proper and improper uses of visual imagery.<ref>Christoph Weimer, "Luther and Cranach on Justification in Word and Image." ''Lutheran Quarterly'' 2004 18(4): 387-405. Issn: 0024-7499 </ref>

===Catechisms===

Especially effective were Luther's ''Small Catechism'', for use of parents teaching their children, and ''Larger Catechism,'' for pastors.<ref>See texts at [http://www.projectwittenberg.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/wittenberg-luther.html#sw-hymn English translation]</ref> Using the German vernacular they expressed the Apostles' Creed in simpler, more personal, Trinitarian language. He rewrote each article of the Creed to express the character of the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit. Luther's goal was to enable the catechumens to see themselves as a personal object of the work of the three persons of the Trinity, each of which works in the catechumen's life. The catechisms depict the idea of the Trinity not as a complex doctrine requiring a background in Greek philosophy to understand properly, but as one being filling three different roles: the Father creates, the Son redeems, and the Spirit sanctifies. Salvation originates with the Father and draws the believer to the Father. Luther's treatment of the Apostles' Creed is presented in the context of the Decalogue (the Ten Commandments) and the Lord's Prayer, which together form the basis of Lutheran catechesis.<ref>Charles P. Arand, "Luther on the Creed." ''Lutheran Quarterly'' 2006 20(1): 1-25. Issn: 0024-7499; James Arne Nestingen, "Luther's Catechisms" ''The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation.'' Ed. Hans J. Hillerbrand. (1996) </ref>

===Hymns===

Luther was a prolific hymn writer; one of his most famous hymns is "A Mighty Fortress is Our God."<ref>For a short collection see [http://www.projectwittenberg.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/wittenberg-luther.html#sw-hymn online hymns] </ref> Luther opened the way for a unity of high art and folk music, as well as of all classes -- clergy and laity, men, women and children. His device for this gathering was the singing of German-language hymns in connection with worship, the school, the home, and the public arena.<ref>Christopher Boyd Brown, ''Singing the Gospel: Lutheran Hymns and the Success of the Reformation.'' (2005) </ref>

Luther's 1524 creedal hymn "We All Believe in One True God" is a three-stanza confession of faith prefiguring Luther's 1529 three-part explanation of the Apostles' Creed in the ''Small Catechism.'' Luther's hymn, adapted and expanded from an earlier German creedal hymn, gained widespread use in vernacular Lutheran liturgies as early as 1525. Sixteenth-century Lutheran hymnals also included ''Wir Glauben All'' among the catechetical hymns, although 18th-century hymnals tended to label the hymn as trinitarian rather than catechetical, and 20th-century Lutherans rarely use the hymn because of the perceived difficulty of its tune.

Luther's 1538 hymnic version of the Lord's Prayer, "Vater Unser in Himmelreich" (Our Father who art in Heaven), corresponds exactly to Luther's explanation of the prayer in the ''Small Catechism,'' with one stanza for each of the seven prayer petitions, plus opening and closing stanzas; the hymn functioned both as a liturgical setting of the Lord's Prayer and as a means of examining candidates on specific catechism questions. The extant manuscript shows multiple revisions, demonstrating Luther's objectives of clarifying and strengthening the text and providing an appropriately prayerful tune. Other 16th- and 20th-century versifications of the Lord's Prayer have adopted Luther's tune, although modern texts are considerably shorter.<ref>Robin A. Leaver, "Luther's Catechism Hymns." ''Lutheran Quarterly'' 1998 12(1): 79-88, 89-98. </ref>

Luther wrote "Aus Tiefer Not Schrei ich zu Dir" (From depths of woe I cry to you) in 1523 as a hymnic version of Psalm 130 and sent it as a sample to encourage evangelical colleagues to write psalm-hymns for use in German worship. In 1524 Luther developed his original four-stanza psalm paraphrase into a five-stanza Reformation hymn that developed the theme of "grace alone" more fully. Because it expressed essential Reformation doctrine, this expanded version of "Aus Tiefer Not" was designated as a regular component of several regional Lutheran liturgies and was widely used at funerals, including Luther's own. Along with Erhart Hegenwalt's hymnic version of Psalm 51, Luther's expanded hymn was also adopted for use with the fifth part of Luther's catechism, concerning confession.<ref>Robin A. Leaver, "Luther's Catechism Hymns: 5. Baptism." ''Lutheran Quarterly'' 1998 12(2): 160-169, 170-180. </ref>

Luther's 1540 hymn "Christ unser Herr zum Jordan Kam" (To Jordan came the Christ our Lord) reflects the structure and substance of his questions and answers concerning baptism in the ''Small Catechism.'' Luther adopted a preexisting Johann Walter tune associated with a hymnic setting of Psalm 67's prayer for grace; Wolf Heintz's four-part setting of the hymn was used to introduce the Lutheran Reformation in Halle in 1541. Preachers and composers of the 18th century, including J. S. Bach, used this rich hymn as a subject for their own work, although its objective baptismal theology was displaced by more subjective hymns under the influence of late-19th-century Lutheran pietism.

==New theology==

===Eucharist===

Luther's hierarchy of eucharistic meaning reflects his broader theology in structure and content. The divine Word, rather than ubiquity and the presence of Christ in the Sacrament, is the center of Luther's eucharistic theology. The hierarchy runs along this course: from the Word at the center of the Sacrament, to the benefit of the Sacrament in the Word of forgiveness, to the comfort given and received when the Sacrament is rightly used, to the fruit of communion in the Word of love. The hierarchy is the Word on which power, benefit, comfort, and communion are dependent; the presence is less important than the Word. Since the Word is incarnational in Jesus Christ, the issue was the very nature of the Word itself.<ref>Thomas J. Davis, "'The Truth of the Divine Words': Luther's Sermons on the Eucharist, 1521-28, and the Structure of Eucharistic Meaning." ''Sixteenth Century Journal'' 1999 30(2): 323-342. [http://www.jstor.org/stable/2544707 in Jstor]; Thomas Osborne, "Faith, Philosophy, and the Nominalist Background to Luther's Defense of the Real Presence," ''Journal of the History of Ideas,'' Vol. 63, No. 1 (Jan., 2002), pp. 63-82 [ http://www.jstor.org/stable/3654258 in JSTOR]</ref>

==Translations==

In his [[Luther Bible]], Luther translated Romans 3:28 by adding an extra German word for "alone" (alleine or alleyn) after the phrase: "justified by faith".<ref>He wrote in German, "So halten wir nun dafür, daß der Mensch gerecht werde ohne des Gesetzes Werke, alleyn durch den Glauben."</ref> Luther believed that man is justified by faith alone, and that salvation comes only from faith. The Catholic Church taught that man is justified by faith, good works and confession to the Church authorities.

Luther also attempted to remove [[Hebrews]], [[James]], [[Jude]], and [[Revelation]] from the canon, arguing that they contradicted the rest of Scripture.<ref>[http://www.bible-researcher.com/antilegomena.html "Luther's Antilegomena"]</ref>

The [[printing press]] enabled Luther's translation to be printed for the public in September 1522. The Christian world would never be the same again.<ref>The [[Gutenberg Bible]], which put the [[Latin Vulgate]] in book format, had been printed long before--in 1455--but only in a very small edition.</ref>

===Marriage===

In 1525 Luther married Katharina von Bora (1499-1552), a noblewoman who had been placed in a Cistercian cloister at an early age, where she received an unusually strong education. Luther had helped her escape her cloister two years before their marriage, along with other nuns; husbands had been found for the rest of the group, but Katharina had held out for Luther.

Her intelligence and strong will challenged traditional gender roles and allowed Luther to exemplify his beliefs; their marriage reinforced his position against monastic celibacy. Katharina was not a conventional housewife; in addition to raising four children, she managed Luther's cloister and expanded his estate. However, despite being the sole heir in Luther's will, Katharina received nothing after his death.<ref>Martin Treu, "Katharina von Bora, the Woman at Luther's Side." ''Lutheran Quarterly'' 1999 13(2): 157-178. </ref>

In "The estate of marriage" (1522) Luther removed marriage as a Christian sacrament but elevated its position in German society by advocating it as preferable to celibacy. This change was consistent with his teachings that lay people were in no way inferior to the clergy. Luther spoke of marriage as a temporal institution instituted by God in which both sexes should be treated with respect and the duties of child-rearing should be joyfully accepted. He loosened the restrictions on marriage, including allowing marriage between Christians and non-Christians, and allowed divorce in situations involving adultery, although he called on Christians to forgive.<ref>Scott Hendrix, "Luther on Marriage." ''Lutheran Quarterly'' 2000 14(3): 335-350. </ref>

In Luther's later years, his health, precarious even as a monk, gradually declined. He suffered from constipation, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, dizziness, ringing in his ears, an ulcer on his leg, kidney stones, heart problems, and bouts of depression (battles with the Devil, he called them). Nevertheless he kept on writing to the end, with 360 published works from 1516 to 1530, and another 184 before his death in 1546.

==Wars==

Charles V tried to stop the spread of [[Lutheranism]]. In 1544, Charles V sent armies against the German princes, but the [[Peace of Augsburg]] in 1555 gave each German prince the right to choose the religion for his state, a principle called ''[[cuius regio, eius religio]]'' (whose region, his religion). Most of the southern German princes chose Catholicism, the northern princes Lutheranism. After [[World War II]], when Germany split into West and East Germany, the West German part contained the predominantly Roman Catholic regions and the East German part consisted of the mostly Lutheran regions; also, the ethnic cleansing of Germans from Eastern Europe removed entire provinces of Germany's Lutheran state churches.

==Jews==

Luther grew very hostile toward Jews who refused to convert to Christianity, saying they were a rejected people suffering God's wrath for rejecting the true Messiah and should be expelled from Germany.<ref>Most Lutherans ignored these violent polemics against Jews and stressed instead his earlier favorable views. Johannes Wallmann, "The Reception of Luther's Writings on the Jews from the Reformation to the End of the 19th Century." ''Lutheran Quarterly'' 1987 1(1): 72-97.</ref>

Luther's writings in defense of his religious views were often harsh and passionate. After first reaching out to the Jews, when they did not embrace his Christianity, in 1543 he published a tract entitled ''On the Jews and Their Lies'', in which he called for the burning of [[synagogue]]s and Jewish schools, the destruction of their prayer books, the demolition of their homes, and the confiscation of their money and property.<ref>[http://www.humanitas-international.org/showcase/chronography/documents/luther-jews.htm Text of Luther's ''On the Jews and Their Lies]</ref><ref>[http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/anti-semitism/Luther_on_Jews.html The Jewish Virtual Library]</ref>

Historians debate the impact Luther's writings may have had on German thought leading into the [[Nazi]] [[Holocaust]] of World War II. Luther harshly criticized many peoples in addition to Jews; a pamphlet of his in 1545, the year before he died, was entitled "Against the Roman Papacy, an Institution of the Devil." It is also recorded that at a round table discussion he said he believed in burning witches. Some of Luther’s writings seem quite vulgar by today's standards, but much of it was also in response to vulgar accusations against his religious views.

==Legacy==

After his death a furious theological battle raged over control of Luther's legacy. On the one hand were the "Syncretists" or "Philippists" (named after [[Philipp Melanchthon]]) based at the universities of Wittenberg and Leipzig, who sought a compromise with the [[Calvinism|Calvinists]] over disputed issues such as free will and the Eucharist.<ref>Randall C. Zachman, ''The Assurance of Faith: Conscience in the Theology of Martin Luther and John Calvin'' (1993)</ref> The other camp were "Gnesio-Lutherans" ("true Lutherans"), centered at Magdenburg, who denounced the first camp for suggesting good works were necessary for salvation. The upshot was the emergence of "confessionalism", an inward-directed search for the "true" Luther that ended up with [[Lutheran Orthodoxy|a highly orthodox theology]] that seemed frozen in place until the [[Pietists]] emerged in the 18th century. While this battle continued, Calvinists made major gains and dominated Protestant thought outside Northern Europe. <ref>Robert Kolb, ''Luther's Heirs Define His Legacy: Studies on Lutheran Confessionalization'' (1996)</ref>

Lutheranism has over 70 million adherents today, and its influence in secularized Europe has faded. But many Christians, even some Catholics, have sung a famous hymn written by Luther: "A Mighty Fortress is Our God." Moreover, hundreds of millions of Protstants worldwide agree with Luther that justification is by faith alone and belong to Protestant congregations that first sprung into being because of Luther's stand.

==Quotes==

Quotes attributed to Luther<ref>[http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/29874.Martin_Luther Quotes by Martin Luther from GoodReads]</ref><ref>[http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/m/martin_luther.html Martin Luther Quotes from BrainyQuote]</ref> include:

*You should not believe your conscience and your feelings more than the word which the Lord who receives sinners preaches to you.

*Justice is a temporary thing that must at last come to an end; but the conscience is eternal and will never die.

*My conscience is captive to the Word of God, I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand; I can do no other. God help me. Amen.

*We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.

*If he have faith, the believer cannot be restrained. He betrays himself. He breaks out. He confesses and teaches this gospel to the people at the risk of life itself.

*I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God's hands, that I still possess.

*To gather with God's people in united adoration of the Father is as necessary to the Christian life as prayer.

*Peace if possible, truth at all costs.

*You are not only responsible for what you say, but also for what you do not say.

*I am more afraid of my own heart than of the pope and all his cardinals. I have within me the great pope, Self.

*Where God built a church, there the Devil would also build a chapel.

*I am afraid that the schools will prove the very gates of hell, unless they diligently labor in explaining the Holy Scriptures and engraving them in the heart of the youth.

*If you young fellows were wise, the devil couldn't do anything to you, but since you aren't wise, you need us who are old.

*For some years now I have read through the Bible twice every year. If you picture the Bible to be a mighty tree and every word a little branch, I have shaken every one of these branches because I wanted to know what it was and what it meant.<ref>Luther's Tabletalk No.1877</ref>

== See also ==
*[[Five solas]]
*[[Lutheranism]]
*[[Philipp Melanchthon]], his close associate

==Further reading==
{{Christianity}}
* [[James Atkinson|Atkinson, James]]. ''Martin Luther: Prophet to the Church Catholic'', (2nd ed. 2004) ISBN 0-8028-1260-0
* Bainton, Roland H. ''Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther'' (1978; reprinted 2009) [http://www.amazon.com/Here-Stand-Hendrickson-Classic-Biographies/dp/1598563335/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255774764&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Bayer, Oswald. ''Martin Luther's Theology: A Contemporary Interpretation'' (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Martin-Luthers-Theology-Contemporary-Interpretation/dp/0802827993/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255774932&sr=1-17 excerpt and text search]
* Beard, Charles. ''Martin Luther and the Reformation in Germany Until the Close of the Diet of Worms'' (1896) 468 pages; [http://books.google.com/books?id=YlzNSeh7YgMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=intitle:reformation&lr=&num=30&as_brr=1&ei=Zs6dR-SmO4KAsgP_-rSYCg#PRA1-PR4,M1 complete text online] ''this Charles Beard is not the American historian''
* Brecht, Martin. ''Martin Luther''. (3 vols. 1985–93), the most complete and intensive study; by a leading German scholar
* Brown, Christopher Boyd. ''Singing the Gospel: Lutheran Hymns and the Success of the Reformation.'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Singing-Gospel-Lutheran-Reformation-Historical/dp/0674017056/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201182361&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]
* Dickens, A. G. ''Martin Luther and the Reformation'' (1969), basic introduction
* Edwards, Jr., Mark U. ''Luther's Last Battles: Politics and Polemics, 1531-46'' (1983).
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/09438b.htm Ganss, Henry G. "Martin Luther," in ''Catholic Encyclopedia (1910) vol 9], a thorough but hostile short biography from a Catholic perspective.
* Hillerbrand, Hans J. ed. ''The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation.'' ([[OUP]] 1996); the book is online at many academic libraries; [http://www.amazon.com/Oxford-encyclopedia-Reformation/dp/0195103645/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1201162350&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]
* Junghans, Helmar. ''Martin Luther: Exploring His Life and Times, 1483–1546.'' (book plus CD ROM) (1998)
* [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc07.l.iii.html Köstlin, Julius. "Martin Luther," ''New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge,'' (1911) 8:69-79], short older biography by leading German scholar
* MacCulloch, Diarmaid. ''The Reformation'' (2005), influential recent survey of the entire movement; [http://www.amazon.com/Reformation-Diarmaid-MacCulloch/dp/014303538X/ref=pd_bbs_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200808706&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]
* McKim, Donald K., ed. ''The Cambridge Companion to Martin Luther'' (2003), 320pp; 18 essays by scholars; [http://www.questia.com/read/107287993 online edition at [[Questia]]]; also [http://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Companion-Martin-Companions-Religion/dp/0521016738/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200877139&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]
* Mullett, Michael A. ''Martin Luther'' (2004) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=108648744 online edition]
* Nestingen, James A. ''Martin Luther: A Life'' (2009) [http://www.amazon.com/Martin-Luther-Life-James-Nestingen/dp/0800697146/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255774764&sr=1-11 excerpt and text search]
* Ranke, Leopold von. ''History of the Reformation in Germany'' (1905) 792 pp; by Germany's foremost scholar [http://books.google.com/books?id=KPdBAAAAIAAJ&dq=intitle:history+intitle:reformation&lr=lang_en&num=30&as_brr=1&ei=GsaVR5S0OIXy6gK5z9CeBw complete text online free]
* Ritter, Gerhard. ''Luther, His Life and Work'' (1963)[http://www.questia.com/library/book/luther-his-life-and-work-by-gerhard-ritter-john-riches.jsp online edition]
* Schwiebert, Ernest G. ''Luther and His Times: The Reformation from a New Perspective'' (1950), 914pp, stresses the role of universities
* Smith, Preserved. ''The Life and Letters of Martin Luther.'' (1911) [http://books.google.com/books?id=bngAAAAAMAAJ&dq=intitle:The+intitle:Life+intitle:and+intitle:Letters+intitle:of+intitle:Martin+intitle:Luther&lr=&num=30&as_brr=0&ei=DO-TR86lGKeGtgPWkuxG complete edition online free]

===Primary sources===
* Luther, Martin. ''Martin Luther: Selections From His Writings,'' edited by John Dillenberger (1958) [http://www.amazon.com/Martin-Luther-Selections-His-Writings/dp/0385098766/ref=pd_bbs_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200876332&sr=8-3 excerpt and text search]
* Luther, Martin. ''Martin Luther's Basic Theological Writings'' (with CD-ROM), edited by Jaroslav Jan Pelikan, Timothy F. Lull, and William R. Russell (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Martin-Luthers-Theological-Writings-CD-ROM/dp/0800636805/ref=pd_bbs_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200876332&sr=8-6 excerpt and text search]
* Luther, Martin. '' The Letters of Martin Luther'' (1908) [http://books.google.com/books?id=k5T8vh2PUPkC&dq=inauthor:martin+inauthor:luther&lr=&num=30&as_brr=1&ei=dcOVR6LyE4r87QLvyK3SCg full text online free]
* Luther, Martin. ''Conversations with Luther...Table Talk'' (1915) [http://books.google.com/books?id=uxkRAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA61&dq=inauthor:martin+inauthor:luther&lr=&num=30&as_brr=1&ei=dcOVR6LyE4r87QLvyK3SCg#PPR3,M1 full text online free]
* Luther, Martin. ''Selections from the Table Talk of Martin Luther'' ed. by Captain Henry Bell, and Henry Morley (2009) [http://www.amazon.com/Selections-Table-Martin-Luther-Press/dp/1406567884/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255774764&sr=1-6 excerpt and text search]

==External links==
* [http://www.projectwittenberg.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/wittenberg-luther.html Project Wittenberg], extensive online collection of primary sources by Luther and his colleagues
==References==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Luther, Martin}}

[[Category:Reformation]]
[[Category:German History]]
[[Category:Protestantism|*]]
[[Category:Christian History]]
[[category:Theologians]]
[[Category:Lutherans]]
[[Category:Bible]]
[[category:Religion and Politics]]

Amy Bishop

2010-02-18T06:21:16Z

CarlSfromMN:

'''Amy Bishop''' is a professor at the University of [[Alabama]], Huntsville, who is best known for fatally shooting three colleagues and wounding three others at a faculty meeting after she was denied tenure.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,586024,00.html</ref>

She also fatally shot her brother while a teenager, although charges were never filed against her, and the records of the incident have now gone missing.<ref>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/13/amy-bishop-killed-brother_n_461512.html</ref>

Students rating Bishop on the website RateMyProfessor.com have stated that she is a [[socialist]].<ref>[http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=392617&page=1]</ref>

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Socialists]]

Hare

2010-02-18T06:18:53Z

CarlSfromMN:

A '''Hare''' is a lagomorph of the genus Lepus. They are often confused with [[rabbits]], who are their close cousins. However, unlike rabbits, hares are [[precocial]] (born almost completely mature); this means, among other things, that hares are born with fur while rabbits are not.<ref>http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-difference-between-rabbits-and-hares.htm</ref> Hares live above ground, while rabbits tend to live in underground warrens. Hares are less social than rabbits.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category: Mammals]]

Essay:Greatest Conservative Songs

2010-02-18T06:14:11Z

CarlSfromMN: "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God."

Conservative songs exist, and some are immensely popular. Here is our growing list:
#"Have You Forgotten?" by [[Darryl Worley]]. Patriotic response to [[September 11, 2001 attacks]].
#"Still the One" by Orleans (1976), is a tribute to fidelity in relationships.
#"Sweet Home Alabama" by [[Lynyrd Skynyrd]]. A response to hippie culture. Defends Southerners from stereotyped attacks by [[liberal]] rocker Neil Young.
#Lee Greenwood's rendition of [[Battle Hymn of the Republic]]. "As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free."
#"My Love" by [[Petula Clark]]. Christian love in secular form.
#"Starting All Over Again" by [[Petula Clark]]. Keep moving onward, even in the most difficult of times.
#"Thank You My Lord" by [[Petula Clark]]. The title says it all.
#"I Fought the Law (and the Law Won)". Its title says it all. The version by [[The Clash]] has a good tempo.
#"Fast Car" by [[Tracy Chapman]]. Self-help, free market, division of labor, and a criticism of alcohol.
#"You Can't Hurry Love (You Just Have to Wait)". Abstinence for rock fans. The versions by [[The Supremes]] and [[Phil Collins]] were popular.
#"Pomp and Circumstance" ([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOcvcBxrfN4 ''Land of Hope & Glory'']) By Freedom gain, by Truth maintain...
#[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQ0oCmDXrVk&mode=related&search= "Jerusalem"] Don't let the sword sleep in the hand.
#[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wahd2piIr4Q "Brothers In Arms"] by [[Dire Straits]]. We're fools to make war on our brothers in arms.
#"The Ascent of Stan" by [[Ben Folds]]. Tells the story of a former "textbook hippie man" who realizes that he has become everything that he was protesting against.
#"Brick" by [[Ben Folds Five]]. Shows the regret involved in abortion.
#"Alive" by [[P.O.D]].: About being thankful for the gift of life.
#"Gotta Serve Somebody" by [[Bob Dylan]]. "It may be the devil or it may be the Lord."<ref>http://www.bobdylan.com/songs/serve.html</ref>
#"Stand By Your Man," by [[Tammy Wynette]]. Don't expect [[feminists]] to like that one! Or [[Hillary Clinton]]!
#"Jesus Take The Wheel" by [[Carrie Underwood]]. A gospel-themed hit from the American Idol winner.
#"Red Barchetta" by [[Rush]]. Tells the story of a future with excessive regulation, where even driving is illegal.
#"You Light Up My Life" by [[Debbie Boone]]. One of the biggest hits ever, but [[liberals]] omit that this song is about [[Jesus]].
#"Father of Mine" by [[Everclear]]. A reminder of the importance of good parenting. Everclear singer Art Alexakis wrote much of his material from his own perspective of a troubled childhood. At the end of the song, Alexakis promises to be a better father than his own had been.
#"Happiness is a Warm Gun" by [[The Beatles]]. It sure is.
#"The Taxman" by [[The Beatles]]. George Harrison said, "Taxman was when I first realized that even though we had started earning money, we were actually giving most of it away in taxes." <ref>http://home.att.net/~chuckayoub/Taxman_Lyrics.html</ref>
#"Back in the U.S.A." by [[Chuck Berry]]. A patriotic song about missing life in the U.S.A.
#"Government Cheese" by [[The Rainmakers]]. Humorous spoof of welfare.
#"Angry Young Man" by [[Billy Joel]]. The doctrinaire leftist radical with "his fist in the air and his head in the sand" comes in for biting criticism.
#"Gimme Back My Bullets" by [[Lynyrd Skynyrd]]. The name says it all.
#"Let My People Go" by [[The Pursuit of Happiness]]. "How will you free us with your hate? How many heads will smash when you smash the state? You say march, I think I'll wait." An anti-protest song.
#"Don't Let 'Em Take Your Gun" by [[Grand Funk Railroad]]. A father gives his son some sage advice.
#"Something For Nothing" by [[Rush]]. "You can't get something for nothing, you can't have freedom for free."
#"Neighborhood Bully" by [[Bob Dylan]]. Israel's right to exist and defend itself.
#"Get It Right the First Time" by [[Louisiana's Le Roux]]. Wealthy Georgia politician is placed in high office and turns out to be a puppet with no ideas of his own. Released in 1980 when Jimmy Carter was up for re-election.
#"Only The Young" by [[Journey]]. "The shadows of a golden age, a generation waits for dawn, the brave carry on, the bold and the strong". An anthem for the Reagan Generation.
#[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2UE5g72s0o "Yours Is No Disgrace"] by [[Yes]]. Written to, and about, the troops headed for Vietnam.
#"Fair Exchange" and "Sparks of the Tempest" by [[Kansas (band)|Kansas]]. Warnings about totalitarian governments who want to take away your freedom in the name of utopia. Also much of their early 80s material, which has Christian lyrics.
#"In America" by the [[Charlie Daniels]] Band. Patriotism makes a comeback in response to the Iran hostage crisis and Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
#"Storm the Embassy" by the [[Stray Cats]]. Another conservative song about the Iran hostage crisis.
#"We Must Take America Back" by [[Steve Vaus]]. Became an underground country music hit in 1992 after RCA dropped him and took the album out of print due to the political lyrics.
#"Renegade" by [[Steppenwolf]]. John Kay's childhood escape from Communist East Germany.
#"Capitalism" by [[Oingo Boingo]]. There's nothing wrong with free enterprise.
#"Unborn Child" by [[Seals and Crofts]]. This pro-life song was a hit single in 1974, but for some reason gets left off the Seals and Crofts greatest hits albums.
#"Bad Rap (Who You Tryin' To Kid, Kid?)" by [[Steve Taylor]]. Takes aim at LA and NY hipsters, the Village Voice, abortion, and "the left-wing band with their head in the sand".
#"Last Kiss" by [[Pearl Jam]]. "Oh where oh where can my baby be; The Lord took her away from me; She's gone to heaven so I got to be good; So I can see my baby when I leave this world"<ref>http://www.songmeanings.net/lyric.php?lid=14</ref>
#"Love Me, I'm a Liberal" by [[Phil Ochs]]. Revealing Liberal hypocrisy for what it is.
#"America USA" by [http://giveagiftofsong.com/products.htm]Joey Sudyka. Not very well known, perhaps, but a good patriotic song.
#"Red White and Blue" by [[Lynyrd Skynyrd]].
#"Simple Man" by Charlie Daniels. A song about how drugs and poor politics are a result of people putting their bibles down. Also a strongly pro death penalty song.
#"That Smell" by [[Lynyrd Skynyrd]]. A very strong anti-drug use song by Americas most prestigious southern rock band.
#Virtually anything by [[Toby Keith]], but especially "Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue (The Angry American)".
#"Under God" by [[Pat Boone]].
#"Christmas Shoes" by NewSong - a Christmas song by a Christian band.
#"God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood.<ref>http://www.scoutsongs.com/lyrics/proudtobeamerican.html</ref>
#"God Bless America" Words and music by Irving Berlin.
#[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5kZ0pA9REyU "No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed"] [[Yes]] ''...I know your cross is heavier With every step Every step But I know a man who'd walk miles for you...''
#[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCXiuqJ1E6g Supper'sReady] [[Genesis (band)|Genesis]] ''There's an angel standing in the sun, and he's crying with a loud voice, "This is the supper of the mighty one", Lord of Lords, King of Kings, Has returned to lead his children home, To take them to the new Jerusalem.''
#[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoaH0I9UwLI "Your Love Is Extravagant"] Casting Crowns
#[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnnhYE1DhC4 "What If His People Prayed"] Casting Crowns
#[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EBiei21-C8 "King Without a Crown"] by Matisyahu - A Hasidic Jew raps about God as the source of happiness and salvation from the things of this world: "If you're drowning in the waters and you can't stay afloat ask Hashem for mercy and He'll throw you a rope."
#"Take Me Home, Country Roads" by John Denver (and others). Celebrates Southern country landscape and traditions.
#"Sin City" by the Flying Burrito Brothers. Attacks modern decadence and predicts divine punishment for sin.
#"I Saw the Light" by Hank Williams (and numerous cover versions). Redemption from sin through faith.
#"No Son of Mine" by Genesis.
#"Don't Stop" (Thinking About Tomorrow) by Fleetwood Mac.<ref>Used by Bill Clinton as his campaign theme song in 1992, but liberals often try to appeal to conservative themes for elections.</ref>
#"Lightning Crashes" by Live. The joy and significance of childbirth.
#"Takin' Care of Business" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive. The work ethic and promoting self-employment.
#"Cat's In The Cradle" by Harry Chapin. The importance of traditional families and responsible fatherhood.
#"A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," by [[Martin Luther]]. ''Let this world's tyrant rage; in battle we'll engage!''
== References ==
<references/>

Please add your best conservative picks.

[[Category:Essays about Conservatism]]

Independence

2010-02-17T22:28:28Z

CarlSfromMN:

'''Independence''' is, literally, the freedom from dependence upon another person or body. It can be used to refer to a person living [[Self-sufficiency|self-sufficiently]], without the need for contributions from others, specifically one's parents ("living independently").

Politically, the term has come to mean freedom from control, whether by another country or by a despotic government. The [[United States]] celebrates its independence from [[Great Britain]] annually on July 4th, the anniversary of the signing of the [[Declaration of Independence]] at [[Independence Hall]] in [[Philadelphia]].

Liberal values

2010-02-17T22:27:34Z

CarlSfromMN:

'''Liberal values''' refers to the [[values|value system]] commonly held by [[liberals]]. These values stand in stark opposition to [[conservative values]], rejecting those things which [[conservatives]] hold to be dear and true. In general, liberal values tend to undermine traditional society, and in certain instances can cause irreparable harm to the lives of individuals who are brought under their sway.

Liberal values include, but are not limited to:

* Failure to warn people (particularly youngsters) about the harm caused by a lack of conservative values.
* [[Censorship]] of ideas deemed [[political correctness|politically incorrect]]. For example, left-wing student groups will often protest or disrupt conservative guest speakers on [[college]] campuses, while conservative student groups tend not to disrupt left-wing speakers.
* [[Liberal denial|Denial]] of politically incorrect truths such as the link between [[abortion]] and [[breast cancer]].
* Opposition to the [[free market]], instead favoring heavy regulation or even [[socialism]].
* A desire for equal outcomes as opposed to equal opportunity.
* Excessive emphasis on credentials, especially those awarded by liberal institutions.
* To make a moral judgment (at least, one in disagreement with liberal values) is tantamount to being a bigot.
* [[Bigotry]] itself, an almost uniquely [[liberal]] trait.
* Conflating [[separation of church and state]] with [[atheism|state atheism]].
* A willingness to excuse any aggressive and irreverent behaviour in other countries, while harshly criticizing their own.
* Strict [[materialism]] and an overreliance on narrowly defined "reality".
* Contempt for lawful and proper authorities.
* Mistaking conclusions for facts.

==See also==

* [[Hollywood values]]
* [[Professor values]]

{{Liberalism}}

Independence

2010-02-17T22:20:47Z

CarlSfromMN:

'''Independence''' is, literally, the freedom from dependence upon another person or body. It can be used to refer to a person living [[Self-sufficiency|self-sufficiently]], without the need for contributions from others, specifically one's parents ("living independently").

Politically, the term has come to mean freedom from control, whether by another country or by a despotic government. The [[United States]] celebrates its independence from [[Great Britain]] annually on July 4th, marking the signing of the [[Declaration of Independence]] at [[Independence Hall]] in [[Philadelphia]].

Roman Catholic Church

2010-02-17T22:19:46Z

CarlSfromMN:

{{Christianity}}
The '''Roman Catholic Church''' is a denomination of [[Christianity]]. It is unique among Christian denominations in that it has a single leader, the [[Bishop]] of [[Rome]], also known as the [[Pope]]; the current Pope is [[Pope Benedict XVI|Benedict XVI]].

It is the oldest [[Christian]] denomination in the world, and also the largest, with more than 1.3 billion officially baptized adherents, or 17.4% of the world's population; over 64 million of these are in the [[United States]]. In recent years growth has been greatest in Africa and Latin America, while the numbers and influence in Europe have declined.

The Roman Catholic Church is the oldest institution in the western world; it asserts that the Pope is the divinely-chosen successor of [[St. Peter]], the 'rock' ([[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] 16:18) upon whom Jesus built his church, The Church consists of those Christians who are in full communion with the Pope, including "Uniate Catholics" in Eastern Europe who, strictly speaking, are not part of the "Roman" Church.

The term "Catholic Church" is, literally, the ''Universal Church'' of [[Jesus Christ]] (from the Greek ''katholikos'', "universal").

The Roman Catholic Church has suffered several [[schism]]s over its history; most notably that with the [[Church of the East]] following the [[First Ephesian Council]], the several [[Oriental Orthodoxy|Oriental Orthodox]] churches following the [[Council of Chalcedon]], the [[Eastern Orthodoxy|Eastern Orthodox Church]] following the [[Great Schism]] of 1054, and the various [[Reformation]]s of the 16th century leading to the development of [[Protestantism]].

While the theological disagreements leading to the earlier schisms are not very sharp, the Protestants made a more radical break. Two of the principal issues of contention between Catholics and Protestants are ''[[sola scriptura]]'' (the Protestant doctrine that the Bible alone is the final authority for Christians, which denies the infallibility of [[Sacred Tradition]], the Pope, and ecumenical church councils) and ''sola fide'' (the doctrine, popularized by [[Martin Luther]], that faith alone, as opposed to faith expressed in good works, is sufficient for salvation).

[[Image:Cathpop.jpg|right|thumb|350px|Catholics in the world.]]

==Organization==

The Pope and the the international leadership of the Church are based in [[Vatican City]], a sovereign elective monarchy and an enclave of [[Rome]] established by the 1929 [[Lateran Treaty]].

The Catholic Church has a complex hierarchy of clergy, including (in descending order of rank):

* The Pope
*[[Cardinal]]s
*[[Archbishop]]s
*[[Bishop]]s
*[[Abbot]]s
*[[Monsignor|Monsignori]]
*[[Archpriest]]s
*[[Priest]]s
*[[Deacon]]s

The key roles are played by the Pope and the bishops, and the question of whether secular governments should play a major role in ecclesiastical appointments has been a major issue for centuries. The [[Investiture Controversy]] in the [[Holy Roman Empire]] was over this question, as was the dispute between [[Gallicanism]] and [[ultramontanism]] in France.

==Teachings==

The chief teachings of the Catholic church are:

* God’s objective existence.
* God’s interest in individual human beings, who can enter into relations with God (through prayer).
* The Trinity.
* The divinity of Jesus.
* The immortality of the [[soul]] of each human being, each one being accountable at death for his or her actions in life, with the award of heaven or hell.
* The resurrection of the dead.
* The historicity of the [[Gospels]].
* The divine commission of the church.

The Roman Catholic Church stresses that since the members, living and dead, share in each other’s merits, the [[Virgin Mary]] and other saints and the dead in purgatory are never forgotten.<ref>[http://www.bartleby.com/65/ro/RomanCat.html The Columbia Encyclopedia]</ref> The presence of Christ is believed to be present in the Eucharist, [[Transubstantiation|the bread and wine being Jesus himself]]. Another essential element of Catholic practice is the veneration of the saints, and particularly of Mary, the mother of Jesus as the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The principal sources for the essential beliefs of the Catholic Church are the Sacred Scriptures (the Bible), Sacred Tradition, and the Living Magisterium of the Church.

The term "Catholic" is frequently applied as an adjective meaning, "pertaining to the Roman Catholic Church." [[Protestantism|Protestant]]s take exception to this use, as the defined meaning of "catholic" (the adjective) is "universal" and comes from the Greek word Katholikos. The Eastern [[Orthodox Church]] and [[Anglican Communion]] also refer to themselves as the "one holy, catholic, and apostolic church."<ref>http://www.answers.com/topic/catholic</ref> Previously Protestants used terms such as "popish," "papist," or "Romanist" in that capacity, but these are now considered pejorative and not so widely used.

The Church teaches respect for all human life. It opposes the practices of contraception, abortion,<ref>Paul VI, Humanae Vitae (1968) http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-vitae_en.html</ref> euthanasia and (in most cases) capital punishment.<ref> John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae (1995) http://www.vatican.va/edocs/ENG0141/_INDEX.HTM</ref> The Church is in favor of social justice and "the common good."<ref> Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate (2009) http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/encyclicals/documents/hf_ben-xvi_enc_20090629_caritas-in-veritate_en.html</ref> Some Catholics take this idea further, espousing a "[[consistent life ethic]]," under which ''all'' killing is said to be unlawful. This position entails [[pacifism]] and (in some cases) [[vegetarianism]].

== History ==

===Early Church===

The original Christian community was founded by Jesus Christ and led by the Apostles. St. [[Paul|Paul the Apostle]] was, together with [[Saint Peter]], the most notable of Early Christian missionaries. Christians were subjected to persecution, first under [[Nero]] in A.D. 64 and again, more severely, under the emperors [[Domitian]], [[Marcus Aurelius]],[[Decius]], [[Diocletian]], ''etc.'', in the second and third centuries, with the penalty for being Christian ultimately being death.

After almost 300 years of persecution against the Church had only seen Christianity flourish, the Emperor [[Constantine I]] had a religious experience and legalized Christianity in the early fourth century in the [[Edict of Milan]]. Going to war with the co-Emperor of the east [[Lucinius]] over his continued persecution of Christians, Constantine won and became sole Emperor. The age of persecution was over.
[[Image:Christians.jpg|thumb|450px]]

In 380, Emperor [[Theodosius I]] accepted Christianity as the official religion of the [[Roman Empire]].

=== Fathers of the Church ===

[[Paul|St. Paul]] is the most prolific contributor to the [[New Testament]], and has been the most influential of all theologians.

Other important early theologians include [[St. Ambrose]], Bishop of [[Milan]] from 374 to 397, and especially [[St. Augustine]].

===Barbarians converted===

Until the early fourth century AD Christianity enjoyed mixed reception in the Roman Empire and Christians were frequently subject to persecution. In the 310s Christianity became legalized and shortly thereafter became officially recognized by Constantine. In the following years Christianity in general and Catholicism in particular became increasingly powerful in the Roman Empire, although [[Arianism]] remained strong. In 380 AD, [[Theodosius I]] established the Catholic Church as the official religion of the Roman Empire and proscribed the former pagan practices. There was a brief [[pagan]] revival in the West under the usurper [[Eugenius]], but that was brought to an end with his death. While the Empire continued to decline, Catholicism and Christianity continued to grow both among those directly under the Empire and among the barbarians until Rome was sacked by [[Alaric]] in 410. Alaric was an Arian Christian.

After the collapse of the Western Empire, the Catholic Church became the most powerful political and religious force in Latin-speaking Europe and by the 8th century had achieved near total religious dominance with the removal of the last significant Arian groups.

Aggressive missionary activities accomplished the conversion of almost all the pagan tribes in Europe by the year 1000 AD. [[Lithuania]] was the last pagan country in Europe to be converted, in 1387.

=== Great Schism ===

After numerous disputes between eastern and western churches that became more pronounced from the ninth century onwards, the Church underwent the [[Great Schism]] in 1054 that divided it into a Western (Latin) branch, which has been called the Catholic Church and an Eastern branch, which has become known as the [[Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox Church]]. Both traced their roots to the time of Jesus, but the Eastern Orthodox Church did not acknowledge the supremacy of the Pope, only willing to recognize him as "first among equals."

The schism's causes were not purely religious, but cultural and geographic elements also played a role. Although later attempts at reconciliation occurred, such as at the [[Council of Basel]], the two remain separate to this day although both accept many of each others sacraments.

=== Late Middle Ages ===

The Crusades, a series of religious wars instigated by the Church against the Muslims and other groups in the Holy Land, began in 1092 and continued until the end of the 13th century. Despite the focus on removing the Holy Land from Muslim control, the Crusaders also massacred Jews and sacked Constantinople.

During this time period, the [[Inquisition]]s started and would continue through the Protestant Reformation. The medieval inquisition focused on rooting out Cathars, while the later inquisitions such as the [[Spanish Inquisition]] focused on people who were believed to be secretly practicing [[Judaism]] or [[Islam]] following the [[Alhambra Decree|legally mandated]] conversion to Christianity of all Jews and Muslims remaining in Spain.

===Reformation and Counter-Reformation===

In 1517, [[Martin Luther]] started the [[Protestant Reformation]], which was initially a dispute over the sale of [[indulgences]], but eventually grew to cover a wider variety of issues. Eventually, Protestants rejected the notions of saintly intercession, the authority of the pope, and all of the sacraments except [[Baptism]] and [[Communion]]. This eventually led to a series of religious wars in [[Europe]] and the Protestant-Catholic split became one of the dominant themes in European events until modern times.

===1815 to 1914===

====Pius VII====

Pius VII (1800-23) was stripped of powers by [[Napoleon]] but made a striking comeback after Napoleon's fall in 1815. Pius VII was a deeply religious Benedictine, and a theologian; he lived simply and avoided nepotism. His unusually able Secretary of State Cardinal Consalvi won the restoration to the Pope of most of the territories in Italy which Napoleon had seized. He reinvigorated numerous monastic orders and helped create new societies for men and women, especially those engaged in teaching and missionary work.
Most important was the restoration of the Jesuits in 1814; they had been suppressed in most countries. They grew larger and even more influential in the 19th century.

====Conservatism====

After 1800 the Papacy became the center of conservatism in Europe in reaction against the socialism of the French Revolution and its supporters. The Papacy recognized that throughout Europe millions of peasants and poor folk were devoted to the saints and traditions of the Church; the Popes responded energetically by promoting new Marian devotions (such as the rosary). Rome had fallen into disrepair and Pius VII began the restoration of the city's artistic glories, an enterprise that continues into the 21st century. <ref> Kelly (1999); Duffy (2006); Latourette (1958) vol 1. </ref>

====Ultramontane vs Gallican====

The "ultramontane" tendency in the Church centralized more power and authority in the Papacy. It was opposed by the "[[Gallican]]" tendency, especially in France, to give national churches more control over their affairs. The ultramontine forces generally won out, especially with the promulgation of [[Papal Infallibility]] at the First Vatican Council in 1870. The ultramontane forces cited the old doctrines of [[Robert Bellarmine]] (1542-1621) and [[Francisco de Suárez]] (1548-1617) to bolster the papal claim to absolute power in spiritual matters.

Gallicanism in France was damaged by the rise of ultramontanism in the 1850s and the devotional revolution that shifted piety to devotions sponsored by Rome. Gallicanism was officially suppressed by the First Vatican Council in 1870, which established the paramount authority of the pope as a matter of dogma. However informal manifestations of Gallicanism continue in some countries, especially China. In Canada, the Irish clergy fought for ultramontanism against the French clergy, who were Gallican. The [[Catholicism in Ireland|Irish]] won out with the support of the Vatican.

After Vatican II, 1962-65, the multiple and often confused controversy among Catholics over papal authority and infallibility largely ended, though some significant degree of opposition to it remains.<ref>such as by historian Garry Wills, author of ''Papal Sin: Structures of Deceit'' (Sophia Institute Press, 2003), and liberal theologian Hans Kung, author of ''Infallible?: An inquiry'' (1970)</ref><ref>David Carlin, ''The Decline and Fall of the Catholic Church in America'',‎ appendix 2</ref><ref>[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Rhodes/3543/vatican.htm Raymond Taouk, ''What are Catholics to think of Vatican II?'']</ref>

This dissent is mainly manifested in disagreement with Roman Catholic teaching on birth control and abortion, which yet remains strong.<ref>[http://www.christianethicstoday.com/Issue/014/Infallibility%20in%20Ethical%20Perspective%20By%20John%20M.%20Swomley_014_26_.htm John M. Swomley, ''Infallibility in Ethical Perspective Christian Ethics Today], Issue 014 Volume 4 No 1 February 1996</ref> <ref>56% of U.S. Catholics said that the pope is not infallible "when he teaches on matters of morals, such as birth control and abortion"; 80% of Catholics believed it is possible to disagree with the pope on official positions on morality and still be a good Catholic. Time/CNN nationwide poll of 1,000 adults, conducted by Yankelovich Partners, Sept. 27-28, 1995</ref>

====Facing Modernity====

Despite dire predictions, the Church adapted to modernity in its own way and increased its role in people's lives in the 19th century. The Church escaped irrelevance by using the same means as emerging nation-states: establishing more administrative and doctrinal centralization in Rome; establishing a homogeneous culture, aided especially by universal use of Latin; promoting new rites and folk devotions, especially those focused on Mary and other favored saints; promoting pilgrimages to holy sites; encouraging clergy to endorse and lead regional nationalist movements that focused on historic languages and cultures; creating many new teaching orders and establishing Catholic schools and colleges; supporting intellectuals and publishing houses; enhancing papal power; and cultivating an image of theological, canonical, and moral superiority. Of special importance was the missionary activity, based especially in Germany, that was in competition with Protestant missions in China, India, Africa and other non-Christian lands. The Jesuits proved highly adept at promoting the Papal cause. The Pope thereby became less of a figurehead and more of a true ruler.

There was internal dissent among some Catholic intellectuals, such as historian [[Lord Acton]] in Britain and theologian Ignaz von Döllinger in Germany, who opposed the declaration of the dogma of papal infallibility. This also caused further schisms, with breakaway groups centering around the Archbishop of [[Utrecht]] to form the [[Old Catholic Church]].

=====Syllabus of Errors=====

The [[Syllabus of Errors]] of Pope [[Pius IX]] in 1864 rejected the liberal doctrines of the modern world.<ref> see text at [http://www.papalencyclicals.net/Pius09/p9syll.htm]</ref> It denounced pantheism, naturalism, nationalism, indifferentism, socialism, communism, freemasonry, theological rationalism, [[separation of church and state]], removal of [[public school]]s from Church control, and other modern views. The Pope claimed for the Catholic Church total control over science and culture. The liberals viewed this as a declaration of war by the Church on modern civilization. Its repercussions within France, the U.S., Britain and other countries were resounding, nearly destroying the liberal Catholic movement and furnishing a powerful weapon to the anticlerical faction, or (in the U.S.) to anti-Catholic Protestants. Opponents stressed the Papacy had become intolerant and medieval and largely political in nature.<ref> Latourette (1958) vol 1 ch. 6</ref>

====Facing Liberalism====

Burns (1990) takes a sociological perspective on the Papacy's long battle with liberalism. He shows how the papacy, in reaction to the rise of the liberal states of the 19th and 20th centuries, gradually reformulated Catholic ideology within the limited autonomy they possessed and carefully subordinated social and political issues to more purely religious and moral issues as they constructed an ideological opposition to liberalism.

In Germany in the 1840s the ultramontane movement used mass meetings and pilgrimages to combat the growth of liberalism and modernism. However the anti-clerical press attacked these mass meetings, and in response a large number of Catholic newspapers emerged in Germany starting in the 1840s. To ensure their own survival, these newspapers championed the liberal idea of [[Freedom of the press|press freedom]]. In addition, local clubs were established to mobilize the Catholic working class. These clubs tried to end discrimination against ordinary Catholics by working to establish freedom of religion and freedom of thought and by entering the electoral process. With the unification of Germany in 1870, the new nation faced the problems of consolidation, one of which was secularization. The laws dealing with secularization opened a poltical battle between Bismark and the Protestants and liberals on one side, and the Catholics on the other, called the "[[Kulturkampf]]." The Catholics organized their own political parties and protected their interests by voting as a bloc into the 1930s, when the Nazis closed down all other parties.

====Freemasons====

In many countries the Church faced off against the Freemasons, a secret society that was politically active in numerous countries. The Papcy coordinated a counterattack. For example in Brazil, the religious question in the 1870s centered on the Masonic controversy and the struggle between regalist and ultramontane forces. One method of counterattack was to found Catholic universities. Thus Mgr. Ignace Bourget, second bishop of Montreal, Canada, founded Laval University, as a Catholic reaction to a liberal and secularist outburst in Quebec. Bourget said the university would be the principal instrument for "wresting the elite from the clutches of liberalism."

====Women====

A spiritual revolution took place in the 19th century, moving individuals to personal piety. There was a much greater emphasis on the role of Mary, and a greatly increased involvement of women; the number of sisters and nuns increased from 20,000 to 400,000 between 1815 and 1914.

Camp (1990) traces the treatment of women. In the late 19th century the papacy began to revise its public teachings about the proper role of women in the Church and society. From Pope Leo XIII (1878-1903) to Pope John Paul II (1978-2005), papal social pronouncements reveal an evolution in attitudes toward a woman's proper "place" from the view that women are passive subordinates to men in all spheres of life to the current teaching that lay and clerical women are equal but complementary partners with men in religious, political, economic, and social endeavors. However, the papacy has remained firm in the conviction that ordination to the priesthood is for men only.

====Social changes====

Urbanization brought millions of peasants out of the villages to industrial cities, where church facilities were few.

====Arts====

[[Image:Cerro_de_Angeles.jpg|right|thumb|230px|Cerro de los Angeles, Madrid, Spain.]]
The arts provided a refuge from modernity in the form of a nostalgic aesthetic. Church architecture saw the revival of the medieval [[Gothic]] style. Romantic literature, for example by Chateaubriand, helped inspire a Catholic revival. In music, Catholic churchgoers were likely to be exposed to an officially sponsored revival of ''a cappella'' singing in the manner of Palestrina. The rapid development of symphonic and operatic forms affected sacred music, resulting in many masses, requiems, and te deums for large orchestra and chorus, sometimes even composed by skeptics such as Berlioz and Verdi.

====Politics====

In politics, as democracy and popular government spread, religious motivations moved people into one party or the other. The parties in such battles tended to be different depending on the religious configuration of a given country. In Catholic countries such as France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, sharp confrontations emerged between clericals and anti-clericals; in countries with mixed Catholic and Protestant populations such as Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Britain and the U.S., political splits occurred along confessional lines. In the U.S. the great majority of the Catholics -- led by the Irish--became [[Democratic Party|Democrats]]. In Germany the Catholics formed their own Center party to fight off attacks from the Protestants, such as the [[Kulturkampf]].

The British attempt to impose Protestantism on Ireland not only fueled the Catholic revival there but also contributed to its spread via emigration – not only to the U.S. and Canada, but also to Australia, New Zealand, and England itself, increasing the Catholic population in all of these. Quickly the Irish took control of the Church in each country and created a new system of schools, colleges, hospitals and charities. The Poles, having lost their nation state in the 1790s, turned to an intense religiosity, that preserved national identity, and which they carried with them to industrial centers in the U.S. and Germany; in the U.S., some Poles, frustrated with the Irish control of the Church, founded the schismatic [[Polish National Catholic Church]].

===20th century===

====Vatican II====

[[File:John-23.jpg|right|thumb|270px|[[Pope John XXIII]] reigned 1958-63]]

The "Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican" (called [[Vatican II]]), was called by [[Pope John XXIII]] and was in session from 1962 to 1965. It dramatically modernized and transformed church policies, with major changes to official theology and liturgy. Liturgical changes included the introduction Mass in local languages instead of Latin. Theologically, the council deemphasized somewhat the centrality of Mary while also adding a new emphasis on individual and personal holiness. It asserted the Church's support for [[freedom of religion]], declared that the Jews were not guilty of [[deicide]], and recognized the possibility of salvation for Jews, Muslims, and Protestants.

Reactions among Catholics to Vatican II fall into three camps. "Liberal" Catholics, drawing on the established Catholic belief in the "journeying" nature of the Church, see Vatican II and the new period that it marked in Catholic history as representing a significant advancement in our understanding of the divine revelation contained in the Gospels which justifies major changes in Catholic belief and practice. "Conservative" Catholics (including the recent popes) hold that the decrees of the Council, properly understood, are wholly in line with the historic Catholic faith, and that they should not be used as an excuse for unwarranted innovations. "Traditional" (or "[[Traditionalist Catholicism|traditionalist]]") Catholics regard the teachings of Vatican II as problematic, or even as heretical, and tried to operate churches using the old liturgies.
[[Image:JpII.jpg|right|thumb|[[Pope John Paul II]] reigned 1978-2005]]

==Abuse scandal==

Widespread controversy erupted in 2001 over past abuse of teenage boys by some Catholic priests involving inappropriate sexual contact, which was covered up by the bishops as they moved the offending priests to new positions. For the most part the Catholic Church quietly cleaned this up internally in the mid 1980s; the vast majority of allegations of abuse that came to light in the 2000s occurred before this time period. Although almost no priests were involved in the abuse, the damage that could be done by even a small number of priests if not properly checked was significant. It was a case of breaking vows, including vows of celibacy, and committing acts of [[homosexuality]] which are condemned by the Church.<ref>http://cc.msnscache.com/cache.aspx?q=72992710807995&mkt=en-US&lang=en-US&w=98cf251&FORM=CVRE4</ref>. There were no reports of girls as victims, or nuns as perpetrators.

The stereotype resulting from the scandal portrayed the priests involved as [[pedophilia|pedophiles]], though most of them were instead [[pederasty|pederasts]] who preyed upon post-pubescent teenage boys.<ref>http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F02E2D71E38F931A15750C0A9649C8B63</ref>

Due to the scandal, the U.S. Catholic Church has paid out $2.6 billion in abuse claims. The Los Angeles diocese settled claims by 500 victims for $660 million. Similar scandals hit the Catholic Church in other countries, notably Ireland.

== See also ==

*[[Cafeteria Catholic]]
*[[Catholic views on creationism‎]]
*[[Dead Sea Scrolls]]
*[[Eucharist]]
*[[Jesus Christ]]
*[[Josemaría Escrivá de Balaguer]]
*[[Pope John Paul II]]
*[[Vatican City]]

==External links==
[[Image:Virgen.jpg|right|thumb|Virgin Mary and Child]]

*[http://www.Vatican.va The Vatican]
*A digital version of [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/ ''The Catholic Encyclopedia''].
*[http://www.cua.edu/ The Catholic University of America] Washington, D. C.
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11567b.htm St. Paul] Catholic Encyclopedia.
*[http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc.htm Catechism of the Catholic Church] Saint Charles Borromeo Catholic Church web site.
*[http://www.pellegrinocattolico.com/index.html Al Pellegrino Cattolico] Italian web site.

==Further reading==
* Bokenkotter, Thomas. ''A Concise History of the Catholic Church'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Concise-History-Catholic-Church/dp/0385516134/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241119912&sr=8-2 excerpt and text search]
* Brown, Peter. ''The Rise of Western Christendom: Triumph and Diversity 200-1000 AD'' (2002), 640pp
* Chadwick, Owen. ''A History of the Popes, 1830-1914.'' (1998), 616pp; a standard recent history. [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=12355195 online edition],
* Coppa, Frank J. ''The Modern Papacy since 1789.'' Longman, 1998. 296 pp.
* Daniel-Rops, Henri. ''The Church in the Eighteenth Century'' (1964)
* Daniel-Rops, Henri. ''The Church in an Age of Revolution'' (1965).
* Holland, Joe. ''Modern Catholic Social Teaching: The Popes Confront the Industrial Age 1740-1958.'' Paulist Press, 2003. 404 pp.
* Kung, Hans. ''The Catholic Church: A Short History'' (2003), by a leading Catholic scholar [http://www.amazon.com/Catholic-Church-History-Library-Chronicles/dp/0812967623/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241119912&sr=8-15 excerpt and text search]
* Latourette, Kenneth Scott. ''Christianity in a Revolutionary Age: A History of Christianity in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries'' 5 Vol'' (1958), a detailed history of Chritianity 1800-1950 by a fair-minded Protestant scholar. [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=101463833 vol 1 online edition]
* Logan, F. Donald. ''A History of the Church in the Middle Ages.'' 2002. [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=102805754# online edition]
* Mullett, Michael A. ''The Catholic Reformation,'' (1999), [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=102890994 online edition]
* O'Toole, James M. ''The Faithful: A History of Catholics in America'' (2008) [http://books.google.com/books?id=BFlBzSAVW6kC&printsec=frontcover&dq=intitle:The+intitle:Faithful+intitle:A+intitle:History+intitle:of+intitle:Catholics+intitle:in+intitle:America&lr=&as_drrb_is=q&as_minm_is=0&as_miny_is=&as_maxm_is=0&as_maxy_is=&num=30&as_brr=0 excerpt and text search]
* Pastor, Ludwig von. ''History of the Popes From the Close of the Middle Ages'', (1894-1930), 16 vol, older Catholic history [http://books.google.com/books?spell=1&lr=&q=pastor+history+popes&as_brr=1 online from books.google.com]
* Ullmann, Walter. ''A Short History of the Papacy in the Middle Ages,'' (2002), 393pp, [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=107602176 online edition]
* Schreck, Alan. ''The Compact History of the Catholic Church'' (2009)
* Vidmar, John. ''The Catholic Church through the Ages: A History'' (2005) [http://www.amazon.com/Catholic-Church-through-Ages-History/dp/0809142341/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1241119912&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]
===Reference===
* ''New Catholic 'Encyclopedia'' (1967), complete coverage of all topics by Catholic scholars
* ''Catholic Encyclopedia,'' (1913) [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/ online edition] complete coverage by Catholic scholars; the articles were written about 100 years ago
* Coppa, Frank J., ed. ''Great Popes through History: An Encyclopedia.'' (2002). 600 pp.
* Kelly, J.N.D. ''The Oxford Dictionary of Popes'' (1988). 349pp; scholarly short biographies; [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=54850171 online edition]

==References==

<references/>

[[Category:Catholic Church| ]]
[[Category:Christian History]]
[[Category:Christian Denominations]]

Amy Bishop

2010-02-17T20:16:19Z

CarlSfromMN: Best known for the university shooting.

'''Amy Bishop''' is a professor at the University of [[Alabama]], Huntsville, who is best known for shooting three colleagues and wounding three others at a faculty meeting after she was denied tenure.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,586024,00.html</ref>

She also shot her brother to death while a teenager, although charges were never filed against her, and the records of the incident have now gone missing.<ref>http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/13/amy-bishop-killed-brother_n_461512.html</ref>

==References==

<references/>

Establishment clause

2010-02-17T20:10:38Z

CarlSfromMN:

'''The Establishment Clause''' of the [[First Amendment]] restricts [[Congress]] with regards to public practice of religion.

The text of the clause reads:

{{cquote|Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.}}

As a result of this clause, enacted into the Constitution in 1791, Congress may not establish an official state religion, nor give political preference to one religion over another. The original prohibition has been expanded by the [[Fourteenth Amendment]] to include not just Congress, but government organizations at the state and local levels. It does not apply in any way to private organizations, such as private schools; however, many states have enacted more restrictive measures, called collectively [[Blaine amendments]], to prohibit State funding of sectarian schools.

The Establishment Clause is also complemented by the [[Free Exercise Clause]] which continues "or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." In addition to being restricted from favoring one religion over another, the government may not unduly restrict one religion over another or the practice of religion.

The establishment clause creates the basis for [[separation of church and state]]. Its intention and meaning remains a subject of great controversy and political dispute. Under the Establishment Clause, courts have justified rulings against [[school prayer]] and public displays of the [[Ten Commandments]].

==see also==

* [[Religion and U.S. Government]]
* [[Separation of church and state]]

====references====
<references/>

[[Category:United States History]]
[[Category:United States Constitution]]
[[Category:Religion and Politics]]

Separation of church and state

2010-02-17T20:05:21Z

CarlSfromMN: Copyedits.

'''Separation of church and state''' is an interpretation of the [[Establishment clause|Establishment Clause]], found in the [[First Amendment]] of the [[United States Constitution]]. It reads:

{{cquote|Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.<ref>[http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html#amendmenti 1st Amendment of the US Constitution]</ref>}}

This phrase has been interpreted by some judges to exclude religion from government by declaring that church and state must be kept separate.<ref>''See, e.g.'' [[Lemon v. Kurtzman]].</ref>

Some [[conservative]]s have criticized this interpretation as being without justification in the text or meaning of the [[First Amendment]]. In recent years the Supreme Court has shifted from a high wall of "separation" to more "accommodation" by stressing the importance of the [[Free Exercise clause|Free Exercise Clause]].

==Origins==

[[Roger Williams]], the [[Puritan]] founder of [[Rhode Island]], had been expelled from both England and Massachusetts for his religious beliefs. Williams' ideas on liberty grew out of his Puritanism; the key to his thought is his idea of divine sovereignty, which he believed to be checked in some measure by every restriction laid on the church by the State. He sought what he termed a "wall of separation" between church and state to protect the church and divine sovereignty.

[[John Locke]], the English political philosopher who influenced the Founding Fathers, was influenced by the same Puritan milieu which shaped Williams,{{fact}} but he shifted the argument to a [[Humanism|humanistic]] base; instead of being concerned about the State not giving proper allegiance to God, he was concerned that the State would not allow people full freedom in the exercise of certain inalienable rights. The writings of both [[Thomas Jefferson|Jefferson]] and [[James Madison|Madison]] reflect the Lockean orientation.

Among dissenters supporting religious freedom were Baptists [[John Leland]] and [[Isaac Backus]]. Backus appealed to Enlightenment figures in his political pamphlets supporting separation, but the Revolutionary Era was generally unaware of Williams and of his theological defense of religious freedom.<ref> Leroy Moore, , Jr. Religious Liberty: Roger Williams and the Revolutionary Era. Church History 1965 34(1): 57-76. 0009-6407 </ref>

By the 1770s the [[Baptists]] in colonial America took the lead in calling for the separation of church and state, especially in Virginia where the [[Anglican]] Church was supported by tax revenues and had a role in local government. They fought in the period 1775-1810 for the disestablishment of the Anglican church and freedom of religion for all citizens. Three doctrines served as the foundation for the Baptist position: the nature of salvation, the nature of the church, and a belief in the necessity for the separation of civil and ecclesiastical authority. Baptists did not achieve separation of church and state alone (for the active aid of [[Thomas Jefferson]] and [[James Madison]] was also a considerable factor), but did serve as a constant reminder of the necessity of securing what they believed to be the inalienable rights of men.<ref> Jesse C. Green, Jr. "The Early Virginia Argument for Separation of Church and State" ''Baptist History and Heritage'' 1976 11(1): 16-26. 0005-5719 </ref>

No other American clergyman was more conspicuous or influential in public affairs in the Revolutionary years and immediately thereafter than [[John Witherspoon]], President of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton). Witherspoon also served in the New Jersey Legislature and the Continental Congress, and was a signatory to the Declaration of Independence. In his lectures to students, Witherspoon showed himself "in all essentials an exponent of John Locke's views on government and toleration." When the American Presbyterian Church was organized in 1786, Witherspoon drafted the preface to the new "Form of Government." In it he asserted the universal inalienable right of private judgment in religion and repudiated special aid to churches by civil power, thus reaffirming the position taken by the colonial Presbyterian Church in 1729 in adopting the [[Westminster Confession of Faith]] with a declaratory statement rejecting any State control over the synods as well as any power of the civil government "to persecute any for their religion." The primary concern of Witherspoon and the Presbyterian Church was clearly religious liberty; separation of church and state was valued as a means to that end.<ref>John Hastings Nichols, "John Witherspoon on Church and State" ''Journal of Presbyterian History'' 1964 42(3): 166-174. 0022-3883 </ref>

===No religious test===

The Founding Fathers had also included another provision for separating the undue influence of religion from both the federal and the state governments, which was that one could not be disqualified from office on the basis of one's religious beliefs. Article VI of the Constitution states:

{{cquote|The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.}}

===Interpretations===

Hamburger (2002) argues that the separation of church and state has no historical foundation in the First Amendment, the term being a catchphrase used by forces hostile to certain religions trying to limit their influence. He notes that 18th century Americans almost never invoked this principle. Although Jefferson and others retrospectively claimed that the First Amendment separated church and state, separation only became an explicit part of American constitutional law much later. Hamburger makes the case that separation became a constitutional freedom largely through fear and prejudice; for example, Jefferson supported separation out of hostility to the Congregational clergy of New England who supported the [[Federalist Party]], and [[nativist]] Protestants (ranging from [[Know Nothings]] in the 19th century to the [[Ku Klux Klan]] in the 20th) adopted the principle of separation to restrict the role of Catholics in public life, for example by denying Catholic parochial schools State funding (see [[Blaine Amendments]]).

Gradually, nativist Protestants were joined in this stance by secularists, who feared that if religious organizations received any State support, it would start a slippery slope to theocracy. Eventually, a wide range of people called for separation, including anti-clericalists who feared ecclesiastical authority, particularly that of the Catholic Church, and hence felt religious liberty required a separation of church from state. American religious liberty was thus redefined and even transformed.

== Jefferson and Adams==

Jefferson, who strongly believed that politically powerful churches in Europe were a great evil, reintroduced the phrase "a wall of separation" as President in 1802 in an informal letter to the Baptists of Danbury, Connecticut.

{{cquote|Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof," thus building '''a wall of separation between Church & State'''. Adhering to this expression of the supreme will of the nation in behalf of the rights of conscience, I shall see with sincere satisfaction the progress of those sentiments which tend to restore to man all his natural rights, convinced he has no natural right in opposition to his social duties.<ref>http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9806/danpre.html</ref>}}

Jefferson's terminology helped define the language of the debate, but did not constitute a precedent in law. However the Supreme Court adopted this metaphor and interpretation in the 1947 case, [[Everson v. Board of Education]]. The leader of the new interpretation was Justice [[Hugo Black]].<ref>Barbara A. Perry, "Justice Hugo Black and the 'Wall of Separation between Church and State'" ''Journal of Church and State'' 1989 31(1): 55-72. </ref>

Jefferson and Madison insisted that a necessary condition for political freedom was religious freedom, and they insisted on the disestablishment of the Anglican, Presbyterian, and Congregational churches in the new states. That view, however, and the Jeffersonian notion that an impenetrable wall of separation must exist between church and state, has been called into question or attacked by such Supreme Court decisions as Sherbert v. Verner (1963), Employment Division of Oregon v. Smith (1990), and Boerne v. P. F. Flores (1993), which question the acceptance of religious pluralism, one of the great achievements of the American "experiment." <ref> Edwin S. Gaustad, "Thomas Jefferson, Religious Freedom, and the Supreme Court." ''Church History'' 1998 67(4): 682-694. [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3169848 in JSTOR]</ref>

==="Not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion"===

Article 11 of the [[Treaty of Tripoli]], drafted during [[George Washington|Washington]]'s presidency, ratified by unanimous vote of the Senate in 1797 and signed by President [[John Adams]], states:

{{cquote|As the government of the United States of America is '''not in any sense founded on the Christian Religion,''' as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Musselmen (Muslims), -and as the said States never have entered into any war or act of hostility against any Mehomitan nation (Islamic), it is declared by the parties that no pretext arising from religious opinions shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries"<ref>[http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/diplomacy/barbary/bar1796t.htm Treaty of Tripoli, Article 11.] Ratified in 1796 and again in 1797. Some other treaties with Muslim powers did mention God.</ref>}}

Critics of the separation concept respond to the implications of this statement by arguing that Article 11 was only one part of a larger treaty, in which it was essential that a distinction be made between the United States and the "Christian powers" and their state churches which had persecuted Muslim nations, as well as the American colonists; also by noting that the statement at issue pertained to the nature of the government and not the nation, which was characterized as being Christian.<ref>[http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=125 David Barton, Treaty of Tripoli]</ref><ref>[http://hubpages.com/hub/Tempest-in-a-Treaty-Does-the-Treaty-of-Tripoli-Support-a-Secular-America Tempest in a Treaty: Does the Treaty of Tripoli Support a Secular America?]</ref> as attested to by many of the Founders.<ref>[http://www.praydailyamerica.com/americanhistory.html American History Quotes About God and the Bible]</ref> The significance of differences between the English and Arabic versions of the Treaty are also debated.<ref>[http://www.tektonics.org/qt/tripoli.html Tektonics.org, On Article 11 of the Treaty of Tripoli]</ref> It is also argued that, in distinction to Congress, there is great latitude for the states in the matter of religion.

In addition, numerous other documents are invoked in countering the use of the Tripoli declaration to assert that America was not overall a Christian nation, or that the Christian faith was not distinctly favored by the Founders.<ref>http://www.theroadtoemmaus.org/RdLb/21PbAr/Hst/US/USXn-Congress.htm </ref>

==Separating the Church from the State's Influence==

Like many political doctrines, the separation of church and state is a double-edged sword. If religion cannot influence government, nor can government influence religion. Accordingly, churches and religious organizations are kept from government intrusion with the highest deference to ecclesiastical matters. For example, Title VII contains a built-in exception for religious organizations.<ref>42 U.S.C. 2000(e)-(1).</ref> The provision has been construed to allow churches to handle their ministerial matters without government intrusion in any way.<ref>McClure v. Salvation Army.</ref> In this sense, separation of church and state is ''good'' for the church, as it ensures religious autonomy.

==A Limit on federal power, not states==

Preacher [[Pat Robertson]] has argued that the [[Establishment Clause]] was intended merely to prevent the Federal government from imposing a state religion, as two of the original 13 states already had their own official religion.<ref>From [http://www.patrobertson.com/Statesman/StatesRights.asp Pat Robertson "Restore States Rights and Public Morality" (1986)] </ref>

{{cquote|An established religion was a religion where the state paid the clergy and where there were civil liabilities to those who did not belong to that religion; where such things as marriages could only be performed with the blessing of a particular church; where, unless a person was a member thereof, he or she was denied the right to hold public office, etc. That's an established religion. All the people of the framers knew it was to take one sect and prefer it above another.

There were certain states at that time that had established religions. Massachusetts was a case in point. They had a state religion. And they didn't want this enormously powerful Congress to superimpose a religious system on their state system. To guarantee the states retained critical rights, the tenth amendment said, "All the power that is not expressly delegated to the federal government is reserved for the states." The intent? The people, i.e. the states, have delegated power. They gave up some powers, but they did not give up all powers because they are sovereign states.

"But the courts have successfully, in the district court level, in the circuit court level, in the Supreme Court level, restricted the right of religious people to involve themselves in their faith. And in so doing, they have violated the time-honored customs of this country clearly intended by the framers of the Constitution.}}

Current judicial precedent agrees with Robertson as concerns the First Amendment, but holds that the Fourteenth Amendment extended its scope from Congress to the state legislatures, since freedom of religion can be classified as one of the "privileges and immunities of citizens of the United States" mentioned therein.

==See also==

*[[Religion and U.S. Government]]

==Further reading==
* Gaustad, Edwin S. "Thomas Jefferson, Religious Freedom, and the Supreme Court." ''Church History'' 1998 67(4): 682-694. [http://www.jstor.org/stable/3169848 in JSTOR]
* Goldberg, George. ''Church, State and the Constitution.'' (1987), conservative attack on Supreme Court decisions; argues in favor of prayer in the public schools
*Guinness, Os. ''American Hour: A time of reckoning and and the once and future role of faith'' (1993) 468 pages
* Hamburger, Philip. ''Separation of church and state'' (2002) 514 pages
* Hammond, Phillip E. "American Church/State Jurisprudence from the Warren Court to the Rehnquist Court," ''Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion,'' Vol. 40, No. 3 (Sep., 2001), pp. 455-464 [http://www.jstor.org/stable/1388099 in JSTOR]
* Healey, Robert M. "Thomas Jefferson's 'Wall': Absolute or Serpentine?" ''Journal of Church and State'' 1988 30(3): 441-462, history of usage by Supreme Court
* Hutson, James H. at al. "Thomas Jefferson's Letter to the Danbury Baptists: A Controversy Rejoined." ''William and Mary Quarterly'' 1999 56(4): 775-824. a debate among leading historians; [http://www.jstor.org/stable/2674235 in JSTOR]
* Ivers, Gregg. ''To Build a Wall: American Jews and the Separation of Church and State.'' (1995). 272 pp. shows strong Jewish support for a high wall
* Jeynes, William. ''American educational history: school, society, and the common good.'' (2007) 469 pages. On how and why the American education system developed the way that it did.
* Kleeberg Irene Cumming. ''Separation of Church and State'' (1986), introduction at high school level.
* Levy Leonard W. ''The Establishment Clause.'' (1986) by leading historian
* McWhirter, Darien A. ''The Separation of Church and State'' (1994) 189pp; summary of the issues [http://www.questia.com/library/book/the-separation-of-church-and-state-by-darien-a-mcwhirter.jsp online edition]
* Monsma. Stephen V. and Soper, Christopher J. ''The Challenge of Pluralism: Church and State in Five Democracies'' (2008) 265 pages
* Reichley A. James. ''Religion in American Public Life.'' (1985), history of the relationship between religion and politics
* Segers, Mary C. and Jelen, Ted G. eds. ''A Wall of Separation?: Debating the Public Role of Religion.'' (1998). 191 pp.
* Sorauf, Frank J. ''The Wall of Separation: The Constitutional Politics of Church and State.'' (1976). 394 pp. by leading political scientist
* Stokes Anson Phelps, and Pfeffer Leo. ''Church and State in the United States.''(1964), famous classic.
* [http://www.questia.com/library/separation-of-church-and-state.jsp online books on Separation]
* Mark Weldon Whitten, Ph.D., ''The Myth of “The Myth of Church–State Separation'', (April 1996);[http://www.txbc.org/1996Journals/April%201996/Apr96TheMythOf.htm online article]

== References ==
<references/>
[[category:political Terms]]
[[Category:First Amendment]]
[[category:Religion and Politics]]

Independence

2010-02-17T19:33:22Z

CarlSfromMN:

'''Independence''' is, literally, the freedom from dependence upon another person or body. It can be used to refer to a person living [[Self-sufficiency|self-sufficiently]], without the need for contributions from others, specifically one's parents ("living independently").

Politically, the term has come to mean freedom from control, whether by another country or by a despotic government. The [[United States]] celebrates its independence from [[Great Britain]] annually on July 4th, marking the signing of the [[Declaration of Independence]] at [[Independence Hall]].

Reformation

2010-02-17T19:23:50Z

CarlSfromMN: Several Reformations.

'''"Reformation"''' can refer to any one of several movements within Western [[Christianity]]:

* The [[Protestant Reformation]] started by [[Martin Luther]] in 1517, resulting in the formation of the [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]] and [[Reformed|Calvinist]] churches.
* The [[English Reformation]] started by [[Henry VIII]] resulting in the formation of the [[Church of England]], in some aspects parallel to the Protestant Reformation.
* The [[Radical Reformation]], attempts to conflate the ideas of the abovementioned reformations with political radicalism.
* The [[Counter-Reformation]], an attempt by the [[Roman Catholic Church]] to end the abuses that had given rise to the Protestant Reformation, starting at the [[Council of Trent]]

[[Category:Reformation]]