"...ey stop looking to God and look to a government instead."  So true.  Thus the necessity of a "civil religion", wherein the whole of society tacitly acknowledges a transcendent entity ("May the force be with you"?) is the giver of individual ...  more"...ey stop looking to God and look to a government instead."  So true.  Thus the necessity of a "civil religion", wherein the whole of society tacitly acknowledges a transcendent entity ("May the force be with you"?) is the giver of individual rights.  Otherwise, it becomes the government, and as one very old sage once (sorta) said, "The government giveth, and the government taketh away.  Blessed be the name of the government."  Well, maybe he didn't quite say that.  But that is what happens.  Cicero, that Roman statesman who predated the founder of the most hated religion in the world today by some 40 years, insisted on this principle.  Of course, the newly-minted Roman Empire didn't appreciate that he preferred a Roman republic instead, so he ended up losing his life.    less

Yes.  According to Joe Scarborough, infants, toddlers, children, and even adolescents have been ripped from their mothers' breasts as they've been nursing, hauled off to the showers, never to be seen again, just like in the 1940s in Germany and the J...  moreYes.  According to Joe Scarborough, infants, toddlers, children, and even adolescents have been ripped from their mothers' breasts as they've been nursing, hauled off to the showers, never to be seen again, just like in the 1940s in Germany and the Jews. Yes, he said that, and knowing he is totally unbiased, and Mika is an angel, that proves it.  Trump personally ordered the gassing of these kids!  He is Hitler incarnate.  And also the Beast, the Dragon, and the False Prophet.  He is the Prince of Persia, as found in the prophetic Old Testament book of Daniel.  He is Satan, whom Jesus described as a "liar from the beginning" and "the father of lies".  If only Hillary had been elected!  If only Trump hadn't read the Constitution and insisted the Electoral College vote him in!  If only our racist, fascist, evil founding elders hadn't insisted on one last check against the beauty of a true democracy like the ancient Greeks had.  But no, we now have Trump, who has gi...    less

Interestingly enough, it's not necessarily biblical quotes that irk me; it's the use of "proof-texting"--taking a biblical passage out of context to prove a point--that riles me up.  Example:  One news pundit claiming Jesus said, "Let the little...  moreInterestingly enough, it's not necessarily biblical quotes that irk me; it's the use of "proof-texting"--taking a biblical passage out of context to prove a point--that riles me up.  Example:  One news pundit claiming Jesus said, "Let the little children come."  No, He didn't.  He said, "Let the little children come unto Me." 
That is a subtle, but (at least from my perspective), important distinction.  

I might add, the second method, a "convention of the states", was included at the last minute in the 1787 Constitutional Convention, as the Founders realized that a government, even a representative republic such as ours, could not always be trusted--thus...  moreI might add, the second method, a "convention of the states", was included at the last minute in the 1787 Constitutional Convention, as the Founders realized that a government, even a representative republic such as ours, could not always be trusted--thus the idea to provide for the people directly to amend it through that "convention of the states."  

Actually, not all states are required to ratify an amendment; only 3/4 of them must.  Here's an explanation of the process, but the summary is there are two ways to get the ball rolling and then completed.
https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/constitution

Dunno about nowadays (but I suspect an atheist who makes a good moral argument will acquire C/O status), but my friend and I argued with each other passionately in our spare time aboard our nuclear-powered cruiser.  He decided to request an honorable...  moreDunno about nowadays (but I suspect an atheist who makes a good moral argument will acquire C/O status), but my friend and I argued with each other passionately in our spare time aboard our nuclear-powered cruiser.  He decided to request an honorable discharge based on C/O, and I helped him write up his argument.  He was granted it, and I feel proud that I helped him get it.  I still disagreed with him, but I recognized the validity of his arguments.