Spiritual/Political/Philosophical Blog on the Nature of Truth and Falsehood and Heaven
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| Sunny Days in Heaven Spiritual/Political/Philosophical Blog on the Nature of Truth and Falsehood and Heaven |
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Saturday, March 13, 2004 Out of One, Many minute particulars has an interesting blog and report about a jury after a murder trial. Their contentious deliberations raised Mark's cause for concern, but they led me to consider how rampant individualism may be contributing to the destruction of the jury system. The science of manipulating and confusing juries may have reached a point where juries can no longer function as intended. We constantly hear how diversity and multiculturalism create a rich mosaic for us. We never hear how multicultural societies are rarely stable. Russia's amalgamation of peoples was at the point of a gun, whereas America's was voluntary with ethnicities becoming Americanized. That conforms to what happened when divergent pagans became Christians. The bonds of creed and practice overcame other differences. But homogeneous States and nations which are also bound by common creed have a much greater advantage in the world. Nations such as England and Japan, though small, became mighty. The common culture and language of the Greek city-states made the Greek people formidable for centuries. America's melting pot is breaking down, though. More and more, people are seeing themselves as culturally separate from others. Whereas ethnic cultures were previously seen as harmless celebrations of ancestral pride, they are becoming instead a primary identification for large segments of our population. (Which gives others incentive to do the same for the sake of self-defense and self-interest.) Increasing focus by minorities as victims, and seeing others as oppressors fails to assuage conflict and promote redress as claimants intend, but rather creates division and encourages reaction. Someday we may well see a nation which reverts to the original idea of separate states no longer united. It would take enormous movements of people, though, to accomplish that, but what choice will many have but to seek some place together to 'colonize" according to their needs and beliefs. There are still vast, inhabitable nearly empty landscapes in America. New technologies may very well increase freedom of movement or distance from work, or make empty lands productive and useful; and there can be no question that religious groups will always seek safe places for their ideas and practices. For instance, is there any doubt that San Francisco and the greater Bay Area is purging itself of dissimilar minded people? The People's Republic of Berkeley is no longer a joke but a fait accompli. As it stands, my wife and I would be very desirous of living in a Christian state that fiercely upheld our values and inculcated patriotic virtues and morality in the young. We would happily become pilgrims if we thought it would mean a better life for ourselves and posterity. posted by Mark Butterworth | 2:49 PM | |
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