While we were riding some were writing, sometimes things just work out

We left early today to ride in the Vet, Inc. Poker run that raises funds for the Tallahassee Veterans Day Parade.  After the second stop we took a quick detour to escort a Vietnam Vets family to his funeral.  Then we booked it back to the county and caught the end of the Poker run, and finally made it back to the home site.

Tomorrow we ride to pay tribute to Biker Billy on the third anniversary of his transition "into the wind" and then another fund raiser for the Veterans parade.

At some point in time due to procrastination we got to due the tax thing. 

So we got some posts to write, some pics to post, some ink to sling  and got tired thinking about it.
Were getting older.

We open up our mail box and see two posts sent to us by Artie.

Now normally we are well pleased when Artie throws one post our way.

While not always agreeing with what Artie may say, and it usually takes me a day or two to figure out if I agree or not, I can say he consistently makes me think.  Sometimes I can read a post and think, spot on.  Other times it's like, hmmmmm, I got to think on this a bit.  Those are the ones I like best.

So when we get two on the same day, especially this day, way cool.  Cause we are going to post both of them and hit the sack.

So grab ya a munchi  or something take your time reading the following two posts by him.

P. S. the Dude can ride too!

And do check back for the pics and stuff we will get up asap.Add to Technorati Favorites

Organized Religions in Politics Are Killing America-By Artie Hamlin

(Editors note: We suspect some people have hit on this site expecting one thing only to find somethingThat includes "bikers" and "non bikers".  And that's o.k. "different" than what they might have found.Stick around a bit, explore the variety of topics, and allow yourself to be challenged. If you do so, we guarantee only one thing, you will be forced to think. That's not a bad thing. )

Organized Religions in Politics Are Killing America

I’ve chewed on this idea for a long time, and as a deep south Southern Baptist preacher’s kid (all all that goes with that moniker) that often reads his blogs to his mother, I’m sure she’s presently having a heart attack as she hears this.  Seriously, it is my strongly held belief that organized religion in politics in America is as bad or worse than huge political contributions from businesses or lobbyists.  Say what?  How can loving God and preaching His love for us be bad for America?  How can a Christian say such an outrageous thing?  Let’s explore it.

I recently read an article on the consequences of religious evangelism in America as an underlying cause of the Civil War.  In the two decades leading up to the Civil War, America went through a fervent evangelical revival.  The consequences of this in politics was that both sides held the mistaken belief that God was on their side, it was their duty to promote God’s beliefs and agenda, and that to compromise in any way on those religious beliefs was to commit sin.  So, both sides believed that God was on their side and rather than find a more moral way of settling their differences, entrenched their positions and set about killing each other, to the tune of 625,000 people killed or maimed. At Antietam 26,000 died in one battle with over 9000 dying in less than three minutes.  At Gettysburg which lasted three days, there were over 51,000 casualties.  All in the name of God and the mistaken belief by all, that God was on their side.

The Equation of Freedom and Responsibility-by Artie Hamlin

I am about to espouse a view that will mark my opinions and beliefs as previously written as mistaken, and therefore do a 180 degree turn in my thinking about the group commonly known as the Westboro Church Protesters that protest at mostly funerals of killed in action (KIA) hero-soldiers.  My previous views have set forth that allowing them to protest, even though it makes our blood boil, is one of the Freedoms that makes America great.  I STILL believe that, but find that the consequences of that thinking can have detrimental effects upon our Freedoms.  Why?  Because with true Freedom comes RESPONSIBILITY.  The two are completely and unequivocally inseparable.

Freedom is responsibility. When you're free, you're automatically responsible for your own future. You must recognize the consequences of your own acts.  You are free to choose your own path and therefore solely responsible for their outcomes and consequences.  “It’s all you baby!”  Are you free to run red lights in rush hour traffic—YES, you are the free driver of the car you control, but you also have to pay the price of the wreck and injuries you cause when you do so.  Are you free to go jump off a cliff if you want—yep, and we know the consequences are probably not good there either.  Are you free to choose your life mate and get married and all the wonderful(??? LOL!) consequences (or at least hope for them) upon your future-yes!