Politics, Sex and Religion

The Toastmasters Organization says that there are three things one should never speak about with others:  Politics, Sex and Religion.  However, those are the three most spoken about topics for human beings.. even within the clergy.

So here goes.  I will try to quickly cover the three topics.  (I don't have much time today.) Perhaps I will make a habit of it.

Politics:

Xi Jinping: and China's new role in the world. (The Week, November 2017)

"Xi has made references to the declining role of the U.S. and its unpredictable president. As America withdraws from the world, China is moving to fill the void. "China will be increasingly disinclined to accept international norms or rules it did not create."

I wonder why trump feels that he can get the better of Xi in a trade war.  He's like a babe in the woods about to be eaten by a hungry wolf.  Our soy bean farmers are already feeling the pinch of trump's stupid tariffs.  trump will bankrupt us yet..  don't the republicans understand that he is a business failure and a con man?   It's very clear to me and  to all of our (now former) allies around the world.

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Sex: 

No longer boys and girls?  (The Week September 2016)

"A New Mexico elementary school principal instructed teachers never to call students "boys and girls" under the school's new Gender Identity Procedure Directive."  Teachers were supposed to use gender-neutral terms, such as "students" for the kids in her school.  Somebody squealed to parents and they raised hell.  The school board apologized and saved face by blaming the principal.

The Boys Club.. what would that be called?  The Boy Scouts?  Girl Scouts?  Silly.. silly.

I read an article in the Washington Post the other day, in which the writer used all gender neutral terms.. including saying "they" instead of "he" or "she."  It sounded dumb.  Of course, he said that he did it because some boys used to be girls and vice versa, so he wasn't sure of the proper gender word to use.   I would suggest that you use the gender word that the person wants you to use, regardless of how they look.

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Religion:

Martin Luther did what?  (The New Yorker July 2017)

In an article about the problems Jews have had with anti-semitism over the centuries, I found the following article extract amazing:

"... Martin Luther, in Germany, urged the Protestant faithful to raze the Jews' synagogues, school, and houses to forbid their rabbis on pain of death to teach, and to burn all Jewish prayer books and Talmudic writings."

Luther was just acting like other leaders of the time.  This was when Ghetto's were formed.  I assume that Lutherans have now decided that anti-semitism is not a nice thing..  at least I hope so.   I live at Carroll Lutheran Village, and many of our neighbors (including Elaine herself) are Lutherans.  I have not heard anything bad said about Jews or even any other group of people as long as I have lived here.

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