Pretzels and passivity, anyone?

Interesting story within the story Mexico by James Michener. Ancient civilization got intoxicated on the juice of maguey and later their great, prosperous, peaceful civiliation was known only as the Drunken Builders. They just *watched* with some alarm as an aggressive tribe of the War God moved closer *every year.* Just watched and wondered what would happen to them. They hoped something would happen to the others and make the problem just go away.

Finally, the War God people marched into the Drunken Builders' bulidings & sacrificed the people to the War God. Cut out their beating hearts.

This troubled me b/c sometimes when I discuss current issues with others, I find that some argue from emotion, not facts. Sometimes they call me a name because I don't agree with the policies of the candidate they like. But they can't always give me a real reason to like him, either.

I know I'm not as informed as I could be.

So, are we sometimes intoxicated with *entertainment* & emotion while an enemy comes closer and closer, instead of being really informed on issues that will affect the rest of our lives and our children's and theirs?

Walter Martin said the cults can make "doctrinal pretzels" out of Christians who may know what they believe but not why they believe it. Where is it written?

So can politicians make pretzels out of our views. Where is it written? Who said so? How do *they* know?

My friend plays golf and has a trainer but her husband is sometimes out of work as an independent contractor and she wants me to pay her medical bills. Oh, yes. She wants socialized medicine. Who does she think pays for that? Just for an example.

Whether politics or religion--do we know what we believe--and why?

Workin' on that! Starting by reading Economics in Plain English. This economy thing is terrifying. China says we are trying to default. Will they try to foreclose?

I don't understand it all but I'm going to try. At least I'll understand more than I do now. I hope.