On Jun 18, 2005, at 9:48 AM, William T Goodall wrote:
One of these identifying features is a prophetic figure whose revelations form the basis of the religion. Such figures include Jesus, Hitler, Buddha, Marx. No corresponding individual exists for capitalism or democracy.
George Washington is a local one. Thomas Jefferson. That drooling damned-fool ex-cowboy Reagan. And the other George W. These have achieved something like legendary status among certain circles, deserved or not.
Rush Limbaugh used to be thought of as a great evangelizer of certain flavors of "democracy", as well as a particular mode of capitalism. He might still be among the tragically inbred.
Money is worshipped in the US, to be certain. Apparently you *haven't* seen a Wal-Mart management conference if you really believe that money-grubbing isn't an event closely tied to religious zeal.
Another feature is the holy text: Bible, Mein Kampf, Das Kapital, Koran. Again, no such text exists for capitalism or democracy.
Apparently you've never heard some Americans go on about the Constitution. And of course there's the American crucifix -- the flag.
Another feature of religion is community - you are of the faith or not, a member of the Party or not. Again, not a feature of capitalism or democracy.
On what planet do you live? Or have you been totally unaware of what's been happening in the US for the last half of a decade? This is one of the most virulently capitalistic nations ever, and between that crushing drive to have everything *and* the obsessive need to foist McMocracy onto the rest of the world, we've managed to get ourselves on the shit lists of about half the nations on Earth.
That's only possible because of the "prophetic" leaders, the slavish adherence to "holy writs" and the absolute certainty of American rectitude over all else.
-- Warren Ockrassa, Publisher/Editor, nightwares Books http://books.nightwares.com/ Current work in progress "The Seven-Year Mirror" http://www.nightwares.com/books/ockrassa/Flat_Out.pdf _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
