the left needs a "religion" to bind its disparate goals

[ulysses]

Not religion per se, obviously, but some overarching theme within which we can unite the variety of goals we (being the big tent, after all) have.

The right wing has Religion under which it unites both corporatism and moralism.

We need unity, antiglobalist to prochoice to church/staters to antideathpenalty activists. What's our "religion"?

[POed_Ex_Repub]

That's an easy one... ABB

I'll take a candidate who I agree on with 80% of the issues over a shrub that gets 1% (Do not call list, if you must know) and I'd bet most here would agree.

[markses]

19. It can't be purely negative

It has to have its positive dimension in the forefront.

[POed_Ex_Repub]

1. Other possible issues...

job market
Getting Troops home
Defecit
(Related to above) cut back spending on shrub's stupid initiatives (mars, healthy family initiative etc.)

[RUexperienced]

2. Pick whatever religion you choose

If you don't find one to your liking. Make one up!

People have been doing it for years.

[sweetheart]

3. Human rights religion

I am a firm believer in these things, and between them, they unite all of us, just only the methods to achieve them differ.

http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html

[lostnfound]

7. Good choice. I had thought 'justice' but 'human rights' sums it better nt

[maggrwaggr]

4. "Restoring Fairness"

To me it's all about being fair. As in the government's role is to ensure and to enforce fairness, as much as possible, into the public domain, whether it be the workplace, corporate CEO offices, accounting, pollution, civil rights, whatever.

Beyond that the government should let people alone and give them as much freedom as possible.

[SoCalDem]

5. We just need some coordination

and the courage to NOT fall into the "baiting" that the repubes are so good at..

Every 2 years they go to their closet and drag out all the dusty old "issues" that always work..

Abortion
Homosexuals
Racial issues
Vouchers
Guns
Morality/God/Family values..

and as always, we let ourselves get sucked into their vortex..

The Dems need to ..S I M P L I F Y ..their message..

a simple statement of fact, and then the adherence to it, would go a long way..

something to the effect of :

"We are not going to allow the hate-filled, bigoted,lying , serial exaggerrators to dredge up these tired issues". These are the same issues that they drag out every election cycle.. They control the house and senate and they have no intention of ever solving these issues.. If the DID, they would have been "solved" long ago..

These are the issues that repubes WANT to fester and bleed every few years.. They use these issues to divide and irritate people"..

Dems believe that PEOPLE should be able to control their own lives when it comes to the "personal stuff".. The Dems are not interested in controlling your personal lives.. We think that you are grown up enough to do that yourselves..

The relationship that you have with your god, is personal and should never be legislated..

For people who profess to believe in "personal responsibility, they sure do sniff a lot of panties..

Guns are legal... we have no intention of taking anyone's guns..
A country as rich as ours SHOULD put education for ALL as a high priority, especially with the corporate masters desire to outsource all jobs escept for their own..

Every family in american has a homosexual in it, or knows someone who ius homosexual.. That is none of your business, so get over it.. They are not out to recruit your kid..

Abortion is an issue of "sin" and should be left to the people immedicately involved.. When all unwanted children are adopted, we will be happy to listen to more arguments from you guys.. Until then, butt out..

Black people, Hispanics, Asians, and all the other races ..are HERE TO STAY... Get over it.. They babysit your kids, take care of your lawns, wash your cars, wait on you at restaurants,teach your kids, put out your house fires, and even work next to you at your office.. Get over it.. Get to know them.. They are not "after you".. They want the same things you want.. Happiness, a living wage, a decent place to live, a good school for their kids..

So, in conclusion.. The Democratic party believes that EVERYONE, even you guys, deserve an opportunity to achieve YOUR dreams, unimpeded by the government, and part of that opportunity involves a government that places reasonable regulations for the basics necessities of life..

etc. etc..

and then do NOT engage them.. Remember Reagan's "There you go again".. Well we need to do the same thing.. When they start in on their wedge issues, they need to be called on it, and then have it turned back on THEM...

Defense is fine, but it's much easier to score on offense :)

[cprise]

10. People are worthy of 1) fairness 2) investment

Doesn't matter what kind of spin or nasty things you try to dig up about them.

That sums it up for me!

[stopbush]

6. How about democracy or the Constitution?

They beat religion hands down.

[cprise]

8. Humanism

Not necessarily secular. But to accentuate the inherent worth of all people and, while rejecting 'absolute faith', learning to have faith in each other. This gives rise to pluralism (what some on the right call "moral relativity").

Humanism is the primary force on the Left that shapes our understanding and use of science, and government.

The humanist philosophy avoids absolutes, except that ourselves and the human are always reference points. Some consider it a condensation the general aims and spirit of the Enlightenment, when people began to cast aside self-denial (personal, and as a species) and doctrines of human unworthiness, and began to rely on our own faculties.

Human worthiness also implies that we are responsible, and humanists reject fatalism, millennialism, etc. in favor of social responsibility and acting for a better future.

A great many of the best writers and storytellers are humanist and describe themselves as such, from Alice Walker to Gene Roddenberry (Star Trek). They tend to indulge in and contribute to what we call 'the humanities'. There is a very strong emphasis on liberal education.

It is considered by some such a successful philosophy in the West, that it has become diffuse and sometimes hard to recognize. Avowed Humanists outnumber Christians in some northern European countries, where it is still rather explicit. The religious Right (Billy Graham et. al.) hammered on humanism specifically as a sort of 'enemy within' through much of the 70s and 80s.

[cprise]

9. A trail of liberal/humanist influences

I think of the following as if they formed an arrow moving through history:

Plato and Aristotle

Hypatia and other scientists of her time

Sermon on the Mount, The Golden Rule

Martin Luther, The Reformation

Galileo, Kepler, Descartes

The Enlightenment-
Locke, Voltaire, et al.
The Magna Carta
Declaration of Independence

Hawthorne, Thoreau, Emerson, et al (Transcendentalists)

Karl Marx

Charles Darwin

Susan B. Anthony

Tolstoy, Gandhi


(woefully incomplete, I'm afraid...)


Probably none of the above here actual humanists, but they all took steps toward something better than oppression of the heart and mind.


Some honored humanists:
http://www.americanhumanist.org/about/humanists-year.html

[Terwilliger]

11. how about the religion of social interest politics and values

the poor and the rich working to one goal, instead of working against each other

[cprise]

12. The French also have a liberal slogan built into their republic:

Liberty, Fraternity, Equality!


To me in 2003 that means:

1. Personal liberty
Freedom from opression and needless discrimination. Also: A corporation cannot be free, because a) it isn't real, and b) the construct must be controlled by people.

2. Solidarity and Community
Both the heartfelt and business ends of public endeavor and living. The right of the common man to not have to answer to power singly and isolated. Also, neigborliness.

3. Equal opportunity and fairness
People are equal in the eyes on the law and are deserving of investment in our safety and our potential.

[TheReligiousLeft]

13. I'd vote for that!

Another general thing we could call it is "progress" if the average person on the street doesn't like the French Revolution rhetoric behind Lib. Frat. Eq.

[BeFree]

14. True Christianity?

Like:

Love thine enemy.

As you do unto the least of these, you do also unto God.
Live by the sword, die by the sword.

Turn the other cheek.

[TheReligiousLeft]

17. Hazzah Hazzah!!!

Sounds like a plan. Follow what Jesus says not what right wingers tell us say!

[knight_of_the_star]

15. Justice

That one rings just as loudly in the American people as Religion does, if not moreso.

Justice for ALL!

[leftofthedial]

16. social justice?

truth?

liberty?

equality?

these are not sufficient?

[JohnOneillsMemory]

18. The Bill of Rights and the US Constitution are the OFFICIAL religion.

The Bill of Rights is the only document that distinguishes the US Government from all the other murderous national power structures.

And the Bushistas have savaged it.

Our military takes an oath to defend the Constitution from "enemies foreign and domestic."

I work with a Republican who just retired from the military and was knee-jerk pro-Bush and 'a strong military.'

When I told him what the 'PATRIOTUSA' act had done to the Bill of Rights, he was instantly anti-Bush.

The Democratic Convention in Boston should be a revival of the American Revolution against King George. All the themes and vocabulary for resonating with the pissed-off sheeple are there.

[leesa]

20. Has one...get rid of Bush and his henchmen