On Thu, 4 Dec 2003, Chris Olson - SunPS wrote: > Philip Hart wrote: > > On Thu, 4 Dec 2003, Johne Cook wrote: > > > > > (It's not his politics that worry me, it's his religion, > > > > Same thing. > > Excuse me? Are you stating that politics and religion > are the same thing, or that they are in OSC's case? Well, from my perspective as a physicist, an atheist, and a reductionist (all one thing in my opinion), all belief is the same stuff - hooey. But that's not a productive argument. Rather I should say that it seems to me people have a set of mostly emotional viewpoints on what's right, and that they effectively practice their religion and politics accordingly. E.g., it seems to me that consistent Christians should be communists, but of course aren't. This view helps me understand why Zell Miller is to the "left" of Olympia Snowe, why scientists moved left after Nixon, why the current administration's policies are what they are, why there are conservative and liberal Catholics, what in part drives the nature/nurture debate among biologists, ... > If the former, I have to disagree (if the latter, I'd have no idea, as I > haven't read enough of OSC's work to form an opinion on the subject). It is my impression, not strongly data-driven, that the Mormons are rather more of a cohesive religio-political group than most. - Philip > Just wanted to clear it up. Hey, maybe I'm wrong and > politics and religion *are* the same. Would explain > a great deal, if nothing else....:) > > Cheers, > Chris