Priorities-ish

[same_difference]

Today the Pope died. I was brought up as a Roman Catholic so I should care, but to be honest I'm just glad he died peacefully and didn't suffer, which is what I hope for everyone to be honest.

In fact I'm more annoyed that I game I was looking forward to isn't any good. The Bard's Tale comedy RPG turned out to be Dark Alliance with some humour, but not as much as you'd expect. Also they went too far with the items to money thing. You have no inventory so anything you pick up is turned to money, unless its better than your current equipment, in which case it is equipped and the old stuff if turned to money. Also no inventory means no healing items means no instant healing when you need it. It is voiced by Cary Elwes (male lead of Princess Bride) though, which does leave me kind of curious.

Bad game more disappointing than person death. Say's a lot about my, well, priorities I guess, can't think of the word I mean.

Comments

[same-difference.livejournal.com]

It is worrying, I've always felt religion and politics shouldn't mix. I never trust any politician who openly refers to his religious belief (not that I particularly trust them anyway), but I am getting concerned by the growing trend of using their religions as a kind of unarguable justification for their actions. Something the current prime minister and GBJr has done on occasion.

On the issue of religions interfering in politics part of the problem is the need for religions in society isn't the same as it first was, but they don't seem to realise it. They were necessary in the early civilisations, and therefore gained a lot of power, but they have never wanted to let go of their power, or of the belief they hold a critical role in shaping the world. Yet where they do have a strong influence, like Catholicism in Africa, they to stick the rules that were written hundreds to thousands of years ago, instead of doing what will actually help. I've always felt that while the core principle of almost all religions (treat others as you want to be treated by them) is a good thing, the provisos they include with it cause too many problems.

I suppose that the kind of core of my personal beliefs really. I wouldn't say I'm a catholic, I think the phrase I came to was nondenominational christian, but to be honest I'm not sure I'm even that. What I've kept on believing in is a single God and that treating others as you want to be treated is the most important rule in life to live by. In fact I suspect that the only reason I believe in a single God specifically is that was how I was brought up, and it is a comfortable focus for my personal faith. In the end my beliefs were kind of defined while I was doing religious education in secondary school. I learned a lot about primarily the christian religion, and I found that while I agreed with the core behind the various religions out there (again the 'treat others as you want to be treated' principle), I had issues with all the, well, fine print is a best way I can describe it.

To cover the last point the only solution I can think of for the inter-ethnic hatred (short of banning all cultural and religious things) is a national identity. I was always felt it was the one thing the American's got right, not that it entirely works for the them, but it does make a difference if you give give everyone a feeling they belong. The lack of national identity seems to aggravate the ethnic divides and the anti-immigration feelings here, but it's not likely to change though. Did you know they can't even refer to the nation as a whole on TV when talking about the weather because its not politically correct? I always agree with Dad though, the people who migrate to this society, for whatever their reason, aren't integrated into our society properly, and that only enhances the kind of problems we have.

Anyway, we have a long time before we get a new pope. However it will be worth watching to see which of the cardinals are the likely candidates, and what their stand points are. It will also be worth seeing how the various political leaders act with regards to the final decision.

[prosepina.livejournal.com]

Some very interesting points well put.
I do agree with the value that national identity caqn provide, and always felt it rather sad that having an England or Union Jack flag has become synonymous with thugs, or that the importance of a countries flag should always be taken too far as with the Nazis, and perhaps also America at times. Work experiences of a couple of my friends tend to show that poorly integrated immigrants often end up living unnecessarily in abject poverty because they don't know what benefits they are entitled to, or how to access services. I tend to feel that migrant populations left too long this way is what breeds your Camberwell estates and the crime and misery that can bring.

I don't disagree that religion and politics have become frighteningly interlinked, but whilst the Pope was just a figurehead, then all that is dangerous is GBjnr, not Christianity. Where we will face danger is if the new Pope takes an aggressive stance and begins to align himself with country leaders such as Bush, Blair or the Australian right winger PM (whose name escapes me at present).

For an amusing and cynical take on how religion and politics can integrate and screw up, read the rather wonderful novel Boiling a Frog by Christopher Brookmyre. Better still read his whole series.