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Stephen Walker's avatar

“but others would do much the same or worse”

Evidence-free nonsense.

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Glenn Crichton's avatar

What sort of evidence would make you happy? China committing genocide on the Uigers, India persecuting all non-Hindus, Israel committing genocide on Palestinians, Japanese WWII attrocities?? Hitler’s Germany???To pretend that any of these countries would be a better hegemon is pure speculation on your part. Sorry to rain on your party.

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Stephen Walker's avatar

If you cannot comprehend that the global scale of atrocities committed by the US since 6 August 1945 are many orders of magnitude larger than anything you cite, I’m clearly wasting my time engaging with you.

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Glenn Crichton's avatar

Stephen

I am confused by your logic.

Are you saying that no country could do worse than the US?

My point is that power corrupts and it could manifest through any country that wielded the power that the US has.

Only very recently has China emerged as a threat to US hegemony.

Would you really think that a state like China would act morally and ethically as the sole global hegemon.

Ditto for Russia should it regain its former status.

I would add that this is a pointless to speculate because we don't know the future.

Evil seems to be on the rise just as Christianity is abandoned.

How ironic that the US is nominally Christian.

Emphasis on nominally!

Abandon God and abandon all hope.

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Chang Chokaski's avatar

The fact is, no one knows (with 100% certainty) how things would have turned out if history had been different. BUT, the U.S. (and the British and other Western countries) have had a history of colonialsim, imperialism, and genocidalism that has been unmatched by any other nation.

Hence, the U.S. has developed a certain 'exceptionalism' and culture (over 500+ years) built on Genocide, slavery, exploitation, racism, and more that is unmatched by all other than Britain.

And this has little to do with religion (let alone Christianity).

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Patrick Powers's avatar

Hmm. As Empires go I'd say Spain was the worst. Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Turkey and the Dutch weren't very nice. The USA and UK did pretty well, while Denmark might be the best of the lot. Not that I approve....

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Glenn Crichton's avatar

Agreed - no argument from me!

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CrumpledForeskin's avatar

China has never shown they wouldn’t act morally. The Uyghur thing is a CIA and Israel construct and not a valid argument. To say the lack of religion is causing the fighting is laughable.

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Glenn Crichton's avatar

Not sure about the Uiger thing being a CIA and Israel thing. China wants nothing to do with Islam as it threatens all political systems - including the Chinese dictatorship.

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CrumpledForeskin's avatar

Anytime you hear the US media and politicians accusing someone of genocide, you can be sure it’s not what it seems.

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Glenn Crichton's avatar

We agree to disagree.

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Indu Abeysekara's avatar

So .. Glenn Crichton those who don't believe in a Christian God or a creator God have no HOPE?

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Glenn Crichton's avatar

Yep, no hope…repent and believe trust and obey! It requires faith in a gracious, holy, patient, loving and forgiving God. But He is not going to save everyone. Faith in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is incomparable and a necessary substitutionary death for my sins and for yours…..what a loving God - offering us forgiveness for all our sins! How can you not want the gift of forgiveness which is on offer!

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Ron Stockton's avatar

Do you not see the contradiction between how you describe your god and the fact he won’t love and forgive those who don’t accept him? Sounds like the USA to me.

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Vin LoPresti's avatar

Which GOD are we talking about here, Glenn? My deity is Nature -- that Complex Adaptive System of Systems-- more well informed and self-regulated than any human system ever created -- or by inference, any deity based on human "image and likeness". We have indeed pretty much abandoned that system as inferior rather than superior to our puny fucking brains and creations. This, in my opinion, is why we are doomed little lumps of detritus -- and fully merit that position both within the Biosphere -- having outlived our evolutionary window -- and within the larger universe.

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JennyStokes's avatar

Strange that the Uigurs were in Putin's parade, smiling and singing.

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Glenn Crichton's avatar

Strange indeed ????

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Patrick Powers's avatar

I have been to Urumqi to see my niece. She speaks fluent Mandarin and Uighur and resided there for five years studying the situation. She and I saw repression. All Uighur renters had to leave Urumqi. There were police everywhere. We heard propaganda. But genocide? Not a trace of that.

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