$15/hr: It's Indefensible and Irresponsible for Conservatives to Support Hillary Over Trump

[Backroads]

I personally sway to extremes on Rand. I love and hate her ideas. I am polorization in one girl.

Still, I loved "Atlas Shrugged" for the plot, at least.

And it kept me entertained for a good month of one-hour-each-way work commute.

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

3 hours ago, MormonGator said:

No, really. You are among the very, very few that don't have strong feelings one way or another towards her. She actually IS among the most polarizing authors out there, for sure. You might be in the middle, but she is extremely polarizing. 

That has been my experience as well.  I must confess, as I was reading it...at first...I loved it.  I even defended the idea of selfishness on an internet forum (I now feel differently and regret that.  Fortunately I don't think I persuaded anyone.)  For me the tables began to turn when Dagny's plane crashed and she so easily forgot about Henry (did I get his name right?)  I was so repulsed by that.  By the feeling that I got from it that people can be used up and thrown away...that I put the book down and never picked it up again.  That's was a first for me.  I also got really angry at one point while reading The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck, but then I decided any author that could evoke that much emotion was worth reading.  So I finished it, and it's one of my favorite books.  

Ayn Rand's idea that monogamy is a useless idea is one that my friend has also adopted.  I love my friend, but I can't wrap my head around that.  

But Gator, I still think you are awesome, even if you do like Ayn Rand.  I forgive you, LOL! 

[Blackmarch]

It's kind of sad to see how wrapped we are in competition to each other.
This recent part of the thread strongly reminded me of this parable:

Matthew 20:

 1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

 3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

 4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

 5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

 7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

 8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

 9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

 11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,

 12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

 13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

 14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

[anatess2]

57 minutes ago, Blackmarch said:

It's kind of sad to see how wrapped we are in competition to each other.
This recent part of the thread strongly reminded me of this parable:

Matthew 20:

 1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.

 3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace,

 4 And said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way.

 5 Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise.

 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle?

 7 They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.

 8 So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first.

 9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.

 10 But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny.

 11 And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house,

 12 Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.

 13 But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny?

 14 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee.

 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?

 16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.

Uhm, the parable works perfectly for God's.  It doesn't work as well for Ceasar's.

Because... a laborer coming in to work for God at the last hour in God's vineyard doesn't make it such that the one's that came in at dawn would be priced out of the Celestial Kingdom.

A laborer coming in to work for Ceasar at $15 bucks an hour would make prices rise so much so that the ones who came in at dawn would have to buy bread at twice the price for the same income.

Yep.  Parables are like that... it may sound cool for Ceasar but the practicality of mortal existence doesn't quite fit in it... hence, Give to Ceasar what is Ceasar's and give to God what is God's.

[NightSG]

21 hours ago, MormonGator said:

Rand is someone you either love or hate. 

Or both.  She could give Tolkien lessons in drifting off on rambling tangents.

[Guest MormonGator]

8 minutes ago, NightSG said:

Or both.  She could give Tolkien lessons in drifting off on rambling tangents.

Dude, this could be the start a beautiful friendship. I've always found Tolkien exactly like that! 

[NightSG]

10 minutes ago, MormonGator said:

Dude, this could be the start a beautiful friendship. I've always found Tolkien exactly like that! 

Referencing another part of his admittedly very expansive world is one thing.  Spending a couple of pages getting the reader interested in something just to say "but that's not a part of this story" is entirely another.

[anatess2]

13 minutes ago, NightSG said:

Referencing another part of his admittedly very expansive world is one thing.  Spending a couple of pages getting the reader interested in something just to say "but that's not a part of this story" is entirely another.

I know, right???

I will readily admit I had a very hard time finishing the first LotR book.  But yes, I still do feel it was worth it to get to the 2nd one....

[Guest MormonGator]

18 minutes ago, NightSG said:

Referencing another part of his admittedly very expansive world is one thing.  Spending a couple of pages getting the reader interested in something just to say "but that's not a part of this story" is entirely another.

I always preferred Narnia.

[anatess2]

13 minutes ago, MormonGator said:

I always preferred Narnia.

Me, Legend of Drizzt.

[anatess2]

13 minutes ago, MormonGator said:

I always preferred Narnia.

Me, Legend of Drizzt.