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Double ++ for a better Sunday afternoon et al.

From other sources I knew Russia was having a Christian revival after kicking communism to the curb, but wasn't aware of its true nature. Rebuilding a cathedral in Moscow is certainly a statement!

10 minute video about world political systems and why the Constitution is so important. https://youtu.be/jJEuZrvNYg0

Middle one, left panel..
Boy, that hits the mule on the head.

My pastor spoke on this, Sunday. True Christianity is not God telling you not to have fun. It's God reminding us not to hurt ourselves. It seems to me that AR had a bit of a bone to pick with organized religions, and I can surmise a lot of the reasons, which is why I'm not a Catholic, Mormon, or one of many others. Being "charitable", on the surface, goes against her warnings against altruism, but I think there's a line between giving of yourself to others who will return nothing, or worse, are actively working against you, and doing for family, friends, and community in which you have a vested interest.
I suspect AR would say, "Kick your kids (if you bothered to have any) out of the house when they turn 18, and let them fend for themselves", but remember that when you're old and feeble, you might want someone there to help you. I've heard it said, "Take care of your children. They're the ones who will choose your nursing home."
Efforts toward making life easier for others in your community may well result in less strife and turmoil for the community, and perhaps a better life for you.
"Power" is ultimately the ability to reshape the world to your liking, and that's part of it all. It's not all about, as AR would probably say, your personal well-being and wealth.
Douglas Adams was a well-known atheist, but in his "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy", there's a nice homage to "one man (who) had been nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for a change".

Looking at religions today... is there an honestly traditional one left?

I'm old enough to remember when a church (at least the Baptist church I attended) was true to the gospel.

I guess I brought it up after seeing an interview with Dr Joseph P. Farrell (author) last night where he described himself as an "old curmudgeon" when it came to the state of large religious institutions.
He feels they are all corrupt at this point.

After hearing his direct experience as a practicing theologian, it's hard to argue his logic and evidence on the matter.

The major religions have lost their way.
Satan has gained the upper hand.

One last observation:
Farrell said the (Greek and Russian) Orthodox churches are kind of the last hold-outs.
His final comment was that after the fall of the Soviet Union, the common folk of Russia were spiritually revived by their return to the Russian Orthodox Church.
A major cathedral in Moscow that Stalin had torn down (replaced with some Soviet iconology) was rebuilt to it's original design.
That speaks volumes to the change happening in Russia today.

Holy smokes! I got down voted to zero for admitting I'm not perfect! Tragedy, LOL!

Always heard it said when moving to the mid-west "it's your east coast attitude" we get'er done!!

The older you get the less you have a turn off valve to the nonsense and speak you mind!

Most of what Catholicism teaches is not of Christian teaching actually. The Bible was never used in teaching from the age of 7 days till I realized the truth needed to be learned for my mind and was born again. Catholics approve of abortion just come to church and drop your $$$ in the basket, live and let live no matter what your choices are certainly proven by the recent "Popes"

"...Rand was an atheist, if memory serves me correctly" You are correct TT, but looking at many religions and their histories one could hardly blame her. I don't share her disbelief, but I can understand it for her circumstances.

Same. The Gulch - gotta like the neighborhood because of the neighbors!

Any Rand was an atheist, if memory serves me correctly.
Being a Christian, I can only pray she had a come to Jesus moment before her passing.

That said, I read Atlas Shrugged as the idealist fiction it was written as.
Yes, lots of parallelisms to the then current political situation and extrapolation of where it could ultimately lead.
In this regard she did prove very prophetic.

However, capitalism, like everything else in this life, does not exist in a vacuum.

We (not just the US) have a bad case of crony capitalism, market manipulation, currency manipulation, insider trading (particularly among our political so-called representatives with dual-citizenship no less!), slave-labor wages... she could not have possibly anticipated how AI and robotics could/would fundamentally transform manufacturing, eliminating whole classes of the labor force.

There can never be the ideal perfect capitalism Ayn Rand envisioned as long as humans are involved in that process.

Like our 250 year experiment in a Representational Constitutional Republic government, while it may not be perfect, capitalism is the best mechanism man has come up with so far.

99% of people miss about the epstein saga, is the 99% of his evil doings:
The financial end.
Here is a guy who was poorly educated, (he was a substitute teacher immediately before his meteoric rise to finical wizard).
Then, out-of-the-blue, he is this financial wizard that Wall Street and the City of London, who won't make a move without consulting him.

Is no-one connecting these dots?

The lurid aspects of epstein saga are nothing more than the everyday commonalities among the financial elite, the politicians, the Hollywood weirdoes, (the wanna-be's of all the above mentioned)
Nothing new under the sun here.

What is being given a "Good Leaving Alone" is what was his role on Wall Street? In the City of London?

Crickets, Crickets, Crickets, Crickets.

Thank you. Having access to The Gulch is very important to me.

Yes, absolutely! In addition everyone, specially politicians, should watch this 10 minute video - https://youtu.be/jJEuZrvNYg0

Glad you stayed on, dino! All civil discussion should be allowed here.

"I am charitable because I want to be..." Yes and being charitable is a good thing if you can be, but it must be personally decided, not by force.

Numerous "Christian" religions that brought the inquisition or witch burning or other means to assert their power to get people to grovel and sacrifice themselves on an altar they provide is far from where Christianity began. I don't think Jesus would approve. With that said, it looks like Christianity may be slowly rediscovering its roots as you point out in your last paragraph.

I must admit I haven't read ALL of it cover to cover, but I've certainly read a good deal of it along with other related works.

That's different than sacrificing your happiness. I am charitable because I want to be, which is different - I think. I've gotten into arguments with Catholics on this - compulsory giving being how I see their prescribed altruism. But, maybe we're splitting hairs. All you need to get to heaven, according to the Bible, is to believe. "...whosoever believeth in him...". Faith. Nothing else.

Speaking of religion...I heard just recently that only one woman is mentioned in the entire Quran. Mary. I found that interesting.

Blushing, your words hit me surprised. It's really not that good but it is True and Honest,
Glad you appreciate the attempt.

So delighted to see your latest MAGAzean issue, ouc. It reads better than, makes so much more sense than, has great humor compared to those MSM turds. In fact, there is no comparison between excellence and crap. If there was a Pulitzer prize for actual news backed by common sense I would nominate you :)

Rational self interest could be construed as: Rational Celf interest: Every cell in the body is responsible for it's own survival (and happiness relating to this question); so once those conditions are satisfied, the Value is always (automatically) passed on.

Passing on Value is done unconsciously by one that has taken care of self first. But what many have done Consciously probably was at the risk of sacrifice or aggrandizement . . . sometimes both!

Can't argue with you here. I'll just add that not only have they not read Plato, but they haven't read, (or understood) Our constitution either!