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From: arndt@lymph.DEC
Newsgroups: net.singles
Subject: To /Joe re. communication
Message-ID: <1017@decwrl.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 8-Mar-85 17:57:54 EST
Article-I.D.: decwrl.1017
Posted: Fri Mar  8 17:57:54 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 10-Mar-85 06:19:24 EST
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I enjoyed your posting on the problems of communication.  I think you made
some good points.  However, I take exception to one thing you said.  Something
to the effect that the swing back to 'traditional values' somehow holds back
or dampens communication.  I think quite the opposite is possible under the
'traditional values'.

I presume you refer to the concept that because those who hold a set of values
as opposed to another set must of necessity dominate the other set of values if
they can.  Ergo, Jerry Falwell runs the U.S.of A., etc., if we turn back to
the moral majority values.  I see that as a slander put forward by those who 
have little or nothing in the way of values to offer other than the lame idea
that there are no values to which all should subscribe (which is a value they
hold that all should subscribe to!!!!)  Of course I may have your position all
wrong.

Granted that there are times, places and persons who HAVE abused being in the
place of holding the majority values by holding captive the beliefs and practices of the minority.  That has happened in all countries in all times and goes on
today around the world.  Certainly it has been practices by Christian and non-
Christian alike.  I would like to point out however that the record in our 
country, while not perfect of course, has by and large been one of the best,
if not the best of any time or place or people on record.  I refer to the
religious freedom we have had in our country under our system of government
as founded over 200 years ago.  That record gives the lie to the slander that
somehow if we, as a nation, return to some of the 'traditional values' held to
in the past that it would lead to some sort of religious state.  And thereby
cutting back on communication.  

It seems to me that we as a nation have long since passed the point of any one
religion being THE religion of our country.  Sociologicial studies have made
a large point of that.  Berger's PROTESTANT, CATHOLIC, JEW comes to mind.
However, all three of these 'mainline' religious views of our country do hold
certain common 'traditional values'.  In fact all three are well represented
in Falwell's Moral Majority movement.  You know of course that the Moral Majority is not a religious movement per se.  But a POLITICAL movement.

More to the point.  Traditional religious systems in our country have always
stressed the value of communication, if now with each other always, at least
as a value to be practiced on the level talked about in this net.

Therefore, I see your comment as one that is off-handed, not well thought out,
and needing to be redefined.

Comments?

Regards,

Ken Arndt

PS  The misspellings above are what I deserve for not being in an editor.
    Sorry.