The West Versus the Islamic World

[bobbcat]

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This appears to be a struggle over who will ultimately rule the world. Is it just about religious beliefs, or good versus evil? I think of what mayor said in another thread recently about this being a spiritual battle. Rome went under because it dissolved into complete moral decay. Could we be headed in that direction too?

[CagedTroll]

Originally Posted by bobbcat

Rome went under because it dissolved into complete moral decay.

..because that's what empires do. (I mean if you're going to oversimplify this, y'might as well oversimplify to the extreme! )

[prism68]

Originally Posted by CagedTroll

..because that's what empires do. (I mean if you're going to oversimplify this, y'might as well oversimplify to the extreme! )

I don't see this as an over-simplification...
This is from the article, so she was just commenting on what the author said:

"Rome was so caught up in "bread and circuses" and moral decline that it couldn't manage to defend itself from invading barbaric hordes who ultimately plunged Europe into the Dark Ages."

Besides, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out America is in a moral decline (landslide) and 'barbaric hordes' certainly sounds like the terrorists to me.

My students studied Ancient Civilizations last year and came to some of these same observations on their own. They say that each nation that got so wrapped up in their own depravity eventually was destroyed. Egypt, Rome, Greece... It isn't too much of a stretch to see where this is comparable.

Case in point, they just had to start fining for indecency because people on airwaves can't be decent on their own.

[CagedTroll]

There's books; huge, heavy, thick books written on the subject of the Fall of Rome. People started writing them as soon as the Empire started to come apart at the seams, and they're still writing them today. 'Longhairs' sit around discussing why? and never reach a consensus. They've got maybe half a dozen reasons they mostly agree on, including overextending the military, inflation, and loss of technology. Then there's all the other theories, which they'll never agree on.

Regarding the overextended military, Rome actually hired mercenary tribes, which eventually overran their employers. The start of the same thing is going on now, in Iraq, but to say that it's the same thing is kinda ridiculous, IMO.

There's no law requiring that people watch television 6-8 hours a day.

[prism68]

Originally Posted by CagedTroll

There's books; huge, heavy, thick books written on the subject of the Fall of Rome.

Ummm...ok. I am aware of that.
I get it that you are saying there were many things coming together that caused Rome to fall; so perhaps that is what you meant by oversimplification.
I was primarily looking at the moral aspect. Of course there are lots of perspectives to view it on; just like any other topic.

Originally Posted by CagedTroll

Regarding the overextended military, Rome actually hired mercenary tribes, which eventually overran their employers. The start of the same thing is going on now, in Iraq, but to say that it's the same thing is kinda ridiculous, IMO.

True that the hired killers were turning against Rome, but many of these 'soldiers' were captured slaves from other countries. Of COURSE their allegiance wasn't strong to Rome and when they saw their opportunity, they took it.

Originally Posted by CagedTroll

There's no law requiring that people watch television 6-8 hours a day.

Oh my goodness. I can't believe you said it. If I hear someone say that one more time I am going to scream.


That is the NUMERO UNO, favorite all-time liberal argument supporting the trash that is on t.v. and radio. It is OLD and worn out.

NOPE, no one is forcing these kids to turn on the tube. However, women's lib and deadbeat dads and schools that churn out ritalin zombies and a host of other things- all these things lead to kids home alone everyday after school.
Kids without the maturity to make informed, educated decisions about what they are watching or not.

How insane is it to argue that as a station, I can show all the trash I want 'cause there might be some perverts out there that want to watch it?! So what if they are the small minority; the MAJORITY should just turn their heads and look away.
Ludicrous!

I am moving this week and my husband and I decided to not turn on cable or satellite when we get there. It is very rural, so that means <gasp> we will not have t.v.! I can't wait. I am so sick of hearing all the foul language on daytime and primetime shows.
So that is what happens; people with strong convictions go without television or pay to use t.v. guardian technology (which is what I had up to now)- to placate the free speech hysterics.

Mind-boggling it is.

[CagedTroll]

Originally Posted by prism68

Ummm...ok. I am aware of that.

Wasn't saying you weren't. Just illustrating a point.

Originally Posted by prism68

Oh my goodness. I can't believe you said it. If I hear someone say that one more time I am going to scream.

That is the NUMERO UNO, favorite all-time liberal argument supporting the trash that is on t.v. and radio. It is OLD and worn out.

The "favorite all-time liberal argument" is slightly younger than the "favorite all-time conservative argument", that THEATER is somehow IMMORAL. Dates back Greco-Roman times, btw, with Dionysius the patron god of both wine and theater. The "backstage" parties got a little out of hand, so the government was forced to outlaw them, but the priests at rival (and less popular) temples.

You've got warning labels, v-chips, and (more importantly) you've got books. If nothing else, you've got VHS, DVD, and TBN. You get to control what you watch, we've got more entertainment options than ever before, and most of it is indeed trash. But the majority likes trash, otherwise American Idol would have gone off-the-air halfway through the first episode.

[prism68]

Originally Posted by CagedTroll

Wasn't saying you weren't. Just illustrating a point. The "favorite all-time liberal argument" is slightly younger than the "favorite all-time conservative argument", that THEATER is somehow IMMORAL. Dates back Greco-Roman times, btw, with Dionysius the patron god of both wine and theater. The "backstage" parties got a little out of hand, so the government was forced to outlaw them, but the priests at rival (and less popular) temples.

You've got warning labels, v-chips, and (more importantly) you've got books. If nothing else, you've got VHS, DVD, and TBN. You get to control what you watch, we've got more entertainment options than ever before, and most of it is indeed trash. But the majority likes trash, otherwise American Idol would have gone off-the-air halfway through the first episode.

My idea of trash is illicit sex, drugs, profanity. Actually, it is funny you bring up theater (and yes I GET IT that you weren't meaning theather per se). My daughter is "Broadway-bound" and the current big winner of the Tony awards is "Avenue Q" which has 'full puppet nudity' for crying out loud.

The stuff like that doesn't bother me as much as plain ol' every other word is a curse word, etc..

Sigh... on to real life for the day.