Robert A. Heinlein Quotes
The nice thing about citing god as an authority is that you can prove anything you set out to prove.
Heinlein, Robert A. Time Enough for Love. G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1973.
This is a very important quotation as Kingsley was a precursor of Karl Marx in claiming that religion was used as opium for suppression of people. See Marx {624064} It is probable that Marx had read Kingsley’s quotation but there is no way of knowing for sure. What is certain is that Marx did not originate the idea.
Despite his recognition of this point, he too became an advocate of murdering religious opponents.
Ingersoll was considered to be the greatest orator and political thinker of his day, but his overt atheistic views curtailed his elected political career.
The so-called Second Crusade
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York
The Roman Catholic Church in America had a very difficult problem with slavery. Catholics were themselves a minoirty, hated and distrusted by many Protestants. In most of the country, the distrusr was based on their large immigrant population, but in the South Catholic theology was hated and the Vatican and Pope were particular targets. The Catholic Clergy generally did not want to take sides in the most contentious issue in America since its inception. The Southern Catholic Clergy did not have that option as in the South, anyone who was not a supporter of slavery was an "enemy of the community and subject to all kinds of violence." Some Southern priests were willing to take the personal risk but did not want to put their followers at risk. In a strange consequence, Catholics--especially Irish Catholics--fought on both sides of the Civil War and often against each other. While it was not an exemplary moral behavior for the Church, there were difficult pressures on Catholic leaders. Further, most of the lowest and most difficult, undesirable jobs were filled by Catholics and most Catholic laymen so and end to slavery as the start of pitting the Catholics against the Blacks. So there was not a groundswell for abolition in most Catholic parishes even in the North.
Aleksei Maximovitch Peshkov
What was particularly unusual about this quote was that Cronkite had always been so circumspect about his own political views and opinions and rarely expressed personal criticism of any group or movement. When he was the national anchor for CBS News, he was so non partisan that he became the “most trusted man in America.” By 2007 however, most of the radical religious right had organized a serious movement which unlike other self interest groups which wanted to expand their rights or benefits, much of the radical religious right strove to curtail the rights of other Americans who differed from them as to religious interpretation, concepts and role of government, sound family structure and relationships, gender equality, sex, and personal freedom.
Liberal has a somewhat different meaning in English politics than the word as used in America. In England, the opponents of conservatives are of the Labour Party. The Liberals are a third party who on some issues are liberal in American terms and on others, conservative. However, they are very tolerant and somewhat intellectual.
Robert Anson Heinlein was an American science fiction author, aeronautical engineer, and naval officer. Sometimes called the "dean of science fiction writers", he was among the first to emphasize scientific accuracy in his fiction, and was thus a pioneer of the subgenre of hard science fiction. His published works, both fiction and non-fiction, express admiration for competence and emphasize the value of critical thinking. His work continues to have an influence on the science-fiction genre, and on modern culture more generally.
