Aspies For Freedom

I always felt sorry for those poor pigs AND their owners. They couldn't have sued for the loss of their stock or anything.

Sort of true, sort of not.

I think that the Greeks really added a lot elements from their original religion into Christianity, such as the belief of Heaven and Hell (Mt. Olympus and Hades); back then the Jews didn't and still don't believe in either Heaven or Hell. There's also the whole belief in fate, which is somewhat thinly veiled as "God's plan". Content often does get changed when it's been translated by those who not only speak a different language, but also have a different culture.

So it would have actually been a sausage?

To further my hypothesis, it was said that eve was tempted by a serpent, otherwise known as a snake.

Hmm, and how else were they supposed to create more people? Seems rather silly for them to have been given the capability and then told they shouldn't use it? Unless the fruit of the tree of knowledge was something else again???

What about voting for the lot who will improve the social security system so there is a proper safety net for those who are unemployed and ill. Also, a government that will work in co-operation with the unions would be a good thing.

It depends if it was based on bare passes or higher marks? Logically, only a group with higher strength can oppress others who are weaker.

I've never actually heard of Star Parker before this thread. Is she suggesting that welfare should be wound back even further?

At least minstrel shows provided some entertainment.

I don't know how welfare recipients can be so demonised when the politicians often have their noses in the trough of public money.

We get the same thing in Australia with people talking about those awful "dole bludgers" and "single mums" and forgetting how big the pollies' pensions are going to be. The truth is, just about anybody could end up losing their job and not being able to get another one. At least the politicians in that situation are guaranteed a generous pension for the rest of their lives.

Most single parents are those whose marriages have broken up or are widowed. The parenting payment is a pittance but once there are a few kids, it is not much less than some of the more low-paid jobs. So, a few parents work out it is better to stay home with the kids. They are a minority though and in the big scheme of things, cost very few taxpayer dollars.

It's also forgotten by some that we ALL pay taxes, whether we are in the paid workforce or not! This is because we pay GST on just about everything we buy. So, welfare recipients also pay taxes - the same taxes that the self-righteous proclaim should be withheld from welfare.

Having no welfare has been shown to lead to people dying on the streets. Is that what you want to see - poor people dying of curable illnesses because they can't afford to see the doctor, dying of exposure because they can't afford the often extortionate rents that are charged nowadays or getting mugged?

As Quickduck said, where is the compassion in all that?

How are the single parents going to find somebody to mind their children while they are doing a training course? Or are they going to leave them in the charge of the eldest child who might only be 8 or 9 years old or even younger? Not only does that mean this child misses out on being just a child, would they be qualified to act sensibly in the event of a disaster such as a fire or one of the children cutting themselves deeply or falling?

I've no quibble with training courses as such, but you have to mind the practicalities. Plus, there just aren't enough jobs to go around, especially for older people. Employers can pick and choose who they want in the entry level positions especially.

It all boils down to most people not meeting your standard of perfection and as Max said, calls to get rid of welfare show the ugly face of right wing ideology. These same politicians who bleat about those "wicked and lazy welfare recipients" never had it hard in their lives or forget where they came from (which to my mind is even more contemptible) and are quite happy to subsist on taxpayer dollars whilst making their rabid rants.

Yes, that's exactly right. As far as I'm concerned, I have paid my taxes for years and so have my relatives so if I am in a position where I can't find work and am eligible for a benefit, I will take it with both hands. Pride doesn't put food on the table.

Despite being relatively lightly affected by autism, I have a history of depression and anxiety conditions. That in conjunction with my age (over 35) means little chance of finding a decent job (or in fact, any job) if I left or lost the one I'm now in. So how it is humane to force even worse affected people to try and find non-existent jobs? Why not let them have some dignity and go on a pension if that is what they would prefer?

With a wide-ranging consumption tax such as the GST or VAT, lower income earners and welfare recipients pay a higher proportion of their income in tax than higher income earners. I think they already do their bit so shouldn't be penalised by stricter rules.

It's because it's been said so many times that I'm really over it.

Yetti, I now think you have repeated some comments to the point of causing us 100 times more boredom:

"See a therapist for your issues"
"having pity parties".
"Get a job"
and so on, ad nauseum.

I also find your personal attacks on people such as Max, Tigger, Rossco and Sarah quite tedious to say the very least.

The more you say these things, the more we won't want to take any notice. I tried therapy - it only made me feel crappier about myself for the most part. I don't need it - I can manage with just a little bit of practical assistance on occasion.

Therapy helps a few people but unlike the society you live in, people in other countries aren't usually so obssessed about it.

Darn right! She says we all need therapy when she doesn't even know us and our personal circumstances. She is convinced that she is always correct and that we are mentally challenged. She makes unkind and totally uncalled for attacks on valued members of this forum.

And some of us are from other countries again. In Australia, there are state psychiatrists but the waiting period is typically months or even years and the space between sessions is usually quite large. This is all because there is insufficient funding to provide sufficient numbers of mental health specialists to even begin to cope with the need for help.