No man likes to have his intelligence or good faith questioned, especially if he has doubts about himself. - Henry Adams

But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg. -Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782

Question with boldness even the existence of a god; because if there be one he must approve of the homage of reason more than that of blindfolded fear. -Thomas Jefferson, letter to Peter Carr, August 10, 1787

I do not play the "I am more Conservative than you" game. Since I have been in a few scrapes here, I have created a "test" for myself and I am displaying the results here especially for the benefit of those who rush here to question my "credentials".

1. Capitalism and free market economic systems have offered the greatest good to the greatest number of people. Agree

2. The Obama administration is filled with far left radicals out to undo American capitalism. Agree

3. The Bible trumps all other sources. It is infallible and every word is literally true. Disagree

4. Islamic fundamentalism is a dangerous threat. Agree

5. Islam is a moon god worshiping satanic death cult. Disagree

6, Sharia law should be allowed or imposed by courts in western countries. Disagree

7. The earth is about 10,000 years old. Disagree

8. Evolution is part of a godless plot to destroy Christianity. Disagree

9. Christianity is the only true religion, fundamentalists are the only true Christians and Christian Fundamentalists are the only true Conservatives. Disagree

10. Obama is "the antichrist" and Jesus even said so. Disagree

11. The federal government has its nose into far too many aspects of our lives. Agree

12. Roe v. Wade is an example of bad law and promoting or abetting abortion should not be the domain of the federal government. Agree

Cerberus rates the pundits:

Glenn Beck A

Judge Andrew Napolitano A

Glenn Beck A

Rush Limbaugh A

Neil Boortz A-

Charles Krauthammer A-

Thomas Sowell A-

Michael Barone B+

Cal Thomas B

Bill Kristol C

Sean Hannity C-

Ann Coulter D+

David Brooks D-

Gloria Borger F

Eleanor Clift F

Thomas Friedman P/F (read as just plain "F" or Pompous "F" or Pompous Fool)

My Conservative beliefs are rooted in a strong belief in personal responsibility.

I believe that we must all accept responsibility for our lives and our actions because no decent civil society can exist if we do not.

I also believe that free markets have provided the greatest good to the greatest number of people and the role of government should be very limited.

I have no affiliations when it comes to matters of Spirituality. I do have great interest in antiquity, early Christianity and Eastern religions. I believe that humanity's highest calling is to acquire knowledge, especially about the great mysteries of human origin, with an open mind and to go fearlessly where that knowledge leads us. As such, I am very much in favor of, for example, space exploration. I do not subscribe to any "belief system" as I do not believe there is any system or belief which can even begin to embrace what we refer to as "God".

My favorite work of poetry:

DOVER BEACH
By Matthew Arnold

The sea is calm tonight,
The tide is full, the moon lies fair
Upon the straits; on the French coast the light
Gleams and is gone; the cliffs of England stand,
Glimmering and vast, out in the tranquil bay.
Come to the window, sweet is the night air!
Only, from the long line of spray
Where the sea meets the moon-blanched land,
Listen! you hear the grating roar
Of pebbles which the waves draw back, and fling,
At their return, up the high strand,
Begin, and cease, and then again begin,
With tremulous cadence slow, and bring
The eternal note of sadness in.

Sophocles long ago
Heard it on the Agean, and it brought
Into his mind the turbid ebb and flow
Of human misery; we
Find also in the sound a thought,
Hearing it by this distant northern sea.

The Sea of Faith
Was once, too, at the full, and round earth's shore
Lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled.
But now I only hear
Its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar,
Retreating, to the breath
Of the night wind, down the vast edges drear
And naked shingles of the world.

Ah, love, let us be true
To one another! for the world, which seems
To lie before us like a land of dreams,
So various, so beautiful, so new,
Hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light,
Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;
And we are here as on a darkling plain
Swept with confused alarms of struggle and flight,
Where ignorant armies clash by night.

1867

Accept no authority..............be a light unto yourself.

cerberus