I disagree. The question lends insight into whether patriotic American intellectual Conservative 8th graders believe in passing notes in class aka breaking rules. The OP has already hedged on whether he would respect the law, why not take it to a very local, personal level? It’s on par with anything else in this thread–Ask the Tween How and What He Thinks About Stuff.*
*I’m not saying the thread doesn’t have merit; I’m saying there’s no reason it can’t poke a bit of fun as well. YMMV.
What personal experience are you using as a comparison to decide that the US is the best country in the world? What are your criteria for this decision?
I have invited you in the past to post to my OP How Did You Come By Your Political Opinions?
You chose not to respond there but perhaps you can do it here instead. For a fellow of your tender years, I must say that at the very least your abilty as a wordsmith is remarkable. I would be most gratefull to hear your take on Noam Chomsky’s What Uncle Sam Really Wants. It’s a public record accounting of US post-war foreign policy. Please confine your remarks to the text and refrain from dismissing it as the work of an aging left-wing nutjob.
What is the (estimated) population of the village/town/city in which you currently reside?
What is the (estimated) population of the largest village/town/city in which you have ever lived?
What is the (estimated) population of the largest village/town/city that you have visited?
Is it a sin when people have dreams about sex?
And what if sex people have dreams about sin? Or the sinful sex dreams of people? :eek:
A similar question: Why Christian? As an intellectual, you’ve surely asked yourself a number of questions about Christianity, including, but not limited to:
Isn’t it unfair of God to consign everyone to not-heaven who grow up in a non-Christian country? Isn’t he giving a huge unfair advantage to people who are born in a Christian family?
Jesus shows up only one time and preaches for a couple of years? Doesn’t this seem, again, as though God isn’t really trying?
Good people who are Muslims - Screwed?
The problem of evil, as above. C’mon, 'Satan did it? ’
Matthew 16:28, “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”" - without weaseling, (tasting death doesn’t mean dying, Lazarus the wandering Jew) how can this be reconciled with the 2000 year gap between the crucifixion and the now.
Have you considered and investigated other religions, and in particular, Atheism and Agnosticism? As an intellectual, and smart person, one has to wonder how one questions one’s assumptions, and then commits and becomes Christian at such a young age. I would have expected Agnosticism. Are you sure that your faith isn’t a received, unquestioned assumption, and worthy of further analysis?
Why did God make our arms reach our genitals if we aren’t supposed to play with them?
Can one be partiotic and think that Reagan and W were awful presidents who treated the Constitution like toilet paper.
Whose booty – mine or Curtis’s? 
Curtis:
Do you feel that intellectualism can only go so far for a Christian. At some point rationality has to be abandoned in favor of faith. And the faith required of a Christian necessarily falls far short of the intellectualism required for someone who keeps more open mind, such as a scientist (be them agnostic, or (yes) even an atheist). Would you agree?
Curtis, do you believe there are people smarter than you whose opinions about politics and religion are diametrically opposed to yours? IOW, are there liberals and atheists smarter than you?
(E.g., I’m an atheist and fairly liberal socially, but I concede that, e.g., the late conservative Christian William F. Buckley was definitely smarter than me. And I’m sure there are many more such people).
I find this question an excellent test of whether one defines “intelligence” as simply “agrees with my opinions”.
And when I say ‘smart’ I mean, ‘to include intelligence in the areas you disagree with them on’. (IME, respondents to this question sometimes sidestep the question by naming a ‘poindexter’: someone with opposing beliefs who’s really good at one subject like physics or auto mechanics).
LOL! This one wins the thread!
In this thread, why do you use the British spelling of favorite?
Perhaps he HAS been to Canada.
Don’t sell yourself short. The lame sophistry of which WFB is a recognized master does not smarts prove.
Do you believe faith and science can ever be reconciled?
Actually, I meant non-personified booty in the abstract. That noted, I’m straight, so it’s all you, girl.
I like debating.
I think a few times but I don’t remember a specific one.
Foreign policy and abortion to become more interventionist and ban abortion respectively.
I don’t mind people drinking alcohol as long as they aren’t drunk.
As for marijuana and tobacco I’m a bit more iffy as the Bible says are bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and even a little of tobacco and marijuana causes addiction.
I’d prefer a vast economcy producing durable goods rather than specialty goods only bought by the rich. As for economic sloth look at Britain or Germany. Also cite for the happiest citizens.
Well of course since they’ve been coddled by the governments they don’t want to give it up-but Europe’s population’s crashing and it’s labour force can’t support the social welfare programs.
Voting, helping out in the community, etc.
None, my family isn’t particularly wealthy.
Borderline nationalist I’d say.
Yes. He’s Muslim and his family is opposed to the current (and Bush’s) US foreign policy. They supported Obama in the last election cycle and they also seem to believe 9-11 was commited by the government.
Read, surf the Net.
My father’s rather conservative-he listens to Limbaugh, Hannity, and Levin and he’s Christian. My mother’s Buddhist (well we’re Korean-American so nothing too surprising) though she goes to church.
Failry good I’d say.
See above.
Yes Denmark’s for instance starts at 40% and goes high 60%.
Because I simply cannot believe that this life is the end of us. I think we have a higher purpose-a higher level.
What do you mean by conservative? Are there any conservative policies you disagree with? If so, what?
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I’m not as economically libertarian as most conservatives.
Depends on how fanatical the movement is.
Anaheim (roughly 330,000)
Same.
Los Angeles (4,000,000)
No they can’t help it.
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We have missionaries.
I’m not God nor am I His spokesman.
If you mean unsaved-yes.
A rather difficult theological problem I’ll have to research.
I bet the Hebrew words mean something different.
I know the tenets of other religions and religious beliefs-but I feel faith only in Christianity.
Yes.
There are many scientists who are religious: Galileo (Catholic), Newton (Unitarian), and Francis Collins.
Yes I think for instance Noam Chomsky’s smarter than me.
I’ve read Lovecraft and as I enjoy imitating Mr. Lovecraft in writing I have adopted British spelling-I’m already an Anglophile.
Yes for all knowledge is one.
Rand Rover got skipped and is a sad panda 