[MD] Flying Spagetti Monsters

[Heather Perella]

Ian and Platt,


> > Platt said....
> > "Political" indicates some government body would
> decide ...
> > 
> > Er, no Platt, political means as a matter of
> policy (contingent
> > pragmatism as opposed to dogma or authority). Your
> definition is one
> > of paranoia. Doh.
> 
> Er, no Ian. Political means  "a : of or relating to
> government, a government,
> or the conduct of government" according to
> Merriam-Webster. To borrow a word
> you use to label your fellow contributors, your
> definition is "ignorant."  

     Platt and Ian, I don't know how far you two have
come to defining political, but I finally had the time
to read this post.  I think that political is close to
Ian's definition since government implies a chiefdom
or more complex society.  Yet, politics, as to not
shut-out chiefdoms and more complex societies,
definitely involves governments, too.  Politics can
also happen with any band of people whether it is the
San in Africa or teenage friends in any U.S. town. 
Politics is when any society (two or more people) try
to organize a collective effort.  Politics is
organization trying to apply something for their
effort, thus a policy.  This is why some
anthropologists have come to think that religion was a
base for organization that involves power for human
beings which with power being a gain or downfall
depending on who brings the best organizational effort
for a more splendid society.  Pharaoh, Mesopotamian
priest/priestess kings and queens, the incarnations of
the G-d(s) as emperors in China, Japan, Aztec, Mayan,
Inca, and the Pope, though not an incarnation of G-d
his religious authority has provided a way for other
people to focus, thus become organized, and propel
societies to power, etc...  As we all know, religion
plays a huge part in politics to this day. 
Government, Platt, as I often hear on the Moq.org, has
some baggage that may tend to leave out the gangs in
the streets that display power, as Al-Saddir
(mispelling?) has in Iraq, were once the U.S. and Iraq
forces were at battle with him, now the U.S., Iraq
forces, and Al-Saddir have come to a less violent
means of displaying power.  Al-Saddir has a lot of
political authority even though he is not part of the
Iraq government due to his big following, thus, the
organized society that surrounds him. 

SA

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