Monthly Archives: February 2012

Some things can’t be laughed away. –Robert M. Shelby, 2-18-12. [976 txt wds]

A funny thing didn’t happen on the way to the Forum, today. It happened as I finished reading it, in the Benicia Herald. The contradictory views and attitudes of people who seem to live in the same world but dwell in radically different aspects of it struck me as hilarious. The discrepancies of outlook become […]

The politics of nefarious practice? –Robert M. Shelby, 2-11-12. [724 txt wds]

What we learned, or should have learned, from the ancient Greek Trajedies is, that we must not hate each other, cause fear and resentment in others or seek revenge on fellow citizens for slights and wrongs we suffer, real or imagined. We must not harbor nor foster them by dwelling upon animosity because it is […]

The GOP “Doomsday Machine” –Robert M. Shelby, 2-5-12. [512 txt wds]

Our radically conservative friends continue to offer plenty of provocation, even locally, but I have refrained from answering. Why? Democrats have already won the 2012 election. Our neighbors over to the far right of imaginary center have done it for them, and can’t figure out how to stop helping Obama win. The genuine conservatives of […]

Jim Pugh’s Deep Misery –Robert M. Shelby, 1-28&29-12 [489 txt wds]

Sympathy for Jim Pugh’s terrible, sad state overwhelms me and I have to speak out. Jim suffers too much from the fact of Barack Obama’s presidency. I suppose he scarcely sleeps and can’t think about much else except where his money is invested and how poorly it’s doing because Democrats are in charge, no matter […]

To a local, gospel minister, 1-16-12. –Robert M. Shelby. [1175 txt wds]

You asked me about “Jesus’ purpose on earth”, who I think he was, historically, how the “messages of Jesus and Paul differed” and “how conversion changed Paul.” Your queries are in good point, but I’ll start more broadly than with Jesus and Paul. In the “Enlightenment Era” increasing numbers of intelligent people came to have […]