Two Articles.

I also think that america is way overly fixated on money.Isnt this why everybodies talking about this guys death?Because he gave up millions to go do what he thought was right.Like I said in another post in another thread,the "keeping up with the Joneses" has just gotten out of hand.

This thirst for money and material goods completely overshadows such things as doing whats right for family,country and self.

There are those among us that thirst for more then worldly goods.We want honor and dignity and respect,the kind not gained through making lots of money but by doing things that are bigger then ourselves.

People like Simeon Rice were not raised with this concept.

A few years ago on a message board, this kid from Utah was selling his bike and all of his riding stuff because he was about to go on his two year mormon mission. I cant remember where he said he was going, but he wouldnt be allowed to watch TV, read MX magazines, use the internet...anything. He was giving up everything in his life that he was familar with in order to do this missionary stuff.

And he was excited to do it!
[img]confused.gif[/img]

I made the comparison because that's sort of what this football player did...only for different motives.

Some part of me wishes i'd be able to hold the same convictions, not in religion, but in doing things i feel that need to be done [img]redface.gif[/img]

And on a tangent, it's fun to see some emphasis on what is important. Funny to see how the word patriotic ?nd/or other ways to put that concept (for country) appear significantly [img]smile.gif[/img]
Not that i find you as posters overly patriotic, or geared towards finding it good (or bad, for that matter), but it's.. interesting to see certain ideas that are prevalent in society leak through in people.

here's what i found interesting:

Quote:

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Originally posted by Trampis:
This thirst for money and material goods completely overshadows such things as doing whats right for family, country and self.

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<font size="4" face="Tempus Sans ITC, Tahoma">fact of the matter is, trampis, that IS our country.
america survives on capitalism. capitalism survives
on money/material goods....

technically, by buying and selling and wanting,
YOU ARE PATRIOTIC...


but alas, i submit my post to be dissected and
esentially thrashed

I think the world has always worked on the concept that you cant make everything yourself and you must barter with others for what you need and want.

I know our economy works the way you described it shatzy,but our economy and our culture in America will only continue if there is a certain amount of sacrifice.

I see what you were getting at with the Mormon mission thing TG.My family is not Mormon,but I did have a nephew a few years ago decide to convert.He went on a 2 year mission to the Philipines.

Hes a great kid,but I dont have much good to say about his religion of choice.It seems that you are either one of them or you are not.I deal with Mormons on a business level,and there seems to be a way about them that says,its ok to be disshonest and crooked with non mormons but treat fellow members of the church with respect.

They hire and especially promote from there own in there companies.If you go to work for a mormon,never expect to get very high on the ladder,no matter how hard you work or how good of a job you do.

I guess thats why i view the Mormon church as a business club rather then a religion.

Also,I think in general Christians preach love and acceptance,but if you quit the Mormon church,you lose your friends.Again the theme of,"you are either one of us or you are not".

a few years back, a friend and me went to this
church bingo (we were really there just to get
some goods if we won... plus the free lunch).
anyways, there were some mormons there...
interesting to say the least... since it was not
only a bingo game... but the basement of a catholic
church (IMAGINE!).

anyways... we had the pleasure of sitting next
to these people... melissa (my friend) sat
across from me and the mormons on one side.

they were about our age or a little younger.
i cannot remember why they were there... but they
didn't play bingo (duh). instead they just sat
there and kept quiet during game play.

melissa and i talked to them... but it was a
restricted type of conversation... mainly like
you said, trampis.

personally i couldn't tell if they thought they
were better than we were.... i just FELT that
they thought that and so that made me smartassed
to them.


i didn't win any shitty bingo prizes... but it
was great fun to say the least..... :-"