Who is Monica Goodling?

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/news/editorial/16977347.htm

WASHINGTON - Monica Goodling, the Department of Justice official who said Monday that she'll invoke the Fifth Amendment rather than talk to lawmakers, is a frequent figure in department e-mails released so far as part of the congressional investigation into the firings and hirings of U.S. attorneys.

Goodling, 33, is a 1995 graduate Messiah College in Grantham, Pa., an institution that describes itself as "committed to embracing an evangelical spirit."

She received her law degree at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va. Regent, founded by Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson, says its mission is "to produce Christian leaders who will make a difference, who will change the world."

E-mails show that Goodling was involved in planning the dismissals and in later efforts to limit the negative reaction. As the Justice Department's liaison to the White House, she could shed light on the extent of White House involvement in the dismissals.

Goodling took a leading role in making sure that Tim Griffin, a protege of presidential adviser Karl Rove, replaced H.E. "Bud" Cummins as the U.S. attorney in Arkansas. Documents released to Congress include communications between Goodling and Scott Jennings, Rove's deputy.

[whistle]

1. In otherwords she is a Christian Fascist

...thanks

[BOSSHOG]

2. Producing Christian Leaders who will make a difference - Mission Accomplished

And I do believe her christian "education" is serving her well now. She isn't worried about telling the truth, she thinks she'll be harmed if someone else lies. Isn't that precious.

[John Gauger]

3. My buddy goes to Messiah

He says their religious policies are oppressive to him - including a policy that states that he must attend services a certain number of times per semester in order to receive credit. He says that compelled worship is an affront to God, to his faith, and to the ideals of this country concerning religious freedom. I agree. If you are being forced to pray, the prayer is meaningless. It is not sincere.

[TahitiNut]

4. "Virtue is its own reward."

A lesson sorely needed at Messiah. :shrug:

[John Gauger]

5. That is my personal motto

"Virtus ipsius beneficium est" in Latin. I definitely agree. Prayer should be done because an individual needs to communicate with God, not because somebody else wants to see you pray. I believe Jesus condemned people who pray for show as hypocrites. Although I am an atheist, I feel that that applies to other areas of life as well. I tried to explain this to a friend of mine once, but she didn't understand. She said that if she feels she needs to speak with God, why does my presence matter? Perhaps she is a stronger person than I, but I know that whatever I do around her is affected strongly by what the action will make her think of me. That's why I do things that I feel are really important alone.

[TahitiNut]

6. It applies to all 'good works' as well, I believe.

While I'll speak of activities in which I've participated which are inherently public and involve others with whom I'm interacting, I eschew offering a 'resume' of any kind. To speak of a 'good work' done either in private or in confidence or anonymously is, I believe, surrendering to the seduction of greed. That greed can be for the approval of others or for some other social 'reward' - and that would compromise my motivation, I believe.

Obviously, I fully understand when you say "perhaps she is a stronger person than I" for I do not regard myself immune from the seductions of such 'rewards.' (I'm a recovering "approval addict.") Only by keeping silent in that regard can I, I believe, preserve the clear conscience. Even then, I judge myself as not doing nearly enough to nurture my spirit in that regard. Not nearly enough.

Insofar as 'prayer' is concerned, I can only regard a prayer as a sincere expression of gratitude - not a 'letter to Santa.' It's just not in my job description (as a Learner) to judge the 'rightness' of the Universe - and it's all I can do to take conscientious custody of my own thoughts, words, and deeds. (And I don't even do that as 'right' as I'd want.)

[NNN0LHI]

7. Recommend that post

That is the way I always wished I could live. Its a great goal to aim for. Thanks for putting it into words.

Don

[karlrschneider]

Which reminds me of something I've long pondered. Does altruism exist?

If one performs a truly "good" deed - even in total anonymity but assuming it provides some level of personal satisfaction is it actually selfless?

[TahitiNut]

13. I regard that as an age-old sophistry ... and embedded in utilitarianism.

Under the logic of 'satisfaction,' masochism and sadism would become goal-oriented equivalents under some consequentialist ethical system. So, I'm a subscriber to a deontological ethic and I just fall back to Kant's Categorical Imperative and guide myself accordingly.

[karlrschneider]

14. Sounds good! Me, well, I'm just a garden variety philosophunculist.

:D

[John Gauger]

15. My brother has brought that up before.

He said that there are two philosophers who deal with that question. I think the first one was named Mills, and he said that a moral is always moral, even if you enjoy doing it. I think the other one was Kant, who said that an act is only moral if you don't want to do it but do it anyway out of duty - if you enjoy doing something that is moral, it becomes morally neutral. For Kant, morality only came from sacrifice. This of course is ludicrous - I take pleasure in doing what is right; in order for me to take pleasure in the action, it must be moral. Therefore I know that it is possible for an action I enjoy to be moral. It's not proof for anybody else, of course, but it's proof for me.

But that raises an interesting question, concerning other types of rewards for good behavior. I feel that if one is motivated by a desire for recognition then good acts become devalued. If I give blood because I want a woman to think that I am a giving person, rather than because I want to help people, the act of my giving blood is cheapened, but it is still an inherently good thing to do. I feel that a desire for recognition is an inexcusable vanity that is imcompatible with my desire to lead a righteous life. I avoid doing things that I feel are important around other people because I fear that their presence will subconsciously affect my behavior. Of course, I don't expect others to act the same way. I don't think it is necessary for everyone to be as absolutist as I am. This is my path and no one else's.

[karlrschneider]

8. Looks like they get some real winners there - check out this personal page

http://home.messiah.edu/~bl1198/

:wtf:

[Buns_of_Fire]

9. By and large, I think that's a private affair

between Monica and whoever's being goodled.

(I'm sorry. I couldn't resist. :spank: )

[SemperEadem]

10. Regent seems to have produced a 'christian leader' with shady intent

and now is hiding behind the 5th amendment instead of standing in the middle of her truth and take her ass whippin' for it. If she has done nothing wrong, she has nothing to fear.

I wonder if she is prepared to 'suffer for her beliefs' by going to jail on contempt of Congress charges? I doubt it.

[LiberalFighter]

11. Gee I wonder if there are any emails with instructions from Pat Robertson

[yardwork]

12. I wonder why this "good Christian" feels it is necessary to take the Fifth?

Aren't Christians taught to be brave in the face of danger and oppression? Doesn't Ms. Goodling believe in what she was taught? If so, why doesn't she trust God to protect her if she tells the truth?

"Goodling, 33, is a 1995 graduate Messiah College in Grantham, Pa., an institution that describes itself as "committed to embracing an evangelical spirit."

She received her law degree at Regent University in Virginia Beach, Va. Regent, founded by Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson, says its mission is "to produce Christian leaders who will make a difference, who will change the world."