Dawood Khan

Posts Tagged ‘Christianity’

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Jesus, Christianity and Slavery

In thinking out loud on April 16, 2012 at 5:09 am

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. (Ephesians 6:5 NLT)

Jesus approved of Slavery or, at the very least, did not disapprove of it. Mankind has since decided that Slavery was immoral.

How can Jesus have been perfect if he believed in the morality of slavery?

Christians will jump through hoops to rationalize this. If Jesus were perfect AND the Alpha and Omega, the “man of his times” defense doesn’t work.

Here are passages from the New Testament:

The servant will be severely punished, for though he knew his duty, he refused to do it. “But people who are not aware that they are doing wrong will be punished only lightly. Much is required from those to whom much is given, and much more is required from those to whom much more is given.” (Luke 12:47-48 NLT)

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Jesus, here, appears to be approving of beating slaves for disobedience. Not only did he approve of the practive of human ownership, he believes that beating them is a fair practice.
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Below, the Bible actually gives rules to slave ownership:

If you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve for only six years. Set him free in the seventh year, and he will owe you nothing for his freedom. If he was single when he became your slave and then married afterward, only he will go free in the seventh year. But if he was married before he became a slave, then his wife will be freed with him. If his master gave him a wife while he was a slave, and they had sons or daughters, then the man will be free in the seventh year, but his wife and children will still belong to his master. But the slave may plainly declare, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children. I would rather not go free.’ If he does this, his master must present him before God. Then his master must take him to the door and publicly pierce his ear with an awl. After that, the slave will belong to his master forever. (Exodus 21:2-6 NLT)

And here, the Bible speaks approvingly of sex slaves:

When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed at the end of six years as the men are. If she does not please the man who bought her, he may allow her to be bought back again. But he is not allowed to sell her to foreigners, since he is the one who broke the contract with her. And if the slave girl’s owner arranges for her to marry his son, he may no longer treat her as a slave girl, but he must treat her as his daughter. If he himself marries her and then takes another wife, he may not reduce her food or clothing or fail to sleep with her as his wife. If he fails in any of these three ways, she may leave as a free woman without making any payment. (Exodus 21:7-11 NLT)

AND it’s all good as long as the Master feeds, clothes and sexes ‘em up!

This is basically tacit approval of prostitution and sex slavery.

When a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod so hard that the slave dies under his hand, he shall be punished.  If, however, the slave survives for a day or two, he is not to be punished, since the slave is his own property.  (Exodus 21:20-21 NAB)

 

Only if the slave dies is beating punishable by God.  Otherwise, the Bible condones the beating of slaves.

 

 

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Religious Ramblings

In thinking out loud on March 6, 2012 at 12:05 am

WARNING:  IF YOU ARE A BELIEVER, YOU WILL NOT ENJOY READING THIS!

Emperor Constantine and the King of Kings

The Legendary Triumph

In the year 312 AD, a fiery and unscrupulous but vigorous and ambitious man named Constantine was leading a great army across Italy to meet his rival for the emperorship of the world, Maxentius. Suddenly, just after noon, he saw, flaming on the heavens, the Greek monogram, the Labarum or Chi-Rho symbol of Christ, together with the words:

In this sign, conquer.The sign cannot have been startling or obviously miraculous and Constantine did not fall on his knees. He merely wondered what the sign meant. No ecclesiastical historian today believes the vision as miraculous. The cross, if it ever existed at all, might have been the phenomenon of sun-dogs, caused by ice crystals in the stratosphere.

During the night, a second vision informed him that this monogram referred to the same Christ whose religion and followers he had been familiar with for ten years at least. After consultation with Christian clergy, he declared that the Sun-God had been created by the Christian God, removed the eagles from his standards and put in their place the Chi-Ro symbol of the failed Jewish Messiah. The following day, he marched on, crossed the Milvian bridge and did conquer. He won the battle of the Milvian Bridge and so supremacy over the whole Roman Empire. Later he converted, but a good many of his family and the Roman ruling class already had. With an emperor’s authority, Christianity was now secure.

I believe that the only way to get back to the original beleif of the followers of Ieshua is to strip away all Roman influence.

I may be a bit too hard on Paul because I like many of the Apostles believe him to be an interloper. He’s the Bill Gates of Christianity.

If you know the Nazarene as Jesus Christ, it is my belief that you know not the man at all. If you see “Jesus Christ” as a White European, you know not the man. If you preach hell, punishment, division, hatred for this or that group, and the whole host of other trash that is preached/taught by the Christian Church and has been part of the Christian Church for ages, you do not know the man.

Hell Fire and Brimstone is not the message of the Man from Nazareth.

I see hate in the Church. All of the Churches. Including and sometimes even more so from the post Protestant Reformation Churches.

Where did Jesus preach that Homosexuals or Jews were going to hell?

He didn’t.

Where did Jesus preach to judge everyone and condemn them all to hell or to run around saying that non-believers were going to hell?

Where did Jesus preach “God helps those who help themselves?”

I suppose I am too harsh on Paul. That’s probably because I think he is too GREATLY worshiped by the masses for whom he should be a conduit to the Nazarene. Instead, Paul is akin to the Islamic Mullah who tells the illiterate masses how to believe, how to perceive, how to feel about the teachings of the Nazarene.

If I take a lie and split it into two pieces, do those two pieces then become truths. No. Such is the case with the Protestant Reformation. If there is a centigram of Rome in your beliefs, you have strayed from the message of the Nazarene.

The only way to get back to the Nazarene and his message is to go directly to him. It’s difficult as we know very little about who he was or what he actually stated. Unless the Vatican has his words hidden away from the world in their vast dungeons and libraries.

If Genghis Khan had conquered Europe and had taken Christianity and co-opted it into a tool of his Empire, Jesus would have become Asian. This did not happen. Yet, it did.

Constantine used Christianity to re-conquer/re-unite the Empire. Then he decreed it the religion of the Empire.

Is that not ironic? “Jesus” said that his is the Kingdom of Heaven. God did not send his “only begotten son” to conquer. Yet, we are led to believe by the Roman Church that God changed his mind and decided to send Constantine to conquer in his name.

I do not believe the story as it comes down to us through the Vatican. I believe that Ieshua (Jesus) was a prophet, a speaker of truths.

I believe that he died and in a sense, yes, he did die for our sins.  He did not die to atone for “original sin.”   He died to bring us a message of Love.  However, humanity was too proud of itself to inculcate his teachings. I compare Ieshua to the Buddha. He learned, he gained wisdom and he passed on his wisdom to the masses. I do not believe that Ieshua was God or that he was or is the only way to Eternity. I believe that he taught a way. Much like Buddha. He taught love for our fellow man. He taught compassion. He taught faith and hope. He taught us to be good and kind to one another. I believe that when he stated “I am the way. No man gets to heaven before me.” that he was saying that we should follow his example.  “I am the way.”  The Nazarene is bidding us follow his example.  He’s not asking us to “glorify” him.  That is mere paganistic Sun God worship syncretically transmogrified into Christian Imperialistic idolatry.

I do not believe that he was saying that we should all gather in some mega-church and scream in ecstasy that we “love Jesus.” I think Jesus would be appalled by such behavior. Instead of building multimillion dollar institutions with glamorous edifices to “Christ the Savior,” I believe that Ieshua would want that money to go towards edifying the poor. Christianity is appalling. Christians spend millions a year on Theme Park Christianity. Show places of humility and piety. Ieshua instructed his disciples to go into their rooms or a dark place and to pray alone. He did not teach his disciples to gather in orgiastic congegations of worldly excess.

Christians do not listen. They want the magnificent. They want the show. They want to show.

Give to the poor. Give to the needy. Pick up your neighbor. Help a stranger.

The billions of untold wealth held by the Churchs of the world could alleviate much suffering. Instead, it is gathered and maintained as a show of the “Glory of God.” This is not what Christ taught. This is what Rome taught.

Rome is all around us in the Christian Faith. Most Christians are too ignorant of history to see this. Especially the Catholic “faith.”

Christians are not so dissimilar from Muslims in this regard. They make fantastic show of faith and devotion to religion but live out a life that is the exact opposite of the supposed tenets of their faith.

Faith, Hope and Love ~ This is the true message of the Nazarene.

 

 

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Christianity and the Message of Christ

In thinking out loud on February 24, 2012 at 10:41 pm

Justinian (The Messiah) and Theodora (The Virgin) ~ The Creators of Roman Christianity

I believe that Jesus would gaze disapprovingly upon most of the Christians of this age.

I have my beliefs and am satisfied with them. For me, organized religion, worship of “holy” books such as the Bible or the Qu’ran, the post-Constantin Roman Christian concentration on the physical person of Christ rather than the message of Christ, the belief that Faith alone will get you to heaven and the stubborn clinging to a belief in a “Loving God” who condemns souls to hell will keep me away from what now passes for Christianity.

I believe in Christ as prophet of the Gods. For me, it is enough that he was a messenger who brought a message of Faith, Hope and Love to mankind. I do not need to sit in a church pew and moan ad nauseum how much I “LOOOOOVE JeeZus!” like some heifer in spiritual heat.  It is not what one believes but how one incorporates ones beliefs into ones life that is important.

I know far too many Christians who talk a great game and then fall back on the Original Sin hoax stating that we are all sinners as an excuse for turning a blind eye to and doing nothing about the evils in this world.

Too many believe that as long as they believe in Jesus and accept him into their hearts as their savior that they are going to heaven. I believe that it is impossible to accept Jesus without accepting his message. The Ministry of Jesus was about work. The work of loving the world. The work of loving your neighbor. The work of accepting and not judging.

Each Christian vote for acts such as the Sanctity of Marriage Amendment is a repudiation of the message of Christ. Each Christian vote against the poor is a repudiation of the message of Christ. Each Christian vote against immigrants from South America is a repudiation of the life of Christ.

Christ was about helping the poor and welcoming everyone into the family of man. His life was not about keeping those poverty stricken Mexicans out of America. Christ was not about marginalizing homosexuals or the poor. Christ was not about sanctifying marriage for this group or that group.

30 years ago marriage was too sacred to allow a Black Man to marry a White Woman. Miscegenation was a great evil. Now, if you’re a good Christian, you must stop the homosexuals from ruining marriage. What’s next? Maybe they’ll actually tackle the real problem facing marriage. Adultery. I doubt that though. They’d have to fire 80% of the Preacher Men if they did that.

I missed that in the teachings of Christ. I missed where Jesus stated that only White Men can marry White Women and that no other marriage was valid.

These are some of the many reasons that I will never again be a part of Christianity.

The greatest reason is that I revere Christ and see that organization which claims to represent him as a repudiation of all that is good about the man and his message.

Having long ago verged from the path of Ieshua the Nazarene, Modern Christianity is a hot mess.

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LESBIONICLE SERPENTS OF SATAN

In Humor, Religion on February 15, 2012 at 5:44 am

A friend sent me this on Facebook.

GOD HATES LEZBIONICLE CHECKERED WHIPTAIL LIZARDS

“I contend that we are both atheists. I just believe in one fewer god than you do. When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours.”
-Stephen Roberts

“It was, of course, a lie what you read about my religious convictions, a lie which is being systematically repeated. I do not believe in a personal god and I have never denied this but have expressed it clearly. If something is in me which can be called religious, then it is the unbounded admiration for the structure of the world so far as our science can reveal it.”

-Albert Einstein

“If English was good enough for Jesus Christ, it ought to be good enough for the children of Texas.”
-Ma Ferguson (Texas Governor) speaking on Spanish as a second language in the United States

“Now, my good man, this is no time for making enemies.”
-Voltaire on his deathbed when asked by a priest if he renounced Satan

“In religion and politics people’s beliefs and convictions are in almost every case gotten at second-hand, and without examination.”
-Mark Twain

“Theology is never any help; it is searching in a dark cellar at midnight for a black cat that isn’t there. Theologians can persuade themselves of anything.”
-Robert A. Heinlein

“Religion is the idol of the mob; it adores everything it does not understand.”
-Frederick the Great

“No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says: He is always convinced that it says what he means.”
-George Bernard Shaw

“He was a wise man who originated the idea of God”
-Euripides

“After coming into contact with a religious man, I always feel I must wash my hands.”
-Friedrich Nietzsche

“The Christian resolution to find the world ugly and bad has made the world ugly and bad.”
-Friedrich Nietzsche

“There’s an ancient Hebrew word for Jews from Westport… It’s pronounced ‘Presbyterian’.”
-Toby Ziegler to Josh Lyman on The West Wing TV series.

“My prayer to God is a very short one: ‘O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous.’ God has granted it.”
-Voltaire

 

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Foolish Infidels

In thinking out loud on February 6, 2012 at 7:21 pm

If anyone secretly entices you–even if it is your brother, your father’s son or your mother’s son, or your own son or daughter, or the wife you embrace, or your most intimate friend– saying, “Let us go worship other gods,” whom neither you nor your ancestors have known,

any of the gods of the peoples that are around you, whether near you or far away from you, from one end of the earth to the other, you must not yield to or heed any such persons. Show them no pity or compassion and do not shield them.

But you shall surely kill them; your own hand shall be first against them to execute them, and afterwards the hand of all the people.

Stone them to death for trying to turn you away

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I agree with the Tea Partiers and Neo-Nativists.

Any religion that includes passages such as these
in their Holy Book should be banned from the
United States of America.

These are outdated notions in a world attempting to achieve universal peace and harmony.  Any religion that claims to be
of love and peaceful would recognize that such talk is counter-
productive and would rid itself of such language.

By the way, that passage under the photo is straight
out of the Bible (Deuteronomy 13:6).

A most excellent passage from the New Testament would seem to apply here:

You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Jesus of Nazereth

Matthew 7:5

No Conversion, Please: “I believe that there is no such thing as conversion from one faith to another in the accepted sense of the word.      It is a highly personal matter for the individual and his God. I may not have any design upon my neighbour as to his faith, which I must honour even as I honour my own. Having reverently studied the scriptures of the world I could no more think of asking a Christian or a Musalman, or a Parsi or a Jew to change his faith than I would think of changing my own.” (Harijan: September 9, 1935)

All Religions are True: “I came to the conclusion long ago … that all religions were true and also that all had some error in them, and whilst I hold by my own, I should hold others as dear as Hinduism. So we can only pray, if we are Hindus, not that a Christian should become a Hindu … But our innermost prayer should be a Hindu should be a better Hindu, a Muslim a better Muslim, a Christian a better Christian.” (Young India: January 19, 1928)

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I wonder how many will have the courage to forward this on to friends and relatives.  ; )  No guilt from me.  Do as you wish.  God won’t hate you.  God won’t love you more.  You won’t get good luck or bad.  No car will come crashing through the front of your house and you won’t go bald or become impotent if you don’t forward this.  You won’t lose your your job, your wife or your dog if you don’t forward this.  You won’t win the lottery or a get laid if you do send it forward.  You’ll simply have forwarded on something for others to think about.

The Heretic

(I sent this out as an email.   I wonder if it will make it back to me someday as a forward.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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America’s Christian Inferiority Complex

In Religion, thinking out loud on January 17, 2012 at 6:23 pm

Do American Christians have an inferiority complex?

The above photo would give that impression.  Some person decided that he should create this picture and shoot it around the internet.  Of course, he uses Islam as the juxtaposition.  He might have used a group of Hindus praying or Buddhists in contemplation.  Why not Wiccans?  Satanists?  Daoists?

It’s the obvious emotional ploy.  Aside from the fact that no one really has a problem with Tebow praying in public except, perhaps, Jesus himself.  The complaint that I’ve most often heard is from players on opposing teams.  That complaint being that God is on their side, too.  Why does Tebow think that he’s so special that God would intervene on his behalf and not theirs.  Players pray in the NFL and NBA all the time.  So much so that I get sick of them publicly thanking God for the big win.

To the photo!

What’s occurring in the two pictures?

#1   Muslims in an area designated for their daily prayers acting out one of their five daily devotionals to Allah in a Mosque.  They’re repeating a set prayer in a place of worship.  This same prayer which is memorized by all devout Muslims is offered by millions of Muslims daily.  Five times daily.  Muslims go to their Mosque or other designated area.  If they’re not near a mosque a designated prayer area, they usually find some private place to pray.  They lay down their prayer rug.  They bow.  They pray.  Same prayer.  Five times a day.  Every day.  The truly devout Muslims do this.  Other Muslims pray when they feel like it or not at all.

Note that this prayer is occurring in a designated area in what I believe is New York City.

#2  Tim Tebow is on the sideline of a Football Stadium on National TV.  He’s kneeling.  He’s offering up a prayer to God.  What is his prayer?  For what are we to assume that he’s praying?  World Peace?  Universal Harmony?  Not to embarrass himself and the Denver Broncos in a football game?  Victory in a Football Game?

What’s he praying for?

I have no problem with the guy praying.  I can understand why members of the other team would think that he’s grand standing when he prays in the middle of a game on the sidelines as if he’s David about to do battle with Goliath or Constantine about to meet the savages of Briton.

I can understand why so many people are making fun of him.  It’s completely understandable.  He’s made himself into a caricature of Christian arrogance and hypocrisy.  He’s praying on the sidelines of a football game and his stance usually looks strikingly similar to a famous portrait of George Washington praying at Valley Forge.

He’s asking God to take time out of his busy schedule to help Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos prevail in a Football Game.  A Football Game.  Yeap.  Never mind all those wars, the famine, the hurricanes, floods and tornadoes ripping through the world.  God, please stop everything else and help me win this football game.  It’s a bit ridiculous.

The players on the opposing team are probably sending up their own prayers.  However, they’re not doing it in such a manner that the whole world can see them.  They’re silently offering their prayers in the manner that Jesus himself said that Christians should offer their prayers.  Prayers are personal and private.  A prayer is a conversation between God and an individual.  Does Tebow think that God is more likely to answer his prayers if he’s seen praying on National TV?  Maybe he thinks God is watching the game on a satellite dish in Heaven.

I understand that he’s attempting to set an example.  Be a good role model.  I don’t know if that’s the way to do it.  Maybe it is.  If you take something personal and put it in the public realm, don’t be surprised and certainly don’t be thin skinned if other public people ridicule the act or, at the very least, call into question your motives.  Perhaps ignoring the actual instructions of Christ is a good and Christian way of setting a proper Christian example for other Christians.

Let’s see what the Bible says about Prayer.  This is what Jesus had to say concerning how and where to pray;

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

That’s Mathew 6:6.

It’s instructive to note that Jesus didn’t say to walk onto the sidelines of an NFL Game on National TV and pray in front of three or four million people.  His basic instruction was to NOT showboat and to not make it a public spectacle.  Jesus wasn’t a big fan of public spectacle.  Perhaps, there has been a papal bull wherein the Acts of Tebow supercede the Life of Christ and the Bible.

Muslims are actually instructed to pray publicly.  Mohammad had no problem with public acts of piety.

Jesus, however, instructed Christians to pray in their rooms.

Christians should ask themselves the question in the photo.  What is wrong with that picture?  The Bible has the answers.  It’s called the Word of God by Christians.  The answer is in the very words of Jesus when he instructed the Disciples on how to pray.  The same time that he gave Christians the Lord’s Prayer.

But you good Christians knew that…didn’t you.

Sometimes, I have to wonder if Christians actually read the Bible.  Perhaps, they’re too busy thinking of new and improved ways to be offended by Muslims to pay attention to the Life of Christ or his words.  I must have missed that passage in the Bible that states “Thou shalt be offended.”

Christians have gone so far away from Christ that I’m surprised any of them own a Bible.  Sometimes, it seems that too many Christians learned how to be “good” Christians while watching the Kingdom of Heaven.

Or Strategic Posturing?

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Religion: A Choice Guide

In Humor, Religion, Useful Information on January 11, 2012 at 9:06 am

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Atheists, Christians and Muslims

In Awesome, culture, Holidays, Humor, Introduction, islam, Religion, Spirituality, Stupidity, thinking out loud, Useful Information on July 28, 2011 at 4:42 pm

Learn to live with each other and accept each other or please just shut the fuck up!  As a person who thinks all of your belief systems or lackthereof is mere fantasy, scifi mumbo jumbo, I could care less which of you wins in the end.

As long as you leave me the fuck alone and let me live my life they way I see fit.  I don’t care how you do or do not worship.  Nor do I care how pathetically hypocritical you each live your beliefs and lives.


I’m a fairly vocal individual about my beliefs. I’ve rarely had anyone challenge me or attempt to do me harm because of them.   I’ve argued/debated with Muslims, Atheists, Christians, Mormons, Buddhists and a Zoroastrian or two. Though, I’ve never had a Jehovah’s Witness with the balls to stick around and discuss religion with me.

Where the fuck is all of this discrimination?

Maybe I’m just a dickhead who scares the shit out of people. Fuck, I don’t know. I’ve just never had anyone come at me and tell me that since I do not believe as they do that I can’t have this job or join in on this outing or this party or what have you. If they did, they’d feel my dissatisfaction immediately.

I don’t remember a situation in school where my beliefs really mattered for shit. We didn’t pray in school. When I was 5-12 in Elementary School, I vaguely remember reciting the Pledge of Allegiance out loud. Can’t remember when it stopped. I didn’t give a fuck about it.  Though, sometimes, it made me feel proudly patriotic and gave me a good positive vibe for the rest of the day.   I stood up and looked at all the cute girls around me and attempted to stifle yawns and keep the snot from rolling out of my nose and down my chin as I mouthed the words.

Where the fuck do all of these things happen?

Was I just lucky?

We had Black, White and Asian classmates at Franklin Elementary School. We had a kid named Israel and I thought it was a cool name because of it’s Biblical associations. Had a Black Girl named Jerry Butler. She had a guys name and we sometimes teased her because of it. We had a guy named Stacy and we teased him because he had a girls name.  We had a girl who always had boogers hanging from her nose and she liked to pick them and eat them. We had two really cute girls who were all the rave. We had one guy who smelled like poop whom we called “Poopy Pants Jones.” We had one gal who had buck teeth at whom we sometimes yelled “Barbara Ward…phuh phuh…Bugs Bunny….phuh phuh!!!”  (She grew up to be quite pretty, if I remember correctly.  Though, I’ve not seen most of these people in over two decades.)

We had a couple of girls and boys who were extremely bright and whom everyone always thought would go places….some did and one went exactly weird but followed his own path and is doing quite well.

I was a solitary little fucker who had enough friends but didn’t really study hard and was shy as ten motherfuckers so I wouldn’t participate in much because it freaked me out. I’m sure there were a few people like me. I’d do just well enough to get along and for people to leave me alone.

Most of us experienced a bully or two or a situation that was embarrassing or two or three or four experiences of that sort.

Shit like that.  Normal fuckin’ life situations.

None of us filed a fucking lawsuit. None of us committed suicide. None of us brought a fuckin’ gun to school and started shooting motherfucker’s whom we didn’t like or who had bullied us.  Though, now that I’m 210lbs and 6′ and can bench most than most fucks my age, there is one guy whom I’d like to go back and bitch slap.  Just for old times sake.

And I came from a family with an Alcoholic father. I moved something like 40 fuckin’ times from birth to HS grad. Damn near half of the kids from my youth had family problems ranging from abusive fathers to absentee parents to drunken alcoholic fathers.  We didn’t kill our teachers because of it or go postal or whine for two decades about it.  We drove the fuck on!

I still do not recall a single instance of anyone giving a fuck if I were an atheist or a Christian or a fuckin’ Muslim. Though, I do recall one Muslim family at Barrett Middle School or Ballard HS. I think they were immigrants from Indonesia.  And I thought they were vaguely interesting and exotic because of their religion.   I’ve always thought that Jehovah’s Witnesses were strange.  All secretive and whatnot.  But I didn’t unfriend Sam when I learned that he was one.  Hell, I grew up Pentecostle.  You want to talk about fuckin’ strange.  Folks runnin’ up and down the aisle like they’re possessed.  Yelling in fake languages.  “Hikama Hakama…seekama sockama!  YOU”RE HEALED!!!”

Jimmy Swaggert bopped my head so hard “healing” me that I thought it was gonna pop off and roll down the aisle like a bowlin’ ball.

When I lived in Atlanta for a few months one year. I think when I was 13 or 14, we moved into a place that had boatloads (pun intended) of immigrants from all over. We had Hindus, Muslims and fuckin’ everything else.

I don’t recall anyone really giving a fuck about anyone’s religion.

Why, over the past two decades, when we’re supposed to be such a fuckin’ tolerant goddamn society has this become such an issue?

It seems to me that people just want to feel special. So instead of just sucking it up when they say the Pledge of Allegiance and assigning their own meaning to “God” or saying “one Nation,……., indivisible”….now they want everyone to know and acknowledge that they’re fuckin’ special and that they believe or don’t believe this or that.

Who gives a fuck?

Suck it up.

A Manger scene at a Fire Station. I pass one up and I think; “Fuck! It’s already Christmas!” I don’t think; “Those fucking CHRISTIANS! They can’t get away with this! I’m filing a goddamn motherfuckin’ goddamn law suit!”

FUCK ME!

TOLERANCE MY ASS!!!!

INTOLERANCE IS WHAT THIS SHIT IS ALL ABOUT!

These fucks want everyone else to “tolerate” them as they go out of their way to be intolerable to everyone else.

FUCK ALL OF THESE BASTARdS!!!

MERRY FUCK YOU! ONE AND ALL!!!!

HAHAHAAHHAHHAHAHAHAHAH

God damn that felt good…

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Religion in 6 Frames

In islam, Religion, Stupidity, thinking out loud on February 13, 2011 at 9:51 pm

Right on target!

“Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest.”
- Denis Diderot

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On Religious Tolerance and Acceptance

In culture, islam, Politics, Religion, Spirituality, Stupidity, thinking out loud on November 1, 2010 at 12:01 am

Muslims can be tolerant and Muslims can avoid hostility towards others. To do so, they must disregard whole passages in their Qu’ran.

The same is true of Christians and Christianity.

Both are world devouring religions. Anyone who denies this is denying the message of their religion. Both religions teach that they are the true religion and that all others are false. There is no tolerance in that dogma. Both preach that unbelievers, heretics and infidels are going to hell. Both agree that homosexuality is an abomination. Both are patriarchal versions on life that preach that the man is the leader of the household. Both call the other and all others false.

The ultimate goal of both religions is the conversion/reversion of all of the peoples of the world. Both have tried to convert by force of Arms. One is attempting to do so today.

I know this will offend the Islamophiles and Christians on this board. If you are honest with yourself, you will admit the truth of it, though.

There is simply no room for tolerance in either religion for true believers. For those who pick and choose what they wish from the religions, tolerance and the better form acceptance is possible. For those who take a literal view, tolerance is only a stop gap. Acceptance is impossible.

Therefore, in the end, neither religion can truly tolerate the other or any other. All of this talk of tolerance and acceptance is merely chimerical voodoo. It merely delays the inevitable conflict.

America preaches freedom of religion. We practice it as well. For the most part. Reality on the ground is that all are free to practice their religion of choice in America. Practitioners are not free from criticism. Neither are they free from attack. Physical, spiritual or otherwise.

One is free to choose. Free to practice. Free to preach.

This freedom is only possible in the West. In the lands occupied by Islam, this is not possible. Islam prohibits this. Islam prohibits proselytizing of other faiths. Islam severely restricts the practice of other religions. Muslims scream to the high heavens about tolerance in the West. In the East/Occupied Lands, they speak not of tolerance. They act as if it is the natural order that no other be allowed to freely preach their religion or seek converts. Even in the most Western or least Islamically dogmatic countries such as Egypt and Turkey, seeking converts is problematic. One’s life is at risk.

Yet, Muslims and in some cases the same Muslims who would react violently to Christians proselytyzing in Muslim lands come to America and abuse our freedoms in order to seek converts (reverts) to their religion.

When do we start to hold them to account for their actions. They come here and are allowed to build their Mosques and bristle at any criticism and any challenge to their aggressive campaigns against other religions. Then they go home and act in the exact opposite manner that they expect Westerners to act towards them in the West.

Eventually, the two systems must clash.

Either that or Christianity lays down and Islam becomes the dominant religion on the planet.

What happens then?

Is an Islamic America still America or is it simply another Muslim Occupancy wherein Sharia becomes the law of the land?

Imagine a majority Muslim America. How long do the freedoms and liberty last?

On the other hand, imagine a truly Christian America. How long til freedoms are reversed. Christians led by the Republican Party wish to add religious laws to our legal code. They wish to make homosexuality a legal abomination. They wish to reverse divorce laws. There is much, much more that Christians speak to when they are amongst themselves.

Both of these patriarchal religions are intolerant and un-accepting of any other order. Both wish to re-make the world in their chosen religions image.

That! I find dangerous and offensive.

Christians at this moment use the systems in place to further their agenda. Muslims are beginning to do so. Muslims are a minority in America for the foreseeable future. And thank the Gods this is so. I’ve lived and traveled in Muslim lands. I can tell you for certain that not many of you would be comfortable in these places.

Neither would I be comfortable in a truly Christian land.

I am comfortable in America. For now. If the Right gets it’s way, there may come a day when America becomes unpalatable to me.

That day is not yet here. Thankfully, the radical Christians are peaceable for the most part and are willing to use the systems in place to further their agenda.

There are no true Christian lands. There are only lands wherein Christians live. Such has not always been the case. I would say that I hope this trend never reverses itself.

As well, I hope that Islam does not make any further advances. That includes Israel.

Every land wherein Islam is the power is a backward place. I’ve been to most of them. There is a reason for this and it isn’t Colonization by Western powers. The backwardness of these provinces of man are the reason that they were so easily colonized.

Islam is a danger. It’s not the danger that is preached by the Homeland Security types. It may come to pass that is becomes that great a danger. This is why I am against any Wahhabi mosque being established in America. Wahhabism is the greatest evil of all time. And it is not a new evil. It is a yoke on the spirit and free will of mankind. It is violent. It carries with it death.

IT is worth fighting on all fronts. It is worth laying aside tolerance and acceptance and becoming intolerant and unaccepting. Wahhabism should never be allowed on our shores.

It is too late for this as in our weakness and folly, we have allowed it to reach our shores.

The backlash that could occur here is dangerous. People could flee to Christianity and become rigid. Freedoms could be lost in our search for security against the very danger that we invited in to our home.

Think hard about these things.

The threat is there. It is looming. It very well may bring us down.

Rome did not think she would fall to the Barbarians. Britain laughed at the Colonists as well as at Gandhi. The Holy Roman Empire and the Christian Kingdoms of Europe laughed once at Islam.  The Roman Pagans once laughed at and persecuted Christians.

We are there again.

Laugh at your peril. Dismiss the danger at your peril.

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Muslims and The West: Hate, Fear and Suspicion

In Afghanistan, Central Asia, islam, Middle East, Military, Politics, Religion, Spirituality, Stupidity, thinking out loud, Useful Information on June 20, 2010 at 12:01 am

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QfVWU-2pVL4/S0yD8KI-33I/AAAAAAAALL4/D0dxIjX2GoQ/s1600/Arab-Americans%2Bhold%2Bsigns%2Bsaying%2B%27Islam%2BIs%2BAgainst%2BTerrorisim%27%2Bas%2Bthey%2Bdemonstrate%2Boutside%2Bthe%2BFederal%2Bcourt%2Bbuilding%2Bin%2BDetroit,%2BMichigan%2BJanuary%2B8,%2B2010,%2Bduring%2Ba%2Bhearing%2Bfor%2BUmar%2BFarouk%2BAbdulmutallab,.jpg

On Trust, Fear and Hate

Moderate Muslims do what moderates of all stripes do. They stay home and keep to themselves. It’s why their called moderates.   Look, I absolutely abhor the Wahhabis and about 90% of the inane nonsense that is preached by these idiots and the Clerics and the IRG and Hizbollah and Hamas, etc.  You won’t find many people who know as much about Islam as I AND who rails against that idiotic religion more than I.  That said, the logic of the “hate, fear, [dis]trust” rhetoric here is flawed. I know many Muslims who want no part of the extremists. I know some “moderate” Muslims who feel threatened by the West.  We have encroached upon their lands, their culture, their people. We’ve forced our way on them. It’s only natural that eventually there will be push back.  If they did the same to us would we sit back and take it.  There are regular, every day people out there who just happen to be Muslim. The majority of Muslims are like any other people. They observe their religion casually and don’t really get all that silly about it.  Then you have the freaks. The Government of Iran and most of it’s Clerics, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and it’s pets — Hamas, the Quds Force and Hizbollah. You’ve got al Qaida and the Muslim Brotherhood, al Jihad and the rest of the off shoots from those gangs of criminals and miscreants.  You can brand all Muslims as this or that about as much as you can brand all Americans as this or that.   I’ve traveled, lived and worked amongst Muslims for over a decade. They’re not all bad people.  Are all Christians bad because of the murderers of abortion doctors? Are all Texans bad because of the murderers who dragged that black kid in chains a decade ago.   Are all Americans bad because of the criminals who take advantage of war and rape and pillage the people whom we are supposedly liberating?  NO!

I don’t think that ALL Muslims distrust the West/America. I don’t think that ALL Muslims trust the West/America either. I’ve met Muslims who like and respect America who still don’t really trust us per se. They know that America is going to do what is right for America. This is correct. They understand this. Some of these people also understand the politics of America and know that we will change depending on the mood of the country and who we elect based upon that mood. America doen’t really have much continuity of ideals. We are ever evolving and constantly moving between the two political polars. Bush initiated the current Iraq war and Obama ran with our withdrawal as part of his platform. Many of the Muslims with whom I have dealt over the years understand this dynamic. Many of the Muslims with whom I have dealt know that America and the West have no real stomach for actual violence and war.  Even though we love the fantasy of it. The enemies of the West and America understand this as well. They know that we’ll get riled and ramped up for a period of time. They also know that they can wait us out and we will grow impatient with a lack of result or too many dead bodies even when we are winning the greater war. They know that our ardor for war and patriotism has clear boundaries. They know that they can wait us out. The Muslim community and especially that part of it that hates the West/America knows that over time they can defeat us because we do not have the stomach for war. They know that the majority of the West has that pacifist strain that will eventually lead to our downfall. There are many Muslims out there who would love to ally themselves with the West and bring about a more or less secular Islam. These people, though, do not trust the West to help them see that struggle through to it’s conclusion. They know that their deaths and the end of this alliance is one Obama (or Carter) away. Even Reagan withdrew from Lebanon after the bombing there that killed 280+ Marines. Reagan stared Soviet Russia in the eye and still backed down quickly from the violence of Islam. It happens time and time again. Many Muslims love the West/America. They see the potential for a life of liberty and freedom AND Islam therein. Even so, they fear our inability to stay the course. They do not trust our fortitude especially in the face of adversity and violence of the type that the other extreme of Islam will bring to bear while fighting us.

http://cagle.msnbc.com/news/blog/BLOGgifs/Mana/TabIllustration.gif

http://redstatepatriot.com/Moderate%20Muslims.jpg

http://myminddroppings.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/moderate_muslim.png?w=440&h=293

http://myminddroppings.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/moderate_muslim.jpg?w=604

In the West and amongst Modern Christianity, voicing one’s opinion that runs counter to the Extremists brings criticism and possibly ostracism.  In the lands of Allah, criticizing the extremists brings violence and death.  Who here, in the West, would raise his voice first with the full knowledge that it will bring death and/or violence to yourself and your family?

That’s about what I thought…

http://johnharmstrong.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451cfe769e20120a56e1c3f970c-320wi

This is what happens to Muslims who speak out against Jihad and the battle against the West.

http://sheikyermami.com/wp-content/uploads/agqexecute500.jpg

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Apsara Authority of Angkor says No Dogs Allowed

In Cambodia, family, Holidays, thinking out loud on June 2, 2010 at 4:38 am

Dogs Prohibited

WHAT THE HELL!!!

Too bad.  I wanted to take Malalai and Cierra there.  Well, we can still take them to Cambodia.  They’ll just have to hang out at the pool.

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Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell ~ Obama and the US Military

In Politics, Religion, Spirituality on January 29, 2010 at 3:59 pm

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is a moronic policy.  It was a farce from the start.  I knew several gay and lesbian persons while in the Military.  Their sexuality never posed a problem in carrying out their duties.  I didn’t know many people who had a problem with them.

Prohibitions against homosexuals in the Military should be removed period.  Sexuality has absolutely nothing to do with ones ability to accomplish the mission.  Forcing one to hide ones sexuality and the pressures involved in that endeavor causes unnecessary stress on military persons who may be deployed to already stressful environs.

If your religion carries with it a belief that homosexuality is wrong or an abomination, you should express that belief and the angst involved in the Church, Temple, Mosque or Synagogue.  Leave it there and come to work ready to accomplish the mission.  Your religion has no place on the job.  It belongs in your heart.  Leave it there.

Personally, I believe that Christianity and Islam should be purged from the face of the earth.

I leave that belief at the door when I go to work.

If you believe in God and are Christian, you are supposed to believe in free will.  It’s a fundamental part of the message of Christ.  You are supposed to love your fellow man.  Regardless.  It’s the Golden Rule.

If you are Muslim, well, you probably believe that homosexuals are an abomination and that they should submit to the will of Allah.   Even so, Mohammad and Allah say to leave the judgment of souls to Allah.

The Constitution guarantees religious freedom.  It does not guarantee that you won’t be offended by the beliefs, lives or practices of others.  It guarantees that you and others can express yourselves religiously as you see fit.  It does not give you the right to force your beliefs on others.  It does not give you the right to force others to conform their lives in accordance with your mythological deity.

Homosexuality is strange to me as well.  I don’t get it.  I don’t have to get it. Nether do you. As long as they can do their jobs, so be it.  Let them in, let them be.

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When We All Get to…HELL?

In Humor, Literature, Quotes, Religion, Spirituality, thinking out loud on December 6, 2009 at 12:05 am

http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/tbr/lowres/tbrn25l.jpg

Annie Dillard:

An Inuit hunter asked the local missionary priest: “If I did not know about God and sin, would I go to hell?” “No,” said the priest, “not if you did not know.” “Then why,” asked the Inuit earnestly, “did you tell me?”

Dante Aleghieri:

The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who in time of great moral crises maintain their neutrality.

John Milton:

The mind is its own place, and in itself, can make heaven of Hell, and a hell of Heaven.

Marcus Aurelius:

Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones. I am not afraid.

Mark Twain:

Travel has no longer any charm for me. I have seen all the foreign countries I want to except heaven & hell & I have only a vague curiosity about one of those.

Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.

“The Bible has noble poetry in it and some clever fables; and some good morals; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies.”

http://www.sfusd.k12.ca.us/schwww/sch618/Art/hell.gif

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Random Thoughts on the Week!

In Afghanistan, Commerce, culture, Holidays, islam, Quotes, Religion, Spirituality, thinking out loud on December 4, 2009 at 12:15 am

Best Buy Ad Touting Muslim Holiday Sparks Debate

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

A Best Buy ad with a Muslim theme is raising questions of how retailers should mark religious holidays.

The ad on BestBuy.com wishes Muslims a happy Eid al-Adha, a Muslim holiday that lasts three days and happens to fall on the extended Thanksgiving weekend.

A BestBuy.com message board has been filled with mixed responses since the ad was posted, MyFoxTwinCities.com reports.

One says, “Thank you Best Buy for the Eid Greetings!! I plan to spend more money at BB (Best Buy.) Thank you for being inclusive of various cultures.”

Another post wasn’t as supportive: “Happy Eid Al-Adha but no Merry Christmas? I assume your next advertisements will say Merry Christmas. Otherwise, I will no longer shop at best buy. I will shop at those businesses which support Christmas.”

Best Buy released a statement saying, “We do use the word ‘holiday’ in some of our advertising because it is meant to be inclusive to everyone. However, just as we have in the past, we will also reference specific holidays such as Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa in our weekly ads, store signage and other advertising vehicles.”

I don’t get it.  I don’t understand how marketing firms can think it is non-offensive to generalize Christian Holidays and then specifically market to Muslims on  Islamic holidays.  I don’t have a problem with gearing their marketing towards Muslims and their holidays.  Though, were I Muslim, I’d be offended with the commercial targeting of such a holy occasion.  However, I question the wisdom of surrendering to the PC Police when it comes to Christianity by steering away from the use of terms like “Merry Christmas” and instead using Happy Holidays while specifically targeting Muslim holidays and using Islamic terms in the advertising such as “Eid Mubarak.”  Muslims be careful.  This is the first step towards commercializing your holy days.  The last step is the loss of all meaning except gaining a profit from your religious and semi-religious cohorts.

As the old saying goes, BUYER BEWARE!

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I believe that God has no true connection to any of the established religions of our age.  Every religioin/church of our age is an offshoot of some system of governance and all have been used for the accumulation and furtherance earthly authority/power.

I believe that God loves all of humanity and accepts all of mankind despite religious belief or affiliation. Furthermore, I believe that if he was as active an interloper in the affairs of man, he would have destroyed all of the current set of religions much as the Bible portrays him as destroying Sodom and Gomorra. All earthly religions are corruptions of the true spirit of God and humanity.  Whether it be the Protestant/Catholic schism of Christianity or the Shi’a/Sunni schism of Islam, all sow discord and divide when they should be uniting energies for all of mankind.

Only when a religion unites mankind through compassion, spirituality and love–faith, hope and love–only then will a religion have the true authority and standing of God.

God is Faith.

God is Hope.

God is Love

For all of humanity. Not one race. Not one belief. Not only for straight people. Not only for Jews or gentiles or Muslims or Hindus or anyone one specific people.

God is for all of humanity.

Enough on Religion and it’s ill effects on humanity.

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My boy Farhad is leaving for Iran on Saturday. He probably won’t be back until after I depart for leave. Today, I wrote him a letter of introduction to the Embassy of the Netherlands for his Visa application. If all goes well, he’ll depart for the Netherlands before I return. I’m going to miss Farhad.   And so it begins, the end draws near.

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Reverence of the Sacred and tools of Division

In culture, islam, Quotes, Religion, Spirituality, thinking out loud on December 2, 2009 at 12:01 am

http://decorativeprayerflags.com/flags/F0046_SacredSymbols.jpg

We despise all reverences and all the objects of reverence which are outside the pale of our own list of sacred things. And yet, with strange inconsistency, we are shocked when other people despise and defile the things which are holy to us.

~ Mark Twain

There is a lesson here for all.  Liberals disdain the religious folk of America for their demagoguery against homosexuality and abortion and much of liberal ideology.  The religious right of America turns that same disdain back on the Left because the Left constantly uses the symbols and sacred writings and personages or deities of the religion as items of scorn.

And the cycle of misunderstanding, mis-characterization and violence endlessly and heedlessly continues.  Pulsating with hatred and abuse.  Round and round to no end.

Add the Muslims to the equation and the revolution simply becomes more and more violent and more and more out of touch with the spirit of generosity, charity and brotherhood espoused by each of these theologies of man.  Lost is faith, hope and love.  Replaced by desolation, poverty and apathy.

Humanity takes ideas that should bring all together and uses them as tools of division.

Perhaps, Sam is right and the animals are much more evolved than us.


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Swiss Vote Bans Muslim Minarets

In culture, islam, Middle East, Religion, Spirituality, thinking out loud on December 1, 2009 at 12:05 am

http://www.spiegel.de/images/image-23345-panoV9free-sucr.jpg

GENEVA � Over 57 percent of Swiss voters on Sunday approved a blanket ban on the construction of Muslim minarets, according to official results posted by Swiss news agency ATS.

A final tally of 26 cantons indicates that 57.5 percent of the population have voted in favour of the ban on minarets — the turrets or towers attached on mosques from where Muslims are called to prayer.

Only four cantons rejected the proposal brought by Switzerland’s biggest party — the Swiss People’s Party (SVP), which claims that minarets symbolise a “political-religious claim to power.”

Honestly, I think that this should be the policy of the west until Muslim countries change their policies toward Churches and other religions/beliefs within their own countries.

They’ll complain, but, they haven’t a foot to stand on.  Especially the most vocal of the complainants such as Saudi Arabia.  The unholy House of Sa’ud rails against intolerance of Islam in other countries, yet, they are intolerant of any other religion or belief within Saudi Arabia–even forcing non-Muslim women to wear the hijab–and are the primary exporters of Wahhabism and Islamic Fundamentalism throughout the globe.

All religions are bi-polar.  At once espousing peace and war, intolerance and inclusiveness.  Islam is no worse a religion than any other in my opinion.  It’s leadership, though, leaves much to be desired.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/10/08/article-1219048-06C00F9A000005DC-817_468x631.jpg

The U.N. Human Rights Committee called the posters discriminatory and said Switzerland would violate international law if it bans minarets.

If this is the case, then why is Saudi Arabia not in violation of International law.  There are several Muslim countries with these restrictions against building religious structures.  Seems a bit of a double standard to me.  The UN should clean up the primary violators of international law before they go looking for villains in a country like Switzerland.

If a backlash against Islam is in the offing, much of the blame can and should be placed squarely on the shoulders of leadership of Saudi Arabia, Iran, Palestine and Syria.

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Blasphemy outlawed in Ireland

In culture, Politics, thinking out loud on July 14, 2009 at 4:27 pm

Political Correctness Gone Mad!!!!

Quote:
As part of a revision to defamation legislation, the Dail (Irish Parliament) passed legislation creating a new crime of blasphemy. Update: The bill went to the Seanad on Friday, July 10, passing by a single vote. This attack on free speech, debated for several months in Europe, has gone largely unnoticed in the American press.

The text of the legislation is provided at the end of this post.

How does this impact free speech? Just don’t be rude.

* Atheists can be prosecuted for saying that God is imaginary. That causes outrage.
* Pagans can be prosecuted for saying they left Christianity because God is violent and bloodthirsty, promotes genocide, and permits slavery.
* Christians can be prosecuted for saying that Allah is a moon god, or for drawing a picture of Mohammed, or for saying that Islam is a violent religion which breeds terrorists.
* Jews can be prosecuted for saying Jesus isn’t the Messiah.

Is it really THAT big a deal?

Ireland’s Blasphemy Bill not only criminalizes free speech, it also gives the police the authority to confiscate anything deemed “blasphemous”. They may enter and search any premises, with force if needed, upon “reasonable suspicion” that such materials are present.

* The local Freethinkers society, with its copies of Hitchens’ God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything.
* The video store, with copies of The God Who Wasn’t There.
* The history teacher, who uses The Dark Side of Christian History to teach her class.
* The library, with its collection of books deemed blasphemous.
* Even the homeowner who lets the wrong person know he has a copy of Salman Rushdie’s The Satanic Verses could find his door broken in by the Thought Police, his bookshelves ransacked, and his books burning in the front yard!

Satirizing religion in any way, shape, or form, if it “causes outrage”, is now a prosecutable offense in Ireland. Saying anything negative about a religion, if it “causes outrage”, can now be prosecuted as a crime. Just like in Muslim countries.

Witness the return of the Dark Ages.

They’ve gone insane.  Too many pints, I reckon…

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Christianity and Islam

In thinking out loud on May 26, 2009 at 11:15 pm
I can agree with this...

I can agree with this...

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