* Atheist's Lawsuit Cites His Treatment in the Army

Saturday, April 26, 2008

JUNCTION CITY, Kan. — Like hundreds of young men joining the Army in recent years, Jeremy Hall professes a desire to serve his country while it fights terrorism.

"But the short and soft-spoken specialist is at the center of a legal controversy. He has filed a lawsuit alleging he's been harassed and his constitutional rights have been violated because he doesn't believe in God. The suit names Defense Secretary Robert Gates."
. . .

"Known as "the atheist guy," Hall has been called immoral, a devil worshipper and — just as severe to some soldiers — gay, none of which, he says, is true. Hall even drove fellow soldiers to church in Iraq and paused while they prayed before meals." More ...

Cross-reference METAXY: Atheists in Foxholes and George Bush's Christian god told him to go to war with Iraq.

New York Times: Soldier Sues Army, Saying His Atheism Led to Threats

"It is unclear how widespread religious discrimination or proselytizing is in the armed forces, constitutional law experts and leaders of veterans’ groups said. No one has independently studied the issue, and service members are reluctant to come forward because of possible backlash, those experts said."

* Foolish & arrogant Christian Evangelicals, always at it ...

gapingvoid.com

Ad Targeting Jews For Conversion 'Offensive And Insulting'

New York, NY, March 28, 2008 … A statement by an Evangelical Christian group which defends targeting Jews for conversion by Christians who grew up as Jews, was labeled "offensive and insulting," by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL).

Sponsored by the World Evangelical Alliance, "The Gospel and the Jewish People: An Evangelical Statement," appeared as a full-page advertisement in the March 28 edition of The New York Times. ADL said the statement validates and defends those who converted from Judaism to Christianity for using their religious and cultural Jewish experience as tools to proselytize Jews, such as Jews for Jesus and so-called "Messianic Jews."

Also see:
WEA launches huge campaign to `persuade` Jews to accept Jesus (ADL condemns move) www.israelenews.com

"[The ad is] really saying that Judaism has no right to exist, and that basically all Jews should become Christians. Scholars call this the attitude of supersessionism -- the view that Christianity has [replaced] Judaism." www.nationalpost.com

Full-page New York Times ad sneers at Jews

On March 28, 2008, a statement, entitled "The Gospel and the Jews" and drafted by the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), appeared as a full-page ad in the New York Times.

While asserting that they have a "genuine friendship and love for the Jewish people," the statement's authors suggest that the best way of expressing this passion is "to forthrightly share the love of God in the person of Jesus Christ." According to the statement, "it is only through Jesus that all people can receive eternal life. If Jesus is not the Messiah of the Jewish people, He cannot be the Savior of the World (Acts 4:12)."

Therefore, the statement reasons, "it is good and right for those with specialized knowledge, history and skills to use these gifts to introduce individuals to the Messiah, and that includes those ministries specifically directed to the Jewish people."

We have just enough religion to make us hate, but not enough to make us love one another. ~ Jonathan Swift

The Bombing of Nagasaki August 9, 1945: The Untold Story

By Gary G. Kohls

08/09/07 "Lew Rockwell" --- 62 years ago, on August 9th, 1945, the second of the only two atomic bombs (a plutonium bomb) ever used as instruments of aggressive war (against essentially defenseless civilian populations) was dropped on Nagasaki, Japan, by an all-Christian bomb crew. The well-trained American soldiers were only "doing their job," and they did it efficiently.

...

A large portion of the responsibility for the prevention of military atrocities like Nagasaki lies within the organized Christian churches and whether or not they soon start teaching and living what the radical nonviolent Jesus taught and lived.

The next Nagasaki can be prevented if the churches finally heed Jesus’ call to nonviolence and refuse their government’s call for the bodies and souls of their sons and daughters.

Full article ...



My question is: would atheists/agnostics have created this horror?

* Sanitize the Bible & Christian Creeds ~ Is Patriarchy Dead?

Christianity (Worldwide)
Androgenous Holy Trinity:

"Religion is one of the main tools, and chronologically the first one of them, fitted to perpetuate the victimage mechanism." ~ Paolo Diego Bubbio, Colloquy, Monash University

Many people think that patriarchy is either dead or dying, some think it is actually staging a comeback. It can go one way or the other, but the perpetuation of patriarchy can be averted by continuous improvement of gender balance in all roles of authority, both secular and religious. This may entail, among other things, editing venerable documents (such as the Christian creed written by the Council of Nicea in 325 C.E.) to reflect a new sensitivity about God being neither male-only nor female-only, but both male and female, and infinitely more than just male and female. Even sacred texts such as the Bible may need to be sanitized of patriarchal language, albeit in such a way that the "signal" of revealed truth is amplified without distortion. ~ Mimetic Violence in Patriarchal Religions

Ironically, a ridiculous solution from Solidarity & Sustainability to violence against women is prayer, "It is fitting to conclude with an urgent appeal for prayer, study, and action." And do we really think that religious androgeny in creeds, bibles, and art will stop violence against women? No. It is religion that has to go--a daunting task that may bear fruit, unfortunately, in a future that can't be foreseen. Meanwhile, billions will suffer and die, including men, in the evil name of religion.

**Religious violence exacerbates, and often directly leads to, social violence. Recently:

Stop Violence Against Women in America
Kenyan schoolgirls raped on march
Women go 'missing' by the millions
More Than 100 Million Women Are Missing
China’s One Child Policy Exacerbates Slavery
Many Faces of Gender Inequality
Patriarchal Violence in the Name of ‘Honour’
More than half of Thai Catholic women abused, survey reveals

Rene Girard's Memetic Theory.

Girard excludes Judaism and Christianity from his mimetic theory. Lefebure [5: 19] states that the God of Israel and Jesus' Abba: ... is not a mimetic rival of humans and does not demand sacrificial victims. Instead, God rather expresses solidarity with victims even to the point of dying on the cross. However, violence is no stranger in Christianity. ~ Religion and Violence: the Suffering of Women by Susan Rakoczy

Rene Girard, Colloquium on Religion and Violence

* Only Catholics Go to Heaven

Catholic Church's Big Pedophile Pay Off

Seems that the Catholic Church will be paying out 660 million to some 500 victims of its pedophile priests in Los Angeles.

Los Angeles is said to be America's largest archdiocese.

Wasn't it just earlier this week that The Pope said something about only Catholics getting into heaven, as well as bringing back Latin in the mass?

Wow, sure been a busy time for the Catholic Church.


“If all the bones of all the victims of the Catholic Church could be gathered together, a monument higher than all the pyramids would rise”

-Robert Green Ingersoll

Pax Romano's Ramblings

* "The Origins of Religious Violence" by Nick Gier ~ Which Religion has Killed the Most Human Beings?

By Nick Gier, New West Unfiltered 6-06-07

RELATIVE VIOLENCE IN ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY

Nick Gier, Professor Emeritus, University of Idaho

"I'm writing a book on the origins of religious violence and my thesis is that there has been far more religiously motivated violence in the Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—than the Asian religions.

"... Short of Osama bin Laden getting several nukes and using them, militant Muslims have a long way to go to match the historical Christian kill rate."

Gier: The connection between strong belief and religiously motivated violence can be well documented, and the early results of my research on the origins of religious violence can be found here.

Nick Gier taught religion and philosophy at the University of Idaho for 31 years. See his columns as the Palouse Pundit.

Gier's Website

* Hamas TV Kills off Mickey Mouse Double

Remember the story back in May about the new Hamas TV children's program where Mickey Mouse teaches children to fight the "Zionist Occupation" and dream of a world dominated by Islam? Well, now the children have seen Mickey beaten to death by an Israeli official in the last program. Religion is evil.

Fri Jun 29, 2:48 PM ET

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - A Mickey Mouse lookalike who preached Islamic domination on a Hamas-affiliated children's television program was beaten to death in the show's final episode Friday.

In the final skit, "Farfour" was killed by an actor posing as an Israeli official trying to buy Farfour's land. At one point, the mouse called the Israeli a "terrorist."

"Farfour was martyred while defending his land," said Sara, the teen presenter. He was killed "by the killers of children," she added.

The weekly show, featuring a giant black-and-white rodent with a high-pitched voice, had attracted worldwide attention because the character urged Palestinian children to fight Israel. It was broadcast on Hamas-affiliated Al Aqsa TV.

Station officials said Friday that Farfour was taken off the air to make room for new programs. Station manager Mohammed Bilal said he did not know what would be shown instead.

Israeli officials have denounced the program, "Tomorrow's Pioneers," as incendiary and outrageous. The program was also opposed by the state-run Palestinian Broadcasting Corp., which is controlled by Fatah, Hamas' rival. Yahoo News

* Let's build an international secular movement! ~ by Azar Majedi

Azar Majedi is a veteran women’s rights activist from Iran. Victim of political Islam and president of the Organisation for Women's Liberation, Azar Majedi calls for international support and solidarity in the battle for freedom and equality.

Majedi writes: Religion is not only an oppressive institution, suppressing freedom of thought, speech and criticism and oppressing women. It is also the machinery for terrorizing societies. In the history of mankind, more people have died under the name of the God, than any other ideology or cause. In fact religion is a mafia-liken institution.

And the Lord your God said ...

* Hamas' Mickey Mouse = Rafah: Teaching Children to Hate & Kill

Hamas TV has a new children's show which features a Mickey Mouse lookalike. But this Mickey does not romp about with Pluto, nor does he woo Minnie Mouse. Instead – he teaches his young viewers to fight the "Zionist Occupation" and dream of a world dominated by Islam. Full story and watch the video: Israel National News

Additional examples of incitment of children though television can be viewed here.

* US Army Soldier Killed in Iraq Declared by Christian Reverend to be "Worm Dirt"

Patrick Daniel Tillman, Jr. (November 6, 1976 – April 22, 2004) was an American football player who left his professional sports career and enlisted in the United States Army in May 2002, along with his brother Kevin Tillman.

He served in Iraq and later in Afghanistan, as a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment, where he was killed. His decision, and subsequent death, were the subject of much media attention. More controversy ensued when, on May 28, 2004, the Pentagon notified the Tillman family that he had died as a result of a friendly fire incident; the family and other critics alleged that the Department of Defense delayed the disclosure for weeks after Tillman's memorial service out of a desire to protect the image of the U.S. armed forces. Specifically, Patrick Tillman, Pat Tillman's father, told the Washington Post, "..all the people in positions of authority went out of their way to script this. They purposely interfered with the investigation, they covered it up."

Corporal Pat Tillman was, according to his mother, not religious.

"Regimental Executive Officer Kauzlarich [in Afghanistan], in a stunning display of Christian empathy, blamed the family for continuing to ask questions about the circumstances of Pat’s death, and suggested that the reason they’d found no closure was that infidels such as themselves (the Tillmans did not belong to a church), when they die, are only “worm dirt.” ...

“When you die,” the Reverend Kauzlarich explained to ESPN’s Fish, “I mean, there is supposedly a better life, right? Well, if you are an atheist and you don’t believe in anything, if you die, what is there to go to? Nothing. You are worm dirt."

The investigation is complete and the report on the death and awards for Corporal Tillman is in. Even though he was shot three times in the head it has been claimed that he was a victim of friendly fire and that there was no malicious intent. Corporal Tillman's chain of command, however, will be held accountable for regulatory violations and errors in judgement, i.e., something like a slap on the hand, perhaps.

* Christian Terrorists Attack New Jersey School ~ Take Hostages in Mock Drill

American Center for Law & Justice

New Jersey School Drill Portrays Killers as Christians

April 3, 2007
by WorldNetDaily.com

"School officials in Burlington, N.J., who wanted to stage a "hostage situation" drill have portrayed the attackers as Christians, including one who was upset that his daughter was expelled for praying before class.

"Supt. Chris Manno praised the exercise to test the response of the school and police, explaining, "You perform as you practice. We need to practice under conditions as real as possible in order to evaluate our procedures and plans so that they're as effective as possible."

"Lifesite News reported that the Christian students in the school were offended when the student body was told the alleged gunmen were "members of a right-wing fundamentalist group called the 'New Crusaders' who don't believe in separation of church and state."

"The Burlington County Times said the mock gunmen pretended to shoot several students in the hallways before taking 10 students hostage in the district's media center."

Certainly this drill drew irrate reactions. In defense, Public Safety Director Walter Corter said the scenario was created to represent “anybody who was an extremist and not dealing with reality,” and never specified “Christian terrorists” or other religious or ethnic groups.

However, it is not a so far out scenario that absolutely could not happen. Just as there are Islamic and other religious hate groups, Christianity is not without potential.

Christian Terrorism

Purported hate groups of all ilk . . ., and see Wikipedia

Christian Identity

* My Sweet Lord! Death Threats & Less ...

Six-Foot Chocolate Jesus Most Anticipated Easter Work At Gallery

The Post Chronical
March 28, 2007

NEW YORK -- "World renowned artist Cosimo Cavallaro unveils his latest and most striking installation at the Lab Gallery (at the Roger Smith Hotel, 47th and Lexington avenue) in the early morning hours of April 1st."

The Catholic League is among those who are highly offended by the Easter treat.

"Catholic League president Bill Donohue commented as follows:

March 29, 2007 -- “The cowards at the Roger Smith Hotel, who were brazen enough to tease their trash to selected media sources over the past few days, have shut down and are refusing to talk to the press. But the artist has decided to go his own way. He is now inviting everyone to eat his chocolate Jesus.

“The Roger Smith Hotel is morally bankrupt. It is the goal of the Catholic League to make it financially bankrupt as well. Being mailed out today are hundreds of letters, complete with the news release I wrote a few hours ago, calling for a boycott of the hotel. These organizations represent millions of Americans across religious lines, as well as those who belong to non-sectarian groups. All of them can be counted on to never hold a conference at the hotel. And more—they will let all of their allies know about this incident.

“The Roger Smith Hotel will rue the day it sought to declare war on Christian sensibilities.”

Well, now, today the exhibit has been shut down before it opened due to the outrage which included even death threats from offendees. [sigh]

* John Lennon ~ Imagined no Religion but "God is Something in People"

John Lennon
October 8, 1940 – December 8, 1980
Imagine

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
"Imagine" was John Lennon's second major release apart from the Beatles. Released on Sept. 9, 1971 (US) and Oct. 8, 1971 (UK), it has remained John's most commercially successful album. It was recorded primarily in John's home studio which turned out to be the last time he would ever record in England.

In a 1966 Interview, Lennon talked about his faithlessness in Christianity:

'Christianity will go,' he said. 'It will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue about that; I'm right and I will be proved right. We're more popular than Jesus now; I don't know which will go first-rock 'n' roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It's them twisting it that ruins it for me.'

"I believe in God, but not as one thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is something in all of us. I believe that what Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It's just that the translations have gone wrong."

Of course, USA Bible-belters responded by publically burning Beatles albums and memorabilia. Yet Lennon had said, "God is something in all of us." Imagine that ...

The UK Telegraph
Official Website

* Artist's Work Destroyed by Russian Orthodox Churchgoers

Russian-born artist, Alexander Kosolapov, has lived and worked in New York City since 1975 where he has been influenced by Andy Warhol's work. These three pieces are among some of Kosolapov's work that indignant Russian Orthodox churchgoers either damaged, destroyed, or removed from exhibits.



Russian lawsuit testing limits of free expression

by Erika Niedowski,
Sun Foreign Reporter

March 23, 2007

MOSCOW: "Oleg Kassin objected to them all: the portrait of a robed Jesus Christ, his face replaced by a Mickey Mouse head, among his disciples; an icon of a halo-adorned Virgin Mary done in dots made to look like caviar; the photo of a crouched woman in a brassiere, thong and high-heeled boots with her rear to the camera [at the Andrei Sakharov Museum].

"So he and the Russian Orthodox church group to which he belongs went to court this week, claiming not just questionable artistic taste, but an outright crime.

"For the second time in recent years, an exhibit at the Andrei Sakharov Museum and Public Center has become the object of a legal fight here and a touchstone for debate on the right to - and limits of - free expression in Russia, which, as it turns out, often comes at a cost."
...

"The problem is, they don't want to discuss it," he [the museum's curator, Yerofeyev] said of the Tretyakov's leadership. "They simply say it's forbidden. Maybe they are right; some things should be forbidden. But there should be arguments, professional ones."

The Russian Orthodox church group charges the museum with inciting religious and ethnic hatred. The first time this happened was in March 2005:

Beware of Religion: a Rebirth of Militant Atheism in Moscow

Russian Orthodox Church
by Dmitry Ageev
March 23, 2005

"The exhibition «Beware of religion!» opened in the exhibition hall of the Andrei Sakharov museum in Moscow on January 14, 2003, where a group of artists presented works that were meant to «draw attention to the hypocritical role of religion in the contemporary world». Among these works were: an imitation of a large icon of Christ with a road sign instead of a face; an imitation of an icon of Christ with openings for the face and hands, through which visitors were invited to place their corresponding body parts and be photographed; a billboard with a Coca-Cola logo, depiction of Christ and the inscription «This is My Blood»; a cross covered with garlands of sausages; ... " Read more

While some people may have found the "Caution! Religion" exhibition offensive, Amnesty International does not believe that any of the exhibits portrayed on the Andrei Sakharov Museum and Public Centre's website amounted to an incitement to violence. Moreover, the use in this case of Article 282 of the Russian Criminal Code – which is in the section of the criminal code listing crimes against the state – is wholly disproportionate.

Dr. Andrei Dmitrievich Sakharov (Russian: Андре́й Дми́триевич Са́харов) (May 21, 1921 – December 14, 1989) was an eminent Soviet nuclear physicist, dissident and human rights activist. Sakharov was an advocate of civil liberties and reforms in the Soviet Union and was the first Russian to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

In 2005 the Russian Orthodox church wrote, "The exhibition’s organizers who shamed the name of A. Sakharov, himself the grandson of an Orthodox priest, should be severely punished."

The real shame is that we are not surprised at the destruction of an artist's work by Christians.

As to how Dr. Sakharov might respond, "... religion did not play an important role in his life, though he did believe that a non-scientific "guiding principle" governed the universe and human life."* As a champion for human rights and civil liberties I think that Dr. Sakharov would agree with Amnesty International.

* Drell, Sidney D., and Sergei P. Kapitsa (eds.), Sakharov Remembered, pp. 3, 92. New York: Springer, 1991.

* British Grandmother Sends Pics of Aborted Fetuses to Pharmacies

‘Offensive Abortion’ Case Appeals to Lords Following ‘Bizarre’ Judgement

Christian Today

by Daniel Blake
February 16, 2007

To protest the morning after pill, a Catholic woman sent photos of fetuses to pharmacies in order to 'educate' pharmacists who dispense the morning after pill.

The judgment was handed down on the case, "ruling that while Mrs Connolly was entitled to send pictures of aborted foetuses in expression of her anti-abortion beliefs, they should have only been sent to people such as MPs, who have a direct opportunity to influence debate, or a change in the abortion law, not members of the public, even if they are professionals actively involved in the moral implications of such a law."

It is not an original revelation that many Christians concern themselves with upholding rights of the unborn but completely disregard the rights and circumstances of women who are, apparently, less important to people like Mrs. Connelly. If I could, I would suggest to those of such religious zeal that they just carry it to the logical end, i.e., have abortion criminalized with life sentences in prison for murder for women who abort and for their health care providers and doctors who are accessories to the crime. Of course this would have to be extended even further to developers and manufacturers of the morning after pill and a huge network of people with other abortion involvements. Thought about in this way the whole thing is ridiculous.

* Another Religious Horror Story ~ Authored by the New Testament this Time

The following was posted to the JesusMysteries discussion forum today:

Marcion was the first to realize that the Jewish Scriptures (OT) have nothing to do with Christianity. Even without his belief in 2 biblical gods, one must use twisted, tenuous arguments to make the OT predict Jesus. It is too bad that Marcionites did not win the Church struggle. Marcionites accepted that Judaism was true - on its own terms. We would not have had 2 millennia of nasty Jewish-Christians relations, for Judaism was just another totally different religion.

It's true, no Jew accepted that the messiah would suffer and be executed. If somehow, Jesus had truly been alive again, such that anybody could see him, probably many more Jews would have accepted him; and, if he led an army of angels to destroy the hated Kittim, all Jews would have accepted him. Didn't happen.

Check out Price's The Pre-Nicene New Testament for a great discussion of this.

Best,
Prof. D. Showley

Newest Release by Robert M. Price

The Pre-Nicene New Testament
Fifty-four Formative Texts

The Word of the Aion! Not just a new translation, but a new canon, The Pre-Nicene New Testament supplements the usual twenty-seven writings with another twenty-seven that might have been included long ago but were not. Here is an inclusive, truly representative portrait of early Christianity in all its amazing theological diversity. Familiar works are rendered new again by the first translation to embody generations worth of scholarly proposals, as well as by introductions featuring ultra-radical yet sound biblical scholarship.

Another of Dr. Price's books not to be missed is his The Reason Driven Life, Foreword by Julia Sweeney.

"[The Reason Driven Life] is a deeply thought out, theologically accurate, heartfelt dismantling of Rick Warren’s (and all Evangelicals’) worldview. Even the ideas that seem, on the surface, to be unassailable (like Warren’s call to a life of service to others) Price takes apart, reveals each for the sham it is, with elegance and charm and disturbing accuracy."

~ Julia Sweeney formally of Saturday Night Live, from the foreword.

Cross-reference METAXY Robert M. Price and Julia Sweeney

* Ku Klux Klan Resurgence ~ Religious and Political

The burning cross is a symbol used by the Klan to create terror. Cross burning is said to have been introduced by William J. Simmons, the founder of the second Klan in 1915: Wikipedia The Klan considers that they are "lighting" the cross as a symbol of their faith: Wikipedia See also Cornell Law School, Supreme Court Collection, for discussion on the significance of the cross for the KKK.

The Ku Klux Klan, which just a few years ago seemed static or even moribund compared to other white supremacist movements such as neo-Nazis, has experienced a surprising and troubling resurgence due to the successful exploitation of hot-button issues including immigration, gay marriage and urban crime. Klan groups have witnessed a surprising and troubling resurgence by exploiting fears of an immigration explosion, and the debate over immigration has in turned helped to fuel an increase in Klan activity, with new groups sprouting in parts of the country that have not seen much activity."

CNN, February 7, 2007 ~ Klan growing, fed by anti-immigrant feelings, report says

CS Monitor, February 09, 2007 ~ Anti-immigrant sentiments fuel Ku Klux Klan resurgence

All Headline News, February 9, 2007 ~ White Supremacists Groups Active And Growing In The U.S

KKK Ideology: "Though Ku Klux Klan groups are generally extremely anti-Semitic, a number of them, especially in the South, tend to spend more of their energy in activities opposing African-Americans and non-white immigrants, who are often seen as the more immediate enemies.

"Another difference involves religion. Whereas many neo-Nazis and racist skinheads may be atheists or pagan, Klan groups tend to be overwhelmingly Christian (often adhering to the racist and anti-Semitic Christian Identity sect), reflecting the Klan’s more traditional origins. However, even this may be changing to a certain degree ... as part of an effort to attract new members from the white supremacist subculture, that it would now accept certain non-Christians."

* Comedian Bill Maher Disrespects Religion in General and George Bush in Particular

Leave 'em Laughing

by Howard Cohen
McClatchy Newspapers
January 21, 2007

"George W. Bush has been good for Bill Maher. His administration's image problems have fueled every season of HBO's 'Real Time with Bill Maher' and, before that, Maher's ABC "Politically Incorrect" chat fest.

"Sample jab: 'Republicans must get honest about why they oppose stem cell research. It's not because a frozen speck on a microscope slide constitutes life, it's because stem cell research shows promise of restoring spinal cord tissue--and that could help Democrats.'"

VIDEOS ~ Bill Maher on Religion

CNN Transcript from "Larry King Live" CALLER: Hi, thank you for taking my call. Here's my question. Other than who we vote for and keeping respect for everyone's beliefs, Bill, I'm wondering how you think we can work to restore a separation of church and state?

MAHER: Restore it, that's a good point. I hate to sound like a broken record. It has to take place at the top. When you have a president who is this openly religious and this openly contemptible, in contempt, rather, of the separation of church and state, I don't think anything is going to change until that changes.

This is a man who proudly says that Jesus picked him to be president. You said something about you have to respect people's beliefs. I know that's what we always hear, we have to respect. I'm sorry, I don't. I don't respect religion. I don't respect superstitious thinking, which is what religion is. I don't respect childish thinking, which is what religion is.

We talked about this before, this whole gay issue wouldn't even be an issue except it says it in the Bible. The Bible, that book that has people lived to be 900 years old and says the world is 6,000 years old, and that there are people who lived in a whale. That infallible work of genius and slavery is OK. You should stone a guy to death if he works on Sunday. That's the book that says, sorry no queers.

So I'm sorry, I don't respect people who believe in religion. I was religious when I was a kid. We all had dumb stuff drilled into our head. It doesn't mean when you get to be an adult you can't drill it out. I tell you something else they drilled into my head when I was a kid, mercury in my cavities. We found out later mercury is so bad we shouldn't even eat it when there is a trace of it in fish. But it was drilled into my teeth. So when I got older, I had it drilled out. You can do the same thing with religion. To talk about this terrorism situation without talking about religion is like talking about AIDS in America without talking about homosexuality. You can do it, it will get you applause on Oprah but it's not true.

* Note "that Maher is classified as Category:Ambiguous because he has said (earlier, paraphrased) that while he disdains organized religion he nevertheless doesn't reject the possibility of a god. It's not clear if this position of his is still in effect" [as of June, 2006].

Video: Maher on Bush &
Hurricane Katrina

Previous METAXY Entry ~ Bill Maher

Wikipedia

Bill Maher's Website

flickr photo

* February is Black History Month ~ From Slavery to Freedom

Celebrating Black History Month
Black History Month ~ History.com

SLAVERY: From Biblical Times to Today's World
The Christian church's main justification of the concept of slavery was based on the "curse of Ham" which appears in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) in Genesis 9:25-27. "Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers. He also said, 'Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem. Christians at the time believed that Canaan had settled in Africa and that his descendents had become black.

Although slavery was widespread in Palestine during Jesus' ministry, the Christian Scriptures (New Testament) does not record his opinion of it. Slavery was casually mentioned without criticism in the various books of the Bible. It was accepted as a natural part of life by almost all Christians until the 19th century CE.

Anabaptists started to criticize slavery in the late 17th century. They were joined by Quakers and Mennonites. It was only when John Wesley (1703-1791), founder of the Methodist movement, became concerned about slavery that the small protest became a mass movement for the abolition of slavery.

Slavery is still advocated in North America by some Reconstructionist Christians and a few racist fringe groups within the Christian Identity movement.
Source for above ...

The History of Slavery in the US