JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (Reuters) -- Billed as the world's first black Jesus movie, "Son of Man" portrays Christ as a modern African revolutionary and aims to shatter the Western image of a placid savior with fair hair and blue eyes.
I like to give my Catholic husband a hard time about what Jesus really looked like.
I had received a prayer card from some Catholic Nunery out east and sure enough, Christ has blonde hair and blue eyes.
When I opened the envelope, my husband was standing nearby and I showed him the picture and said "I thought Jesus was Jewish? Shouldn't he have olive skin, brown eyes and maybe curly hair. And don't forget the stereotypical crooked nose?
Oh, and this reminds me of the phrase used by conservatives to slam liberals.
"Bleeding heart liberals!" When I hear that, I see the image of the sacred heart. The one with thorns wrapped around Christ's bleeding heart. So, if you are a liberal christian that should be a compliment not an insult. Maybe only secular conservatives use it as a slam. I know a few that probably do.
Jan 20, 2006
Jan 17, 2006
ID as an elective philosophy course?
California district to stop teaching 'intelligent design'
FRESNO, California (AP) -- Under legal pressure, a rural school district agreed Tuesday to stop offering high school students an elective philosophy course on "intelligent design," an advocacy group said.
It's amazing how these people who promote ID seem so desperate to get god into the public schools. Don't they see the stats? Almost 90% of Americans believe in god. But it's really not about god. Most of us believe in god, but not in the way these people want us to believe.
Which is hard core fundamentalist, literal bible thumping believe or go to hell type of religion.
Most of us believe in the American way, freedom of religion or for those like me freedom from religion. That is what these ID people can't stand. Freedom of or even worse freedom from.
FRESNO, California (AP) -- Under legal pressure, a rural school district agreed Tuesday to stop offering high school students an elective philosophy course on "intelligent design," an advocacy group said.
It's amazing how these people who promote ID seem so desperate to get god into the public schools. Don't they see the stats? Almost 90% of Americans believe in god. But it's really not about god. Most of us believe in god, but not in the way these people want us to believe.
Which is hard core fundamentalist, literal bible thumping believe or go to hell type of religion.
Most of us believe in the American way, freedom of religion or for those like me freedom from religion. That is what these ID people can't stand. Freedom of or even worse freedom from.
Jan 12, 2006
Kim Abbott for the Montana Human Rights Network
A close look at American values
By Kim Abbott - 01/12/06
What are American values? There has been so much talk lately about how our society has turned its back on American values. The religious right accused the left of undertaking a war on Christmas. There are battles across the country over teaching creationism in public schools. Letters to the editor attack the gay community and people of faiths other than Christianity.
The right wing has defined its beliefs based on a flawed understanding of history. The left wing has defined its beliefs by pointing out that it is not the right wing. The president has spoken so often of freedom and democracy as the most important American values, but there is little mention of what freedom and democracy actually mean to our nation right now.In order to find answers to these questions, it is important to look at our history. It is not true that we are a Christian nation, built on Christian principles; it is mythology. This mythology continues with the idea that our “founding fathers” were all devout Christians. The fact is that many of the framers of our democracy were Deists. They followed the ideas set forth by Thomas Paine in “The Age of Reason.” Deists believed in a creator, but not in the divinity of Jesus. Deism offers an absent God. This God does not control what happens in our day to day life. Deists believed that people are equipped with rationality and that people are charged with solving society’s problems through reason alone.It is not an accident that the framers of our democracy wrote a constitution that is absent a mention of God. It is not an accident that these men made no indication of a power higher than “we the people.” This was intelligent design. In the early years of the United States, James Madison commented on the framers’ intent to separate government and religion. He stated that: “The free men of America did not wait till usurped power had strengthened itself by exercise, and entangled the question in precedents. They saw all the consequences in the principle, and they avoided the consequences by denying the principle.”The framers of our democracy attempted to ensure that a government entity would have a “holiday tree” so that any citizen could have a Christmas tree. That was the principle they meant to set forth. The separation of church and state is about protection. It is there to protect the right of every citizen to worship, or not worship, in the manner by which they choose. It is there to protect the minority from the majority. Every right set aside for individuals in this country in the Bill of Rights is meant to do just that. The framers of our democracy knew that for our society to survive, the rights of the minority must be valued equally with the rights of the majority.If you haven’t looked lately at our constitution, take another look. It is a brilliant, living document that was meant to evolve over time. This is a time of difficulty and change for our society. One of the more public fights recently has been over the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance. A recent letter to the editor in the IR echoed the outrage of the religious right by stating that, “[We are] One nation under God. Yes, one nation under God, God is sovereign not Buddha, not Allah, not mother earth. You can’t divide the U.S.A. from God.” This is an opinion that the author is absolutely entitled to hold and state publicly. It is an opinion that evidence suggests, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, James Monroe, etc. would disagree with.
This is a statement that proves just how important it is to understand our own history. The pledge was written by a Christian Socialist in 1892 without the phrase “under God.” Sixty-two years later during the red scare in 1954, the Knights of Columbus lobbied congress to have the phrase inserted into the pledge. Adding “under God” to the pledge was a reaction based on fear during a time of unrest and uncertainty in our society. It had nothing to do with our framers’ intent and in fact ignored a principle that they held out to be important enough to address in the very first amendment to our constitution. It was an act that comforted the majority and devalued the rights of the minority.As a society, we need to understand our history in order to imagine our future. American values are something we should discuss, evaluate and embrace. Our values are at stake right now. The Patriot Act, REAL ID, enormous cuts to social welfare programs and citizens being held without due process of law are just a few issues that threaten the fabric of our nation. Montanans for Corporate Accountability and the Helena Human Rights Taskforce are sponsoring a lecture Jan. 16 at the Neighborhood Center starting at 7 p.m. Brian Kahn will be talking about “American Values for Our Time.” It will not hold all of the answers to the complicated question of our values, but we hope that it will be the start of an ongoing discussion. Please join us.
By Kim Abbott - 01/12/06
What are American values? There has been so much talk lately about how our society has turned its back on American values. The religious right accused the left of undertaking a war on Christmas. There are battles across the country over teaching creationism in public schools. Letters to the editor attack the gay community and people of faiths other than Christianity.
The right wing has defined its beliefs based on a flawed understanding of history. The left wing has defined its beliefs by pointing out that it is not the right wing. The president has spoken so often of freedom and democracy as the most important American values, but there is little mention of what freedom and democracy actually mean to our nation right now.In order to find answers to these questions, it is important to look at our history. It is not true that we are a Christian nation, built on Christian principles; it is mythology. This mythology continues with the idea that our “founding fathers” were all devout Christians. The fact is that many of the framers of our democracy were Deists. They followed the ideas set forth by Thomas Paine in “The Age of Reason.” Deists believed in a creator, but not in the divinity of Jesus. Deism offers an absent God. This God does not control what happens in our day to day life. Deists believed that people are equipped with rationality and that people are charged with solving society’s problems through reason alone.It is not an accident that the framers of our democracy wrote a constitution that is absent a mention of God. It is not an accident that these men made no indication of a power higher than “we the people.” This was intelligent design. In the early years of the United States, James Madison commented on the framers’ intent to separate government and religion. He stated that: “The free men of America did not wait till usurped power had strengthened itself by exercise, and entangled the question in precedents. They saw all the consequences in the principle, and they avoided the consequences by denying the principle.”The framers of our democracy attempted to ensure that a government entity would have a “holiday tree” so that any citizen could have a Christmas tree. That was the principle they meant to set forth. The separation of church and state is about protection. It is there to protect the right of every citizen to worship, or not worship, in the manner by which they choose. It is there to protect the minority from the majority. Every right set aside for individuals in this country in the Bill of Rights is meant to do just that. The framers of our democracy knew that for our society to survive, the rights of the minority must be valued equally with the rights of the majority.If you haven’t looked lately at our constitution, take another look. It is a brilliant, living document that was meant to evolve over time. This is a time of difficulty and change for our society. One of the more public fights recently has been over the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance. A recent letter to the editor in the IR echoed the outrage of the religious right by stating that, “[We are] One nation under God. Yes, one nation under God, God is sovereign not Buddha, not Allah, not mother earth. You can’t divide the U.S.A. from God.” This is an opinion that the author is absolutely entitled to hold and state publicly. It is an opinion that evidence suggests, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, James Monroe, etc. would disagree with.
This is a statement that proves just how important it is to understand our own history. The pledge was written by a Christian Socialist in 1892 without the phrase “under God.” Sixty-two years later during the red scare in 1954, the Knights of Columbus lobbied congress to have the phrase inserted into the pledge. Adding “under God” to the pledge was a reaction based on fear during a time of unrest and uncertainty in our society. It had nothing to do with our framers’ intent and in fact ignored a principle that they held out to be important enough to address in the very first amendment to our constitution. It was an act that comforted the majority and devalued the rights of the minority.As a society, we need to understand our history in order to imagine our future. American values are something we should discuss, evaluate and embrace. Our values are at stake right now. The Patriot Act, REAL ID, enormous cuts to social welfare programs and citizens being held without due process of law are just a few issues that threaten the fabric of our nation. Montanans for Corporate Accountability and the Helena Human Rights Taskforce are sponsoring a lecture Jan. 16 at the Neighborhood Center starting at 7 p.m. Brian Kahn will be talking about “American Values for Our Time.” It will not hold all of the answers to the complicated question of our values, but we hope that it will be the start of an ongoing discussion. Please join us.
Death Toll Rises to 345 in Hajj Stampede
By SALAH NASRAWI Associated Press Writer
MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP) -- Thousands of Muslim pilgrims rushing to complete a symbolic stoning ritual during the hajj tripped over luggage Thursday, causing a crush in which at least 345 people were killed despite Saudi attempts to prevent stampedes that have plagued the annual event.
God save us from Allah's people! ;{
This religious furver gives me the creepy crawlys, then I want to weep.
How will humanity ever overcome it's need to touch God.
MINA, Saudi Arabia (AP) -- Thousands of Muslim pilgrims rushing to complete a symbolic stoning ritual during the hajj tripped over luggage Thursday, causing a crush in which at least 345 people were killed despite Saudi attempts to prevent stampedes that have plagued the annual event.
God save us from Allah's people! ;{
This religious furver gives me the creepy crawlys, then I want to weep.
How will humanity ever overcome it's need to touch God.
Jan 5, 2006
Sharon's stroke was divine retribution
CNN) -- Television evangelist Pat Robertson suggested Thursday that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stroke was divine retribution for the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, which Robertson opposed.
This guy kills me.
This guy kills me.
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