From America's first family of philandering, addicted and dysfunctional politicians, our good friend Patrick Kennedy from Rhode Island (yeah, the same driveling idiot who wrecked his car at the Capitol while under the influence and manged to avoid any legal consequences), has started criticizing the Catholic Church's opposition to abortion funding in healthcare legislation.
http://www.projo.com/news/content/kennedy_tobin_10-24-09_OPG76Q8_v14.38b4a95.html
Dude, why are you a Catholic? Leave. This is is a disgrace to your faith and the entire greater realm of Christianity. I really wish that the Bishops would start excommunicating pro-choice Catholics by the dozens, particularly moronic Kennedys who disparage the tenants of their own faith. If the Catholic Church actually wants to support a pro-life position, then they need to start showing the door to people like Patrick.
The abortion issue is a huge concern to those of us with a pro-life position when discussing health care. The idea of tax dollars being used to murder kids isn't something that we should just ignore or treat lightly. It's just time that the Bishops man up and start tossing people out the door.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Obama and the Peace Prize
I woke up the other morning to hearing about Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize and I really thought it was a DJ prank of some sort. This is not a discussion about Obama's policies or political proclivities. I just wonder how the heck a first term president with essentially no major policies successes (to date) qualified for the prize?
Again, my differences with the administration aside - this just seems to be political patronage at its worst. Even some Obama supporters are not terribly pleased. For example, Nina Tannenwald, a professor at Brown University told the Providence Journal, “I don’t understand this at all. I’m a supporter of Obama, and I think this was a bad idea. I think this cheapens the Nobel Prize."
The London Times wrote in an Op-Ed piece, "Instead, the prize risks looking preposterous in its claims, patronising in its intentions and demeaning in its attempt to build up a man who has barely begun his period in office, let alone achieved any tangible outcome for peace."
Regardless of what one thinks of the President, he has not labored for decades in the slums of India (Mother Theresa), led the Civil Rights Movement in the United States (Martin Luther King, Jr.), nor did he spend decades in a South African prison (Nelson Mandela). I mean, Jimmy Carter was a fool in the White House, but at least he brokered the Camp David Accords, which were a major accomplishment in peaceful diplomacy.
Perhaps it is because Obama solved the Iranian nuclear issue? Oh, he hasn't. Better be careful there, as Israel will take care of business there if Obama can't.
Maybe he closed Gitmo? That's not done either.
He ended the war in Iraq? Still on the to do list.
Perhaps it is because he's fixing Afghanistan? That's not exactly getting better either.
Maybe North Korea? No progress there.
Anyhow, perhaps Obama will do something for peace. But, he hasn't yet and to give him this prize is an insult to those who labored for years to bring justice to the oppressed and peace to conflict.
Again, my differences with the administration aside - this just seems to be political patronage at its worst. Even some Obama supporters are not terribly pleased. For example, Nina Tannenwald, a professor at Brown University told the Providence Journal, “I don’t understand this at all. I’m a supporter of Obama, and I think this was a bad idea. I think this cheapens the Nobel Prize."
The London Times wrote in an Op-Ed piece, "Instead, the prize risks looking preposterous in its claims, patronising in its intentions and demeaning in its attempt to build up a man who has barely begun his period in office, let alone achieved any tangible outcome for peace."
Regardless of what one thinks of the President, he has not labored for decades in the slums of India (Mother Theresa), led the Civil Rights Movement in the United States (Martin Luther King, Jr.), nor did he spend decades in a South African prison (Nelson Mandela). I mean, Jimmy Carter was a fool in the White House, but at least he brokered the Camp David Accords, which were a major accomplishment in peaceful diplomacy.
Perhaps it is because Obama solved the Iranian nuclear issue? Oh, he hasn't. Better be careful there, as Israel will take care of business there if Obama can't.
Maybe he closed Gitmo? That's not done either.
He ended the war in Iraq? Still on the to do list.
Perhaps it is because he's fixing Afghanistan? That's not exactly getting better either.
Maybe North Korea? No progress there.
Anyhow, perhaps Obama will do something for peace. But, he hasn't yet and to give him this prize is an insult to those who labored for years to bring justice to the oppressed and peace to conflict.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Political Correctness Sillyness in Rhode Island
Oh, my native state.....has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation, an oppressive tax structure that has produced a mass-exodus of employers from the state. (I just have to wonder if politicians who love taxation have ever taken a basic macroeconomics class....it ain't rocket science, kids. Taxes are a bit like osmosis, if you have more taxes at higher rates than other places, the jobs will migrate elsewhere.) RI has crumbling highways, terrible relations with public safety employees and the list goes on.....but.......
Anyhow, a clown in the legislature named Joseph S. Almeida wants to have a public referendum on removing "plantation" from Rhode Island's name. (The real name of Rhode Island is "Rhode Island and Providence Plantations). Apparently, this dufus thinks it has to do with slavery, which shows that he needs to spend a little time studying the state's history. Rhode Island was, er, the first state to ban the practice. Also, the plantation in the state's name has nothing to do with palatial southern estates with slaves picking cotton. It is pathetic that a state legislator is so out of touch with his state's history that he would go on record and public ally make an a-- out of himself. What's even worse is that some people in the state's populous, actually think it is a good idea as well....it really shows how frankly stupid some people area.
Anyhow, the Providence Journal ran an op-ed piece by Keith Stokes giving the history of the State's name. The plantation theme found in colonial literature actually comes from some of Cotton Mather's sermon. Of course, the fact it came from a sermon will certainly give some ACLU weenie the shakes and twitches. Mather referred to those moving to the new world for religious freedom, as those being planted in the "promised land." The state charter refers to the State as the land that: "where, by the good Providence of God, from whom the Plantations have taken their name, upon their labor and industry, they have not only been preserved to admiration, but have increased and prospered, and are seized and possessed, by purchase and consent of the said natives, to their full content, of such lands, islands, rivers, harbors and roads, as are very convenient both for plantations and also for building of ships, supply of pipestaves, and other merchandise.”
Stokes continues: "The historic use of the word plantation does not simply refer to early farms or settlements. It was specifically crafted and applied by our founding settlers as a means to express their newly achieved experience of religious liberty and expression." Lastly, "For me, it is profoundly ironic that the name Plantations in Rhode Island would be reviled as a symbol of oppression, when in historical truth the name should be synonymous with civil liberty and rights, not African slavery. "
Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, was a bit like many modern Christians - denomination shopping for the perfect fit. He was briefly a Baptist and founded the first Baptist church in America....but eventually ended up giving up on organized Christianity because he saw church tradition and hierarchy as a bad thing. (Obviously, he was missing the fact that we are called to live our faith in a church. Yep, a church filled with imperfect people and leaders who will offend you, sin against you and make bad choices sometimes.) Williams wrote, towards the end of his life: "There is no regularly constituted church of Christ on earth, nor any person qualified to administer any church ordinances; nor can there be until new apostles are sent by the Great Head of the Church for whose coming I am seeking."
Williams, along with other religious dissenters left Massachusetts and founded Rhode Island as a bastion of religious liberty. However, it is very funny, although sad, that some people would be this misinformed about history to suggest something as inane as this. This isn't the confederate flag over the capitol, kids. This name has nothing to do with slavery. Nothing. But, the political correctness police are always looking for a new thing to whine about.
Anyhow, a clown in the legislature named Joseph S. Almeida wants to have a public referendum on removing "plantation" from Rhode Island's name. (The real name of Rhode Island is "Rhode Island and Providence Plantations). Apparently, this dufus thinks it has to do with slavery, which shows that he needs to spend a little time studying the state's history. Rhode Island was, er, the first state to ban the practice. Also, the plantation in the state's name has nothing to do with palatial southern estates with slaves picking cotton. It is pathetic that a state legislator is so out of touch with his state's history that he would go on record and public ally make an a-- out of himself. What's even worse is that some people in the state's populous, actually think it is a good idea as well....it really shows how frankly stupid some people area.
Anyhow, the Providence Journal ran an op-ed piece by Keith Stokes giving the history of the State's name. The plantation theme found in colonial literature actually comes from some of Cotton Mather's sermon. Of course, the fact it came from a sermon will certainly give some ACLU weenie the shakes and twitches. Mather referred to those moving to the new world for religious freedom, as those being planted in the "promised land." The state charter refers to the State as the land that: "where, by the good Providence of God, from whom the Plantations have taken their name, upon their labor and industry, they have not only been preserved to admiration, but have increased and prospered, and are seized and possessed, by purchase and consent of the said natives, to their full content, of such lands, islands, rivers, harbors and roads, as are very convenient both for plantations and also for building of ships, supply of pipestaves, and other merchandise.”
Stokes continues: "The historic use of the word plantation does not simply refer to early farms or settlements. It was specifically crafted and applied by our founding settlers as a means to express their newly achieved experience of religious liberty and expression." Lastly, "For me, it is profoundly ironic that the name Plantations in Rhode Island would be reviled as a symbol of oppression, when in historical truth the name should be synonymous with civil liberty and rights, not African slavery. "
Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, was a bit like many modern Christians - denomination shopping for the perfect fit. He was briefly a Baptist and founded the first Baptist church in America....but eventually ended up giving up on organized Christianity because he saw church tradition and hierarchy as a bad thing. (Obviously, he was missing the fact that we are called to live our faith in a church. Yep, a church filled with imperfect people and leaders who will offend you, sin against you and make bad choices sometimes.) Williams wrote, towards the end of his life: "There is no regularly constituted church of Christ on earth, nor any person qualified to administer any church ordinances; nor can there be until new apostles are sent by the Great Head of the Church for whose coming I am seeking."
Williams, along with other religious dissenters left Massachusetts and founded Rhode Island as a bastion of religious liberty. However, it is very funny, although sad, that some people would be this misinformed about history to suggest something as inane as this. This isn't the confederate flag over the capitol, kids. This name has nothing to do with slavery. Nothing. But, the political correctness police are always looking for a new thing to whine about.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
A Classic Car Review
This has to be one of the funniest car reviews I have ever read.
I've picked on hybrid cars in the past as an exquisite example of feel good environmentalism. A circumstance where one feels like they are doing something environmentally "conscious," but without much of any real environmental benefit. But, heck, they're raising "awareness" right?
Enjoy.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article6294116.ece
I've picked on hybrid cars in the past as an exquisite example of feel good environmentalism. A circumstance where one feels like they are doing something environmentally "conscious," but without much of any real environmental benefit. But, heck, they're raising "awareness" right?
Enjoy.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/jeremy_clarkson/article6294116.ece
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Some Stupid Worship Music...
I can't really say much more about this....other than: wow, this is really stupid. It's about as theologically rich as a Brittany Spears song.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Some thoughts for Easter...
Also posted on my FB account:
I recently came across some excellent observations by the German theologian Bonhoeffer in an excerpt from his book "Ethics."
"The figure of the reconciler, of the divine human Jesus Christ, steps into the middle between God and world, into the center of all that happens. Through this figure, the mystery of the world is disclosed, just as in the same figure the mystery of God is revealed. No abyss of evil can hide from him through whom the world is reconciled with God. But the abyss of God's love encompasses even the most abysmal godlessness of the world. In the an incomprehensible reversal of all righteous and pious thinking, God declares God's guilt towards the world and in so doing extinguishes the guilt of the world. God sets out upon the humiliating path of reconciliation and thereby pronounces the world free. God wills to be guilty of our sin, and takes over the punishment and suffering sin has brought upon us. God answers for godlessness, love for hatred, the saint for the sinner. Now, there is no godlessness, no hatred, no sin which God has not carried, suffered and atoned. Now there is no reality, no world that is not reconciled and in peace with God. God did this in his beloved Son Jesus Christ. Ecco homo!"
Ecce homo - behold the human being, judged by God, a form of misery and pain. This is what the reconciler of the world looks like. The guilt of humanity has fallen upon him; it pushes him into disgrace and death under God's judgment. This is how costly reconciliation with the world is to God. Only by God executing judgment upon God can peace be established between God and ht world be between human being and human being. The mystery of this judgment, however, of this suffering and dying, is God's love for the world, for human beings. Only as someone judged by God can a human being live before God; only the crucified human being is at peace with God. In the form of the crucified we recognize and find ourselves. Accepted by God, judged and reconciled in the cross: That is the reality of humankind."
Also, I can only think of this excerpt from Dostoevsky's book "The Brother's Karamazov":
"Fear nothing and never be afraid: and don't fret. If only your penitence fail not, God will forgive all. There is no sin, and there can be no sin on all the earth, which the Lord will not forgive to the truly repentant. Man cannot commit a sin so great as to exhaust the infinite love of God. Can there be a sin which could exceed the love of God? Think only of repentance, continual repentance, but dismiss fear all together. Believe that God loves you as you cannot conceive: that He loves you with your sin, in your sin. It has been said of old that over one repentant sinner there is more joy in heaven that over ten righteous men. Go and fear not. Be not bitter against men. Be not angry if you are wronged......all things are atoned for, all things are saved by love. If I, a sinner, even as you are, am tender with you and have pity on you, how much more will God?"
Then, there is one of my favorite Flannery O'Connor stories..."Revelation", where a self-righteous woman who sees herself as good and is thankful that she isn't a minority, poor, or unattractive has a shocking view of heaven. (A common theme in O'Connor's work is parodying the often shallow and pharisaic "bible belt" culture found in the American South.)
"A visionary light settled in her eyes. She saw the streak as a vast swinging bridge extending upward from the earth through a field of living fire. Upon it vast horde of souls were rumbling toward heaven. There were whole companies of white trash, clean for the first time in their lives, and bands of black [the "n" word] in white robes, and battalions of freaks and lunatics shouting and clapping and leaping like frogs. And bringing up the end of the procession was a tribe of people who she recognized at once as those, like herself and Claud, had always a little of everything and the God-given wit to use it right. She leaned forward to watch them closer. They were marching behind the others with great dignity, accountable as they had always been for good order and common sense and respectable behavior. They alone were on key. Yet she could see by their shocked and altered faces that even their virtues were being burned away."
I have to think about Romans 3 (as paraphrased in the NLT):
Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin. As the Scriptures say,
“No one is righteous—
not even one.
No one is truly wise;
no one is seeking God.
All have turned away;
all have become useless.
No one does good,
not a single one.”
Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
Their tongues are filled with lies.”
“Snake venom drips from their lips."
“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."
“They rush to commit murder.
"Destruction and misery always follow them.
"They don’t know where to find peace.”
"They have no fear of God at all.”
Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law."
As I consider Easter, the hymn by Stuart Townend comes to mind:
How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
I recently came across some excellent observations by the German theologian Bonhoeffer in an excerpt from his book "Ethics."
"The figure of the reconciler, of the divine human Jesus Christ, steps into the middle between God and world, into the center of all that happens. Through this figure, the mystery of the world is disclosed, just as in the same figure the mystery of God is revealed. No abyss of evil can hide from him through whom the world is reconciled with God. But the abyss of God's love encompasses even the most abysmal godlessness of the world. In the an incomprehensible reversal of all righteous and pious thinking, God declares God's guilt towards the world and in so doing extinguishes the guilt of the world. God sets out upon the humiliating path of reconciliation and thereby pronounces the world free. God wills to be guilty of our sin, and takes over the punishment and suffering sin has brought upon us. God answers for godlessness, love for hatred, the saint for the sinner. Now, there is no godlessness, no hatred, no sin which God has not carried, suffered and atoned. Now there is no reality, no world that is not reconciled and in peace with God. God did this in his beloved Son Jesus Christ. Ecco homo!"
Ecce homo - behold the human being, judged by God, a form of misery and pain. This is what the reconciler of the world looks like. The guilt of humanity has fallen upon him; it pushes him into disgrace and death under God's judgment. This is how costly reconciliation with the world is to God. Only by God executing judgment upon God can peace be established between God and ht world be between human being and human being. The mystery of this judgment, however, of this suffering and dying, is God's love for the world, for human beings. Only as someone judged by God can a human being live before God; only the crucified human being is at peace with God. In the form of the crucified we recognize and find ourselves. Accepted by God, judged and reconciled in the cross: That is the reality of humankind."
Also, I can only think of this excerpt from Dostoevsky's book "The Brother's Karamazov":
"Fear nothing and never be afraid: and don't fret. If only your penitence fail not, God will forgive all. There is no sin, and there can be no sin on all the earth, which the Lord will not forgive to the truly repentant. Man cannot commit a sin so great as to exhaust the infinite love of God. Can there be a sin which could exceed the love of God? Think only of repentance, continual repentance, but dismiss fear all together. Believe that God loves you as you cannot conceive: that He loves you with your sin, in your sin. It has been said of old that over one repentant sinner there is more joy in heaven that over ten righteous men. Go and fear not. Be not bitter against men. Be not angry if you are wronged......all things are atoned for, all things are saved by love. If I, a sinner, even as you are, am tender with you and have pity on you, how much more will God?"
Then, there is one of my favorite Flannery O'Connor stories..."Revelation", where a self-righteous woman who sees herself as good and is thankful that she isn't a minority, poor, or unattractive has a shocking view of heaven. (A common theme in O'Connor's work is parodying the often shallow and pharisaic "bible belt" culture found in the American South.)
"A visionary light settled in her eyes. She saw the streak as a vast swinging bridge extending upward from the earth through a field of living fire. Upon it vast horde of souls were rumbling toward heaven. There were whole companies of white trash, clean for the first time in their lives, and bands of black [the "n" word] in white robes, and battalions of freaks and lunatics shouting and clapping and leaping like frogs. And bringing up the end of the procession was a tribe of people who she recognized at once as those, like herself and Claud, had always a little of everything and the God-given wit to use it right. She leaned forward to watch them closer. They were marching behind the others with great dignity, accountable as they had always been for good order and common sense and respectable behavior. They alone were on key. Yet she could see by their shocked and altered faces that even their virtues were being burned away."
I have to think about Romans 3 (as paraphrased in the NLT):
Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin. As the Scriptures say,
“No one is righteous—
not even one.
No one is truly wise;
no one is seeking God.
All have turned away;
all have become useless.
No one does good,
not a single one.”
Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
Their tongues are filled with lies.”
“Snake venom drips from their lips."
“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."
“They rush to commit murder.
"Destruction and misery always follow them.
"They don’t know where to find peace.”
"They have no fear of God at all.”
Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law."
As I consider Easter, the hymn by Stuart Townend comes to mind:
How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory
Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers
It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Breaking News from Philadelphia
A classic messup by one of America's finest airlines:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090311/ap_on_fe_st/odd_pet_store_human_corpse
I apologize for the lack of activity here...school has pretty much sucked the life out of me (perhaps I may end up at a pet shop too). Life here is going well, work is going great and my grades are good although I'm looking forward to getting done with school.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090311/ap_on_fe_st/odd_pet_store_human_corpse
I apologize for the lack of activity here...school has pretty much sucked the life out of me (perhaps I may end up at a pet shop too). Life here is going well, work is going great and my grades are good although I'm looking forward to getting done with school.
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