For many years, the Bible, the greatest story ever told, has been reduced to a mere excuse to commit murder. This travesty has not been perpetrated by Muslims, or atheists, or any other group. Shamefully, it's been done by so-called "Christians".
I have always gotten the impression, based on my real world experiences and observations, that most Christians do not truly believe that which they preach. In no way is that more obvious than by the position many "Christians" take on capital punishment. The "Christians" who support this savage institution love to cite Exodus 21:12 and similar verses as the basis for their belief. These people are blind to an indisputable fact that they need to come to grips with: some biblical doctrines are outdated and simply have no place whatsoever in modern society. For example, Ephesians 6:5, Colossians 3:22, 1 Timothy 6:1, and Titus 2:9 all condone slavery. Deuteronomy 21:15 promotes polygamy. Deuteronomy 21:18-21 says that a rebellious child is to be put to death. We don't enforce that biblical law. Otherwise, almost every teenager in America would have been stoned to death by now. These things are now outlawed because common sense and human compassion have pervailed over misguided religious beliefs. Ask yourself: do we really want to take the risk of interpreting the Bible literally?
No supporter of capital punishment is a true Christian, because they reject Christ's message of love, compassion, and forgiveness. The reality is that they are vengeful, bloodthristy sadists who claim to be Christian only when it is convenient for them. They praise God and quote scripture only when it serves their purpose. Mention any of the verses above, they have very little to say and, in some cases, become very combative.
The irony that these people fail to see is that Jesus Himself denounced the death penalty. In John, chapter 8, a woman is caught committing adultery. Those who caught her bring her before Jesus and say, "Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned, but what sayest thou?" Jesus replied, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."
Are those who advocate the death penalty on religious grounds without sin? Is anyone of them as perfect as Christ? No, they're mere mortals, like everyone else, people who are imperfect and flawed, no matter how hard they try to make it seem otherwise. Their sins may not be as terrible as murder, but they are sins nonetheless. If Jesus spoke out against the death penalty, who are they, indeed, to call for such a vile act to be carried out? Is their arrogance and self-rightousness such that they persume their way to be better than that of the man they claim to have accepted as the savior?
Ironically, many "Christians" in support of capital punishment say that they are opposed to abortion, because they believe life is sacred. If they truly believe life is so sacred, why do they, in regards to capital punishment, advocate the taking of life from one human by another? A wise man once wrote, "People who reject aboslute standards of right and wrong are often inconsistant." Rather than having an absolute standard regarding the sactity of life, pro-death penalty "Christians" have instead created a double standard, one that makes their argument invalid. They fail to see that, like abortion, capital punishment is nothing more than legalized murder. Inconsistancy indeed. I smell the foul stench of hypocrisy.
The bottom line is, "Christians" in support of capital punishment use the Bible to add a sense of legitimacy to their views, but because of those views, they are no better than the than the ancient Romans who flocked en masse to the Colosseum [sic] to watch gladiator battle to the death and see slaves get eaten alive by wild lions. If executions were a "spectator sport", as they were in and before the 19th century, supporters would no doubt vie for a seat the way some members of my generation scramble to get their hands on the latest video game system. I can just imagine death penalty supporters licking their chops and salivating at such a thought.
In the end, we are faced with the sad fact that as the greatest civilization in the history of the world, we have resorted to barbarism. How pathetic. Indeed, we are not as civilized as we pretend to be.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Virginia's Governor: right on transportation
The State of Virginia is currently facing quite a dilemma in regards to its transportation system, a situation that some argue has reached the crisis point. Indeed, crumbling and heavily congested roadways, and a lack of funding for road maintenance have made for a sorry and embarrassing state of affairs.
In response to this, Gov. Tim Kaine (D) has proposed a great solution, one that makes perfect sense: increase the gas tax, among other fees, to raise funds for transportation. In other words, have those who use the roads pay for them.
Predictably, the "anti-tax party" in Virginia's legislature, otherwise known as Republicans, have once again dusted off their stale old rallying cry, "No new taxes!", and they're shouting it at anyone who will listen. Of course, this empty rhetoric offers no sloution to the problem at hand, as is usually the case, and is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt by Republicans to gain re-election to the office they prize above all else. Ironically, the Republicans claim that their opposition to the governor's proposal is rooted in their desire to save taxpayers money, yet they stood as obstacles to progress (nothing new about that) during a fruitless six-day special legislative session on transportation recently that cost the taxpayers $117,000.
What the anti-tax crowd fails to realize is that raising taxes is justified and, in most cases, good practice if no other feasible solution is presented and the money goes toward doing something for the common good. Last time I checked, a good reliable transportation system benefits everyone.
Gov. Kaine is not only taking unnecessary heat from stubborn Republicans, but also from consumers who make the questionable claim that raising the gas tax will hurt them when they're already struggling at the pump. Struggling? Actually, it doesn't seem that there are many people who are really being pinched by high gas prices. Otherwise, parking lots like those at movie theaters, grocery stores, restaurants, and Wal-Mart wouldn't be as packed as I often notice. If gas prices are truly hurting your budget, here's an idea: Stop driving so much! Hail a cab to the grocery store or pay a friend to drive you. Instead of driving to the store around the corner, walk or ride a bike. Take the bus to the movie theater and your other leisure activites. If, for some reason, you think you're "too special" or "too high-class" to ride the bus or take a cab, then stop whining. By all means, go fill up your tank and keep forking over the cash to Big Oil.
The point here is if people can afford to drive around on leisure trips, I don't see how Gov. Kaine's proposal of a few extra cents per gallon will cause them any financial trauma, so what's their complaint? That's right, they don't have one. At least not a legitimate one, anyway. Besides, you think gas is expensive here? How would you like to pay seven or eight bucks a gallon? No? In that case, you better thank whatever god you pray to that you don’t live in Europe.
In response to this, Gov. Tim Kaine (D) has proposed a great solution, one that makes perfect sense: increase the gas tax, among other fees, to raise funds for transportation. In other words, have those who use the roads pay for them.
Predictably, the "anti-tax party" in Virginia's legislature, otherwise known as Republicans, have once again dusted off their stale old rallying cry, "No new taxes!", and they're shouting it at anyone who will listen. Of course, this empty rhetoric offers no sloution to the problem at hand, as is usually the case, and is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt by Republicans to gain re-election to the office they prize above all else. Ironically, the Republicans claim that their opposition to the governor's proposal is rooted in their desire to save taxpayers money, yet they stood as obstacles to progress (nothing new about that) during a fruitless six-day special legislative session on transportation recently that cost the taxpayers $117,000.
What the anti-tax crowd fails to realize is that raising taxes is justified and, in most cases, good practice if no other feasible solution is presented and the money goes toward doing something for the common good. Last time I checked, a good reliable transportation system benefits everyone.
Gov. Kaine is not only taking unnecessary heat from stubborn Republicans, but also from consumers who make the questionable claim that raising the gas tax will hurt them when they're already struggling at the pump. Struggling? Actually, it doesn't seem that there are many people who are really being pinched by high gas prices. Otherwise, parking lots like those at movie theaters, grocery stores, restaurants, and Wal-Mart wouldn't be as packed as I often notice. If gas prices are truly hurting your budget, here's an idea: Stop driving so much! Hail a cab to the grocery store or pay a friend to drive you. Instead of driving to the store around the corner, walk or ride a bike. Take the bus to the movie theater and your other leisure activites. If, for some reason, you think you're "too special" or "too high-class" to ride the bus or take a cab, then stop whining. By all means, go fill up your tank and keep forking over the cash to Big Oil.
The point here is if people can afford to drive around on leisure trips, I don't see how Gov. Kaine's proposal of a few extra cents per gallon will cause them any financial trauma, so what's their complaint? That's right, they don't have one. At least not a legitimate one, anyway. Besides, you think gas is expensive here? How would you like to pay seven or eight bucks a gallon? No? In that case, you better thank whatever god you pray to that you don’t live in Europe.
Friday, July 11, 2008
27 ways to improve America
1. End the war in Iraq and withdraw the troops within a time frame that will allow it to be done safely. 2. Make going to war without provocation, credible intelligence, congressional approval, and a formal declaration of war an impeachable offense. 3. Provide optional universal health care and equal access to health services and treatments. 4. Provide tax breaks/refunds to people who purchase hybrid cars. 5. Increase funding for AIDS, cancer, and Alzheimer's research. 6. Provide funding for stem cell research. 7. Dramatically improve care of veterans. 8. Require licencing for procreation. 9. Legalize prostitution. 10. Legalize gay marriage. 11. End the "war on drugs" 12. Legalize the sale of packaged marijuana cigarettes in state-run ABC stores to collect revenue and taxes. 13. Ban smoking in all outdoor public areas and inside public buildings. 14. Provide full funeral and burial benefits to all veterans and active soldiers killed in action. 15. Make talking/texting on a cell phone while driving a criminal offense, punishable by fines and/or suspension of driver's licence. 16. Require all cars manufactured in the U.S. to be hybrid within 10 years. 17. Full prescription drug insurance for the elderly. 18. Ban the use of pre-existing medical conditions as a reason to deny health/life insurance. 19. Require spaying and neutering of pets. 20. Make animal cruelty a felony. 21. Order life imprisonment for first time convicted child molesters. 22. Abolish capital punishment. 23. Ban wasteful spending (anything that doesn't benefit the common good, like bridges to nowhere, the Woodstock Museum, and all that jazz.) 24. Ban affirmative action. 25. Legalize human euthanasia 26. Impose a "windfall profits" tax on Big Oil. 27. Repeal the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
The 4th of July: its lost meaning
Two hundred and thirty-two years ago yesterday, 56 men from all walks of life gathered together in a hot, stuffy room in what is now Independence Hall in Philadelphia to adopt what is the cornerstone of American freedom, the Declaration of Independence. Laying the groundwork for what would become the greatest civilization in the history of the world, these men did what some then were and many today are afraid of doing. They stood tall when it counted and spoke up in defense of their principles and what they believed in. The tyrant king whom they spoke against considered their act of defiance to be an act of treason. Knowing this, these brave patriots literally risked their lives so that future generations could know the joys of freedom from opression, persecution, and tyranny.
Today, Independence Day has sadly lost its true meaning, much like Christmas and Thanksgiving. It has been reduced to an excuse for Americans to reward themselves for nothing, and for retailers to have "4th of July sales" in an attempt to lure consumers into shopping malls to buy junk that they don't need. They all forget about the men and that simple piece of parchment paper that makes all this possible. Yes, the majority of the American people have become selfish, greedy, materialistic, and ungrateful, and as such, when they're at Wal-Mart lavishing money on themselves or standing in line at an amusement park, they're not thinking about the real reason for this wasted day off. No, they're thinking about instant gratification and of ways to spoil themselves even more than they've already been.
The current economic situation has exposed just how self-centered and ungrateful Americans have become. Case in point, there have been a number of so-called "news" stories about how families had to cut back on their vacation plans for the 4th, and in some cases, scrap plans altogether due to high gas prices and an economy in the hole. These "news" pieces went onto show interviews with families who whined about how instead of going to Disney World or the beach, they had to "settle for a cook-out, a ball game, and some fireworks". These people forget about the freedom that allows them to have that cook-out, go to that ball game, to a movie theater, video arcade, or anywhere they chose. In thinking only of themselves, they forget about the starving people in this country and around the world who, I'm quite certain, would love and appriciate nothing more than to "settle for a cook-out". What's even sadder is that they lose sight of the fact that it's not what you do that's important, but that you do something together with friends and family. You can't get anymore ungrateful than that.
I love this country so much. It's because I live in America that I'm able to freely express my feelings, as I'm doing right now, no matter what those feelings are. That freedom is a wonderful gift that I'll always cherish and never take for granted, because I know that there are so many people in this world who don't have that freedom. So although my love for America has never wavered, my love for the American people certainly has. The American people and their ungratefulness amd self-centeredness have caused me to shake my head in anger, fustration, and disbelief, and on a day like yesterday, have made me sick.
Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Adams, Mr. Hancock, Mr. Franklin, and the others who risked everything for the hope of freedom, please know that your brave actions have not been entirely forgotten. Please know that there are still some of us who are forever grateful for the gift you have given us. Please know that there are still some of us who recognize and appriciate what the 4th of July truly means. For your courage, for your sacrifices, and for risking having your necks in a noose, on behalf of those true Americans who feel as I do, I thank you.
Today, Independence Day has sadly lost its true meaning, much like Christmas and Thanksgiving. It has been reduced to an excuse for Americans to reward themselves for nothing, and for retailers to have "4th of July sales" in an attempt to lure consumers into shopping malls to buy junk that they don't need. They all forget about the men and that simple piece of parchment paper that makes all this possible. Yes, the majority of the American people have become selfish, greedy, materialistic, and ungrateful, and as such, when they're at Wal-Mart lavishing money on themselves or standing in line at an amusement park, they're not thinking about the real reason for this wasted day off. No, they're thinking about instant gratification and of ways to spoil themselves even more than they've already been.
The current economic situation has exposed just how self-centered and ungrateful Americans have become. Case in point, there have been a number of so-called "news" stories about how families had to cut back on their vacation plans for the 4th, and in some cases, scrap plans altogether due to high gas prices and an economy in the hole. These "news" pieces went onto show interviews with families who whined about how instead of going to Disney World or the beach, they had to "settle for a cook-out, a ball game, and some fireworks". These people forget about the freedom that allows them to have that cook-out, go to that ball game, to a movie theater, video arcade, or anywhere they chose. In thinking only of themselves, they forget about the starving people in this country and around the world who, I'm quite certain, would love and appriciate nothing more than to "settle for a cook-out". What's even sadder is that they lose sight of the fact that it's not what you do that's important, but that you do something together with friends and family. You can't get anymore ungrateful than that.
I love this country so much. It's because I live in America that I'm able to freely express my feelings, as I'm doing right now, no matter what those feelings are. That freedom is a wonderful gift that I'll always cherish and never take for granted, because I know that there are so many people in this world who don't have that freedom. So although my love for America has never wavered, my love for the American people certainly has. The American people and their ungratefulness amd self-centeredness have caused me to shake my head in anger, fustration, and disbelief, and on a day like yesterday, have made me sick.
Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Adams, Mr. Hancock, Mr. Franklin, and the others who risked everything for the hope of freedom, please know that your brave actions have not been entirely forgotten. Please know that there are still some of us who are forever grateful for the gift you have given us. Please know that there are still some of us who recognize and appriciate what the 4th of July truly means. For your courage, for your sacrifices, and for risking having your necks in a noose, on behalf of those true Americans who feel as I do, I thank you.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Bush's legacy is set in stone
As the life mercifully begins to slip away from George W. Bush's presidency, I've been wondering what his legacy will be and how history will judge him.
Bush has fucked this country in the ass big time, in more ways than one. First of all, when President Clinton (my personal hero) handed power over to Bush in 2001, he also handed over a surplus of $236 billion, which Bush in turn squandered, like a girl in a shoe store, through seven years of unchecked defecit spending. When Bush leaves the White house in 2009, he'll leave behind $3.5 trillion in new debt.
This administration has lost more jobs since Herbert Hoover. Under Clinton, middle class incomes increased more that $6,000 a year. Under Bush, those same incomes have dropped by $1,000, while health-care premiums have doubled from an average of $6,000 to over $12,000 per family. And, please don't get me started on those fucking tax cuts.
The military Bush inherited was one of all active-duty Army divisions rated highest in readiness. The new president will be handed an thinly stretched, overworked military facing the worst readiness crisis in a generation, with not a single active duty or reserve brigade "fully combat ready", according to the Pentagon. I shudder to think of what would happen if World War 3 broke out and America was attacked Pearl Harbour-style.
America before Bush was a nation that was respected on the international stage. In England, for example, America was held in high regard and good will and respect towards the States still lingered from World War II, even though that was so long ago. Thanks to his dictator tactics, Good Ol' Dubya will leave behind a country reviled around the world.
In a nation where the law is held in the highest regard as one of the strongest foundations of society, Bush carelessly tossed the law aside like a dirty Kleenex and, in a move that reeks with the foul stench of Nazism, has continually spied on American citizens without warrant.
Bush's legacy will ultimately be defined by his biggest failure, the war in Iraq. The President invaded Iraq, a country that did nothing to us, to search for WMDs that we now know don't exist. This search was fueled by speculations, tainted intelligence reports, and trumped-up charges that were used to cover up Bush's true motivations for waging his unjustified war: a hypocritical thrist for foreign oil and the personal agenda of finishing the job Daddy Bush couldn't get done in 1991. The results have been the murders of almost 4,000 American troops and over 600,000 Iraqi civilians (including women and children), an open-ended commitment to occupy and protect a country full of cowards who don't have the spines to stand up like men and defend themselves, their families, and their homeland, and the neglecting of the justified war in Afgahnistan that was aimed at destroying the Taliban (who are slowly reemerging) and the capture/killing of Osama bin Laden.
I could go on, but I've vented enough and I've made my point. Despite the above facts, most conservatives still hold Bush up as a poster boy for their outdated and misguided ideals. If not for the 22nd Amendment, they would no doubt repeat their 2004 error in judgment and send His Fraudulency back to the ill-gotten office in which he now sits. But history is more objective and it will not be kind to Mr. Bush. When the history books on this age are written, Bush the Younger will join the likes of Franklin Pierce, Hoover, and Richard Nixon, among others, in the presidential hall of shame. He is and will be remembered as a complete and abysmal failure.
Bush has fucked this country in the ass big time, in more ways than one. First of all, when President Clinton (my personal hero) handed power over to Bush in 2001, he also handed over a surplus of $236 billion, which Bush in turn squandered, like a girl in a shoe store, through seven years of unchecked defecit spending. When Bush leaves the White house in 2009, he'll leave behind $3.5 trillion in new debt.
This administration has lost more jobs since Herbert Hoover. Under Clinton, middle class incomes increased more that $6,000 a year. Under Bush, those same incomes have dropped by $1,000, while health-care premiums have doubled from an average of $6,000 to over $12,000 per family. And, please don't get me started on those fucking tax cuts.
The military Bush inherited was one of all active-duty Army divisions rated highest in readiness. The new president will be handed an thinly stretched, overworked military facing the worst readiness crisis in a generation, with not a single active duty or reserve brigade "fully combat ready", according to the Pentagon. I shudder to think of what would happen if World War 3 broke out and America was attacked Pearl Harbour-style.
America before Bush was a nation that was respected on the international stage. In England, for example, America was held in high regard and good will and respect towards the States still lingered from World War II, even though that was so long ago. Thanks to his dictator tactics, Good Ol' Dubya will leave behind a country reviled around the world.
In a nation where the law is held in the highest regard as one of the strongest foundations of society, Bush carelessly tossed the law aside like a dirty Kleenex and, in a move that reeks with the foul stench of Nazism, has continually spied on American citizens without warrant.
Bush's legacy will ultimately be defined by his biggest failure, the war in Iraq. The President invaded Iraq, a country that did nothing to us, to search for WMDs that we now know don't exist. This search was fueled by speculations, tainted intelligence reports, and trumped-up charges that were used to cover up Bush's true motivations for waging his unjustified war: a hypocritical thrist for foreign oil and the personal agenda of finishing the job Daddy Bush couldn't get done in 1991. The results have been the murders of almost 4,000 American troops and over 600,000 Iraqi civilians (including women and children), an open-ended commitment to occupy and protect a country full of cowards who don't have the spines to stand up like men and defend themselves, their families, and their homeland, and the neglecting of the justified war in Afgahnistan that was aimed at destroying the Taliban (who are slowly reemerging) and the capture/killing of Osama bin Laden.
I could go on, but I've vented enough and I've made my point. Despite the above facts, most conservatives still hold Bush up as a poster boy for their outdated and misguided ideals. If not for the 22nd Amendment, they would no doubt repeat their 2004 error in judgment and send His Fraudulency back to the ill-gotten office in which he now sits. But history is more objective and it will not be kind to Mr. Bush. When the history books on this age are written, Bush the Younger will join the likes of Franklin Pierce, Hoover, and Richard Nixon, among others, in the presidential hall of shame. He is and will be remembered as a complete and abysmal failure.
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