One of the most telling parts of the christian pro life philosophy is their push for restrictions on birth control. This exposes them for what they are attempting to do: punish women. They are really saying to women: “if you are going to have sex, then you must pay through the inconveniences and dangers of pregnancy”. Of course they don’t want the kid once it’s born; they just want to punish sexually active women.
The root of their despise of women is the same as the root for radical Islam’s severe restrictions on women: the idea that a woman was the weakness that brought about the fall of man as expressed in the temptation of Eve in the Hebrew scriptures. Both Christians and Muslims put great emphasis and belief in these ancient texts which they consider to be the “word of god”. In this context a woman bears the greatest blame for humans being denied paradise.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Exponential Growth
Driving through central California recently I was dismayed at the vast orchards left to die from lack of water and the sprawling subdivisions (complete with swimming pools)built on prime farm land. Have we gone entirely crazy??
Somehow Americans have lost touch with the struggle for survival. From our president to the common working family we have lost any sense our ancestors might have had that there are limits. We are not all powerful.
When I taught high school I would occasionally assign an activity demonstrating exponential growth. Small groups of students were given a lot of beans and two glass jars. One bean was added to the first jar and every 30 seconds the addition was doubled: One bean, then 2 then 4 then 8 etc. Soon the jar was full. One more doubling filled the second jar.
The questions I asked were as follows: 1) If the beans could think, would they have felt crowded when the first jar was half full? (Probably they would have felt like they had a lot of room left but they had only 30 seconds before doom struck.) 2) Is finding another planet a solution when we run out of space? (Just one more doubling would void that planet as well.)
Right now we are probably at the half way point for our container. There are still lots of wide open spaces. I hope we are smart enough to control ourselves before it is too late.
A great crusader for population control once said: “Population will be controlled! We have only two ways to promote it: birth control and abortion. Otherwise nature will do the job through famine, disease, war and natural disaster.”
The ProLife movement does not consider, or even understand, the consequences of its drive to limit birth control and abortion. They think god will step in and fix everything if we only subscribe to their doctrine.
Somehow Americans have lost touch with the struggle for survival. From our president to the common working family we have lost any sense our ancestors might have had that there are limits. We are not all powerful.
When I taught high school I would occasionally assign an activity demonstrating exponential growth. Small groups of students were given a lot of beans and two glass jars. One bean was added to the first jar and every 30 seconds the addition was doubled: One bean, then 2 then 4 then 8 etc. Soon the jar was full. One more doubling filled the second jar.
The questions I asked were as follows: 1) If the beans could think, would they have felt crowded when the first jar was half full? (Probably they would have felt like they had a lot of room left but they had only 30 seconds before doom struck.) 2) Is finding another planet a solution when we run out of space? (Just one more doubling would void that planet as well.)
Right now we are probably at the half way point for our container. There are still lots of wide open spaces. I hope we are smart enough to control ourselves before it is too late.
A great crusader for population control once said: “Population will be controlled! We have only two ways to promote it: birth control and abortion. Otherwise nature will do the job through famine, disease, war and natural disaster.”
The ProLife movement does not consider, or even understand, the consequences of its drive to limit birth control and abortion. They think god will step in and fix everything if we only subscribe to their doctrine.
Monday, March 24, 2008
Bin Laden: "Stay the Course you Stupid Americans"
The comment “the troop surge is working” will sound like “mission accomplished” in a year or two.
In November 2004 the Arabic-language network Al-Jazeera released a full transcript of a videotape from Osama bin Laden in which the head of al Qaeda said his group's goal is to force America into bankruptcy.
In March of 2008 Al-Jazeera broadcast an audiotape on which a voice identified as Osama bin Laden declares "Iraq is the perfect base to set up the jihad to liberate Palestine."
Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) responded to bin Laden’s comment by telling supporters at a town hall meeting that he, top US commander in Iraq Gen. David Petraeus, and terror mastermind Osama bin Laden all agree about the Iraq war. McCain added: “the central battleground in the battle against al-Qaeda is in Iraq today!”
How can the al-Qaeda leaders be so smart and our leaders be so stupid. Don’t these guys realize that the best way to achieve bin Laden’s goal of bankrupting the US is to keep us in Iraq.
In November 2004 the Arabic-language network Al-Jazeera released a full transcript of a videotape from Osama bin Laden in which the head of al Qaeda said his group's goal is to force America into bankruptcy.
In March of 2008 Al-Jazeera broadcast an audiotape on which a voice identified as Osama bin Laden declares "Iraq is the perfect base to set up the jihad to liberate Palestine."
Presumptive GOP presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) responded to bin Laden’s comment by telling supporters at a town hall meeting that he, top US commander in Iraq Gen. David Petraeus, and terror mastermind Osama bin Laden all agree about the Iraq war. McCain added: “the central battleground in the battle against al-Qaeda is in Iraq today!”
How can the al-Qaeda leaders be so smart and our leaders be so stupid. Don’t these guys realize that the best way to achieve bin Laden’s goal of bankrupting the US is to keep us in Iraq.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Why do Christians reject Communism?
Why do wealthy, so called Christian societies react so strongly against Communism? I believe it is because the communist social ideology closely imitates early Christian social practice and to accept communism as valid would condemn present day Christian social practice. For example the early church advocated renunciation of private ownership in favor of the total sharing of an individual’s wealth with the group. This is recorded in Acts 4:32-35: (King James Version)
“32 - And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
33 - And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
34 - Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
35 - And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.”
In fact they were so radically communistic in those days that death resulted for transgressors (I guess god killed them): Acts 5:1-11
1 - But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2 - And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
3 - But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4 - While it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
5 - And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
6 - And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
7 - And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8 - And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
9 - Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
10 - Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
11 - And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
The practice of Communism is so much closer to the spirit of the early church that it is no wonder that present day American Christian culture, based on greed and individual ownership, would reject it to the point of being willing to destroy it by war.
“32 - And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
33 - And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
34 - Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
35 - And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.”
In fact they were so radically communistic in those days that death resulted for transgressors (I guess god killed them): Acts 5:1-11
1 - But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2 - And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
3 - But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4 - While it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
5 - And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
6 - And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
7 - And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8 - And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
9 - Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
10 - Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
11 - And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
The practice of Communism is so much closer to the spirit of the early church that it is no wonder that present day American Christian culture, based on greed and individual ownership, would reject it to the point of being willing to destroy it by war.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Thoughts About God Part 2
All my life I have wanted to discover something really significant. I have made some minor discoveries in laboratory work but nothing really big. I have discovered a lot about the bible but most is not unique to me.
What do I think about the bible? It has been copied and recopied, by hand, repeatedly through out the centuries. Each time minor and/or major changes were made which gradually developed the present day product. The concepts of god and Jesus were carefully crafted to fit the prevailing orthodoxy. I am certain that no one knows what really happened in any instance. The Christian religion which has been developed over the centuries has very little factual basis. Chances are, almost every aspect is a lie.
People who say they “love” god are infatuated with a fantasy they themselves have imagined. The bible can support almost any kind of god fantasy: a loving, ever caring comforter, a vindictive judge who watches human beings and who will torture the “bad” ones (or even the ones who just don’t believe god/Jesus etc. exists) forever after they die, a mighty, all powerful protector, and to some a mixture of all of these concepts. These same visions can be found in other books which claim to be “god’s word”.
I think we forfeit our ability to actually discover the true nature of our existence by relying on books such as the Bible, the Qur'ān, and the Book of Mormon etc. We often persist in looking backward, as though the “truth” was known to the ancients, and fail to discover who we are and whether we share consciousness with anything outside ourselves.
The alchemists believed that elements could be changed from one to another and long sought to convert lead into gold. And truly such a conversion is possible but the reality of the transmutation is far more complex than the alchemists every dreamed of. If we had continued to pursue the transmutation in the same fashion that the alchemists did we would still be unenlightened. I believe that the ancients who sought god were indeed onto something. But when we continue to follow their recipes we miss the real possibility of discovery.
What do I think about the bible? It has been copied and recopied, by hand, repeatedly through out the centuries. Each time minor and/or major changes were made which gradually developed the present day product. The concepts of god and Jesus were carefully crafted to fit the prevailing orthodoxy. I am certain that no one knows what really happened in any instance. The Christian religion which has been developed over the centuries has very little factual basis. Chances are, almost every aspect is a lie.
People who say they “love” god are infatuated with a fantasy they themselves have imagined. The bible can support almost any kind of god fantasy: a loving, ever caring comforter, a vindictive judge who watches human beings and who will torture the “bad” ones (or even the ones who just don’t believe god/Jesus etc. exists) forever after they die, a mighty, all powerful protector, and to some a mixture of all of these concepts. These same visions can be found in other books which claim to be “god’s word”.
I think we forfeit our ability to actually discover the true nature of our existence by relying on books such as the Bible, the Qur'ān, and the Book of Mormon etc. We often persist in looking backward, as though the “truth” was known to the ancients, and fail to discover who we are and whether we share consciousness with anything outside ourselves.
The alchemists believed that elements could be changed from one to another and long sought to convert lead into gold. And truly such a conversion is possible but the reality of the transmutation is far more complex than the alchemists every dreamed of. If we had continued to pursue the transmutation in the same fashion that the alchemists did we would still be unenlightened. I believe that the ancients who sought god were indeed onto something. But when we continue to follow their recipes we miss the real possibility of discovery.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Spanglish
Big controversey over the US National Anthem in Spanish. Another pointless, divisive issue. Personally I feel proud that Mexicans would want to sing the National Anthem in their language. The sham concern is just one more evasive maneuver (like pushing for a Constitutional amendments to ban gay marriage, promote prayer in the schools, prohibit flag burning) to hide the fact that our government has no idea how to solve the really critical problems our nation faces (like overwhelming deficits, Iraq, Afganistan, terrorism, education, universal medical care, gluttonous energy consumption, etc.).
One of our most despicable behaviors is, and has been, the intrusive meddling in other nation’s affairs in order to get what we want. Iran hates us? Big surprise! We helped to overthrow their elected government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddeq in 1953 (the first successful overthrow of a foreign government by our CIA) and install a brutal dictator, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, who would give us unlimited oil, no questions asked. Central and South American governments opting for “left wing” candidates who oppose the US? We have done our best to subvert democratic reform throughout the hemisphere. Remember the 1973 coup our CIA engineered to depose and murder Salvador Allende, the first democratically elected, Marxist/Socialist government ever and install the brutal dictator Augusto Pinochet who destroyed Chile’s democracy and pursued a murderous policy of state terrorism.
I am old but I am really scared for our children in a world we have turned upside down, one which hates us and wants to destroy us, and we have incompetent, dithering leaders who can not conceive of the real issues and only care about keeping their power and wealth
One of our most despicable behaviors is, and has been, the intrusive meddling in other nation’s affairs in order to get what we want. Iran hates us? Big surprise! We helped to overthrow their elected government of Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddeq in 1953 (the first successful overthrow of a foreign government by our CIA) and install a brutal dictator, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi, who would give us unlimited oil, no questions asked. Central and South American governments opting for “left wing” candidates who oppose the US? We have done our best to subvert democratic reform throughout the hemisphere. Remember the 1973 coup our CIA engineered to depose and murder Salvador Allende, the first democratically elected, Marxist/Socialist government ever and install the brutal dictator Augusto Pinochet who destroyed Chile’s democracy and pursued a murderous policy of state terrorism.
I am old but I am really scared for our children in a world we have turned upside down, one which hates us and wants to destroy us, and we have incompetent, dithering leaders who can not conceive of the real issues and only care about keeping their power and wealth
"Illegal" Immigration
Americans easily forget history. It was not always the case that illegal aliens streamed North across the Mexican-American border. Throughout the 1820s Americans streamed South and West into Mexican territory. However Mexico would not allow slavery and the folks who were entering Mexican territory wanted to own slaves. The Mexican government became alarmed and outlawed the immigration.
Typical of American foreign policy, President Polk (a slave holder himself), conjured up an attack on American soil by the Mexican Army. He said “American blood had been shed on American soil”. Many in the North knew this was a lie (including the freshman congressman Abraham Lincoln) but Polk successfully convinced congress to let him wage war on Mexico. In 1846 the war was begun and by 1848 the territories from Texas to Southern Oregon were conquered and annexed into the United States of America. It was, in my view, indefensible imperialism at its worst. The ill will engendered by this act, among Americans themselves, was the catalyst for the Civil War.
The perpetuation of the myth of the Alamo is a dishonest exploitation of our history. The fact is that the defenders of the Alamo fought for white supremacy and slavery.
The vast territory (over 500,000 square miles) taken from Mexico included Texas, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Utah. Now many Americans, ignorant of their own sordid history, bristle with anger over what they perceive as illegal entry into “our” country by Mexicans. But to many of the Mexicans who are entering the U.S. it is their country which was taken from them! They are just coming home.
Mexico 1800
Typical of American foreign policy, President Polk (a slave holder himself), conjured up an attack on American soil by the Mexican Army. He said “American blood had been shed on American soil”. Many in the North knew this was a lie (including the freshman congressman Abraham Lincoln) but Polk successfully convinced congress to let him wage war on Mexico. In 1846 the war was begun and by 1848 the territories from Texas to Southern Oregon were conquered and annexed into the United States of America. It was, in my view, indefensible imperialism at its worst. The ill will engendered by this act, among Americans themselves, was the catalyst for the Civil War.
The perpetuation of the myth of the Alamo is a dishonest exploitation of our history. The fact is that the defenders of the Alamo fought for white supremacy and slavery.
The vast territory (over 500,000 square miles) taken from Mexico included Texas, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Utah. Now many Americans, ignorant of their own sordid history, bristle with anger over what they perceive as illegal entry into “our” country by Mexicans. But to many of the Mexicans who are entering the U.S. it is their country which was taken from them! They are just coming home.
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