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Texas isn’t known for its great educational system; in fact, Texas has a 19% functional illiteracy rate. California, New York, and Florida are the only states worse off; most states are closer to 10%. So, why should we care what textbooks they buy?

Textbook publishers don’t like to produce multiple editions of the same book to satisfy different states’ requirements. It’s not cost-effective. So, they look to the biggest buyers to tell them what their books should say.

Unlike most states, individual school districts in Texas do not select their own textbooks. They are chosen by the 15-member Texas State Board of Education. This makes Texas the second-largest market for textbooks in the nation, buying up to 48 million textbooks annually.

While California has a larger market for textbooks in normal times, given its current budget disaster, California won’t be buying many textbooks for a few years. All major textbook publishers have turned their eyes to Texas to learn what to write . . . particularly in the areas of science and history.

As we reported several months ago, the Texas Board of Education has been stacked with evangelical Christians. As may be expected, they’re doing everything within their considerable power to rewrite history and science. Last year was an attempt to bring the “strengths and weaknesses” comparison of evolution vs. creationism (an attempt which failed). This year, it’s the social studies curriculum.

The New York Times Magazine reports on the latest Texan manipulations of history:

Don McLeroy, a small, vigorous man with a shiny pate and bristling mustache, proposed amendment after amendment on social issues to the document that teams of professional educators had drawn up over 12 months, in what would have to be described as a single-handed display of archconservative political strong-arming.

McLeroy moved that Margaret Sanger, the birth-control pioneer, be included because she “and her followers promoted eugenics,” that language be inserted about Ronald Reagan’s “leadership in restoring national confidence” following Jimmy Carter’s presidency and that students be instructed to “describe the causes and key organizations and individuals of the conservative resurgence of the 1980s and 1990s, including Phyllis Schlafly, the Contract With America, the Heritage Foundation, the Moral Majority and the National Rifle Association.” The injection of partisan politics into education went so far that at one point another Republican board member burst out in seemingly embarrassed exasperation, “Guys, you’re rewriting history now!” Nevertheless, most of McLeroy’s proposed amendments passed by a show of hands.

Finally, the board considered an amendment to require students to evaluate the contributions of significant Americans. The names proposed included Thurgood Marshall, Billy Graham, Newt Gingrich, William F. Buckley Jr., Hillary Rodham Clinton and Edward Kennedy. All passed muster except Kennedy, who was voted down.

Pat Hardy, a conservative member of the board who considers herself an independent voice, comments that there are seven board members who openly admit that they intend to enact a theocratic agenda:

They do vote as a bloc. They work consciously to pull one more vote in with them on an issue so they’ll have a majority.

Don McLeroy, a member of the Christian voting bloc, is crystal clear about his views.

“I consider myself a Christian fundamentalist,” he announced almost as soon as we sat down. He also identifies himself as a young-earth creationist who believes that the earth was created in six days, as the book of Genesis has it, less than 10,000 years ago. He went on to explain how his Christian perspective both governs his work on the state board and guides him in the current effort to adjust American-history textbooks to highlight the role of Christianity. “Textbooks are mostly the product of the liberal establishment, and they’re written with the idea that our religion and our liberty are in conflict,” he said. “But Christianity has had a deep impact on our system. The men who wrote the Constitution were Christians who knew the Bible. Our idea of individual rights comes from the Bible. The Western development of the free-market system owes a lot to biblical principles.”

For McLeroy, separation of church and state is a myth perpetrated by secular liberals. “There are two basic facts about man,” he said. “He was created in the image of God, and he is fallen.”

Last year, the Texas Legislature got heat from across the nation over the Board’s attempts to add creationism to science. Texas was mocked by the entire nation, and some legislators got the message.

Will you help them get similar attention this year as the Board rewrites American history to suit a Christian agenda?

Update: The Dallas Morning News has endorsed Thomas Ratliff in the race for Texas School Board District 9 . . . Don McElroy’s district. Why, you ask?

Unfortunately, since being appointed as chairman in 2007, the 63-year-old McLeroy has helped lead the board into skirmishes involving evolution, reading standards and social studies content. The panel even got bogged down debating hip-hop versus country music. The rancor grew so routine that the Texas Senate last year refused to confirm the Bryan dentist as chairman.

McLeroy, a board member since 1999, undoubtedly cares about education. But this panel could use Ratliff’s more practical approach to keep its work focused on essential issues. He’s not an ideological brawler and could develop consensus.

Ratliff has had experience doing just that while serving on boards at his children’s public schools in East Texas. And he says he would listen to teachers and superintendents in determining what students should know. Setting standards is a key function of this board, and Ratliff, 42, would be more in touch with educators than McLeroy. While Ratliff shouldn’t become their captive, Texans are better served by someone who takes teachers’ points of view seriously in crafting curriculum.

The winner of the March 1 primary will enter the 2010 general election unopposed.

You can read about Ratliff (and, if you are so inclined, donate to his campaign — primary is March 1) at http://www.thomasratliff.com/

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Personhood USA reports that both Personhood Colorado and Personhood Mississippi have submitted adequate signatures to place “Personhood Amendments” to their state constitutions on the ballot in November.

Christian News Wire reports that Personhood Colorado gathered 79,817 signatures (76,047 were required) via an all-volunteer campaign.

Colorado’s amendment reads:

“Section 32. Person defined. As used in sections 3*, 6**, and 25*** of Article II of the state constitution, the term “person” shall apply to every human being from the beginning of the biological development of that human being.”

Colorado state legislator and amendment co-sponsor Gualberto Garcia-Jones remarks:

The 79,817 signatures are an indicator that the people of Colorado are determined to protect innocent life; we will not rest until every child is protected by love and by law.

Personhood Mississippi’s site makes it crystal clear that this is a religious movement:

As an update, we still need help from pro-life Christians, families, churches, and organizations in the Delta, Southwest Miss, the Coast, & Metro Jackson . . . If your church has not gotten involved, have them do so. If they have, contact other churches in your area.

Finally, as a reminder, we want to encourage all pro-life Mississippi Christians to get involved — not only with our efforts, but with pouring their lives into the “true religion” (James 1:27) of caring for widows & orphans.

Personhood Mississippi has collected over 114,000 (of 95,000 required) to make this into law:

Be it Enacted by the People of the State of Mississippi: SECTION 1. Article III of the constitution of the state of Mississippi is hearby amended BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION TO READ: Section 33. Person defined. As used in this Article III of the state constitution, “The term ‘person’ or ‘persons’ shall include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the functional equivalent thereof.” This initiative shall not require any additional revenue for implementation.

What does this mean?

First, it means that abortion — even to save the life of the mother, even in cases of child rape or incest — would be legally considered murder.

Second, it outlaws certain forms of birth control.

• IUDs prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterine lining.
• The morning-after pill (RU-486) causes the uterus to reject a recently-implanted egg.

What about fertility clinics?

All those spare fertilized eggs that didn’t get implanted and are in cold storage . . . yes, they’re people, too. I’m not sure how they plan to handle them; require someone to bear them?

Are there unforeseen consequences?

Unforeseen by whom? The proposers may not consider overpopulation a problem.

More interestingly, the amendment states, “This initiative shall not require any additional revenue for implementation.” This is not true.

Many sensible parents terminate pregnancies when the health of the mother is at stake. Personhood would make this impossible, meaning huge medical expenses — born by the taxpayers — to keep the mother alive through her pregnancy.

Many sensible parents also terminate pregnancies when the child is going to be severely deformed or subject to a hereditary disease. Personhood would make this impossible as well, meaning any number of children needing life-long care will become wards of the state.

What do you think of Personhood?

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The billboards, all similar to the one pictured above, direct viewers to “toomanyaborted.com”, an anti-abortion website which implies — OK, emphatically declares — that legally-available abortion is a racist plot to commit genocide against the black population in the United States.

Several front-page segments of the site promote the organization’s racist “Black vs. White” mentality:

• The Truth in Black & White

  Nearly 40% of all black pregnancies end in induced abortion. That’s over 3x the rate of white women and 2x the rate of all other races combined. There are beautiful alternatives: adoption and parenthood, but they are not money-makers for abortionists.

• The Negro Project

  American elites (Rockefeller, Ford, Kellogg, Carnegie) championed and funded the beliefs of eugenics, a philosophy of breeding a superior race. It called for the prevention of procreation of the ‘unfit’. This pseudo-science cult created organizations and policies based upon this ignorance. The Negro Project was one of those efforts, spearheaded by Planned Parenthood’s founder, Margaret Sanger, to eliminate the ‘unfit’.

• Get Outraged

  ‘Endangered Species’ is a bold collaborative effort between The Radiance Foundation and Georgia’s Operation Outrage that declares there are too many aborted. One is too many. It is designed to heighten the public’s awareness of this often ignored societal tragedy by creating tension in the culture and forcing an abandonment of abortion as a viable option for controlling the birth rates of blacks and the poor.

Sponsored by Georgia Right to Life, the campaign is the brainchild of Ryan Scott Bomberger and Bethany Marie Bomberger, co-founders of The Radiance Foundation.

Ryan, a child of rape who was adopted into a loving family at age 6, and Bethany, an educator, want to promote the “limitless possibilities” of each individual. Well, each unborn individual, anyway. The ones that are pregnant, apparently not so much.

The blatantly racist tone of the billboards and website are not overlooked; in fact, some area residents found them downright insulting:

Some people in the black neighborhoods where the billboards are posted told CBS Atlanta News the message is too harsh.

“It’s not the right message. It’s basically picking us out and saying that we’re having too many abortions and not using protection,” said Tyisha Martin, a black woman who lives near one billboard.

While Bomberger and others who play racial politics claim that Planned Parenthood clinics are sited in lower-income neighborhoods with high concentrations of African American citizens as part of a genocidal plot, one woman of color shares a different perspective:

Loretta Ross, the executive director of the SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Health Collective in Atlanta, said the billboards painted black women as either monsters intent on destroying their own race or victims of whites who control abortion clinics.

“The reason we have so many Planned Parenthoods in the black community is because leaders in the black community in the ’20s and ’30s went to Margaret Sanger and asked for them,” Ms. Ross said. “Controlling our fertility was part of our uplift out of poverty strategy, and it still works.”

Realistically, clinics — which provide neonatal care, family planning, STD counseling and testing, and many other services in addition to abortion — are made available for people without the financial wherewithal to visit a private physician. They are placed where they are accessible to the most people — along mass transit corridors. They are not-for-profit, so aren’t leasing Class A office space; they are conscious of budgets in selecting locations.

Where does that place clinics? Exactly where toomanyaborted claims:

in urban areas where blacks reside.

How would placing a clinic in a middle-class suburb within an office park be useful to the people needing its services?

The statement, that black children are somehow endangered, is also disingenuous. The NY Times reports that

. . . there was little evidence that abortions had made black children unusually endangered. The fertility rate, or births per 1,000 women of childbearing age, among black women remains higher than the national average and has inched up in recent years, according to C.D.C. data.

The Toomanyaborted campaign is an extension of the racist vitriol spewed by the protesters of the Houston Planned Parenthood that we reported on a few weeks ago.

Sadly, instead of promoting personal responsibility and the use of birth control, the campaign promotes paranoia and anti-white sentiment. How is increasing racial tension going to promote a healthy society? Will the Bombergers’ campaign result, for example, in more black children going unvaccinated, as rumors spread that vaccines are another attempt by “evil racist whites” to sterilize the black population?

Georgia Right to Life should be ashamed to jump on this bigoted bandwagon. Sadly, we’re not surprised, given the use of the same arguments by a nearly all-Caucasian crowd’s MLK Jr Day protest at the new Planned Parenthood in Houston.

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Last week, we reported on Mayor R. Rex Parris of Lancaster, California declaring his a “Christian community“. The American Family Association wrote on the same story on their OneNewsNow site. Rather than any reference to the separation of church and state, they focused on how evil Muslims were “irked by ‘Christian’ comment“:

The Greater Los Angeles area office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations has denounced the comments. The chapter says it plans to file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Justice Department. Executive director Hussam Ayloush says elected officials shouldn’t be using their public positions to impose their religious beliefs.

Naturally, the AFA folks had to run a poll. They asked, “What characteristic of the Christian faith is most beneficial to a community?”

Is it Forgiveness? Christians are commanded to forgive, and a forgiving spirit helps build community. Nah.

How about Repentance? It’s important for Christians to demonstrate that we are all disgusting sinners who should grovel before God as unworthy. Meh, not so much.

I know! I know! It’s Self-Control, right? Christians should be models of moderation, and show people how to avoid a hedonistic lifestyle.

5.57%? No self control here.

Click thumbnail for full-sized image.

A whopping 72.89% said “Integrity/Honesty” was the most important thing Christians bring to a community.

Here are three news headlines demonstrating that honesty and integrity. All are culled from today’s christianheadlines.com, a news aggregator site.

Pastors Use Church to Commit Mortgage Scam:

Philadelphia pastor Jamaar Manlove, along with wife Rhonda and uncle Larry Manlove, used the Vision Builders Christian Fellowship as a front for a scam to steal home equity from desperate homeowners facing foreclosure.

. . . desperate homeowners would go to the Manloves’ church, after allegedly being told there was a buyer who would purchase their home and lease it back to them.

“They’re unable to buy it back, or get the financing to buy it back, and in the meantime, the perpetrator has stolen whatever equity remained in the house,” Biden said.

All three are wanted by the state, but have yet to be located.

Pastor sentenced jail time for embezzlement

Compton, California pastor Eugene Joshua Sims, former pastor of the Double Rock Baptist Church, was sentenced to one year in jail, five years of probation, and full restitution for embezzling $800,000 from the church.

Prosecutors say Sims set up a private bank account and between March 1, 2000 and Sept. 30, 2008, he diverted $800,000 in church donations to his private bank account and threatened parishioners who questioned his finances.

Finally,

Woman accused of stealing $91,000 from church

Paulette Dumont volunteered to handle financial and administrative work for the Assumption Catholic Church of Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan. While there, Ms. Dumont helped herself to $91,000.

RCMP say a woman who did financial and administrative work for the Assumption Catholic Church has been arrested over the writing of unauthorized cheques.

Paulette Dumont, 64, is charged with fraud and theft over $5,000.

Police say the cheques were written between 2002 and 2004.

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I have no doubt that you’ve noticed how slowly the site loads. This is partly due to increases in traffic.

However, the other part of the equation is the existing skin, or “theme”. We love it, but it is code-heavy and inefficient. It loads a tremendous amount of code with each page load, but it is too complex to operate properly with plugins designed to speed things up.

We have realized we need to try something new in order to maintain a good experience for you as the site continues to grow.

We’ll be trying out a new look over the next few days. There will be plenty of code editing required in the change.

If the site happens to be down, or look really out of whack, please give it a few minutes and hit refresh. Whatever’s wrong, we’re working on it.

Don’t worry. The database is safe.

Hedging her bets, Sarah Palin charged $100,000 to speak at the first Tea Party Nation convention, where attendees paid $500 to get in the convention plus over $300 just to hear her speech. By not speaking for free, Palin avoids being tied too closely to Tea Party Nation.

The Wall Street Journal reports that while Palin was happy to gain support from the (for-profit) Tea Party (Nation) movement, she didn’t want them to interfere with the two-party system:

Asked whether she might run on the Tea Party ticket, Ms. Palin declined to answer directly, saying she hoped that the nascent movement remains a “movement of the people” and that its members “don’t believe that they need some kind of well-oiled machine” to have a political impact.

While Tea Partiers may be offended, they shouldn’t be surprised. It was only just over a week ago that Palin recommended that the Republican Party absorb Tea Party Nation:

Fox’s Greta Van Susteren asked if tea party candidates would end up siphoning votes from GOP nominees, or if the movement will “merge with the Republican Party.”

“They need to merge,” Palin said. “Definitely, they need to merge. I think those who are wanting the divisions and the divisiveness and the controversy — those are the ones who don’t believe in the message. And they’re the ones, I think, stirring it up.”

The pressure to push Tea Party Nation from its original roots as a movement espousing low taxes and smaller government — not a police state and farm subsidies and Republican-only government — may be the reason both Michele Bachmann and Martha Blackburn dropped out . . . leaving Palin as the only big name.

Blogger Kleinhelder at the Nashville Post sums it up nicely.

This new tea party bears no resemblance to the one that began a year ago as a reaction to the collapse of our financial system and the subsequent bailout. That movement of ragtag and unorganized libertarians, independents and conservatives was something new and unique. An authentic protest movement angered not just by the new President, Barack Obama, who had presided over the bailouts but the president who started the ball rolling and whose incompetence had led to the crisis in the first place, George W. Bush.

The people we saw on the steps of Legislative Plaza and county courthouses across the state last year weren’t “movement conservatives.” Certainly the movement conservatives were there at those protests but the tea parties were much bigger in size, scope and concept than just traditional modern conservatism reheated. Last night, the professional conservatives fixed that for good.

For over a year the media has struggled to try and define just what exactly the movement was. Now they have a definition.

Sarah Palin.

WSJ provides a bit more on Tea Party Nation:

As first reported by POLITICO, Tea Party Nation is a for-profit company that also operates a social network site by the same name. [Tea Party Nation CEO Judson] Phillips intends to turn a profit from the convention, with the stated goal of seeding a so-called 527 group that would air ads praising conservative candidates or criticizing their opponents.

But on Saturday he said there likely wouldn’t be much profit, and whatever money is made will go to a second convention he’s planning for July.

I’m sure Phillips will not show any substantial profit from the convention, and that he will clearly demonstrate why on the Tea Party Nation website.

Be careful if you decide to join the Tea Party Nation forum. Irregular Times collected a few details from the “revolutionary, non-partisan, 100%-password-protected (including the FAQ)” website:

* it is a corporation which has trademarked the phrase “Tea Party Nation” and will sue anyone else who uses the words.

* “You can and will be banned for being a liberal.”

* “Tea Party Nation reserves the right to ban anyone for any reason we feel necessary”

* “Trashing of TPN will not be tolerated.”

* “Questions regarding TPN posted in the public forums or blogs on the site will be deleted.”

* “It is not a forum for… calls for militant uprisings.”

* “Tea Party Nation’s strict No Tolerance policy will not make exceptions… if you see such postings, you immediately report them”

While Tea Party Nation’s speakers call for a revolution for the cameras, any actual revolutionary behavior or dissent will be result in swift dismissal. That’s an interesting combination.

A screenshot would be nice, Irregular Times guys!

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The big buzz on the Internet tonight is that Sarah Palin appears to have read notes off her hand during an interview. Yep, it looks like she did.

People obsessed with Palin’s new interest in palm-reading have made videos with commentary left and right. And every one of them ignores the words from her mouth and the reactions from the audience.

Yes, she looked at her hand. Were you listening at the end of the clip?

You heard her right. “Allowing America’s spirit to rise again, by not being afraid . . . not being afraid to kinda go back to some of our roots as a God-fearing nation, where we’re not afraid to say . . .” [video ends]

That segment of the interview starts on the video below at 3:53. Her full comment:

Allowing America’s spirit to rise again, by not being afraid . . . not being afraid to kinda go back to some of our roots as a God-fearing nation, where we’re not afraid to say . . .especially in times of potential trouble in the future here, we’re not afraid to say, you know, we don’t have all the answers as fallible men and women, so it would be wise of us to start seeking some divine intervention again in this country, so that we can be safe and secure and prosperous again. To have people involved in government who aren’t afraid to go that route, not so afraid of the political correctness that, you know, they have to be afraid of what the media would say about them if they were to proclaim their reliance on our Creator.

Judson Phillips, the promoter of the for-profit event and the interviewer for the Q&A, responded with “Amen” as the crowd applauded madly.

In this brief statement, I see the following three-part Palin litmus test for candidates she will support:

• Must be openly (“not afraid of the political correctness”) a follower of the [Judeo-]Christian God;
• Must promote a national religious identity following that deity (“seeking divine intervention” as a nation; “a God-fearing nation”);
• Must be a Creationist (“reliance upon our Creator”; a Creator creates, rather than allowing to evolve).

Watch for yourself:

The full speech and full Q&A session may be viewed HERE.

Here, more on hand-reading. No, I can’t read it, either. Kinda looked like a swastika to me.

UPDATE: Huffington Post enhanced the image from a point in her speech. The words are, “Energy”, “Budget Cut”, “Tax”, and “Lift American Spirits”.

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As we reported last week, American actor John Travolta piloted his own Boeing 707 to Haiti, somehow pushing ahead of international aid groups, to deliver Scientologist “ministers” and “doctors” to the devastated island nation. Not content with getting in the way, the Scientologists say they are “there to stay”:

The Scientologists, who are carrying out an operation called The Volunteer Ministry Disaster Relief for Haiti, have already begun plans to build an orphanage in the country.

Members of the group have volunteered to work in the hospitals, using healing techniques that reportedly include touching certain parts of the body or telling patients to stare at the wall.

Ah, the useful “Touch Healing” of Scientology. A firsthand account of the usefulness of the Scientologists is provided by Gawker.com. Let’s see what lessons we can learn about Scientologists!

A Scientologist provides “Touch Healing” to a mortally-wounded Haitian. Or is that a neck rub to a tired American soldier?

. . . I didn’t expect to see 50 scientologists, in their yellow shirts with Volunteer Minister on them. They were completely unprepared for going to a third world country, let alone a disaster zone. One girl was in designer cowboy boots. I asked her if she’d brought any sturdier footwear.

“Oh no, these’ll be fine.”

I asked another guy what he’d packed and he said he hadn’t bothered to bring soap or toilet paper or food, but that he’d just “buy whatever I need at Port-au-Prince airport.” I couldn’t break it to him.

They had no place to stay, and no supplies — their idea was to use the ton of money they had to buy food to distribute when they got there. But there was no food and no water. That was the point.

Lesson One: Scientologists don’t do their homework, and they have a tenuous grasp on reality.

By the time we arrived in Haiti, after a stopover in Miami, we had missed three landing slots at the airport. Aid agencies — genuine aid agencies — from other countries were being turned away, refused permission to land. But we still got a slot straight away. The guy who ran our charter seemed to think that the Scientologists had some real influence with the US Government, who were assigning the slots.

Lesson Two: For some reason, as demonstrated by John Travolta’s earlier landing, Scientologists are more important to the US military than international aid organizations.

The doctors and EMTs in our party headed straight downtown to start working. The Scientologists had nowhere to go, and nowhere to put up the big yellow tent they’d brought for touch healing people in . . .

But they had no-one who spoke Creole, and they brought the weirdness of touch healing into a very superstitious society. They’d leave the tent and come into the general hospital downtown, and try healing people. One of the doctors and one of the nurses told me that the wounded started coming to them to tell them they didn’t want to be treated by the people in the yellow shirts.

Lesson Three: Scientologists are creepy. Oh, and Scientologists don’t respect local cultures.

One nurse told me that the Scientologists actually caused harm — they gave food to people who were scheduled to go into surgery. That then led to complications in the operating theater.

Lesson Four: Scientologists ain’t too bright, especially when it comes to medicine. Not only do they think touching people can cure gangrene, they see no reason to ask whether they should feed a patient or not. (Note: “Complications in operating theater” typically means “Patient vomiting during surgery while under anaesthesia”. That’s why you have surgery on an empty stomach, you see.)

The Church of Scientology has apparently set up an orphanage in Haiti, and has already begun indoctrinating children. And they’re in it for the long haul.

Pat Harney, a spokesperson for the organisation, told The Times: “I have no doubt that in some form or other there will be a church of Scientology here.”

Why? What is there to gain? Why can’t they leave these people alone, and why are people so eager to flit off to Haiti instead of corrupting people here in the US?

There are a couple of reasons. IndyBay provides one:

The Scientology organization has increasingly targeted poor countries such as Haiti in its recruitment efforts. Why would this money-hungry crime-cult be interested in one of the world’s poorest countries? The answer: Because they want to bring Haitians in to the USA on “religious worker” visas to serve as unpaid laborers.

Jeff Jacobsen, an anti-Scientology researcher, provides the following:

Why would a religious group need to bring in workers to the United States? Why would the U.S. set up a special visa for such workers? The Homeland Security office, in regards to religious workers visas, states that “The applicant is entering the United States solely to carry on the vocation of a minister of that denomination, or, at the request of the organization, the applicant is entering the United States to work in a religious vocation or occupation for the denomination or for an organization affiliated with the denomination, whether in a professional capacity or not.” …. The U.S. has recently been revising the rules for such visas to make them more strict in order to avoid fraud. Homeland Security states that in 2005 about one-third of all R-1 applications were fraudulent. …. The Church of Scientology wrote against making the rules tighter. Glen Stilo, secretary of Scientology’s Flag Services organization in Clearwater, Florida, explained in a letter that he feared use of the visas will be restricted to strictly religious duties. “A small percentage of our religious order perform work at our retreat that may not be considered ‘religious functions,’ such as administrative work unique to the ministry section of our church, or upkeep of church property and grounds.”

So, Haitians make good slave laborers for the Church of Scientology.

Anything else?

Did you know that Scientology is a multilevel marketing scheme? That’s right, proselytizers (they call them “Global Pioneers”) get a 12% cut of the “courses” their converts sign up for [citation other than Gawker needed - Jenny]. Not just the first one, but any courses. Yep, residual payments.

What’s a Global Pioneer, you ask? Let’s look at their website! (It doesn’t tell us much, there are many “content coming soon” pages.)

Their goal, noted in the front-page video, is “bringing the world in session”. They’ve had a group proselytizing in Haiti since 2008.

They’re headed up by Cary Goulston. IndyBay points out:

Originally from Boston, Cary Goulston is a hardcore Scientologist who has been in the cult since 1979. He serves the cult as a Field Staff Member (FSM), which means that he actually receives a commission – money – for every new person he brings in to begin indoctrination.

RGP Media has posted a press release from Cary Goulson detailing the Global Pioneers’ successes during the week of January 15 – 22. Among the highlights:

GLOBAL PIONEERS – summary of Major Acheivements Jan 15 – Jan 22

* We got the US Government to include us as part of the “Joint Command” of US and UN Military working with the 5 approved NGOs under the US Southern Command. This entitled us to land and operate a Command Post out of the airport in Port Au Prince.

* First Ever chartered Scientology flight.

* First ever combined collaboration project with VMs, Doctors, EMTs and other humanitarian groups working side by side to help Haiti, sponsored and coordinated by The Church of Scientology VMs.

* Over 300 DRs, EMTs, and VMs sent to Haiti in two chartered flights to Haiti with more coming.

* VMs put in charge of all Doctors and supplies that come in to the airport, registration and distribution.

Keep up with the exciting exploits of Scientology Volunteer Ministers at http://blog.volunteerministers.org, or on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ScientologyVM!

h/t to Gawker for the press release and more!

Ex-Scientology discussion forum: http://forum.exscn.net/showthread.php?p=369632

SO, what in does Scientology have with MSNBC? Here’s a nice puff piece, which could have come directly from the Church of Scientology’s own offices:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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Chuck’s latest column at WingNutDaily, titled “God Save the U.S. and Our Courts”, includes mention of candidates he’s supporting in gubernatorial races in 2010:

We’ve recently seen great patriot victories in states like New Jersey, Virginia and Massachusetts, but we must recognize those triumphs are only beginnings to America’s much-needed government overhaul. That is why I am backing other conservative candidates like Bob Vander Plaats for governor of Iowa, John Kasich for governor of Ohio and Judge Roy Moore for governor of Alabama.

Let’s review, shall we?

First on Chuckie’s list is Bob Vander Plaats of Iowa.

WHO?

If you don’t live in or pay attention to Iowa politics, you probably have no idea who Vander Plaats is. He’s been a candidate for Governor (or running mate) for the last several elections. He also wrote a book, Light From Lucas: Lessons in Faith From a Fragile Life, expressing how his son’s disability has taught him a sick lesson about his god:

Through the silent instruction of our son Lucas, this collection of inspirational life-lessons was born.

The third of our four children, Lucas is severely disabled. His fragile life has taken our family through years of uncertainty and brought us to the end of ourselves countless times. Yet God uses the weak to inspire the strong.

That’s right, Bob’s imaginary friend caused Bob’s son to be severely disabled in order to teach Bob (and others, presumably) a lesson about the nature of God.

This really should tell us all we need to know about Bob, but let’s look a little deeper.

Vander Plaats announced his candidacy (this time around) using gay marriage as his platform:

Republican Bob Vander Plaats, 46, a Sioux City businessman, officially announced his campaign in his hometown of Sheldon on Monday by saying he would issue an executive order putting the issue same-sex marriage in the hands of the legislature and the voters of Iowa on his first day in office.

In June, Vander Plaats also said he would issue an executive order stopping same-sex marriage until the legislature either passes a law legalizing it or passes a constitutional amendment banning it. He furthermore said after doing so, he said he fully expects Democrats to try to remove him from office for “promoting lawlessness.”

Here’s where Bob stands on some issues of interest (selected points, follow link for full list):

• FOR a federal fair tax that will reduce the cost of tax compliance and further foster economic growth.

  
  
  The “Fair Tax” is a 23% national sales tax being promoted at Fairtax.org. Analyses of the tax suggest that, to be revenue-neutral, the tax would have to be closer to 30%. It is also suggested that such a high sales tax would result in the creation of a substantial black market, a new direction for organized crime.

• FOR representation of public school, home school and private school on the Iowa Board of Education.

  
  
  Iowa taxpayers fund public schools. They do not fund home schooling or parochial schools. Why should these people direct state curriculum decisions?

• AGAINST federal involvement in Iowa’s classrooms and a one-size-fits-all approach.

  I can only imagine what this means. Things like standardized testing that requires students to know what “science” is? But that’s just speculation on my part.

Those are all small potatoes. Now for the stuff Chuck really likes:

• FOR a stay on same-sex marriages until the General Assembly rewrites state law or Iowans are allowed to vote on the definition of marriage as one man and one woman.
• FOR defining marriage as the union between one man and one woman.
• FOR protecting the words “Under God” in the pledge of allegiance.
• FOR the right to display the Ten Commandments.
• AGAINST embryonic stem cell research.
• AGAINST human cloning.
• AGAINST abortion.

Can you see why Chuckie loves this guy?

Next on Chuck’s list is John Kasich of Ohio.

His website doesn’t say a whole lot. From “What I Stand For” page:

lower taxes – Create a tax climate that allows Ohio to compete with other states to attract new businesses, foster job creation, and keep our precious, existing jobs here

make government more efficient and effective – Skinny-down state bureaucracy to ensure taxpayers are getting their money’s worth, and reform state government into a 21st century partner with Ohio’s job creators – not one that punishes business with outdated or unnecessary regulation;

transform our education system – Help our kids achieve, compete and succeed to meet the workforce demands of tomorrow’s economy

end the influence of special interests – Build common-sense solutions to our problems and kick out those who, for too long, have kept us from fixing all that is wrong in our state

That’s all Kasich is willing to say he stands for. However, John Kasich is a nine-term former Congressman and a Fox News host (of the “Heartland” show). He has also guest-hosted regularly for Bill O’Reilly.

I’m starting to see why Chuck’s taken a shine to this guy.

Kasich has been endorsed by Ohio Right to Life. As Marshal Pitchford, the chairman of the Ohio Right to Life Society Board of Trustees says:

John Kasich had an outstanding pro-life voting record during his career in Congress. His running mate, Mary Taylor, is an articulate advocate of the right to life movement.

Not really enough to call Kasich a member of the Bigotry Party, though. Must find more.

The bulk of Kasich’s interviews of late focus on economics; making Ohio more business friendly. OK, that’s not bigotry. How’s this:

Are social issues such as abortion and marriage important in the race for governor, I asked. Kasich believes that all social issues matter and recalled his own strong pro-life record in Congress and support for the marriage amendment that enacted in the state in ‘04.

Ontheissues.org gives us a run-down of Kasich’s record, which helps to fill some of the gaps.

In 1999, Kasich voted in favor of banning adoption by gay couples in Washington, DC.

On multiple occasions, Kasich voted or cosponsored House resolutions to amend the US Constitution to permit school prayer.

Kasich co-sponsored a resolution for a School Prayer Amendment:
H.J.RES.52 (2001), H.J.RES.66 (1999), S.J.RES. 1, H.J.RES.12, H. J. RES. 108, & H. J. RES. 55:

Nothing in this Constitution shall be construed to prohibit individual or group prayer in public schools or other public institutions. No person shall be required by the United States or by any State to participate in prayer . Neither the United States nor any State shall compose the words of any prayer to be said in public schools.

H. J. RES. 78 (1997):

To secure the people’s right to acknowledge God according to the dictates of conscience: Neither the United States nor any State shall establish any official religion, but the people’s right to pray and to recognize their religious beliefs, heritage, or traditions on public property, including schools, shall not be infringed. Neither the United States nor any State shall require any person to join in prayer or other religious activity, prescribe school prayers, discriminate against religion, or deny equal access to a benefit on account of religion.

There is other news about Kasich, regarding his employment with Lehman Brothers in the years leading to its collapse. But that doesn’t say much about his support of the Bigotry Party platform.

Kasich’s efforts to steer clear of social issues in his campaign and focus on economics — promising Ohioans that he will eliminate the estate tax and income tax, without explaining how the 30% reduction in revenues will affect state services upon which many rely — has helped him strengthen his lead over Democrat Ted Strickland.

Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland, who roared into office three years ago with nearly 61 percent of the vote, trails Republican John Kasich 51-45 percent in a Dayton Daily News/Ohio Newspaper Poll released Sunday, Jan. 24.

Kasich appears to be 2010’s top Stealth Theocrat.

Third on Chuck’s list is Judge Roy Moore of Alabama.

Moore may be best known as the Alabama Chief Justice who was removed from office in 2001. Why? He refused to obey a Federal court order to remove a granite Ten Commandments monument from the Alabama State Supreme Court’s Rotunda. Moore became a hero to the religious right.

However, he didn’t need to lose his job to attain Bigotry Party standing. This is a judge who believes, just like some folks in Uganda, that homosexuals should be jailed or executed.

In the case of Ex Parte, H.H., a 2001 custody dispute in which a lesbian mother attempted to gain custody of her children from her ex-husband, who had demonstrated “excessive disciplinary actions” against the children, Moore came down in favor of the father for reasons having little to do with the welfare of the child.

His decision, in part:

I write specially to state that the homosexual conduct of a parent — conduct involving a sexual relationship between two persons of the same gender — creates a strong presumption of unfitness that alone is sufficient justification for denying that parent custody of his or her own children or prohibiting the adoption of the children of others.

In this case there is undisputed evidence that the mother of the minor children not only dated another woman, but lived with that woman, shared a bed with her, and had an intimate physical and sexual relationship with her. D.H. has, in fact, entered into a “domestic partnership” with her female companion under the laws of the State of California. But Alabama expressly does not recognize same-sex marriages or domestic partnerships. � 30-1-19, Ala. Code 1975. Homosexual conduct is, and has been, considered abhorrent, immoral, detestable, a crime against nature, and a violation of the laws of nature and of nature’s God upon which this Nation and our laws are predicated. Such conduct violates both the criminal and civil laws of this State and is destructive to a basic building block of society — the family. The law of Alabama is not only clear in its condemning such conduct, but the courts of this State have consistently held that exposing a child to such behavior has a destructive and seriously detrimental effect on the children. It is an inherent evil against which children must be protected.

An inherent evil.

Moore continues, after a lengthy discourse on case law, to conclude with another rant about homosexuals:

To disfavor practicing homosexuals in custody matters is not invidious discrimination, nor is it legislating personal morality. On the contrary, disfavoring practicing homosexuals in custody matters promotes the general welfare of the people of our State in accordance with our law, which is the duty of its public servants. Providing for the common good involves maintaining a public morality through both our criminal and civil codes, based upon the principles that right conscience demands, without encroaching on the jurisdiction of other institutions and the declared rights of individuals.

The State may not interfere with the internal governing, structure, and maintenance of the family, but the protection of the family is a responsibility of the State. Custody disputes involve decision-making by the State, within the limits of its sphere of authority, in a way that preserves the fundamental family structure. The State carries the power of the sword, that is, the power to prohibit conduct with physical penalties, such as confinement and even execution. It must use that power to prevent the subversion of children toward this lifestyle, to not encourage a criminal lifestyle.

Moore sure seems qualified as a member of the Bigotry Party.

But wait, there’s more!

Moore is presently President of the Foundation for Moral Law, which:

. . . exists to restore the knowledge of God in law and government and to acknowledge and defend the truth that man is endowed with rights, not by our fellow man, but by God!

…

The Foundation for Moral Law is a non-profit, tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) organization located in Montgomery, Alabama. The Foundation maintains a two-fold focus:

I. Litigation—The Foundation for Moral Law represents individuals involved in religious liberties cases and files amicus curiae (friend-of-the-court) briefs in state and federal courts. To read our legal briefs go here.

II. Education—The Foundation conducts seminars to teach the necessity and importance of acknowledging God in law and government. To find out more about our seminars, go here.

The Foundation for Moral Law was established December 2002, with Pastor Phillip Ellen as President, Mr. Randy Stafford as Vice-President and Dr. Mel C. Glenn Sr., as Executive Director. Dr. Rich Hobson was chosen by the board to be president of the Foundation in November 2003, with Pastor Phillip Ellen assuming the office of vice-president of the Foundation. Currently, Judge Roy Moore serves as President and Dr. Rich Hobson is the Executive Director.

These folks aren’t stealthy at all. They’re full-on Christian Reconstructionists . . . Paliban. Still have doubts? Here’s their Statement of Faith:

Statement of Faith
We believe in one God—the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and the truth of the Holy Scriptures, the infallible Word of God.

We believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross and rose again to life so that all who believe in Him, by faith, will be forgiven of their sins, and gain eternal life in Heaven. That He ascended to the Father and will come again to judge the living and the dead.

We believe that Jesus Christ fulfilled the requirements of the Law stating: “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like unto it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:37 -39).

We believe that the Ten Commandments are given by God and describe duties we owe to Him and to each other. They are the basis of our virtue and morality.

We believe that the United States of America was founded on the laws of Nature and Nature’s God, and that Almighty God is sovereign over the affairs of men, exercising jurisdiction over the family, church, state, and each individual.

We believe that God is the Creator and Author of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

The site includes a section about the Ten Commandments monument and a bio of Roy Moore. Not surprisingly, Moore, like Chuck Norris, writes a biweekly column for WingNutDaily (or did, until July of 2009). Moore’s, called Our Moral Foundation, includes glistening pearls of wisdom like “Obama’s Attack on Our Christian Heritage” and “Miss California is Right“.

These are Chuck Norris’s three gubernatorial picks. What do you think of them? And what about Chuck?

(h/t to Ed Brayton for sending us off on this trail of terror.)

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It would be funny, if it weren’t true.

The list:

# You can’t prove there’s not a god.
# Atheism takes as much faith as Christianity.
# Atheism is a religion.
# You aren’t really an atheist; you’re just mad at god.
# Without god, people have no reason to be moral.

Rather than steal their thunder, I’m just going to send ya over. It’s a great article, and well referenced.

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In this case, the excerpt was the entire article.

OK, except that sentence. Grrr, and that one.

Now I’m confused.

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Roeder at no point denied his actions; rather, his claim was that he committed voluntary manslaughter in attempting to stop Tiller from killing children.

He pointed out that legal avenues had failed, as had harassment and assorted terrorist attacks:

He said he had tried “sidewalk counseling” with women visiting Tiller’s Wichita, Kansas clinic to persuade them to seek an alternative to abortion and he noted that previous attacks on Tiller and his clinic — including a shooting and a bombing — had failed to stop the doctor practicing.

Tiller summed up his position thus:

There was nothing being done, and the legal process had been exhausted, and these babies were dying every day. I felt that if someone did not do something, he was going to continue . . . He’s been stopped.

Strangely, Roeder’s defense did not center upon his religion. What religion, you ask?

Roeder said he had attended church with his family when he was younger, but did not consider himself religious until he had a conversion experience while watching the “700 Club” on television in 1992.

The popular show, hosted by Pat Robertson, airs on the Christian Broadcasting Network.

“I was alone in my room,” Roeder said. “That day I did kneel down and accept Christ as my savior at that time.”

After that, his views on abortion, which he had always considered wrong, became stronger, he said.

Ah, Pat Roberston’s brand of Christianity. We all know what sort of Christianity Pat Robertson preaches, don’t we? I wonder if Roeder agrees with Robertson on Haiti . . .

Judge Warren Wilbert determined that a voluntary manslaughter conviction — which would have let Roeder go free in five years — was not justified, and informed the jury that they could not consider the lesser charge. Said Wilbert in explaining his position:

There is no imminence of danger on a Sunday morning in the back of a church, let alone any unlawful conduct, given that what Tiller did at his clinic Monday through Friday is lawful in Kansas.

Wilbert’s action relieved pro-choice activists. Says Vickie Saporto of the National Abortion Federation, a voluntary manslaughter conviction

. . . would have been a tragedy and put the safety and security of abortion providers everywhere at risk.

We can’t settle political differences in this country by murdering each other.

It’s reasonable to expect a legal challenge to the conviction. As Randall Terry of Operation Rescue comments,

George Tiller murdered 60,000 babies by his own hand. Scott Roeder knew this. How can Mr. Roeder receive a fair trial if this data is kept from the jury? Will the jury be allowed to hear evidence – such as the grizzly [sic] means by which these babies were slain and disposed of – evidence that would clearly effect Mr. Roeder’s state of mind?

Did Sedgwick County District Court Judge Warren Wilbert already deny Scott Roeder a fair trial, by having a jury questionnaire that was geared to identify Christians and pro-lifers, and thereby exclude them? In other words, has His Honor denied Mr. Roeder a fair trial of a jury of his peers?

If George Tiller has murdered 60,000 Jews, would the judge exclude all Jews from the jury, or insist that only anti-Semites could be jurors?

The jury selection questionnaire asked about religious preferences and opinions on abortion. This is where Terry takes exception.

We expect commentary from Rev. Michael Bray, who attended in support of Roeder. Bray was convicted of conspiracy in an 1985 abortion clinic bombing plot, and is no stranger to promoting violent responses to abortion:

Those pro-life organizations, which have scurried to re-purge themselves and get their press releases out in condemnation of James Kopp [note: James Kopp shot an abortion provider to death in 1998, much like Scott Roeder did last year - J.D.], thwart the very movement they think to be protecting. By condemning defensive action, they belie themselves and nullify all their prolife proclamations, reducing themselves to noisy gongs. Their dignity-of-man protestations ring hollow, and their earnest pleas for the lives of the innocents are as cogent as the hollerings of a glossolalist on a hot tin roof. Rather than advance the effort to contend for justice for the womb children in our land and in the world, these “anti-violence” dupes, with their irrational rhetoric, continue to turn the movement backward. What sense can be made of one who declares, “Human beings are truly being butchered by abortionists! They are serial murderers who kill children with every abortion procedure!” and then says, “Damn that man who saved the innocent children by fatally stopping the murderer”?

…

Likewise, I call all pastors who have condemned James Kopp false. They have failed to handle God’s word soundly and they have failed to guide our fellow citizens into good citizenship, leading them instead into the same sinful condemnation of a righteous fellow citizen. Moreover, they, by such condemnation, contribute to the prolongation of this bloody scourge. They belie themselves and nullify their proclamation of the sanctity of human life.

Who knows how the movement might have been incandesced had pastors and pro-life leaders risen in support of earnest, efficacious, and forceful rescue efforts? No one can know. But we can be sure that the message sent by these errant leaders was that yes, there really is a difference between womb children and the rest of us. The least of us may be cast off with impunity. Their humanity is denied by our lack of action.

Other prominent anti-abortion activists have come out in support of Roeder in the past. He has been declared a “Christian hero” by some. We anticipate an outpouring from the extremists among the anti-abortion community, and will update this article as they come forth.

Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry and members of his new group, Insurrecta Nex, stood outside the courthouse holding signs that said, “Tiller Killed 60,000 Children,” “Give Roeder a Fair Trial,” “Roeder’s Reason: The Babies,” and “Tiller killed 60,000 children.”

What is “Insurrecta Nex“? According to their site (which doesn’t work very well in Explorer):

1.) An act or instance of revolting against death; usually violent death, murder

2.) A group of the ‘tireless minority, keen to set brushfires in the minds of men’

3.) DVD series that will change the course of human history forever, i.e. crushing childkilling underfoot, taking back civilization and enthroning Christ the King in every nation

Seems they’re happy to encourage violence.

Surely Dave Leach, the Iowa anti-abortion activist who helped Roeder put together his (shot down) “necessity” defense, will have words.

Roeder will be sentenced on March 9. The penalty for first-degree murder in Kansas is up to life in prison.

Video of the conviction:

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I’ve joined “Keep the CHRIST in ‘Jesus Christ that Fucking Hurt!‘”. Won’t you?

Described as “a lighthearted poke at other groups with similar names, but this one is for people who are selective when they invoke the Lord — when they get seriously injured”, the group presently boasts 78 members. Let’s make it 200 by the weekend!

(While you’re busy joining things, you can also join US on Facebook. Yes, YOU, I see you over there lurking.)

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Jan. 26: Jesus heads to a tree in Millington, Mich., just outside of Flint, in Ron and Marilyn Bielak’s backyard.

The retired pair are facing foreclosure and believed the sighting would mean help was on the way. A call to their home several months later would indicate the line had been disconnected.

I guess nobody told them that Jesus had taken a second job as a repo man.

You got your high-fructose corn syrup in my Savior!

I wonder if Jesus has all the calories of a regular Kit Kat bar?

Mom, the dog's licking Jesus again . . .

Leaf me alone!

This maple leaf, found on April 11 by Mimi DiMauro of Boston, looks to me to bear the moldy image of Grizzly Adams. Mimi insists it’s Jesus, and says that 3/4 of viewers agree. The others think it looks like John Lennon.

Who do you think it looks like?

Cheezus Christ

Cousin It?

Why does this Jesus look so much like Cousin It? Say, where’s Thing, and why is Jesus giggling like that?

This is too disturbing.

Why is Jesus in my wall??

Compare . . .

Edvard Munch really brings out the holy in Jesus, don’t you think?

Many more sightings are available HERE and HERE.

Or watch the below video:

This fornicating harlot and her living-in-sin boyfriend saw Jesus in their bathroom.

We should also remember two of Mary’s most noticed appearances.

She spent quite a bit of time in the sun. Here, she brought thousands of Irish the miracle of solar retinopathy.

That Mary turns up in the most unexpected places!

What’s your favorite deity sighting? And why isn’t there a Dog Poo Jesus?

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According to an Associated Press story, Travolta himself piloted his own Boeing 707, loaded with six tons of military rations and medical supplies to Port-au-Prince. He brought his wife, Kelly Preston, along for the ride.

Up in the sky, it's a bird . . . it's a plane . . . it's an E-METER!

What else did Travolta pack for the jaunt? A change of underwear? A toothbrush? Assorted chocolates? No. If he brought these things (Shampoo? Toilet paper?), they’re not mentioned. He packed something far more valuable:

“Doctors and ministers from the Church of Scientology”.

Travolta’s comments to the press sounded quite reasonable.

We have the ability to actually help make a difference in the situation in Haiti and I just can’t see not using this plane to help.

It is admirable to use his own plane to help. I do wonder, though, how it is that John Travolta got in line ahead of international aid organizations.

Aid groups have been desperate to fly their own planes into the over-stressed airport. U.N. humanitarian spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs said Tuesday that at least 800 planes with relief items are on a waiting list for the airport, which can handle only about 130 flights a day due to a lack of space to park planes as they unload.

The aid group Doctors Without Borders has complained that the flight scheduling priorities of U.S. military controllers running the airport delayed the arrival of field hospitals, resulting in some deaths.

More than 150,000 people have already been buried since the magnitude-7 quake, which destroyed entire Port-au-Prince neighborhoods and landmarks and crumbled nearby towns.

Hundreds of thousands of people are living in the streets, with scores of injured wanting for proper medical care.

So, to be sure we understand:

Thanks to the US military’s priorities, John Travolta, Famous Hollywood Scientologist, was able to land his personal Boeing 707 in Port-au-Prince, bringing a modest amount of food* and undefined medical supplies, plus ministers from the Church of Scientology (who will doubtless be eating some of those MREs), while international aid organizations with cargo planes loaded with large volumes of food and medical supplies were forced to wait.

Or, put another way,

Rather than making a substantial donation to the international aid organizations, which would provide the most value by letting the experts in disaster relief do their jobs, Travolta and the Church of Scientology decided to go for a callous PR stunt by flying what amounts to a small amount of real aid directly into Haiti personally. They brought ministers who can then proselytize.

Do I understand the article correctly? Please let me know if I’m getting it wrong.

Question on my mind: Exactly who in the US military (running the Port-au-Prince airport) thinks it’s a good idea to let the private jet of a millionaire land while international aid organizations can’t get on the ground?

* “Modest” amount of food: 6 tons of MREs = 11 pallets (at 1100 pounds/pallet) = 48 (cases per pallet) X 11 (pallets) X 12 (meals per case) = 6336 1/3-day’s-requirement meals, or food for 2,112 eating-days. It’s a lot better than no food, to be sure, but not nearly what a cargo plane can bring. It’s even less food when you consider that the Scientology ministers will need to eat their share, while providing no value to the Haitian people . . . people probably not much interested in a personality test.

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Enjoy!

The following details are posted on YouTube with the video, which has been re-posted and removed a number of times.

I guess this video has been getting removed from youtube because mormons dont like people to know about their less popular teachings. Im uploading this video to keep the information available. Mormons have been complaining that these are not taught by their religion, but a source of this video provided references to mormon literature for every claim made int he vid:

0:20 – 0:45 King Follett Discourse (History of the Church Vol 6 pg 302-317)

0:54 – 1:00 abraham 3

1:03 – 2:20 Gospel Principles Ch2-3

2:20 – 2:35 Official Statment by 1st presidency 08/17/49 and 08/17/51 and Joseph Fielding Smith in Doctrines of Salvation 1:65-66 2nd Nephi 5:21

2:38 – Gospel Princ Manual Ch3

2:40 – Pre 1982 2Nephi 30:6

2:44 – no longer taught he said early mormon profits… Brigham young journal of discourses vol 1 pg 50-51 and Wilford Woodruffs journal

3:20 – The seer pg 172, brigham young journal of discourses vol 1 p 346 orson hyde journal journal of discourses, vol 2 p 210

3:28 – D&C 113 and Isa 11

3:32 – Journal of Discourses 13:309

3:41 – 3Nephi

4:03 – 4 Nephi, Moroni

4:20 – 4:30 Moroni 10

4:37 – 4:50 State of NY VS Joseph Smith “The Glass Looker” other Court Documents

4:43 – 4:50 1826-1830 convicted of fraud, admitted “peepstoning” was fake.

5:01 – Joe Smith History 1:19

5:16 – 5:21 Howard W hunter “your temple recommend” New Era Apr 1995, 6

5:22 Russell M Nelson “SPirit of Elijah” Ensign Nov 1994, 84 and D&C 128, 138:33

5:27 – D&C 132:17-20

5:36 – Robert L Millet, “Joseph smith among the prophets” Ensign Jun 1994, 19

5:49 – :52 D&C 132

6:03 – Hist of the Church Vol pg 408-412

6:12 – He died in a shootout

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Not food. Not water. It's FCBH's Proclaimer.

“We already have 600 Proclaimers on their way through our ministry partner, Convoy of Hope. These portable, solar-powered Audio Bibles will be given to local pastors so people can hear God’s Word in their own language–Haitian Creole. There is an immediate need for 3,000 Proclaimers. We want to equip those short-term groups, disaster relief teams, church teams and ministries with the Word of God in a format people can use.

Even more revolting than the desire of this group to proselytize when people are at their most vulnerable — standard operating procedure for cults worldwide — is the press release they themselves have crafted. In order to encourage people to donate, they point out:

Standing on a pile of concrete and tin rubble, a 20-something year old Haitian man points over his shoulder.

“This was my father’s house,” he said, matter-of-factly. Then the reality rolls over him like a wave, and his voice breaks, “My mother was in there. My family was…”

He is interrupted by another man who yells, “I can hear them in there. But we can’t get to them. Without a loader, we can’t move this.”

…

People have set up makeshift shelters, refugee camps and hospitals, as others dig through concrete mounds that once held their children, spouses, family, friends and neighbors. More than 100,000 people are sleeping on the streets.

Faith Comes By Hearing, the world’s foremost Audio Bible ministry, is responding to this crisis by providing faith, hope and love through God’s Word in audio.

…

Right now, Haitians are afraid to go inside whatever is left of their homes. They are fearful of aftershocks or further collapse. Masses of people are sitting outside, on the curbs and under homemade shelters. Imagine the change in atmosphere if God’s Word is there, playing in their language, reminding them that God is with them.

Were I a Haitian being subjected to this ridiculous drivel, I’d be asking where the missionaries’ god was when the earthquake hit . . . when my parents were crushed . . . when my child lost her leg . . . when my home and everything I owned was destroyed along with half my family and friends . . . And why I should listen to these missionaries, when some of their leaders (like Pat Robertson, and like the 2.5-million-member American Family Association) are telling the world that the earthquake was their god’s judgment against my country . . . and my dead baby boy!

Is there anything more pathetic than taking advantage of a tragedy like this to convince people that they should worship your imaginary friend?

Is there any more sick way to go about it than sending solar-powered audio Bibles, instead of showing genuine compassion and helping Haitians with things they actually need to survive?

If you’d like to donate to a worthy cause providing medical aid to Haitians, please check out Skeptics and Humanists Aid and Relief Effort. 100% of your donation will go to Doctors without Borders and provide on-the-ground relief in Haiti.

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The NY Times reports that, with 93 percent of the vote counted, Brown had a 53 – 48% victory. Coakley has conceded the race.

Brown demonstrates his Family Values in 1982.

What do you think will come of this? We see a few possibilities:

• Democrats realize that a Dark Blue state voted in a Republican, and that means that all those polls saying American voters don’t want Obamacare really means that American voters don’t want Obamacare. They start listening to voters and hang on through the 2010 midterm elections.
• Democrats bludgeon another Senator into siding with them on Obamacare, retaining 60 votes, and pass the health insurance company bailout bill. They tank in November, ushering in a Republican revolution.
• Voters sick of both parties get behind a third party.

Other?

We have a poll, but we also want to hear your comments and ideas!

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Seventy-one percent of Americans overall do not want to see Palin run for President. Broken out along party lines:

• Republican: 56% No, 30% Yes
• Democrat: 88% No, 8% Yes
• Independent: 65% No, 25% Yes

Only 26% of Americans overall view Wailin’ Palin favorably; while this is a slight increase over November of 2009 (then 23% favorable), those viewing her unfavorably increased as well . . . from 38% in November to 41% now. Seems exposure from her book tour didn’t help, but rather helped undecideds make up their minds.

Only 43% of Republicans hold favorable views, and self-described Conservatives hit the top at 46% favorable . . . but even 53% of these folks don’t want her to run for President.

Also included in the poll was the Tea Party movement. Per the poll results,

The Tea Party may still be too nascent a movement to have registered yet with most Americans; seven in ten have no opinion of it so far.

The results for those with an opinion? 18% viewed it favorably and 12% unfavorably.

The full poll results may be viewed at http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/poll_palin_011810.pdf

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Under General Order 1, no American soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan may in any way proselytize or promote any religion or faith.

As ABC News reports, rifle sight manufacturer Trijicon includes on its Advanced Combat Optical Guides references to particular Bible verses. They immediately follow the model number, and are in the same font — not distinguished in any way from the model number:

"Honesty" means "Hidden Bible References"?

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

2COR4:6 -> 2 Corinthians 4:6

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Why does this matter?

First, taxpayer funds are being channeled to a contractor who knowingly violates military policy and the Constitution. A LOT of taxpayer funds:

According to a government contracting watchdog group, fedspending.org, Trijicon had more than $100 million in government contracts in fiscal year 2008. The Michigan company won a $33 million Pentagon contract in July, 2009 for a new machine gun optic, according to Defense Industry Daily. The company’s earnings from the U.S. military jumped significantly after 2005, when it won a $660 million long-term contract to supply the Marine Corps with sights.

Second, as pointed out by Michael Weinstein of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, the references do not go unnoticed . . . by Americans, some of whom are offended and one of whom has a commanding officer who refers to the weapons with Trijicon sights as “spiritually transformed firearms of Jesus Christ”, and also by the Taliban and mujahadeen, who can claim that the United States is waging a “Christian war against Islam”.

Major General William Nash (Retired), who commanded a battalion in Desert Storm, comments that many groups provide Bibles, Torahs, and the Koran to soldiers.

I have no problem with that. But I do have a problem with military equipment being labeled in such a way that it seems like it’s “our god against their god”.

Nash continued, saying that Trijicon should be required by the Pentagon to remove the inscriptions from the sights or be penalized for failure to do so.

Third, these sights are being used to train Iraqi and Afghan soldiers. Once again, this can be seen as an attempt to proselytize.

What about Trijicon?

Trijicon isn’t shy about promoting “Biblical values”. On its “About” page, Trijicon states (in part):

TRIJICON’S VISION
Guided by our values, we endeavor to have our products used wherever precision aiming solutions are required to protect individual freedom.

TRIJICON’S MISSION
Guided by our values, we will continue to be a leader in the design and manufacture of high quality, innovative sighting systems for use by Law Enforcement, Military and Individual customers.

TRIJICON’S VALUES
• Honesty/Integrity
We will be honest, dependable, trustworthy and fair towards each other, our employees, our customers and our suppliers.

…

• Morality
We believe that America is great when its people are good. This goodness has been based on biblical standards throughout our history and we will strive to follow those morals.

Apparently, “honesty” doesn’t extend to making it clear to their customers that they’re proselytizing . . . According to the ABC News report, representatives of the Army and Marines indicated that they had no knowledge of the inscriptions.

Trijicon’s response?

To ABC:

Tom Munson, director of sales and marketing for Trijicon, which is based in Wixom, Michigan, said the inscriptions “have always been there” and said there was nothing wrong or illegal with adding them. Munson said the issue was being raised by a group that is “not Christian.”

To the Associated Press:

The contractor that makes the equipment, Trijicon of Wixom, Mich., said the U.S. military has been a customer since 1995 and the company has never received any complaints about the Scripture citations.

“We don’t publicize this,” Tom Munson, Trijicon’s director of sales and marketing, said in an interview. “It’s not something we make a big deal out of. But when asked, we say, ‘Yes, it’s there.’”

ABC News did find multiple gun enthusiast websites where reviewers extolled Trijicon for being Christian and including the verses on all of their sights . . . so it’s apparently not unknown.

Marine Corps spokesperson Capt. Geraldine Carey issued the following statement on the subject:

We are aware of the issue and are concerned with how this may be perceived. We will meet with the vendor to discuss future sight procurements.

Maj. John Redfield, spokesperson for CentCom (the U.S. military’s overall command in Iraq and Aghanistan), had a different perspective.

The perfect parallel that I see is between the statement that’s on the back of our dollar bills, which is ‘In God We Trust,’ and we haven’t moved away from that. Unless the equipment that’s being used that has these inscriptions proved to be less than effective for soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and military folks using it, I wouldn’t see why we would stop using that.

Video of this story is available HERE. Unfortunately, ABC’s videos do not allow for embedding; we apologize for the inconvenience.

Additional Information:

A quick review of Trijicon’s site allows us to spot another Scripture reference on the ACOG:

http://www.trijicon.com/user/parts/More_Info.cfm?Item=acog_info.jpg&Act=img2&Partid=1

MT5:8 -> Matthew 5:8

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

We have been unable to locate the Revelation citation mentioned in several articles.

Rachel Maddow on MSNBC comments:

Irregular Times has pointed out that Bush Administration officials, including General William G. Boykin, believed that they were fighting a holy war against Satan himself. These quotes are from 2004:

Preaching in his military uniform before a religious congregation in Oregon this June, General Boykin proclaimed, “we’re a Christian nation, because our foundation and our roots are Judeo-Christian. Did I say Judeo-Christian? Yes. Judeo-Christian.”

He continued, “The enemy that has come against our nation is a spiritual enemy. His name is Satan. And if you do not believe that Satan is real, you are ignoring the same Bible that tells you about God.”

To that same congregation, still in military uniform, General Boykin said of George W. Bush that, “He was appointed by God” to be leader of the United States.

To another religious group in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, General Boykin declared that the true enemy in George W. Bush’s wars “is the principalities of darkness. It is a demonic presence in that city that God revealed to me as the enemy.”

In a religious flyer, General Boykin is quoted as saying, “Bin Laden is not the enemy. No mortal is the enemy. It’s the enemy you can’t see. It’s a war against the forces of darkness.”

Comparing himself to a follower of Islam, General Boykin offers the taunt that “my God is bigger than his.”

According to a Charisma News Service report of June 4, 2002, Boykin told to the Community Prayer Breakfast in Fort Myers that in executing the wars of George W. Bush, “It is a spiritual enemy we have to contend with. Now is the time to fight.”

Boykin defended himself in this CBS News Report:

The churches videotaped and distributed Boykin’s speeches, and it wasn’t long before his personal testimony became public controversy. One story he told about chasing warlords in Somalia 10 years ago came across as belittling the Muslim faith.

This is what Boykin said about one Somali warlord who believed Allah would protect him from being captured by Americans: “I knew that my God was bigger than his. I knew that my God was a real God and his was an idol.”

Boykin claims he was talking about how the warlord worshipped money and power instead of a deity.

Was he trying to make it seem like his God was against theirs?

“No, that’s not what I meant at all. Look, I’m a Christian. I make no apologies for that,” says Boykin. “But I’m also not foolish enough to deliberately offend or in any way ostracize any religion. … I’m not anti-Islam, I’m not anti-Allah.”

Does he believe Allah is a lesser God than the Christian God?

“I’m not going to go into that,” says Boykin. “I’m a Christian. That speaks for itself.”

But this message isn’t quite what he delivered to church groups.

In churches all across the country, Boykin told riveting stories of how God sustains Americans in battle. “Before we launched that first mission, we all prayed ‘God go with us. God keep your hands on us,’” said Boykin in one speech.

He tells the congregation that when he was a young captain, God actually spoke to him, telling him to join the Army’s elite Delta Force: “There are times when God speaks to you in an audible voice. He spoke to me that morning because I said, ‘Satan is gathering his forces.’ He said, ‘Yes, son, but so am I.’ And I knew I was to be there.”

Sounds like Boykin believes his imaginary friend is taking sides against the enemy’s imaginary friend . . . and the enemy just happens to always be non-Christian. Coincidence?

UPDATE: Trijicon announced today (January 21) that it will immediately stop adding Biblical references to products sold to the military and provide kits for the removal of the references on existing scopes.

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Abortion: What WOULD Jesus Do?

A taste:

There’s a little song we all know. It goes, “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.”

If Jesus, as this Feelgooder tune claims, truly loves all the children of the world, why does He allow billions of them to be born with no chance of Salvation?

“What’s that?” you ask. “No, no, everyone has an equal chance at Salvation. The vast majority of people just choose Hell instead of Jesus.”

Let’s investigate that, shall we?

Two classes of little children are, according to the Bible, condemned to eternal torture in the Pit of Hell by virtue of being born: Those who do not choose Jesus, and those who are illegitimate. Loopholes exist for some who fail to choose Jesus, but never for a bastard.

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If you find something we’ve missed, please let us know in the comments so we can add it!

The future Planned Parenthood facility in Houston

9:30 PM PST:

Houston Chronicle has a substantial story on the protest:

In the largest anti-abortion protest held in Houston in years, several thousand people on Monday marched, prayed and kept silent.

The protesters scrawled the word “life” on red tape across their mouths to convey their opposition to what they called an “abortion super center” that Planned Parenthood will open in a six-story building on the Gulf Freeway in March.

After the protesters had walked silently through the Third Ward and encircled the sidewalks of the new six-acre facility, organizer Lou Engle used the Martin Luther King holiday to accuse Planned Parenthood of locating the new facility in a predominantly Hispanic and black area to target minorities for abortion services.

“Planned Parenthood is devaluing minorities. The organization sees them as more economically vulnerable to their community of death,” said Engle, adding that a disportionate number of minorities have abortions compared to whites.

Planned Parenthood, however, said the former Sterling Bank building was chosen as its new flagship and administrative headquarters because it is easily accessible and will double its space.

“There is an increasing need for affordable health care in Houston and Harris County because we have more uninsured residents than any other area in the nation,” said Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Rochelle Tafolla.

But anti-abortion speakers told a parking-lot full of protesters waving flags and signs before the march that the new clinic was the next civil rights battleground.

Rates among minorities

According to Planned Parenthood, last year slightly more than 8,000 abortions were performed in its Houston region, which includes two clinics in Louisiana. The agency reported 34 percent of the abortion clients were Anglo; 25 percent were black; and 34 percent Hispanic. The black and Hispanic abortion rates were slightly higher than their overall population percentages in Harris County.

“This is because minorities often have more unintended pregnancies. Perhaps because they do not have the same access to birth control,” Tafolla said.

She pointed to a 2008 nationwide report that showed a 29 percent increase in women below the poverty level having unintended pregnancies compared to a 20 percent decrease in women 200 percent above the poverty level.

Houston currently has Planned Parenthood clinics in Midtown (which will be replaced by the new one), Greenspoint and Bellaire, and there are also some in far outlying areas such as Lufkin, Huntsville and Bryan.

Protesters on Monday also questioned why Houston was selected for the Gulf Freeway clinic that they believe will be the largest abortion facility in the Western Hemisphere.

However, Tafolla disputes that point. While the new facility will be Planned Parenthood’s largest health care center in the U.S., only two floors will be dedicated for clinical space. The facility also will be the organization’s administrative headquarters for 35 counties in Southeast Texas and Louisiana and provide other services from birth control to screening for cancer and sexually transmitted diseases.

…

The new facility can perform abortions up to the 24th week — which upsets opponents — but Tafolla said the new center won’t do any past the 19th week.

Engel and friend, in the majority-white crowd, continue to cynically claim that Planned Parenthood sited within a minority-dominated location not because the location was affordable and accessible, but because they are racist and trying to exterminate black and Hispanic people.

KHOU 11 provided no substantive updates, continuing to lead with a much smaller number than “several thousand”:

Hundreds of pro-life activists gathered in Houston Monday to protest a new Planned Parenthood clinic they’re calling an “abortion supercenter.”

The protesters, some of whom came from out of state, have been planning the rally for weeks. It was organized by The Call to Conscience, a pro-life group.

ABC 13 has an updated video and write-up. As noted below, ABC 13’s videos will not embed here (our site doesn’t recognize the coding). We apologize for the inconvenience.

The video closes with:

These protesters weren’t here just to protest the fact that abortions will be performed in this building. They also protested where this clinic is located, in the heart of two minority communities in Houston. [We'll get into that, and tell you a little about what these protesters said, tonight at 6.]

The promised additional coverage on the 6:00 PM newscast did not make it to the website, and the bracketed sentence was stricken from the printed transcript on the website.

Click2Houston.com still has no coverage.

MyFoxHouston.com did not update coverage.

foxnews.com’s latest includes a rebuttal from Planned Parenthood regarding the siting issue:

“Planned Parenthood chooses locations based on the greater community’s need for our services and there is great demand in the Houston area. More than 1 million residents in Harris County lack health insurance and half are of reproductive age. Clients come to our health centers from all over Harris County, not just the neighborhoods near our facility.

“Women need to have a voice in what happens to their own bodies, which is why abortion remains legal right now,” the statement reads.

2:45 PM PST:

First national coverage, on Fox News.

You’ll note that Fox News estimates 3,000-4,000 protesters, as compared to the 5,000-10,000 projected by organizers.

Please follow the above link to view the video. Unfortunately, Fox News does not allow for embedding of their videos. We apologize for the inconvenience.

2:10 PM PST:

Local coverage appears to be turned from the press conference at the future Planned Parenthood facility due to a two-alarm fire presently destroying a car dealership. We hope no one was injured.

12:10 PM PST:

MyFoxHouston.com has coverage, but not on the front page, not even the “local” top stories. Their video coverage is sponsored by A-Better Bail Bonds . . . and hasn’t been updated since early this morning. It’s a fairly balanced coverage giving good background, and including a clip of an interview from Planned Parenthood pointing out that only 5-7% of Planned Parenthood’s business is abortion-related.

11:35 AM PST:

New video at KHOU:

A write-up covering the same information is available at theKHOU-11 website.

ABC 13 now has a video with aerial footage showing the “prayer circle” (our term, not theirs) surrounding the facility. It appears to be a single-file line.

Protest organizers are reported as complaining that Planned Parenthood is siting this clinic within an 80%-racial-minority area, and tied this to accusations of racism. Planned Parenthood responded that the location was based on need for health services and the availability of real estate.

It is noted later in the report that the clinic is also located very near the University of Houston.

At 2:40, the anchorwoman (Melanie) asks a tough question of reporter Ted Oberg; he stumbles in trying to respond:

Melanie: “Ted, I’ve gotta ask you, you say they’re concerned about the building going up in a minority neighborhood. Do you know how many of the protestors are minorities?”

Ted: “Uh, I, I, I would say a good number, Melanie, but I, um, the, you know, it’s hard to tell, because all you can ever see is what’s in your immediate area, er, uh, I would say it’s m- predominately an Anglo crowd, but uh, there is a good number, er, there is a large representation from Latino and African-American communities.”

(Unfortunately, the embed link from ABC 13’s video does not work on this site. Please follow the link below to watch the video. Our apologies for the inconvenience.)

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/video?id=7225037

At present, KPRC 2 (click2houston.com) has no coverage.

9:30 AM PST:

So far, other than last night’s news, the most we’ve found is KHOU-11’s soundless helicopter video of the pre-march rally:

More to come, no doubt! Check this post regularly for more . . . and if you find something we’ve overlooked, please let us know in the comments so we can add it!

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You heard it here first . . . Unless you already know, in which case, well, bully for you.

According to the listing: the re-listing:

Doesn't look much like Pat to me . . .

Finally! What you’ve all been asking for! A one of a kind, handmade PAT ROBERSTON VOODOO DOLL.

After an exclusive deal with devil, we are finally able to bring black magic into your very own home! The lucky winner of this auction will attain the soul of Televangelist PAT ROBERTSON in a handheld figurine comprised of the finest straw, cloth, and other organic natural materials!

Ever wanted to cause Pat Robertson a massive headache? give him back pain? jab him in the crotch? Of course you have! Well then BID NOW to own your very own pysical representation of the dark, dark soul of Pat Robertson.

Accessories included with the doll are Pat’s very own “HOLY” BIBLE and BAG OF MONEY taken from real Americans! WOW!

BID NOW!!!!

My previous attempt to auction this item was canceled by eBay due to a policy violation, which I apologize for….

“The purpose of the eBay Web site is to enable members to buy and sell items from each other. Listings that do not offer an item for sale through the site, or that are designed for any other purpose, are not permitted. For example, listings for invisible or intangible items are not permitted. Buyers should be able to verify the existence of an item they bought when they receive it. “

I am sorry, I can not prove the soul’s existence. Therefore I am now relisting the doll with just this description…

This item is a PAT ROBERTSON VOODOO DOLL. All proceeds go to Doctors Without Borders. To learn more about Doctors Without Borders, visit…

http://doctorswithoutborders.org/

As of this writing, there are 47 43 bidders, with a high bid of $500 710.00.

The auction closes January 26 at 11:00 PST January 29 at 16:21 PST.

Lest you worry that Johnnyvoodoo is trying to make a quick buck off a tragedy, the auction is officially an “eBay Giving Works” auction handled by “MissionFish“:

At eBay, we think it’s a whole lot easier to do good in the world when you have someone to help you out. MissionFish is an organization that powers the eBay Giving Works program. It screens all nonprofits wishing to become members and processes all donations that result from successful eBay Giving Works listings, as well as Donate Now and Give at Checkout donations.

MissionFish collects eBay members’ donations and makes sure that every donation gets to the intended nonprofit, so nonprofits can focus on their missions.

And because MissionFish is a nonprofit itself, 100% of your donation amount is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Would you like to raise funds for your favorite secular organization on eBay? Maybe you have a great idea for a unique auction, too.

Go to http://www.missionfish.org/ to learn how!

Special thanks to commenter “Bluesteel” for posting the re-listing information!

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This weekend, evangelical Christian Lou Engle and his organization, Call to Conscience (or The Call, for short), is holding a prayer vigil for all anti-abortion Texans at Grace Community Church. The real fun comes Monday morning:

On January 18th, at 9:30am on Martin Luther King Jr.’s holiday, we will gather by the thousands to launch a silent prayer march through the streets to the abortion “super center” for the nationwide press conference and prayer stand. As Martin Luther King Jr. would proclaim it – It is time to “subpoena the conscience” of the nation from the flashpoint of Houston, Texas. Maybe Houston could become the Birmingham of our day to let the unborn go free and spare the pregnant mother the agony of guilt.

God has a dream. He has a dream for America and He has a dream for every mother and every child and a six-story massive abortion facility has never been a part of that dream.

Planned Parenthood's 78,000 square foot "abortion supercenter"

The Call is joining forces with the Family Research Council, the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, Bound4Life, the Coalition for Urban Renewal and Education, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, and Hope Christian Church (from the Washington, D.C. area).

Why MLK Jr Day? Just because people are off work?

Nope.

Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood, is known for her commitment to Eugenics, the concept of selectively breeding humans to eliminate undesirable characteristics and promote those which are found useful. Even though Eugenics was well-supported in the early 20th century here in the United States, the system is invariably tied to the group which most vigorously promoted it . . . Germany’s Nazis, who went far beyond selective breeding and moved to selective execution.

Liberty Counsel provides a convenient summation of some of Ms. Sanger’s more tasteless comments from the first half of the 20th century, upon which anti-choice advocates focus:

Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, said: “We do not want word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population, and the minister is the man who can straighten out that idea if it ever occurs to any of their more rebellious members.” (Sanger’s letter to Clarence J. Gamble, 1939, December). In Pivot of Civilization, Sanger referred to immigrants and Roman Catholics as reckless breeders: “[They’re] an unceasingly spawning class of human beings who never should have been born at all.” (Sanger, p.187). In Women and the New Race, Sanger wrote, “The most merciful thing that a large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it.” (Sanger, p. 63). In her publication, Birth Control Review, Sanger advocated creating farms to segregate “unfit” people to “safeguard” citizens from “heredity taints.”

Sanger said other things as well:

• The real hope of the world lies in putting as painstaking thought into the business of mating as we do into other big businesses.

• War, famine, poverty and oppression of the workers will continue while woman makes life cheap. They will cease only when she limits her reproductivity and human life is no longer a thing to be wasted.

• No despot ever flung forth his legions to die in foreign conquest, no privilege-ruled nation ever erupted across its borders, to lock in death embrace with another, but behind them loomed the driving power of a population too large for its boundaries and its natural resources.

A balanced article examining Sanger’s legacy, including her thoughts on “inferiors”, may be found at Women’s E-News. A sample for you:

The Planned Parenthood Federation of America has been protective of Margaret Sanger’s reputation and defensive of allegations that she was a racist. They correctly point out that many of the attacks on Sanger come from anti-choice activists who have an interest in distorting both Sanger’s work and that of Planned Parenthood. While it is understandable that Planned Parenthood would be protective of their founder’s reputation, it cannot ignore the fact that Sanger edited the Birth Control Review from its inception until 1929. Under her leadership, the magazine featured articles that embraced the eugenicist position. If Sanger were as anti-eugenics as Planned Parenthood says she was, she would not have printed as many articles sympathetic to eugenics as she did.

The articles published in the Birth Control Review showed Sanger’s empathy with some eugenicist views. Margaret Sanger worked closely with W.E.B. Du Bois on his “Negro Project,” an effort to expose Southern black women to birth control. Mary McLeod Bethune and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. were also involved in the effort. Much later, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. accepted an award from Planned Parenthood and complimented the organization’s efforts. It is entirely possible that Sanger’s views evolved over time. Certainly, by the late 1940s, she spoke about ways to solve the “Negro problem” in the United States. This evolution, however commendable, does not eradicate the impact of her earlier statements.

What, then, is Sanger’s legacy?

You’ll have to read the article to find out.

Now you know why the protest is scheduled for MLK, Jr. Day. Even though the man himself received an award from Planned Parenthood and praised their efforts — no doubt with knowledge of Sanger’s statements made before his time — predominantly white anti-choice groups still cynically play the race card and claim that Planned Parenthood is founded on attempts to eradicate non-whites and must, therefore, be continuing in that vein.

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While doing a little homework on the Pearly Gates (at the entrance to “the New Jerusalem”, Revelation 21, not “Heaven”, the abode of Yahweh), I ran across the Ebon Musings site. The author puts forth an interesting paradox for those who follow any one of the Abrahamic religions:

The theist might answer that the free will in Heaven is some different kind of free will, superior to the kind we have on Earth. Perhaps the people there are gifted with perfect knowledge, or perfect empathy, or something of the sort, or perhaps we are transformed by being in the presence of God, or perhaps we receive new bodies immune to the temptations of sin (some Christians believe exactly this and call it “glorification”) – so that people in Heaven are either no longer able to commit sins or are able to avoid doing so, yet retain their free will in other things. But of course, this begs the question: Why didn’t God create us with this kind of free will in the first place and thus not have to create a Hell at all?

No Christian or other theist has ever been able to resolve this paradox. Assuming Heaven exists, there are only four options to choose from:

1. There is both sin and free will in Heaven.
2. There is sin but no free will in Heaven.
3. There is free will but no sin in Heaven.
4. There is neither free will nor sin in Heaven.

Together, these four options exhaust all possibilities, and therefore one of them must be true. The only remaining question, then, is which of the four is the correct one.

I have argued on theological grounds that option (1) is unacceptable to Heaven-believing theists, and I know of no theist who disputes that conclusion. (Option (2) is simply absurd and will not be considered.) I have additionally argued that (4) is likewise unsatisfactory because it would make Heaven an undesirable goal for many, and because it contradicts the free will theodicy, a key teaching of most religions, which states that God wants beings who freely choose to love him and not “robots” programmed to do so. Again, I know of no member of these religions who is challenging that. Therefore, the only conclusion is that the correct solution is (3).

But theists who accept this solution have stepped into a trap. Now consider this argument:

By (3) above, it is possible for God to create free-willed beings without the possibility of evil.

According to the free will theodicy, evil arises from the actions of free-willed beings.

By (I) and (II), God deliberately chose to create free-willed beings who would commit evil acts, even though he had the option of doing otherwise.

Conclusion: God wanted evil to exist.

And a being that would want evil to exist is itself evil.

Very nice. Much, much more at the site . . . Enjoy!

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Heinl & Heinl's Haitian History

Yes, WingNutDaily. AGAINST Pat Robertson. Really.

Also, the Christian Post reports that two prominent Southern Baptist leaders have harshly condemned Robertson’s remarks.

Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Church of Dallas called Robertson arrogant during an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America” Thursday.

“It is absolute arrogance to try to interpret any of God’s actions as a judgment against this person or that person,” the Southern Baptist minister said. “ Our duty as Christians is to try to help these people pray for these people and to help them.”

Some more meaty comments came from Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Mohler points out that Haiti does have an extensive history with voodoo, and that we know God will judge sinners. However,

. . . we have no right to claim that we know why a disaster like the earthquake in Haiti happened at just that place and at just that moment.

We can trace the effects of a drunk driver to a car accident, but we cannot trace the effects of voodoo to an earthquake – at least not so directly.

Why did no earthquake shake Nazi Germany? Why did no tsunami swallow up the killing fields of Cambodia? Why did Hurricane Katrina destroy far more evangelical churches than casinos? Why do so many murderous dictators live to old age while many missionaries die young?

I was wondering those very things myself.

Related posts:

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That’s why we’ve produced this warning sticker, to be sure that anyone seeing Dr. Tam on the street knows that he only wants publicity if it comes with a prime-time news show host. If you’re not Barbara Walters, he’s not interested in talking to you. You scare him. Strangers are scary.

Help spread the word! If you don’t want to buy the sticker, the image is available as a FREE .gif — without the red promotional banner — at http://www.palibandaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/TamSticker.gif. Enjoy!

Cartoon bubble created with Superlame.

From the site:

The Prop 8 Trial Tracker is a project of the Courage Campaign Institute, which is a part of the Courage Campaign’s online organizing network of more than 700,000 supporters in California and across the country.

Throughout the Perry v Schwarzenegger trial, the Prop 8 Trial Tracker will cover the trial live from the courthouse and document and respond to right-wing attacks on the process. The Prop 8 Trial Tracker has already attracted coverage from New Yorker, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Atlantic Online’s Andrew Sullivan, and various other media outlets and blogs. Check back throughout the Prop 8 trial for live coverage to the trial as it happens as well as rapid response to right-wing organizations like Yes on Prop 8, the National Organization for Marriage and Focus on the Family.

The primary contributors are Rick Jacobs, Chair of the Courage Campaign Institute, Robert Cruickshank, Public Policy Director, and Julia Rosen, Online Political Director. Paul Hogarth and Brian Leubitz are also contributing legal analysis and other content to the Prop 8 Trial Tracker. Eden James, the Courage Campaign Institute’s Managing Director, is providing logistical support and occasional content.

Please send tips our way at prop8trial@couragecampaign.org or follow us on Twitter @CourageCampaign .

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PAT ROBERTSON: And, you know, Kristi, something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it. They were under the heel of the French. You know, Napoleon III and whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, “We will serve you if you will get us free from the French.” True story. And so, the devil said, “OK, it’s a deal.”

And they kicked the French out. You know, the Haitians revolted and got themselves free. But ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after the other. Desperately poor. That island of Hispaniola is one island. It’s cut down the middle. On the one side is Haiti; on the other side is the Dominican Republic. Dominican Republic is prosperous, healthy, full of resorts, et cetera. Haiti is in desperate poverty. Same island. They need to have and we need to pray for them a great turning to God. And out of this tragedy, I’m optimistic something good may come. But right now, we’re helping the suffering people, and the suffering is unimaginable.

That’s right. God is angry because Haitians, former slaves brought to the one-time French colony, made a pact with Robertson’s imaginary nemesis to kick the French out of Haiti in 1791 (initial slave revolt, rejoining France in 1794) and again in 1804 (for good this time).

Boukman - Inviter of God's Wrath?

Boukman (also Boukmann, Dutty Boukman or Zamba Boukman) was a leader of the rebellion in its initial stages, he is reputed to have led a vodou ceremony together with the mambo Cecile Fatiman at Bois Caïman on August 22, 1791 which signaled the start of the rebellion . . . Other participants at the Bois Caïman ceremony were Georges Biassou, Jeannot Bullet and Jean François Papillon, all of which were leaders of the early Haitian Revolution.

Boukman’s prayer, as reported, is clearly Satanic!

“The god who created the earth; who created the sun that gives us light.The god who holds up the ocean; who makes the thunder roar. Our God who has ears to hear. You who are hidden in the clouds; who watch us from where you are. You see all that the white has made us suffer. The white man’s god asks him to commit crimes. But the god within us wants to do good. Our god, who is so good, so just, He orders us to revenge our wrongs. It’s He who will direct our arms and bring us the victory. It’s He who will assist us. We all should throw away the image of the white men’s god who is so pitiless. Listen to the voice for liberty that sings in all our hearts.”

It is worth noting that there was no recording made at this event; another prayer is reported by Heinl and Heinl, in their Written in Blood: The Story of the Haitian People, 1492 – 1995.

Heinl & Heinl's Haitian History

Good Lord who hath made the sun that shines upon us, that riseth from the sea, who maketh the storm to roar; and governeth the thunders, The Lord is hidden in the heavens, and there He watcheth over us. The Lord seeth what the blancs have done. Their god commandeth crimes, ours giveth blessings upon us. The Good Lord hath ordained vengeance. He will give strength to our arms and courage to our hearts. He shall sustain us. Cast down the image of the god of the blancs, because he maketh the tears to flow from our eyes. Hearken unto Liberty that speaketh now in all your hearts.

If it’s not praising Robertson’s imaginary friend, it is praising Robertson’s imaginary friend’s imaginary nemesis . . . SATAN, the freer of slaves! SATAN, the Lord of Liberty! (Um, OK.)

God, of course, decided to wait two hundred and six years before wreaking his vengeance with the earthquake, until every one of the people who prayed to someone other than him — and got what they prayed for — was long dead. After all, as Robertson will tell you, the sins of the fathers are laid at the feet of the sons:

Ezekiel 18:19-20

19 Yet say ye, Why? doth not the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son hath done that which is lawful and right, and hath kept all my statutes, and hath done them, he shall surely live.

20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

Oh, wait. No, it doesn’t say that at all! It says that the sins of the father shall NOT be borne by the children! Could Robertson be wrong again?

And what of the Christian church group members who were “missioning” in Haiti, many of whom are also dead or missing? Did God smite them by accident? Does he have bad aim? Or were they all secretly there to join in the devil-worship?

Apparently, God’s not in favor of Catholic missionaries . . .

Two Americans with another church were rescued from the rubble of their mission house.

Jillian Thorp and Charles Dietsch of the Catholic Diocese of Norwich, Connecticut, were pulled from the remains of the three-story house after a night of digging by four mission workers, Thorp’s father said.

Christian churches weren’t spared, either.

The pastoral staff at Free Chapel, a nondenominational church in Gainesville, Georgia, used Skype on Tuesday night to reach Bobby and Sherry Burnette, the couple who run the church’s permanent mission in Haiti, Executive Pastor Richie Hughes said.

“Our work there suffered different levels of damage,” Hughes said. “The housing areas are OK, minor damage, but one of the churches connected was destroyed.”

Robertson appears to have no explanation for the 200-year delay in God’s Wrath; however, we fully expect him to pay a visit to Haiti in the next few days. After all,

Psalm 58:10
The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.

Now, you can join Robertson in prayers praising God for punishing the evil devil-worshipping Haitians, and washing your feet in their blood, or you can do something real and useful.

Why not join us in donating to the Red Cross’s Haitian Relief Fund, or perhaps to Partners in Health? Or how about the Center for Inquiry’s “Skeptics & Humanists Aid and Relief Effort” (SHARE), which will forward 100% of donations to Doctors without Borders? Just click the image below!

UPDATE! Even WorldNetDaily is now coming out against Robertson’s bizarre remarks. They reviewed the work of Dr. Jean R. Gelin, a distinguished Haitian Christian minister and researcher. In a 2005 series of articles on the subject, Gelin wrote:

Obviously, the idea that Haiti was dedicated to Satan prior to its independence is a very serious and profound statement with potentially grave consequences for its people in terms of how they are perceived by others or how the whole nation is understood outside its borders. One would agree that such a strong affirmation should be based on solid historical and scriptural ground. But, although the satanic pact idea is by far the most popular explanation for Haiti’s birth as a free nation, especially among Christian missionaries and some Haitian church leaders, it is nothing more than a fantastic opinion that ultimately dissipates upon close examination.”

Gelin continued,

The worst part of the whole picture is that the story is believed by many sincere Christians in America and around the world; and not only do they believe it, they also spread it as fact.

We did a little hunting, and found Gelin’s articles, “God, Satan, and the Birth of Haiti” here: Part I, Part II, and Part III.

Perhaps Robertson believes the stories of the Iron Pig?

For quite some time now, several articles on the Internet have mentioned the existence of an iron pig statue in Port-au-Prince as a monument to commemorate Haiti’s so-called pact with the devil through Vodou. The statue would be in remembrance of a pig that was killed during the gathering by the African slaves. In an effort to know more about that rumor, I contacted several authors about the exact location of the pig statue that’s incidentally nowhere to be found in the country. Their answer was complete silence, a simple apology, or just the removal of the reference from their texts.

Gelin continues dispelling the myth in Part II.

The proponents of the supposed pact continuously refer to the Bois-Caïman gathering as the place where the satanic contract supposedly took place, even in the absence of solid historical evidence save their own prolific imagination. After extensive research on Haiti and several visits to the country, American writer Robert Heinl and his wife Nancy Heinl published in 1978 a volume on the Haitian revolution that deals with several aspects of Haiti’s painful history including the Bois-Caïman meeting. According to these authors, Bookman sought the help of the God of heaven in his prayer, and made no mention whatsoever of a spiritual agreement with Satan. Even though the text shows Bookman was talking to the creator and not the devil, some would still contend that he could not have been really talking to God because – the way they see it – Bookman did not know God as they think they know Him.

In addition to the complete absence of any reference to Satan or to a spiritual pact in Bookman’s prayer, there are two other problems associated with such an interpretation of the available records. First, those who hold that view say implicitly that God was in favor of slavery in Saint-Domingue whereas Satan himself was against it. How would they know? And how could that be?

The second difficulty of that position lies in the fact that God is above all as the God and creator of all. What do I mean? The Bible contains many instances where God was involved with or answered the sincere prayers of people who were not partakers of His existing covenant but nevertheless acknowledged His existence, power and character. The supremacy and sovereignty of God is a central and undeniable truth in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. To deny this fact would be to lean toward what I call tribal theology, usually conceived or expressed in terms like these: if you are not a registered member of our church and if you do not serve and worship God the way we do, God cannot and will not answer your prayers.

Whether you believe that gods and devils are real or not, there is no evidence other than the testimony of humiliated French soldiers to support the assertion that Haitians made a pact with anybody in 1791.

Related posts:

1. Haiti Devil Pact Update! WorldNetDaily and Evangelical Christians Slam Robertson We've done some more digging, and added more historical facts...
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Red Alert!

What teachings did Nancy question?

Bless this cracker . . . and pass the Cheezus Wiz

. . . the Roman Catholic Church teaches that once an ordained priest blesses the bread of the Lord’s Supper, it is transformed into the actual flesh of Christ (though it retains the appearance, odor, and taste of bread); and when he blesses the wine, it is transformed into the actual blood of Christ (though it retains the appearance, odor, and taste of wine).

Of course not. Who’d question that? What’s Catholicism without ritualized cannibalism?

That Mary turns up in the most unexpected places!

Nah. Everybody knows THAT is true!

Did she consider it odd for people to cart pieces of dead people around the world so congregations can touch them for good luck?

Nah. Every good Catholic knows about relics!

So why is Nancy crazy? She seems to believe all the same bizarre, evidence-free things as Sedlak.

Oh, Nancy thinks that making abortion illegal restricts the “free will” of women.

Hmm, yes, I suppose it does. Sedlak rebuts:

Just because you have free will does not mean that you always make the right decision. I think she is very, very confused over what free will is and what free will would allow her to do and still be in good standing with the Catholic Church.

Free will, last time I checked, was the ability to decide for yourself what you wish to do. Free will, in the religious sense, means being able to choose to follow the dictates of one imaginary friend or another, or NOT follow those dictates, or pick a new imaginary friend.

Pelosi is spot on. Yes, making abortion illegal WOULD restrict the free will of young women. This is a fact. Whether their particular imaginary friends might like it or not does not change this fact.

I can certainly agree that Pelosi is a little whacked in the head. I think many of her ideas are completely off the wall . . . But she’s no more nuts than Sedlak, so far as I can tell!

Pot, meet kettle.

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According to the Shahada, or Islamic creed, “There is no god but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet.” However, even though Islam is a direct descendant of Judaism and claims to follow the same deity as the other Abrahamic religions, the Malaysian government had established a law forbidding non-Muslims from using the word “Allah” to refer to their imaginary friend.

The Roman Catholic Church of Malaysia publishes a newspaper, the Herald, in Malay, English, Mandarin, and Tamil. In the Malay edition, they translated “God” as “Allah”. However, the Malaysian Home Ministry declared it illegal for non-Muslims to use “Allah” and “God” interchangeably in literature, as this “could be misleading”. The Washington Times reports that a two-year court battle culminated in a December 31, 2009 ruling that this ban was unconstitutional, and that the Home Ministry was not authorized to institute this ban.

Today’s Herald focuses entirely on the fallout.

Top story: IGP Confirms Three Churches Hit; Police are urging for calm as they secure churches nationwide, after three were attacked with firebombs in separate pre-dawn incidents in the Klang Valley, which have been linked to protests against the recent “Allah” ruling.

Metro Tabernacle Assemblies of God church torched in Kuala Lumpur

The Home Ministry has decided to appeal the case, and the court has agreed to a stay on its ruling until the appeal is settled.

A spokesman for the Prime Minister’s office, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz commented on the case:

The Home Minister was definitely acting within his powers in exercising the ban, in view of public interest and sensitivities in order to avoid public unrest over the matter.

We have to take into consideration the culture and nature of Malaysia. What is considered normal in the United States and Europe is not necessarily normal here.

The Home Minister was doing the right thing, in making a decision to avoid public unrest and dissatisfaction among Muslims, who make up more than 60 per cent in this country.

Take the cow-head protests for example. If you look at it from a legal perspective, there seems to be nothing wrong with stepping on the head of a cow. But because a significant portion of this country’s
citizens are Hindus, the government has taken action against the cow-head protestors.

In August of 2009, Malaysian Muslims grew angry because the Selangor state government relocated a Hindu temple to Section 23, a Muslim-dominated region. As a protest, carried and then stepped on/spit upon a severed cow head — an act offensive to Hindus, who consider cows sacred.

The Malaysian government claims it took action against the violent Muslim cow-stompers, just as they are now taking action to prevent more violent Muslim reactions. (Note: I can find no reference to the cow-head protestors facing any legal action.)

Nazri added:

If you do want to use the word God in Bahasa Malaysia, God is Tuhan. I don’t understand why you want to use Allah.

The Malay word for God is Tuhan. Of course Muslims are not satisfied. For 50 plus years after independence this issue has never cropped up before.

Nazri closed by stating that the Catholic insistence upon using “Allah” was irresponsible, and looking for trouble.

An article in today’s Malaysian Insider reflects this view. Akhramsyah Muammar Ubaidah bin Sanusi writes an opinion piece ominously titled: “Torched Churches: Reaping What is Sown”.

JAN 10 – Churches are now being torched, four at last count. I believe more churches will be torched, stoned, graffitied, sullied, picketed, etc, for as long as the use of the word “Allah” by the Catholic church issue is not resolved to the satisfaction of Muslims in this country.

…

Now, there has been calls for calm from the Malay “leadership”. Unfortunately, Malays may choose not to listen to the same leadership that has continuously failed to defend their rights or to correct past wrongs against them.

…

And for the Catholic Church to then venture down the silly path of robbing Malays of the exclusive use of the word Allah … Malays may be lobbing molotov cocktails at all churches indiscriminately, but this is only fair.

It is not just the Catholic church that is responsible for this Malay anger, but also the Protestant and Evangelical (that have no use for Allah, to them, a pagan moon-god) for not joining ranks with Malays against the Catholic stand.

Soon…

* Malays will figure out that it is not just the fault of the churches, or the Christian heirarchy for robbing us of Allah, but the fault of all Christian congregations for letting their religious leaders continue to insult us.

* Malays will figure out that now that they’re in for a penny, might as well go for the pound by attacking Hindu temples for their original insults towards Malay communities by claiming the ‘historical right’ to build anywhere.

* Malays will believe since many non-Malays were sitting idle by the side allowing Malays to be insulted, maybe they should be reminded to that they are condoning these insults.

* Malays in organised mobs will turn on our leaders for being so limp in their defence of our rights.

* By then it would be too late, as even intelligent Malays will figure out that as we’re being accused of being racists anyway by the ungrateful children of ‘Pendatang’ in this country, might as be racists… the worst kind of racists…

Am I advocating violence? No I am not. I am saying that Malay violence is inevitable, at least if the current trend of apologising for Malay anger rather than addressing it continues.

And in this case, Christian dogma does ring true, one reaps what is sown. The seeds of discord had been sown in this country for far too long in the guise of quest for ‘equality’. And so it comes to pass that the road to hell is lined with ‘good’ intentions, or rather, pretentious excuses.

This is the state of religious freedom and tolerance in Malaysia today.

UPDATE . . . An attack against a church in Miri makes the seventh such attack in three days over the “allah” ruling:

RAWANG, Jan 10 – A stone was thrown against a church in Miri today, making it the seventh attack in three days that is linked to the “Allah” ruling which has provoked Muslim anger. Earlier reports of an arson attack proved to be unfounded.

This is the first reported attack in East Malaysia where a large part of the population are Christians who worship in Bahasa Malaysia and also the ruling Barisan Nasional’s “fixed deposit” of votes and parliamentary seats in Election 2008.

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Robertson claims that his imaginary friend told him that America’s failure to become a Christian theocracy has led to its now inevitable decline:

“You can’t have your courts turn against me,” Robertson said the Lord told him. “You can’t have legislation that is anti-God. You can’t foster in your midst things that I call an abomination. You can’t do that. And if you do, sooner or later judgment’s going to come.”

Robertson said God will not bless a nation where abortion is commonplace, homosexuality is institutionalized and government-sanctioned prayer and Bible reading are banned in public schools.

“How can we pray for his blessing when we have that going on and when we have courts that have ruled repeatedly against him?” Robertson asked. “We have the Bible taken from the schools. We have prayer taken from the children, and now we have perversion that God calls an abomination — we have that legitimized and given a constitutional standing by the court.”

Robertson said he did receive a clear word about the economy.

“We are engaged in a slow time of financial ruin,” he said. “This country will be ultimately bankrupt. It’s just a question of how soon. We’re beginning that. That’s one thing that I can say for certain that is happening. It’s a dangerous thing. It’s going to hurt America very badly.”

Robertson, perhaps learning from his many pathetically incorrect prognostications, avoided specific predictions, moving instead into the fuzzy world of 900-number psychics everywhere. He also based this last prediction in the reality of human nature and the US government’s freewheeling deficit spending:

Robertson said it is a problem not so much of government policy but human greed.

“Can you imagine if you are getting Social Security that you would say I want my Social Security check to get cut?” he asked. “The problem is so many people right now are depending on the government for their support, and there’s nobody who wants to give up anything at all, and if anybody begins to suggest fiscal restraint, the people will rise up against them and vote them out of office. So you’ve got a situation where you can’t arrest this problem — the big financial problem — because the people don’t want it. Only a movement of God that brings in a spirit of self-sacrifice and a desire for the common good and some wisdom are we going to be spared this thing.”

Robertson claims he has a good record with his predictions . . . as he should, since he claims they’re coming directly from an omniscient, omnipotent Creator of the Universe. However, Robertson’s noted for many misses — near and far — over the decades.

As a past Paliban contributor reported one year ago, Robertson made a series of predictions for 2009. These included a rapid recovery of the economy (nope), $300/barrel oil (nope), hyperinflation (nope), weakening of Islam (nope), and gold at $1900/ounce (nope).

In November of 2008, that same contributor demonstrated clearly, with solid Biblical logic, that Pat Robertson must be a false prophet. Follow the link and giggle over a gaggle of Robertson’s Godly gaffes going back to 1980.

Pat Robertson’s predictions never fail to amuse. Sadly, they’re given far too much weight by his followers, broadcast on the 700 Club instead of being where they belong . . . alongside Bat Boy on the cover of the Weekly World News!

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As we reported in July, the Irish Constitution has always held a reference to the illegality of blasphemy. However, there was no punishment and no mechanism for enforcement specified. It was largely considered an anachronism . . . until 2009, when Ireland’s elected bodies decided to fix the problem not by sponsoring a referendum to remove the language, but by providing the opportunity for enforcement and punishment!

Atheist Ireland has provided a succinct history of the blasphemy law; reading this, written in May 2009, makes one wonder just how the law could ever have passed!

Blasphemy was a common law offence under Irish law when the 1937 Constitution explicitly made it an offence punishable by law. The Defamation of Act of 1961 also made it a statutory crime, but did not define what blasphemy was.

The 1996 Constitution Review Group called for the deletion of the crime of blasphemy from the Irish Constitution, along with other references to the Christian God, religion and religious oaths. Two other All-Party Committees have also called for the removal of religious references in the Constitution.

In 1999, the Supreme Court found the Irish law against blasphemy to be unenforceable. In 2008, the UK abolished its blasphemy law from which ours evolved. And the 2008 Irish All-Party Committee on the Constitution repeated the call to remove the blasphemy reference from our Constitution.

Just last year, Ireland voted at the UN against an attempt by Islamic states to make ‘defamation of religion’ a crime.

AI points out the dangers of this new law:

This new law is both silly and dangerous. It is silly because medieval religious laws have no place in a modern secular republic, where the criminal law should protect people and not ideas. And it is dangerous because it incentivises religious outrage, and because Islamic States led by Pakistan are already using the wording of this Irish law to promote new blasphemy laws at UN level.

In October, Pat Condell commented on the blasphemy resolution put forth by Islamic states to the UN . . . one which, if accepted by member states, would trump the United States Constitution’s First Amendment!

On their new website, blasphemy.ie, Atheist Ireland has published its list of 25 blasphemous quotes. Ranging from luminaries known to exist like Mark Twain and Randy Newman to illustrious figures whose existence is a bit less certain like Jesus of Nazareth and Muhammed, there’s something to offend everyone who relies upon the purported reality of an all-powerful yet easily-offended imaginary friend.

A few of my personal favorites:

2. Jesus Christ, talking to Jews about their God, in John 8:44: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him.” This is one of several chapters in the Christian Bible that can give a scriptural foundation to Christian anti-Semitism. The first part of John 8, the story of “whoever is without sin cast the first stone”, was not in the original version, but was added centuries later. The original John 8 is a debate between Jesus and some Jews. In brief, Jesus calls the Jews who disbelieve him sons of the Devil, the Jews try to stone him, and Jesus runs away and hides.

3. Muhammad, quoted in Hadith of Bukhari, Vol 1 Book 8 Hadith 427: “May Allah curse the Jews and Christians for they built the places of worship at the graves of their prophets.”

11. Frank Zappa, 1989: “If you want to get together in any exclusive situation and have people love you, fine – but to hang all this desperate sociology on the idea of The Cloud-Guy who has The Big Book, who knows if you’ve been bad or good – and cares about any of it – to hang it all on that, folks, is the chimpanzee part of the brain working.”

15. George Carlin, 1999: “Religion easily has the greatest bullshit story ever told. Think about it. Religion has actually convinced people that there’s an invisible man living in the sky who watches everything you do, every minute of every day. And the invisible man has a special list of ten things he does not want you to do. And if you do any of these ten things, he has a special place, full of fire and smoke and burning and torture and anguish, where he will send you to live and suffer and burn and choke and scream and cry forever and ever ’til the end of time! But He loves you. He loves you, and He needs money! He always needs money! He’s all-powerful, all-perfect, all-knowing, and all-wise, somehow just can’t handle money! Religion takes in billions of dollars, they pay no taxes, and they always need a little more. Now, talk about a good bullshit story. Holy Shit!”

20. Pope Benedict XVI quoting a 14th century Byzantine emperor, 2006: “Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.” This statement has already led to both outrage and condemnation of the outrage. The Organisation of the Islamic Conference, the world’s largest Muslim body, said it was a “character assassination of the prophet Muhammad”. The Malaysian Prime Minister said that “the Pope must not take lightly the spread of outrage that has been created.” Pakistan’s foreign Ministry spokesperson said that “anyone who describes Islam as a religion as intolerant encourages violence”. The European Commission said that “reactions which are disproportionate and which are tantamount to rejecting freedom of speech are unacceptable.”

23. Ian O’Doherty, 2009: “(If defamation of religion was illegal) it would be a crime for me to say that the notion of transubstantiation is so ridiculous that even a small child should be able to see the insanity and utter physical impossibility of a piece of bread and some wine somehow taking on corporeal form. It would be a crime for me to say that Islam is a backward desert superstition that has no place in modern, enlightened Europe and it would be a crime to point out that Jewish settlers in Israel who believe they have a God given right to take the land are, frankly, mad. All the above assertions will, no doubt, offend someone or other.”

Please spread the word. Share your support of Atheist Ireland, and your condemnation of the ridiculous blasphemy law.

What can I do?

• Visit their website at blasphemy.ie.
• Become a fan of the No Blasphemy Law in Ireland Facebook page.
• Sign the Online Petition.
• Stay tuned and look for more opportunities to get involved!

How pathetic and small must gods be, if they need to be defended by puny little humans from the insults of those who don’t believe in them?

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