StormWarning’s Counterterrorism

What more can you say? In my opinion, in this day and age we should be in a more tolerant situation. Two issues, related, arise. First, is the situation at a Seattle Mariners baseball game where two ladies were seen smooching in the stands. It apparently caused some questions (but if it was a macho male and his blonde honey, would it have?).

The Seattle Mariners have concluded that the lesbian couple who claimed Safeco Field staff singled them out for their sexual orientation are wrong.

The ushers who asked 23-year-old Sirbrina Guerrero and her closeted 21-year-old partner to “tone down” their kissing last week acted “appropriately,” the Mariners determined, because they were “responding to the behavior of the couple involved, not because of the couple’s sexual orientation,” Mariners spokeswoman Rebecca Hale wrote in an e-mail this morning (read the full text below).

“In the judgment of the Safeco Field staff, the couple’s actions were not appropriate in a ballpark setting, regardless of the sexual orientation of those involved.”

The second area of interest is the subject of same sex marriages (or unions - or whatever!). Rosie O’Donnell is going to wait until the dust settles before remarrying her partner Kelli Carpenter. Its not too clear whether this is a reflection of wanting to be sure that this marriage won’t eventually be declared invalid, or whether “Rosie’s eyes are straying” (see Elisabeth Hasselbeck).

Suffice to say, I am confused, and frankly, I don’t care. Let the social conservatives worry about this. To my mind the government should stay out of peoples’ love affairs.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck, lesbians, ROsie ODonnell

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This is just a short post to comment on a post from another corner of the blogosphere.  My comment:: “In anticipation of their ultimate redemption?” By that you mean that as the prophecy is played out and we enter the “End of Days,” people of the Jewish faith will convert to Christianity, right? Don’t hold your breath. At least this post admits that the purpose of the Christian Zionist support of Israel by is to preserve Eretz Yisrael to enable the return of Jesus prior to Armageddon.

The truth is in the words…actually the “truth” is alot bigger and more obvious.

Armageddon, Christian Zionist, Revelations

2 Comments »

Its been subrosa for a while, but now revealed, that a group of Catholics named Grupo Romo is working to address what thet call “the increasingly toxic anti-immigrant atmosphere” by turning the Alamo City into a sanctuary for unauthorized immigrants. These are “faith-driven” activists providing shelter, food and medical care for what this article refers to as “unauthorized immigrants” (this is political correctness carried to a ludicrous extreme!)…call these people what they are! They are “illegal aliens” who enter this country illegally by surreptitiously sneaking across holes in our border with Mexico (along with G-d knows whoever else).

The encouragement offered by this “well meaning” Grupo Romo is contrary to anything that any law-abiding citizen of the United States should countenance…residents of Texas where the population is 36% Hispanic (counting only the legal residents) and in San Antonio, where the legal Hispanic population is nearly 58% is astounding. Grupo Romo, despite their “faith base” and religious cloak, are aiding and abetting law breakers.

“We are the new Sanctuary Movement in San Antonio,” said group member Víctor Ruiz, 63, who works for the immigration division of Catholic Charities and previously was with the Defense Department in Corpus Christi. “If immigrants need help, we will do all we can to help them out.”

The original “Sanctuary Movement” was a religious effort in the 1980s that created an underground railroad for Central Americans fleeing the region’s bloody civil wars, whose trail crossed South Texas…

…Offering sanctuary to the undocumented is controversial even within immigrant-heavy congregations…

Despite their religious basis, Grupo Romo and other like them are breaking the law! This whole “New Sanctuary” movement is contrary to the Law of the Land!

● Jim “Hoot” Gibson, a San Antonio teacher and member of U.S. Border Watch, a Houston-based immigration-restriction group, said he and others stand ready to protest the Romo group. The law is unequivocal, Gibson said: They’ll be aiding and harboring undocumented immigrants.

● local ICE Director, Jerry Robinette says that “He’s all for people acting on political and religious convictions, and he’s got nothing against helping needy folks, but he can’t look the other way if they break immigration laws.” and “I’d caution them that good intentions could make them criminally liable,” Robinette said. “They have to make the decision whether they want to violate the law or not.”

Movements like the New Sanctuary Movement work against our National Security in the name of “faith.” Groups like these must be stopped. While their ideals a correct, the fact that they encourage law breaking is something I cannot support.

FYI, check out Right Truth’s Memorial Day Weekend Reading Assignment.

Grupo Romo, New Sanctuary Movement, San Antonio

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UPDATE: There is now apparently a denial by Hagee that he didn’t really say what prompted John McCain to disavow Hagee. I haven’t seen it in print, and I only caught the tail end of the broadcast of the statement on the radio. In typical fashion, the self-professed talk radio host here has automatically taken Hagee’s denial as a statement of fact (”because Pastor Hagee said…”). I’ll see what I can find on this, and then perhaps we will learn the truth. Known by “some” as the “pig farmer,” here is a link to the Windows Movie File of his statement this afternoon. Having listened to the statement, I see no reason to accept out of hand this man’s statement (and that he appeared with a kippah-wearing beared Rabbi makes this even more amusing). Why should I accept this statement??? Because? Come’on Joe, you can do better than that! (Ooops, no you can’t!).

“Let me be clear,” he said. “To assert that I, in any way, condone the Holocaust or that monster Adolf Hitler, is the most vicious of lies.”

And not a moment too soon! Whether or how much this will affect McCain’s attempt to win the White House remains to be seen…but, Pastor John Hagee has finally been unmasked for what he is…a sorrowfully misinformed, dangerous zealot! While I am not in any way intending to be disrespectful of anyone’s religious beliefs, I believe that it is essential to understand the thinking of a person like John Hagee. I am appalled by Hagee’s beliefs. I am afraid of those who believe in him, and equally fearful of their collective “wisdom” that somehow, the prophecies are played out only if Israel continues to exist. IMPORTANT UPDATE SHOWN BELOW.

Sen. John McCain on Thursday repudiated the presidential endorsement of the Rev. John Hagee after learning about a sermon in which the megachurch pastor from San Antonio declared that God allowed the rise of Adolf Hitler because it resulted in returning Israel to the Jewish people.

It is, of course, troublesome that McCain almost stumbled over his own feet when he realized how important it might be to his chances of winning the Presidency that he have the support of the Evangelical right. Hagee became that support. A mistake for sure. I have always wondered of the evangelical support of Israel until I counselled with a well educated (especially in matters religious)…with that understanding (a deeply religious education), I learned that there are some who believe that the Messiah will return, only to Israel, and at that point, Jewish people will convert to Christianity. It is also apparent that “the return” also signals the onset of the “end of days” (or “Rapture”)…essentially the obliteration of Earth. You don’t have to accept my view on this subject as you might also read this explanation: Hagee`s apocalyptic support of Israel. Indeed!

Hagee’s predictions are very clear. Armageddon, the final battle, could begin, he wrote in his 2007 book “Jerusalem Countdown,” “before this book gets published.”

The Antichrist “will be the head of the European Union,” he writes.

Using geographical calculations based on the Book of Revelation, he writes that Israel will be covered in “a sea of human blood” in the final battle.

The Jews, however, will survive the battle, Hagee says, long enough to have “the opportunity to receive Messiah, who is a rabbi known to the world as Jesus of Nazareth.”

However, to be somewhat “fair” and somewhat “balanced” here is another view from another Reform Jewish Rabbi, David Saperstein writing about Hagee’s Jewish Endorsers.

Other Storm posts referencing Hagee:
Keeping Religion Out of Foreign Policy
Syria Demands Golan Heights Withdrawal

Also see a letter from Rabbi Eric H. Yoffie is the President of the Union for Reform Judaism, the congregational arm of the Reform Jewish Movement in North America here. Further, while I do not know of the validity of this website, imagine the meaning of the words, Israel is the key to all end-time prophecy, found at Rapture Ready.

Indeed, although McCain praised Hagee’s stance on Israel, he doesn’t appear to share it. Hagee has written that Israel’s plan to give up the West Bank and Gaza — a two-state solution backed by President Bush and Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, as well as McCain — “violates the word of God.”

“McCain can say he’s a great friend of Israel, but he clearly doesn’t understand Hagee’s position on Israel,” said Ira Forman, the executive director of the National Jewish Democratic Council, a partisan group. “Hagee’s opposed to McCain’s own policy — he opposes the peace process.”

What I have written is not in any way intended to be disrespectful of anyone’s religious beliefs. But I also believe that it is essential to understand the thinking of a person like John Hagee. However, beware those whose motives are not apparent. Hagee supports Israel…not the Jewish people.

Does the World end on Dec. 21, 2012 as predicted by the Mayan Calendar (that has no provision for December 22, 2012)?

UPDATE: In following up on my friend, American Phoenix’ reference that Hageee “must be a pre-millennialist” (by the way AP, your link doesn’t work because the < a > html that you used here isn’t correct). Anyway, I came across this revealing summary of Washington’s Fundamentalist Fraternity. IMO, if you consider the importance of Hagee in the overall scheme of the American Evangelical movement, then this is required reading.

end of days, Joe pags, John Hagee, John McCain, Rapture

8 Comments »

There you have it. “Proof” once again that the encroachment of religion into politics, diplomacy and foreign policy has to stop. According to one (and probably other) blogs, we will invade Iran (soon) because its the only way to achieve the end of days. My intention is not to offend any of my believing Christian friends, but, Poppycock!

The thing that Hagee does best (in my opinion of course) is to create a massive traffic jam every Sunday as his church lets out. As for attacking Iran, I wrote back in November 2007 (now six months) that the “Let’s Attack Iran” crowd was dreaming.

Attack Iran and we turn the Middle East to glass in a massive conflagration unseen to date and perhaps never seen again. End of days? Indeed.

John Hagee, National Security, Opinions, politics, Religion, Social Issues

8 Comments »

It was started by David Ben-Gurion. Today, May 1, was Yom Hashoah, or the Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Shoah, which means catastrophe or utter destruction in Hebrew, refers to the atrocities that were committed against the Jewish people during World War II. This is a memorial day for those who died in the Shoah.

The Shoah (also known as the Holocaust, from a Greek word meaning “sacrifice by fire,”) was initiated by the members of the National Socialist (Nazi) Party, which seized power in Germany in 1933. The Nazis believed in a doctrine of racial superiority, centering around the idea that that people of Northern European descent were somehow better than members of all other races – especially the Jews, who were “unworthy of life.”

Sadly: יום השואה

Yes, sadly, anti-semitism, despite the hopes and prayers of many, even those who are not Jewish (see comments below, please), remains a reality in this world. Please note that in an article, The New Anti-Semitism, written by Denis MacShane, a Labor member of the British House of Commons and who has served as Britain’s Europe minister: Anti-Semitism today is officially sanctioned state ideology and is being turned into a mobilizing and organizing force to recruit thousands in a new crusade. In this article, he wrote:

Hatred of Jews has reached new heights in Europe and many points south and east of the old continent. Last year I chaired a blue-ribbon committee of British parliamentarians, including former ministers and a party leader, that examined the problem of anti-Semitism in Britain. None of us are Jewish or active in the unending debates on the Israeli-Palestinian question.

Our report showed a pattern of fear among a small number of British citizens — there are around 300,000 Jews in Britain, of whom about a third are observant — that is not acceptable in a modern democracy. Synagogues attacked. Jewish schoolboys jostled on public transportation. Rabbis punched and knifed. British Jews feeling compelled to raise millions to provide private security for their weddings and community events. On campuses, militant anti-Jewish students fueled by Islamist or far-left hate seeking to prevent Jewish students from expressing their opinions.

Alas, but the sincere good tidings of the Christian supporters of Israel do not reduce the reality that Jewish people around the Globe are subjected to overt, but often “under the hushed sounds” of whisper, the New Anti-Semitsm. It is not just in Europe, but also here in the United States.

יום השואה

2 Comments »

Last week a New Orleans judge ruled in favor of the ACLU in a suit against the Gideon Company (you see their Bibles - New Testament - in many hotel rooms). Gideon, it seems, was in a school giving away free Bibles. The suit was brought on behalf of “Jane Roe,” a little girl whose family didn’t believe in G-d. This post is not about the suit per se, but about an idiot local “dj” (Joe “Pags”) who singlehandedly proved that the “difference between genius and stupidity is the genius has its limits.”

What’s the problem? Once again, this one-side seeing imported pseudo talk show host managed to mangle the entire situation. How? His position was that there was nothing wrong with the Gideon Company giving away free Bibles, and that the position of the child and the parent (atheists) was wrong since no one was going to make fun of the girl for not taking the Bible (”out of fear of retaliation by schoolmates and neighbors“). What this “stand-in” for a conservo-talk show dunce missed was that if my children (or perhaps someday, grandchildren) were placed in a position of accepting a copy of the New Testament, they too, would refuse, and might, depending on their school district or hometown, also be open to ridicule. Why? Because it wasn’t the Old Testament.

Thus, by allowing the Gideon Company to distribute free Bibles, albeit, acceptance of the Bible being at the choice and discretion of the student(s), it could have been seen as encroaching on my children’s (or any other Jewish child’s) rights by opening them up to criticism, ridicule, or worse (in these days of You Tube motivated beatings). Afterall, it has nothing to do with being an atheist.

Missed the point again Joe! This is not like the Pledge of Allegiance thing a few years ago (where an atheist father objected to his daughter having to recite the Pledge).  Simply and frankly, if you keep religious activities out of the public schools, there won’t be any issue with offending anyone who might be of a different “persuasion.”

I know that I’m open to some level of criticism, especially by some of my more believing Christian friends and readers, but nonetheless, this is my opinion.

ACLU, Joe pags, Loranger Middle School

2 Comments »

It is important this week leading to the beginning of Passover that some of the unique history, and in fact, some of the unique modern day practice of Judaism be brought to mind. Especially when race seems to have become once again an overriding topic, this post will provide some interesting insight to the descendents of the Lost Tribe of the Israelites. To do this, we will simply show a series of videos. I believe that it is important, if you have the time, to actually watch all of these selected videos. There are others related. One of my friends pointed me to the one listed last below, but after watching it to the end, I noticed other videos of relevance:

It is through knowledge and understanding that we all learn. Learn if you can.

Beta Israel, Ethiopian Jews, Lost Tribe

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Pending the Super Tuesday results, there is a very real possibility that both parties could nominate candidates whose religions have already been an issue.  Aside from my belief that the “social conservative” wing of the Republican party needs to wake up and realize that the so-called “conservative agenda” is not shared by all Republicans, imagine a Presidential race between Obama and Romney.

I think that religious bigots on both sides of the aisle will either have a field day, or have their heads explode.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Article after article, I’ve heard that Mitt Romney’s Mormonism is a problem (or bad), and would somehow be bad for America (isn’t that what I’ve read?)…frankly, I don’t get it.  And then, of course, there’s Barack Obama who is an avowed Christian (except, of course, a whole load of people run their mouths off that he’s some kind of closet Muslim)…and then, his church, Trinity United Church of Christ, is problematic for a number of “social conservative” Republicans [see ... here].  What’s the problem here?  Apparently, if its not your religion, its not the “right” religion.  Quite a double standard perhaps?

Something else to think about from the U.S. State Department.

Am I not consistent enough for you?  Debate, Discussion and Spitball Politics.  The other day, I was counselled by a commenter that the Republican party needed the social conservatives.  Well, I disagree.

REPEATING: It may be the time for the “social conservative” wing of the Republican party to wake up and realize that the so-called “conservative agenda” (with all of that “values” stuff) is not shared by all Republicans, and does not represent the mainstream of the Republican electorate. And that those who do not share your views of the “conservative agenda” or your image of the Republican party are not “rhinos” but actually people who believe in principles of small(er) government, strong national and homeland defense, elimination of the inheritance tax, encouragement of entrepreneurship and innovation and other “radical ideas”…but simply do not share those religious views that have so overtly been foisted upon the rest of us?  MORE?  I believe that Republicans have to exist without the Christian conservative social agenda. In the marketing world, we would call that a segmented marketplace (too small for any real traction).  Right now, they’re just screaming loudly.  They might quiet down eventually…or maybe not.

Obama, romney

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1 Comment »

It is easy to forget that religious freedom was our first freedom, bringing many to the shores of America.  Yet Peter Stuyvesant, the Dutch Governor of New Amsterdam had proclaimed that only the Dutch Reform religion could be practiced publicly.  And then came the Quakers.  Thus, in the face of tryanny, 31 people defended the rights of the Quakers to worship their religion, and in 1657, the Flushing Remonstrance.

Flushing Stands Up for Tolerance 

1657 Remonstrance

Remonstrance of the Inhabitants of the Town of
Flushing to Governor Stuyvesant,
December 27, 1657

Right Honorable  

You have been pleased to send unto us a certain prohibition or command that we should not receive or entertain any of those people called Quakers because they are supposed to be, by some, seducers of the people. For our part we cannot condemn them in this case, neither can we stretch out our hands against them, for out of Christ God is a consuming fire, and it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Wee desire therefore in this case not to judge least we be judged, neither to condemn least we be condemned, but rather let every man stand or fall to his own Master. Wee are bounde by the law to do good unto all men, especially to those of the household of faith. And though for the present we seem to be unsensible for the law and the Law giver, yet when death and the Law assault us, if wee have our advocate to seeke, who shall plead for us in this case of conscience betwixt God and our own souls; the powers of this world can neither attach us, neither excuse us, for if God justifye who can condemn and if God condemn there is none can justifye.

And for those jealousies and suspicions which some have of them, that they are destructive unto Magistracy and Ministerye, that cannot bee, for the Magistrate hath his sword in his hand and the Minister hath the sword in his hand, as witnesse those two great examples, which all Magistrates and Ministers are to follow, Moses and Christ, whom God raised up maintained and defended against all enemies both of flesh and spirit; and therefore that of God will stand, and that which is of man will come to nothing. And as the Lord hath taught Moses or the civil power to give an outward liberty in the state, by the law written in his heart designed for the good of all, and can truly judge who is good, who is evil, who is true and who is false, and can pass definitive sentence of life or death against that man which arises up against the fundamental law of the States General; soe he hath made his ministers a savor of life unto life and a savor of death unto death.

The law of love, peace and liberty in the states extending to Jews, Turks and Egyptians, as they are considered sons of Adam, which is the glory of the outward state of Holland, soe love, peace and liberty, extending to all in Christ Jesus, condemns hatred, war and bondage. And because our Saviour sayeth it is impossible but that offences will come, but woe unto him by whom they cometh, our desire is not to offend one of his little ones, in whatsoever form, name or title hee appears in, whether Presbyterian, Independent, Baptist or Quaker, but shall be glad to see anything of God in any of them, desiring to doe unto all men as we desire all men should doe unto us, which is the true law both of Church and State; for our Saviour sayeth this is the law and the prophets.

Therefore if any of these said persons come in love unto us, we cannot in conscience lay violent hands upon them, but give them free egresse and regresse unto our Town, and houses, as God shall persuade our consciences, for we are bounde by the law of God and man to doe good unto all men and evil to noe man. And this is according to the patent and charter of our Towne, given unto us in the name of the States General, which we are not willing to infringe, and violate, but shall houlde to our patent and shall remaine, your humble subjects, the inhabitants of Vlishing.

Written this 27th of December in the year 1657, by mee.

Edward Hart, Clericus

Additional Signers
Tobias Feake	Nathaniell Tue
The marke of William Noble	Nicholas Blackford
William Thorne, Seignior	The marke of Micah Tue
The marke of William Thorne, Jr.	The marke of Philip Ud
Edward Tarne	Robert Field, senior
John Store	Robert Field, junior
Nathaniel Hefferd	Nich Colas Parsell
Benjamin Hubbard	Michael Milner
The marke of William Pidgion	Henry Townsend
The marke of George Clere	George Wright
Elias Doughtie	John Foard
Antonie Feild	Henry Semtell
Richard Stocton	Edward Hart
Edward Griffine	John Mastine
John Townesend	Edward Farrington

Flushing’s Freedom

It might be nice for people to remember this.

Flushing Remonstrance, Peter Stuyvesant, Quakers, religious freedom

3 Comments »

THIS IS AN EDITORIAL (with an Addendum)
(and is therefore not intended to “please” everyone)

IMO, a candidate’s religion should mean nothing.  That’s why I think all of the press regarding Romney’s (religion) is a waste of time.  That’s also why I believe inserting all of these so-called “Christian values” into an election is wrong.  Of course, if a candidate’s religion meant nothing, Al Gore, whose VP running mate, Joe Lieberman is Jewish, might have become President.  What a person stands for is not necessarily defined by his/her religion.

There was a recent ”stir” over Romney’s speech, and some side discussions about how some people felt that Christian conservatives dominated the religious discussion…I even heard Rush Limbaugh declare that he knew that “liberals” had their own religion (or lack of one).  How utterly ridiculous!  The discussion had turned with Rush claiming that “liberalism” was a religion.  But in fact, the caller was making his point that liberals “had religion” too. The difference, in my opinion, is that religious conservatives try to foist (to introduce or insert surreptitiously or without warrant) their’s on everyone else.

Before I get into the rest of my own post, you simply have to read my friend Moon’s post, Huckabee screws up, joins all the other candidates.  In his own way, he makes the point better than I have.

In “another venue” I was challenged to explain how Christians were foisting their religion on others, to which I replied…

First of all, I was repeating what I had heard on Limbaugh’s show. But if you wish to know my own opinions, I don’t personally believe that anyone’s religion should be an issue in an election (that’s why I think this whole uproar over Romney’s religion is unproductive). Further, as a non-Christian, I don’t feel comfortable with overt expressions of the Conservative Christian faith being made part of the National agenda (you’re fully entitled to your faith and belief - but keep it out of my government). And finally, as a “shocker,” I believe that Joe Lieberman’s religion is the reason why we didn’t have a President Gore.

And if you want more, to believe that people of a “liberal” mentality have no religion, or that their religious beliefs or values are comparatively less (or “inferior”) to anyone else’s, is simply “self-centered.”  The counter-argument was that it was the “liberals” who force their religion (or perceived lack thereof) on others, arguing that the support of securlarism and acceptance of homosexuality was the way in which liberals “foisted” theirs.  “How odd” I thought.  Then, the clincher…”conservatives want representation in their party”…to which I replied…I  don’t consider myself and conservative or a liberal, although I am clearly a Republican (or maybe more clearly, NOT a Democrat)…

Freedom of choice means that if you don’t like something on radio or television, change the channels. If you think that the “DaVinci Code” movie is blasphemous, don’t go to see it. I also believe that choice permits a woman to decide, based on her beliefs to NOT have an abortion, and either raise the baby out of wedlock or give it up for abortion. I support that decision as well. Where are tax dollars paying for “Heather has two Mommies?” I don’t have a problem with gay marriage (gays have as much problems staying together as straights).

As for “conservatives wanting representation within their party” I can only observe that it is usually one-man (woman)-one-vote. If that’s the case, if “you” want representation in “your” party either make the conservative argument relevant enough for more voters to see it “your” way, or leave the Republican Party to “us guys” and form your own party…maybe the conservatives should have their own party and leave the Republican Party to people like me who believe if strong National Security, a strong stand against illegal immigration, impervious and National ID, lower taxes, and keeping the government out of personal decisions (see the Terri Shiavo fiasco).  Its also why I oppose “faith based” initiatives.

Its pretty clear to me that the problem with religion and religious expressions in political discussions is that any deviation from what “you”consider to be ”conservative values” is liberal. Well, that isn’t the case. The above is the basis of my position that “religious conservatives” wish to foist their beliefs on the general population.

I repeat once for emphasis.  I do not believe that a man or woman’s religion (or lack of religion) should be a qualification for their candidacy for President of the United States.  Unfortunately, that is not the case.  And by the way, I maintain that if religion was not an issue, Joe Lieberman (and his wife Hadassah) might now be running for President as an incumbent Vice President.  Deny it all you want.  But one of the “unspokens,” if you look at some of the states that Gore lost, can readily be that if he had been running with a Christian Vice Presidential candidate, he might have won.  Joe Lieberman remains one of the best men/women in politics today.  I suspect that his observance of the Sabbath (not working from Friday sundown through sundown Saturday), contributed to the loss.

[Holy Shit!  Did he just really write that?]

Addendum:  Not unexpectedly, in this “other venue,” in response to my statement, “Further, as a non-Christian, I don’t feel comfortable with overt expressions of the Conservative Christian faith being made part of the National agenda (you’re fully entitled to your faith and belief - but keep it out of my government),” a particularly combative person wrote: “this would require further and more specific accusations, i see many overt expressions of liberal Christian faith being made part of the national agenda.”

Well, “me being me,” I asked, “What accusations? and by whom?”  Know what?  Apparently, it was me!

The response:

“what accusations? you are accusing conservative christians, by implication, that they are trying to impose their religious viewpoints on society.

plus i have news for you. it is amy’s government, it is johnny’s government, it also is my government, it is the government of calpatriot, leticia’s government,and i’ll even add that the government is also the government of grumpy old man too. it is not just your government. and each of us has as much right to influence government policy and laws as you do.”

Accusations?  LOL!  I consider that response to be indicative of the problem we face. But my reply was:

I did not make any accusations. Your sensitivities may have read them as such, but there were none.

Ours is a government “of, for and by” the people…that’s “We the People” (and by the way, it is my government too).  As I am neither a “conservative” nor a “liberal” Christian, I believe that there are attempts to invoke conservative Christian beliefs on the general population…it makes me very uncomfortable. When you witness the Terri Shiavo fiasco, that decision, that intervention by the government was not made by “We the People.” If you hope to impose your views on the entire population, then you need to vote those people into office. If you cannot, then you’re out of luck.

As I wrote on my own blog, I do not believe that a man or woman’s religion (or lack of religion) should be a qualification for their candidacy for President of the United States. Unfortunately, that is not the case. If religion was not a factor, then Vice President Joseph Lieberman might be running for the office of the Presidency.

You are entitled to your beliefs…as am I. Once your beliefs become the law of the land, those beliefs have been imposed on me.

As I expect some people may now come to visit this post, I urge them to read the comments by Ortho and my reply, shown below. All you’ve got to do is click on “comments.”

7 Comments »

Tonight is the last night of Chanukah.  Each night this week on this blog, a new candle was lit on the Chanukah menorrah- some spell it Hanukkah - but no matter, it is the beginning of the Jewish Festival of Lights or rededication. 

According to tradition as recorded in the Talmud, at the time of the rededication, there was very little oil left that had not been defiled by the Greeks. Oil was needed for the menorah (candelabrum) in the Temple, which was supposed to burn throughout the night every night. The story is told of the Maccabees who fought the rebellion, and established a land of Jewish independence in Judea (the Land of Israel) in the area closely approximating the Kingdom of Solomon.  There was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days. An eight day festival was declared to commemorate this miracle. Note that the holiday commemorates the miracle of the oil, not the military victory…

It is a celebratory holiday, even though it is a minor one in the Jewish calendar.

Blessed are You, our G-d, creator of time and space (I learned it as King of the Universe), who enriches our lives with holiness, commanding us to light the Chanukah lights.

And my personal prayer and wish is for Peace (and goodwill) for everyone throughout this Holiday Season.

Check out Snooper’s important message, Sending Messages of Cheer to Our Troops for the Holidays.

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This is a position I’ve wanted to read about for months (and this post will be updated as I have time to read more in-depth).  Finally, an analysis of the differences between the religion of Islam and the political aspects of the Islamists.  Unfortunately, many refuse to see this distinction…the crux of the issues between political Islam, espoused by the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist organizations-some overtly violent and some not-and the traditional immigration model that the United States and Europe have dealt with for many decades.

This is a subject discussed at length by Doug Farah in his article, In Some Ways, the Crux of the Matter and in the related article in the Middle East Quarterly, in an article called “Should Muslims Integrate into the West?”  I absolutely do not expect alot of people to agree with this perspective.  All too many already espouse the derisive epithet, calling Islam the “religion of peace” without every differentiating between the political and religious aspects of Islam.  While I hope to read and learn more about these, and to more fully examine the articles (and therefore expand on this post later on this weekend).

Certainly not all Muslims, and perhaps not even most, in this country, subscribe to the theology/ideology of political Islam. By this I mean the espousing the oneness of religion and political life. That is, that sharia law and Muslim precepts are not something that regulates the behavior between an individual and Allah, but something to be imposed by divine writ on all humanity…

…It is because of these fundamental and irreconcilable differences that the Muslim Brotherhood, its legacy groups in the United States and Europe, and other Islamists, pose a threat to liberal democracies and why they cannot do other than try to destroy the current structures…

On examination, it is clear that political Islam requires Muslim immigrants in the West to place religious identity above national and ethnic identities and to promote the interests of a global Muslim nation. Thus there is no integration into society, no assimilation into their new country…immigration according to political Islam is seem as establishment of a beach head rather than something motivated by the seeking of a better life as my grandparents and Mr. Farah’s grandparents did when they came from their countries of origin.

Five points:
● a greater Islamic nation exists of which Muslims are members wherever they live.
● while living in a non-Muslim society is undesirable, it might be legal on an individual basis if the immigrant acts as a model Muslim.
● it is the duty of a Muslim in the West to reaffirm his religious identity and to distance himself from anything contrary to Islam. Hence, he should help establish and patronize mosques, Muslim schools, cultural centers, and shops.
● Muslims in the West should champion the cause of the Muslim nation in the political as well as the religious sphere, for there should be no distinction between the two.
● Muslims in the West should spread Islam in the declining, spiritual void of Western societies.

This is clearly a controversial topic…and is problematic “…because Islamist jurists in the Arab world have considerable resources, they at times drown out or wear down more pro-assimilation voices. The collision between Western interpretations of personal freedom and some Islamist interpretations of Muslims’ rights and duties is inevitable. For mainstream Muslim jurists, Islam trumps all aspects of human activities…”

It is problematic because the position of political Islam is contrary to assimilation…and also because many people adopt a narrow one-size fits all “understanding” of the issue, and remain unwilling to accept the separation between religious and political Islam.

If you “feel like it” please see Real Clear Politics (vote)

Muslim Brotherhood, political Islam, religious Islam, traditional immigration

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Despite my 50K mark today, I’ve been over busy keeping things moving.  I found something intriguing in my spam filter today, especially given so much of the anti-Muslim rhetoric that anyone can read on blogs everyday.  We always read “stuff” that demeans all Muslims, blanketly speaks against Islam and is generally demeaning of the religion.  So is this propaganda or real effort to speak against the spread of Sharia?…Is this the long awaited breakthrough of a Muslim group speaking out, or a scam?

Muslims Against Sharia (from the website) (see alternate view of this website shown below): 

Our Goals

• to educate Muslims about dangers presented by Islamic religious texts and why Islam must be reformed
• to educate non-Muslims about the differences between moderate Muslims and Islamists (a.k.a. Islamic Religious Fanatics, Radical Muslims, Muslim Fundamentalists, Islamic Extremists or Islamofascists)
• to educate both Muslims and non-Muslims alike that Moderate Muslims are also targets of Islamic Terror

Our Manifesto

►Acknowledging mistakes
►Inconsistencies in the Koran
►The Koran & the Bible
►The need for reform
►Accepting responsibilities
►Religious privacy
►Equality
►Sharia
►Outdated practices
►Outdated verses
►Outdated words & phrases
Use of the following words and phrases or their variations must be prohibited during religious services:
• Infidel / Unbeliever: these terms have negative connotation and promote divisiveness and animosity; Islam is not the only religion
• Jihad: this word is often interpreted as Holy War against non-Muslims
• Mujaheed / Holy Warrior: no more wars in the name of Islam
• American (Christian / Crusader / Israeli / Zionist) occupation: these terms promote bigotry; at this point in time, Muslims living in non-Muslim lands have more freedoms than Muslims living in Muslim lands
►Islam vs. violence
►Portrayal of Prophets
►The Crusades vs. The Inquisition

I have never been one to blanketly cover all Muslims, to brand them as a group, call them names (the one that speaks to me is when people purposely mis-spell the word as “Muzlims,” or calls them “Muzzies” or some other form of the word).  IMO, it shouts ignorance and intolerance.  Perhaps an oddity, but their contact is in Omaha Nebraska.

On the otherhand, there is this post, Debunking “Muslims against Sharia”, from Towelie!

If I’ve been duped, then the damn thing goes into the spaminator forever.  If its on the level, then we’ll see.

Muslims Against Sharia

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