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Swearing on the Bible

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When I read this article over at DISPATCHES FROM THE CULTURE WARS It got me thinking.

The fundamental reason people are sworn to their oath on a Bible during government hearings or swearing in ceremonies does not so much bring religion into the proceeding as it does the foundations of ones honesty.

This may seem strange, but using the Bible for someone who believes the Bible (or God) will harm him if he speaks a lie, is at it’s root. But that root is founded in the understanding that;

1) the person believes in the bible, and
2) that the person believes he will be judged for his lies, should he speak any, by God.

If the person does not believe in the Bible or a God, or that he believes he will be forgiven for his sin of lying, then there is absolutely no reason, or purpose for the Bible to be used. There is fundamentally, only the belief that the person being sworn in is standing on his honor, and if the person has no honor, then anything that person speaks could be a lie.

The question then becomes if a Muslin is sworn on a Bible does it mean anything at all, would a Hindu feel bound? How about an Atheist or a Buddhist, or any politician who only plays the part of a religious person to gain votes. The un-righteous mocking the righteous.

It does not even become a matter of separation of church and state, it’s more a matter of trust. And can you really trust politicians, at ALL?

The last days of Fundamentalist Righteous Superiority

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In recent weeks in the U.S., there have been numerous attempts by fundamentalist christians to force State legislatures into passing laws reflecting their religious beliefs. A South Dakota Rape Law in the form of a anti-abortion law, Intelligent Design teachings in schools, a law authorizing the establishment of a State Religion. Mad things, and with no hope of them withstanding a constitutional review. (I hope)

On the surface they don’t seem to have much in common except their republican, right wing religious pinnings. But what they share is desperation.

That’s what I said, Desperation. They all have the same fear, that the Republican GOP has run out of steam, and is facing a massive back lash in the upcoming elections. The expectation that the corruption, lies and constitutional violations by the Republicans in Congress and the Executive branch are going to bring about a massive Democratic reversal.

This all comes on the heels of calls for NSA reviews, impeachment and lobbying corruption scandals.

There is also an expectation that now that the Judicial Branch has a decidedly right wing slant. There could be some hope that these State Laws might pass Supreme Court Review, and hence force these laws upon other states.

There is even more fear, as the government is continuing to force states to implement electronic voting machines which clearly do not work, or worst, results in republican bias in their reporting.

The monster that the republicans have created is facing a revolt of the public. There is even more talk of a real overthrow of the current administration.

Some republicans are now having to consider if there needs to be some change in direction. A distancing from the president, and I can only hope that in their desperation that they finally choose to Impeach the President in a effort to save their own skins.

I have a faint hope that they will impeach, and also fail to sustain their majority one world government.

I hope that the American people get their government back without a violent revolution and that just a small revolution will reestablish the Constitutional Republic of the United States of America.

The Conversion

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This story is one I heard at the University of Kansas. It was in a Medieval History class I was enrolled in (being as I was bound and determined to be a History teacher). This class was taught by the best history professor I have ever had, and I’m sorry to say, I don’t recall his name after all these years.

He would start out every class with a Medieval Joke or a story. And as best as I can, I will attempt retell one of my favorites.

There were a couple of merchants who were friends, one a Catholic the other a Jew, and they were in constant discussions as to the superior nature of each their chosen religion. At the time around the 13th century Catholicism was on the rise and there was a consistent stream of conversions and the Jewish merchant was always amazed. The two friends were each attempting to convert the other and neither succeeding. On one occasion the Jewish man who was intending a trip to Rome for business, told his Catholic friend in a bit of an amusing way that if what he found in Rome could convince him of the superior Catholic church, he would convert. Upon hearing this the Catholic man was fraught with fear as the Rome of that period was as corrupt as could be, with Bishops, Cardinals and Priests selling dispensation, granting favors and indulgences. While themselves participating it drunken debauchery and whoring. A generally poor example of the nature of the Catholic church. But knowing this the Catholic merchant did not illustrate this for his friend, hoping that such things might not be observed during his trip. So the Jewish merchant made his trip, and upon his return came to his friend and confessed that he would convert to the Catholic Religion. And his friend was perplexed, and ask what had been the determining factor. His friend then went on to describe the worst fears of what he had heard of Rome. The Catholic man was shocked at what he heard, and ask his friend that in the face of such corruption's, how could he want to convert to such a church. And the Jewish man said, it was because of such chaos that he determined that for a religion to grow as it had, then it must be the one true religion as nothing else could explain the rise of this religion. And the Jewish man converted to Catholicism.

Now this is interesting as it has a universal applicability to politics and religion in that with all the political corruption’s of democratic governments they continue to grow. Even in the face of fumbling presidencies corrupt politicians and bungled opportunities, when democracy has a chance, it will succeed even in the face of such chaos. Errors are corrected, politicians are convicted, presidents impeached, and bungled opportunities are recovered.

They are not without pain and require much work by honest men. And as it’s been said before;

Democracy is the the worst form of government, except for all the other’s

The Boxer can’t knit

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I mentioned in a previous post that if Sinn Fein was to enter politics that it would be like a boxer entering a knitting contest. Well due to the riots it surely looks like the boxer can’t knit.

By allowing the scumbag thugs of the more violent factions of Sinn Fein to riot, destroy property assault Garda, reporters and anyone else who happened to be in the wrong place. They have shown that they are not motivated to extend the same liberties that allow them to speak, to others of the opposing voice. Demonstrating that their most potent arguments are those of the common bully.

And while the Unionist are laughing it up, their motivations are clear also, confrontation and incitement. Celebrating the victims of the IRA, while not honoring the victims of Unionist violence is equally one sided.

No one is honoring the Flag of the Irish Republic. And even I, as a ‘blow-in’ Irishman, know what they stand for. And anyone who crosses that white line between the the Green and Orange deservers to be instructed in the definition of Peace.

Sinn Fein, Hamas and George Washington

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Someone ask me what I thought about Sinn Fein being elected as part of the government of the Republic of Ireland. And I flipped off an answer

If the people vote Sinn Fein into government, that is their will. If Sinn Fein are voted in on a platform that they will not fulfill. Then they are no different than any other politician that they replaced, untrustworthy, and they too, should, and will be replaced.

And then I hear that many people in Ireland fear terrible things will happen if Sinn Fein, “the Murdering IRA Thugs”, win more seats in the government.

And sure, I know that there are concerns there, but what would you say to George Washington. To the the British, he was a “Murdering rebel Traitor” but he became President of the United States. Some Americans wanted to make him King, but he declined. It seemed to work out fine for them, being a good man that he was.

I’ll quote you something normally attributed to Ben Franklin

Revolution is always illegal in the third person, such as ‘Their’ Revolution
it’s only legal in the first person, as Our revolution

So if Sinn Fein are, in their own minds, Revolutionary Patriots, then what would make them different from George Washington. The fact that they do not hold office yet, or that what they stand for is not what you stand for?

And if that’s the only difference, being that their platform distinguishes them from any other party, it only makes them politicians, like any other. And you wouldn’t be voting for something you don’t believe in as no amount of thuggery will get the average Irishman to change his mind, only kindly persuasion. (or maybe the parish priest)

Do you think maybe, that Hamas may believe they are patriots for their own people too?

It is really only a matter of perspective.

It’s much like a boxer entering a knitting contest, he wins only if he can knit.

Democracy is philosophically complex

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When ever I hear some one proclaiming that they are striving to bring ‘Democracy to the world’ I shutter, and then mark it down as some one else who does not know what they are talking about. The following is an example of why I know they don’t know what they advocate when they say such things.

U.S. and Israelis Are Said to Talk of Hamas Ouster

The professed supporter of Democracy usually means that they support democracy so long as they win, or that the winners believe the same things as, and fall into line with, the speakers own agenda. The U.S. and Israeli politicians believed that the winners in the Palestinian election would be clones of themselves. And that is just not going to happen in a true Democracy.

The previous government in Palestine was corrupt, detached and did not help, or reflect the needs of the people they were elected to work for.


That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new guards for their future security

And if you think this is revolutionary, try reading the rest of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and the Constitution.

Simpleton minds, hearing simplistic rhetoric often misunderstand what democracy really means. The form of government that the U.S. (and U.K, and most of the western ‘democracies’) exercises, is not a pure democracy, but a republic, with democratic foundations, governed by Laws that prevent Majorities from overturning minority rights. Such things as Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Religion are protections for minorities, they prevent the rule of the mob from overcoming the rights of the minority.

The New Dark Age

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Over at this blog post The Cartoon War

I agree with his “cynical assumption”, I believe this has been orchestrated, and if Muslim’s are feeling increasingly beleaguered, they should get in line.

The greater mass of the general population is increasingly isolated from the functioning of their own governments. Control of events has long since been passed into a very few hands. Partly into the corporate multi-nationals and the ruling elite and partly into their religious proxies in the extremes of both the Muslim an Christian fundamentalist.

The tools are simple, fear and righteousness. Blind obedience, the only condition for membership in the crusade.

But I also believe that while the cartoons were gratuitously inflammatory, you won’t see embassies burnt when the Muslims print holocaust cartoons (which is historic, and not religious). Nor have they when other cartoons printed in Muslims papers deplicting Jews and Christians in an unflattering way have been printed.

We are entering into another dark age where religions rule the minds of the public. And we are ruled by a democratic mob.

Idolizing Cleric’s

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It is allowed to Idolize Cleric’s who interpret Muhammad, but it’s not allowed to display a depiction of Muhammad?

This just rings as another religious hypocrisy, as there are no paintings, photos or drawings of Muhammad (that’s forbidden), you can only depict what you believe Muhammad looked like, just like you can depict a laughing Jesus. It’s only someone’s ‘opinion’ of what Jesus, or Muhammad looks like not the real thing.

It’s only an Idol, if you believe that it’s a true representation of what Muhammad, or Jesus, looks like. So if you are motivated to burn down buildings and attack others it’s because that you believe the depiction IS Muhammad or Jesus, and that the depiction desecrates the TRUE image of Muhammad, or Jesus. And that makes no sense at all, as no one has see either of them for thousands of years.

Perhaps that’s why they burn national flags, as if a countries soul is embodied in the fabric somehow.

Perhaps Muhammad was correct, no Icons, no imagined images of him, his cleric’s or his flags. That might make more sense.

Freedom of the Press is an expensive asset

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Sometimes an asset can be a very expensive. But the Danes should be proud of the comments by their Prime Minister here Danes face growing Muslim storm

“The Danish government cannot apologise on behalf of a Danish newspaper. It does not work like that… and we have explained that to the Arab countries. Independent media are not edited by the government,”

Defending the freedom of the press can be a hard thing to do, but a correct one. All things in context, the Danes are free to do what they have elected by their own laws to allow. And extreme reactions to the sovereignty of a nation should not be violated by any nation, or religion.

Pain of Illness

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I’ve been down the last two days with a stomach flu. It’s been along time since I had anything this painful. And while it’s not going to kill me, it has almost made we wish to be dead. I can only imagine what the victims of the Bird Flu are suffering. If it feels as bad as I do, then I sympathize all the more.

Here’s hoping that it does not spread, and hope that the stricken survive.

Here’s hoping that Pat Robertson doesn’ declare Bird Flu the wrath of God.

Conservative’s and The Fear of Change

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I have been in some ‘discussions’ with the other side of the political fence. And the first impressions I have received in many of these cases is, one of fear. Having read Why I Am Not a Conservative I quote:

Conservatism proper is a legitimate, probably necessary, and certainly widespread attitude of opposition to drastic change…

…It is that by its very nature it cannot offer an alternative to the direction in which we are moving. It may succeed by its resistance to current tendencies in slowing down undesirable developments, but, since it does not indicate another direction, it cannot prevent their continuance. It has, for this reason, invariably been the fate of conservatism to be dragged along a path not of its own choosing.

It’s no wonder that often the ‘banter’ from the Right so often results in name calling. Much like a child who either does not get his way, or the way is not of his choosing, and is then resisting without being able to give an alternative.

The child in the conservative is unable to cope with change. And the faster the change the more the resistance to change.

We live at Internet speeds, information on so many subjects smacking us in the face all the time. Things like religion being confronted by Science, Politics and truth. Mass Media, and Blogs. All constitute changes that draw fire from the conservatives.

There was a great program on RTE about Petrol Dollars and Petrol Euros and the real reason for the invasion of Iraq. ‘The continuation of American Dominance through the perpetuation of the Petrol Dollar as the foundation of the American Economy.’ Change, creates Fear, fear of what might happen to the U.S. economy which is founded almost entirely on the non renewable resource of oil.

And just like the child, the conservative, who can not offer up an alternative (like alternative energy) the conservatives resist, like a child, clutching onto the bitter end of a dropped stick of candy. Unable to see another new piece to suck on. The conservatives will never see another source of economic stability other than Oil.

So rather than accept change, a change that will come anyway, they would rather kill thousands, rob and pillage billions from others to hold on to their savior, God of Oil.

There will be Petrol Euros, and Evolution is a fact. If we could put all the conservatives into a padded cell until the changes that will happen, do. We are stuck educating the conservatives with the truth. Baby spoons anyone?

Whither we like them or not, such changes are going to happen. Unless we are open-minded enough, meaning liberal enough, to discover alternatives to these changes. we will cease to continue on this planet.

The future will happen without us, if it has to.