Tag: religion

I Wonder If The Fundie’s Know About This?

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

According to the New York Times, chaplains in Federal prisons have been quietly carrying out a systematic purge of religious books and materials that were once available to prisoners in chapel libraries. They are doing this under the direction of the Bureau of Prisons, which wants to clear the shelves of any books, tapes, CDs and videos that are not on a list of approved resources. Why are they doing this? According to Traci Billingsley, a spokeswoman for the Bureau of Prisons, the agency is acting in response to a 2004 report by the Office of the Inspector General in the Justice Department that recommended steps that prisons should take, in light of the Sept. 11 attacks, to avoid becoming recruiting grounds for militant Islamic and other religious groups. The bureau, an agency of the Justice Department, defended its effort, which it calls the Standardized Chapel Library Project, as a way of barring access to materials that could, in its words, “discriminate, disparage, advocate violence or radicalize.”

Specifically, Ms. Billingsley said, “We really wanted consistently available information for all religious groups to assure reliable teachings as determined by reliable subject experts.” The Bureau of Prisons said it relied on experts to produce lists of up to 150 book titles and 150 multimedia resources for each of 20 religions or religious categories — everything from Bahaism to Yoruba. The lists will be expanded in October, and there will be occasional updates. What’s on the lists, you ask? There are nine titles by C. S. Lewis, for example, and none from the theologians Reinhold Niebuhr, Karl Barth and Cardinal Avery Dulles, and the influential pastor Robert H. Schuller.

Who selects these titles? The identities have not been made public, but “they include chaplains and scholars in seminaries and at the American Academy of Religion”. This sounds as good as the folks that review movies. Further, the bureau has not provided additional money to prisons to buy the books on the lists, so in some prisons, after the shelves were cleared of books not on the lists, few remained.

Fascinating. But I guess this just makes it harder for inmates to “find God” and be redeemed. Serves them right.

Update – September 27, 2007: The prisons are restoring the removed books. Seems the fundies did find out about it.

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Observations on the News

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

I’m in a good mood (no headache today), so I’ll bring you another installment of (drumroll) “Observations on the News”:

  • From the “Just the Facts, Ma’am” Department: The Los Angeles Times is reporting how a conservative high-school teacher, upset when one of his students used B.C.E. instead of B.C., has created Conservapedia, subtitled “A conservative encyclopedia you can trust. The truth shall set you free.” Reminds one of Fox News, but I digress. Conservapedia gives conservative definitions — and I don’t mean “conservative” in the sense of minimal. Rather, the definitions are in line with the bible-belting, hard-line Republican philosphy. It is also small and loaded with spelling errors… but still, people believe what they read on the networks. Sigh. Of course, if someone were to (ahem) ensure the entries were “fair and balanced” (in the correct (I was going to say “right”) sense of the word….
  • From the “And you better give a ‘Hail Mary’ as you flip that guy off” Department: According to USA Today, ‘da Pope has issued 10 Commandments for Drivers, feeling it was necessary to address the pastoral needs of motorists because driving had become such a big part of contemporary life. The document, issued by Vatican’s Office for Migrants and Itinerant People, also warned that automobiles can be “an occasion of sin” — particularly when used to make a dangerous overtaking maneuver or when used by prostitutes and their clients. The document suggested prayer might come in handy — performing the sign of the cross before starting off and saying the Rosary along the way. The Rosary was particularly well-suited to recitation by all in the car since its “rhythm and gentle repetition does not distract the driver’s attention.”

    So what are these commandments?

    1. You shall not kill.
    2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm.
    3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events.
    4. Be charitable and help your neighbor in need, especially victims of accidents.
    5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin.
    6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so.
    7. Support the families of accident victims.
    8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness.
    9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party.
    10. Feel responsible toward others.

    Alas, I’m not sure these will be of much help, although in Boston and Los Angeles, who knows?

  • From the “He Tossed a Coin” Department: The Los Angeles Times is reporting the death of Guy de Rothschild, the dynamic patriarch of one of the world’s dominant banking families, at the age of 98. Now, I have a soft spot for The Rotshchilds, as it was the musical story of their life (M/L: Bock/Harnick) that introduced me to the world of musical theatre. Who were the Rothschilds? For generations, the Rothschilds had been economic advisors to European royalty, heads of state and even popes. Rothschild’s ancestors settled in Paris and started a French banking branch in 1817 that financed wars and railroads, mining and archeology. The family became one of the richest and most powerful in the world.
  • From the “Feed the Drama Llama” Department: Livejournal has announced their perm account sale will start Thursday… with predictable drama from the Strikethrough 07 crowd, especially after barakb25’s post. Still, I’ll likely get one.
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Religion and the Military: Take Two

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

A while back, I wrote about the bru-ha-ha surrounding the request of a soldier’s widow to have a Wiccan symbol used on his gravestone, a right given to numerous other religions.

It appears that the cemetary is not the only problem for Wiccan’s in the military. The Washington Post is reporting the story of a Pentecostal Christian minister at Camp Anaconda, the largest U.S. support base in Iraq, who (after witnessing the Feb. 22, 2006, bombing of the Golden Mosque in Samarra) applied to become the first Wiccan chaplain in the U.S. armed forces. This set off an extraordinary chain of events, that resulted in (within 6 months of his request) his superiors not only denying his request, but also withdrawing him from Iraq and removing him from the chaplain corps, despite an unblemished service record.

The article notes that Wicca, as a religion, is growing. According to the American Religious Identification Survey, a widely respected tally, the number of Wiccans in the United States rose 17-fold — from 8,000 to 134,000 — between 1990 and 2001. By the Pentagon’s count, there are now 1,511 self-identified Wiccans in the Air Force and 354 in the Marines. No figures are available for the much larger Army and Navy. Wiccan groups estimate they have at least 4,000 followers in uniform, but they say many active-duty Wiccans hide their beliefs to avoid ridicule and discrimination.

They need to, in the military, it seems. When a Texas newspaper, the Austin American-Statesman, reported in 1999 that a circle of Wiccans was meeting regularly at Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio, then-Gov. George W. Bush told ABC’s “Good Morning America”: “I don’t think witchcraft is a religion, and I wish the military would take another look at this and decide against it.” Eight years later, the circle at Lackland is still going strong, and the military permits Wiccans to worship on U.S. bases around the world. But then there was the incident of the Wiccan pentacle on a memorial… and now this.

To me, it’s just a reminder of how tenuous freedom of religion is in this country, and how important it is that we fight for it, whatever the religion may be.

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Talking to God

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

According to CNN, Pat Robertson has said that God spoke to him, and God has told him that a terrorist attack on the United States would cause a “mass killing” late in 2007. As to whether it would be nuc-u-lar, Robertson said “The Lord didn’t say nuclear. But I do believe it will be something like that.” God also said, he claims, that major cities and possibly millions of people will be affected by the attack, which should take place sometime after September.

His past track record is pretty good, according to CNN. Robertson suggested in January 2006 that God punished then-Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon with a stroke for ceding Israeli-controlled land to the Palestinians. The broadcaster predicted in January 2004 that President Bush would easily win re-election.

But, then again, in May, Robertson said God told him that storms and possibly a tsunami were to crash into America’s coastline in 2006.

Robertson also said that God accepts Master Card and Visa.

Well, maybe not the last part. God does accept Discover, however.

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I Want a “Pray With Me” Mantis

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

An article in today’s LA Times Business Section (from the Associated Press) talks about the growth of religious-themed games such as Kosherland, Catholic-opoly, and the the Biblical Action Figure of Job, which comes complete with boils. This is a growth market: retail sales of inspirational gifts and merchandise, which includes religious toys and games, were an estimated $1.9 billion in 2005, an 11.8% increase from the previous year, according to an April report by Packaged Facts, the publishing arm of MarketResearch.com. The report projected 26.3% growth to $2.4 billion in sales in the gifts and merchandise sector by 2010.

So what’s out there? I once did a list on BGG. The article cites even more. There are Risk-style games, such as Missionary Conquest, which awards extra points to players who are martyred by stoning as they try to establish missions in the Middle East. Talking plush dolls, such as the smiling and sneaker-wearing Pray With Me Mantis. [No, I’m not making this stuff up, folks] There is the Muslim board game Race to the Kabah, where players advance by learning the meaning of the 99 names of Allah. KosherLand teaches about Jewish dietary laws, requiring, for instance, that players move backward if they mix milk with meat. In the Mormon game Mortality, good decisions help a player acquire “testimonies,” which strengthen his faith and help him endure life’s trials. In Catholic-opoly, like Monopoly, the job is to bankrupt your opponents–the difference is it’s done “in a nice, fun way.” There are talking Esther, Moses and Jesus dolls that have sold “tens of thousands”. [Really, I’m not making this up.]

Beliefnet lists even more: a Shiva Action Figure (sold by the “Jesus Christ Super Store”, with an Untouchable-Toucher Uzi automatic, in a Four-Armed warrior incarnation), the Dog Buddah, the Empty Tomb Candy Tin, the Jesus Loves You Shoes of the Fisherman, the “Gone to see Dad… Be Back Soon to Pick You Up” T-Shirt of the note on the Cross…. and the list goes on.

Yet still, there are numerous religions not represented. Where are the toys for the believers in Bob? Those who believe in the FSM (and no, Mamma Mia does not count)? Still, for those of you looking for Christmas ideas…. and there’s still one more day of Chanukah!

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Your Tax Dollars At Work

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

[Boy, I’m in a ranty mood today. That’s what I get for reading the Sunday paper.]

Just down the street (OK, the freeway) from my congregation is a little place called All-Saints Episcopal Church. Perhaps you’ve heard of them. The IRS certainly has.

You see, the IRS has decided to reinvestigate this church, possibly pulling their tax-exempt status, all because of a little sermon (PDF) by Rev. Dr. George F. Regas, Rector Emeritus, just before the 2004 election. In this sermon (which is available for download), he asked the hypothethical question: “If Jesus debated Senator Kerry and President Bush…” You see, IRS rules prohibit churches from endorsing candidates by name, and this sermon troubled them (even though, in the 4th paragraph, he explicitly states: “Jesus does win! And I don’t intend to tell you how to vote.”). In response to the sermon, the IRS requested the church turn over a lengthy list of documents, including every instance in which they mention any elected official or candidate in their worship. As the current rector noted, “Since we pray for President Bush by name Sunday by Sunday and because of the breadth of the other IRS questions, we noted that the volume of paper required to respond would be both overwhelming and irrelevant to the examination.” The church board has officially decided to fight this summons in court. Good for them!

I’m also very proud of our Rabbi, who stated from the pulpit that our congregation is standing behind All-Saints.

So, what should we, denizens of the Internet do? My suggestion is this: Let’s become the eyes and ears for hypocracy. Let’s attend all of these congregations that like to demonize individual politicians. Let’s take notes, just like that fellow who wanted campus republicans to rat out teachers who endorsed liberals. And lets drop a few citizen observations to the IRS.

The Daily News, in their editorial, got it right when they said “Preachers naturally talk about morality, and morality necessarily figures into every political decision we make — or at least it should.” If the “religious right” wants to imbuse religious morality into political discourse (e.g., stem cells, a woman’s right to do with her body what she damn well pleases), then the pulpit should be able to at least call them on it when religion and the quest for justice requires us to say they are wrong (although not by name).

Boy, am I not glad I’m a 503(c) organization!

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Nevada Gets It Right — Now It Is The VA’s Turn

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Nevada state officials have approved the use of a Wiccan circle-and-pentagram for the memorial plaque of a Nevada soldier killed in Iraq. Sgt. Patrick D. Stewart, 34, was killed in Afghanistan on Sept. 25 when the Nevada Army National Guard helicopter he was in was shot down. He was a follower of the Wiccan religion, which the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs does not recognize and so prohibits on veterans’ headstones in national cemeteries. However, Nevada state veterans officials said they had received a legal opinion from the Nevada attorney general’s office that concluded federal officials have no authority over state cemeteries. As a result, they intend to have a contractor make a plaque with the Wiccan pentacle — a circle around a five-pointed star — to be added to the Veterans’ Memorial Wall in Fernley. The VA still has not determined yet if a Wiccan symbol can go on the headstone; they only permit “approved” symbols, and they haven’t approved anything for Wicca yet.

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Jesus in the News

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Today, the news brings us two interesting articles on religion.

  • In the first, it is reported that an ancient “Gospel of Judas” has been found (and carbon dated). In this “gospel”, Jesus reportedly asks Judas to help him commit assisted suicide. More specifically, the second century text, denounced as heresy 1,700 years ago by orthodox Christian clergy, describes conversations between Jesus and Judas Iscariot during the week before Passover in which Jesus asks Judas to help him return to the kingdom of the true God, but to do so, Judas must help him abandon his mortal flesh: “You will sacrifice the man that clothes me,” Jesus tells Judas, and acknowledges that Judas “will be cursed by the other generations.”

    To me, this raises a number of interesting questions. First, look at the parallel between Judas and Dr. Kevorkian. Helping with assisted suicide, cursed by the other generations. Separated at birth perhaps? Next, if true, it makes me wonder about Jesus’ mental state. After all, Deut. tells us to choose life, and here he is telling someone to kill him. There is no evidence of a debilitating lingering disease. So (again if true), it goes against what make sense. But this is religion, it doesn’t have to make sense.

  • But some do try to make sense of it. It is also being reported that a team of researchers now believe that Jesus wasn’t walking on water, he was walking on frozen ice. The scientists acknowledge that the Sea of Galilee, in what is now northern Israel, has never frozen in modern times. But they say geological core samples suggest that average temperatures were lower in Jesus’s day, and that there were at least two protracted cold spells in the region 1,500 to 2,500 years ago. In addition to chilly weather, their explanation depends on a rare physical property of the Sea of Galilee, known to modern-day Israelis as Lake Kinneret. It is fed by salty springs along its western shore that produce plumes of dense water, thermally isolating areas that could freeze even if the entire lake did not, they assert.

    These are the same folks that have figured out how Moses crossed the Red Sea. In 1992, he and Nathan Paldor, an atmospheric scientist at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, wrote a scientific article proposing that strong winds across the narrow, shallow Gulf of Suez could have lowered the Red Sea by 10 feet, allowing the Israelites to cross to safety and then swallowing up an Egyptian army within a few minutes when the wind stopped, just as the book of Exodus says.

    What’s most interesting to this is the reaction of people, reminding me of some lines from “Inherit the Wind”. Stanley M. Burgess, professor of Christian history at Regent University, an evangelical Christian school founded by Pat Robertson in Virginia Beach, reacted by saying, “When I look at those verses, I don’t need a scientific explanation. I’m a religious man, and I believe that God can do whatever he wants to do, that Jesus could do whatever he wanted to do.”

    I wonder if Jesus could make me a cheese sandwich?

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