Thursday, January 26, 2012

News Tidbits

Los Angeles Times: Oklahoma Lawmaker Wants to Ban Fetuses in Food

Sacramento Bee: Romney's tithing raises the issue among Christian churches

Pennlive: Bishop of Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg draws anger with Hitler comment

Ms. Magazine: Perp Walk for the Pope

American Independent: Michigan schools asked to cancel appearance of alleged ex-terrorist Kamal Saleem

New York Times: In Police Training, a Dark Film on U.S. Muslims

Xtra: Vancouver School Board censures Denike and Woo

Washington Post: Poll: Preachy politicians turn off many voters

Albany Times-Union: Gay rights activist opposes lawyer's hiring

All Africa: Ugandan Anti-Gay Bill Doesn't Make Sense, Mbeki Says

All Africa: Ugandan Clerics Told Not to Wed Homosexual Couples

11 comments:

  1. Oh boy, here we go with fetuses in our food again...

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  2. Well, thank god someone was brave enough to step forward with the fetus-food act. I was just shocked to find out that it stopped with just humans. I mean, what about space alien parts? I don't want any green-man meat in my burgers!

    Jeesh.

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  3. What is it with some states, like OK, that they choose to elect mentally ill people to office rather than provide them proper treatment?

    "Preachy politicians turn off many voters"

    Especially when they preach incessantly about "morality" and "family values" while their third wife is hanging off their arm, or they whine about "government handouts" while benefiting from tens-of-thousands in farm subsidies.

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  4. Donna -- What kind of feverish mind comes up with these things?

    Wise Fool -- I also think there should be a measure banning unicorn meat in pet food.

    Buffy -- Maybe the elect them for entertainment?

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  5. The bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Harrisburg is being criticized for saying Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini would love the country’s public school system because it teaches all children one set of beliefs.

    Because of course the Catholic Church has never in its history been guilty of teaching only one set of beliefs.

    On the other hand, Hitler did in fact love the Catholic Church, at least enough to remain a life-long member. Not sure what he'd think of our public schools since they teach evolution, which was banned in Nazi Germany.

    As for the fetus food fiasco, I suspect an effort to make the public think that liberals / scientists / whatever are doing weird and creepy things -- proposing a law against this is a way to suggest that it's happening without coming right out and accusing anybody. Just imagine a politician proposing a law against using the blood of Christian babies in matzoh, and the issue may become clearer.

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  6. What kind of sauce goes on fetus fajitas?

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  7. Infidel -- The Catholic Church's double standards and moral myopia blow my mind sometimes. Your idea about the Oklahoma measure as propaganda against scientists is very intruiging -- I hadn't thought about it as akin to the "blood libel" myth.

    Jono -- Chimera-spit sauce. The spicy habanero kind.

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  8. I have a constitutional right to mix fetuses with my pasta sauce. They're so crunchy. I love that. And with a playful shiraz, just fabulous. Damn Jesus Juicers need to stay out of my food choices.

    On a serious note, it bothers me that Romney's tithing practice is heralded as an act of faith and piety. From his perspective, it probably is. However, it is indeed a requirement and the failure to follow through has severe social consequences. For example, I know non-believing Mormons who will pay tithing for a year just so they can get the required temple recommend that gives them the privilege of seeing their own children married in the temple. I've seen it at least 100 times.

    When my daughter was married, I chose to be honest with myself and others and not play by LDS Inc.'s coercive rules. Thus, no temple recommend for me, meaning I was excluded from my own daughter's wedding for being honest. In contrast, another less-than-devout relative paid tithing for a year and stopped chewing tobacco (against the church's rules) for a few months so he could be present at the wedding. Of course, subsequent to the wedding he's chewing again and not paying tithing. Still another who was sleeping with her boyfriend simply lied to her LDS authorities so she could avoid the typical Mormon shunning and judging by her Mormon community.

    LDS Inc. knows its tithing requirement has this effect. They love having that kind of control over their members. Money is all that matters to them. In my view, it is coercion at the hands of a corporate cult.

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  9. Cognitive Dissenter -- From what you and Donna have shared about tithing, it definitely sounds like a racket. With media attention on Romney's faith and tithing, it will at least give the public a chance to learn more about what goes on in the LDS.

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  10. I homed in on that Romney link, too. (Great minds, etc.)

    This stood out from Russell Kelly as ironic in our national discussion about Romney's taxes: "'Ten percent may not mean anything to someone who is really rich, but it will mean a lot to a person without a job,' Kelly said. 'The person who has more, should give more.'"

    And Romney's quote at the end. He might have closed it with "and not a penny more."

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  11. Nance -- Romney's wealth may alienate him from voters who are struggling financially. We'll see as the election campaign progresses.

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