Diseases that Religion Cannot Cure

I don't mean to suggest that medical science can cure everything that religion cannot. My point is that people too often turn down helpful medical aids in lieu of ineffective-- and even dangerous-- alternatives.

Below is a  link to a story on the BBC News' Heart and Soul program, presented by Catrin Nye. I think it's worth looking through or at least checking out the video.

Possession, Jinn and Britain's backstreet exorcists

The link above begins with a short video. Scroll down to the end of the article to see the full report. Or, click here: Full Report: Possession, Jinn and Britain's backstreet exorcists

I though only Pentecostals did this sort of thing with spirit possession. Interesting . . .
I say that because I used to be a Pentecostal. I didn't know Muslims dabbled in demon possession.

Merry Christmas-- Damn It!

Many of the residents of Jesusland seem to have a bit of an attitude this Christmas season. I notice people saying that they are sick and tired of hearing the phrase "Happy Holidays" as opposed to "Merry Christmas". These same people assert that we ought to know the true reason for why we even have Christmas; Avoiding the very word Christmas is the same as being bullied by the proponents of secularism.

People in Jesusland have worn t-shirts admonishing people to not be afraid to say "Merry Christmas"-- as though they might possibly be persecuted or lose their jobs for keeping Christmas Christian. They make angry Facebook posts and tweets condemning anyone who says "Happy Holidays" in place of the mandatory phrasing for this time of year.

I submit today that people who share that sentiment wrongly believe that Christians should own the holiday season. I believe that such people unwittingly feel entitled to more rights than others. They assert there is a "war" on Christmas without realizing the irony of their words.

Let me explain.

My daughter comes home from school earlier this week (based on the time of this post) saying that Hanukkah is Israel's way of celebrating Christmas.

No. That's just not true about Hanukkah. But, this bit of misinformation shows how Christianity gradually absorbs so many non-Christian traditions over the centuries. Perhaps the teachers are unwittingly imposing their Christian bias onto others. But purposefully or not, they are slowly assimilating a Jewish celebration that has nothing to do with Christmas at all. As a rule of thumb, Jews simply do not accept Jesus as the Messiah. Christmas in it's most strict religious form is counter to mainstream Jewish belief; Didn't you learn anything in Sunday School?

Why would an Reformed Jew celebrate Christmas, then? I think it's safe to say that they only celebrate Christmas for as far as the gift giving and the decorations go. You know-- just to enjoy the holiday spirit of giving and such. Can you blame any Jewish parents who might not want their children to feel left out when all their Gentile classmates and friends rave on and on about how the baby Jesus-- um . . . I mean Santa Clause-- er . . . I mean . . . their parents left tons of toys and gadgets for them under their Christmas trees?

Judaism is a good example of why greeting others with the phrase "Happy Holidays" as opposed to the phrase "Merry Christmas" is, in my opinion, simply being sensitive to others. But, just as I feel offended that someone would mandate that I only greet others with "Merry Christmas", I don't want to suggest that the greeting in and of itself is inappropriate for this time of year, either. Like Thomas Jefferson said, "But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg". And quite frankly as an atheist, I feel that way when people greet me with "Merry Christmas". I don't mind the greeting and I even reply in kind. But, for people to get an attitude because you don't say it . . . I begin to wonder if they even understand why freedom of religion is so special and important at all.

With much attitude, I hear people insist that Jesus is the reason for the season as they decorate their "Christmas" trees and plan to buy their "Christmas" gifts. No harm in having a Christmas tree or buying gifts. Hell, I have a Christmas tree up in my home and I'm an atheist for crying out loud! I just got back from Christmas shopping before starting on this post. But, the difference: I'm willing to accept the fact that a Christmas tree ain't got shit to do with Jesus; and if a Jew can buy Christmas gifts, so can an atheist. But more importantly, consider how this season as a whole seems to come more from the Yule festivals of the Winter Solstice. Think of how Christianizing other cultures has overshadowed so many festivals and traditions over the centuries and made them Christian. Don't believe Christians ever assimilated other traditions? It's happening now as evidenced by my daughter coming home and calling Hanukkah the "Jewish Christmas".

The sort of Christians who demand that we all use the phrase "Merry Christmas" feel entitled whether they realize it or not. And worse, when such people don't get their entitlement, they claim to be bullied by everyone else. It's as if Christians of this sort feel their rights are being stepped on if they cannot make everyone else participate in their Christian activities. Take prayer in school, for example. The law is not telling Christians that they cannot pray. The law is telling them that they cannot have teachers lead the class into prayer and mandate that each child takes on prayer. Would a Christian parent want a Muslim teacher mandating that their child prays towards Mecca daily?

But, the law does protect the right for children of any faith to gather together before or after school (or even during the activity period within the school day) and pray to their hear's content so long as the activity is student initiated. Also, no one can be forced to participate against their will, either. Our children still have that precious right because of freedom of religion (and freedom from it, too). Yet, certain Christians feel that if they cannot make your child pray in school, you are stepping on their rights. That's a sense of entitlement. That's the same reason why certain Christians feel they own the Yuletide traditions all to themselves; they feel entitled.

And with all of this assimilation and entitlement going on, how can Christians honestly assert there is a "war" on Christmas? There is no war. People are merely tired of being assimilated.

Case in point: the office manager at my place of employment sent out a mass e-mail spreading the notion that Christians need to stand up against the secular bombardment upon their faith. In her thinking, she's got 100% support within the office and can send her message out in total confidence. Of course she won't be reprimanded or fired for circulating that e-mail to everyone in the office. Who in the world would object?

Never mind that the e-mail was a partially forged message attributed to Ben Stein. If integrity is so important to Christian faith, why go around spreading an e-mail that falsely attributes words to someone? I know we make mistakes, but I can't count how many e-mail messages I have received that spread fables in the place of truth only to make a an often unfair point.

Below, I'll share a portion of the e-mail I received. This portion below really was delivered in a commentary by Ben Stein back in the year 2005. But, it's being circulated as though he stated this during the 2012 Christmas season and extra paragraphs were added on by other authors. The message as a whole is made to look like it was signed as coming from Stein even though only a potion of the message in circulation comes from his original commentary:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish.  And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees, Christmas trees...  I don't feel threatened..  I don't feel discriminated against.. That's what they are, Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me.  I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto.  In fact, I kind of like it.  It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu .  If people want a crèche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away. 

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians.  I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period.  I have no idea where the concept came from, that America is an explicitly atheist country.  I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat...  

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship celebrities and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him?  I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too.  But there are a lot of us who are wondering where these celebrities came from and where the America we knew went to. 

Again-- my office manager can send this around the office with total confidence and not worry about losing her job. She can take for granted that she's sending this e-mail to an office full of supportive people who are undoubtedly in her corner and share this sentiment of entitlement.

However, should I talk too loudly about my atheism from behind my cubical wall, I feel that I could realistically put my employment status in jeopardy.

So then, tell me; who exactly has the upper hand in this supposed "war" on Christmas?

Look-- I don't feel pushed around when someone greets me with "Happy Holidays". I don't even feel pushed around when someone greets me with "Merry Christmas".

But, I do feel pushed around when I'm slapped in the face with a sentiment that basically and angrily says, "Merry Christmas-- damn it.". I'd rather be greeted with the infamous, "Bah! Humbug."

So much for making the Season bright with "Christmas" cheer.

Brilliance Lost: Ignorance is NOT Bliss

Neil deGrasse Tyson gives a very interesting talk. To me, he really rips it up.

Short version:

By watching this one, you get the gist of his point. But, you might miss a lot of important context worth hearing. And what is the main point? We have a lot to lose when we displace the drive for discovery with blissful ignorance.




Full version:

You get to see Tyson really build up his case against the real harm that comes from embracing Intelligent Design as a real part of science.

The Stoning of Soraya M.

While following up on the condition of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, I learned of a movie called The Stoning of Soraya M., which is based upon a book of the same name.

The gut wrenching part is that the book is claimed to be based upon true events as the movie attempts to bring the book to visual life.

I just finished watching the movie; this movie was one of the most difficult movies I've ever watched. Not because it was poorly done. Not at all! But to sit through such cruelty was so very, very difficult to do.

Soraya M. was helpless. No dobut Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani is just as helpless.

Reports are leaking out that Ashtiani is also a murder who mutilated her husband and deserves the death penalty. I honestly cannot say. I wasn't there. But considering the way that theocracies typically oppress women, I think the murderers in this case are the judiciaries and the one about to be mutilated is poor Ashtiani.

Now . . . for anyone who thinks I'm attacking Islam in this post, I am not. I'm only attacking the cruelty of stoning.

But if the shoe fits . . .

In other words . . . if your religion supports this kind of act-- then yes, I am attacking your personal religious beliefs. Any belief that generates cruelty of such magnitude brings shame upon the entire human race.

And of those who plan to stone Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani-- their beliefs likewise bring shame upon the whole human race.

May Allah one day forgive such people of their wickedness.

Ninety-Nine Lashes

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani is on death row for adultery. She is waiting to be stoned to death in Iran unless someone somehow prevents this brutal atrocity from happening.

How could stoning someone for infidelity ever be upheld by law?

How can stoning someone for any reason be advocated by God above? If we're appalled by a modern day stoning, then a stoning of ancient times is just as heinous.

Ashtiani has already endured ninety-nine lashes for her alleged crime. Now, she sits in fear waiting to be buried from the torso down in preparation for her execution by stoning.

Even if we know she is guilty, this is too harsh of a punishment. And worse, she may have been coerced into her confession from the beginning.

I wonder what happens to the other person with whom she committed adultery.

All around, this is horrible. And ancient religious scripture mixed with human cruelty is to blame.

I certainly hope mercy wins out in the end.

The AFA is Right; Not Censoring New JC Show Would Be Unfair

I saw this e-mail today. I'll quote it first, then expound upon it:

Comedy Central set to blaspheme Christ with "JC" show

The Comedy Central network is planning a cartoon series about Jesus Christ entitled "JC."

June 7, 2010

Dear (name removed)

In its promotional material for the program "JC", Viacom describes Jesus as a "regular guy" - rather than the Son of God - and depicts him moving to New York to "escape his father's enormous shadow." The Father is depicted as an apathetic dad virtually addicted to video games and totally uninterested in his son's life.

So Comedy Central is set - unless we intervene - to blaspheme two-thirds of the Trinity on a weekly basis.

A depiction of Jesus on Comedy Central's "South Park" (Courtesy of Comedy Central)See how we expect Comedy Central to mock Christ by viewing this previous offering of anti-Christian bigotry from the show "South Park." Warning - It is offensive, but depicts the animosity the network has toward Christianity.

Yet in recent weeks Comedy Central bowed to pressure from Islamic groups and heavily censored an episode of "South Park" that showed Mohammed in a bear costume. The hypocrisy here is staggering.

Comedy Central shows more respect for Mohammed and for Muslims, who represent two percent of the American population, than for Jesus Christ and the 83% of Americans who believe in him.

We need to send a loud, clear message to Comedy Central and all potential advertisers of "JC" that this kind of insulting programming is completely unacceptable. If we speak with one voice now we can keep this program from ever seeing the light of day.

Sign our petition today and make your voice heard. This petition, with your signature on it, will be sent to the decision-makers who will determine whether this program airs.

At first I thought, "these people have no right to suppress free speech".

Then I realized something else-- the violent, threating members of Islam have already done this when the most recent South Park's depiction of Mohammad was censored on television.

This is not fair after all.

We pick on Jesus because Christians probably won't come together in larger numbers and threaten to murder. One might kill, but a community of Christians won't come together and threaten everyone with misery and death if the JC show airs and offends the majority of America.

But we won't dare say anything about Allah or his (so called) prophet Mohammad (why should peace be upon him? he certainly isn't generating peace upon us after he's been gone for centuries!).

Just that comment above could get me killed if I had a wider audience. I could have this blog pulled because I defamed the name of Mohammad.

Until our society realizes that we need to have the balls to own up to our rights of free speech, free inquiry, and freedom to criticize, then we sure as hell have no business making fun of Jesus Christ without censoring him in the same way that South Park's recent depiction of Mohammad was censored.

We must not forget where we came from. During an era of witch hunts, despotic kings and governors, kidnappers and slave traders, inquisitions, and spreading of religion by dominant force-- a beacon of reason and Enlightenment declared that enough was enough. The people wanted a government that gave a rats ass about the people, a ruler that was respected, but could be taunted, and a freedom to pursue happiness and liberty.

And the people knew that in order to have this, an environment needed to be created where someone could discover controversial truths and express them openly for the ultimate betterment of human kind.

If people can't say something negative or controversial about Mohammad, Jesus Christ, Barack Obama, Sarah Palin, or even yours truly, then we will find ourselves too afraid to point out danger when we see it. We will hold on to delusions out of fear. We will dismiss the reasonable when insanity is handed to us. We will fall into a well of ignorance and usher in a new Dark Age.

Mohammad doesn't have the right to do that to us. But until we get that into our heads, we don't have a right to pick on JC while cowering in from of Allah.

Heretic

See??

This is what I was getting at when I point out the need for the separation of Church and State.

In Pakistan, extremist Muslims killed about 80 worshipers of a minority religious group known as the Ahmadis.

The Ahmadis are forbidden in the eyes of other Muslims to refer to themselves as members of Islam and may not refer to their places of worship as mosques.

The Ahmadis believe that the (so called) prophet Mohammad predicted a future messiah in the person of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (whoever he might be).

Fundamentalist, extremist Muslims feel that this belief makes the Ahmadis non-Islamic-- not even worthy to be called a fringe group of Islam.

When the Ahmadis try to act like members of the Islamic faith, they committed a crime so horrible that extremists gunned down scores of worshipers today as two suicide bombers added to the carnage.

The Pakistani police tried to control the situation. But the police and the media made sure not to slip up and call the Ahmadis Muslims.

This sort of violence has been on the rise in Pakistan. The extremists claim that even Pakistani law forbids the Ahmadis from claiming to be true Muslims. So, that just further justifies their actions.

And Fundamentalists in the United States want a Christian nation?

The heretic is the one who isn't mainstream while the orthodox believer is the one with the majority and the muscle. Should the tables turn and you one day become a heretic through no fault of your own, will you still want Church and State to mix?

OK, So Here's the Good News . . .

Today is Friday! That's the good news!!

Oh, and one more bit of good news . . .

The Human Rights Commission in Saudi Arabia helped a 12 year old girl finally get a divorce from her 80 year old husband!

Despite the fact that many clerics feel that Mohammad's marriage to a nine year old girl sets a positive example, the Ministry of Justice in Saudi Arabia is considering raising the legal age limit for marriage. Because of the legal battle of this girl and her mother, officials are now forming committees to meet and discuss what the appropriate age of marriage for a woman should be.

Well, progressiveness doesn't happen over night. After all, disagreeing with Mohammad these days takes a lot of guts.

Feuding Faiths?

Again, I'm sharing another e-mail forward. But this time, I'm contrasting this e-mail anecdote with words from President Barack Obama.

First, the e-mail:

Subject: Muslim Belief, why Jesus trumps allah

This is a true story and the author, Rick Mathes, is a well-known leader in prison ministry. The man who walks with God always gets to his destination. If you have a pulse you have a purpose.

The Muslim religion is the fastest growing religion per capita in the United States , especially in the minority races!!!

Last month I attended my annual training session that's required for maintaining my state prison security clearance. During the training session there was a presentation by three speakers representing the Roman Catholic, Protestant and Muslim faiths, who explained each
of their beliefs.

I was particularly interested in what the Islamic Imam had to say.. The Imam gave a great presentation of the basics of Islam, complete with a video.

After the presentations, time was provided for questions and answers. When it was my turn, I directed my question to the Imam and asked: 'Please, correct me if I'm wrong, but I understand that most Imams and clerics of Islam have declared a holy jihad [Holy war] against the infidels of the
world and, that by killing an infidel, (which is a command to all Muslims) they are assured of a place in heaven.. If that's the case, can you give me the definition of an infidel?'

There was no disagreement with my statements and, without hesitation, he replied, 'Non-believers!'
I responded, 'So, let me make sure I have this straight. All followers of Allah have been commanded
to kill everyone who is not of your faith so they can have a place in heaven. Is that correct?'

The expression on his face changed from one of authority and command to that of a little boy who had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.'

He sheepishly replied, 'Yes.'

I then stated, 'Well, sir, I have a real problem trying to imagine Pope John Paul commanding all
Catholics to kill those of your faith or Dr.. Stanley ordering all Protestants to do the same in order to
guarantee them a place in heaven!' The Imam was speechless!
I continued, 'I also have a problem with being your friend when you and your brother clerics are telling your followers to kill me!

Let me ask you a question: Would you rather have your Allah, who tells you to kill me in order for you
to go to heaven, or my Jesus who tells me to love you because I am going to heaven and He wants you to be there with me?'

You could have heard a pin drop as the Imam hung his head in shame. Needless to say, the organizers and/or promoters of the Diversification training seminar were not happy with my way of dealing with the Islamic Imam, and exposing the truth about the Muslims' beliefs.

In twenty years there will be enough Muslim voters in the U.S. to elect the President! I think everyone in the U.S. should be required to read this, but with ACLU, there is no way this will be
widely publicized, unless each of us send it on! This is your chance to make a difference...

Rick Mathes maintains that this event actually happened from sources that I've read.

Now contrast that events of that e-mail with an excerpt from President Obama's speech in Cairo, Egypt June 4th, 2009:

I am honored to be in the timeless city of Cairo, and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions. For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has stood as a beacon of Islamic learning, and for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt's advancement. Together, you represent the harmony between tradition and progress. I am grateful for your hospitality, and the hospitality of the people of Egypt. I am also proud to carry with me the goodwill of the American people, and a greeting of peace from Muslim communities in my country: assalaamu alaykum.

We meet at a time of tension between the United States and Muslims around the world — tension rooted in historical forces that go beyond any current policy debate. The relationship between Islam and the West includes centuries of co-existence and cooperation, but also conflict and religious wars. More recently, tension has been fed by colonialism that denied rights and opportunities to many Muslims, and a Cold War in which Muslim-majority countries were too often treated as proxies without regard to their own aspirations. Moreover, the sweeping change brought by modernity and globalization led many Muslims to view the West as hostile to the traditions of Islam.

Violent extremists have exploited these tensions in a small but potent minority of Muslims. The attacks of September 11th, 2001 and the continued efforts of these extremists to engage in violence against civilians has led some in my country to view Islam as inevitably hostile not only to America and Western countries, but also to human rights. This has bred more fear and mistrust.

So long as our relationship is defined by our differences, we will empower those who sow hatred rather than peace, and who promote conflict rather than the cooperation that can help all of our people achieve justice and prosperity. This cycle of suspicion and discord must end.

I have come here to seek a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world; one based upon mutual interest and mutual respect; and one based upon the truth that America and Islam are not exclusive, and need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share common principles — principles of justice and progress; tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.

I do so recognizing that change cannot happen overnight. No single speech can eradicate years of mistrust, nor can I answer in the time that I have all the complex questions that brought us to this point. But I am convinced that in order to move forward, we must say openly the things we hold in our hearts, and that too often are said only behind closed doors. There must be a sustained effort to listen to each other; to learn from each other; to respect one another; and to seek common ground. As the Holy Koran tells us, "Be conscious of God and speak always the truth." That is what I will try to do — to speak the truth as best I can, humbled by the task before us, and firm in my belief that the interests we share as human beings are far more powerful than the forces that drive us apart.

Part of this conviction is rooted in my own experience. I am a Christian, but my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims. As a boy, I spent several years in Indonesia and heard the call of the azaan at the break of dawn and the fall of dusk. As a young man, I worked in Chicago communities where many found dignity and peace in their Muslim faith.

As a student of history, I also know civilization's debt to Islam. It was Islam — at places like Al-Azhar University — that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe's Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires; timeless poetry and cherished music; elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality.

I know, too, that Islam has always been a part of America's story. The first nation to recognize my country was Morocco. In signing the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796, our second President John Adams wrote, "The United States has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims." And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States. They have fought in our wars, served in government, stood for civil rights, started businesses, taught at our Universities, excelled in our sports arenas, won Nobel Prizes, built our tallest building, and lit the Olympic Torch. And when the first Muslim-American was recently elected to Congress, he took the oath to defend our Constitution using the same Holy Koran that one of our Founding Fathers — Thomas Jefferson — kept in his personal library.

So I have known Islam on three continents before coming to the region where it was first revealed. That experience guides my conviction that partnership between America and Islam must be based on what Islam is, not what it isn't. And I consider it part of my responsibility as President of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.

But that same principle must apply to Muslim perceptions of America. Just as Muslims do not fit a crude stereotype, America is not the crude stereotype of a self-interested empire. The United States has been one of the greatest sources of progress that the world has ever known. We were born out of revolution against an empire. We were founded upon the ideal that all are created equal, and we have shed blood and struggled for centuries to give meaning to those words — within our borders, and around the world. We are shaped by every culture, drawn from every end of the Earth, and dedicated to a simple concept: E pluribus unum: "Out of many, one."

Much has been made of the fact that an African-American with the name Barack Hussein Obama could be elected President. But my personal story is not so unique. The dream of opportunity for all people has not come true for everyone in America, but its promise exists for all who come to our shores — that includes nearly seven million American Muslims in our country today who enjoy incomes and education that are higher than average.

Moreover, freedom in America is indivisible from the freedom to practice one's religion. That is why there is a mosque in every state of our union, and over 1,200 mosques within our borders. That is why the U.S. government has gone to court to protect the right of women and girls to wear the hijab, and to punish those who would deny it.

So let there be no doubt: Islam is a part of America. And I believe that America holds within her the truth that regardless of race, religion, or station in life, all of us share common aspirations — to live in peace and security; to get an education and to work with dignity; to love our families, our communities, and our God. These things we share. This is the hope of all humanity.

Of course, recognizing our common humanity is only the beginning of our task. Words alone cannot meet the needs of our people. These needs will be met only if we act boldly in the years ahead; and if we understand that the challenges we face are shared, and our failure to meet them will hurt us all.

For we have learned from recent experience that when a financial system weakens in one country, prosperity is hurt everywhere. When a new flu infects one human being, all are at risk. When one nation pursues a nuclear weapon, the risk of nuclear attack rises for all nations. When violent extremists operate in one stretch of mountains, people are endangered across an ocean. And when innocents in Bosnia and Darfur are slaughtered, that is a stain on our collective conscience. That is what it means to share this world in the 21st century. That is the responsibility we have to one another as human beings.

If you're interested in the rest of President Obama's speech, I highly recommend watching it or reading the transcript. He says a lot of timely things in my view.

So, which does our world more good? Stories like that e-mail I shared, or words like that of President Obama?

Passion Crimes

A married couple managed a local TV station together in Buffalo, New York, but their marriage appears to have been volatile. The wife filed for divorce after claiming to be abused by her husband.

But before the child custody hearing date arrived, the wife was found dead in the hallway of the local TV station where she worked with her husband.

The husband has turned himself in to police but has not confessed to committing the murder of his wife. No weapon has been found and the children are in the care of one of the husband's colleagues at the time of this blog post.


The wife has a sister who is on her way to New York to see what the courts will do with the children. She hopes she can acquire the two kids. She admits that she always felt that her brother-in-law would do something like this. She may have even heard the murder happen over the phone. While she was talking with her sister, their conversation was abruptly interrupted. She over heard her sister arguing with her husband on the other end. Then, she heard what sounded like a struggle. Her sister never came back on the phone line.

Another horrible case of domestic violence.

Or is there more to this?

The couple: Muzzammi and Aasiya Hassan

They are Muslim Americans.

Aasiya Hassan was brutally assaulted and beheaded. This method of her murder raises suspicion that she died due to Islamic fervor.

And the purpose of the local TV station? To broadcast shows that curbed negative stereotypes of Muslims.

What a dark, horrific irony!

So, is this domestic violence? Or is this an Islamic "Honor Killing"?

Muzzammi Hassan has been divorced before. He has teenage kids from a previous marriage.

I assume his former wife is still alive. No one has said so far in the media.

I am quite tempted to blame this on their religion. But, I hesitate. Often, we've seen parents ruthlessly kill their children; husbands kill their wives. Sometimes wives kill their husbands. Are we being unfair to insist that Islam has fueled this murder?

At what point do we say this is no different from any other member of any other demographic committing the same sort of crime?

Or, does the question even matter?

Regardless of our feelings on the matter, I hope justice prevails. I also hope the children find safety and can begin to heal at the loss of their parents.

Here are two stories to read for yourself:

U.S. Muslim TV boss 'beheaded wife'

'Monster decapitated my sister'

The Most Unfortunate Infidel

Reading Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali had a major impact on my outlook on religion's role in world affairs. Seeing her in a promotional interview for Infidel piqued my interest in atheism as well. Reading her book perhaps partially facilitated my gradual acceptance of an atheistic world view.

(I had just recently abandoned Christianity. I hadn't yet embraced atheism yet, however. Perhaps I was sort of in denial about all the changes I was going through).

Reading her book is well worth the time and will really bring into focus the present activities in Ethiopia and Somalia.

While I think that characterizing all of Islam as violent is a mistake, one must admit that horrible things happen when fundamentalist Islamic leaders take control. And to be fair, everyone is in some measure of danger when a religious zealot takes control -- regardless of the religion. Likewise, a non-religious zealot can be very dangerous; religion does not necessarily need to be involved.

But in this case, religion is very much involved. A man was shot dead in Somalia this week because he was accused of leaving his Islamic faith.

His real crime was taking sides with Ethiopia during this current political-theological conflict. Since this conflict is political and theological in nature, his assistance to the Ethiopian political cause is apostasy from Islam. These ideals are one and the same in the eyes of the extremists.

I'm sure there is more to this story. But at the end of the day, why is there so much turmoil between Christian, Muslim, and Jewish groups in the Eastern Hemisphere?

One can argue all they want that religion isn't the cause.

Well, I know one thing -- religion surely isn't the solution, either.
Not on that side of the world, at least.


Here are two news articles related to my post:

Somali Executed for 'Apostasy'

Ethiopia's Somalia Dilemma

The Mighty Thor Lost the Battle, but Won the War

An Ancient Germanic tribe used an oak tree as a point of veneration towards Thor.

That is, until St. Boniface came along in 723 AD and had the tree chopped down as a way to proceed with his Christianization campaign.

Since Thor did not send lightning to save his sacred tree, many of his followers turned and sought baptism on that day. Christ "proved" stronger than the now weaker Thor who no longer deserved worship.

Well, if you want to use that kind of logic, why is a Muslim mosque sitting on the site of the former ancient Jewish temple?

Shouldn't a Christian church be erected at that ancient site instead of a mosque? Why hasn't Jesus moved that mosque out of the way yet?
Maybe it's time we all started calling on Allah. YHWH got stomped by Allah, apparently.
I bet that logic doesn't sound so good now, huh?
Either way, did St. Boniface really win back in 723 AD? Think of all the Christmas trees everywhere during Christmas time nowadays.

Looking at it that way, I think Thor ended up kicking Jesus' ass after all!

Read about it: Thor's Oak

The Oath of Office

Keith Ellison is the first Muslim ever elected to the United States Congress. Ellison swore in with the 110th United States Congress using a copy of the Koran which once belonged to Thomas Jefferson. This decision drew a lot of criticism. One of the most notable critics of Ellison's swearing in ceremony is Dennis Prager. In November of 2006, Prager's criticism raised a controversial question:

Why doesn't US law only allow the Bible to be used during oath of office ceremonies?

Prager basically argues that American government's core values are based upon the Bible; therefore, using the Koran in it's place is un-American and unconstitutional.

Prager apparently has never read the First Amendment.

Also, Prager probably has never heard of the Treaty of Tripoli.

I've said this in a recent post . . . I don't mind our currency and our Pledge having "God" included. I don't even mind swearing on a Bible -- although the Bible has a few scripture passages which expressly forbid swearing or taking oaths. Check out Steve Wells' blog entry about swearing oaths at Dwindling Unbelief. He does a good job of making the same point I'd like to make about using the Bible in oath ceremonies.

But in the end, none of this should matter. Ellison should get to use his Koran. And let Prager use his Bible. Should more atheists become a part of Congress, let them use thin air (as many Congressmen already do --regardless of faith). Or maybe atheists can use Steve Wells' The Skeptic's Anontated Bible.

Now that would be a great leap forward in the freedom of religious expression!


With President-elect Obama's inauguration drawing near, I wonder what text will he use. People have accused Obama of being a Muslim all this time; people fear a Muslin taking high office and derailing America through abusing the executive powers of the office of President.

I wonder how many people would explode if Obama were to swear on a Koran.

I hope Obama would choose to use nothing at all. But even that action may incriminate him in the eyes of his critics.

So to be safe, Obama will probably follow suite with the other Presidents before him and take his Oath of Office on a Bible.



Hell . . . in the end, that's fine with me.

The Tight Rope Act

How many people truly believe in god?

Polls say that among the US Population, 10% of the country is non-religious. Of that 10%, only 3% will label themselves as atheist.

But of the other 90% . . . do they really believe in god? Really?
I know they make the mental ascent. But, do they believe to the point of action?

When I was much younger and a fervent believer, I heard a neat little anecdote:

Crowds gathered at the Grand Canyon to see the great spectacle of a man who had wired a tight rope across the great expanse. He fearlessly and skillfully cross the rope, drawing awe and thunderous applauds from the fixated audience. He could traverse from one side to the other, effortlessly and skillfully. The people that continually gathered were utterly amazed.

When everyone thought they had seen the height of his performance, he wowed them even further.

He produced a wheelbarrow and nimbly drove the one-wheeled vehicle across to the other side of the canyon along the treacherous tight rope. He turned around and came back with the same ease.

He then faced the amazed crowd and cried, "how many think I can do it again?!" The crowd roared with excitement and cheered him on to another performance. He took his wheelbarrow and pushed it along the tight rope again -- turned around and came back without once seeming to loosing his balance.

Upon his return, he looked out at the crowd and exclaimed, "And now, I will load my wheelbarrow with bricks and carry them across! Can I do it? Will I make it?! Who believes?"

The crowed hushed with amazement as he loaded bricks into his wheelbarrow. After he stacked the bricks high, he started his journey. As effortless as before, he transported the cargo across the abysmal canyon without losing a single brick to the abyss below.

The crowed greeted him with ecstatic praise as he returned from the other side, every brick still in place inside the wheelbarrow.

He motioned with his hands to calm the crowd. After a few moments, he regained their attention. They now eagerly waited to hear his about his next performance stunt.

"You've seen me cross the canyon effortlessly", he cried. "You've seen me take a wheelbarrow across just the same. I've even taken bricks and filled my wheelbarrow and did not lose a single one! Now, for my next act! Who will volunteer and let me carry you across the Grand Canyon as a passenger in my wheelbarrow?"

At this, the crowed gasped and murmured. The man attempted to convince anyone he could from the audience to step out into his wheelbarrow. But before too long, the man was accompanied only by his wheelbarrow.

That anecdote was about contrasting true Christan faith with lip-service. If you truly had faith, you'd get inside the wheelbarrow. For faith was not just the mental ascent to an idea -- but the following through of it's implications.

Why do so many Christians refuse to follow through with the implications of their own beliefs?

With an angry God starring down at you and with the blood of a gentle Jesus upon your hands, why don't you follow his commands?

I'm not talking about omitting the "sin nature" and "nobody's perfect" clause; I'm including that into the equation.

Even considering that issue, why do so many Christians refuse to follow through with the implications of their own beliefs?

For example:

If Jesus fulfilled the law and has freed us from following the letter of the Law of the Jewish people, why do so many Christians churches demand tithes? (You know, that 'Paul' guy in the New Testament . . . he talked about being free from the Law a whole bunch).

If Islam is about peace, why do so many ex-Muslims fear for their lives when they leave the faith?

Why do so many Jews follow the writing of Rabbis when the Old Testament is clear that God's law is all they need? Why all the extra commentary and tradition heaped on top?

Why do hate groups in the US tend to default to a pseudo Christian faith? Maybe they recognize the inequities in the scriptures and truly want to follow through on them. Maybe they are the true believers in Christianity? (Ouch!)

But should these type of things be said . . . the believers of their various faiths get offended.

I don't think they really want to get into the wheelbarrow because deep down inside, they don't really want to take that trip across the Grand Canyon.

But they are happy just standing there, cheering on the mythical man who can effortlessly keep going across.

I think more than 3% of us are atheist.

I think more are atheist than any of us are willing to admit, I'm afraid.