US Senator, David Vittler, a lector at his St Francis Xavier Church (according to his official online biography), who has made a career in politics of campaigning the moral high-ground for family values and protesting the lack of morals in other Louisiana politicians, as well as arguing against same-sex relationships and abortion, has recently been forced to admit to a "very serious sin" in his past, after it was discovered that his phone number was in the client list of Ms Deborah Jeane Palfrey, recently dubbed the "D.C. Madam".
As reported in the New York Times, Senator Vittler admitted to his sinful past, but seemed to neglect to admit to the sin of hypocrisy in his statement. Half a decade ago he was linked to a prostitute in New Orleans but vehemently denied the accusations.
It's a funny world we live in. It's not uncommon to see people vehemently campaign against the contents of their own closet. For instance, sometimes the most active and unpleasant homophobes are actually closeted people whom through various reasons cannot reconcile their sexual identity.
This level of hypocrisy in a public figure (so recently exemplified by the leader of a fundamentalist church in Colorado Springs) who has campaigned against the very things he does or has done in secret is certainly not a good example of moral religious activities.
References:
Wednesday, 11 July 2007
3 christian men attempt to blow up church
Three men who belong to a radical christian group who believe that all christians should be under the same denomination were arrested last week after failing in their attempt to blow up a church belonging to another denomination in their town.
According to Martha Deller of the Star-Telegram, the men were discovered by the deacon of the church in question while they were attempting to setup the bomb they had planted. Under police questioning, they claimed to belong to a sect which "has three levels of involvement: bible study, consensual fighting, and destructive acts". Clearly the immoral would-be killers had managed to graduate to "destructive acts". Apparently they belonged to a group of seven such men who all felt that society was decaying and that it was time to 'send a message', so to speak.
Unfortunately none of the levels of involvement in their sect were to do with morality. To willingly prepare and plant explosives in the hope of killing people is a less than admirable trait.
Interestingly, the men seem to either be incredibly stupid, or particularly in need of setting conundrums for people to solve; they wouldn't identify their sect; presumably their aim is to convert everyone to following their "denomination", otherwise their first act, based on their intent, should have been to blow themselves up. It seems odd that people are meant to convert to a denomination that they don't name. This seems to be a direct manifestation of Grey's Law, which states "Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice."
One wonders whether the "consensual fighting" had progressed to such a level that they all knocked out each other's senses, but unfortunately history has shown that people who stoop to such things are often quite aware of what they are doing and feel they are fully justified in doing so.
At the end of the day, "immoral" is perhaps the nicest thing that can be said about such people as these men.
References:
Thanks to Atheist Resource UK for pointing this story out.
According to Martha Deller of the Star-Telegram, the men were discovered by the deacon of the church in question while they were attempting to setup the bomb they had planted. Under police questioning, they claimed to belong to a sect which "has three levels of involvement: bible study, consensual fighting, and destructive acts". Clearly the immoral would-be killers had managed to graduate to "destructive acts". Apparently they belonged to a group of seven such men who all felt that society was decaying and that it was time to 'send a message', so to speak.
Unfortunately none of the levels of involvement in their sect were to do with morality. To willingly prepare and plant explosives in the hope of killing people is a less than admirable trait.
Interestingly, the men seem to either be incredibly stupid, or particularly in need of setting conundrums for people to solve; they wouldn't identify their sect; presumably their aim is to convert everyone to following their "denomination", otherwise their first act, based on their intent, should have been to blow themselves up. It seems odd that people are meant to convert to a denomination that they don't name. This seems to be a direct manifestation of Grey's Law, which states "Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice."
One wonders whether the "consensual fighting" had progressed to such a level that they all knocked out each other's senses, but unfortunately history has shown that people who stoop to such things are often quite aware of what they are doing and feel they are fully justified in doing so.
At the end of the day, "immoral" is perhaps the nicest thing that can be said about such people as these men.
References:
- Star-Telegram.com: "Three men in jail over bomb at church"
Thanks to Atheist Resource UK for pointing this story out.
Pope says: "If you don't accept me as boss, you're not a true believer"
In a remarkable return to dark ages thought, the Vatican has released a statement, fully authorised by Joseph Ratzinger (AKA "Pope Benedict XVI"), which states that the Catholic church is the only true church in the world, and any church which does not recognise him as the ultimate authority is not a true church.
For years, centuries in fact, the various christian sects (Catholic, Protestant, etc.) have maintained various attempts to reconcile their various faiths.
This "think my way or else" thinking however is the kind which previously led to burnings, inquisitions, savage and brutal beatings, killings, etc.
Already the "clarification" issued by the Vatican has resulted in wide-spread condemnation from protestant groups.
For someone whom was supposedly a reluctant member of the Hitler youth, the Pope has demonstrated strong Nazi ideals by demanding that all christian sects obey and recognise him as the ultimate spokesperson for 'god' on Earth. Such demands for dogmatic and thoughtless obedience are reminiscent of the worst kinds of thought control and belief in a supreme leader.
References:
For years, centuries in fact, the various christian sects (Catholic, Protestant, etc.) have maintained various attempts to reconcile their various faiths.
This "think my way or else" thinking however is the kind which previously led to burnings, inquisitions, savage and brutal beatings, killings, etc.
Already the "clarification" issued by the Vatican has resulted in wide-spread condemnation from protestant groups.
For someone whom was supposedly a reluctant member of the Hitler youth, the Pope has demonstrated strong Nazi ideals by demanding that all christian sects obey and recognise him as the ultimate spokesperson for 'god' on Earth. Such demands for dogmatic and thoughtless obedience are reminiscent of the worst kinds of thought control and belief in a supreme leader.
References:
- The Australian Online: "Protestant faith 'not a proper Church'"
Tuesday, 10 July 2007
Muslim juror in trial prefers to listen to music, jeopardises justice
A muslim woman, who had repeatedly attempted to get out of jury duty, was recently arrested and held in contempt of court for listening to her MP3 player under the cover of her hajib headscarf during the trial where she was a member of the jury. This included listening during sections of the murder trial where critical evidence was being presented.
Once the deception was discovered, she was discharged from the jury, searched, found to have hidden a MP3 player under her hajib, then arrested and bailed to appear in court later this month.
Justice, and participating in jury duty to ensure a fair and impartial trial, is a moral duty of modern society. To so blatantly act in such a contemptible fashion towards the justice system shows a profound lack of morals. Regardless of the final proven innocent or guilt of the person being tried, to so deliberately interfere with the judicial process is a dangerously selfish act.
References:
Once the deception was discovered, she was discharged from the jury, searched, found to have hidden a MP3 player under her hajib, then arrested and bailed to appear in court later this month.
Justice, and participating in jury duty to ensure a fair and impartial trial, is a moral duty of modern society. To so blatantly act in such a contemptible fashion towards the justice system shows a profound lack of morals. Regardless of the final proven innocent or guilt of the person being tried, to so deliberately interfere with the judicial process is a dangerously selfish act.
References:
- Scotsman.com News: Muslim juror 'listened to music during murder trial'
Catholic school refuses to allow enrolment based on surname
In a strange take on name-calling, where it is usually the school bullies who conduct such activities, and the role of the school officials to stamp it out, a Catholic school in Sydney refused to enroll a boy to the school unless he use his mother's maiden name.
The problem? His surname is 'Hell', which, in German, means 'light' or 'bright'. The boy's father, whose heritage is Austrian, has lived with the same surname all his life, and himself attended a Catholic school when he was a boy.
While the officials at the school quickly changed their minds when the family took the matter to the local media, the Hells are apparently reconsidering the notion of a Catholic education for their children.
This is probably just as well. Any school which prohibits the entry of a person based on their name, not taking into account the origin of that name, clearly has some serious problems going on. Presumably the books in the school library will have large swaths of redacted sections where whole sections are cut out merely for containing words that while perfectly valid in another language just look a little too naughty when considered from a narrow minded and maybe slightly bigoted English-only-thankyou perspective.
One can only imagine, for instance, what would be left of a German book on art - page numbers might survive, but as for the kunst inside, it would surely have to go having too much of a resemblance to other naughty words in English.
While this may seem a somewhat humorous example, it is yet again another case of the thought police attitude that religion so frequently employs.
One has to wonder whether the initial decision to deny enrolment to the child will have a lasting psychological trauma on the child. It was the child, in the end, who refused to enrol under a name other than 'his'. As such, he was exposed to a large institution effectively saying "your name is not good".
References:
The problem? His surname is 'Hell', which, in German, means 'light' or 'bright'. The boy's father, whose heritage is Austrian, has lived with the same surname all his life, and himself attended a Catholic school when he was a boy.
While the officials at the school quickly changed their minds when the family took the matter to the local media, the Hells are apparently reconsidering the notion of a Catholic education for their children.
This is probably just as well. Any school which prohibits the entry of a person based on their name, not taking into account the origin of that name, clearly has some serious problems going on. Presumably the books in the school library will have large swaths of redacted sections where whole sections are cut out merely for containing words that while perfectly valid in another language just look a little too naughty when considered from a narrow minded and maybe slightly bigoted English-only-thankyou perspective.
One can only imagine, for instance, what would be left of a German book on art - page numbers might survive, but as for the kunst inside, it would surely have to go having too much of a resemblance to other naughty words in English.
While this may seem a somewhat humorous example, it is yet again another case of the thought police attitude that religion so frequently employs.
One has to wonder whether the initial decision to deny enrolment to the child will have a lasting psychological trauma on the child. It was the child, in the end, who refused to enrol under a name other than 'his'. As such, he was exposed to a large institution effectively saying "your name is not good".
References:
- Times Online: "Catholic school shuns pupil called Hell"
Monday, 9 July 2007
Bishops use recent natural disasters to push conservative views
In a return to pre-renaissance thought, English Bishops have blamed recent flooding on things they don't like, attributing it to divine retribution. These petty, insensitive men have claimed that by introducing laws such as those which grant same-sex couples equal rights, authorities have forced 'god' to send down death and destruction.
Silly words from silly men in silly dresses would be laughable under a circus tent, but when issued under the supposed auspices of religious authority, silly words cause untold harm. Imagine the psychological trauma to a child when told that that some supposedly omnipotent creature has taken exception to the decisions made by others and decided to kill random people and inflict random destruction?
Claiming that natural disasters are a form of divine retribution is a silly, immoral thing to do which demonstrates a distinct lack of intelligence and a willingness to inflict lasting harm on the innocent.
References:
Silly words from silly men in silly dresses would be laughable under a circus tent, but when issued under the supposed auspices of religious authority, silly words cause untold harm. Imagine the psychological trauma to a child when told that that some supposedly omnipotent creature has taken exception to the decisions made by others and decided to kill random people and inflict random destruction?
Claiming that natural disasters are a form of divine retribution is a silly, immoral thing to do which demonstrates a distinct lack of intelligence and a willingness to inflict lasting harm on the innocent.
References:
- UK Telegraph online: "Floods are judgement on society, say bishops"
Woman detained and tortured for six months by religious authorities
A Malaysian woman was detained for six months, and suffered mental torture and was forced to participate in Islamic worship when held by religious authorities after attempting to officially change her religion from Islam to Hindu.
While the woman had been born to Islamic parents in Malaysia, she had been raised as a Hindu and her religion only became an issue when she married a Hindu man. (In Malaysia, it is illegal for Muslim to marry a non-Muslim.)
When she registered with the Islamic Sharia court in Malaysia to have her religion officially changed to Hindu, she was detained and forced to participate in Islamic ceremonies while subjected to mental torture.
While now released, she must remain in the custody of her parents and continue to undertake weekly religious counseling. I.e., it is still the intent of the Islamic authorities to force her to remain Muslim, and indeed, become a practicing one.
What makes this more disturbing is that even though Malaysia's official religion is Islam, the country's constitution is secular.
Forcing someone to worship a particular religion, whether they are agnostic, atheist or from another religion is morally repugnant and smacks of the thought-police attitudes reminiscent of Stalanist and Fascist dictatorships. What is next? Detention and brainwashing for people who don't like the colours of the flag? This isn't a fine line that was crossed, it was a large, multi-coloured and clearly marked mile-wide stripe that was willingly leapt across by religious authorities conducting nothing less than a programme of brainwashing of people who disagree with them.
References:
While the woman had been born to Islamic parents in Malaysia, she had been raised as a Hindu and her religion only became an issue when she married a Hindu man. (In Malaysia, it is illegal for Muslim to marry a non-Muslim.)
When she registered with the Islamic Sharia court in Malaysia to have her religion officially changed to Hindu, she was detained and forced to participate in Islamic ceremonies while subjected to mental torture.
While now released, she must remain in the custody of her parents and continue to undertake weekly religious counseling. I.e., it is still the intent of the Islamic authorities to force her to remain Muslim, and indeed, become a practicing one.
What makes this more disturbing is that even though Malaysia's official religion is Islam, the country's constitution is secular.
Forcing someone to worship a particular religion, whether they are agnostic, atheist or from another religion is morally repugnant and smacks of the thought-police attitudes reminiscent of Stalanist and Fascist dictatorships. What is next? Detention and brainwashing for people who don't like the colours of the flag? This isn't a fine line that was crossed, it was a large, multi-coloured and clearly marked mile-wide stripe that was willingly leapt across by religious authorities conducting nothing less than a programme of brainwashing of people who disagree with them.
References:
- The Brunei Times: "My detention is wrong, says M'sian"
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