The War Is Over
by John Lennon
will we?
i won't give up hope
because...
i won't give up hope
because...
when hope is gone, life is over....
Hopi Native-American belief
Hopi Native-American belief
25 December 2008
24 December 2008
23 December 2008
why Santa didn't answer your letter...
ummmmm..., i don't know what to say.
yes, i do sh*t! i'm never gonna get what i want.
what do i want?
i wrapped all the gifts today. i hate wrapping gifts. i prefer bags, but i didn't want to go out with this silly flu. as usual, i played with the kids' presents before i wrapped them. they never know...
the holidays always bring out the best...
the northern half of the U.S., as if there weren't enough problems for the economy and the state of the country, has been having a good old-fashioned winter. lots of snow. lots of ice. AND lots of cold. the last lots is making the electric and gas utility companies happy i'm sure. and it's all happening at the beginning of the joyous holiday season.
joyous! right.
i had my own retail store for a period in the 80's and it showed me the true joyousness the holidays could bring. everyone in retail will know of what i'm speaking. it really brings out the worst in people.
transportation and travel this season is, to understate, a disaster. people who were planning on traveling home for the holidays are rethinking their plans. some people who have already begun their voyages are stranded. this is the part i love.
interviewing a man in Seattle who was stranded because his bus couldn't go anywhere, a reporter was blasted by the man because the bus company stranded him in a place with no alternate plans. he has to be in a station he doesn't know. he might not make it to his destination AND he said that he doesn't even know where he is! [quelle vache!]
it's the bus company's fault.
yes, it must be. they have direct control over the prevailing weather patterns; they have the ability to stop the snow and ice from falling; and they have sole proprietorship of the National Weather Service.
wait, what about the airlines? Amtrack? the auto makers? they must be part of the conspiracy against this man and the others who are so inconvenienced by their utter lack of feeling for him and others who believe just as he does.
if he's from California, maybe he can get some sort of proposition passed to stop the transportation industry from doing these bad things?
just asking...
joyous! right.
i had my own retail store for a period in the 80's and it showed me the true joyousness the holidays could bring. everyone in retail will know of what i'm speaking. it really brings out the worst in people.
transportation and travel this season is, to understate, a disaster. people who were planning on traveling home for the holidays are rethinking their plans. some people who have already begun their voyages are stranded. this is the part i love.
interviewing a man in Seattle who was stranded because his bus couldn't go anywhere, a reporter was blasted by the man because the bus company stranded him in a place with no alternate plans. he has to be in a station he doesn't know. he might not make it to his destination AND he said that he doesn't even know where he is! [quelle vache!]
it's the bus company's fault.
yes, it must be. they have direct control over the prevailing weather patterns; they have the ability to stop the snow and ice from falling; and they have sole proprietorship of the National Weather Service.
wait, what about the airlines? Amtrack? the auto makers? they must be part of the conspiracy against this man and the others who are so inconvenienced by their utter lack of feeling for him and others who believe just as he does.
if he's from California, maybe he can get some sort of proposition passed to stop the transportation industry from doing these bad things?
just asking...
"Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?" - a new twist...
instead of talking through a designated representative, Benedict opens his own mouth and shows that he is not christian:
the stands of this pope and his church over the last several months with its refusal to support the two U.N. resolutions, the one on disability because it says nothing about abortion and one other on decriminalizing LGBTQ in the world, speak to the inhumanity and the belief that all men are not created equal.
the panzerpope refuses to enter the 21st century and is ensuring the eventual death of his own belief system.
i've always found that the louder someone screams against something it is to hide their own fear that they will be found out.
do i think Benedict is queer? you bet. just like Saul of Tarsus...
i would have more hope for Rick Warren than i would for this human, and i hesitate calling him a human.VATICAN CITY, Dec 22 (Reuters) - Pope Benedict said on Monday that saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behaviour was just as important as saving the rainforest from destruction.
"(The Church) should also protect man from the destruction of himself. A sort of ecology of man is needed," the pontiff said in a holiday address to the Curia, the Vatican's central administration.
"The tropical forests do deserve our protection. But man, as a creature, does not deserve any less."
The Catholic Church teaches that while homosexuality is not sinful, homosexual acts are. It opposes gay marriage and, in October, a leading Vatican official called homosexuality "a deviation, an irregularity, a wound".
the stands of this pope and his church over the last several months with its refusal to support the two U.N. resolutions, the one on disability because it says nothing about abortion and one other on decriminalizing LGBTQ in the world, speak to the inhumanity and the belief that all men are not created equal.
the panzerpope refuses to enter the 21st century and is ensuring the eventual death of his own belief system.
i've always found that the louder someone screams against something it is to hide their own fear that they will be found out.
do i think Benedict is queer? you bet. just like Saul of Tarsus...
Rick Warren controversy...
my first comment on this entire thing:
I think that Obama made a mistake and it wasn't calculated. I would bet that he, the transition team and inauguration committee are in surprise. They have been making logical statements about the reaction from the base and Obama has been stammering, if you listen closely, more than usual when he talks about it.
One of the more accurate commentaries I've heard about the controversy is this:
Mike Huckabee, former Republican presidential candidate, former Governor of Arkansas, & fundamentalist minister speaking with Greta Vas Susteren on Fox![ Greta Von Susteren Asks Huckabee About Rick Warren's Role At Obama Inauguration]
what's is wrong with this picture?
just asking...
a thank you to Crooks and Liars for the heads-up.
I think that Obama made a mistake and it wasn't calculated. I would bet that he, the transition team and inauguration committee are in surprise. They have been making logical statements about the reaction from the base and Obama has been stammering, if you listen closely, more than usual when he talks about it.
One of the more accurate commentaries I've heard about the controversy is this:
To understand how angry and disappointed many Democrats are that Barack Obama has invited evangelical preacher Rick Warren to give the invocation at his inaugural, imagine if a President-elect John McCain had offered this unique honor to the Rev. Al Sharpton -- or the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. I know, it's hard to picture: John McCain would never do that in a million years. Republicans respect their base even when, as in McCain's case, it doesn't really return the favor.So... try to guess who, among the punditry, news shows, politicians made this comment.
Only Democrats, it seems, reward their most loyal supporters -- feminists, gays, liberals, opponents of the war, members of the reality-based community -- by elbowing them aside to embrace their opponents instead.
Mike Huckabee, former Republican presidential candidate, former Governor of Arkansas, & fundamentalist minister speaking with Greta Vas Susteren on Fox![ Greta Von Susteren Asks Huckabee About Rick Warren's Role At Obama Inauguration]
what's is wrong with this picture?
just asking...
a thank you to Crooks and Liars for the heads-up.
22 December 2008
monday morning mayhem...
my mayhem started last night about 10 pm, having a violent affair with the john...
got the stomach flu...
so the usual mayhem is late and it is brief, but funny...
Hillbilly Mirror
After living in the remote wilderness of Kentucky all his life, an old hillbilly decided it was time to visit the big city .
In one of the stores he picks up a mirror and looks in it. Not ever having seen one before, he remarked at the image staring back at him, 'How about that! Here's a picture of my daddy.'
He bought the mirror thinking it was a picture of his daddy, but on the way home he remembered his wife didn't like his father, so he hung it in the barn, and every morning before leaving for the fields, he would go there and look at it.
His wife began to get suspicious of these many trips to the barn. One day after her husband left, she searched the barn and found the mirror.
As she looked into the glass, she fumed, 'So that's the ugly bitch he's runnin' around with.'
got the stomach flu...
so the usual mayhem is late and it is brief, but funny...
Hillbilly Mirror
After living in the remote wilderness of Kentucky all his life, an old hillbilly decided it was time to visit the big city .
In one of the stores he picks up a mirror and looks in it. Not ever having seen one before, he remarked at the image staring back at him, 'How about that! Here's a picture of my daddy.'
He bought the mirror thinking it was a picture of his daddy, but on the way home he remembered his wife didn't like his father, so he hung it in the barn, and every morning before leaving for the fields, he would go there and look at it.
His wife began to get suspicious of these many trips to the barn. One day after her husband left, she searched the barn and found the mirror.
As she looked into the glass, she fumed, 'So that's the ugly bitch he's runnin' around with.'
19 December 2008
weekender...
if you haven't finished your holiday shopping - or even started - here's something to help get you in the mood to get it all done this weekend...
It's a romantic full moon, when Pedro said, "Hey, mamacita, let's do Weeweechu."
Oh no, not now, let's look at the moon!" said Rosita.
Oh, c'mon baby, let's you and I do Weeweechu. I love you and it's the perfect time," Pedro begged.
"But I wanna just hold your hand and watch the moon." replied Rosita.
Please, corazoncita, just once, do Weeweechu with me."
Rosita looked at Pedro and said, "OK, one time, we'll do Weeweechu."
Pedro grabbed his guitar and they both sang.....
"Weeweechu a Merry Christmas,
Weeweechu a Merry Christmas,
Weeweechu a Merry Christmas,
and a Happy New Jear."
i'm sorry, i couldn't resist. when you wake up at 4:30 in the morning and this is the first email from a friend, you just totally loose it...
It's a romantic full moon, when Pedro said, "Hey, mamacita, let's do Weeweechu."
Oh no, not now, let's look at the moon!" said Rosita.
Oh, c'mon baby, let's you and I do Weeweechu. I love you and it's the perfect time," Pedro begged.
"But I wanna just hold your hand and watch the moon." replied Rosita.
Please, corazoncita, just once, do Weeweechu with me."
Rosita looked at Pedro and said, "OK, one time, we'll do Weeweechu."
Pedro grabbed his guitar and they both sang.....
"Weeweechu a Merry Christmas,
Weeweechu a Merry Christmas,
Weeweechu a Merry Christmas,
and a Happy New Jear."
i'm sorry, i couldn't resist. when you wake up at 4:30 in the morning and this is the first email from a friend, you just totally loose it...
18 December 2008
presidential press conferences...
is it my imagination or does it seem like we've had more press conferences from President-elect Barack Obama since November 4th than we have in the entire eight years of the Tsar's regime?
just asking...
just asking...
16 December 2008
this is priceless, or maybe Payless...
I'm not going to insult you by including the now (in)famous shoe tossing video. It's been played to death and the clueless smile on the Tsar's face when it was happening was priceless.
BUT, Rude Pundit has a great idea as a followthrow...
you can get all of the information at the link to Rude Pundit.
thanks to Crooks and Liars for the heads-up...
BUT, Rude Pundit has a great idea as a followthrow...
This morning, the Rude Pundit decided to honor the efforts of Muntader al-Zaidi, the Iraqi shoe-tosser, by taking out a raggedy old pair of sneakers, putting them in a Priority Mail shipping box, helpfully provided by the United States Post Office, and shipping them to President George W. Bush at the White House. He included a note that read, "This is a farewell kiss from the American people, you dog."Now there have been many actions suggested over the years on sending messages to the current regime in Washington, but this is not only unique it could possibly help some homeless people in the D.C. area, if the White House realizes that they could do something good for the first, errrr last, weeks in office!
you can get all of the information at the link to Rude Pundit.
thanks to Crooks and Liars for the heads-up...
15 December 2008
monday morning mayhem...
mistaken identity...
An honest man was being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the traffic light turned yellow just in front of him.
The man did the right thing stopping at the crosswalk even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection. The tailgating woman hit the roof - and the horn - screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection.
As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands in the air.
He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed and placed in a holding cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door.
She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.
He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk.
"Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car."
oh, my! must have happened in southern Virginia...
do you really feel safe?
something tells me this wasn't from a Mack Sennett Keystone Kops movie...
ummmm, the circumcision...
A teacher noticed that a little boy at the back of the class was squirming around, scratching his crotch, and not paying attention.
She went back to find out what was going on.
He was quite embarrassed and whispered that he had just recently been circumcised and he was quite itchy.
The teacher told him to go down to the principal's office. He was to telephone his mother and ask her what he should do about it. He did and returned to his class.
Suddenly, there was a commotion at the back of the room.
She went back to investigate only to find him sitting at his desk with his 'private part' hanging out.
'I thought I told you to call your mom!' she said.
'I did,' he said, 'And she told me that if I could stick it out till noon, she'd come and pick me up from school.
and people say that kids don't listen...
and finally...
a work related thought to help the week go faster:
let's see... this week, and then next week should be a three or four day week for most of you.
hold that thought...
An honest man was being tailgated by a stressed-out woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the traffic light turned yellow just in front of him.
The man did the right thing stopping at the crosswalk even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through the intersection. The tailgating woman hit the roof - and the horn - screaming in frustration as she missed her chance to get through the intersection.
As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a very serious police officer. The officer ordered her to exit her car with her hands in the air.
He took her to the police station where she was searched, finger printed, photographed and placed in a holding cell. After a couple of hours, a policeman approached the cell and opened the door.
She was escorted back to the booking desk where the arresting officer was waiting with her personal effects.
He said, "I'm very sorry for this mistake. You see, I pulled up behind your car while you were blowing your horn, flipping off the guy in front of you, and cussing a blue streak at him. I noticed the 'Choose Life' license plate holder, the 'What Would Jesus Do' bumper sticker, the 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker, and the chrome-plated Christian fish emblem on the trunk.
"Naturally, I assumed you had stolen the car."
oh, my! must have happened in southern Virginia...
do you really feel safe?
something tells me this wasn't from a Mack Sennett Keystone Kops movie...
ummmm, the circumcision...
A teacher noticed that a little boy at the back of the class was squirming around, scratching his crotch, and not paying attention.
She went back to find out what was going on.
He was quite embarrassed and whispered that he had just recently been circumcised and he was quite itchy.
The teacher told him to go down to the principal's office. He was to telephone his mother and ask her what he should do about it. He did and returned to his class.
Suddenly, there was a commotion at the back of the room.
She went back to investigate only to find him sitting at his desk with his 'private part' hanging out.
'I thought I told you to call your mom!' she said.
'I did,' he said, 'And she told me that if I could stick it out till noon, she'd come and pick me up from school.
and people say that kids don't listen...
and finally...
a work related thought to help the week go faster:
The difference between the Pope and your boss?
The Pope only expects you to kiss his ring.
The Pope only expects you to kiss his ring.
let's see... this week, and then next week should be a three or four day week for most of you.
hold that thought...
14 December 2008
wow! i went to TWO movies this weekend...
my friends tease me because i hardly ever go to see a movie at the theatre. i usually wait to see in on cable or DVD.
the problem i have is i always end up with the people who jabber on the cellphone during the movie or some other rude thing.
when i went to see the Bourne Ultimatum, there was a couple who had brought there 2-3 year old with them. first it was inappropriate for her to be there because of the type of movie and second they let her crawl around on the floor under the seats! obviously, they had not gone to any parenting classes. BUT giving her a flashlight was the last straw for me, as well as others. before i could get up, someone had already made it to an usher or manager who was right there telling them to either control her or leave. like i said, it was inappropriate for her to be at this film anyway.
so you can see why i don't like going to the theatre. it's just my luck.
i do, however, go to see movies with special effects that would be much better seen on the wide screen than the small. this sent me this Friday to see The Day the Earth Stood Still, that plus a curiosity to compare if with the classic original.
neither the updated story nor the special effects disappointed me. i loved it.
the special effects in the first 10-15 minutes are some of the most spectacular i've ever seen. they were so because they were both subtle and understated. they didn't stop there, but continued through the entire film. in addition, the story updating was believable for today's world, and contrary to others, i think that Keanu Reeves played Klaatu the only way possible, and the robot would scare the s*** out of me.
if you want pure escapist fare, i recommend it. if you're a sci-fi aficionado, don't miss it.
i just came home from the second movie - Milk.
what can i say?
as a piece of history, it is believable; as a reflection of what it is to fight for yourself, it is insightful; as a piece of art, it is incredible; and as a journey of a man and a movement, it is beyond important.
could i identify with all of it? absolutely, positively yes.
did i emotionally loose it at any point? yes, but i won't tell the part unless you've seen the movie. i did get a little teary-eyed at the end, but it was so well done and so dramatically understated to make a point, that it brought the entire project full-circle.
i went with straight friends. they were totally impressed. Sharon said that Sean Penn's performance was one of the most realistic and the best she's ever seen, and she can see 4-5 movies a week, if she can. my other friends said it was one of the best movies they've ever seen also.
i have to tell you that i hesitate referring to them as friends. we have known each other for 40 years and we are more family than friend. we go on vacations together; we celebrate holidays together; and we do lots and lots of things together. the one thing that we are is totally supportive and loving of each other.
since we are friends/family we have a relationship that is such that we talk just about everything. well, sex is probably the one thing we don't talk about, but it's because it's nobody's business. well, i can't really say we never talk about it, but it's not something that is, like, tabletalk during a card game.
my orientation is never discussed either. it is my choice and they understand that. my sexuality is only a part, and a very small part, of who i am. it does not define me; though it adds to my definition.
though the argument in Milk is "let everyone know you're gay because when they know one of us, they know us all" is powerful, but it also tells the story of how we are all alike, and that is the point of demanding and what underscores everyone deserving equal rights. the other thing that is unique about the movie is that it is a love story with a wonderful telling of Harvey and Scott's relationship. a relationship that was just like everyone else's - straight or gay.
if i came away from the movie with anything, it is that everything i've believed, everything for which i have stood, everything that i have done, i have done as a human being. i left the theatre with everything reinforced, everything intact, and everything having more importance.
to use a cliche with which i identify -
the problem i have is i always end up with the people who jabber on the cellphone during the movie or some other rude thing.
when i went to see the Bourne Ultimatum, there was a couple who had brought there 2-3 year old with them. first it was inappropriate for her to be there because of the type of movie and second they let her crawl around on the floor under the seats! obviously, they had not gone to any parenting classes. BUT giving her a flashlight was the last straw for me, as well as others. before i could get up, someone had already made it to an usher or manager who was right there telling them to either control her or leave. like i said, it was inappropriate for her to be at this film anyway.
so you can see why i don't like going to the theatre. it's just my luck.
i do, however, go to see movies with special effects that would be much better seen on the wide screen than the small. this sent me this Friday to see The Day the Earth Stood Still, that plus a curiosity to compare if with the classic original.
neither the updated story nor the special effects disappointed me. i loved it.
the special effects in the first 10-15 minutes are some of the most spectacular i've ever seen. they were so because they were both subtle and understated. they didn't stop there, but continued through the entire film. in addition, the story updating was believable for today's world, and contrary to others, i think that Keanu Reeves played Klaatu the only way possible, and the robot would scare the s*** out of me.
if you want pure escapist fare, i recommend it. if you're a sci-fi aficionado, don't miss it.
i just came home from the second movie - Milk.
what can i say?
as a piece of history, it is believable; as a reflection of what it is to fight for yourself, it is insightful; as a piece of art, it is incredible; and as a journey of a man and a movement, it is beyond important.
could i identify with all of it? absolutely, positively yes.
did i emotionally loose it at any point? yes, but i won't tell the part unless you've seen the movie. i did get a little teary-eyed at the end, but it was so well done and so dramatically understated to make a point, that it brought the entire project full-circle.
i went with straight friends. they were totally impressed. Sharon said that Sean Penn's performance was one of the most realistic and the best she's ever seen, and she can see 4-5 movies a week, if she can. my other friends said it was one of the best movies they've ever seen also.
i have to tell you that i hesitate referring to them as friends. we have known each other for 40 years and we are more family than friend. we go on vacations together; we celebrate holidays together; and we do lots and lots of things together. the one thing that we are is totally supportive and loving of each other.
since we are friends/family we have a relationship that is such that we talk just about everything. well, sex is probably the one thing we don't talk about, but it's because it's nobody's business. well, i can't really say we never talk about it, but it's not something that is, like, tabletalk during a card game.
my orientation is never discussed either. it is my choice and they understand that. my sexuality is only a part, and a very small part, of who i am. it does not define me; though it adds to my definition.
though the argument in Milk is "let everyone know you're gay because when they know one of us, they know us all" is powerful, but it also tells the story of how we are all alike, and that is the point of demanding and what underscores everyone deserving equal rights. the other thing that is unique about the movie is that it is a love story with a wonderful telling of Harvey and Scott's relationship. a relationship that was just like everyone else's - straight or gay.
if i came away from the movie with anything, it is that everything i've believed, everything for which i have stood, everything that i have done, i have done as a human being. i left the theatre with everything reinforced, everything intact, and everything having more importance.
to use a cliche with which i identify -
13 December 2008
too serious today...
how about an off-scheduled funny?
Subject: sex Life!
Two good old southern Bubba's are drinking in a bar.
One says, "Did you know that a moose has sex 10 to 15 times a night?"
"Ah shit," says the other, "and I just joined the Elks!"
Subject: sex Life!
Two good old southern Bubba's are drinking in a bar.
One says, "Did you know that a moose has sex 10 to 15 times a night?"
"Ah shit," says the other, "and I just joined the Elks!"
"THE" Newsweek article...
i finally read the article in Newsweek - Gay Marriage: Our Mutual Joy - published Dec 6, 2008. if you've missed it, i recommend that you click on the link to read it.
the article, if you are not familiar, uses the Bible, just as the anti-gay marriage people do, as a means of supporting same-sex marriage. it's interesting and i've been familiar with most references in the article. the main points are 1) that there is no direct reference to homosexuality in the either the New or the Old Testament and 2) the message of Jesus was inclusion of all people in the love and joys of his father.
the more interesting part of the article is the comments following it from readers. [Note: Newsweek has had to suspend people from making additional comments because the server couldn't handle it. interesting!]
the comments have the usual mix of arguments that have been going around for the last number of years. there are people who say that the Good Book cannot be wrong; there are others who say that the book was written for the specific times it makes rules for and a lot is lost in translation; some comments are very well thought out and written and others are, well, ridiculously blind.
i was especially struck by the latter. the people who have their blind faith with no question or thought are especially rancorous. it is almost as if they are threatened that their entire world will end if same-sex marriage becomes widely accepted. of course, the article and the comments also point out this similarity to slavery, but it makes no difference to them.
personally, after reading both the article and its comments, i more firmly believe something that i've thought for a long time:
the article, if you are not familiar, uses the Bible, just as the anti-gay marriage people do, as a means of supporting same-sex marriage. it's interesting and i've been familiar with most references in the article. the main points are 1) that there is no direct reference to homosexuality in the either the New or the Old Testament and 2) the message of Jesus was inclusion of all people in the love and joys of his father.
the more interesting part of the article is the comments following it from readers. [Note: Newsweek has had to suspend people from making additional comments because the server couldn't handle it. interesting!]
the comments have the usual mix of arguments that have been going around for the last number of years. there are people who say that the Good Book cannot be wrong; there are others who say that the book was written for the specific times it makes rules for and a lot is lost in translation; some comments are very well thought out and written and others are, well, ridiculously blind.
i was especially struck by the latter. the people who have their blind faith with no question or thought are especially rancorous. it is almost as if they are threatened that their entire world will end if same-sex marriage becomes widely accepted. of course, the article and the comments also point out this similarity to slavery, but it makes no difference to them.
personally, after reading both the article and its comments, i more firmly believe something that i've thought for a long time:
if Jesus were alive today, there is one thing he would not want to be - a christian!
blasephemy? afraid not. i'm no longer a believer in the mythology. only in its inherent message of brotherly love and equality of all.
the vatican's stance on in-vitro fertilization...
seems off their message concerning marriage.
The article in the NYT cites the “Dignitas Personae” that has just been released by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The document is much broader than just in-vitro. It includes stands on abortion, birth control, stem cell research and other bioethical issues, as they define them.
One should understand that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is made up of a bunch of old men, clergy, who are not supposed to have sex and are responsible only to the pope and two-thousand years of mythology. Their stand not only applies to the faithful but to all medical and scientific persons who would administer or research no matter what their faith.
A representative from a U.S. organization of catholic medical members explained in-vitro this way:
Of course, I'm sure there are other considerations behind this "The Dignity of the Person" document, icluding the timing of its release - same-sex marriage, Obama's defense of stem cell research, birth control use in the U.S., etc.
I long ago left the RC of my own volition first, because I couldn't handle the hypocrisy and second, because I no longer could believe in the mythology. There is an issue with faith and believing but, in its present two-thousand year old formulaic incarnation, it declines the one thing that is the basis of that faith and belief - free will.
A bunch of old men, in their infinite wisdom, set out the rules in the guise of guiding the faithful to act as they should but take away the one right they possess - the right to chose.
ironic or hypocritical? i'm not certain into which it falls. maybe both...
The Vatican issued its most authoritative and sweeping document on bioethical issues in more than 20 years on Friday, taking into account recent developments in biomedical technology and reinforcing the church’s opposition to in vitro fertilization, human cloning, genetic testing on embryos before implantation and embryonic stem cell research.Given the church's stance on marriage is for procreation and is only allowed in opposite-sex partnerships, doesn't this rule go against a core belief? if a couple marries to have children and discovers that it is impossible in the normal way [normal according to the RC] why is it wrong for them to use any means to bring more members into the church? It is a life in their definition.Vatican Issues Instruction on Bioethics, New York Times, Dec 13, 2008
The article in the NYT cites the “Dignitas Personae” that has just been released by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The document is much broader than just in-vitro. It includes stands on abortion, birth control, stem cell research and other bioethical issues, as they define them.
One should understand that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is made up of a bunch of old men, clergy, who are not supposed to have sex and are responsible only to the pope and two-thousand years of mythology. Their stand not only applies to the faithful but to all medical and scientific persons who would administer or research no matter what their faith.
A representative from a U.S. organization of catholic medical members explained in-vitro this way:
Kathleen M. Raviele, an obstetrician and gynecologist in Georgia who is president of the Catholic Medical Association, said she tells her patients: “God creates through an act of love, and that’s not what’s happening in the laboratory. It’s the technician who’s creating. What in vitro does, is it separates the creation of a child from the marital act.”Why would concieving a child in-vitro not be considered a marital act of love? If a couple wants to have a child and they are incapable themselves, why not use in-vitro and, I'd assume, in some cases, a surrogate mother? A life is a life.
Of course, I'm sure there are other considerations behind this "The Dignity of the Person" document, icluding the timing of its release - same-sex marriage, Obama's defense of stem cell research, birth control use in the U.S., etc.
I long ago left the RC of my own volition first, because I couldn't handle the hypocrisy and second, because I no longer could believe in the mythology. There is an issue with faith and believing but, in its present two-thousand year old formulaic incarnation, it declines the one thing that is the basis of that faith and belief - free will.
A bunch of old men, in their infinite wisdom, set out the rules in the guise of guiding the faithful to act as they should but take away the one right they possess - the right to chose.
ironic or hypocritical? i'm not certain into which it falls. maybe both...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)