what's the surprise..?

From La Prensa, Managua, Nicaragua, 22 April 2005
Interview with Boff in Buenos Aires.

Boff: "He's a man that has no compassion." (Buenos Aires, EFE)
The Brasilian theologian Leonardo Boff thinks that the German Joseph Ratzinger is " a hard man and without compassion," and says he fears that after his consecration as Pope " an immense hell of hypocrisy will reign in the Church."
Boff, on whom the new Pope once imposed silence as a punishment, assured that the posture of Benedict 16 will be " a radicalized continuation" of the line of the deceased John Paul 2 against the use of contraceptives and " discrimination" against homosexuals and carriers of the AIDS virus.
Ratzinger is a man " without intellectual cordiality" with a posture that is " hard and at times without mercy." in dealing with " all this distant world of problems in which there is suffering and discrimination," the theologian declared to Radio Mitre in Buenos Aires. " I would not like it for this style to spread itself through the whole Church." Boff thinks that some of the positions of the new Pope will divide the Church. " I fear an immense hell of hypocrisy" he said. For this theologian, the appointment of Ratzinger " produces no hope, but instead fear and trembling in many sectors of the Church, especially among women, among those who are asking for the use of contraceptives,
among those living with AIDS, and among homosexuals." He said also that another point of conflict is in relations with the divorced. " Ratzinger has a very narrow conception of the Eucharist. He fights with them (the divorced), he distances them all. This is not to be a pastor. A pastor
accompanies these people, dries their tears, raises their hopes," he emphasized. " He must have a pastoral sense of mediation, of mercy. The Eucharist is not for saints and angels, it is for concrete persons who are sinners, that are open to meet the Lord," he added. Leonardo Boff has been one of the principle exponents of the Theology of Liberation, a liberal tendency that assumes Christian practice with a strong social coloration, and that forcefully struggles with the hierarchy and the Roman curia.

The same Ratzinger as chief of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was responsible for the silencing imposed on Boff and other representatives of Liberation Theology in Latin Ameria during the time of John Paul 2.


It was expected. JPII had no sense of intellectialization. He was purely a mystic-based scribe, out of touch with the modern world with yearnings for the Middle Ages where the church ran the entire show, kept the people in ignorance and the rulers in fear of hell and its minions, aka the soldiers of Christ. As proof, look at his support of Opus Dei and its founder.

BXVI is the intellectual but he was also evil and a Nazi. Doctrinaire has been a part of the German belief system long before Hitler. Everything is exact, precise and unwavering. Leonardo Boff has been ostracized by the church like all other "thinkers." The church does not like "thinkers." It only wants obedient children. As proof, look at the entire history of the German peoples. Just the words "I was only following orders" sends a chill down my spine.

These two ways of thinking, JPII and BXVI, can explain the problems the church has with North America.

Democracy is not in the best interest of a church that is run on authoritarian premise and relentless dogma. The sad thing is Jesus' thinking and ideals were not autocratic. They were more socialistic and communist. The revolution of his thoughts was that they came from the poor, the downtrodden, the infirmed, the cast offs.

Jesus was the founder and architect of Liberation Theology. The one line of thought that greatly questions the authority of the church by bringing up the original message of Jesus. The church does everything in its power to hide its true beginnings.

The latest proclamations on gay priests, usury [read anti-semitism], and the murder of innocents through refusing to fight AIDS in the one way that we know works, contraception, proves the back peddling is getting faster and more fervent.

So, again, what's the surprise..?

no control... part II

Other Countries Buying Our Debt

Rep. John Tanner (D-Tenn) spoke in the House of the US debt of $1.2 trillion that the Bush government owes to foreign countries and banks who have been buying up our debt. (italics mine)

Money quote (pun intended):

President George W. Bush and the current administration have now borrowed more money from foreign govenments and banks than the previous 42 presidents combined." (bold number mine)

This means that we no longer own our country. It is owned by other governments and banks.

Now, in personal finance, when you owe money to a bank the loan has a date of expiration and a payment schedule. When you or I don't make the dates, guess what the bank does? Takes the collateral.

My first question is: What was put up as collateral?

My second question is: When are the payments due?

My third question is: Who's going to come up with the money for the payments?

My last question is:

...no control, or out of control?

fianally, a test worth taking...

This is the most logical of all tests I have ever seen. It is one that tells the truth and makes you laugh. It's better than a horoscope, the I Ching, and numerology all rolled into one. Try it, if you don't believe me.

What Muppet are you?

Here's who I am:




You are Kermit the Frog.

You are reliable, responsible and caring. And you have a habit of waving your arms about maniacally.

FAVORITE EXPRESSIONS:
"Hi ho!" "Yaaay!" and "Sheesh!"

FAVORITE MOVIE:
"How Green Was My Mother"

LAST BOOK READ:
"Surfin' the Webfoot: A Frog's Guide to the Internet"

HOBBIES:
Sitting in the swamp playing banjo.

QUOTE:
"Hmm, my banjo is wet."

I would rather have been Statler or Waldorf, the two old farts in the balcony, because they made the most sense, were sarcastic and cynical, and got to say whatever they wanted. Kermit is fine with me.

...it ain't easy bein' green!

having your head...

In addition to the limits on write-offs for mortgage interest, the main elements of the proposals would abolish the alternative minimum tax, erase deductions for state and local income and property taxes, restrict tax-free employer-paid health insurance, and reduce the deductions that many taxpayers can claim for charitable donations.

"Panel Urges Big Cut in Mortgage Deduction", New York Times, Wednesday, November 2, 2005

In addition, The top tax rate for the wealthiest taxpayers would be lowered, to 30 percent in one alternative, and 33 percent in the other, from 35 percent now.

Mr. Bush, in theory if not in practice, put this panel together. Besides the changes mentioned above on personal income taxes, it recommends changes for business:

The plans would lower the top tax rate for businesses. One plan would let businesses write off the cost of investments in plants and machinery in the year of the cost, a system known as expensing, and would disallow writing off interest payments.

So, the vast majority of taxpayers, including Bush's base, get the shaft again. Yet, the wingnuts have time to scream about a Supreme Court appointment, same-sex marriage, and abortion rights that effect a small portion of the population. Will they scream that they are going to be poorer again?

More and more I believe that a straight forward tax rate on individuals, no matter what their income, and businesses, no matter what their size, would be the fairest system of all of them. It would generate more income for the the US; it would treat everyone the same; and there would be fewer complications.

Now, to finish the title of this post...

up your ass...