Something is deeply awry in our nation with the world’s biggest economy that lets its children be the poorest group and the younger they are the poorer they are during their years of greatest brain development. The Prince of Peace is mocked as we let a child be injured or killed by guns every thirty minutes. The growing boy Jesus who pondered and studied His heavenly Father’s word would worry about the millions of children around America and the world growing up without an education – unable to read and compute – sentenced to social and economic death in a competitive and globalizing economy, and in America, to a mass incarceration system that will turn back the clock of racial progress unless dismantled.Marian Wright Edelman
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Quote of the Day
Christmas message
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| From scupe.org/hello-world-2/ |
Judaism is much more explicit that there will be peace on earth when the Messiah has come:
There will be utter peace in the world. After the King Messiah has been victorious, not a single nation will dare consider waging war, and no nation will rule over any other. People won't even study warfare or battle tactics anymore. And no one will have any reason to fear anyone else, ever again. There will be no racism or other forms of oppression, ever again.See also:
Wednesday, December 24, 2014
Christmas, Charity, and the Revolutionary Jesus
If you realise that Socialism owes more to Jesus Christ and the Gospel than it does to Karl Marx and 19th and 20th Century Economists and Political Theorists, then you will have a vastly different attitude toward this holiday.
The message or theme of charity permeates the certainly of what Christianity is supposed to stand for. We're told this is not a religious country, but on the whole we're told this is a Christian country.
The message of love, the message of Jesus, is one of giving and loving, forgiving; however, is missing from the nature of the US as a Christian Nation.
Here is what is peculiar. Many conservative Christians, mostly Protestant but also a number of Catholics, have come to believe and proudly proclaim that the creator of the universe favors free wheeling, deregulated, union busting, minimal taxes especially for wealthy investors, plutocrat-boosting capitalism as the ideal earthly scheme for his human creations. And many of these Christian capitalists are ardent followers of Ayn Rand, who was one of – and many of whose followers are — the most hard-line anti-Christian atheist/s you can get. Meanwhile many Christians who support the capitalist policies associated with social Darwinistic strenuously denounce Darwin’s evolutionary science because it supposedly leads to, well, social Darwinism!
Meanwhile atheists, secularists and evolutionist are denounced as inventing the egalitarian evils of anti-socially Darwinistic socialism and communism. It’s such a weird stew of incongruities that it sets one’s head spinning. Social researchers like myself ask, how did these internal conflict come about? And why are not liberals and progressives doing the logical thing and taking full advantage of the inconsistencies of right wing libertarianism by loudly exposing the contradictions?
To understand why the pro-capitalist stance of many modern religious conservatives is at odds with Christian doctrine we need to start with the Gospels.
Jesus is no free marketeer. Improving one’s earthly financial circumstances is not nearly as critical as preparing for the end times that will arrive at any minute. He does offer substantial encouragement for the poor, and warns the wealthy that they are in grave danger of blowing their prospects of reaching paradise, as per the metaphor of a rich person entering heaven being as difficult as a camel passing through the eye of the needle (a narrow passageway designed to hinder intruders). This caution makes sense: sociological research is confirming that the more securely prosperous individuals and societies are, the more likely they are to lose the faith. A basic point of core Christian doctrine is that the wealthy have no more access to heaven than anyone else (and in fact may have less), offering hope to the impoverished rejected by cults that court the elites.
This is especially true in Catholicism, where being poor does not constitute evidence of a personal deficiency, and church authorities decry the excesses of unrestrained capital at the expense of social justice. the new Pope is coming into criticism for his opinions advocating a gospel of social justice.
But to understand just how non-capitalistic Christianity is supposed to be we turn to the first chapter after the gospels, Acts, which describes the events of the early church.
Acts 2, verses 44 and 45:
Now, that’s the socialism of the type attributed to Marx, but the general idea comes directly from the gospels. That is something a certain Clown and university dropout should ponder, but I don't call them the "reality challenged right" without reason.
Think about that this Christmas.
The message or theme of charity permeates the certainly of what Christianity is supposed to stand for. We're told this is not a religious country, but on the whole we're told this is a Christian country.
The message of love, the message of Jesus, is one of giving and loving, forgiving; however, is missing from the nature of the US as a Christian Nation.
Here is what is peculiar. Many conservative Christians, mostly Protestant but also a number of Catholics, have come to believe and proudly proclaim that the creator of the universe favors free wheeling, deregulated, union busting, minimal taxes especially for wealthy investors, plutocrat-boosting capitalism as the ideal earthly scheme for his human creations. And many of these Christian capitalists are ardent followers of Ayn Rand, who was one of – and many of whose followers are — the most hard-line anti-Christian atheist/s you can get. Meanwhile many Christians who support the capitalist policies associated with social Darwinistic strenuously denounce Darwin’s evolutionary science because it supposedly leads to, well, social Darwinism!
Meanwhile atheists, secularists and evolutionist are denounced as inventing the egalitarian evils of anti-socially Darwinistic socialism and communism. It’s such a weird stew of incongruities that it sets one’s head spinning. Social researchers like myself ask, how did these internal conflict come about? And why are not liberals and progressives doing the logical thing and taking full advantage of the inconsistencies of right wing libertarianism by loudly exposing the contradictions?
To understand why the pro-capitalist stance of many modern religious conservatives is at odds with Christian doctrine we need to start with the Gospels.
Jesus is no free marketeer. Improving one’s earthly financial circumstances is not nearly as critical as preparing for the end times that will arrive at any minute. He does offer substantial encouragement for the poor, and warns the wealthy that they are in grave danger of blowing their prospects of reaching paradise, as per the metaphor of a rich person entering heaven being as difficult as a camel passing through the eye of the needle (a narrow passageway designed to hinder intruders). This caution makes sense: sociological research is confirming that the more securely prosperous individuals and societies are, the more likely they are to lose the faith. A basic point of core Christian doctrine is that the wealthy have no more access to heaven than anyone else (and in fact may have less), offering hope to the impoverished rejected by cults that court the elites.
This is especially true in Catholicism, where being poor does not constitute evidence of a personal deficiency, and church authorities decry the excesses of unrestrained capital at the expense of social justice. the new Pope is coming into criticism for his opinions advocating a gospel of social justice.
But to understand just how non-capitalistic Christianity is supposed to be we turn to the first chapter after the gospels, Acts, which describes the events of the early church.
Acts 2, verses 44 and 45:
"All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need."Acts 4, verse 32:
"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions were his own, but they shared everything they had."and Acts 4, verses 34 and 35:
"There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from their sales and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need."
Now, that’s the socialism of the type attributed to Marx, but the general idea comes directly from the gospels. That is something a certain Clown and university dropout should ponder, but I don't call them the "reality challenged right" without reason.
Think about that this Christmas.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Astrological Significance of the Solstice Refuted--NOPE!
Further Reading:
- ZEITGEIST Sourcebook: Part 1–The Greatest Story Ever Told
- Top 10 myths about the religion part of Zeitgeist
- Attis: Born of a Virgin on December 25th, Crucified and Resurrected after Three Days
- Dionysus: Born of a Virgin on December 25th, Killed and Resurrected after Three Days
- Was Horus Born on December 25th of a Virgin?
- ISIS IS A VIRGIN MOTHER!!!
- Virgin Mother Goddesses of Antiquity
- Mithra the Pagan Christ | Mithraism and Christianity | Mithras the Sun God
- Early Church Fathers on Mithraism | The Devil Did It
- Rebuttal to Dr. Chris Forbes concerning ‘Zeitgeist, Part 1′
- Zeitgeist Part 1 & the Supportive Evidence (forum thread)
Friday, December 12, 2014
Wonders of the Solar System- Winter Solstice
You think I am going to take the word of an anonymous dumbfuck on the internet about this topic when I have had what I posted has been confirmed by reputable astronomers? Professor Karlis Kaufmanis being one of them. Here, Professor Brian Cox explains the winter solstice. Another example of the importance of the Solstice is Stonehenge.
Ancient peoples were very attentive to seasons and the Sun's position in the sky, because their livelihood depended on planting and harvesting at the proper times. The winter solstice was seen as the rebirth of the sun in those days. The astronomical phenomena were well known about the Solstice in ancient times: and they would have been far more in tune with the seasons and stars than some idiot who might fancy himself a "survivalist".
You can believe what you want--it's more than fine with me if you want to say black is white and get killed at a pedestrian crossing.
On the other hand, I only trust people whose reputation I can verify: not anonymous dumbfucks from the internet.
I'll toss in another point--you would need to have some sort of close date to be able to say that a star chart accurately reflected the sky at the time in question. No one has a definite date for Jesus' birth (if he even actually existed), which means that is not really a valid refutation of something which is an annually occurring phenomenon. Unless, you claim to have an exact date for Jesus' birth, which I seriously doubt you do since there is no actual agreement on when that could have happened even using the Bible as a reference.
Seriously, you've done something Biblical scholars have been trying to do for millennia if you really have this date. Take a bow and be proud of yourself.
But I seriously doubt you would be intelligent enough to do that since, as I said, far better minds than yours have been trying for millennia to come up with an exact date.
Additionally, the crucifixion and resurrection is a motif in other mystery religions, which hints that the astronomical symbolism explanation is more likely than an actual star. This is especially true since there is that solstice connection even if all the elements of being a saviour are missing. The Solstice was an important celebration of Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, which was something which has caused Christian scholars to dislike the link between the Solstice and the celebration of "Christ's birth" from the beginning.
Thank you. Now, don't bother me unless you can say something intelligent.
Ancient peoples were very attentive to seasons and the Sun's position in the sky, because their livelihood depended on planting and harvesting at the proper times. The winter solstice was seen as the rebirth of the sun in those days. The astronomical phenomena were well known about the Solstice in ancient times: and they would have been far more in tune with the seasons and stars than some idiot who might fancy himself a "survivalist".
You can believe what you want--it's more than fine with me if you want to say black is white and get killed at a pedestrian crossing.
On the other hand, I only trust people whose reputation I can verify: not anonymous dumbfucks from the internet.
I'll toss in another point--you would need to have some sort of close date to be able to say that a star chart accurately reflected the sky at the time in question. No one has a definite date for Jesus' birth (if he even actually existed), which means that is not really a valid refutation of something which is an annually occurring phenomenon. Unless, you claim to have an exact date for Jesus' birth, which I seriously doubt you do since there is no actual agreement on when that could have happened even using the Bible as a reference.
Seriously, you've done something Biblical scholars have been trying to do for millennia if you really have this date. Take a bow and be proud of yourself.
But I seriously doubt you would be intelligent enough to do that since, as I said, far better minds than yours have been trying for millennia to come up with an exact date.
Additionally, the crucifixion and resurrection is a motif in other mystery religions, which hints that the astronomical symbolism explanation is more likely than an actual star. This is especially true since there is that solstice connection even if all the elements of being a saviour are missing. The Solstice was an important celebration of Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, which was something which has caused Christian scholars to dislike the link between the Solstice and the celebration of "Christ's birth" from the beginning.
Thank you. Now, don't bother me unless you can say something intelligent.
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
The REAL reason for the season
As we get close upon "Christmas", we will get people whining about the "reason for the season".
Got news for you--it ain't got nothing to do with the Bible or Christianity.
And the holiday doesn't make as much sense in the Southern Hemisphere as it does in the Northern.
Got news for you--it ain't got nothing to do with the Bible or Christianity.
And the holiday doesn't make as much sense in the Southern Hemisphere as it does in the Northern.
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Friday, November 14, 2014
Best Christmas advert
If you know anything about British Christmas: then you should know about the Christmas adverts.
This year, Sainsbury's did one in remembrance of the centenary of the First World War. This was a real event when there was an unofficial truce on parts of the Western Front during Christmas 1914.
It was the event that led to strict rules on fraternising with the enemy.
See also:
This year, Sainsbury's did one in remembrance of the centenary of the First World War. This was a real event when there was an unofficial truce on parts of the Western Front during Christmas 1914.
It was the event that led to strict rules on fraternising with the enemy.
See also:
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
Christmas banned????
It seems that the Montgomery County, MD school district has removed religious holidays from its school calendar with the expected upset from the usual crowd.
What they seem to forget is that the war on Christmas began pretty much from the start of when it began to be celebrated in Roman times since most people knew that it was Saturnalia being repackaged. Additionally, there has never really been any consensus as to what date would actually be that of Jesus' birth. Anyway, It wasn't until the Puritans came around and wanted to remove pagan influences from everyday life that the celebrations were muted down a whole lot:
That was the reason that George Washington attacked the Hessian forces in Trenton, NJ on Christmas Eve: It wasn't a holiday for the Continental soldiers. In fact, the US Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the first Christmas under America’s new constitution. Gradually, some states made it a legal holiday with the first three states to make Christmas a legal holiday were in the South: Alabama in 1836, Louisiana and Arkansas in 1838. Christmas was finally proclaimed a holiday by the United States Congress in 1870: 81 years after the founding of the US.
The modern concept of Christmas appeared about the time Charles Dickens penned his "A Christmas Carol" in the 1840s and was helped along by Queen Victoria. Historian Stephen Nissenbaum contends that the modern celebration in the United States was developed in New York State from defunct and imagined Dutch and English traditions in order to refocus the holiday from one where groups of young men went from house to house demanding alcohol and food into one centered on the happiness of children.
The real problem with Christmas is that there are both secular and religious celebrations of the holiday with the addition that the two different parts of the Christian Church Eastern and Western celebrate the holiday a couple of weeks apart. In fact, how many people actually know what exactly is meant by the 12 Days of Christmas, let alone still celebrate them? In fact, you could have a seriously long Christmas celebration if you wanted to begin with Advent and go to Candlemas. I've heard some celebrations begin with All Saints Day and go to Candlemas.
Maybe you get the picture here, or maybe you don't. The bottom line is that the US has some serious decisions to make if they truly want to place "Christ in Christmas".
Especially, since some Christian sects still don't see it as a Christian holiday.
Maybe the solution is to just take the Month of December off work.
That was the reason that George Washington attacked the Hessian forces in Trenton, NJ on Christmas Eve: It wasn't a holiday for the Continental soldiers. In fact, the US Congress was in session on December 25, 1789, the first Christmas under America’s new constitution. Gradually, some states made it a legal holiday with the first three states to make Christmas a legal holiday were in the South: Alabama in 1836, Louisiana and Arkansas in 1838. Christmas was finally proclaimed a holiday by the United States Congress in 1870: 81 years after the founding of the US.
The real problem with Christmas is that there are both secular and religious celebrations of the holiday with the addition that the two different parts of the Christian Church Eastern and Western celebrate the holiday a couple of weeks apart. In fact, how many people actually know what exactly is meant by the 12 Days of Christmas, let alone still celebrate them? In fact, you could have a seriously long Christmas celebration if you wanted to begin with Advent and go to Candlemas. I've heard some celebrations begin with All Saints Day and go to Candlemas.
Maybe you get the picture here, or maybe you don't. The bottom line is that the US has some serious decisions to make if they truly want to place "Christ in Christmas".
Especially, since some Christian sects still don't see it as a Christian holiday.
Maybe the solution is to just take the Month of December off work.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Merry Christmas
I would like to wish a very Merry Christmas to our co-bloggers, readers and especially our commenters. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas Eve and will continue to enjoy this very special holiday today. I wish you and your families all the very best.
Saturday, December 14, 2013
"and on earth peace, good will toward men"
I kind of wonder about you if the memory 20 little kids getting slaughtered does not ruin your holiday season. I know it causes all sorts of trauma for families which have suffered from the plague of gun violence in the United States: and don't deny that it is a plague and save us the "guns save lives" nonsense.
A year ago, 20 little kids were slaughtered in their school. Pureed with an assault rifle, something that was designed for combat. The slaughter was over in a few minutes. Most of these incidents are over quickly.
Of course, the forensic pictures of the pureed little kids won't make it to the paper. Sensitivity to the victims families, although Noah Pozner's mother made sure people saw what the AR-15 did to her kid. Part of me wants to respect the families, yet there is another part that would love to have these disgusting pictures shown to shame the people who keep insisting "guns save lives".
The other problem is that this is not an isolated incident, which is a terrible thing to consider when you try to say that the United States is a civilised nation. People value life in a civilised nation. People don't use deadly force for "self-defence" unless absolutely necessary in a civilised nation (force allow is that reasonable to end the threat).
On the other hand, the United States is a place where parents wonder if they will see their children again when they send them to school. Where people wait to find out if their children are victims when they are about one of these incidents at their child's school.
Sad for a nation that talks about the right to life and tries to pretend it is in someway "Christian" (or at all ethical). There is something called the "golden rule" or rule of reciprocity where you treat others as you would have them treat you. That is common to all religions. Would those who profess to be "Christian" want to be in the situation where they have their child slaughtered?
Although, we see loads of incidents where well meaning parents bring firearms into their homes only to have their child injured or killed.
More importantly, this is the season when we need to think of the words "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men".
If one is going to talk of a war on Christmas, one need to think of who is working to destroy its meaning. This is supposed to be a season of peace. One where soldiers crossed "No Man's Land" in 1914 to celebrate the holiday, much to their superior's consternation. On the other hand, the United States doesn't really appreciate the Season. The New England Puritans banned the holiday. George Washington used it to surprise the Hessian soldiers at Trenton.
Perhaps, people in the US like to talk Christianity, but not really practise it. Think upon the words: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men"
Does an armed society, one which is supposed to be civilised and at peace really live up to that?
Even if you are "pro-gun", think of the families of Newtown who have lost their Children and do a little soul searching.
A year ago, 20 little kids were slaughtered in their school. Pureed with an assault rifle, something that was designed for combat. The slaughter was over in a few minutes. Most of these incidents are over quickly.
Of course, the forensic pictures of the pureed little kids won't make it to the paper. Sensitivity to the victims families, although Noah Pozner's mother made sure people saw what the AR-15 did to her kid. Part of me wants to respect the families, yet there is another part that would love to have these disgusting pictures shown to shame the people who keep insisting "guns save lives".
The other problem is that this is not an isolated incident, which is a terrible thing to consider when you try to say that the United States is a civilised nation. People value life in a civilised nation. People don't use deadly force for "self-defence" unless absolutely necessary in a civilised nation (force allow is that reasonable to end the threat).
On the other hand, the United States is a place where parents wonder if they will see their children again when they send them to school. Where people wait to find out if their children are victims when they are about one of these incidents at their child's school.
Sad for a nation that talks about the right to life and tries to pretend it is in someway "Christian" (or at all ethical). There is something called the "golden rule" or rule of reciprocity where you treat others as you would have them treat you. That is common to all religions. Would those who profess to be "Christian" want to be in the situation where they have their child slaughtered?
Although, we see loads of incidents where well meaning parents bring firearms into their homes only to have their child injured or killed.
More importantly, this is the season when we need to think of the words "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men".
If one is going to talk of a war on Christmas, one need to think of who is working to destroy its meaning. This is supposed to be a season of peace. One where soldiers crossed "No Man's Land" in 1914 to celebrate the holiday, much to their superior's consternation. On the other hand, the United States doesn't really appreciate the Season. The New England Puritans banned the holiday. George Washington used it to surprise the Hessian soldiers at Trenton.
Perhaps, people in the US like to talk Christianity, but not really practise it. Think upon the words: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men"
Does an armed society, one which is supposed to be civilised and at peace really live up to that?
Even if you are "pro-gun", think of the families of Newtown who have lost their Children and do a little soul searching.
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