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What Was Terry Jones Thinking?

It seems that the religion of brotherly love simply can't help themselves from yet again letting their actions contradict their preaching. While the Afghan Muslims that stormed the United Nations compound are clearly not firing on all jets, the pastor Terry Jones isn't either.

Why would he (Terry) incite anger from the Muslim world with his mock trial? What was the point? To show the Muslims how backward Islam is? This coming from the Christians -- who preach about love, kindness, Godliness, understanding, blah blah -- who've slaughtered millions over the centuries in the name their God.

Religious structures it seems are more and more equally misguided; morally confused and pompous in their belief that they alone have the keys to heaven.

Faith isn't a bad thing; in fact faith can be a great thing. The problem is that most of the faithful simply don't know what to do with it, or how to channel it constructively. Christians, Muslims, Orthodox Jews, they've all gone off the reservation.

Religious leaders should be helping their communities; empowering people to be self-confident, self-reliant, productive, and caring citizens. Instead we watch them perpetuate this childish MINE against YOURS mentality. Grow up!

Lao Tzu said it best when he suggested that one live their faith, rather than trying to get others to follow or convince others that their right.

Sorry Emily Post

There is something inherently wrong with the idea of bringing family and friends together to celebrate a holiday and then attempting to subtly manipulate them for a desired outcome. No disrespect to Ms. Emily Post, Ms. Cohen or Ms. Dvault, but your're contributing to a problem, not providing a solution.

In the recent article in the New York Times entitled “Pass a drumstick, and an olive branch,” Kim Severson quotes these women's suggestions and “tricks” of how to host a Thanksgiving dinner to “create harmony” and “control” the situation. If the desired goal is to concoct some surreal image from a 1950s television show, why not just hire actors? It would be a lot less work and be just as phony as what these experts suggest.

Families have been gathering together since the dawn of time. They laugh, cry, debate, argue, break bread, kiss and makeup. Religion, politics, relationships, careers, family matters and gossip are all good fodder for the occasion. So why are we as a nation so preoccupied with presenting some preconceived notion of how we want to appear to friends, family, or strangers -- regardless of whether it’s true or not. Ever since the 1950s we seem to be a nation obsessed by what the neighbors think, so busy playing make believe that we miss life.

Pretending breeds deception, and that's not good etiquette, it's bad judgment. Life is short, live it. Laugh, cry, argue, and love. If it’s real, its life, if it’s not it’s just posing for the camera.

Symbol of Satan?

And we wonder why the world thinks we’re crazy? In a recent article the president of a homeowners association fired all five of its members for refusing to require that a homeowner remove her holiday wreath. The association president said that three or four residents complained, some saying it was an anti-Iraq war protest while others perceived it as a symbol of Satan.

You have to wonder what goes through the minds of people in this country sometimes. I’m not a fan of religion in general, and I certainly understand people’s objections to a single religion being displayed on or in government or public places. But, when a few residents say a wreath with a peace sign is a symbol of Satan, or an anti war protest, and the president of the homeowners association actually listens, you know things have gotten out of hand.

Perhaps they should be looking closer at the complainers and the president as a threat rather than the wreath. Get a grip people!

Restroom Madness

In a recent article in Newsday, a writer asks for advise on how to deal with a male-to-female transsexual that is in transition at work. The writer, a man, was taken back and uncomfortable when "Karen" exited the men's room.

This is a reverse from the more common complaint of male-to-female transsexuals exiting the ladies room. First of all, it seems to me that this whole thing consumes entirely too much energy from those in the mainstream, the so called "normal" folk. First people complain that the Trans woman can't use the ladies room because she wasn't brn biologically female, and now the men are offended that one is using the men's room. Where should they pee, in the hallway? Come on folks, treat trans people as people, different from you perhaps, but human nonetheless.

Foley and The Priest

Hiding bad behavior and then pushing the blame when caught for it seems too common these days. Senator Foley didn't pursue a young page because he was molested as a child (as he claims). He should be accountable for his actions, period. And the Rev. Anthony Mercieca, who stated that he had a friendship with the then 12 year old Foley; going skinny dipping and giving the young boy massages when unclothed, was also inappropriate. The reverand said that "Once maybe I touched him. It’s not something you call, I mean, rape or penetration or anything like that, you know. We were just fondling.” He said that once, while on tranquilizers, he might have done something that Mr. Foley found inappropriate but that he could not recall the details.

Guys, wake up and smell your stench! The religious right should stop hawking the GLBT community and clean up their mess before telling others how to live.

Not Now --Not Ever?

Stephen Laffey, the mayor of Cranston Rhode Island, who is now a candidate for the Republican nomination for a U.S. Senate seat in Rhode Island, recently stated that he regretted writing homophobic columns for his college newspaper some 20 years ago. He goes on to say that he is sorry he had written the "sophomoric political satire" and that the columns didn't reflect his views "... not now, nor then, or ever."

That is almost as stupid as the famous "yes, but I didn't inhale" comment we heard from our President a few years back. Come on Stephen, be a big boy and face your past. Either that or we are left to beleive that you are a man that makes statements he doesn't mean, which leaves us unable to believe anything you say.

Fear Serves Only Fear

"Ages of experience have taught us that the commitment of a husband and wife to love and to serve one another promotes the welfare of children and the stability of society," president Bush said in his weekly radio address. "Government," he went on "by recognizing and protecting marriage, serves the interests of all."

Is it just me that sees the absurdity of this statement? How could denying equality to one minority under the law serve the interests of all? What president Bush meant it seems is that denying the right of gays to marry serves the interests of every one that thinks like him, and that's not the same thing as what he said.

Teaching tolerance and appreciating the diversity of all things is what we as a society need more of, not laws to prevent it. Teaching our children that we are all equal regardless of race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, and gender expression is what will serve the interests of all and not just the fearful right.