A Burning Sensation

The first thing they teach you in journalism school is to keep your pen as light as a feather when covering touchy subjects such as freedom of religion. There is nothing in the world, they tell students, that will fill an editor's inbox faster than the suggestion that religion is passé or one is better than another. And if you are writing about Islam, get ready to lose a cartoonist or two before the death threats and bombings subside.

Fortunately, I majored in management with a ridiculously strong emphasis on military history, so screw the terrorist Muslim scum. I'll speak my mind, thank you very much.

Now, I want to be perfectly clear on this: I believe in and fully support the principal in this country that the government should never interfere with a people's desire to gather for religious ceremony. I also believe those religious orders have no business trying to strong-arm the government and trample on individual rights. And I also believe that Islam is not a religion, but rather a blood-thirsty evil Cult of Death, Fear, and Hatred. Is that clear enough?

You may have read this week about a Reverend Terry Jones down in Florida who was planning to burn several hundred copies of the Qur'an on Saturday to mark the 9th anniversary of Islam's Attack on the World Economy (failure) and Sensibility (success). This has caused no small number of significant public figures to bemoan his right to do so while imploring him to show true Patriotic spirit by cowing down to those who have murdered, are murdering, and will continue to murder Americans in the name of Islam.

I'm not here to defend Terry Jones: I know nothing about him. For all I know he is a Jew-hating psychopathic religionist who embezzles money from gullible non-thinkers through the false guarantee of divine deliverance. And I have no intention of defending his right to burn a book, because I just can't really get behind book burnings myself - unless it's really cold out and the book is really pointless, like the Qur'an. No, I'm here to talk about the outpouring of support for those that would have us all dead.

Let's start with General David Betrayus. He has claimed that the act of burning these Qur'ans would put American soldiers in harm's way. I don't want to speak for any soldiers but I don't see that not burning Qur'ans has kept them out of harm's way, General. Do you honestly think that bowing down to our enemies all over the world and allowing them to build victory mosques on battlefields is a way to strengthen our soldiers' defense? I'll tell you what puts soldiers in harm's way, Dave: putting an automatic weapon into the hands of a 19-year old Ohio farm boy, sending him to a violence-plagued cesspool that has never had a sustainable central government - not even under the iron fist of the Soviet Union, putting in place restrictive policies, and demanding that he be an ambassador of the United States to the very people trying to kill him! Quit expecting him to do your worthless Secretary of State's job! His is hard enough:

"Johnny! Remember what we did when the wild hogs were threatening the crops? Do the same thing to the Muslims, boy, then get back home!"

Do you remember when a political soldier was someone like Omar N. Bradley (The G.I.'s General, our last 5-Star General, and by God one helluva fine American who knew what it was all about - taking care of his boys)?

"George, you know we need to kick their asses and I know we need to kick their asses... but you can't say to Congress, 'We're going to kick their asses.' You've got to be delicate when talking to Washington. Now, let's go kick their asses!"

That was it. That was as far as politics got into a real soldier. But with Colin Powell all the rules changed. They started wanting to be political advisers. Started thinking they should be handling policy. Generals who wanted to shape international diplomacy. No! Go kill, break, and suppress. Protect your soldiers through aggressive maneuvering and attacks. When your forces sit still - literally or figuratively - the danger they are exposed to increases exponentially!

[Please don't write in and defend McCrystal, either. By his own admission he voted for Barack Obama, a Muslim. That would be like Ike voting for Joe Kennedy. And if that weren't bad enough, his favorite beer is Bud Lime. Dude... Bud Lime? Tough, soldierboy. Real tough.]

And speaking of our Supreme Muslim Leader, Barack Obama has decided to weigh in on the issue with... look, is there even any point in covering what you all knew would happen? Hope & change, hope & change.

The last one I want to cover is the response from Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the guy pushing for the mosque to be built near Ground Zero. Terry Jones has postponed the Dove World Outreach Center's Qur'an Burning and Covered Dish Supper pending the relocation of the proposed mosque to be called Cordoba. Again, I don't want to speak for anyone, so I will let the Imam speak for himself via this article from ABC News:

"My life has been dedicated to peacemaking... If I knew this would happen, that this would cause this kind of pain, I wouldn't have done it."

But, he explains, he must build the mosque at the original site in order to defend us against "danger from the radicals in the Muslim world to our national security."

"We have freedom of speech, but with freedom comes responsibility. ... This is dangerous for our national security, but also it is the un-Christian thing to do."

"I am glad that Pastor Jones has decided not to burn any Korans... However, I have not spoken with Pastor Jones or Imam Musri [a Florida imam purported to have acted as a go-between]. I am surprised by their announcement. We are not going to toy with our religion or any other. Nor are we here to barter. We are here to extend our hand to build peace and harmony."

"I'm less concerned about the radicals in America (anyone against the building of the mosque) than the radicals in the Muslim world."

"Our national security now hinges on how we negotiate this."

Who negotiates what? Is this Muslim really telling us what would be Christian? Peacemaking? Does this remind anyone else of that Mel Brooks song?

I don't want war! All I want is peace... peace... peace!

A little piece of Poland,

A little piece of France,

A little piece of Austria

And Hungary, perchance!

A littel slice of Turkey

And all that that entails,

And then a bit of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales!

Are there any questions about what this mosque represents? About what Islam's opinion of America is? About how we should proceed? Still not sure whether or not we are in a religious war against Islam? Are you sitting on the fence? Are you a Muslim?

If you are a Muslim, the last thing in the world I'd want to do is convert you into my belief system. You'd probably just screw it up and give it a bad name anyway. But I will ask you to go through the same process I put myself through: look closely at and study objectively all of the beliefs put into your head by others. Ask yourself: Does my religion truly represent who I am as a person?

In my case I had to throw some supposed tenats of my religion out. Some were just things that many who claimed to be like me felt. Others were dead wrong. And still others are tightly held beliefs of the church, but I just can't buy into them. Don't worry - God and I have discussed these issues in depth and we're okay with it. At least, I am. He has the perogative to disagree with me in the end. But for now, I have to live with myself.

As a Muslim you don't have to ask yourself things like:

• Is drinking an alcoholic beverage in moderation really evil?
• Do I need to stay pissed at the Jews forever?
• Do the Romans share any blame for the death of my Savior?
• Does prophecy render all of those feelings moot anyway?

But you might want to ask yourself things like:

• Do I really believe burning people alive is a God-ly activity? [WARNING: That link is VERY graphic - I made myself watch it and several others on the site, but they absolutely made me physically ill. If it doesn't make you ill, you might be a Muslim - scumbag. And if it doesn't make you angry, you are not human.]
• Should women really be beaten on a regular basis?
• If my children go through a rebellious stage does murdering them make me a better parent?

Again, I'm not telling you how to live your pathetic, evil life... I'm just suggesting an alternative to death and hatred.

In the meantime, The Western World needs to stop Muslims from building victory monuments and financial centers in this country or any other, eliminate their training grounds, and beat them into submission... or extinction - whichever is required for survival.

I know this has been an uncharacteristically heavy posting for me, but it's hard to take this subject matter lightly. Still, I am a professional who is committed to his audience. So, in deference to Jeff Foxworthy, I give you the following:

How to tell if your religion is really a blood-thirsty cult:

If when you proclaim "God is great" people react with fear, you may be part of a blood-thirsty cult.

If your spiritual leader beats women and married children, you may be part of a blood-thirsty cult.

If the only guaranteed passage to paradise is by murdering someone in the name of your god, you just might be part of a blood-thirsty cult.

If you've ever flown an airplane full of innocent people into a building full of innocent people to demonstrate your faith in God, you perhaps should consider the possibility that you just might be part of a blood-thirsty cult.

If you've ever cheered at news that a small boy has blown himself and 30 or 40 market goers to pieces, and yet are outraged when someone 8500 miles away threatens to burn a book printed, sold, and purchased 8500 miles away, I'm pretty sure you are part of a blood-thirsty cult.

If you hate South Park... you're just kind of stupid and take yourself way too seriously.

And finally, if you are a Muslim, you are part of a blood-thirsty cult. May you be buried face down under a dog, and may Hitler and Jeffery Dahmer play marbles with your... well, I wouldn't want to offend anyone.

GOD BLESS THE SOLDIER - THANK YOU!

-FOR ALL THAT YOU ARE, AND ALL THAT YOU DO-

DANNY SHOWED ME...

He was working at Tractor Supply Co. when I went in for some M-T-G. Danny was vociferous and enthusiastic. He was animated, almost invading. His address of each customer was cordial, but loud. Almost shouting. And the smile on his face and in his voice was genuine.

Danny obviously had Down's Syndrome. He stood behind the counter rocking from foot to foot. The regular cashier was standing behind him because, even though he knew most of the movements, Danny didn't always remember which button to push or when. And although he was very difficult to understand, he insisted on carrying on a running dialog with each and every customer. (As I walked out the door he was making an announcement on the exterior speaker system, with his assistant following up to make sure the request was understood.)

I left with a smile on my face. The same smile that remained on Danny's face as he turned from the mic to help the next customer. I thought about how Danny made sure to speak to every customer, and about how many times I have been through a store for 45 minutes or more and gone through the checkout line without a single person speaking to me... or making an effort myself to speak to anyone else.  I thought about how much Danny enjoyed scanning the products and reading out the prices, about how mundane the job must be and how so many other people become disinterested in their own jobs, me included.

For just an instant I began to think about the issues Danny has to face in every facet of life due to his affliction. But that thought transformed into something else when I realized that Danny wasn't wasting time doing that. So I began thinking about my own set of issues. I work for a company in the construction industry. Times are tough. With the downturn of the economy I've watched our income dwindle down to just a fraction of our expenses. Every two weeks I sweat about how I'm going to be able to pay our guys. Then about whether I'm going to be able to pay myself. My job has been reduced to juggling creditors and trying to keep the lights on. I'm no fool... it can't last long like this.

My boss pointed out to me that he dreaded coming into the office of late. It seems he didn't want to see my face because I wore on it the only kind of news I've had for him: bad. I didn't bother to tell him that I've felt the same about avoiding him. Surely things will turn around soon, we fool ourselves. Actually, we're hurting because of the bursting of the so-called housing bubble. We both know that the commercial construction bubble is still yet to fail. So, while barely treading water, we're going to have to redirect the entire company.

The holidays are always a bit stressful: traveling to see family, organizing everything that needs to be organized, decorating everything that needs to be decorated, and gifting everyone who needs to be gifteed. I have to deal with my ex-wife on the kids' holiday visits, which is always a nightmare. And this year the extended family is getting together, which means we've got to scrounge the gift money for a slew of additional children. And if that weren't enough, the only reason I met Danny is that one of my horses has rain rot. That's why I needed the M-T-G.

But, hey!  I have horses. Sure, one is sickly and has problems, but he's a sweetheart. And the two mares... well, while they aren't exactly sweet, they are stout. I live on a beautiful piece of property that most could only dream about. I have a great extended family, one that I will get to visit this holiday season. And my wife's family will be coming to us. No illnesses or losses in either family for quite some time. My daughter will be joining the rest of us for the entire Christmas break.  I'm in excellent health and couldn't ask for a more loving home life.

Sure, there are problems at work. We're going through quite a tough time. But I have a job. I've watched competitors, clients, and vendors go out of business all around us. We may may just be treading water, but we're here. And I'm most thankful for that. There are many out there - about 17% of the population - that won't have a job this Christmas. When I look at it, my life is pretty darn rich right now.

I have no intention of turning this into a political diatribe, and those who are close to me know that I'm not completely sold on Sarah Palin as the savior of Conservatism. For that matter, I put no faith in any politicians.  I just don't trust their motives. And from the spiritual side, I am one that believes in coincidences. But it struck me that on the very day I met Danny I read an article about Sarah Palin's book tour bringing out the pro-lifers because she was touring with Trig, her son that was diagnosed with Down's Syndrome. I don't think he was diagnosed before birth, but I do know he wasn't planned.

I don't know that that has anything to do with me. But I can tell you this: If you see me acting a little differently at work. If I'm stepping a little higher, and smiling a little brighter. If my head and morale are higher. If my outlook has shifted over into the positive column. Don't be alarmed. I'm not on drugs. I haven't checked out of reality. And my lottery ticket is still worthless. All that's happened is that I've been shown just how life should be approached, how valuable it is, and how glad I should be to have mine.

Danny showed me.

"Back from 'who ate us'?" "No, hiatus."

OBAMA'S WAR

President Barack Obama's long anticipated "Afghaniplan" is scheduled to be announced this very evening, with a troop increase of 30-35,000 expected, which is a tad less than the 140,000 his commanding General recommended for success. Our little candidate is growing up. It seems like just yesterday he was saying things like, "I don't oppose all wars. What I am opposed to is a dumb war."  Of course, that quote was directed toward the War in Iraq. 

After eight years there, Afghanistan is clearly a different story... just ask the Russians. But fear not: Obama is not growing weary, even if his party is. He plans for U.S. troops to be there for at least three more years, beating the Soviets by a year and a half. He states that we will not leave before the job is done. By the way: does anyone know what the job is?

Due to its mountainous terrain (among other factors) there has never been an effective, centralized government in Afghanistan, with the possible exception of the East India Company. The area is nothing more than a barren pile of minerals, a line of demarcation between warring ethnic factions. If Obama really thinks Bin Laden is still hiding in the hills there, don't send more U.S. soldiers into harm's way to look for him; send mining companies. Within a few years of strip mining, there won't be anywhere left for the b*stard to hide.

SEALing THEIR FATE

Four U.S. SEALs have been accused of the mistreatment of another poor Islamic prisoner, one Ahmed Hashim Abed. This fella claims he was punched in the mouth during his detainment by the members of SEAL Team 10. One of the soldiers, Matthew McCabe, has been charged with assault. You probably have never heard of McCabe, but you might remember Abed from a 2004 incident during which four U.S. contractors were murdered, burned, dragged, and hung from a bridge over the Euphrates River under his orders. The SEALs have given our mamby-pamby, Obama-era military the finger and demanded Courts-Martial (facing criminal charges and possible jail time) rather than administrative discipline.  And get this: they are to be arraigned on DECEMBER 7th! Good for them for standing up! If these SEALs don't win their case against the Obama Administration's witness - fellow Muslim Ahmed Hashim Abed, we all need to march to Washington and defend the men at home who are defending us abroad!  And I mean march armed to the teeth.  ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

This despicable treatment of our soldiers comes from the post-Abu Ghraib, we're so sorry for being Americans attitude that has only intensified under the current administration. ('W'-ers out there rest assured that the previous administration was guilty of this, too - just to a lesser extent.) Don't humiliate the enemy, they tell us. You will just make them angrier. Don't humiliate them? You mean like this?

This administration tells us we no longer can waterboard because it is cruel and inhumane.  Besides, they tell us, it is not an effective way to get information and could suggest to people we are not compassionate.  You mean like this?

I'm going to address waterboarding for just a moment. I saw Mancow do a little bit on it. He apparently (I don't listen to his show) was a big fan of it until he tried it himself in-studio:

So Mancow admits that waterboarding is torture.  Well, he forgot to ask these 4 questions:

1. Yeah?
2. And?
3. So?
4. What?*

Why in the Hell would I care? Is waterboarding torture? Possibly. I don't really know the definition. I can tell you this: Waterboarding by no means looks like a pleasant experience. In fact, it is so bad that it is probably among the top 5 reasons that I'm not a scumbag, Hell-bound, militant, Islamic terrorist today. I say the only way you do waterboarding wrong is if the piece of garbage terrorist gets up afterward. It is my understanding that we actually only waterboarded one individual (a bunch of times, grant you) and it worked... remarkably well. It worked so well that we only had to threaten one other individual with it before he started singing about terrorist cells and info. If waterboarding some Muslim dink saves just one person from a fate like this...

...bring me an ironing board and a pitcher of water! I have compassion. It makes me passionate. And maybe it makes a SEAL passionate from time to time.

To all other SEALs out there: In the future, you take the future "Objective Ambers" out there, cut off their toes or noses or whatever to get information - or not - then put a bullet in their head... followed by another. We need you protecting us, not wasting your time in disciplinary hearings or Courts-Martial. Oh, and "Thank You" to all of you from all of us.

*And thanks to Bill Hicks for not objecting to me stealing from his joke.


HIGHER A-SPIRE-ATIONS

Remember the Chicago Spire? This massive, 2000-feet high skyscraper was to be the third tallest building in the world, and tallest residential structure ever. The project's financing collapsed with the current economic downturn, with little hope of it ever becoming a reality. Until now...

The AFL-CIO is now looking at raising more than $100 million to get the project going. Why? Because some of their union members are facing 30% unemployment rates. This project would provide over one million man-hours of labor at a time when it is greatly needed. The work, that is, if not the building.

At a time when people are losing their homes because they are overextended, is it wise to build a luxury residential high-rise, a monument to fiscal irresponsibility?  A Cortlandt Homes Project for the 2000's?  I think not, so I have a better suggestion. Why not build a wall like we have been talking about in this country for the last ten years?

This will be something practical, something useful, something with purpose.  It will get these union guys working again... they will like that. It will protect the citizens of this country from a horrible enemy. And it will help insure the economic integrity of the U.S. for generations to come.

I'm not talking about a wall to keep gardeners and meat packers south of the boarder.  And I'm not talking about a wall to keep emergency room visitors and weekend gamblers to the north.  I'm talking about a massive wall, some 50 feet high, made of concrete, steal, and whatever else that can be scrounged, impervious to human efforts to blast through, cross over, or tunnel under, email and phone signal-proof, sealed, and left forever. Something that will make the Great Wall of China look like a Christo and Jeanne-Claude installation.  I'm talking about building a wall around Washington, D.C.

Now, that's construction that would help this country.

KEEP AN OPEN MIND...

13 Dead

30 Wounded

Major Nidal Malik Hasan in custody

Over the next few days or weeks you will hear and read much about soldier-on-soldier violence. These events are not so isolated as the American public is led to believe. The stress of redeployments is pushing soldiers over the edge. The strain on members of the military is reaching a critical mass. Just how big a problem is ethnic harrassment in the U.S. military? Yes, all of this and more will be bandied about in the media.

What you are unlikely to hear, at least outside the "right wing nut" arena, is that any and every soldier that is a member of Islam, converted to Islam, or professes to be associated with Islam should be immediately and permanently removed from the ranks of the military. No excuses. No questions asked. No hesitation. Any soldier who suspects another should turn him or her in.

This may very well raise a lump of prejudice and/or injustice in your throat. It's okay. You've been conditioned to react that way. It is time that military leadership, though, cough up those lumps and concentrate on security and warfare. One step that needs to be taken is getting Islam out of our military... the military that is fighting a war against Islam.

Since 9/11 we have all heard officials tell us that this is not a religious war. We all have known that that is bunk. Whether or not this country wants to admit it, Islam is at war with anyone and everyone that does not embrace Islam. Don't just take my word for it: look around at the statements coming from the Muslim community each time something like this happens. They are always generic, generalized, and never quite say, "This Voilent Act was Bad and WE Renounce it in the name of ISLAM." Read them.

Let's look at it another way. If a man went into a town square, let's say Mecca, and blew himself and 40 mothers and children to pieces in the name of Christ, would you hesitate to declare it an evil act and that it had nothing to do with you, Christ, or Christianity? I can renounce The Great Crusades at any time and often have. A dark period in our history, but it was not the result of the belief of most Christians and certainly not under the directive of Christ. Islam is a religion of war and killing, a religion in which the only assured salvation is through killing for Muhammad, the warrior-founder who was not sure of his own salvation. As for salvation through Christ: follow Me and love one another.

Is it a war in which we demand Muslims to convert to Christianity? No. We just don't intend to let them kill all of us for not being Muslim. And if we are to fight them successfully, we need to eliminate them from our ranks, just like any other enemy. Would you go to war against Canada with a bunch of Canadians in your army? Of course not!

Don't worry about soldier morale: we do the same thing with spies. Ruskies don't show up in leather trench coats and eye patches. Soldiers have to be weary of them on or off base. Why? Because they are the enemy and will do anything to infiltrate our forces and damage our ability to defeat them. Is it so unreasonable to recognize that Muslims are willing to do the same? The difference is that a Russian spy may decide to defect on political grounds. A jihadist can only defect through religious conversion... without that, he is still a warrior for Muhammad.

One of the primary principles of warfare is to understand your enemy's objectives and motivation. The U.S. has had a poor track record of doing this. We tend to superimpose Western ideals and our own objectives over the tops of those of our enemy's. We did it with the American Natives, but our numbers and technology made up for it. We did it with the North Vietnamese to terrible consequence. Those are just two of many examples. Can we afford to keep adding to the list? We need to eliminate from our ranks those that are sympathetic to, or outright members of, our enemy's cause.

This isn't a matter of individual rights, freedoms, or feelings. Soldiers sacrifice their claims to those when they join the military... any military. It is the nature of the beast. Out of a sense of gratitude, shouldn't we demand policy that helps protect our soldiers from our enemies?

So, keep an open mind, America... but not so open that your brains fall out.

Let's All Go To Washington!

What do you get when tens of thousands of Gay Rights activists march on Washington?

A multi-media blitz

What do you get when 2 million taxpayers march on Washington in opposition to public funded bailouts of private companies?

A story on page D5 of the Akron Observer

You may have heard that there was a demonstration in our nation's capital this past weekend. According to media reports, this latest human deluge consisted of both homo- and heterosexuals supporting President Obama in his efforts to end the controversial "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" military policy. A closer examination of photos and interviews reveals that the group was not necessarily there to slap this year's Nobel Peace Prize winner on the back. It seems the issues involved ran the gamut from gay marriage to establishing the rights of gays to eat in white diners.

I know, that last one confused me, too, but chairman of the NAACP Julian Bond was the keynote speaker, comparing gay rights to the Civil Rights struggle of the last century. I've never seen a homosexual refused service in a diner because he was gay, and I'm pretty sure blacks were allowed to marry, even prior to the Civil War. I know that homosexuals get looked down upon in certain social situations, but then, so do rednecks, bikers, lawyers, and Star Trek fans. As far as I can tell, the biggest deal in the protest was gay marriage. I just don't understand the homosexual fascination with marriage.

Look, that was not a prejudiced statement. I really couldn't care less if homosexuals want to get married or not: I'm heterosexual and I'm married, so I think it's too late for the existence of same-sex marriages to affect which category I'm in. I'm solidly pigeonholed by this point in my life. Besides, why would I care what someone else wants to do with their life? I know many fellow conservatives are pretty mad at that last statement, telling themselves and anyone within earshot that I am naive in my position. I'm not, and you're wrong.

Homosexuals can already have children. They can do it the natural way with a very understanding partner, or a cooperative Hippy Claus through artificial insemination, or just buying a few like Rosie O'Donnell did. By opposing gay marriage you are not going to keep kids out of the hands of gay couples. And besides, as far as child welfare is concerned, there are a lot worse things you can be than gay.

Others will argue that same-sex marriage will give gay partners all the benefits as spouses when it comes to insurance. No it won't. Insurance will or will not give them the same rights, and most are already doing it. And if the market demands it, the rest will follow suit. And shouldn't that be the way you'd want it, letting the market, rather than the government, decide how insurance benefits are paid for and distributed? I would rather have as many people as I could get in the group that shares expenses with me.

And as far as other "benefits," like estate planning: how many of you 'conservatives' were looking forward to raiding Elton John's closet when he bites the big one? I say let his significant other have at it. I'm not interested.

Now, to the gays out there who are fighting for legalized same-sex marriage: Are you dumb? Listen to a divorced man who has been rung through Family Court: there is absolutely no reason on earth to get married. Listen, marriage carries with it tax penalties, alimony, joint property, shared credit, sorrow, hatred, and madness. Why do we straight men get married? Because we legally can and we eventually run out of excuses. Oh how so many of us would love to be able to say, "Honey, you know I want nothing more than to marry you, but Sarah Palin won't let me."

If you want to get married religiously, go find a church that will do it... they're out there. If you're looking for legislation-mandated marriage penalties, pull your head out of your rear, quit marching on Washington, and enjoy your ability to walk away! Besides, Barack Obama just got paid $1.4 million for doing nothing. Do you really think your Sunday afternoon walk is going to get him moving?

SHROUDED IN FAITH

The Shroud of Turin was just proven a fake... again. You may remember that back in the 1980s several groups of scientists conducted carbon dating tests on the shroud to determine if it was old enough to have been the burial shroud of Jesus Christ. Turns out it was from the Middle Ages, just 12 to 14 hundred years too late. Still, the results of these tests were not enough to convince the desperately faithful who claimed non-union shroud restorers of the past had contaminated the materials tested.

Now a professor of organic chemistry at the University of Pavia in Italy has recreated the shroud, proving that it could have been made in the Middle Ages. Evidently, even though we had the technology to determine the age of something out to 50,000 years, we couldn't explain how a Middle Ages artist was able to paint a figure on a piece of cloth. The professor, Luigi Garlaschelli, has now done it using - drum roll - pigments and other materials available during the Middle Ages.

It's not so much that scientists couldn't explain how it was made, as much as they didn't care to explain how it was made. Once scientific testing has taken place there really isn't much logical need for artwork. It should be noted, however, that this particular study has been funded by an Italian athiest/agnostic group. Professor Garlaschelli claims this fact had no effect on his experiment, but disproving the existance of Jesus seems to be as much a religion as proving the existance of Jesus. Still, people, what does it take?

I wrote the following a few years ago, but I think it is relevent to this news story:

Carbon-14 and God

There are those out there that claim Carbon-14 dating is not only inaccurate, but in fact, untrue. This argument was in response to claims in the scientific community that seemed to conflict with traditional Christian beliefs concerning the origin of the Earth. As a Christian, I present the following information for consideration by all.

God created the Earth. (Please refer to Genesis, In The Beginning.)

During days one through six God created light, water, dry land, grass, trees, the sun and moon, seasons, birds, fish, animals, and man.

We can then see that, just as God created the whole Earth and thus its parts, He created the parts of those parts.

The basic parts of those parts are chemical elements, as charted on the Periodic Table. (I know of no religion or denomination that specifically denounces the Periodic Table.)

Carbon is one of these elements; therefore, God created carbon.

Carbon exists in different isotopic forms. About 99% of the Carbon in the world is 12C; approximately 1% is 13C. Other isotopes are found in trace amounts; 14C, a radioactive isotope, occurs once in every 1 trillion carbon atoms.

These 14C atoms are created due to celestial involvement. (They occur when a cosmic ray liberates a neutron, which is then absorbed by an 14N atom, which then ejects a proton, resulting in the creation of a Carbon-14 atom.) Since God created the Heaven (refer again to Genesis, In The Beginning), He created cosmic rays, the very same that turn 14N into 14C atoms.

Each element has certain defining characteristics. Since none of the elements are salient beings, these characteristics are formed at their creation. God created Carbon-14, therefore all of the characteristics of Carbon-14 were created by God.

One of the God-bestowed characteristics of Carbon-14 (as with all radioactive elements) is a definable half-life. A half-life is the amount of time it takes for one half of any given amount of a radioactive substance to disintegrate. The half-life of Carbon-14 is 5730 years.

All organic material contains Carbon-14; this is a measurable fact. It is respirated, ingested, and absorbed by every living being, until the Carbon-14 concentration in each is in stoichiometric balance with that of the atmosphere.

This means, by utilizing the known characteristics of the elements that God created, dating of organic objects can be reasonably ( ±1% to 7500 years and ± 10% to 50,000 years) verified. [Inorganic material such as fossils, like one might find in a rock, can be dated to more than four-billion years through potassium-argon dating.]

These techniques are the ones used to determine the ages of various artifacts that have been cited by the scientific community when postulating the age and origin of the Earth.

To claim that Carbon-14 dating is not real is to argue the characteristics which God created are not real.

How can you believe in the existence of God while denying the existence that God created?

Rather than explain why I wrote the piece above I'm going to leave you with a question:

Does the value of our faith lie in defending the factual accuracy of individual lines in a two-thousand year old, 700k+ word text, or is it reflected in the life we live, the love we show for others, and our willingness to embrace the mind God gave us to our fullest extent?

Welcome to America, Muommar

Dearest Momar:

It is with great regret but a hearty ‘Howdy-ho’ that I write you. I recently read about your upcoming trip to address the U.N. General Assembly and the reluctance of some people in Englewood, New Jersey to welcome you into their community. This is appalling and I offer to you a most heartfelt apology. The people of New Jersey do not represent the rest of us and, I suspect, do not have a very strong grasp on what it means to be a real American.

I really don’t understand their hostility in this, the 21st Century, a time for healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, and unprecedented appeasement. It seems some folks just won’t let go of the past. Sure our two nations have had their disagreements in the past, “misunderstandings” we’ll call them. I’m sure you well remember that official visit to your country that Ronald Reagan approved back in April 1986: the French sure do. But let’s not allow the past to interfere with international relations. That is why I am most cordially inviting you to stay with us here in North Alabama. I think you will find southerners quite hospitable.

In light of the fact that you were so accommodating during that last flyover tour by our Air Force and Navy aircraft, my neighbors down the street, the Dewlings, would like to extend an invitation to take a ground tour of their favorite weekend hangout spot. I must warn you, they are quite the off-roaders, so bring something to wear that you don’t mind getting a little dirty.

And while you’re here, Butch McIntyre, who lives on the other side of my place, would like to take you to one of his reenactments, in order for you to learn a little more about our Southern heritage and culture. He and his two boys are quite active in their organization, and his family especially can show you how different cultures melded together to create a vibrant history for the South. As luck would have it several of his relatives from overseas – Scotland, I think – will be visiting during your stay. I’m sure they will be more than excited to see you here.

Now, I realize that as a Sunni follower of Islam you may be concerned that the prevalence and resoluteness of the huge population of Southern Baptists here in the South may give rise to conflict during your stay: nothing could be further from the truth. We are all brothers on this plantet Earth, connected by a higher spirit. The old man that runs the service station out on the county line – I have to admit I don’t even know his name – heard our President when he announced in Turkey that “we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation.” He told me that he would love to have you as his personal guest at his next men’s club meeting. They regularly burn crosses just to emphasize the fact that we are no longer a Christian nation. You may find it quite enlightening.

Finally, I’d love to have you out at our place. This will allow you to see first hand how a simple, rural citizen of the United States lives. There are many things we can do out on the farm. And don’t worry: we can stay up as late as we want and make all the noise we care to make. I live so far out in the country that I assure you – no one will hear a thing. I’m really looking forward to your visit.

Sincerely,
Dermot Jitney

PS: There’s plenty of room and grub – be sure to bring a friend.

One Ed is Better than Two

I know all of you have been waiting patiently for my reaction to the death of one Senator Edward "Ted" Kennedy. I'm sorry this is so late in coming this morning, but you see, I had to quit gut-laughing so I could actually hit the keys with my fingers. I heard the news on the radio as I was driving into work and nearly ran off a bridge - don't worry, I was alone. The report said that he lost his battle to brain cancer last night. I guess it just ran out of material. Too bad he didn't have fat cancer - he might've been able to hold on for another half-century or so.

Some of you might say those aren't very Christian comments. Hogwash! I don't buy that for a minute. A good, strong Christian stands up for what is right in the face of evil - and I can think of no better word to describe the Kennedy ilk. I have no sympathy for Ted or anyone around him. The entire family is nothing more than a bunch of drunks, thieves, murderers, Nazi sympathizers, Socialists,

hypocrites, bigots, womanizers, and prostitutes (or whatever it's called when a woman is paid to marry a future president)*. I invite you to do a little research and discover for yourself that these aren't the inflammatory words of a right-wing nut... there is plenty of evidence to support each one. Interestingly, the evidence is hidden away in such places as newspaper articles, encyclopedia entries, biographies, interviews, and pasted over the top of every voting conscience in Massachusetts.

*AND they brainwashed the Terminator, man.

A Little Quickie

I'll be back with another installment on Healthcare Reform soon, but just a little quickie today to tide you over. Call it Lifestyle Advice.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with letting the world know about your opinions. Everyone has that need - why do you think I spend time writing this blog? I encourage all of you to let your feelings out and support those causes which are dear to your heart.

Having said that, I have one word of caution: UPKEEP - just a little bit of it will help ensure that your message is effectively, clearly, and accurately delivered.

DEAR WORLD: We’re sorry

Relationship Advice

I know there is no shortage of relationship advice out there and with good reason, what with all of the complicated relationships in this brave new world of ours. There is, for instance, the relationship our country is experiencing with its new president, the relationship we as owners have with our brand (not so) new car maker, and the relationship that said car maker has with it’s new 31-year old, totally inexperienced boss, appointed by the aforementioned president. But alas, the subtitle of this blog is Nothing Too Serious, so I’m going to avoid presenting my opinion of this nation’s latest foray into nationalization. Yea, I’m going to stick to relationships that are none too serious: those between husbands and wives. Good, light reading.

My relationship with Benita is in many ways typical of those between husbands and wives. I am male, she is female. We both have jobs outside the home. She takes care of most of the work inside the house, while I try to keep up with most of the demands of our property. Where we can, we help one another in each of those respective fields. I’m not above washing dishes and I have photos of her shoveling horse poop. I really do. Overall we do what has to be done. We fill those traditional roles rather… well… traditionally. Sounds about like yours, does it not men?

Let me tell you something about our relationship that is likely different than that that you enjoy with your wife: I am the man of our relationship, and not only does my wife know that, she respects it. And I don’t mean that she knows better than to run the vacuum while the football game’s on. She respects that I am the man of the house. I’m the source of strength and confidence, I am the guardian, I carry the big stick, and I reign over my castle. Does your wife accept this about you? Have you given her reason to?

The reason my wife looks up to me as the Man of the relationship is that she is confident in my goals as the Man of the relationship; I do not rule by fear, threats, or intimidation. The power I hold in my household is surrendered voluntarily because my wife knows deep down that my objective in this world is to provide for and worship her. This is the payment I make for her recognizing in me that which is deserving of her love. Sometimes, and very likely far too often, I fail to tell her this, and I slip in my efforts to demonstrate it to her, but I keep up well enough for her to know it. Beyond the traditional efforts, I try to do the unexpected, even when she sees it coming. How well do you do this for your wife? Have you given her reason to surrender her respect to you?

Those of you who are very close to me… don’t know much about what has happened during our first year of marriage. Those of you close to Benita probably know a good bit about it. Suffice to say we have had a challenge-filled time of it. I dare say that if we had both been 22 years old and new to the marriage game we likely would not have made it. As it is we made it through quite well, like two old trail horses. (I’m going to get it for that analogy. That’s okay. I’ll take it like a man.) Our marriage today is as strong at every level as it was last July 4th, and much stronger in many ways. So, as I am a man, I was quite alarmed when Benita told me she wanted to do The Love Dare.

The Love Dare, as featured in the movie Fireproof (click on the ad to the right to get a copy of either – and go ahead and click on that Google Ad for 1-hour UL rated fire doors, as well – you can’t put a price on safety), is a book concerned with repairing broken or failing relationships by urging one partner to start doing things for the other to prove his/her love. It’s all right there in the movie. And yes, it’s the man that is the bigger jerk, and the woman kinda gets off light. This is what went through my head, anyway, because I’m a man. We men tend to think that if everything is seemingly going well in a relationship there is no need to go in and start fixing things. The engine in our 1969 Camaro - which is made up of hundreds of moving parts – can be purring like a kitten with a bellyful of milk, but the first rainy Saturday we’re going in and start yanking things out to replace the cam. Meanwhile, the relationship we have with our wife – which is made up of only two moving parts – has to blow a gasket or just run out of gas before we start considering any kind of tune-up. We expect it to just keep puttering on down the road without so much as an oil change or refueling.

So we’re on Day Six of The Love Dare, and I tell you guys, it’s going great. Doing these things is not just for “saving” a wrecked relationship… it can reinvigorate one that is in a rut, or just add a new dimension to an already strong relationship. Don’t be afraid of your woman’s desire to engage in these activities. It may be difficult for we men to approach them with gusto, but I bet you’ll find they’re not so bad once you give them a chance. And let me tell you, they are a whole lot more fun when you are doing them at a solid point in your union than when you are trying to salvage what is left of a rotten situation. I’ve done both, and the problem with the latter is that one party is probably not going to follow through with as much commitment. And this can make it discouraging or even hopeless.

Do yourself a big favor and take ten minutes right now to sit and think. Ask yourself these questions:

Is my marriage everything it used to be?
Is my marriage everything it could be?
Do I know my wife’s expectations from our relationship?
Have I done anything recently to earn her respect?
Do I provide for and worship my wife?
Is my marriage fun?

If the answer to any of these is anything except ‘Yes,’ if you feel the need to include a ‘but’ in any of them, or if ‘No’ crossed your mind even fleetingly, your relationship is not where it was meant to be. But don’t worry, it’s not too late to revive it, to reinvigorate it. What has to happen is that both moving parts begin working together, tuning and timing and trying. And keep in mind that laughter is the best fuel for a happy relationship.

I don’t mean for this to be an advertisement for The Love Dare or any other relationship product. All I’m saying is that we men don’t have to be scared or intimidated about participating. Sharing one of these with your wife is a good way to learn more about the person she is today, and a few new things about yourself. You’ll also get some good ideas about those unexpected ways to show you love her. And what’s more, these programs themselves are good examples of things you can do to show your feelings for her. Let’s go back to that hotrod: why do we switch cams, jet carbs, and tinker constantly? To make it more powerful, faster, and more fun. Think of these relationship exercises as after market parts for your relationship. Pop the hood and tinker around. Make it more fun, faster, and more powerful. You can never have too much of those, can you? You’ll find yourself smiling a lot more often, like you did when you were googly-eyed every time you held her hand. If you go into it with the goal of discovering new ways to worship the woman you fell in love with so long ago, you might be surprised what she surrenders to you in return.



On a totally unrelated note, for those of you in the Forestdale/Adamsville area my wife and I will be joining another couple (Chris & Heidi Barnette) in presenting The 5 Sex Needs of Men and Women, a 12-week long course by Dr. Gary and Barbara Rosberg, beginning this Sunday night, June 7, 2009, at 5:30 PM at Westwood Baptist Church. It is free so this is not an advertisement. I’m not teaching this class because I think I know everything about men and women… I’m helping present it as part of my constant search for advice and knowledge. Don’t expect your wife to attend these alone to learn new ways to turn you on. While it is a class for anyone, single or married, husbands need to attend with their wives. I’ll give you a free tip right now, men:

If you haven’t earned her respect outside the bedroom, there is nothing you can do to earn her respect inside it.