The "Religion of Peace"....

The Religion of Peace:

"Don't judge the Muslims that you know by Islam and don't judge Islam by the Muslims that you know."

... Islam is an ideology. No ideology is above critique, particularly one that explicitly seeks political and social dominance over every person on the planet.

Muslims are individuals. We passionately believe that no Muslim should be harmed, harassed, stereotyped or treated any differently anywhere in the world solely on account of their status as a Muslim.

Islam is not simply a belief about God. It is a word that means Submission. Islam is a set of rules that establish a social hierarchy in which Muslims submit to Allah, women submit to men and all non-Muslims submit to Islamic rule.

Since we don't live in a Muslim country (where censorship, intimidation and brute force are shamelessly employed to protect Islam from logical deconstruction), we are still free to openly exercise our right to debate the merits of the Islamic value system against Western Liberalism.

Are men really superior to women as the Qur'an says? Are women intellectually inferior as Muhammad taught? Does propagating material (the Qur'an) that openly curses people of other religions amidst random calls to violence really improve the health of our societies? Is it right to keep women as sex slaves, merely because the Qur'an explicitly allows it in multiple places? Should atheists and homosexuals have to choose between the noose and an outward profession of faith in Allah?

Yes, there are Muslims who take issue with these aspects of Islamic theology, but it doesn't change what Islam is. Don't confuse the ideology with the individual. Don't draw conclusions about Islam based on the Muslims that you know, be they terrorists or humanitarians. Islam must be understood on the basis of what it is, as presented by the Qur'an the Hadith and Sira (biography of Muhammad).

By the same token, don't draw conclusions about the Muslims in your life based on the true nature of Islam. Like any other group, not all Muslims think alike.

... Most Muslims (even devout ones) have only a superficial understanding of their religion. Most never made the choice to be Muslim, so (as with all religion) there are widely varying degrees of seriousness with which they may take their faith.

The Muslims that you know are not terrorists. More than likely their interests in life are similar to yours and they have the same ambitions for their children. They should neither be shunned, mistreated nor disrespected merely because of their religion. Their property should not be abused, and neither should copies of their sacred book be vandalized.

Pre-judging an individual by their group identity (or presumed group identity) is not only unethical, it is blatantly irrational, since group identity reveals nothing about them. Every individual should be judged only on the basis of their own words and deeds.

Don't judge Islam by the Muslims that you know, and don't judge the Muslims that you know by Islam.

Further Up And Further In....

Thank you for your prayers.

Margaret passed the threshold at 9:14 this morning. Angels in heaven are rejoicing. "Further Up And Further In!"

My Brother and I held her and prayed with her as she passed. It was a relatively easy path and a comforting experience.

She is catching up with Dad right now.


... In the southland of the heart
Where night blooms perfume the breeze
Lie down
Take your rest with me

... In the southland of the heart
Where the saints go lazily
Lie down
Take your rest with me

... In the southland of the heart
There's no question of degree
Lie down
Take your rest with me
In the southland of the heart
Everyone was always free
Lie down
Take your rest with me

- Bruce Cockburn

My Mother....

My Brother and I would appreciate your prayers.

I just drove to Lancaster from Athens, about two hours ago.

My Mom is in the process of dying. She started seriously toward it early this week, and today her body started the shut-down process. Tonight hospice gave my Brother and I the morphine to ease her breathing. She's not big, so it just takes a very small amount every half-hour or so. We are in contact with the hospice nurse and she is in contact with the doctor on call for them.

God is with her, and I believe that she is very aware of what is happening. His Grace and Mercy are abundant and strong.

It's a process that we have prepared ourselves for, as we have known that barring Our Lord Jesus' Return, she would soon leave us.

Again, Prayers would be appreciated.

Palin Bitten by Rabid Fox (Reporter)....

Palin Bitten by Rabid Fox (Reporter)....

PRESCOTT, Ariz. (AP) - With a Fox reporter locked onto her arm, Sarah Palin ran a mile to her car, where she was able to dislodge the animal, throw it into the trunk and drive to a Prescott hospital. The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office said the Fox reporter, which later attacked Keith Olbermann also, tested positive for rabies. Olbermann is immune, however, and apart from his daily megadose of Xanax and wiping the drool from his chin, required no treatment.

Palin told deputies she was on a trail Monday at the base of Granite Mountain when the Fox reporter attacked, biting her foot. Palin said she grabbed it by the neck when it went for her leg and it latched onto her arm. Knowing that a Fox reporter is always rabid, she wanted to make sure it didn't get away so she ran to her car, where she was able to pry open its jaws, wrap it in a sweat shirt and toss it into the trunk.

Palin is receiving rabies vaccinations, along with truth serum, courtesy of MSNBC.

Update:

The rabid reporter has been identified as Carl Cameron, and has denied actually testing positive for the disease. He was quoted as saying "Like all Fox reporters, I carry the Vapid virus. I'm not rabid at all." However, witnesses on the scene, including famous bloviator Bill O'Reilly, have testified that Cameron was, in fact, foaming at the mouth.


(Yes, I did tamper with this, and may be sued by AP. They probably have NO sense of humor. You'd be amazed at how few words I had to change/add/delete.)


Faux News is in the middle of literally throwing Palin under the bus.

I thought she was the "future of the party".

Guess ratings DO matter more.

Carl Cameron literally threw her under the bus this evening.

Amazing. Check out the vid.

Boy, some people's fifteen minutes are a little rougher than others... I actually felt sorry for her. Collectively stabbed in the back, it looks like Faux and their masters are trying to ruin what little career she has left.

I hated the pick, but it was McCrazy's pick to make, and the 'pub power structure is painting her as the reason they failed. As if she volunteered to be the VP pick.

To illustrate this weirdness, contrast that with "Joe The Plumber" who seems bound for his own TV show, or sumpthin'.

Btw, they failed because McCrazy wasn't conservative enough. Oh, and his ideas were lousy.

So much for "governing from the middle"....

Rahm Emanuel, possibly the most partisan, anti-conservative Democrat since Darth Maul, is now Obama's Chief of Staff....

It is gonna be a "long, long year".

Some Investment Advice -- and The Good Part....

From Iowahawk:

Buy: Sterno Inc, Guns R Us, Amalgamated Firewood
Sell: Apple (electronics), apples (the fruit), Jerusalem real estate

From Mr. Shirt:

"One good thing, It is a great moment in history that an African American can be elected President with 52% of the vote. And the the fact that at least 90% of the other 48% voted based on issues rather than superficial characteristics, like skin complexion.

I’m more comfortable with the deal, because the Dems did not achieve the 60% of congressional control that would have made for a very scary 2 years minimum. As of today, my biggest future fear is we are only one psycho-nut-job-racist away from hearing the words “President Biden.”"

Courtesy of BuckBlog at It's A Paul World: The best post on the election. EVER.

Daniel 4:17

This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

NIV Version:

The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of men.

VP Choice costs McCain....

... More than he knew at the time. It was hubris. I think he knows now. He's no dummy, but his off-the-cuff, seemingly "maverick" choice has bit McCain good.

It was a choice he didn't have to make. Play to your Conservative Christian base (btw, I am a "Crunchy-Con" Christian), Anti-abortion, etc... OR play to female undecideds (the most likely demo of undecideds to vote) and pick a woman who was qualified. He picked a pretty face, who had some softball interviews on Faux. Without giving it a lot of thought. (Seems Obama didn't give much thought to his choice, either. THAT is Blowhard Central.)

Christy Todd Whitman would have eaten Biden's lunch. She is smarter, more knowledgable on almost every subject, and a better speaker. And, she probably knows more about energy than any candidate, Prez or VP, ever. But, she's pro-choice.

McCain made the mistake of thinking the CC bunch would not support a pro-choice VP. He was wrong. They had no choice. Where would they go? The CC leaders are pragmatic. The people would follow. In the end McCain would have gotten their vote, and their protestations would have brought attention and votes from undecideds.

They wouldn’t have been left with a choice, they aren’t going to pull a Dem ‘04 and Naderize by going to the Constitutional “Party”. They would have fallen in line, he would have gotten his share of independents, a VP debate winner, and this race would probably have been his.

Ohio State Football -- What a mess....

Disappointed....

I don’t have high expectations. And my hopes have gotten lower over the last two Vest “press conferences”. I realize he doesn’t answer questions, but this time, I think he doesn’t know the answers. I realize it’s early, but he may have a QB on his hands who will not function well in his offense, and I don’t know if The Vest is capable of designing an offense that TP can function well in.

Here's what's wrong at this point:

1- A smoke and mirrors offensive line. Not helped by big, slow guys with cement shoes, and a Zone blocking scheme made for small quick running backs. Nobody uses their hands correctly, or gets low and drives their man off the line. You'll rarely see a pancake from any of these guys, no matter how much of a weight-room hero they be.

2- A quarterback who passes the ball like a bad free throw shooter (and the pass looks like a weak fade-away three-point attempt).

3- A coach with play-calling that is so predictable that he trys to make it sound like a positive in his "press conferences". "Press conferences", because they are classic studies in avoidance and spin.

4- A bunch of seniors -- who guaranteed don't like the switch to a freshman QB, but have to shut up and live with it -- are watching their stock drop, along with the loss of a productive senior year. (See the ESPN/ABC Lauranitis interview before the Penn State game and look at the body language when asked about TP's leadership.)

5- A defense that HAS to be great. After all, we're ranked 11th, with one of the worst offenses in OSU history.

Yeah, given the fact that the Vest handicapped the rest of the season in an overreaction to the USC blowout, we're doing "great"; this is the Big-Ten. -- not the SEC. With a decent passing attack, Beanie could run. Receivers wouldn't have to depend on coming back to the ball to get a reception. You may be amazed at how good some of these guys are once they actually get some passes thrown their way -- in the NFL.

The Vest has no idea where this football team is, and he may not be capable of designing an offense that TP can succeed in.

My guess is that after two years of a failed attempt to integrate TP into a combination of offensive schemes, and despite his physical talent, the Bucks and The Vest will opt for a pro-style QB. If not, recruitment will suffer, and we will be saying hello to a couple of Michigan-like years....

Kantians With Cruise Missles....

Kantians With Cruise Missles.

An excellent article on Empire/Liberal Republics, by Joseph Stromberg.

"Pay no attention to that State behind the Democracy.

Brought to my notice by The Dawg at Old Hop's Hideout.

I learn a lot reading Chuck's blog.

Obama's handlers seek to lower expectations....

From JRoosh at Mitch Berg's at Shot in the Dark blog:

Don’t Look Behind the Curtain (Please)...

Barack Obama’s senior advisers have drawn up plans to lower expectations for his presidency if he wins next week’s election, amid concerns that many of his euphoric supporters are harbouring unrealistic hopes of what he can achieve.

Hope will now become Mild Despair

Change will now become Slightly Less of The Same

We Are The People We Have Been Waiting For will now become "Your call is important to us, Please Hold The Line; Calls Will Be Handled In The Order They Were Received. Your call will be monitored and recorded to insure Fairness Doctrine compliance, have a Joy Joy Day”

Tax cuts to 95% of Americans will become New Online Access to the Unemployment Benefits Application Process

Spread the Wealth will become Oops. Sorry About Your Job....