NPR reports on the new NIH guidelines(pdf) for animal care in research. Of course, the comments at the story are the usual ink-blot test of personal positions, using the current guidelines to argue anything from pro-life positions to pro-animal-study to anti-NPR, to you name it. A few thoughts, after the jump: [Read more…]
“We are all Americans, we stand together. I think it is absolutely important now for majority of Americans to hang onto that thing that is best in us: a belief in religious tolerance. We have to make sure we don’t start turning on each other. We are one nation under God. We may call that God different names, but we are one nation.”
President Barack Obama, September 10, 2010
I’ve always thought it more than odd
To say “One nation, under God”—
It’s laughable; it’s risible:
One thing it’s not is “indivisible”.
My president just cut me out:
My welcome here is now in doubt.
“Home of the brave”; “Land of the free”
But not the godless, can’t you see?
If common values bind us close—
Ideas, small or grandiose—
Those notions, if we care to look,
Will not be found in Holy Book
But in the Constitution’s lines,
The founders’ words, their grand designs,
Where weak or strong may both speak free,
Including godless folks like me.
Curious thing, after the jump: [Read more…]
…and for those of you named Peter Palumbo, this post is an illustration of why Freedom of Religion must also necessarily be Freedom from Religion.
The cross on the hill was a beautiful sight
On the days when the sky was most bluish;
It stood for the soldiers who gave up their lives
Well, except when the soldiers were Jewish.
The cross on the hill, it looked rugged and old
Though the city maintained it as newish;
The congressman said that it stood for the dead
Well, unless they were atheist, Muslim, or Jewish.
The cross on the hill was a secular thing—
That’s a lie, but it kinda sounds truish—
The judge said it symbolized service and loss
Well, except for the Buddhists, the Hindus, the Pagans, the Jains, the Confucians, the Shinto, the Sikh, the Druids, the Wiccans, Baha’i, Hare Krishna, Zoroastrian, Scientologists, atheists, Muslim or Jewish. Or the religions of the tribal nations who once owned the land the cross is on.
The cross on the hill is religious, of course
Said a Judge who rejected the woo-ish
And it can’t be a symbol for everyone there
If it doesn’t mean Buddhists, the Hindus, the Pagans, the Jains, the Confucians, the Shinto, the Sikh, the Druids, the Wiccans, Baha’i, Hare Krishna, Zoroastrian, Scientologists, atheists, Muslim or Jewish. Or, you know, the indans. Or even Christians who don’t want a symbol, or use a different cross from the Latin Cross, or (fades)
Image by Will Fresch–wikipedia commons
Peter is a congressman; Peter swore an oath.
He loves both God and Country—but he cannot stand for both.
When Christians in his district want to break the nation’s rules,
Giving Christian prayer a special place, inside the public schools—
When Christians in his district want to violate the law,
And wrote those wishes publicly, which Peter clearly saw,
When Christians in his district threatened Jessica with harm
Did Peter see their lunacy as cause to take alarm?
No, Peter had the chance to disagree with what they said
But sided with the Christian mob that’s howling for her head
When Peter had to choose between his country and his king,
Chose Jesus, and called Jessica “an evil little thing.”
Peter…
You love both God and Country, but you’ve clearly made your choice
You could have done the proper thing—you could have raised your voice
You might have stood with Jessica—she’s right, you surely know—
You can’t serve both; you made your choice; it’s time now, sir, to go.
Yeah, technically it’s a Super Bowl song, but after last night’s game, I just couldn’t help it.
Oh, the workouts are nothin’
And the wind sprints are less
We don’t even practice
We think that it’s best
Cos practice means nothing
I’m forced to confide—
But we’ll win big on Sunday
With God on our side
Oh the networks will show it
They’ll show it so well
How the righteous team won
And the evil team fell
Oh the righteous team won
But it’s not cos we tried
It’s Super Bowl Sunday
With God on our side
Oh, when I cross the goal line
I’ll raise my arm high
With one upraised finger
I’ll point to the sky
I’m sending a message
That can’t be denied
I just scored a touchdown
With God on my side
When it’s fourth down and inches
We’ll go for it all
It’s a quarterback keeper
But where is the ball
They’ll bring out the chain gang
And the refs will decide
First and ten to the team
With God on their side
And the fans in the stadium
Will cheer on their teams
And eat without stopping
Or that’s how it seems
And most of it’s salty
And all of it’s fried
They’ll eat it on Sunday
With God on their side
Oh, it won’t even matter
What’s the final score
The points aren’t important
That’s not what it’s for
This game’s about Jesus
We can all say with pride
We won big on Sunday
With God on our side
We gather each Sunday
We won’t miss a week
It’s more than just victory
It’s salvation we seek
It’s more than religion
It’s the reason Christ died
So we could play football
With God on our side
This week, David Letterman welcomed New York City’s new Steak ‘n Shake; quite possibly, the one person most thrilled by this is a man who can no longer eat. (after the jump:) [Read more…]
Got up before 5 this morning, and drove 13+ hours. Still feeling it.
Watching New England dissect the Broncos. As a displaced Browns fan, I love to watch the Broncos lose. As a displaced Browns fan, I know never to count the Broncos out. They may have Tebow pointing skyward, but any Browns fan can tell you, Elway made a bargain with Satan long ago.
And there’s a damned Gideon’s bible in the hotel room drawer.
A decision that’s mostly expected
Puts the nix on your being elected
Though you might have it in ya
To run in Virginia
Your challenge has just been rejected
Headline: Judge Rejects GOP Candidates’ Request To Be Added To Virginia Ballot
District Court Judge John Gibney Jr. rejected their requests, arguing that they filed their challenges to Virginia’s stringent ballot requirements too late.
“They played the game, they lost, and then they complained about the rules,” he said.
Dedicated to oppressed majorities everywhere.
Come, people of Cranston! Let’s occupy the schools!
Reminding the judge that majority rules!
It says in the bible that atheists are fools—
We can’t let it end in this manner!
We have to defend it, and also our Lord,
From the menacing might of the atheist horde—
The rights of all Christians are being ignored;
We must go to the wall for our banner!
For justice! For freedom! For Cranston! For God!
It’s time for our voice to be heard!
So bring out your pitchforks and torches and ropes
Cos the mob is protecting God’s word!
The bible, of course, is the source of our laws
So banner-removers, I think you should pause;
The way we interpret the establishment clause,
It prohibits the banner’s removal!
The community voted, they want it to stay
And these god-fearing folks wouldn’t lead us astray
The blind scales of justice, they surely must weigh
The majority’s Christian approval
For justice! For freedom! For Cranston! For God!
It’s time for our voice to be heard!
So bring out your pitchforks and torches and ropes
Cos the mob is protecting God’s word!
Come, people of Cranston, we can’t acquiesce!
We’ve got to assemble and take on this mess
So I’ve helpfully posted young Jessica’s address
We can meet there to find a solution
It shouldn’t be hard; hell, she’s only a kid
Which is why, when the atheist did what she did
She showed her true colors, and cowardly hid
In the words of our own Constitution!
For justice! For freedom! For Cranston! For God!
It’s time for our voice to be heard!
So bring out your pitchforks and torches and ropes
Cos the mob is protecting God’s word!
Come, people of Cranston! Let’s occupy the schools!
Reminding the judge that majority rules!
It says in the bible that atheists are fools—
We can’t let it end in this manner!
We have to defend it, and also our Lord,
From the menacing might of the atheist horde—
The rights of all Christians are being ignored;
We must go to the wall for our banner!
Related posts: As Predicted (The Cranston Ruling)
A win for the bravest girl in Rhode Island
Fox News commenters hate America
God answers all prayers, you know…
My dad’s unemployed, and my sister has cancer,
I’m hoping that heaven above has the answer–
Just pray up to God, and you know He will show…
Except for the times when the answer is “No”.
A hurricane’s coming, or maybe a flood,
Or earthquake, tornado, or volcanic mud
But God will protect us from rain and from snow
Except for the times when the answer is “No”.
That kid in the paper, who fell from a tree
We’re praying he’ll live, but we’ll just have to see
We know God can help him to wake up and go
Except for the times when the answer is “No”.
We’re going to war (Or else, maybe, just finished
And can’t stand the thought that our power’s diminished)
But God saves the soldiers, and weakens their foe,
Except for the times when the answer is “No”.
It’s funny, how God can pretend He’s not there,
To teach us a lesson; to make us aware
It’s a lesson we should have learned long, long ago:
Is God there to help us? The answer is “No.”