July 2009

  • Sex and Catholics

    By becksta on 7/29/09 4:51pm
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    The BibleThe BibleI just read a great post on the Examiner about two interesting topics: Catholicism and sex. The post detailed what Catholics have to endure in terms of "sex education". The key theme throughout the post was one of shame. Some important points:

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  • Is There Life After Death?

    By NanoGirl on 7/29/09 12:18am
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    This has been the debating question among the religious and not.  I for one have always been slightly afraid of death, but mostly because I do not know much about it, or what happens once a person dies.  I am also not super religious, I believe there might be a higher power, but I do not necessarily believe there is a “God”.  I believe in the proof of what science offers, which in several instances proves the bible to be wrong.  I also believe in fate and that everything happens for a reason.  I believe when it is your time, it is your time. 

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  • Faith related death trial wrapping up.

    By selecter on 7/14/09 4:27pm
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    Closing arguments have concluded in the Oregon trial of two parents who knowingly let their 15-month-old daughter Ava Worthington die from a treatable cyst because their church does not believe in medical treatment. As their baby girl lay on a bed dying of pneumonia brought on by an untreated cyst Raylene and Carl Worthington simply joined hands with friends and prayed. The Oregon City based church The Followers of Christ have also lost two other children to their beliefs in the last few years. A 16-year-old boy, Ava’s uncle, died four months after Ava from the very treatable blocked urinary tract he painfully suffered from for months. Doctors have said routine antibiotics would have saved both of them from their parent's faith. Ava died from pneumonia and blood poisoning after a cyst on her neck was left untreated for almost a year, according to news sources.

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  • Gay Bishop Ban Removed?

    By sarajean on 7/14/09 10:59am
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    Yesterday the Episcopal Church voted to open up “any ordained ministry to gays and lesbians—a giant step forward in lifting the moratorium on ordaining gay bishops that’s been in effect for at least three years.

    Unfortunately, it doesn’t cover all cases; still allowing for discrimination, it’s written to let dioceses choose whether or not they want to consider gays for bishop candidacy. It kind of reminds me of the whole hypocrisy of allowing emergency contraception to be available in pharmacies—but allowing pharmacists to play got with your health and have the “right” to deny your request on “moral grounds.”

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  • Aztec Religion: Shock & Horror as cultures clash

    By selecter on 7/13/09 8:48am
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    QuetzalcoatlQuetzalcoatlDescriptions of first contact with the Aztec faith can be terrifying to read by modern readers.  Men traveling with Hernan Cortes on his fateful march against the Aztecs (Mexica) described sights so terrible that it is almost impossible to believe. Bernal Diaz del Castillo, who’s book about the Aztec Conquest is one of the main historical sources of the event, described coming upon small one room temples in the jungle full of dismembered children and animals, hearts stuffed into wall mounted altars and the smell of decay rampant.

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  • Virgin Mary Graces Us with Tree Stump Manifestation

    By sarajean on 7/11/09 5:55pm
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    I still don’t think this is as good as the “Virgin Mary Appears in Toast” years ago, but this new appearance in Ireland still has people perplexed and impressed to the point of paying respects to the little stump.

    Thousands of people have visited the tree stump, which is in a rural churchyard located in Limerick, County. Apparently, while cutting down a bunch of trees last Monday, some workers found the stump at the Holy Mary Parish Church in Rathkeale.

    You think Mary’s trying to tell folks to quit cutting down trees?

    Noel White, Rathkeale Community Council Graveyard Committee Chairman, says that one of the workers exclaimed, “Look, our Blessed Lady in the tree!” and knelt down, blessing himself in shock.

    Now thousands of people have signed a petition to make the stump a permanent fixture of the church.

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  • Zoroastrianism: Precursor to Western and Eastern faiths

    By selecter on 7/10/09 3:12pm
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    ZoroastrianismZoroastrianismZoroastrianism is often credited as the father of both Western and Eastern religions, or at least as one of the major influencers on what modern religion would become. By the time it had run its course Zoroastrianism had spread to India, China and the Middle East. Based on the teachings of the Prophet Zoroaster, the religion focuses on the worship of a supreme creator named Ahura Mazda. Familiar tenets that preceded Christianity include a final battle between good and evil, doing good and the existence of a counter deity who represents chaos and evil named Angra Mainyu. Familiar to Eastern religions is the concept of reincarnation and rituals of exposing the dead to natural decomposition.

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  • Religion as memes and the lost cultures overrun by missionaries

    By selecter on 7/10/09 2:28pm
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    Celtic Cross: The Celtic Cross is an example of idol replacement, incorporating the sun, a very important Pagan religious symbol, into the cross.Celtic Cross: The Celtic Cross is an example of idol replacement, incorporating the sun, a very important Pagan religious symbol, into the cross.Today we are dominated by the Abrahamic religions of Christianity, Judaism and Islam. These religions have been at odds since they were created and have worked tirelessly to erase each other from the map. Even today our most heated conflicts are often born of the same god and philosophy. From an outside historic context it is pretty clear to see the development of these religions from their forebears to their modern influence and conflicts. Incorporating elements of Zoroastrianism, Greek and Egyptian beliefs Christianity rose to dominate Western culture through domination, coercion and idol replacement. Just as things were going well for Christians, another faith, Islam, arose.

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  • Michael Jackson and the God Feeling

    By becksta on 7/2/09 1:11pm
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    Essential Michael JacksonEssential Michael Jackson (Michael Jackson is now being compared to Mother Theresa and the Pope. (Well, not exactly, but they did make the same paragraph and are all mentioned as somewhat exalted beings)  Yeah, hmmmmm, I understand that completely- NOT! And, by a supposed spiritual leader no less! Deepak Chopra who is reportedly among the deepest of them all and just wrote a column about the God Complex- the strange paradox of how someone can inspire so much in so many people yet be so deeply troubled inside.



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