Category: Religion

Is it time to cancel the Pope?

by philg

Strike 1… “Pope Francis says Ukraine war was ‘perhaps somehow provoked’” (Guardian, June 14):

Pontiff condemns ‘cruelty’ of Russian troops while warning against perception of conflict as good v evil

Strike 2… “Vatican Praises U.S. Court Abortion Decision, Saying It Challenges World” (US News, June 24):

The Vatican’s Academy for Life on Friday praised the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on abortion, saying it challenged the world to reflect on life issues, but also called for social changes to help women keep their children.

The Vatican department also said in a statement that the defence of human life could not be confined to individual rights because life is a matter of “broad social significance”.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday took the dramatic step of overturning the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that recognised a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion and legalized it nationwide.

“The fact that a large country with a long democratic tradition has changed its position on this issue also challenges the whole world,” the academy said in a statement.

Pope Francis has compared having an abortion to “hiring a hit man” to eliminate a problematic person.

Renowned theologian, Constitutional Law scholar, and Vanquisher of Corn Pop Joe Biden says that the Pope and Supreme Court are both dead wrong:

I believe Roe v. Wade was the correct decision as a matter of constitutional law, an application of the fundamental right to privacy and liberty in matters of family and personal autonomy.

The consequences and the consensus of the American people — core principles of equality, liberty, dignity, and the stability of the rule of law — demand that Roe should not have been overturned.

With this decision, the conservative majority of the Supreme Court shows how extreme it is, how far removed they are from the majority of this country. They have made the United States an outlier among developed nations in the world. But this decision must not be the final word.

When we combine the above are we forced to conclude that the Pope, a doubter that Russia has a monopoly on European evil, an adherent of an “extreme ideology,” and a celebrator of a “tragic error,” must be canceled?

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Uber characterizes Mohamed as gay

by philg

To celebrate Pride Month, Uber uses a rainbow icon to show the driver’s vehicle. Here’s an example where Uber’s white saviors suggest that “Mohamed” is a follower of Rainbow Flagism:

The good news is that, after a ride in the back of a Tesla 3, the Prius seemed luxurious!

Of course it is brave of Uber to celebrate everything 2SLGBTQQIA+ in the U.S., where the repercussions could be severe, but do the rainbow cars appear for Uber users in Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Bahrain, Pakistan, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates?

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Should we make a COVID tyranny Haggadah?

by philg

For Passover this year we used a Haggadah from PJ Library, a Maskachusetts-based non-profit (funded by Harold Grinspoon, a late-blooming artist like Hunter Biden). The book includes the classic victimhood narrative in which “Pharaoh” enslaves the Jews and does various gratuitously mean things to Jews (though the hateful term “Jews” is never used; the phrase “Jewish people” is used instead). To this has been added “Miriam’s Cup”:

The Jewish people would not have gone free from Egypt without the actions of many brave women. Moses’ mother Yocheved and his older sister Miriam hid baby Moses in a basket on the Nile River. … After the Jewish people escaped through the Sea of Reeds, Miriam led them in song.

(a big stretch from Exodus, according to Wikipedia)

The kids reading the Haggadah are supposed to ask themselves “Who in the world today is suffering and needs help? Who do we know who helps other people and how do they do it? Are there some ways we could help other people, too?” Once I had reminded them that there was no evidence that Jews had ever lived in Egypt and, therefore, there was no evidence that any Egyptian ruler had ever enslaved Jews, the kids were able to come up with some alternatives. The tyrants were Joe Biden and Charlie Baker (governor of Maskachusetts), closing playgrounds and ordering children to wear masks. The land of slavery from which children should seek to escape was Massachusetts. The land of freedom was, of course, Florida.

What about producing updated materials for Passover that take out the unproven accusations against Egyptians and substitute documented modern events? The role of tyrant can be cast with national and local politicians who imposed lockdowns on those assembled at the table. Instead of “Next Year in Jerusalem” it can be “Next Year in Miami” for Americans and “Next Year in Stockholm” for Europeans. Instead of parting the Red Sea (actually “sea of reeds” (swamp) in the original Hebrew), G*d can clear a path through all of the traffic jams on Interstate 95 between the locked down Northeast and the Florida Free Sate. Instead of having issues with bread while running away from slavery, the story could be about those fleeing lockdowns not even having enough time to stock up on marijuana at the “essential” (open while schools were closed) cannabis dispensaries.

Who takes over the role of Moses? That’s easy! Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle.

Related:

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Do Carr’s Table Water Crackers qualify as mini-Schmurah Matzah?

by philg

First, was matzah sold out at your local supermarket right when Passover began (last Friday night)? Here in northern Palm Beach County, matzah was more popular than Hunter Biden original oil paintings. Both Publix and Whole Foods were sold out.

Publix, however, did have Carr’s Table Water Crackers:

It doesn’t look too much like the square matzah that is normally available in epic quantities, but what about this Schmurah Matzah?

(For some background on this, see Chabad’s article:

Shmurah means “watched,” and it is an apt description of this matzah, the ingredients of which (the flour and water) are watched from the moment of harvesting and drawing.

The day chosen for the harvesting of the wheat is a clear, dry day. The moment it is harvested, the wheat is inspected to ensure that there is absolutely no moisture. From then on, careful watch is kept upon the grains as they are transported to the mill. The mill is meticulously inspected by rabbis and supervision professionals to ensure that every piece of equipment is absolutely clean and dry. After the wheat is milled, the flour is again guarded in its transportation to the bakery. Thus, from the moment of harvesting through the actual baking of the matzah, the flour is carefully watched to ensure against any contact with water.

)

Yeast is not listed as an ingredient by Carr’s. Wikipedia says that the water cracker was designed for extended travels (40 years?).

Matzah is not the only thing that I’ve noticed being unavailable recently. Here’s a partial list:

  • paper towels (Costco)
  • toilet paper (Costco)
  • printer/copier paper (CVS)

Are Americans back to hoarding? What are they doing with all of the printer paper? With many offices still shut down and people working from home where they may not have a printer, how is it possible for us to have run out of standard 8.5×11″ paper?

Oh yes, and Happy Passover to all readers who practice Jewcraft!

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The Disney World cathedral: perfect for astronomers

by philg

One of my favorite stops on a central Florida trip earlier this month was the Basilica of Mary, Queen of the Universe (see also Wikipedia). It is tough to conceive of a more dramatic contrast with the theme parks. For starters, it’s free and you don’t have to wait in line,

For folks who love astronomy, this is the ultimate chapel:

The approach from the parking lot….

Once inside,

The stained glass covers the good old days when everyone got along:

Life was simpler before the Covidocracy. Moses stopped at 10 rules and didn’t revise them every week. And, although these rules were downloaded from the cloud, Moses did not claim that they were determined by Science.

Reviewing these windows makes me wonder if churches in the Northeast, California, and Illinois should be updated with stained glass panels depicting the lives of the modern saints, i.e., public health officials and governors who kept people safe via lockdown, mask, and school closure orders.

When you’re done with the cathedral, there is another church next door devoted to the god that most Americans worship, i.e., an outlet mall.

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Casting the heretic out of the forest

by philg

An estate owner in a woodsy New England vacation enclave for the rich writes to his neighbors, who rely on a limited collection of colorful locals for every job that requires physical strength and practical skill.

I am no longer employing the [Heretics] due to their refusal to be vaccinated. I am clearly in the camp that embraces the proven science that the vaccines are safe and necessary to help our civilization resist this terrible disease. One that should never have created such havoc throughout the world and our country whose leaders did not take the virus serious until much too late. There will be well over 1 million of our fellow citizens dead shortly and I have no tolerance for anyone who believes their “bodily autonomy” is more important than the health of our communities. [Heretic 1] did some incredible work for us and our property has his fingerprints all over it and I will be forever grateful but refusing to get the jab is too much for me to tolerate. Since about 30% of our country refuses to follow the strong advise and instructions from the world’s most brilliant epidemiologists and medical scientists and our ultra-conservative activist Supreme Court justices are allowing this idiocy to continue, it is likely that some of you don’t agree with me and that is your choice but I am resolved in my conviction. I have fired my tax accountant and stopped doing business with any entity refusing vaccines and masks. [A nearby Deplorable service business] will forever be off my list.

What was Heretic 1’s job? Forester. In other words, the unvaccinated individual would be out in the forest and never anywhere near the owner’s Covid-safe bunker. The email, sent to about 15 neighbors, closes with a signature:

“Ultimately, we have just one moral duty: to reclaim large areas of peace in ourselves, more and more peace, and to reflect it towards others. And the more peace there is in us, the more peace there will also be in our troubled world.”
ETTY HILLESUM

(We can never have peace until all of the people with whom we do business agree with us politically.)

The neighbors respond supportively. Example:

Hi [Righteous Democrat], thanks for the latest news and especially for confirming about the [Heretics] and [Another Deplorable]. I too have been very concerned about their refusing to get vaccinated.

A former Californian weighs in on the above issue:

(“Trying to follow the science of the protected needing protection from the unprotected by forcing the unprotected to use the protection that doesn’t protected the protected.”)

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The Serbian Mushrik is cast out of the Antipodal Mecca

by philg

From “Why Are Non-Muslims Not Allowed Into The Cities Of Mecca And Madinah?” (Inside Saudi):

In Islam, the cities of Mecca and Madinah are considered as places of peace, refuge, and sanctuary for Muslims only. Non-Muslims termed Mushriks are prohibited in order to keep it that way.

For example, Hindus believe that Brahma is one and many. Also, 80% of Christians believe in the Trinity that God is three equal and eternal persons in the form of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

The very fact that the Mushrik believes and acts on the basis of polytheism makes him/her a Mushrik and in effect spiritually Narjis (unclean) in the eyes of Allah.

It is NOT the case that he/she is unclean in the physical sense but only in the spiritual sense.

From CNN:

“Rightly or wrongly” tennis star Novak Djokovic is perceived as endorsing anti-vaccination views — and his presence in Australia could influence people, said lawyer Stephen Lloyd, who is acting for the government.

Lloyd said it was “common sense and uncontroversial” to assume that people would listen to Djokovic’s views, given what we know about the power of celebrity.

According to Lloyd, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke doesn’t need to show evidence that Djokovic is influencing people’s views to cancel his visa — just that there’s a risk that he might.

He said Hawke made the decision to cancel Djokovic’s visa in accordance with the Australia’s Migration Act that enables the minister to bar someone who “may” or “might” pose a risk to public health.

From an American point of view, the Australian government’s position isn’t novel. While at least 10 million undocumented immigrants are welcome to stay in the U.S. (even after being ordered deported, as with Barack Obama’s Aunt Zeituni) and there is no requirement that those who walk across the border and avail themselves of our multi-year asylum process accept Science and the Sacrament of Vaccination, there is no realistic way for an American to express him/her/zir/theirself if he/she/ze/they endorse anti-vaccination views. Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube will ban heretics. I recently met a recruiter who had 5,000 LinkedIn contacts and was subject to a “lifetime ban” in the fall of 2020. (She appealed the decision and got a response that they’d “reviewed [her] private messages” and decided to sustain the ban.) She had posted skepticism that mask orders (bandanas at the time!) and U.S.-style lockdowns were effective in long-term reduction of COVID-19 deaths.

The New York Times says that Djokovic has been cast out via a flight from Australia to comparatively free Dubai. Let’s check “the curve”. From a few days ago:

Now that Djokovic has left via Dubai, and thus the sanctity of Australia has been restored, it does look as though the curve is flattening. From the Google:

Advantage, #Science?

Samizdat currently circulating among Irish sports fans via WhatsApp:

(Facebook owns WhatsApp, but due to tech limitations, it can’t read messages that are exchanged among users and therefore it can’t easily hunt down and ban the unrighteous.)

Related:

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The police department job interview

by philg

Herschel Mendelbaum goes to the Boston Police Department and applies for a job. He’s interviewed by Sergeant O’Leary, who concludes by saying, “You will be a strong candidate for the job if you can tell me who killed Jesus.”

“Sorry, I don’t know,” answered Herschel.

“Come on now,” winked Sergeant O’Leary. “Everybody knows who really killed Jesus!”

“Sorry – I still don’t know,” said Mendelbaum.

“Tell you what I’ll do,” O’Leary said. “You go home and ask all your little Jew friends who killed Jesus. Come back after St. Patrick’s Day and if you can tell me the answer, the job is yours!”

Mendelbaum got home and his wife asked, “Did you get the job?”

He answered, “Not yet, but I think I’ve got the inside track. They’ve already got me working on a big murder case!”

aaaaand…. Happy Hanukkah for those who celebrate religious intolerance! (“… everyone agrees that the Maccabees won out in the end and imposed their version of Judaism on the formerly Hellenized Jews. So Hanukkah, in essence, commemorates the triumph of fundamentalism over cosmopolitanism.”)

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Stoking coronapanic is a good way to destroy traditional religion?

by philg

The centuries-old struggle of humanism versus traditional religion hasn’t resulted in total victory for humanism, even in thoroughly debauched Western societies. Until March 2020, for example, a lot of Americans would shut down their casual sex apps and drive past the billboards for recreational marijuana on Sunday mornings to attend church.

What if humanists could make traditional religious believers afraid of going to church? Or make churches uncomfortable to attend? Enter the public health battalion in the Army of Humanism!

A friend in Newton, Maskachusetts attends an orthodox synagogue. Attendance In October 2021 was about half what it was pre-coronapanic. “The biggest drop off is among the women,” he said, “for whom going to shul is optional.” Christian churches nationwide seem to have experienced a similar drop in attendance.

Now that most of the COVID-vulnerable are either dead or vaccinated (Maskachusetts would be on page 1 of countries ranked by COVID-19 death rate if it were its own country), why wouldn’t the synagogue be full? Mask-wearing is required by the righteous secular #science-following bureaucrats and politicians who run the City of Newton. This makes sitting together for hours unpleasant for no obvious personal health benefit. If the masks do work their 11 percent magic (closer to 0 percent for cloth masks), all of us remain doomed to eventual infection.

The slave states have managed to shut down churches and other houses of worship entirely and/or make attending uncomfortable via mask orders. What about in the free states, such as Florida and South Dakota? In those places, the national and local media, generally run by non-believers, can work to instill fear of COVID-19 that will keep people away from church.

Regardless of whether the fight is happening in a slave state or a free state, is it fair to say that SARS-CoV-2 is the best thing that ever happened to humanism? Religion relies heavily on in-person gathering, which people will refrain from doing, either voluntarily or involuntarily, once convinced that avoiding COVID-19 should be their primary life goal.

Separately, as long as we’re talking about religion, here’s the curve of deaths, including the summer Delta variant surge, for the infidels following the Church of Sweden:

(Cumulatively, Sweden has suffered about half the COVID-19 death rate compared to Maskachusetts. On the COVID-19 death rate leaderboard, the give-the-finger-to-the-virus country sits right next to Greece, celebrated by technocrats for its victory over the virus: “Greece has responded swiftly and effectively to the Covid-19 pandemic and has so far managed to contain the spread of infections, but the economy has been hit hard, adding to long-standing challenges, according to a new OECD report.” (oecd.org); “The key to Greece’s success, analysts say, was the government’s early steps to contain the virus ahead of most of Europe.” (TIME); “How Greece is beating coronavirus despite a decade of debt” (Guardian))

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