What the fuck are you talking about?

Damn dude, you rock so hard.

How does Kathleen Parker know, without ever mentioning it, what religion, if any, the Fox News reporters practice? Because the subtext is that this is religious rape. Hence the ‘I need a shower’ reference. it reminds me very much of the don’t let the black man destroy the innocence of our white women agitation of the segregated South.

How dare those thugs lecture Westerners about the loveliness of Islam while forcing religious conversion at gunpoint?

let me finish that sentence for you Kathleen

…while we are lecturing the thugs on the lovliness of democracy at gunpoint.

But sine WE’RE the holy ones we can do that.

** This message may include trace amounts of sarcasm and tree nuts**

He’s from Planet Irony.

It’s from a piece in the NYRB three months ago, can be found here, and is well worth reading, if you’re at all interested in the early history of Christianity.

Now *that’s* nuanced humor. Thank you, g.

At least stick around to meet some of the trolls.

Well that sure happened to be some sort of sarcasm…but sheesh…have a punch line that at least let’s folks have an inkling…gnome sayin…

And CaseyL, I’m SOO pleased that you are giving me permission to post such comments on this blog or any other. Can I check in with you to make sure it’s safe to cross the street?

As for my knickers, that’s a personal subject that I’d like to keep all to myself, just me, no one else…m’kay…

And yeah, I guess if I would actually check the site out more often I might know who’s who, but I don’t so boohoo…oh yeah, what’s a writty remark? And please don’t take this as mean spirited…just havin fun ya know!!!

You can vent that considerable rage evident in your comment on many blogs (including this one) but don’t get your knickers in a twist when others prefer somewhat more lighthearted fare.

That’s not just religion; isn’t it one of the most basic tenets of civilization that an agreement made under duress is meaningless? If I put a gun to someone’s head and say “sign over the deed to your house!” and you do, no court in the land would say that I now, in fact, own your house.

Put the pipe down and step away from the crack…

That’s bullshit, mikey. That’s like saying that George Bush and Dick Cheney totally wouldn’t have kicked some Vietcong ass, Rambo style, if other priorities hadn’t tragically intervened. They’re cowboys, we totally know they would have!

So for those unfortunate people who are kidnapped at gunpoint and forced to go through some fucked up shit, I feel bad for them. But maybe they shouldn’t be there in the first fucking place anyway…

Roman judges often gave Christians numerous opportunities to recant before finally sentencing them to death. But many church leaders, for example the second-century bishop of Antioch, exhorted their congregations not to avoid martyrdom, but rather to embrace it. Recalcitrant Christians were held up as glorious examples to others; the idea that martyrs were participating in Jesus’ passion made suffering something to be not only endured, but desired.
[...]
It seems likely that this [sample of the Gosel of Judas] is a criticism of the bishops’ endorsement of martyrdom, and the consequent acceptance by early Christians of execution by the Roman authorities. The author of the Gospel of Judas apparently views martyrdom as a vain sacrifice, and blames the church leaders for leading their sheep-like congregations to the slaughter.

Several early Christian leaders, including Paul, didn’t see anything wrong with offering incense or pretending to deny Christ; what mattered was what in your heart, and god wasn’t stupid. This belief was common among the Gnostics; some of the Gnostics even believed that Jesus wasn’t killed, that god replaced him with a simulacrum that underwent the passion instead (like the lamb that Abraham used in place of his son Isaac). This made the orthodox leaders like the bishop mentioned in the quotes furious. These weirdos got off on pain and suffering–their own and everyone else’s. They made it a sacrament, and they fought like rabid weasels against anyone who would deny them their bloody ritual. Eventually, they won, and they slaughtered the Gnostic “heretics” and forced their views onto the populace.

Parker and her ilk are no different from the early orthodox bishops, the medieval flagellants, and inquisitioners: they love their pious blood porn, and anyone who takes that away from them is reviled and despised. And even worse, anyone who is not willing to go along with their passion play makes them question the truth of the whole game.

I am reminded of that famous bit in MP’s Search for the Holy Grail…

VILLAGER #1: We have found a witch. May we burn her?
BEDEVERE: How do you know she is a witch?
VILLAGER #2: She looks like one.

You see where I’m going with this…
Witch scene