There's a saying by George

Orwell said it best in 1984 “Ignorance is Strength”, but strength for whom?



Rolling Stone provides a clue in their latest issue, an article titled The Crusaders;

“These are the evangelical activists behind the nation's most effective political machine -- one that brought more than 4 million new Christian voters to the polls last November, sending George W. Bush back to the White House and thirty-two new pro-lifers to Congress. But despite their unprecedented power, fundamentalists still see themselves as a persecuted minority, waging a holy war against the godless forces of secularism.”

The article later introduces us to the Dominionists "-- biblical literalists who believe God has called them to take over the U.S. government.” This organized group of religious fundamentalists makes Al Qaeda look like a bunch of Little League second stringers in comparison. Muslim nut jobs blow shit up, usually including themselves. Christian whackos are far more insidious; the get on the school board, and organize on the grass-roots level.

“They want to rewrite schoolbooks to reflect a Christian version of American history, pack the nation's courts with judges who follow Old Testament law, post the Ten Commandments in every courthouse and make it a felony for gay men to have sex and women to have abortions. In Florida, when the courts ordered Terri Schiavo's feeding tube removed, it was the Dominionists who organized round-the-clock protests and issued a fiery call for Gov. Jeb Bush to defy the law and take Schiavo into state custody. Their ultimate goal is to plant the seeds of a "faith-based" government that will endure far longer than Bush's presidency -- all the way until Jesus comes back.”

Compared to that, flying a few airplanes into the World Trade Center seems like small potatoes.

America is the most powerful nation in the world with the ability to destroy all life on this planet. We need moderates, not extremists following the will of the people they were elected to represent, not the loudest or best funded special interests.

Granted, I’ve only read the bible all the way through twice, but nowhere did I ever read anything that came out of Jesus of Galilee’s mouth about firebombing abortion clinics or condemning people for daring to love someone. Jesus went where he was needed, the poor and the sick and the downtrodden. His mission on this world was to open the kingdom of heavan and heal men's rift with God. Personally, I think the only time humans are pure are when they are infants.The whole conept of "original sin" never made any sense whatsoever.

The Apostle Paul never even met Jesus when he was alive. How many books did he write of the New Testament? Some biblical scholars even doubt the authenticity of the book of Revelations. That’s not counting any writings that were lost, discarded, or buried in the Vatican.

The parts that I read of the Koran were a little more bloodthirsty, but on the whole, seemed pretty straightforward. The Prophet treated his women as equals, why do women who follow the teachings of this cosmopolitan wise man be forced to hide their beauty, which was bestowed upon them by their Creator? So that they may not tempt men into wickedness? I call bullshit on that. I don’t care what belief system you follow out of the Levant Area, the only person responsible for your sinful ways are you and you alone.

Those who do follow the teachings of Jesus, or Mohammed need to look at the fringes of their religion, and speak out against the overzealous.

For all our sakes.