Quote of the Day – Sam Harris

Our prohibition of certain substances has led thousands of otherwise productive and law-abiding men and women to be locked away for decades at a stretch, sometimes for life. Their children have become wards of the state. As if such cascading horror were not disturbing enough, violent criminals — murders, rapists, and child molesters — are regularly paroled to make room for them. Here we appear to have overstepped the banality of evil and plunged to the absurdity at its depths.

– Sam Harris

Quote of the Day – Thomas Jefferson

Christianity is the most perverted system that ever shone on man.

– Thomas Jefferson 

Sam Harris

It’s been requested that I post a brief bio of Sam Harris, even though I’ve posted a link to his wikipedia page several times now.  Nonetheless, here is the copied text from his wikipedia page:

Sam Harris is an American writer. He is the author of The End of Faith (2004), which was inspired by the September 11, 2001 attacks, and which won the 2005 PEN/Martha Albrand Award,^[1] and Letter to a Christian Nation (2006), a rejoinder to the criticism the first book attracted. His articles have appeared in Newsweek, The Los Angeles Times, The Times of London, and The Boston Globe.^[2]

Harris’s writing focuses on neuroscience; philosophy, particularly philosophy of mind; and criticism of religion, for which he is best known. He has a degree in philosophy from Stanford University and is currently pursuing a doctorate in neuroscience,^[3] conducting research into the neural basis of belief, disbelief, and uncertainty, using functional magnetic resonance imaging.^[4]

Quote of the Day – James Madison

During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What has been its fruits? More or less, in all places, pride and indolence in the clergy; ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry, and persecution.

– James Madison

Quote of the Day – John Lennon

Imagine there’s no Heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will live as one

–John Lennon

Screw parliament, Prison Break is on!

From the LA Times:

BAGHDAD — Missing from Thursday’s session of the Iraqi parliament were about half of the members, including the speaker, the former speaker and two former prime ministers.

Also missing: a sense of urgency.

American officials have been pressing Iraqi leaders to prove their commitment to ending sectarian strife by enacting landmark legislation before mid-September, when the Bush administration is to present its next report on Iraq to Congress.

But even as parliament’s month-long August break approaches, key issues aren’t being discussed. Quorums are marginal, or fleeting.

No fucking wonder there are so many problems in Iraq – even the representatives of the people don’t care.

Quote of the Day – Sam Harris

Credit goes to Chrisopher Hitchens for distilling, in a single phrase, a principle of discourse that could well arrest our slide toward the abyss: ‘what can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence.’

– Sam Harris 

Quote of the Day – Thomas Jefferson

Question with boldness even the existence of God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear.

– Thomas Jefferson 

John Edwards: “Vote for me, I’m a Bigot”

Last night’s democratic debate was mostly a bunch of politicians dancing around questions (save for Mr. Kucinich). 

But here’s the exchange that really pissed me off most:

COOPER: This next question is for Senator Edwards.

QUESTION:I’m Reverend Reggie Longcrier. I’m the pastor of Exodus Mission and Outreach Church in Hickory, North Carolina.

Senator Edwards said his opposition to gay marriage is influenced by his Southern Baptist background. Most Americans agree it was wrong and unconstitutional to use religion to justify slavery, segregation, and denying women the right to vote.

So why is it still acceptable to use religion to deny gay American their full and equal rights?

(APPLAUSE)

EDWARDS:I think Reverend Longcrier asks a very important question, which is whether fundamentally — whether it’s right for any of our faith beliefs to be imposed on the American people when we’re president of the United States. I do not believe that’s right.

I feel enormous personal conflict about this issue. I want to end discrimination. I want to do some of the things that I just heard Bill Richardson talking about — standing up for equal rights, substantive rights, civil unions, the thing that Chris Dodd just talked about. But I think that’s something everybody on this stage will commit themselves to as president of the United States.

But I personally have been on a journey on this issue. I feel enormous conflict about it. As I think a lot of people know, Elizabeth spoke — my wife Elizabeth spoke out a few weeks ago, and she actually supports gay marriage. I do not. But this is a very, very difficult issue for me. And I recognize and have enormous respect for people who have a different view of it.

COOPER: I should also point out that the reverend is actually in the audience tonight. Where is he? Right over here.

Reverend, do you feel he answered your question?

(APPLAUSE)

QUESTION: This question was just a catalyst that promoted some other things that wrapped around that particular question, especially when it comes to fair housing practices. Also…

COOPER: Do you think he answered the question, though?

QUESTION: Not like I would like to have heard it…

(LAUGHTER)

COOPER: What did you not hear?

QUESTION: I didn’t quite get — some people were moving around, and I didn’t quite get all of his answer. I just heard…

COOPER: All right, there’s 30 seconds more. Why is it OK to quite religious beliefs when talking about why you don’t support something? That’s essentially what’s his question.

EDWARDS:It’s not. I mean, I’ve been asked a personal question which is, I think, what Reverend Longcrier is raising, and that personal question is, do I believe and do I personally support gay marriage?

The honest answer to that is I don’t. But I think it is absolutely wrong, as president of the United States, for me to have used that faith basis as a basis for denying anybody their rights, and I will not do that when I’m president of the United States.

You can read the full transcript here.

So basically Edwards is saying that he is bigoted and that he is capable of doing things he finds morally objectionable.  I’m all in favor of a person who is able to recognize the line between politics and religion, but I’m more in favor of not putting someone with absurd, irrational personal views on morality into the white house.

 Here’s the right answer to the question of gay marriage:

COOPER: Our next question is on a topic that got a lot of response from YouTube viewers. Let’s watch.

QUESTION: Hi. My name is Mary.

QUESTION: And my name is Jen.

QUESTION: And we’re from Brooklyn, New York.

If you were elected president of the United States, would you allow us to be married to each other?

COOPER: Congressman Kucinich?

KUCINICH: Mary and Jen, the answer to your question is yes. And let me tell you why.

Because if our Constitution really means what it says, that all are created equal, if it really means what it says, that there should be equality of opportunity before the law, then our brothers and sisters who happen to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender should have the same rights accorded to them as anyone else, and that includes the ability to have a civil marriage ceremony.

Yes, I support you. And welcome to a better and a new America under a President Kucinich administration.

(APPLAUSE)

Right on, brother.

Quote of the Day – Sam Harris

Faith is rather like a Rhinoceros, in fact: it won’t do much in the way of real work for you, and yet at close quarters it will make spectacular claims upon your attention.

–Sam Harris 

Quote of the Day – Sam Harris

And yet, it is obvious that an utter revolution in our thinking could be accomplished in a single generation:  if parents and teachers would merely give honest answers to the questions of every child.

–Sam Harris

Russia Promises Retaliation

According to the NYT, Britain will expel four Russian diplomats because of Russia’s refusal to extradite the key suspect in the murder case of Alexander Litvinenko.

It was the first time since 1996 that Britain had used the sanction, which Russia vowed ”will not go unanswered.”

It seems that relations between Russia and the west have strained recently, over this, over the US missile defense shield, and continued human rights abuses.  I would like to see a more pro-western person elected to replace Putin, but from what I understand of the Russian electorate, that is not likely to happen.  It seems to me though that Russians would be better off if they learned to play nice with both their immediate neighbors and with the west as a whole.

Dick Cheney, the Miserable Bastard

The Huffington Post had an interesting little blog post by Joseph A. Palermo that contained this little gem:

I have already written the peroration of the eulogy I plan to give him:

“Dick Cheney was simply an awful and indecent man, who saw right and tried to wrong it, saw suffering and tried to increase it, saw injustice and tried to worsen it, and saw war and tried to prolong it.”

Beatings

From the Huffington Post:

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — A Marine corporal testifying in a court-martial said Marines in his unit began routinely beating Iraqis after officers ordered them to “crank up the violence level.”

Cpl. Saul H. Lopezromo testified Saturday at the murder trial of Cpl. Trent D. Thomas.

“We were told to crank up the violence level,” said Lopezromo, testifying for the defense.

When a juror asked for further explanation, Lopezromo said: “We beat people, sir.”

Ah yes. That’s how to win a war. Beating. Constantly beating.

Still support our troops?

They say that you shouldn’t judge an army based on the actions of the worst soldiers. I think that is exactly how you should judge an army, for an army is only as effective as their weakest link. It doesn’t matter how much good we do as long as we have one or more bad apples.

And ‘just following orders’ is morally indefensible.  Period.

Sex Abuse Pay Day

From the NYT:

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles will settle its clergy abuse cases for at least $600 million, by far the largest payout in the church’s sexual abuse scandal, The Associated Press learned Saturday.

Attorneys for the archdiocese and the plaintiffs are expected to announce the deal Monday, the day the first of more than 500 clergy abuse cases was scheduled for jury selection, according to two people with knowledge of the agreement. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because the settlement had not been made public.

The church would have an easier time if they only had to pay for every boy they didn’t abuse.