Ok, I'm just gonna say it once, and without hate:

Anyone who believes verbatim in the bible is a misguided, delusionary fool. Fundamentalism is a mental disorder.

Jesus may or may not have existed, but what's been written as gospel was intended and has been used ever since as a form of mind control ("hey you, if you don't follow my rules, your soul is damned for eternity!") and as such has to be seen as a political tool. The same is true for fundamental islam, and any other close-minded, misogynistic, hateful doctrine being sold as faith today.

It is utterly amazing to me that in this day and age educated people still spout forth the evangelical line and purport to believe it. And if there really are 70 million of them in this benighted country, then the other 220 million will just have to exercise democracy (the tyranny of the majority) and make damn sure they don't get their way.

There's a great Doonesbury cartoon that came out a few months ago. In it, Mark the liberal radio talk-show host is given the low-down on conservative tactics by his right-wing boyfriend who says: "You liberals are hung up on fairness! You actually try to respect all points of view! But conservatives feel no need whatsoever to consider other views. We know we're right, so why bother?

"Because we have no tradition of tolerance, we're unencumbered by doubt! So we roll you guys every time!"

Mark ponders this and says, "Actually, you make a good point…"

To which his friend replies: "See? Only a loser would admit that!"

Garry Trudeau is one of the great sages of our time.


Emancipate yourself from mental slavery! (Bob Marley)
(and no, I don't think rastafarianism is any different if propounded by bigots.)

Cheers,
Michael