The Proletariat Congress

The Pope seems to think that Catholic politicians exist solely to enforce Catholic doctrine, and that because these politicians were elected that the people must too be Catholic and agree with every asinine and antiquated misogynist policy to be rehashed in the Vatican by a council of old men who have never been laid by anyone but an underage boy.

This kind of approach reinforces the fact that pro-lifers (anti-abortionists) are not really pro-life. They are pro-control. They don’t believe that women can make an educated choice and therefore need a man to make her medical choices regarding her body, even if they’ve met her; after all, women are really all the same hysterical light-headed waifs who need a man’s support to give her modern relevance.

Pro-choice is not about the “killing of unborn babies”; it’s about women being able to make choices regarding their own sexual reproduction and having control over their bodies. Pro-choice is about enabling women to have their lives in their control and not endangered simply because a group of dried up old fossils fail to see reason.

Pro-lifers don’t truly care about life as we expect they should. They only care if the life is unborn. They want to be able to control others and force their will on those who don’t share their faith and beliefs. This is also the same group that while condemning the choice of pro-choice women to seek abortion, will seek it for themselves, as they tend to believe that because they are God-fearing that their abortions are moral, while those of the others are immoral.

“In 1990, in the Boston area, Operation Rescue and other groups were regularly blockading the clinics, and many of us went every Saturday morning for months to help women and staff get in. As a result, we knew many of the ‘antis’ by face. One morning, a woman who had been a regular ‘sidewalk counselor’ went into the clinic with a young woman who looked like she was 16-17, and obviously her daughter. When the mother came out about an hour later, I had to go up and ask her if her daughter’s situation had caused her to change her mind. ‘I don’t expect you to understand my daughter’s situation!’ she angrily replied. The following Saturday, she was back, pleading with women entering the clinic not to ‘murder their babies.’” (Clinic escort, Massachusetts)

“When a patient comes in with my ‘favorite’ sentiment: ‘The only moral abortion is my abortion,’ I try to expand her understanding that a few more of us have had and deserve a ‘moral’ abortion. When a woman expands her need for care beyond herself, you no longer have an ‘anti’.” (Clinic Administrator, Louisiana)

The Only Moral Abortion is My Abortion

There is no one specific group of women who actively seek abortion more than any other. The spectrum is not restricted to those who are merely sexually active.

• 2/3 of women having abortions intend to have children in the future

• Catholic women have an abortion rate 29% higher than Protestant women

• one in five women having abortions are born-again or Evangelical Christians

• single women who live with their partner or have no religious affiliation are about four times as likely as other women their age to have an abortion

Being religious and being non-religious didn’t make a difference, since both groups are likely to see abortion. However, those who had used some form of contraceptive were more likely to see an abortion.

Overall, 58% of the women having abortions experienced a contraceptive failure; 31% had used a method in the past but were not using one during the month in which they conceived, and 11% had never used any method.

Abortion Common Among All Women

Since it is common among women from all walks of life, why endanger their lives? They’re people too and they have their own reasons for seeking an abortion and it’s not always as the “pro-life” lobby wants us to believe. There are millions of reasons as to why, ranging from financial to not wanting more children than they already have or simply because they fear being discriminated against by their employer because they may be pregnant or become pregnant (Pregnancy Discrimination).

In a world where there is already a growing trend of overpopulation, child poverty, and unwanted children, it is unfathomable that people would want to force a woman to add another child into a world that already has millions of unwanted children; children starving because their parents cannot afford to feed the ones they have; children who are simply abandoned because they are the wrong gender.

Some politicians are able to see the problem and are trying to rectify it by giving women some form of freedom, even if it’s just for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, which translates into the first trimester, in which the foetus is in its zygote and embryonic stages. This is also the time frame in which a woman is the most likely to miscarry for any number of reasons.

Weeks 1-9 are the “embryonic” stage and 10-12 are the very beginning of the foetal stage. (Prenatal Development)

And what does the Bible have to say about unborn children?

If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman’s husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine. And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life. — Exodus 21:22-23

Number the children of Levi after the house of their fathers, by their families: every male from a month old and upward shalt thou number them. And Moses numbered them according to the word of the LORD. — Numbers 3:15-16

And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? … Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. — Numbers 31:15-17

From Exodus we learn that a foetus is not considered human life.

From Numbers we learn that there is babies under 1 month of age are not considered persons and that God sometimes approves of killing foetuses. Even Leviticus places no value on the life of a baby 1 month or younger.

Abortion is not a 20^th century concept, not by a long shot. It dates back to about 500BCE, more than have a millennium before the emergence of the Catholic Church. (History of Abortion)

Now we know why the Vatican adopted its own doctrine; it suits its purpose because the Bible doesn’t agree with it on the matter of abortion. It makes it easier to ex-communicate those who support abortion. Whether they are politicians or the nurses and doctors who provide the service.

No communion for pro-abortion politicians, Pope Says

“He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind” – Proverbs 11:29

This is the central Biblical quote to the movie, Inherit the Wind, a 1960s movie about the greatest trial (the Scopes Monkey trial) in the ongoing debate in evolutionism vs creationism.

The whole trial stemmed from a simple clause in Tennessee state law that explicitly banned the teaching of evolution because of the link that school of thought supposedly had with Atheism.

… that it shall be unlawful for any teacher in any of the Universities, Normals and all other public schools of the State which are supported in whole or in part by the public school funds of the State, to teach any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible, and to teach instead that man has descended from a lower order of animals.

This passage comes from the Butler Act, which forbade the teaching of any evolutionary theory in public schools in the state of Tennessee.

Despite having made incredible technological leaps and bounds since 1925, we have not been able to make the same great leap of faith when it comes to letting go of creationism, despite that it’s been deemed to be total bunk by the scientific community. While some have made the admission, like the Catholic Church, that there is validity to the theory of evolution and that creationism is just a simple fable, others have outright denied it, like many zealous fundamentalist Christians. The creationists have many forms, or incarnations. The most prominent and known group is the ‘Young Earth Creationists‘, who believe the earth is no older than the Testament itself, which is the word of ‘God’.

Even now, America, and even Canada is in the throes of the eternal debate on the morality of teaching just Evolution over Creationism, and even it’s cleverly disguised counterpart, Intelligent Design (herein now referred to as ‘ID’).

Teachers live in an era where there is a litigious culture that allows for the smallest infraction to have legal recourse. Religious parents feel that they know better, even when they are blindingly wrong’ they have allowed their addiction and over-dependence on religion jeopardize their child(ren)’s future simply because Evolution contradicts the teachings of their religion.

We’ve all, or should have heard the term “reasonable accommodation” when referring to how we make changes to our own rules and attitude in order to make it easier for new and minority cultures to fit into the frame work of our societies, so they aren’t left on the fringes and in “cultural ghettos”. This term is even extended to religious groups, including Christians, who, like others like to feel like the victim so they can impart an force their views on to people who would otherwise disagree and contest those views.

These views primarily focus, in the academic environment, the coercion; mandatory participation with the Lord’s Prayer, which has been removed from schools, but still a flashpoint for some (though I sincerely believe that it is being subtly forced upon us through the use of a “moment of silence” following the national anthem that is played at the start of the school day preceding the morning announcements). The second is the removal of Creationism from school curriculum in favour of Evolution (Darwinism).

However, it is making a slow but steady comeback thanks to backward, uneducated and ignorant thinking (or rather, lack thereof). Because many people still see it as immoral and affront to their imaginary bearded friend in the sky, despite that it has been proven that evolution is possible, even if it takes time, and occurs either on a small scale (micro-evolution) or on a large scale (macro-evolution). Evolution does, nevertheless, leave many, many questions unanswered as science cannot yet answer them because funding is held back because people are inherently afraid of what science will discover. The are comfortable embracing rudimentary thinking in that there is a being greater than all of us that accounts for the unknown all around us.

Brian Alters, director of the Evolution Education Research Centre at McGill University, says the problem stems from a general de-emphasizing of evolution in our classrooms – from curriculum that barely mentions it, to teachers who avoid a topic they fear will be controversial with students or parents.

“If you know you are going to get a lot of flak, there are ways to dance around it,” says Alters, in Toronto recently to speak on the issue.

Alters says informal research by his centre has found that about one-third of teachers report pressure from parents to teach creationism or intelligent design, the theory that God directs the development of life, in the class as an alternative to evolution.

Most respond by teaching neither evolution nor creationism, leaving students with the impression that the two are of equal merit, he says. Others tiptoe around the issue, acknowledging that people of some faiths believe in creationism.

Either way, he says, scientific education in our schools is undermined.

We should be concerned that we let religion play such a resonating role in the world. It holds back what we know and prevents free thought and facilitates the justification for sheep-like mentality, where we all follow the Sheppard to the end of time simply because he believes he’s the eyes and ears of God.

What could history’s greatest minds have achieved if religion didn’t play a great and significant role in society? Would we be more than we are now? Maybe we’d be pure energy now and able to achieve Godhood if religion didn’t shame us into acting submissive before some imaginary jackass in a 6,000 year old book.

Creationism debate continues to evolve

There are a good number of American Christians who have the notion that homosexuality is a learnt practice; a life style that can be changed at the drop of a hat. That the people who are homosexuals can suddenly decide to be straight; that it’s like turning on/off a light switch.

Cletus: A light switch?

Yes, Cletus, a light switch. It’s a simple device that allows for a room to become lit and is often used as a simile to denote how simple the task at hand can be.

That is how some of the American Christians view the homosexual “lifestyle”, as something that is simply chosen. Like that of the Metrosexual.

It has been shown through a recent study that while homosexual is a natural occurance in nature, in animals, fish and humans, that there trigger that can cause it in humans. The study showed that a male was more likely to be a homosexual, or even bisexual if he was one of the later-born children and had older siblings. The first born wasn’t as likely because the oestrogen levels in the uterus wouldn’t have affected him because the levels would be lower. The males born after the first one would likely be exposed to higher levels, meaning that the developing foetus would be more exposed to the female hormone and have more of it in his body.

Homosexuality in religion, namely Christianity is heavily condemned in the Old Testament in Leviticus and through the story of Gommarah and Sodom. But there is nothing of that topic in the New Testament, and what little does exist is sporadic at least and not enough to actually condemn the acts. What is emphasized more is the sin of murder, adultery and other offences, none related to homosexuality.

Despite this, there are still evagelical pastors that like to believe that it is not only a sin, but that it can be cured…

Like Reverand Mohler. The difference lies in his approach. He doesn’t say that it can be cured once you’re born, he’s advocating that the behaviour can be pre-set while the foetus is still in the womb.

[he was] suggesting that a biological basis for homosexuality may be proven, and that prenatal treatment to reverse gay orientation would be biblically justified.

The reverand seems to think that he can just start playing God. Even his harshest opponants, the gay-rights movement thinks so as well…

“He’s willing to play God,” said Harry Knox, a spokesman on religious issues for the Human Rights Campaign, a national gay-rights group. “He’s more than willing to let homophobia take over and be the determinant of how he responds to this issue, in spite of everything else he believes about not tinkering with the unborn.”

So, the mother has no rights when it comes to governing her body when she carries her unborn foetus to term, but her pastor has plenty of rights. Such as the right to help determine if the child will be gay.

Of course, he uses the study I mentioned to justify this…

Mohler began by summarizing some recent research into sexual orientation, and advising his Christian readership that they should brace for the possibility that a biological basis for homosexuality may be proven.

Mohler wrote that such proof would not alter the Bible’s condemnation of homosexuality, but said the discovery would be “of great pastoral significance, allowing for a greater understanding of why certain persons struggle with these particular sexual temptations.”

So, despite that it’s obviously natural and God’s finest piece of work, people like Mohler think they have the right to call homosexuality a sin and offer “treatment” and prayer to ‘pray out the gay’? And they wonder why people mock Christianity with such zealous fervour.

Or why these issues, and the prayers to “cure” homosexual desires are mocked in movies, such as But I’m a Cheerleader, and in many South Park episodes, including the recent one, Cartman Sucks, in which Cartman is caught placing Butters’ dick in his mouth after being told my Kyle that it would be the only way to cancel out Cartman being gay as a result of a picture Cartman took and showed to Kyle, Stan and Kenny.

In a time when religious differences are enough justification to fire-bomb the living snot out of someone who looks at you funny and laughs at the angle your hat is worn at, it’s refreshing to hear stories of good will. It is not often you hear of someone who will put his life at risk for another, let alone for the whole community to open its doors to the hero.

Modesty is a trait found in those who simply act to avert disaster. They don’t have the words to express how they acted.

Perhaps shied by the attention, [Darren Coogan] says only a few words: “Anybody would want to have done it. I just didn’t think and I did it, and I’d do it again.”

The hero is no more humble than the person who he rescued, who expresses his thrill at life with this simple remark:

“It’s good to be alive,” Bajwa, 28, says as fellow Sikhs walk up and ask of his recovery.

Neither man is famous or notable in anyway, other than that Satwinder Bajwa, a Sikh Canadian was saved by a complete strange, Darren Coogan. To each other, the two men were complete strangers, brought together by uncontrollable circumstances.

No one knew that a deer would come running out of the forest or that there would be someone there to save Bajwa when his mini van, after hitting that wayward deer, veered off, colliding with a telephone pole. No one nearby seemed to know what to do. The tow truck drivers in the vicinity were unable to determine how to get to Bajwa out of the mini-van.

They were armed with the tools, but in the end, a man with no tools to do the job, Coogan pulled Bajwa from the mini-van before the vehicle was encased in searing flames.

Coogan had been invited to the Sikh temple, where members of Bajwa’s community show their respect for a man who had risked his life to save that of a man he didn’t know.

If the circumstances had been different, Coogan and his father, who had accompanied his son, like his son would’ve never had the chance to talk to members of the Sikh community. Fate had a different plan in mind.

Sitting on the floor, Coogan’s father Thomas, 60, a native of Dublin, says, “I’m glad the Sikh community let us into their temple. It’s my first time.”

If it weren’t for the accident and rescue, Thomas adds, “I never would have interacted with the Sikh community like I am today. I hope they remain friends.”

Sikhs honour crash hero